The spatially and temporally distinct expression of R2R3-MYB positive regulators is among the major mechanisms that create various anthocyanin color patterns in many flowers. However, we do not know how these positive regulators have gained different expression profiles. In the Asiatic hybrid lily ‘Lollypop’ (derived from the crosses of species belonging to Sinomartagon/Daurolirion section), MYB12 and MYB19S regulate the pigmentation at whole tepals and raised tepal spots, respectively. In the Oriental hybrid lily ‘Sorbonne’ (derived from the crosses of species belonging to the Archelirion section), MYB12 regulates both whole tepal and raised spot pigmentation. The genes have similar amino acid sequences with similar protein functions but exhibit different expression profiles in lily flowers. As promoters are among the most significant factors affecting gene expression profiles, their promoter sequences were determined in this study. The three genes had very different promoter sequences, and putative cis-regulatory elements were not conserved in numbers or order. To further confirm the promoter functions, tobacco plants were transformed with native promoter-driven MYB12 or MYB19S genes of ‘Lollypop.’ Expression levels of MYB12 were higher in corolla tubes than in lobes, while those of MYB19S were higher in corolla lobes than in tubes. Thus, the diverse promoter functions were likely to be the leading causes of their different expression profiles and generation of unique color patterns. Finally, the history of R2R3-MYB gene establishment during lily evolution was estimated using sequence data.

R2R3-MYB 正调节因子在空间和时间上的不同表达是在许多花朵中产生各种花青素颜色模式的主要机制之一。然而，我们不知道这些正调节因子如何获得不同的表达谱。在亚洲杂交百合'Lollypop'（源自Sinomartagon/Daurolirion科物种的杂交）中， MYB12和MYB19S分别调节整个花被片和凸起花被片斑点的色素沉着。在东方杂交百合‘Sorbonne’（源自Archelirion科物种的杂交）中， MYB12调节整个花被片和凸起斑点的色素沉着。这些基因具有相似的氨基酸序列和相似的蛋白质功能，但在百合花中表现出不同的表达谱。由于启动子是影响基因表达谱的最重要因素之一，因此本研究确定了它们的启动子序列。这三个基因具有非常不同的启动子序列，并且推定的顺式调控元件在数量或顺序上不保守。为了进一步确认启动子功能，用“Lollypop”的天然启动子驱动的MYB12或MYB19S基因转化烟草植物。 MYB12在花冠管中的表达量高于花冠中的表达量，而MYB19S在花冠裂片中的表达量高于管中的表达量。因此，不同的启动子功能可能是其不同表达谱和产生独特颜色模式的主要原因。最后，利用序列数据估计了百合进化过程中R2R3-MYB基因建立的历史。