Abstract:

In the study，the full-length cDNA sequence of ZDS gene（SrZDS）was cloned from yellow sepals of Strelitzia reginae using RT-PCR and RACE techniques. The cDNA sequence was 2 111 bp and included a whole open reading frame of 1 710 bp. The amino acid was highly conserved compared with other ZDS homologues and shared up to 86% homology with ZDS from Zea mays. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that SrZDS was more related to ZDS from Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis. The fluorescent quantitative PCR analysis indicated that SrZDS was highly expressed in early flowering period and blooming period，the transcript level was the highest in yellow sepals. UPLC analysis indicated that carotenoid contents has the highest levels in yellow sepals，and has the highest levels in blooming period. These results suggested that the changes in genes expression related to carotenoid contents.

Key words: Strelitzia reginae, ζ-carotene desatura, carotenoid biosynthesis, gene cloning；UPLC