Transcriptomic Analysis Provides Insights into Anthocyanin Accumulation in Mulberry Fruits

Mulberry fruits are rich in anthocyanins, which important secondary metabolites that give mulberries their bright color, favorable taste and high nutritional quality, making them a popular fruit. However, few studies have focused on the molecular mechanism underlying anthocyanin accumulation gene regulatory networks of biosynthetic pathways remain largely unknown. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with between two mulberry genotypes (‘Zi Jing’, ZJ ‘Zhen Zhu Bai’, ZZB, purple white fruit flesh, respectively) at 5, 18, 27 31 days after flower. Using transcriptome analysis, explored several key DEGs involved pathway, including structural genes: CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR1, DFR2 ANS, known as MBW complex MYB (M.alba_G0017209), (M.alba_G0017689), bHLH (M.alba_G0012659), (M.alba_G0009347) bHLH3 (M.alba_G0016257) ethylene response factor: ERF (M.alba_G0016603). Of these, changing trends related expression pattern content showed most positive correlation post-flowering stage both genotypes. Our results indicated enhances fruits. Furthermore, qRT-PCR was confirm above-mentioned genes’ (except for (M.alba_G0017689) significantly up-regulated under treatment 300 mg/L. These findings help uncover pathway will contribute engineering purposes future breeding programs.