Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42001019›Full record

ArticleBMC plant biology2026

Integrated metabolite profiling and transcriptomic analysis reveal mechanisms underlying quinoa inflorescence color.

Jialin Li, Shance Niu, Jiaxing Wei, Chang Liu, Zhifei Tang, Lumeng Zheng, Guojun Mu, Wei Lv, Xinbo Sun

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC plant biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Jialin LiCollege of Agronomy, Hebei Agricultural University/State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation/Key Laboratory of Crop Growth Regulation of Hebei Province, Baoding, Hebei , 071001, P. R. China.
Shance NiuCollege of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University/ State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding , 071000, China.
Jiaxing WeiCollege of Agronomy, Hebei Agricultural University/State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation/Key Laboratory of Crop Growth Regulation of Hebei Province, Baoding, Hebei , 071001, P. R. China.
Chang LiuCollege of Agronomy, Hebei Agricultural University/State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation/Key Laboratory of Crop Growth Regulation of Hebei Province, Baoding, Hebei , 071001, P. R. China.
Zhifei TangCollege of Agronomy, Hebei Agricultural University/State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation/Key Laboratory of Crop Growth Regulation of Hebei Province, Baoding, Hebei , 071001, P. R. China.
Lumeng ZhengCollege of Horticulture, Hebei Agricultural University/ State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding , 071000, China.
Guojun MuCollege of Agronomy, Hebei Agricultural University/State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation/Key Laboratory of Crop Growth Regulation of Hebei Province, Baoding, Hebei , 071001, P. R. China.
Wei LvThe Science and Technology Innovation Service Center of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang, 050035, China.
Xinbo SunCollege of Agronomy, Hebei Agricultural University/State Key Laboratory of North China Crop Improvement and Regulation/Key Laboratory of Crop Growth Regulation of Hebei Province, Baoding, Hebei , 071001, P. R. China. nxsxb@hebau.edu.cn.

Funding

Hebei Agricultural University KY2022102Hebei Provincial Department of Science and Technology 21326305DHebei Provincial Department of Science and Technology 236Z6302GNational Natural Science Foundation of China 32471755
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundQuinoa exhibits striking inflorescence color variation, with red inflorescences (RF) characterized by higher anthocyanin accumulation than green inflorescences (GF). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenotype remain insufficiently understood.

resultsIntegrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed substantial differences in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway between RF and GF accessions. RF plants showed marked upregulation of key structural genes, including ANS, 3GGT, and malonyltransferases (MaTs). Notably, MYB and bHLH transcription factors, including homologs of MdMYBA1, AtPAP1/2, and ZmbHLH125, were identified as master regulators, while the WD40 was significantly upregulated, supporting formation of the MYB-bHLH-WD40 (MBW) complex. Genes encoding transporters such as multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRPs) and multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) proteins were also significantly upregulated, supporting the enhanced accumulation of malonylated cyanidin and petunidin derivatives. Regulatory analysis further revealed that abscisic acid (ABA) signaling appeared to indirectly influence anthocyanin biosynthesis by modulating transcription factor expression. Genomic analysis further showed that quinoa, as an allotetraploid species, possesses multiple paralogs of anthocyanin-related genes, potentially enhancing metabolic plasticity.

conclusionsThis study elucidates the metabolic, transcriptional, and genomic bases of inflorescence color formation in quinoa. The findings highlight that red panicle formation is driven by coordinated upregulation of biosynthetic genes (ANS, 3GGT, MaTs), transporters (MRP, MATE), and MBW transcription factors, with ABA signaling playing a key modulatory role. The findings provide valuable insight for improving pigment quality and advancing molecular breeding in this crop.

Indexed as

AnthocyaninsChenopodium quinoaInflorescenceMetabolomePigmentationGene Expression ProfilingGene Expression Regulation, PlantMetabolomicsPlant ProteinsTranscriptomeAnthocyaninsPlant ProteinsAnthocyanin metabolismInflorescence colorMetabolomicsQuinoaTranscriptomics

Identifiers

PMID42001019
PMCPMC13224537

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.