{"id":{"repo_id":"auckland-ms","oai_identifier":"oai:researchspace.auckland.ac.nz:2292/49323"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/auckland-ms/oai:researchspace.auckland.ac.nz:2292/49323","repository":{"repo_id":"auckland-ms","name":"University of Auckland","base_url":"https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The transcriptional regulation and health benefits of anthocyanin in Actinidia (kiwifruit) species","abstract":"Anthocyanins are plant secondary metabolites that colour flowers and fruit red, purple, and blue. They belong to the flavonoid class. The accumulation of anthocyanin confers protection against photooxidative effects and attracts pollinators and seed dispersers. Anthocyanins in fruit act as an indicator for cultivar differentiation, quality and ripeness for consumers. Consumption of anthocyanin-enriched fruit has been linked to the protective effects against cardiovascular and age-related degenerative diseases in humans. Thus, the biosynthesis and regulation of anthocyanin in plants has opened up many research questions in order to understand and manipulate the anthocyanin pathway which could lead to the creation of novel cultivars enriched with colourful and healthy anthocyanins. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the transcriptional regulation and the health benefits of anthocyanin in Actinidia (kiwifruit) species. The Actinidia genus consists of over 70 species, some of which are intensely pigmented throughout the skin and flesh. The first goal was to characterise the transcription factors (TFs) involved in the regulation of anthocyanin in purple kiwifruit. The second goal was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of kiwifruit polyphenols in cell-based assays and relate any bioactivity to the presence of anthocyanins. Results from this thesis revealed that the intense purple pigmentation was attributed to the accumulation of both cyanidin- and delphinidin-based anthocyanins at different ratios. The expression of two key genes from the core anthocyanin pathway, chalcone synthase and flavonoid 3-O-glycosyltransferase, were essential for the biosynthesis of anthocyanin. Two MYB TFs, MYB110 and MYB5, and the WRKY44 TF were involved in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Collectively, MYB110 regulates the core anthocyanin pathway which determines the overall accumulation of anthocyanin while for the first time in kiwifruit, it was shown that MYB5 and WRKY44 activated the branch points of the pathway responsible for the biosynthesis of cyanidin and delphinidin-based anthocyanins. Cell culture assays revealed that kiwifruit polyphenol extracts were able to reduce the activation of a key regulator in the inflammatory pathway, NF-κB, and a biomarker characteristic in the development of allergic lung inflammation, CCL11. The modulatory bioactivities were associated with the presence of anthocyanin, particularly those that are delphinidin-based. This study has contributed to the knowledge of anthocyanin regulation in plants and to its health potential in managing inflammation-based illness. The combined results from this thesis may facilitate the breeding of kiwifruit cultivars with novel colours and enhanced nutritional values.","abstract_html":"Anthocyanins are plant secondary metabolites that colour flowers and fruit red, purple, and blue. They belong to the flavonoid class. The accumulation of anthocyanin confers protection against photooxidative effects and attracts pollinators and seed dispersers. Anthocyanins in fruit act as an indicator for cultivar differentiation, quality and ripeness for consumers. Consumption of anthocyanin-enriched fruit has been linked to the protective effects against cardiovascular and age-related degenerative diseases in humans. Thus, the biosynthesis and regulation of anthocyanin in plants has opened up many research questions in order to understand and manipulate the anthocyanin pathway which could lead to the creation of novel cultivars enriched with colourful and healthy anthocyanins. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the transcriptional regulation and the health benefits of anthocyanin in Actinidia (kiwifruit) species. The Actinidia genus consists of over 70 species, some of which are intensely pigmented throughout the skin and flesh. The first goal was to characterise the transcription factors (TFs) involved in the regulation of anthocyanin in purple kiwifruit. The second goal was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of kiwifruit polyphenols in cell-based assays and relate any bioactivity to the presence of anthocyanins. Results from this thesis revealed that the intense purple pigmentation was attributed to the accumulation of both cyanidin- and delphinidin-based anthocyanins at different ratios. The expression of two key genes from the core anthocyanin pathway, chalcone synthase and flavonoid 3-O-glycosyltransferase, were essential for the biosynthesis of anthocyanin. Two MYB TFs, MYB110 and MYB5, and the WRKY44 TF were involved in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Collectively, MYB110 regulates the core anthocyanin pathway which determines the overall accumulation of anthocyanin while for the first time in kiwifruit, it was shown that MYB5 and WRKY44 activated the branch points of the pathway responsible for the biosynthesis of cyanidin and delphinidin-based anthocyanins. Cell culture assays revealed that kiwifruit polyphenol extracts were able to reduce the activation of a key regulator in the inflammatory pathway, NF-κB, and a biomarker characteristic in the development of allergic lung inflammation, CCL11. The modulatory bioactivities were associated with the presence of anthocyanin, particularly those that are delphinidin-based. This study has contributed to the knowledge of anthocyanin regulation in plants and to its health potential in managing inflammation-based illness. The combined results from this thesis may facilitate the breeding of kiwifruit cultivars with novel colours and enhanced nutritional values.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Peng, Yongyan"],"institution":"ResearchSpace@Auckland","degree_name":"PhD","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":"Biological Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Allan, AC","Espley, RV"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2019,"date_issued":"2019","date_published":"2019","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:06:10Z","subjects":[],"languages":[],"rights":["Items in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher."],"rights_urls":["https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htm"],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/2292/49323","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Allan, AC","Espley, RV"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Peng, Yongyan"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2019-12-11T00:25:18Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2019"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["ResearchSpace@Auckland"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby","values":["UoA99265270314102091"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["PhD"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["The University of Auckland"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Items in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher."]