Cloning of an anthocyanidin synthase gene homolog from blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) and its expression at different fruit stages

Anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), a 2-oxoglutarate (2OG) and Fe(II)-dependent oxygenase, catalyzes the penultimate step in anthocyanin biosynthesis, from leucoanthocyanidins to anthocyanidins, the first colored compound in the anthocyanin pathway. In this study, a full-length, 1427-bp long cDNA named RnANS1, which is homologous to the anthocyanidin synthase gene, was cloned from blackcurrant using a homologous cloning strategy. RnANS1 is highly homologous to other plant ANS genes at both the nucleotide and amino acid sequence levels. The deduced protein contains domains conserved in the 2OG and Fe(II)-dependent oxygenase, and is phylogenetically closely related to Paeonia suffruticosa and Paeonia lactiflora. The expression of RnANS1 was upregulated during fruit maturation, and correlated with the accumulation of anthocyanins and soluble carbohydrates in the fruit. Further characterization of the structure and expression patterns of RnANS1 will clarify our understanding of anthocyanin biosynthesis in blackcurrant, and support the development of molecular approaches to manipulate anthocyanin production in this plant.