Integrative analyses of metabolome and transcriptome reveal differences in terpenoids and identify the genes involved in the synthesis of terpenoids in Magnoliae Flos from different varieties
Aug 2026· Frontiers in Plant Science· Vol 17· 0 citations· 60 references
Medicine
TL;DR
The molecular basis of terpenoid diversity in MF is revealed, and theoretical references for germplasm discrimination, quality evaluation and genetic improvement of medicinal magnolia resources are provided.
Abstract
Introduction Magnoliae Flos (MF), the dried flower buds of Magnolia denudata Desr., Magnolia biondii Pamp., and Magnolia sprengeri Pamp., is a crucial East Asian medicinal herb used to treat allergic rhinitis and other ailments. However, the molecular basis for its quality differences remains unclear. Methods This study integrates GC-MS-based volatile metabolomics, high-throughput RNA sequencing, and RT-qPCR validation to elucidate the terpenoid metabolic differences and their regulatory mechanisms among the three MF varieties. Results The metabolomic analysis screened 55 differential terpenoids (15 key markers) that distinguish the MF varieties, with terpenoids being the primary metabolic category and the M. sprengeri vs. M. biondii group exhibiting the most differential metabolites. The transcriptomic analysis revealed TPS26 as key candidate genes involved in monoterpene synthesis, while IMPMBI2G0000034954 and IMPMBI2G0000034957 were identified as candidate genes for sesquiterpene synthesis. The expression abundances of these genes exhibited significant linear correlations with the accumulation levels of differential terpenoids, though such coordinated variation does not confirm direct causal regulation. Discussion Collectively, this work reveals the molecular basis of terpenoid diversity in MF, and provides theoretical references for germplasm discrimination, quality evaluation and genetic improvement of medicinal magnolia resources.
Perilla (Perilla frutescens) is an important oil-bearing crop rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA), and seed oil quality varies greatly among different germplasms. However, the molecular and metabolic mechanisms underlying genotypic differences in ALA accumulation remain unclear. In this study, four Perilla varieties with distinct seed phenotypic traits were used to investigate the variations in seed quality, metabolome, and transcriptome. Significant genotypic differences were observed in seed color, thousand-grain weight, and oil content. QO8 showed the highest seed oil content, while QS5 and QO10 exhibited relatively lower oil accumulation levels. Metabolome analysis revealed that lipid metabolism was the dominant metabolic category in Perilla seeds. Multiple differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), including ALA, stearic acid, traumatic acid, and 10-OPDA, displayed genotype-specific accumulation patterns. KEGG enrichment demonstrated that α-linolenic acid metabolism and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis were the most significantly divergent pathways among different Perilla germplasms. Transcriptome analysis identified numerous differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in fatty acid and ALA biosynthesis, such as FAD2, LOX, AOS, AOC, OPR, KAT, ECH, and ACOX. Integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis further confirmed that the differential expression of structural genes altered the metabolic flux of the ALA and downstream jasmonic acid pathway, resulting in varied accumulation of core lipid intermediates. In addition, WRKY and MYB transcription factors were identified as key upstream regulators that positively or negatively modulated ALA metabolic homeostasis. This study systematically clarified the phenotypic, metabolic, and transcriptional differences in seeds of different Perilla varieties and revealed the core regulatory network of ALA biosynthesis. These findings provide valuable candidate genes and a theoretical foundation for elucidating the molecular mechanism of high ALA accumulation and quality improvement in Perilla seeds.
These findings collectively support flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) as a candidate regulatory node governing organ-specific flavonoid partitioning in Rhododendron yedoense var.
The three D. huoshanense germplasm materials exhibited distinct metabolic and transcriptional profiles, providing candidate genes and metabolic features for subsequent targeted validation.
Pei-Pei Wei, Binbin Du, Xin-Gen Zhang et al.· Metabolites· 0 citations
Polygonatum cyrtonema
Hua is a traditional Chinese medicine with the same origin as both medicine and food, and its medicinal components have considerable clinical value. Due to its substantial market demand, it is now primarily produced through artificial cultivation. To produce high-quality
P. cyrtonema
, we performed transcriptome and metabolome sequencing of one-year-old and three-year-old
P. cyrtonema
to explore the growth regulation mechanisms and key genes involved in improving its quality. A total of 1,957 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 163 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were identified in this study. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses suggested that the growth regulation of
P. cyrtonema
may be primarily associated with sphingolipid metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and starch and sucrose metabolism. Our data suggest that sucrose transport to sink organs may be facilitated by increased expression of the bidirectional sugar transporter
SWEET14
, and sucrose may be hydrolyzed by
β-fructofuranosidase
, potentially providing energy for plant growth on one hand and contributing to fructose accumulation on the other. Furthermore, the elevated abundance of L-phenylalanine may be associated with an increase in secondary metabolites, which could provide a metabolic basis for age-dependent growth and metabolite partitioning in rhizomes. The observed downregulation of sphingolipid metabolism-related genes may reflect the perennial growth habit of
P. cyrtonema
, whereby slower growth in the first year may promote sphingolipid-mediated root development. However, we emphasize that these inferences are based on correlative transcriptomic and metabolomic data, and functional validation is required to establish causal relationships.
Yu Wang, Hai-Yang Zhao, Wen-Jie He et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
Key genes in the mevalonate (MVA) pathway were upregulated in roots, facilitating metabolic crosstalk with the methylerythritol-phosphate pathway and enhancing terpenoid skeleton synthesis.
: Mint is notably rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids, antioxidants and other bioactive components, and is widely used as food, medicine, spices, and flavoring agents. Thus, metabolite composition serves as a critical indicator for assessing mint quality. In this study, two mint genotypes of Mentha canadensis L., were sampled, namely purple mint and green mint. The two genotypes are distinguished by stem color: the purple mint exhibits purple stems, whereas the green mint has green stems. The purple mint exhibited significantly higher anthocyanin and total flavone contents than green mint. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were performed to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms underlying pigment and flavonoid accumulation in mint stems. High-throughput RNA-Seq yielded 167,901 unigenes, of which 34,608 genes were differentially expressed. These differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly involved in the lignin metabolic process and flavonoid biosynthetic process. A total of 143 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were enriched in isoflavonoid, flavonoid biosynthesis, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, and anthocyanin biosynthesis pathways. Co-analysis of DEGs and DEMs revealed that the flavone and flavonol biosynthesis pathway (ko00944) contained the most DEMs, followed by the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway (ko00941) and the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway (ko00942). Furthermore, nine key genes and metabolites were identified using the O2PLS model. These findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding the key pathways and genes involved in pigment and flavonoid regulation in mint stems.
Xiang-Dong Wang, Hai-Long An, Yan-Zhi Ma et al.· Phyton· 0 citations
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