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htm"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/2292/49323"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Anthocyanins are plant secondary metabolites that colour flowers and fruit red, purple, and blue. They belong to the flavonoid class. The accumulation of anthocyanin confers protection against photooxidative effects and attracts pollinators and seed dispersers. Anthocyanins in fruit act as an indicator for cultivar differentiation, quality and ripeness for consumers. Consumption of anthocyanin-enriched fruit has been linked to the protective effects against cardiovascular and age-related degenerative diseases in humans. Thus, the biosynthesis and regulation of anthocyanin in plants has opened up many research questions in order to understand and manipulate the anthocyanin pathway which could lead to the creation of novel cultivars enriched with colourful and healthy anthocyanins. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the transcriptional regulation and the health benefits of anthocyanin in Actinidia (kiwifruit) species. The Actinidia genus consists of over 70 species, some of which are intensely pigmented throughout the skin and flesh. The first goal was to characterise the transcription factors (TFs) involved in the regulation of anthocyanin in purple kiwifruit. The second goal was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of kiwifruit polyphenols in cell-based assays and relate any bioactivity to the presence of anthocyanins. Results from this thesis revealed that the intense purple pigmentation was attributed to the accumulation of both cyanidin- and delphinidin-based anthocyanins at different ratios. The expression of two key genes from the core anthocyanin pathway, chalcone synthase and flavonoid 3-O-glycosyltransferase, were essential for the biosynthesis of anthocyanin. Two MYB TFs, MYB110 and MYB5, and the WRKY44 TF were involved in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Collectively, MYB110 regulates the core anthocyanin pathway which determines the overall accumulation of anthocyanin while for the first time in kiwifruit, it was shown that MYB5 and WRKY44 activated the branch points of the pathway responsible for the biosynthesis of cyanidin and delphinidin-based anthocyanins. Cell culture assays revealed that kiwifruit polyphenol extracts were able to reduce the activation of a key regulator in the inflammatory pathway, NF-κB, and a biomarker characteristic in the development of allergic lung inflammation, CCL11. The modulatory bioactivities were associated with the presence of anthocyanin, particularly those that are delphinidin-based. This study has contributed to the knowledge of anthocyanin regulation in plants and to its health potential in managing inflammation-based illness. The combined results from this thesis may facilitate the breeding of kiwifruit cultivars with novel colours and enhanced nutritional values."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The transcriptional regulation and health benefits of anthocyanin in Actinidia (kiwifruit) species"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Allan, AC","Espley, RV"],"dc:creator":["Peng, Yongyan"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2019-12-11T00:25:18Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2019"],"dc:description.abstract":["Anthocyanins are plant secondary metabolites that colour flowers and fruit red, purple, and blue. They belong to the flavonoid class. The accumulation of anthocyanin confers protection against photooxidative effects and attracts pollinators and seed dispersers. Anthocyanins in fruit act as an indicator for cultivar differentiation, quality and ripeness for consumers. Consumption of anthocyanin-enriched fruit has been linked to the protective effects against cardiovascular and age-related degenerative diseases in humans. Thus, the biosynthesis and regulation of anthocyanin in plants has opened up many research questions in order to understand and manipulate the anthocyanin pathway which could lead to the creation of novel cultivars enriched with colourful and healthy anthocyanins. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the transcriptional regulation and the health benefits of anthocyanin in Actinidia (kiwifruit) species. The Actinidia genus consists of over 70 species, some of which are intensely pigmented throughout the skin and flesh. The first goal was to characterise the transcription factors (TFs) involved in the regulation of anthocyanin in purple kiwifruit. The second goal was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory properties of kiwifruit polyphenols in cell-based assays and relate any bioactivity to the presence of anthocyanins. Results from this thesis revealed that the intense purple pigmentation was attributed to the accumulation of both cyanidin- and delphinidin-based anthocyanins at different ratios. The expression of two key genes from the core anthocyanin pathway, chalcone synthase and flavonoid 3-O-glycosyltransferase, were essential for the biosynthesis of anthocyanin. Two MYB TFs, MYB110 and MYB5, and the WRKY44 TF were involved in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Collectively, MYB110 regulates the core anthocyanin pathway which determines the overall accumulation of anthocyanin while for the first time in kiwifruit, it was shown that MYB5 and WRKY44 activated the branch points of the pathway responsible for the biosynthesis of cyanidin and delphinidin-based anthocyanins. Cell culture assays revealed that kiwifruit polyphenol extracts were able to reduce the activation of a key regulator in the inflammatory pathway, NF-κB, and a biomarker characteristic in the development of allergic lung inflammation, CCL11. The modulatory bioactivities were associated with the presence of anthocyanin, particularly those that are delphinidin-based. This study has contributed to the knowledge of anthocyanin regulation in plants and to its health potential in managing inflammation-based illness. The combined results from this thesis may facilitate the breeding of kiwifruit cultivars with novel colours and enhanced nutritional values."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/2292/49323"],"dc:publisher":["ResearchSpace@Auckland"],"dc:relation.isreferencedby":["UoA99265270314102091"],"dc:rights":["Items in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher."],"dc:rights.uri":["https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htm"],"dc:title":["The transcriptional regulation and health benefits of anthocyanin in Actinidia (kiwifruit) species"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biological Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["PhD"],"thesis:institution_name":["The University of Auckland"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:06:10Z"}