Timeline showing major discoveries in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Histogram showing increase in scientific publications about anthocyanins. Figure source: https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202603.2058.v1
Excited about plant pigments? Anthocyanin biosynthesis is a hot topic in plant biology, judging by the growing number of publications #FlavonoidFriday
doi.org/10.20944/pre... & shorturl.at/Hrm4c
@puckerlab.bsky.social
Diversity of Asteraceae flower pictures. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asteracea_poster_3.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0
Plants do not just turn red when stressed: pathogen-induced red pigmentation actively boosts disease resistance through protective anthocyanins in Asteraceae #FlavonoidFriday (doi.org/10.64898/202... & shorturl.at/TolZT)
Soy beans. Author: Wikideas1. CC0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Soy_beans.jpg
Soybean flavonol 3-O-glucosyltransferase (UFGT78D2) makes plants more susceptible to leaf-chewing insects, while its loss confers resistance #FlavonoidFriday
(details: rb.gy/h21hpi) @puckerlab.bsky.social
Grass flowers. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poaceae#/media/File:Grassflowers.jpg; Hardyplants, Public Domain
Anthocyanin biosynthesis in grasses took a divergent evolutionary path, with key gene losses and independent evolutionary innovations #FlavonoidFriday
(details: doi.org/10.1101/2025... & shorturl.at/dprjd)
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%EB%A9%94%EB%B0%80.JPG; Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0
The crucial anthocyanin biosynthesis gene DFR shows multiple duplications in Fagopyrum, hinting at potential novel or specialized functions #FlavonoidFriday
(details: doi.org/10.1101/2025... & rb.gy/l6ekn9) @puckerlab.bsky.social
LAR tree showing deep gene duplications. Source: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.08.06.668978
The LAR gene (key to proanthocyanidin biosynthesis) occurs in two copies in many plant species — a great example of how gene duplication drives plant evolution #FlavonoidFriday shorturl.at/5uMtv & doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Pictures of Digitalis purpurea (foxglove) flowers. More details: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.02.14.580303
Digitalis purpurea (foxglove) usually sports magenta blooms thanks to anthocyanins - but mutations in pigment biosynthesis genes can lead to striking white flowers 🌸 #FlavonoidFriday (doi.org/10.1101/2024... & shorturl.at/IA5LZ)
Leaves of differentially colored cannabis accessions. Figure reference: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pld3.70016
Colour differences between cannabis accessions can be explained by differential expression of flavonoid biosynthesis genes #FlavonoidFriday: lnk.tu-bs.de/8ubwTn
Picture of a vibrant blue flower of Centaurea cyanus. Reference: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.01.31.635922
Cornflower vibrant color comes from a unique complex of anthocyanins, flavones, and metal ions (Fe³⁺, Mg²⁺), stabilized by pH. This metal-anthocyanin interaction shifts the color to blue. #FlavonoidFriday: lnk.tu-bs.de/9Zz2uG
(📸 doi.org/10.1101/2025...)
Seed color patterns in beans are due to sequence variants in genes encoding components of the MBW complex #FlavonoidFriday: https://lnk.tu-bs.de/C0Mcgj
Seed color patterns in beans are due to sequence variants in genes encoding components of the MBW complex #FlavonoidFriday: lnk.tu-bs.de/C0Mcgj
