Plant color study focuses on antioxidants

Norwich, England -- A British-led team of scientists reports a major advance in understanding the genetic processes that give plants their bright colors.

Researchers at the John Innes Center and the Institute of Food Research in Norwich have pinpointed a key group of enzymes involved in the production of plant pigments called anthocyanins, which give some plants the vivid colors that attract insects and foraging animals, as well as providing protection against environmental stresses and disease.

The international research team identified the genes responsible for the enzymes which chemically modify anthocyanins to alter their properties.

"This improved understanding of the genetics of anthocyanins also provides a better platform for studying their antioxidant properties, important in the fight against cancer, cardiovascular disease and age-related degeneration," said Professor Cathie Martin, who co-led the project.

The research appears in the journal Business, a publication of Britain's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

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