Anthocyanins in staple crops

Anthocyanin biosynthesis and its regulation have been extensively studied in different plant species, including staple crops. In maize, two types of transcription factors, an MYB-related protein and a bHLH-containing protein, interact and activate the anthocyanin biosynthetic genes in a coordinate manner. Anthocyanin synthesis has also been studied in other cereal crops, such as rice and wheat, but the identification of regulatory genes is still under way. Genetic and molecular studies aimed at understanding its regulation in maize have led to the discovery of the epigenetic phenomenon of paramutation, which has been correlated with changes in DNA methylation, chromatin structure, and genes involved in RNA-directed transcriptional silencing. Since then, paramutation and paramutation-like interactions have been discovered in other plants and animals. Anthocyanins have beneficial effects on health by influencing the redox status or by modulating cell signaling and thereby impacting the activity of metabolic pathways. Evidence that consumption of anthocyanin-rich food promotes health is supported by many recent studies of anthocyanin-rich fruits, like blueberry and cranberry, and also preclinical studies with animal models that are fed with anthocyanin-rich diets from cereal crops. This chapter covers the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in cereals, on epigenetic phenomena in maize and studies demonstrating the protective effect of anthocyanins from cereals against cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and renal diseases.