Ethylene promotes anthocyanin synthesis in 'Viviana' lily via the LvMYB5-LvERF113-LvMYB1 module.

Ethylene (ET) influences the synthesis of anthocyanins, although its regulatory effects can differ significantly across various plant species. In apples (Malus domestica), ET promotes anthocyanin synthesis, whereas in Arabidopsis thaliana, it inhibits its accumulation. Our research showed that ethephon (Eth), an ET derivative, promotes anthocyanin synthesis in 'Viviana' lilies, which has great potential in the cut flower industry. The regulatory mechanism whereby ET influences anthocyanin synthesis in lilies remains unclear. In this study, we screened and characterized an ET-induced ET response factors (ERFs), LvERF113, with inhibitory function. Our analyses suggested that LvERF113 could inhibit the negative regulatory function of LvMYB1 at transcriptional and posttranslational levels, promoting anthocyanin synthesis in 'Viviana' lily tepals. In addition, LvERF113 is positively regulated by LvMYB5, forming the LvMYB5-LvERF113-LvMYB1 module controlling anthocyanin synthesis by ET in 'Viviana' lily. These findings offer new insights into the ET regulatory network of anthocyanin synthesis and provide a theoretical basis for the application of ET derivatives in the cut flower industry.