Elucidation of AsANS controlling pigment biosynthesis in Angelica sinensis through hormonal and transcriptomic analysis

Angelica sinensis, a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, has been primarily reported due to its nutritional value. Pigmentation in this plant is an important appearance trait that directly affects its commercial value. To understand the mechanism controlling purpleness in A. sinensis, hormonal and transcriptomic analyses were performed in three different tissues (leave, root and stem), using two cultivars with contrasting colors. The two-dimensional data set provides dynamic hormonal and gene expression networks underpinning purpleness in A. sinensis. We found abscisic acid as a crucial hormone modulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in A. sinensis. We further identified and validated 7 key genes involved in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway and found a specific module containing ANS as a hub gene in WGCNA. Overexpression of a candidate pigment regulatory gene, AsANS (AS08G02092), in transgenic calli of A. sinensis resulted in increased anthocyanin production and caused purpleness. Together, these analyses provide an important understanding of the molecular networks underlying A. sinensis anthocyanin production and its correlation with plant hormones, which can provide an important source for breeding.