RNA-seq revealed key genes involved in high-temperature inhibiting anthocyanin accumulation in pear

The promotion of high-quality red-skinned pears has become essential for developing and upgrading the pear industry. High temperature during the ripening time in the pear-producing areas causes poor coloration. However, the molecular mechanism of high temperature inhibiting anthocyanin accumulation in pear remains unclear. In this study, pear callus was treated with light at 2 and 35°C to observe the effect of high temperature on anthocyanin accumulation. The results showed that high temperature significantly inhibited the accumulation of anthocyanin in pear calli, and the expression levels of transcription factors and structural genes related to anthocyanin synthesis pathway were also significantly downregulated under high temperature treatment. RNA-seq analysis were performed. Our analyses indicated that the most differentially expressed genes were observed after 48 h of high-temperature treatment. Furthermore, it was found that several transcription factor family members, such as MYB, bHLH, WRKY, ERF and so on, may be involved in the process of high-temperature inhibition of anthocyanin accumulation. This study is conducive to enrich the basic theory of the high-temperature inhibiting anthocyanin accumulation in pear.