Transcriptomic study of the role of MeFtsZ2-1 in pigment accumulation in cassava leaves

Yuwei Zang, Kunlin Wu, Liangwang Liu, Fangfang Ran, Changyi Wang, Shuwen Wu ¹, Dayong Wang, Jianchun Guo, Yi Min

BMC Genomics; 2024 May 7; 25(1):448. doi: 10.1186/s12864-024-10165-w.

Abstract

MeFtsZ2-1 is a key gene for plant plastid division, but the mechanism by which MeFtsZ2-1 affects pigment accumulation in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) through plastids remains unclear. We found that MeFtsZ2-1 overexpression in cassava (OE) exhibited darker colors of leaves, with increased levels of anthocyanins and carotenoids. Further observation via Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) revealed no apparent defects in chloroplast structure but an increase in the number of plastoglobule in OE leaves. RNA-seq results showed 1582 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leaves of OE. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that these DEGs were enriched in pathways related to flavonoid, anthocyanin, and carotenoid biosynthesis. This study reveals the role of MeFtsZ2-1 in cassava pigment accumulation from a physiological and transcriptomic perspective, providing a theoretical basis for improving cassava quality.

See https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38802758/

Fig. 4 RNA-seq analysis of differentially expressed transcripts in WT and OE leave.

(A) Volcano plot of the number of DEGs in leaves.

(B) Bar graph of the number of DEGs in leaves.

(C) Heatmap of the DEGs in leaves. WT, wild-type cassava. OE, MeFtsZ2-1 overexpression cassava.