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On the Cover: Transcription Factors Regulate Flavonoid Synthesis in Grapes

Proanthocyanidins (PAs or condensed tannins) produced by the flavonoid pathway contribute to the taste of many fruits and are beneficial for human health. In grapevine (Vitis vinifera), the flavonoid pathway is transcriptionally regulated, and significant levels of PAs accumulate in the skin and seeds of the fruit during the first phase of berry development. The pathway is switched to production of anthocyanins during the second phase of berry development, when ripening occurs. Both the PAs and the anthocyanins produced by grapes are important components for the production of wine. We have previously shown that PA synthesis in grapes involves the enzymes leucoanthocyanidin reductase (LAR) and anthocyanidin reductase (ANR). In this issue, Bogs et al. (pp. 1347–1361) identify a MYB transcription factor (VvMYBPA1) that controls the expression of PA pathway genes in grapes, including both LAR and ANR. The cover depicts the structure of part of a PA polymer overlaid on a picture of a bunch of Shiraz grapes around the onset of ripening. The image was created by Gill Cosgrove at CSIRO Plant Industry.