Transcriptome and Metabolome Integrated Analysis Reveals the mechanism of Cinnamomum bodinieri root response to alkali stress

Abstract

Abstract Cinnamomun bodinieri's normal growth and development are hampered by alkali stress, impeding its production and application of Cinnamomum bodinieri. The root organs being in direct contact with the cultivation environment, are sensitive to environmental stress. The present study revealed the differentially expressed genes and differentially metabolized products of Cinnamomum bodinieri root under alkali stress employing transcriptome and metabonomic analysis. The findings revealed that 690 differentially expressed genes and 269 metabolites were significantly different among HT6 and HCK6. Similarly, 1000 differentially expressed genes and 360 metabolites with significant differences were identified in HT48.vs.HCK48 combination. The combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolome identified 9 metabolic pathways at 6h and 48h after alkali treatment, including the biosynthesis pathway of tropane, piperidine and pyridine alkaloids, pyrimidine metabolic pathway, phenylalanine metabolic pathway, isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis pathway, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway, flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, fatty acid biosynthesis pathway, carbon fixation pathway in photosynthetic organisms, the metabolic pathway of amino sugar and nucleotide sugar. Therefore, the strategy of Cinnamomum bodinieri to cope with alkali stress may be to increase osmotic regulation and antioxidant activity by accumulating alkaloids, flavonoids secondary metabolites, and N-acetyl-L-phenylalanine, ensure the stability of cell structure and function through the accumulation of lauric acid and palmitic acid, provide energy for plants to withstand alkali stress by accelerating the glycolysis process, and improve plants' resistance to biological and abiotic stress by inducing the activity of chitinase, The accumulation of oxaloacetic acid and other organic acids alleviates alkali stress environment. This study provides support for the analysis of the pathways and regulatory networks of Cinnamomum bodinieri in response to alkali stress.