Qihang Cai

Mr. Qihang Cai


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

View All Publications
6 June 2024 in Plants
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Songheng YiSongheng Yi
Songheng Yi
QCQihang Cai
Qihang Cai
YYYanbo Yang
Yanbo Yang
HSHongquan Shen
Hongquan Shen
ZSZhenghai Sun
Zhenghai Sun
LLLiping Li
Liping Li
The MYB transcription factors (TFs) have substantial functions in anthocyanin synthesis as well as being widely associated with plant responses to various adversities. In the present investigation, we found an unreported MYB TF from Solanum aculeatissimum (a wild relative of eggplant) and named it SaMYB113 in reference to its homologous gene. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that the open reading frame of SaMYB113 was 825 bp in length, encoding 275 amino acids, with a typical R2R3-MYB gene structure, and predicted subcellular localization in the nucleus. Analysis of the tissue-specific expression pattern through qRT-PCR showed that the SaMYB113 was expressed at a high level in young stems as well as leaves of S. aculeatissimum. Transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco plants overexpressing SaMYB113 pertinent to the control of the 35S promoter exhibited a distinct purple color trait, suggesting a significant change in their anthocyanin content. Furthermore, we obtained three tobacco transgenic lines with significant differences in anthocyanin accumulation and analyzed the differences in anthocyanin content by LC-MS/MS. The findings demonstrated that overexpression of SaMYB113 caused tobacco to have considerably raised levels of several anthocyanin components, with the most significant increases in delphinidin-like anthocyanins and cyanidin-like anthocyanins. The qRT-PCR findings revealed significant differences in the expression levels of structural genes for anthocyanin synthesis among various transgenic lines. In summary, this study demonstrated that the SaMYB113 gene has a substantial impact on anthocyanin synthesis, and overexpression of the SaMYB113 gene leads to significant modifications to the expression levels of a variety of anthocyanin-synthesizing genes, which leads to complex changes in anthocyanin content and affects plant phenotypes. This present research offers the molecular foundation for the research of the mechanism of anthocyanin formation within plants, as well as providing some reference for the improvement of traits in solanum crops.

18 July 2026 in Biology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
TYTianyan Yang
Tianyan Yang
Songheng YiSongheng Yi
Songheng Yi
QCQihang Cai
Qihang Cai
ZZZiai Zhao
Ziai Zhao
ZMZhencheng Meng
Zhencheng Meng
JZJianchun Zhang
Jianchun Zhang
The rhizosphere bacterial community is an important determinant of plant health and disease resistance. To investigate bacterial community characteristics associated with Fusarium wilt resistance, we used full-length 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to characterize rhizosphere bacterial communities. The analysis included seven banana germplasms with contrasting resistance levels. Significant genotype-dependent differences in bacterial community composition were detected among the germplasms. Alpha diversity analysis showed that bacterial richness and diversity were not consistently associated with Fusarium wilt resistance. In contrast, highly resistant germplasms were enriched in potentially beneficial taxa, including Bacillus and Nitrospira, whereas Chujaibacter and Acinetobacter were more abundant in moderately resistant and low-resistant germplasms. Beta diversity analysis further revealed distinct community structures across the germplasms. Functional prediction indicated that bacterial communities associated with highly resistant germplasms possessed greater potential for carbohydrate metabolism, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and antibiotic biosynthesis. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed distinct bacterial interaction patterns among germplasms with different resistance levels. Highly resistant germplasms showed strong associations among several key bacterial taxa. In contrast, moderately resistant and low-resistant germplasms exhibited different patterns of positive and negative bacterial associations. Collectively, these results suggest that Fusarium wilt resistance in banana is associated not with increased bacterial diversity but with the enrichment of potentially beneficial bacterial taxa, enhanced bacterial functional potential, and distinct bacterial interaction patterns.

1 September 2026 in Biology
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
YYYanbo Yang
Yanbo Yang
ZGZhiying Gong
Zhiying Gong
YWYanwen Wang
Yanwen Wang
HLHang Li
Hang Li
JLJiahong Li
Jiahong Li
LLLiping Li
Liping Li
Anthocyanins are key secondary metabolites responsible for fruit coloration in plants, and their biosynthesis is largely regulated by R2R3-MYB transcription factors. However, the R2R3-MYB regulators controlling fruit anthocyanin accumulation in wild Solanum species remain poorly understood. Here, Solanum americanum was used to identify candidate R2R3-MYB genes associated with fruit coloration through genome-wide identification, phylogenetic analysis, synteny analysis, expression profiling, and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). A total of 122 SaMYB genes were identified, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that SaMYB proteins clustered with Arabidopsis thaliana R2R3-MYB members in conserved subgroups, suggesting evolutionary conservation of this family. Synteny analysis identified 37 syntenic gene pairs among SaMYB genes, and the Ka/Ks values of all analyzable gene pairs were below 1, indicating that these duplicated genes are subject to functional constraint. Integrated analysis of phylogenetic relationships, protein structures, promoter cis-elements, and fruit developmental expression patterns identified SaMYB59 and SaMYB106 as candidate regulators of anthocyanin accumulation. VIGS analysis demonstrated that silencing SaMYB106 reduced purple coloration, decreased anthocyanin content, and downregulated the expression of the structural gene DFR. These results indicate that SaMYB106 functions as a positive regulator of fruit anthocyanin accumulation in S. americanum. This study provides insights into the molecular basis of fruit coloration in wild Solanum species.