Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses of the Response of Lutein Accumulation in Marigold Petals to Light Intensity

[Background] Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) is the main source of the natural pigment lutein. [Methods] In this study, Marigold served as the experimental material for systematic observation of floral organ development. Based on floral morphology and lutein content, the full-flowering stage was identified as the optimal harvesting period. [Results] Under different light intensity gradients (30–1500 μmol·m−2·s−1), the highest lutein content in petals occurred at ≈500 μmol·m−2·s−1. Increased light intensities promoted flowering and enlarged flower diameter while significantly shortening the growth cycle. Transcriptome analysis revealed that light intensity variation markedly influenced the expression of genes related to metabolic pathways, plant hormone signal transduction, and carotenoid biosynthesis, and enriched transcription factor families including bHLH, MYB, NAC, and WRKY. Metabolomic profiling identified lutein esters, such as lutein dimyristate and lutein dipalmitate, as the dominant accumulated forms, with their contents positively correlated with light intensity; under high light, intermediate metabolites, including α-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin, were significantly up-regulated. [Conclusions] This study clarifies the molecular mechanism by which light intensity precisely regulates lutein accumulation through coordinated synthesis, esterification, and degradation pathways, offering a theoretical foundation for light-regulated cultivation of T. erecta L. and efficient lutein production.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  Genes

• Publication date

  2025-11-01

• Fields of study

  Biology, Medicine, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3390/genes16111350PMID 41300802PMCID 12652989
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• RcOST1L phosphorylates RcPIF4 for proteasomal degradation to promote flowering in rose.

  2024cited by this paper
• Propagation Light Intensity Influences Yield, Morphology, and Phytochemistry of Purple-Leaf Butterhead Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

  2024cited by this paper
• Chromosome-scale genome assembly of marigold (Tagetes erecta L.): an ornamental plant and feedstock for industrial lutein production

  2023cited by this paper
• Stabilisation of Lutein and Lutein Esters with Polyoxyethylene Sorbitan Monooleate, Medium-Chain Triglyceride Oil and Lecithin

  2021cited by this paper
• Improved production of lutein and β-carotene by thermal and light intensity upshifts in the marine microalga Tetraselmis sp. CTP4

  2020influential reference
• Carotenoid metabolite and transcriptome dynamics underlying flower color in marigold (Tagetes erecta L.)

  2020cited by this paper
• Enhancing lutein productivity of Chlamydomonas sp. via high-intensity light exposure with corresponding carotenogenic genes expression profiles.

  2019cited by this paper
• Marigold carotenoids: Much more than lutein esters.

  2019cited by this paper
• Molecular Basis of Carotenoid Accumulation in Horticultural Crops

  2019cited by this paper
• Genome Size Determination and Chromosome Characterization of Two Marigold Species (Asteraceae)

  2019cited by this paper
• Carotenoid Metabolism in Plants: The Role of Plastids.

  2018cited by this paper
• The carotenoid biosynthetic and catabolic genes in wheat and their association with yellow pigments

  2017cited by this paper
• Carotenoid Distribution in Nature.

  2016cited by this paper
• WRKY Transcription Factors: Molecular Regulation and Stress Responses in Plants

  2016cited by this paper
• Antioxidant properties, sensory characteristics and volatile compounds profile of apple juices from ancient Tuscany (Italy) apple varieties

  2016cited by this paper
• Lutein and Zeaxanthin Isomers in Eye Health and Disease.

  2016cited by this paper
• Nutritionally important carotenoids as consumer products

  2015cited by this paper
• Carotenoid metabolism in plants.

  2015cited by this paper
• The potato carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 4 catalyzes a single cleavage of β-ionone ring-containing carotenes and non-epoxidated xanthophylls.

  2015cited by this paper
• Elevation of lutein content in tomato: a biochemical tug-of-war between lycopene cyclases.

  2013cited by this paper
• Zeaxanthin Binds to Light-Harvesting Complex Stress-Related Protein to Enhance Nonphotochemical Quenching in Physcomitrella patens[W]

  2013cited by this paper
• Lutein nanocrystals as antioxidant formulation for oral and dermal delivery.

  2011cited by this paper
• Effects of supplemental light quality on growth and phytochemicals of baby leaf lettuce

  2009cited by this paper
• Determination of carotenoids and their esters in fruits of Lycium barbarum Linnaeus by HPLC-DAD-APCI-MS.

  2008influential reference
• Characterization of three members of the Arabidopsis carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase family demonstrates the divergent roles of this multifunctional enzyme family.

  2006cited by this paper
• Carotenogenic gene expression and ultrastructural changes during development in marigold.

  2005cited by this paper
• Carotenoids in Health and Disease

  2004influential reference
• Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and atmospheric pressure photoionization for simultaneous mass spectrometric analysis of microbial respiratory ubiquinones and menaquinones.

  2004influential reference
• Analysis of relative gene expression data using real-time quantitative PCR and the 2(-Delta Delta C(T)) Method.

  2001cited by this paper
• Analysis of carotenoid biosynthetic gene expression during marigold petal development

  2001cited by this paper
• Lutein and lutein ester content in different types of Tagetes patula and T. erecta

  1998cited by this paper
• The role of xanthophyll cycle carotenoids in the protection of photosynthesis

  1996cited by this paper
• Plant carotenoids: pigments for photoprotection, visual attraction, and human health.

  1995cited by this paper
• Analysis of Relative Gene Expression Data Using Real-Time Quantitative PCR and the 2 2 DD C T Method

  year unknowncited by this paper

• No citing papers are available for this paper.