Sulfur redirects carbon metabolism to optimize nitrogen utilization and promote andrographolide biosynthesis in Andrographis paniculata seedlings

Shao-Fen Jian; Yan-Fen Huang; Si Wan; Dong-Liang Chen; Yang Lin; Qiong Liao; Chu Zhong

Current Plant Biology (Dec 2024)

Sulfur redirects carbon metabolism to optimize nitrogen utilization and promote andrographolide biosynthesis in Andrographis paniculata seedlings

Shao-Fen Jian,
Yan-Fen Huang,
Si Wan,
Dong-Liang Chen,
Yang Lin,
Qiong Liao,
Chu Zhong

Affiliations

Shao-Fen Jian: Guangxi Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resource Protection and Genetic Improvement, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; National Center for TCM Inheritance and Innovation, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; Guangxi Engineering Research Centre of TCM Intelligent Creation, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China
Yan-Fen Huang: Guangxi Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resource Protection and Genetic Improvement, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; National Center for TCM Inheritance and Innovation, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; Guangxi Engineering Research Centre of TCM Intelligent Creation, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China
Si Wan: Guangxi Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resource Protection and Genetic Improvement, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; National Center for TCM Inheritance and Innovation, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; Guangxi Engineering Research Centre of TCM Intelligent Creation, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China
Dong-Liang Chen: Cash Crops Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
Yang Lin: Guangxi Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resource Protection and Genetic Improvement, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; National Center for TCM Inheritance and Innovation, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; Guangxi Engineering Research Centre of TCM Intelligent Creation, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China
Qiong Liao: School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Hunan Institute of Technology, Hengyang 421002, China
Chu Zhong: Guangxi Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resource Protection and Genetic Improvement, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; National Center for TCM Inheritance and Innovation, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; Guangxi Engineering Research Centre of TCM Intelligent Creation, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China; Corresponding author at: Guangxi Key Laboratory of Medicinal Resource Protection and Genetic Improvement, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Nanning 530023, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 40
p. 100422

Abstract

Read online

Sulfur (S) is an important mineral nutrient element that improves plant growth and secondary metabolism. S affects the biosynthesis of andrographolide in medicinal plant Androgaphis paniculata by regulating nitrogen (N) metabolism. However, its specific role in N utilization and the connection with andrographolide biosynthesis have not yet been thoroughly understood. Here, a soilless cultivation experiment with low S (LS, 0.1 mM) and high S (HS, 2.4 mM) was conducted to investigate how S influences carbon (C) metabolism and N utilization to promote andographolide biosynthesis in Andrographis paniculata. The results showed that HS significantly increased plant biomass and N use efficiency (NUE), accompanying with remarkable enhanced andrographolide content. HS promoted the expression of photosynthetic genes, and redirected C metabolism towards to sugars accumulation by enhancing the activities of NAD-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD-GDH), malic enzyme (ME) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) (P < 0.05). On the other hand, HS reduced N and S assimilation, and stimulated a greater N allocation in photosynthesis. Accordingly, NUE was increased and andrographolided biosynthesis could profit from the shift of C resource reallocation. Additionally, the significantly increased activities of ME, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) provided reductants for secondary metabolism. HS also considerably upregulated the expression of genes in andrographolide biosynthetic pathway, including ApDXS, ApDXR, ApHDS and ApHDR in the MEP pathway, and ApGGPS. Transcription factors in the families of MYB, WRKY, ERF and bHLH, and plant hormones ABA and JA were in response to HS. Our results revealed that S synergistically promotes NUE and andrographolide biosynthesis via remodeling of C metabolism in A. paniculata.

Published in Current Plant Biology

ISSN: 2214-6628 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Science: Botany
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/current-plant-biology/

About the journal

Abstract

Keywords