A common phytoene synthase mutation underlies white petal varieties of the California poppy

Andrew J Pollack; Xue Gong; Jonathan R Pollack

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-48122-3

A common phytoene synthase mutation underlies white petal varieties of the California poppy

Sci Rep. 2019 Aug 12;9(1):11615. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-48122-3.

Authors

Andrew J Pollack¹, Xue Gong¹, Jonathan R Pollack²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
² Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA. pollack1@stanford.edu.

Abstract

The California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is renowned for its brilliant golden-orange flowers, though white petal variants have been described. By whole-transcriptome sequencing, we have discovered in multiple white petal varieties a single deletion leading to altered splicing and C-terminal truncation of phytoene synthase (PSY), a key enzyme in carotenoid biosynthesis. Our findings underscore the diverse roles of phytoene synthase in shaping horticultural traits, and resolve a longstanding mystery of the regaled golden poppy.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Base Sequence
DNA, Complementary / genetics
Eschscholzia / genetics*
Genes, Plant
Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase / genetics*
Mutation*
Phylogeny
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Transcriptome

Substances

DNA, Complementary
Geranylgeranyl-Diphosphate Geranylgeranyltransferase