This gene decides whether lettuce spines turn red
Sun P, Ma J, Lang X, Sun Y, Xiao L
Crispr
Those reddish tinges on lettuce leaves or wild lettuce spines aren't random; they're controlled by a single genetic switch that scientists can now flip to boost the plant's antioxidant pigments.
Wild lettuce sometimes has red, prickly spines along its leaves, while other times they're plain green. Researchers found the exact gene responsible, called LsMYB3, which normally acts as a brake on red pigment production. When they disabled that brake using gene editing, the plants made more red pigment; when they boosted the gene instead, pigment disappeared and spines turned green. The same gene also works in regular cultivated lettuce leaves, hinting at a way to breed more colorful, pigment-rich salad greens.
Key Findings
LsMYB3 is an R2R3-MYB transcription factor that acts as a repressor of anthocyanin biosynthesis despite lacking the canonical repression motif typically seen in such repressors.
CRISPR/Cas9 knockout of LsMYB3 increased anthocyanin accumulation, while overexpression suppressed pigmentation and turned red spines green; the natural loss-of-function allele carries a Cys-to-Ser substitution plus a 1-bp deletion causing premature truncation.
LsMYB3 directly represses the anthocyanin biosynthesis gene LsDFR and physically interacts with the bHLH protein RLL1, placing it within lettuce's MBW (MYB-bHLH-WD40) regulatory network.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Scientists found the gene that decides whether lettuce spines turn red or stay green, and tweaking it can boost anthocyanin pigments in both wild and cultivated lettuce leaves. This could help breeders create more colorful, nutrient-rich lettuce varieties.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
LsMYB3, an R2R3-MYB repressor without canonical repression motifs, negatively regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in lettuce.
Anthocyanins contribute to pigmentation, nutritional quality, and stress responses in plants. Although red spines are a characteristic trait of wild lettuce (Lactuca serriola), the genetic basis un...
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