Diverse expression of isoflavonoid-related genes based on transcriptomic datasets of Pueraria mirifica cultivars - Huynh Thi Thu Hue; Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc; Hanh Hong Ha; Oanh Thi Kieu Pham; Canh Xuan Nguyen; Hoang Huy Nguyen (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2026)
White Kwao Krua, also known as Pueraria mirifica, is a traditional medicinal plant in several Asian countries. This plant has a high content of essential phytoestrogens such as isoflavones and chromenes, particularly miroestrol. However, their biosynthetic pathway remains unclear and is currently under investigation. Three gene families Chalcone isomerases (CHIs), Chalcone synthases (CHSs), and UDP-dependent glycosyltransferases (UGTs) play a key role in the phytoestrogen biosynthesis in P. mirifica. They are large gene families with myriad members, involved in several plant functions. In the research, five P. mirifica cultivars (TLBYT, TLCNX, TLDB, NA, and SL) were cultivated under the same conditions and then their leaf, stem, and tuber tissues were collected. The transcriptomes of the cultivars were sequenced, assembled, and annotated in the research. By using RNA-seq, the transcriptome assembly yielded over 300,000 unigenes, of which approximately 32,000 were annotated across four major databases: NCBI-Nr (229569 unigenes), SwissProt (158667 unigenes), COG (112089 unigenes), and KEGG (61480 unigenes). Seventeen individuals from these gene families that may catalyze or influence miroestrol and isoflavone biosynthesis were detected. The RT-qPCR analysis revealed tissue-specific gene expression, with several genes showing preferential expression in either leaves or tubers. CHS11, CHS13, and UGT74 gene were predominantly expressed in leaves, whereas CHI4A, CHI3A2, and CHS14 showed higher expression in tubers, the primary site of phytoestrogen accumulation. These results provide transcriptomic data for different P. mirifica varieties and demonstrate tissue-specific expression patterns of key CHI, CHS, and UGT genes involved in the isoflavonoid biosynthetic pathway.
Keywords: journal article; Chalcone isomerase; Chalcone synthase; phytoestrogens; Pueraria mirifica; UDP-dependent glycosyltransferases