Evolutionary Analysis of R2R3-MYB Transcription Factors in Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Bromeliads and Implications for Climate Change

• Grant number: 25/09585-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Plant Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Clarisse Palma da Silva
• Grantee: Amanda Lichtscheidl Graciadio
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10639-5 - Center for Research on Biodiversity Dynamics and Climate Change, AP.CEPID
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/25577-6 - Evolutionary Patterns in the Anthocyanin Pathway of Neotropical Bromeliads, BE.EP.MS

Abstract

Current climate change can lead to alterations in the cellular, molecular, morphological, and developmental traits of plants, thereby modifying their ecological interactions with the environment and other organisms. In pigmented organisms, climate change may trigger responses resulting from changes in the regulatory mechanisms of secondary metabolite biosynthesis, particularly anthocyanins. In this project, we will investigate the transcription factors that regulate the biosynthetic pathway of anthocyanins and flavonoids, with a particular focus on the R2R3-MYB factor, using the species Pitcairnia albiflos and Pitcairnia staminea (Bromeliaceae) as study models. Specifically, our objectives are: (1) To investigate differences in anthocyanin composition in the leaves of P. albiflos and P. staminea in relation to the distinct microhabitats they occupy, assessing potential correlations with environmental factors; (2) To characterize gene expression profiles in the leaves of P. albiflos and P. staminea, focusing on the regulation of the R2R3-MYB transcription factor, which is essential to the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway; (3) To analyze the phylogeny of R2R3-MYB genes within the genus Pitcairnia, aiming to infer evolutionary patterns, conserved functions, and predominant subfamilies in P. albiflos and P. staminea.Understanding how current environmental changes influence adaptive evolutionary processes in pigmented individuals will improve our knowledge of how local adaptation and speciation may be affected under scenarios of rapid ecological transformation. In doing so, we aim to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on genes involved in the regulation of anthocyanins, one of the main secondary metabolites responsive to environmental stress. This research sheds light on the conservation and broader impacts of climate change, beyond its direct effects, with implications for biodiversity and speciation.