Metabolome analysis of genus Forsythia related constituents in Forsythia suspensa leaves and fruits using UPLC-ESI-QQQ-MS/MS technique.

Forsythia suspensa is a traditional Chinese herb. Its numerous metabolites have important roles, as they possessed a wide range of biological activities. This study explored the accumulations of F. suspensa metabolites by performing widely targeted metabolomic analysis. The metabolites were studied at four stages of fruit development. Metabolites in the fruits and leaves of F. suspensa during fruit development included phenolic acids, flavonoids, lipids, lignans and coumarins, amino acids and their derivatives, terpenes, organic acids, nucleotides and their derivatives, alkaloids, quinones, steroids, and tannins. Fourteen Forsythia related metabolites were detected. Their contents varied among the developmental stages. Statistically significant correlations were found between the levels of forsythoside B and 11-methyl-forsythide, and forsythialan B and phillygenin, in both leaves and fruits. According to the correlation analysis between metabolites, Forsythia related metabolites were divided into two classes and five subclasses. In total, 33 compounds presented significant correlations in both fruits and leaves, which indicated the potential relationship in the synthesis of Forsythia related metabolites. Forsythialan B and phillygenin were both negatively correlated with L-valine, while Z-6,7-epoxyligustilid was positively correlated with both compounds. The quality control compounds forsythiaside A and phillyrin were positively and negatively correlated with uracil, respectively. These metabolomics results may facilitate the biosynthesis of Forsythia related metabolites.

Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of the anthocyanin regulatory networks in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. flowers.

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were to reveal the anthocyanin biosynthesis metabolic pathway in white and purple flowers of Salvia miltiorrhiza using metabolomics and transcriptomics, to identify different anthocyanin metabolites, and to analyze the differentially expressed genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis. RESULTS: We analyzed the metabolomics and transcriptomics data of S. miltiorrhiza flowers. A total of 1994 differentially expressed genes and 84 flavonoid metabolites were identified between the white and purple flowers of S. miltiorrhiza. Integrated analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics showed that cyanidin 3,5-O-diglucoside, malvidin 3,5-diglucoside, and cyanidin 3-O-galactoside were mainly responsible for the purple flower color of S. miltiorrhiza. A total of 100 unigenes encoding 10 enzymes were identified as candidate genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in S. miltiorrhiza flowers. Low expression of the ANS gene decreased the anthocyanin content but enhanced the accumulation of flavonoids in S. miltiorrhiza flowers. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide valuable information on the anthocyanin metabolites and the candidate genes involved in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathways in S. miltiorrhiza.

Transcriptome Analysis of Two Species of Jute in Response to Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)- induced Drought Stress.

Drought stress results in significant crop yield losses. Comparative transcriptome analysis between tolerant and sensitive species can provide insights into drought tolerance mechanisms in jute. We present a comprehensive study on drought tolerance in two jute species-a drought tolerant species (Corchorus olitorius L., GF) and a drought sensitive species (Corchorus capsularis L., YY). In total, 45,831 non-redundant unigenes with average sequence length of 1421 bp were identified. Higher numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were discovered in YY (794) than in GF (39), implying that YY was relatively more vulnerable or hyper-responsive to drought stress at the molecular level; the two main pathways, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and peroxisome pathway, significantly involved in scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and 14 unigenes in the two pathways presented a significant differential expression in response to increase of superoxide. Our classification analysis showed that 1769 transcription factors can be grouped into 81 families and 948 protein kinases (PKs) into 122 families. In YY, we identified 34 TF DEGs from and 23 PK DEGs, including 19 receptor-like kinases (RLKs). Most of these RLKs were downregulated during drought stress, implying their role as negative regulators of the drought tolerance mechanism in jute.

De novo transcriptome sequencing of two cultivated jute species under salinity stress.

Soil salinity, a major environmental stress, reduces agricultural productivity by restricting plant development and growth. Jute (Corchorus spp.), a commercially important bast fiber crop, includes two commercially cultivated species, Corchorus capsularis and Corchorus olitorius. We conducted high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of 24 C. capsularis and C. olitorius samples under salt stress and found 127 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs); additionally, 4489 and 492 common DEGs were identified in the root and leaf tissues, respectively, of both Corchorus species. Further, 32, 196, and 11 common differentially expressed transcription factors (DTFs) were detected in the leaf, root, or both tissues, respectively. Several Gene Ontology (GO) terms were enriched in NY and YY. A Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed numerous DEGs in both species. Abscisic acid and cytokinin signal pathways enriched respectively about 20 DEGs in leaves and roots of both NY and YY. The Ca2+, mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling and oxidative phosphorylation pathways were also found to be related to the plant response to salt stress, as evidenced by the DEGs in the roots of both species. These results provide insight into salt stress response mechanisms in plants as well as a basis for future breeding of salt-tolerant cultivars.

Salt-Stress Response Mechanisms Using de Novo Transcriptome Sequencing of Salt-Tolerant and Sensitive Corchorus spp. Genotypes.

High salinity is a major environmental stressor for crops. To understand the regulatory mechanisms underlying salt tolerance, we conducted a comparative transcriptome analysis between salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive jute (Corchorus spp.) genotypes in leaf and root tissues under salt stress and control conditions. In total, 68,961 unigenes were identified. Additionally, 11,100 unigenes (including 385 transcription factors (TFs)) exhibited significant differential expression in salt-tolerant or salt-sensitive genotypes. Numerous common and unique differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) between the two genotypes were discovered. Fewer DEGs were observed in salt-tolerant jute genotypes whether in root or leaf tissues. These DEGs were involved in various pathways, such as ABA signaling, amino acid metabolism, etc. Among the enriched pathways, plant hormone signal transduction (ko04075) and cysteine/methionine metabolism (ko00270) were the most notable. Eight common DEGs across both tissues and genotypes with similar expression profiles were part of the PYL-ABA-PP2C (pyrabactin resistant-like/regulatory components of ABA receptors-abscisic acid-protein phosphatase 2C). The methionine metabolism pathway was only enriched in salt-tolerant jute root tissue. Twenty-three DEGs were involved in methionine metabolism. Overall, numerous common and unique salt-stress response DEGs and pathways between salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive jute have been discovered, which will provide valuable information regarding salt-stress response mechanisms and help improve salt-resistance molecular breeding in jute.