Integrative transcriptome network analysis identifies SsMYB1 as a dual R2R3-MYB candidate activator of sclareol and flavonoid biosynthesis in Salvia sclarea.

SsMYB1 is a dual regulator that activates both sclareol and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways in Salvia sclarea, with direct binding demonstrated in functional assays.

• Why it matters: Understanding transcriptional regulation of valuable secondary metabolites like sclareol is crucial for optimizing production in medicinal and fragrance industries, yet such mechanisms remain largely unknown.
• What they did: Researchers constructed a transcriptome-based regulatory network using WGCNA from multi-tissue data, identifying 28 MYB transcription factors, and pinpointed four candidates, including SsMYB1, through expression and phylogenetic analyses.
• The result: Functional assays confirmed SsMYB1 directly activates key biosynthetic genes for sclareol and flavonoids, providing targets for metabolic engineering and advancing molecular breeding efforts in S. sclarea.