研究发现，一年生三七地上茎有绿、绿紫过渡和紫三种颜色，三七器官紫化是源于花色苷的积累。申请人证实，一年生三七绿紫过渡色地上茎的紫化和总皂苷含量均呈黄金分割式，本项目以此为研究契入点，检测一年生三七绿紫过渡色地上茎中皂苷单体含量、花色苷合成结构基因（CHS、CHI、F3H、F3′H、DFR、ANS和3GT）和调节基因（R2R3-MYB、bHLH和WD40）、三萜皂苷合成结构基因（HMGR、FPS、SS、SE和DS）和调节基因（类PqWRKY1）转录强度的纵向变化，以明确决定地上茎花色苷、皂苷纵向不均匀合成、积累的关键结构基因和调节基因及其靶结构基因，再克隆关键结构基因和调节基因启动子序列并完成其功能分析，以构建地上茎花色苷、皂苷合成的调控网络。本项目将阐明三七花色苷合成的组织专一性特征、进一步揭示三七花色苷包括促进皂苷积累在内的生态生理作用，并为三七的分子育种和花色苷类新产品开发创造可能。

It has been found in previous researches that the aerial stems of one-year-old Panax notoginseng plants hold three colors, i.e. green, purplish green and purple, and the Purpling of P. notoginseng organs results from the anthocyanin accumulation. The applicant of this project proved the Purpling and the contents of the total saponins of the purplish green aerial stems of one-year-old P. notoginseng plants are both golden section-typed, which is regarded as the initial point of the studies of this project. By measuring the longitudinal changes of the contents of the saponin monomers and the transcription intensities of the structural genes (i.e. chalcone synthase, chalcone isomerase, flavanone-3-hydroxylase, flavonoid-3′-hydroxylase, dihydroflavonol-4-reductase, anthocyanidin synthase and UDP-glucose：flavonoid-3-O-glucosyltransferase genes) and the regulatory genes (i.e. R2R3-MYB, bHLH and WD40) of anthocyanin biosynthesis, and the structural genes (i.e. 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase, farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase, squalene synthase, squalene epoxidase and dammarenediol synthase genes) and the regulatory genes (i.e. PqWRKY1-like) of triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis, this project first identifies the key structural and regulatory genes, and the target structural genes of the regulatory genes which determine the longitudinally uneven synthesis and accumulation of the anthocyanins and triterpenoid saponins in the aerial stems. Then, this project clones the promoters of the key structural and regulatory genes and analyzes the functions of the promoters, constructing the regulation net of the anthocyanin and triterpenoid saponin synthesis in the aerial stems. This project would elucidate the tissue-specificity of P. notoginseng anthocyanin synthesis and further reveal the ecophysiological functions of P. notoginseng anthocyanins, including the saponin accumulation-enhancing, and also create the possibilities for the molecular breeding and the development of the anthocyanin-related new products of P. notoginseng.