Characterization of Genes for a Putative Hydroxycinnamoyl-coenzyme A Quinate Transferase and p‑Coumarate 3′-Hydroxylase and Chlorogenic Acid Accumulation in Tartary Buckwheat

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) contains a high level of flavonoid compounds, which have beneficial and pharmacological effects on health. In this study, we isolated full-length cDNAs encoding hydroxycinnamoyl-coenzyme A quinate hydroxycinnamoyltransferase (HQT) and p-coumarate 3′-hydroxylase (C3H), which are involved in chlorogenic acid (CGA) biosynthesis. We examined the expression levels of HQT and C3H using real-time RT-PCR in different organs and sprouts of two tartary buckwheat cultivars (Hokkai T8 and T10) and analyzed CGA content using high-performance liquid chromatography. Among the organs, the flowers in both cultivars showed the highest levels of CGA. We concluded that the expression pattern of FtHQT and FtC3H did not match the accumulation pattern of CGA in different organs of T8 and T10 cultivars. Gene expression and CGA content varied between the cultivars. We presume that FtHQT and FtC3H levels might be controlled by multiple metabolic pathways in different organs of tartary buckwheat. Probably, FtC3H might have a greater effect on CGA biosynthesis than FtHQT. Our results will be helpful for a greater understanding of CGA biosynthesis in tartary buckwheat.