diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index f609e514a3344054774a7ddebbf6b31d46ad96cd..5ab52c6b98c0b13b1957c15004dcc6dbb3a04754 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,3 +1,11 @@ +## Isoform-resolved genome annotation enables mapping of tissue-specific betalain regulation in amaranth +<br> +Tom S. Winkler∗ , Susanne K. Vollmer∗†, Nadine Dyballa-Rukes‡ , Sabine Metzger‡ and Markus G Stetter∗,1 +<br> +∗ Institute for Plant Sciences and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, †Heinrich Heine University, +Duesseldorf, Germany, ‡ MS platform, Institute for Plant Sciences and Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), University of Cologne, Cologne, +Germany +<br> - Betalains are coloring pigments produced in some families of the order Caryophyllales, where they replace anthocyanins as coloring pigments. While the betalain pathway itself is well studied, the tissue-specific regulation of the pathway remains mostly unknown. - We enhance the high-quality Amaranthus hypochondriacus reference genome and produce a substantially more complete genome annotation, incorporating isoform details. We annotate betalain and anthocyanin pathway genes along with their regulators in amaranth and map the genetic control and tissue-specific regulation of the betalain pathway. - Our improved genome annotation allowed us to identify causal mutations that lead to a knock-out of red betacyanins in natural accessions of amaranth. We reveal the tissue-specific regulation of flower color via a previously uncharacterized MYB transcription factor, AhMYB2. Downregulation of AhMYB2 in the flower leads to reduced expression of key betalain enzyme genes and loss of red flower color.