Chemical analysis of color change and transcriptional profile in biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids and flavonoids during flower development of Tibouchina pulchra (Cham.) Cogn

• Grant number: 13/10413-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2014
• End date: December 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Applied Botany
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Cláudia Maria Furlan
• Grantee: Fernanda Mendes de Rezende
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Tibouchina pulchra (Cham.) Cogn.(Melastomataceae), also known as manacá-da-serra is a very importantspecie on characterization of structure and physiognomy of the Atlantic Forest tree species, it's native to southeastern Brazil . Its flowers have color changes during its development. When the button opens the flowers are white and slightly purple edges, which takes only one day to become completely purple and then rose and remained so until senescence. This peculiar phenomenon of T. pulchra is completely unknown at the molecular level and opens interesting interrogations about the genetic and chemical mechanisms that determine it. This project aimed to understand how this phenotypic switching time is regulated. To achieve this objective will be taken two approaches: chemical and gene expression. The chemical analysis will be performed in stages of flower development aimed to characterize qualitatively and quantitatively the temporal distribution of phenylpropanoids, flavones/flavonols and anthocyanins; measurement of cell pH; identification and quantification of metals in flowers. In the stages of development will be assessed chemically identified and quantified the expression of genes involved in the biosynthetic route of phenylpropanoids and flavonoids. These results could meet the regulatory mechanism operates at the level of gene transcription, post-transcriptional (ie post-translational activation of enzymes), the association of pigments with metals, or through a combination of mechanisms mentioned. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

REZENDE, Fernanda Mendes de. Chemical analysis of color change and transcriptional profile in flavonoids biosynthesis during flower development of Tibouchina pulchra (Cham.) Cong.. 2018. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Biociências (IBIOC/SB) São Paulo.