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Updated: Sep 8, 2026
Lignin Down-regulation of Zea mays via dsRNAi and Klason Lignin Analysis
Published on: July 23, 2014
Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis reveals key transcription factors regulating lignin biosynthesis in safflower
Siyuan Liu1, Wei Zhao2, Yue Sun1
1School of Landscape and Ecological Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, China.
Abstract:
Safflower has recently garnered increasing attention as a promising oil crop. The oil content of safflower achenes and the efficiency of subsequent oil extraction are significantly influenced by the hull/pericarp percentage (the ratio of the pericarp weight to the total achene weight). However, the genetic regulation mechanism controlling the hull development remains largely unexplored. In this study, we conducted phenotypic, metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses on two safflower varieties with distinct hull percentage: normal hull (NH) and thin hull (TH). Our results revealed that the higher hull percentage in the NH was attributed to larger cell size and a thicker secondary cell wall (SCW) in the hypodermis. Metabolomic analysis showed that metabolites involved in lignin biosynthesis accumulated at higher levels during the early achene developmental stage in the NH. Transcriptomic data further indicated that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, with genes related to lignin biosynthesis exhibiting significantly higher expression levels in the NH variety than those in TH. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified the turquoise module as the most correlated gene group, and transcription factors CtNAC043, CtNAC073a, and CtMYB46 as key candidate regulators of lignin biosynthesis during safflower hull development. Overexpression of CtNAC043, CtNAC073a, and CtMYB46 in transgenic safflower hairy roots significantly increased lignin content. Moreover, the expression of lignin biosynthesis genes was induced by CtNAC043, CtNAC073a, and CtMYB46. Notably, CtNAC073a and CtMYB46 were upregulated in CtNAC043-overexpressing hairy roots. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying lignin biosynthesis during safflower hull development and offer a foundation for breeding safflower varieties with desired hull percentage.
