Coordinated circRNA/lncRNA-Mediated Post-Transcriptional Regulation Balances Anthocyanin and cis-Zeatin Metabolism in Lycium ruthenicum
Yiming Chen1,2, Qiong Luo1,*
1 Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Formation Mechanism and Comprehensive Utilization of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau in Qinghai Province, School of Life Sciences, Qinghai Normal University, Xining, China
2 School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, China
* Corresponding Author: Qiong Luo. Email: 
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2026.077896
Received 19 December 2025; Accepted 25 February 2026; Published online 06 March 2026
Abstract
Lycium ruthenicum Murray (black goji berry) is an economically important crop rich in anthocyanins, however, the post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms underlying anthocyanin accumulation in its fruits are unknown. Here, we used whole-transcriptome sequencing to identify differentially expressed circRNAs and lncRNAs in black goji (BS4) and white goji (WS4). Furthermore, we analyzed the regulatory networks of the key ncRNAs and their target genes by combining targeted phytohormone metabolomics with molecular docking technology. We found that the circRNA plantcirc_001165 synergistically upregulated the flavonoid biosynthesis gene
LrHCT with the lncRNA MSTRG.28703 to promote anthocyanin accumulation. However, MSTRG.28703 repressed
LrZOX1 expression, leading to the accumulation of
cis-zeatin (cZ). Molecular docking confirmed strong interactions between these enzymes and related ligands, and network pharmacology further predicted potential targets of petanin, a major anthocyanin component, against oxidative stress and inflammation-related pathways in Alzheimer’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Therefore, this study systematically revealed the ncRNA-mediated synergistic regulatory network of anthocyanin and cZ metabolism in black goji, and provides a new perspective for analyzing the mechanism of its fruit coloration and leveraging the bioactivities of its anthocyanins.
Keywords
Lycium ruthenicum; ncRNA; anthocyanins;
cis-zeatin; molecular docking; network pharmacology
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