Stabilization and blueing of anthocyanin pigments using gene encoding aromatic acyltransferase capable of transferring an aromatic acyl group to the 3′-position of anthocyanin
A method of acylating the 3′ position of anthocyanin using an enzyme that transfers an aromatic acyl group to a sugar at the 3′ position of anthocyanin or a gene encoding the enzyme.
1. An isolated gene encoding a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 or 6 and having an activity of transferring aromatic acyl groups to sugars at the 3′ and 5 positions of an anthocyanin, or an isolated gene encoding a protein having a sequence identity of 93% or greater to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 and having an activity of transferring aromatic acyl groups to sugars at the 3′ and 5 positions of an anthocyanin.
2. A vector comprising the gene according to claim 1 .
3. A host comprising the vector according to claim 2 , wherein said host is a bacterial cell, fungal cell, yeast cell, plant cell or plant.
4. An isolated protein encoded by the gene according to claim 1 .
5. A method of producing the protein encoded by the gene according to claim 1 , comprising culturing or growing a host comprising a vector which comprises the gene according to claim 1 , and harvesting said protein from the host; wherein said host is a bacterial cell, fungal cell, yeast cell, plant cell or plant.
6. A plant comprising the gene according to claim 1 , or a progeny comprising said gene, or a tissue thereof.
7. A cut flower of the plant or progeny according to claim 6 .
8. A method of acylating the 3′ and 5 positions of an anthocyanin, which method comprises expressing the gene according to claim 1 in a plant, wherein said plant comprises a vector which comprises the gene.