Integrative Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Mechanism of Specific Color Formation in <i>Phoebe zhennan</i> Heartwood

Hanbo Yang; Wenna An; Yunjie Gu; Jian Peng; Yongze Jiang; Jinwu Li; Lianghua Chen; Peng Zhu; Fang He; Fan Zhang; Jiujin Xiao; Minhao Liu; Xueqin Wan

doi:10.3390/ijms232113569

International Journal of Molecular Sciences (Nov 2022)

Integrative Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Mechanism of Specific Color Formation in <i>Phoebe zhennan</i> Heartwood

Hanbo Yang,
Wenna An,
Yunjie Gu,
Jian Peng,
Yongze Jiang,
Jinwu Li,
Lianghua Chen,
Peng Zhu,
Fang He,
Fan Zhang,
Jiujin Xiao,
Minhao Liu,
Xueqin Wan

Affiliations

Hanbo Yang: Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Rainy Area of West China Plantation Ecosystem Permanent Scientific Research Base, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Wenna An: Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Rainy Area of West China Plantation Ecosystem Permanent Scientific Research Base, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yunjie Gu: Sichuan Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation for Forest and Wetland, Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Chengdu 610081, China
Jian Peng: Sichuan Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation for Forest and Wetland, Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Chengdu 610081, China
Yongze Jiang: Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Rainy Area of West China Plantation Ecosystem Permanent Scientific Research Base, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Jinwu Li: Sichuan Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation for Forest and Wetland, Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Chengdu 610081, China
Lianghua Chen: Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Rainy Area of West China Plantation Ecosystem Permanent Scientific Research Base, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Peng Zhu: Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Rainy Area of West China Plantation Ecosystem Permanent Scientific Research Base, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Fang He: Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Rainy Area of West China Plantation Ecosystem Permanent Scientific Research Base, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Fan Zhang: Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Rainy Area of West China Plantation Ecosystem Permanent Scientific Research Base, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Jiujin Xiao: Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Rainy Area of West China Plantation Ecosystem Permanent Scientific Research Base, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Minhao Liu: Sichuan Key Laboratory of Ecological Restoration and Conservation for Forest and Wetland, Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Chengdu 610081, China
Xueqin Wan: Forestry Ecological Engineering in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Forest Resources Conservation and Ecological Safety on the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Rainy Area of West China Plantation Ecosystem Permanent Scientific Research Base, Institute of Ecology & Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232113569
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 23, no. 21
p. 13569

Abstract

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Nanmu (Phoebe zhennan) is an extremely valuable tree plant that is the main source of famous “golden-thread nanmu” wood. The potential metabolites and gene regulation mechanisms involved in golden thread formation are poorly understood, even though the color change from sapwood to heartwood has been investigated in several tree plants. Here, five radial tissues from sapwood to heartwood were compared via integrative metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis to reveal the secondary metabolites and molecular mechanisms involved in golden thread formation. During heartwood formation, gradual starch grain loss is accompanied by the cell lumen deposition of lipids and color-related extractives. Extractives of 20 phenylpropanoids accumulated in heartwood, including cinnamic acids and derivatives, coumarin acid derivatives, and flavonoids, which were identified as being closely related to the golden thread. Phenylpropanoids co-occurring with abundant accumulated metabolites of prenol lipids, fatty acyls, steroids, and steroid derivatives may greatly contribute to the characteristics of golden thread formation. Additionally, the expression of nine genes whose products catalyze phenylpropanoid and flavonoids biosynthesis was upregulated in the transition zone, then accumulated and used to color the heartwood. The expression levels of transcription factors (e.g., MYB, bHLH, and WRKY) that act as the major regulatory factors in the synthesis and deposition of phenylpropanoid and flavonoids responsible for golden thread formation were also higher than in sapwood. Our results not only explain golden thread formation in nanmu, but also broaden current knowledge of special wood color formation mechanisms. This work provides a framework for future research focused on improving wood color.

Published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences

ISSN: 1661-6596 (Print); 1422-0067 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General); Science: Chemistry
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms

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