biologia plantarum

International journal on Plant Life established by Bohumil Nìmec in 1959

Biologia plantarum 67:100-104, 2023 | DOI: 10.32615/bp.2023.011

The differential expression of the two key genes involved in fructan biosynthetic pathway in artichoke vs. wild cardoon improves inulin-type fructans

M. FERRARI1, C. DE SIO1, A. MUTO1, S. PAGLIARI2, I. BRUNI2, L. BRUNO1, M. LABRA2, R. COZZA1, *
1 Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Cosenza, I-87036, Italy
2 Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, I-20126, Italy

The artichoke (Cynara cardunculus subsp. scolymus) is an intriguing source of indigestible sugar polymers such as inulin-type fructans. Artichoke represents an important component of a traditional Mediterranean diet and its edible parts are a good source of many high added value compounds such as inulin, a polymer showing relevant prebiotic properties. Compared to the cultivated varieties, the wild cardoon (C. cardunculus var. sylvestris) growing naturally under harsh conditions and well-adapted to many marginal areas, could have a good potential for use in sustainable production in stressed lands. Here, we evaluated by enzymatic assay, the amount of inulin-type fructans both in artichoke and wild cardoon in the two different organs, heads and rhizomes. The expression pattern of the genes encoding the two key enzymes sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase and fructan 1-fructosyltransferase, involved in fructan biosynthesis, have been also evaluated. Our results showed that the amount of inulin-type fructans was higher in the wild cardoon than in the artichoke heads, together with a higher expression of the two key genes involved in the fructan biosynthetic pathway. A conspicuous content of inulin-type fructans was found also in the rhizome, supporting the significant role of these compounds in the storage and in protection from cold and/or winter stresses.

Keywords: artichoke, Cynara cardunculus, fructan 1-fructosyltransferase, fructans biosynthesis, gene expression, inulin, sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase.

Received: September 16, 2022; Revised: March 20, 2023; Accepted: April 6, 2023; Published online: May 29, 2023  Show citation

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FERRARI, M., DE SIO, C., MUTO, A., PAGLIARI, S., BRUNI, I., BRUNO, L., LABRA, M., & COZZA, R. (2023). The differential expression of the two key genes involved in fructan biosynthetic pathway in artichoke vs. wild cardoon improves inulin-type fructans. Biologia plantarum, 67, Article 100-104. https://doi.org/10.32615/bp.2023.011
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