Genome-wide analysis of the R2R3-MYB family in Perilla frutescens and the regulatory model of the PfMYB33-PfbHLH11 complex in Anthocyanin biosynthesis.

The PfMYB33-PfbHLH11 complex regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis and leaf coloration in Perilla frutescens, with PfMYB33 highly correlated with anthocyanin accumulation.

• Why it matters: Understanding the transcriptional regulation of leaf coloration in P. frutescens addresses gaps in knowledge about anthocyanin biosynthesis mechanisms, which are important for plant pigmentation and potential agricultural applications.
• What they did: Researchers integrated metabolomics, transcriptomics, gene family analysis, and molecular assays to analyze 164 PfMYB genes, identifying PfMYB33 as a key regulator that interacts with PfbHLH11 and influences structural gene expression.
• The result: Transient co-expression of PfMYB33 and PfbHLH11 led to the strongest purple pigmentation and highest anthocyanin levels, supporting a model where this complex coordinates downstream structural genes to control leaf coloration.