Combining metabolomics and transcriptomics to reveal the potential medicinal value of rare species Glycyrrhiza squamulose
Bin Ma,
Siru Wang,
Haonan Li,
Qinyue Wang,
Yaqi Hong,
Yang-mei Bao,
Hua Liu,
Ming Li,
Yucheng Zhao,
Lan-ping Guo
Affiliations
Bin Ma
Institute of Forestry and Grassland Ecology, Ningxia Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan, 75000, China; State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China
Siru Wang
Department of Resources Science of Traditional Chinese Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
Haonan Li
Department of Resources Science of Traditional Chinese Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
Qinyue Wang
Department of Resources Science of Traditional Chinese Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
Yaqi Hong
Department of Resources Science of Traditional Chinese Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China
Yang-mei Bao
School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
Hua Liu
Institute of Forestry and Grassland Ecology, Ningxia Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan, 75000, China
Ming Li
Institute of Forestry and Grassland Ecology, Ningxia Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Yinchuan, 75000, China
Yucheng Zhao
Department of Resources Science of Traditional Chinese Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China; Medical Botanical Garden, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, China; Corresponding author. Medical Botanical Garden, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China, Department of Resources Science of Traditional Chinese Medicines, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
Lan-ping Guo
State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China; Corresponding author.
Licorice is a well-known Chinese medicinal plant that is widely used to treat multiple diseases and process food; however, wild licorice is now facing depletion. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify and protect licorice germplasm diversity. In this study, metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses were conducted to investigate the biodiversity and potential medicinal value of the rare wild Glycyrrhiza squamulose. A total of 182 differentially accumulated metabolites and 395 differentially expressed genes were identified by comparing Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Glycyrrhiza squamulose. The molecular weights of the chemical component of G. squamulose were comparable with those of G. uralensis, suggesting that G. squamulose may have medicinal value. Differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), mainly flavonoids such as kaempferol-3-O-galactoside, kaempferol-3-O-(6ʺmalonyl) glucoside, and hispidulin-7-O-glucoside, showed potential vitality in G. squamulose. Comparative transcriptomics with G. uralensis showed that among the 395 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 69 were enriched in the isoflavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Multiomics analysis showed that the distinction in flavonoid biosynthesis between G. squamulose and G. uralensis was strongly associated with the expression levels of IF7GT and CYP93C. In addition to identifying similarities and differences between G. squamulose and G. uralensis, this study provides a theoretical basis to protect and investigate rare species such as G. squamulose.
