New insights into the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in fruits

• Anthocyanin pigments make a major contribution to fruit quality.
• R2R3-MYB genes control anthocyanin biosynthesis as characterized for many fruit species.
• Novel interactions between regulators of anthocyanin accumulation exist.

Anthocyanins are important health-promoting pigments that make a major contribution to the quality of fruits. The biosynthetic pathway leading to anthocyanins is well known and the key regulatory genes controlling the pathway have been isolated in many species. Recently, a considerable amount of new information has been gathered on the developmental and environmental regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in fruits, specifically the impact of regulation through light. New discoveries have begun to reveal links between the developmental regulatory network and the specific regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis during fruit ripening. In this opinion article, a simplified model for the different regulatory networks involved with anthocyanin production in fruit is proposed.