Enhanced Accumulation of High-Value Acylated Anthocyanins and Improved Growth in Lemna turionifera with SpANS Overexpression

Spirodela polyrhiza accumulates abundant anthocyanins but exhibits limited suitability for industrial production, whereas Lemna turionifera shows strong environmental adaptability and efficient genetic transformation capacity. Here, six L. turionifera lines overexpressing SpANS were generated.

These lines showed marked phenotypic changes and up to a tenfold increase in anthocyanin accumulation relative to the wild type. RNA-seq indicated that SpANS overexpression may activate MAPK signaling and coordinate hormone signaling, photosynthesis, and carbon and nitrogen metabolism, thereby promoting both growth and secondary metabolism. Targeted metabolomics revealed that SpANS overexpression enhanced anthocyanin accumulation in L. turionifera, particularly promoting the biosynthesis of high-value acylated anthocyanins.