Transcriptomic and metabolomic perspectives for the growth of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seedlings with the effect of vanadium exposure

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 336; p. 139222
• Main Authors: Wu, Zhen-zhong, Gan, Zhi-wei, Zhang, You-xian, Chen, Si-bei, Gan, Chun-dan, Yang, Kai, Yang, Jin-yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2023
• Subjects: Co-analysis; Metabolome; Plant; Transcriptome; Vanadium; LOX2S; CHI; CYP93B2_16; CYP75B1; Vanadium; Transcriptome; COMT; CHS; OPR; DFR; UGT72E; C4H; KEGG; OPCL1; JAs; 4CL; MFP2; AD; POD; R07826; AsA; CCoAOMT; ROS; JA; CAT; HCT; REF1; EEF1A; F3H; FNSI; ABC; HPL; CYP98A; MeJA; FLS; Plant; DEGs; ADH1; AOC; Co-analysis; GSH; AOS; Metabolome; GO; SOD; and CYP75A; JMT; CCR; DNA; ACX; fadA; F5H; PAL; LAR
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139222

Hitherto, the effect of vanadium on higher plant growth remains an open topic. Therefore, nontargeted metabolomic and RNA-Seq profiling were implemented to unravel the possible alteration in alfalfa seedlings subjected to 0.1 mg L−1 (B group) and 0.5 mg L−1 (C group) pentavalent vanadium [(V(V)] versus control (A group) in this study. Results revealed that vanadium exposure significantly altered some pivotal transcripts and metabolites. The number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) markedly up- and down-regulated was 21 and 23 in B_vs_A, 27 and 33 in C_vs_A, and 24 and 43 in C_vs_B, respectively. The number for significantly up- and down-regulated differential metabolites was 17 and 15 in B_vs_A, 43 and 20 in C_vs_A, and 24 and 16 in C_vs_B, respectively. Metabolomics and transcriptomics co-analysis characterized three significantly enriched metabolic pathways in C_vs_A comparing group, viz., α-linolenic acid metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, from which some differentially expressed genes and differential metabolites participated. The metabolite of traumatic acid in α-linolenic acid metabolism and apigenin in flavonoid biosynthesis were markedly upregulated, while phenylalanine in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis was remarkably downregulated. The genes of allene oxide cyclase (AOC) and acetyl-CoA acyltransferase (fadA) in α-linolenic acid metabolism, and chalcone synthase (CHS), flavonoid 3′-monooxygenase (CYP75B1), and flavonol synthase (FLS) in flavonoid biosynthesis, and caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were significantly downregulated. While shikimate O-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase (HCT) in flavanoid and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were conspicuously upregulated. Briefly, vanadium exposure induces a readjustment yielding in metabolite and the correlative synthetic precursors (transcripts/unigenes) in some branched metabolic pathways. This study provides a practical and in-depth perspective from transcriptomics and metabolomics in investigating the effects conferred by vanadium on plant growth and development. [Display omitted] •There exist three significantly enriched KEGG pathways at 0.5 mg L−1 V.•Raffinose was markedly upregulated at all vanadium exposed compare groups.•Traumatic acid was obviously upregulated at α-linolenic acid metabolism.•Apigenin was distinctly upregulated in flavonoid biosynthesis.