Abstract: A plant expression vector pBA002-LcMYB1 was constructed by using LcMYB1，a key regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Litchi chinensis，and transferred into tobacco K326 mediated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4 strain. Results showed that white hairy roots grew one week after leaves infection，and some hairy roots gradually turned red about three weeks later. The induction rate of hairy roots was 100%，and that of red hairy roots was 19.9%. When 5 mg ? L-1 Basta was added to the screening medium，the induction rate of hairy roots decreased to 33.3%，but the induction rate of red hairy roots increased to 75%. High performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutoside were accumulated in the red hairy roots. PCR analysis confirmed that the red hairy roots were caused by the over expression of LcMYB1 gene. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that LcMYB1 gene could induce the expression of structural and regulatory genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthetic in hairy roots of tobacco.

Key words: Litchi chinensis, anthocyanin, MYB, Agrobacterium rhizogenes, tobacco, transgenic, hairy root