Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2026
11:33
Investigating Interactions Between Histone Modifying Enzymes and Transcription Factors in vivo by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
Published on: October 14, 2022
Light-responsive transcription factor ApTrihelix1 modulates andrographolide biosynthesis via targeting ApCPS2 in
Ling Zhang1, Hua Yang1, Tingting Jing1
1Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Ex Situ Plant Conservation and Utilization, Lushan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 9 Zhiqing Road, Jiujiang, Jiangxi 332900, China.
Horticulture Research
|July 8, 2026
Summary
Light significantly impacts andrographolide (AD) production in Andrographis paniculata. A key light-induced transcription factor, ApTrihelix1, activates AD biosynthesis genes, promoting AD accumulation.
Area of Science:
- Plant molecular biology
- Biochemistry
- Medicinal plant research
Background:
- Andrographolide (AD) is a key bioactive compound in *Andrographis paniculata*, known for anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects.
- Environmental factors, particularly light, play a crucial role in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of light in regulating Andrographolide (AD) biosynthesis.
- To identify and characterize transcription factors involved in light-mediated AD production in *Andrographis paniculata*.
Main Methods:
- RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and co-expression analysis to identify potential regulators.
- Gene silencing techniques (e.g., knockdown) to assess gene function.
- Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and Yeast One Hybrid (YOH) assays to determine transcription factor binding.
Main Results:
- Light was identified as a critical factor for AD biosynthesis.
- A light-induced transcription factor, *ApTrihelix1*, was identified as a positive regulator of AD biosynthesis.
- *ApTrihelix1* directly binds to the promoter of *ApCPS2*, a key gene in AD biosynthesis, activating its expression.
Conclusions:
- Light upregulates *ApTrihelix1* expression, which in turn activates key AD biosynthesis genes like *ApCPS2*.
- This mechanism explains how light promotes AD accumulation in *Andrographis paniculata*.
- Findings provide insights into the molecular regulation of secondary metabolite production in medicinal plants.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:11Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase
Genetic polymorphisms in drug targets have emerged as critical determinants of interindividual variability in drug response and toxicity. Pharmacogenomic investigations increasingly focus on identifying these variations to personalize and optimize therapeutic interventions. A drug target may be a receptor, enzyme, or signaling protein involved in pharmacologic responses or disease-related pathways. While early pharmacogenetic studies focused primarily on drug metabolism, current research...
01:25Cell Signaling in Plants
Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...
01:58Cell Specific Gene Expression
Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
02:36RNA Polymerase II Accessory Proteins
Proteins that regulate transcription can do so either via direct contact with RNA Polymerase or through indirect interactions facilitated by adaptors, mediators, histone-modifying proteins, and nucleosome remodelers. Direct interactions to activate transcription is seen in bacteria as well as in some eukaryotic genes. In these cases, upstream activation sequences are adjacent to the promoters, and the activator proteins interact directly with the transcriptional machinery. For example, in...
01:30General Transcription Factors
Tissue-specific transcription factors contribute to diverse cellular functions in mammals. For example, the gene for beta globin, a major component of hemoglobin, is present in all cells of the body. However, it is only expressed in red blood cells because the transcription factors that can bind to the promoter sequences of the beta globin gene are only expressed in these cells. Tissue-specific transcription factors also ensure that mutations in these factors may impair only the function of...
02:42Eukaryotic Transcription Activators
Transcription activators are proteins that promote the transcription of genes from DNA to RNA. In most cases, these proteins contain two separate domains ‒ a domain that binds to DNA and a domain for activating transcription; however, in some cases, a single domain is responsible for both binding and activation of transcription, as seen in the glucocorticoid receptor and MyoD.
The binding domains are capable of recognizing and interacting with regulatory sequences on the DNA. These domains are...
The binding domains are capable of recognizing and interacting with regulatory sequences on the DNA. These domains are...