Abstract
Background: The PDX2 gene serves as a critical catalytic component in vitamin B6 (VB6) biosynthesis pathways and plays pivotal regulatory roles in plant growth. Methods: To investigate the metabolic regulation of PDX2 (GbPDX2) from Ginkgo biloba in VB6 biosynthesis during kernel development, we successfully cloned this gene and conducted systematic expression profiling through qRT-PCR across multiple tissues and developmental stages. Results: Bioinformatic characterization revealed that GbPDX2 contains a 765-bp coding sequence encoding a 254-amino acid polypeptide. The encoded protein displays typical hydrophilic properties (average hydrophobicity index: -0.32) and was predicted to be an unstable cytosolic protein (instability index: 45.7) lacking signal peptides or transmembrane domains with cytoplasmic localization. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that GbPDX2's closest evolutionary relationship was with its ortholog in Picea sitchensis, which had an amino acid sequence similarity of 83.7% with spruce PsPDX2. Tissue-specific expression analysis revealed a gradient expression profile of Kernel > Exocarp > Leaves > Stems > Roots. The expression level in kernels was significantly higher than that in other tissues (19.7 times that in roots, 8.3 times that in stems, and 5.9 times that in leaves; p < 0.01), with peak transcript levels observed in mature kernels. HPLC quantification established a strong positive correlation between GbPDX2 expression dynamics and VB6 accumulation patterns during kernel maturation (r = 0.92, p < 0.01), and the peak period of VB6 reached 288.9 ± 7.1 μg/g. Conclusions: Our findings provide the first experimental evidence that GbPDX2 spatiotemporally regulates VB6 biosynthesis in ginkgo kernels, offering novel insights into the evolutionary adaptation of vitamin metabolism in gymnosperms.