• The Coordinated Action of MYB Activators and Repressors Controls Proanthocyanidin and Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Vaccinium 

      Lafferty, Declan J.; Espley, Richard V.; Deng, Cecilia H; Dare, Andrew P.; Günther, Catrin S.; Jaakola, Laura; Karppinen, Katja; Boase, Murray R.; Wang, Lei; Luo, Henry; Allan, Andrew C.; Albert, Nick W. (Peer reviewed; Journal article, 2022-06-24)
      Vaccinium berries are regarded as “superfoods” owing to their high concentrations of anthocyanins, flavonoid metabolites that provide pigmentation and positively affect human health. Anthocyanin localization differs between ...
    • MYBA and MYBPA transcription factors co-regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in blue-coloured berries 

      Karppinen, Katja; Lafferty, Declan J.; Albert, Nick W.; Mikkola, Nelli; McGhie, Tony K.; Allan, Andrew C.; Afzal, Bilal M.; Häggman, Hely; Espley, Richard V.; Jaakola, Laura (Peer reviewed; Journal article, 2021-08-05)
      The regulatory network of R2R3 MYB transcription factors in anthocyanin biosynthesis is not fully understood in blue-coloured berries containing delphinidin compounds. We used blue berries of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) ...
    • Red and blue light treatments of ripening bilberry fruits reveal differences in signalling through abscisic acid-regulated anthocyanin biosynthesis 

      Samkumar, Amos; Jones, Dan; Karppinen, Katja; Dare, Andrew P.; Sipari, Nina; Espley, Richard V.; Martinussen, Inger; Jaakola, Laura (Peer reviewed; Journal article, 2021-08-01)
      The biosynthesis of anthocyanins has been shown to be influenced by light quality. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the light-mediated regulation of fruit anthocyanin biosynthesis are not well understood. In ...
    • The role of environmental stress in fruit pigmentation 

      Espley, Richard V.; Jaakola, Laura (Peer reviewed; Journal article, 2023-08-09)
      For many fruit crops, the colour of the fruit outwardly defines its eating quality. Fruit pigments provide reproductive advantage for the plant as well as providing protection against unfavourable environmental conditions ...
    • Spatiotemporal modulation of flavonoid metabolism in blueberries 

      Günther, Catrin Sonja; Dare, Andrew P.; McGhie, Tony K.; Deng, Cecilia; Lafferty, Declan J.; Plunkett, Blue J.; Grierson, Ella R.P.; Turner, Janice L.; Jaakola, Laura; Albert, Nick W.; Espley, Richard V. (Peer reviewed; Journal article, 2020-05-13)
      Blueberries are distinguished by their purple-blue fruit color, which develops during ripening and is derived from a characteristic composition of flavonoid-derived anthocyanin pigments. The production of anthocyanins is ...