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. 2024 Jun 15;24(1):563.
doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05286-z.

Integrated analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics of garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) under drought stress

Xuhong Zhang #  1   2 , Changzhi Han #  3 , Yubo Wang  1 , Tao Liu  4 , Yuqin Liang  1 , Yanpo Cao  5
Affiliations

Integrated analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics of garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) under drought stress

Xuhong Zhang et al. BMC Plant Biol. .

Abstract

Background: Drought is a leading environmental factor affecting plant growth. To explore the drought tolerance mechanism of asparagus, this study analyzed the responses of two asparagus varieties, namely, 'Jilv3' (drought tolerant) and 'Pacific Early' (drought sensitive), to drought stress using metabolomics and transcriptomics.

Results: In total, 2,567 and 7,187 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in 'Pacific Early' and 'Jilv3', respectively, by comparing the transcriptome expression patterns between the normal watering treatment and the drought stress treatment. These DEGs were significantly enriched in the amino acid biosynthesis, carbon metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction pathways. In 'Jilv3', DEGs were also enriched in the following energy metabolism-related pathways: citrate cycle (TCA cycle), glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and pyruvate metabolism. This study also identified 112 and 254 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) in 'Pacific Early' and 'Jilv3' under drought stress compared with normal watering, respectively. The amino acid, flavonoid, organic acid, and soluble sugar contents were more significantly enhanced in 'Jilv3' than in 'Pacific Early'. According to the metabolome and transcriptome analysis, in 'Jilv3', the energy supply of the TCA cycle was improved, and flavonoid biosynthesis increased. As a result, its adaptability to drought stress improved.

Conclusions: These findings help to better reveal the molecular mechanism underlying how asparagus responds to drought stress and improve researchers' ability to screen drought-tolerant asparagus varieties as well as breed new varieties.

Keywords: Asparagus; Drought stress; Metabolic pathways; Metabolome; Transcriptome.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Physiological and biochemical changes of ‘Jilv3’ and ‘Pacific Early’ asparagus seedlings under drought stress. (A) Malondialdehyde (MDA), (B) soluble sugar, and (C) soluble protein contents. (D) Superoxide dismutase (SOD), (E) peroxidase (POD), and (F) catalase (CAT) enzyme activities
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Transcriptome analysis of drought stress response in two asparagus cultivars. (A) DEGs in JDS versus JCK and PDS versus PCK. (B) Specific and common DEGs in JDS versus JCK and PDS versus PCK. JCK, ‘Jilv3’ with normal watering; JDS, ‘Jilv3’ with drought stress treatment; PCK, ‘Pacific Early’ with normal watering; and PDS, ‘Pacific Early’ with drought stress treatment
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of DEGs. GO enrichment analysis of (A) JDS versus JCK and (B) PDS versus PCK. KEGG enrichment analysis of (C) JDS versus JCK and (D) PDS versus PCK. JCK, ‘Jilv3’ with normal watering; JDS, ‘Jilv3’ with drought stress treatment; PCK, ‘Pacific Early’ with normal watering; and PDS, ‘Pacific Early’ with drought stress treatment
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Metabolomics analysis of ‘Jilv3’ and ‘Pacific Early’ asparagus seedlings under drought stress. (A) Total metabolite visualization. (B) Metabolomic data clustering from PCA. (C) The DAMs in JDS versus JCK and PDS versus PCK. (D) DAM classification
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
KEGG and GO metabolism pathway categories of DAMs. (A) JDS versus JCK. (B) PDS versus PCK. JCK, ‘Jilv3’ with normal watering; JDS, ‘Jilv3’ with drought stress treatment; PCK, ‘Pacific Early’ with normal watering; and PDS, ‘Pacific Early’ with drought stress treatment
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Schematic network of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway and lignin synthesis pathway in asparagus under drought stress. Colored rectangle blocks denote the DEGs or DAMs for JDS versus JCK (left) and PDS versus PCK (right). Different colors indicate the logarithm of fold changes (Log2FC) of the DEGs and DAMs. JCK, ‘Jilv3’ with normal watering; JDS, ‘Jilv3’ with drought stress treatment; PCK, ‘Pacific Early’ with normal watering; and PDS, ‘Pacific Early’ with drought stress treatment
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
The TCA cycle in asparagus under drought stress. The two columns of rectangular blocks represent the DEGs or DAMs of JDS versus JCK (left) and PDS versus PCK (right). Different colors indicate the logarithm of fold changes (Log2FC) of the DEGs and DAMs. JCK, ‘Jilv3’ with normal watering; and JDS, ‘Jilv3’ with drought stress treatment; PCK, ‘Pacific Early’ with normal watering; PDS, ‘Pacific Early’ with drought stress treatment
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