Plant Physiol. Drug Metab Dispos
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Published on May 8, 2008; 10.1104/pp.108.117457

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Received February 6, 2008
Accepted April 24, 2008

Functional analysis of a predicted flavonol synthase gene family in Arabidopsis

Daniel K. Owens , Anne B. Alerding , Kevin C. Crosby , Aloka B. Bandara , James H. Westwood , and Brenda S.J. Winkel *

Departments of Biological Sciences and Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0390

* Corresponding author; email: winkel{at}vt.edu.

The genome of Arabidopsis thaliana contains five sequences with high similarity to AtFLS1, a previously-characterized flavonol synthase gene that plays a central role in flavonoid metabolism. This apparent redundancy suggests the possibility that Arabidopsis uses multiple isoforms of FLS with different substrate specificities to mediate the production of the flavonols, quercetin and kaempferol, in a tissue-specific and inducible manner. However, biochemical and genetic analysis of the six AtFLS sequences indicates that, although several of the members are expressed, only AtFLS1 encodes a catalytically-competent protein. AtFLS1 also appears to be the only member of this group that influences flavonoid levels and the root gravitropic response in seedlings under non-stressed conditions. This study showed that the other expressed AtFLS sequences have tissue- and cell-type specific promoter activities that overlap with those of AtFLS1 and encode proteins that interact with other flavonoid enzymes in yeast two-hybrid assays. Thus it is possible that these "pseudogenes" have alternative, non-catalytic functions that have not yet been uncovered.






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