LNC159c Negatively Regulates Anthocyanin Biosynthesis via miR159c in Malus spectabilis Under Low Nitrogen.

LNC159c suppresses anthocyanin biosynthesis by regulating miR159c and MsMYB10 in Malus spectabilis under low nitrogen, with its downregulation increasing pigment accumulation.

• Why it matters: Understanding how lncRNAs influence anthocyanin production under nutrient stress fills a key knowledge gap, offering potential strategies to enhance plant stress responses and nutritional quality.
• What they did: The study identified LNC159c as a regulator, showing its expression decreases under low nitrogen; it acts as a host for miR159c, which inhibits MsMYB10, a promoter of anthocyanin biosynthesis, through molecular assays and overexpression experiments.
• The result: Findings reveal that reduced LNC159c under low nitrogen lifts miR159c-mediated inhibition of MsMYB10, leading to increased anthocyanin accumulation, and demonstrate the critical role of lncRNAs in nutrient-responsive pigment regulation.