Study level

  • Honours

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

School of Biology and Environmental Science

Topic status

We're looking for students to study this topic.

Research centre

Centre for Agriculture and the Bioeconomy

Supervisors

Dr Anthony James
Position
Senior Research Fellow - Plant Pathology (Banana Biotechnology Program)
Division / Faculty
Faculty of Science
Dr Jean-Yves Paul
Position
Senior Research Fellow
Division / Faculty
Faculty of Science
Dr Jacinta Watkins
Position
Research Fellow - Plant Molecular Biology
Division / Faculty
Faculty of Science

Overview

Anthocyanins are a class of water-soluble flavonoids responsible for the vibrant red, purple, and blue colours found in many fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Due to their colours and antioxidant properties, they offer several benefits to plants such as attracting pollinators, protecting against abiotic stress such as UV radiation and against biotic stresses such as pests and diseases. Consuming anthocyanin-rich crops, such as berries, grapes, and purple vegetables, is associated with various health benefits, including reduced risk of chronic diseases. These potential health benefits are believed to arise from the potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties exhibited by these natural pigments.

Anthocyanin production in plants is complex and highly regulated. At the heart of this regulation is a group of transcription factors (TFs) belonging to the R2R3-MYB and basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor families, which are among the largest found in plants. Together they form a ternary protein complex with stabilising WD-repeat proteins, referred to as the MBW (MYB-bHLH-WDR) complex, which binds and co-ordinately activates target biosynthetic genes required for production of anthocyanins.

We have genetically modified Cavendish bananas with two banana-derived MYB and bHLH TFs to increase anthocyanin production. The aim of this project is to characterise the production of anthocyanins in these plants.

Research activities

This project will expose the student to a number of analytical chemistry and molecular biology techniques including:

  • Anthocyanin identification and quantification using LCMS and HPLC.
  • Plant RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis.
  • Gene expression analysis using RT-PCR and ddPCR of both transgenes (TFs) and anthocyanin biosynthetic genes.

Outcomes

This project will contribute to our understanding of anthocyanin regulation in banana as well as the development of analytical methods for anthocyanin quantification.

Skills and experience

This project would suit students interested in plant biotechnology and who are considering a research career in this field.

Scholarships

You may be eligible to apply for a research scholarship.

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Keywords

Contact

Contact the supervisor for more information.