Oral Paper

         Functional Genetics/Genomics

Using multi-omics and gene family phylogeny to investigate the evolution of betalain and associated metabolites in Caryophyllales

Presenting Author
Ya Yang
Description
Many Caryophyllales species produce unusually large amounts of diverse compounds derived from the amino acid tyrosine, including the betalain pigments. Due to inherent biochemical trade-offs, the production of these tyrosine-derived compounds may come at the expense of other compounds derived from the amino acid phenylalanine, such as the pigment anthocyanins. To investigate the evolution of genes and modules underline the trade-off between tyrosine- vs. phenylalanine-enriched metabolism, we carried out high light, salt, and methyl jasmonate treatments using a betalain producing species sea beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima, Amaranthaceae) and an anthocyanin-producing species Silene latifolia (Caryophyllaceae). We analyzed transcriptomes, metabolite, and evolution of gene families associated with tyrosine- vs. phenylalanine-derived compounds. Preliminary results shows differential response in both gene expression and metabolite abundance depend on the type of stress and the location in the pathway. Analyses are underway to detect additional candidate genes involved in the tyrosine-enriched metabolism evolved in Caryophyllales and their "reversal" in Caryophyllaceae.