Integrated Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Reveal the Key Role of Flavonoids in the Cold Tolerance of Chrysanthemum

Abstract

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium, ground-cover Chrysanthemums), one of the important garden flowers, has a high ornamental and economic value. However, its ornamental value is significantly diminished by the low temperature experienced in northeastern China. Here, metabolomics and transcriptomics were performed on three Chrysanthemum cultivars before and after a low temperature to investigate the dynamic metabolite changes and the molecular regulatory mechanisms. The results showed that 1324 annotated metabolites were detected, among which 327 were identified as flavonoids derived from Chrysanthemum. The accumulation of metabolites and gene expression related to the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway significantly increased in the three cultivars under the low temperature, indicating flavonoid metabolism actively participates in the Chrysanthemum cold response. Specifically, the content of cyanidin and pelargonidin derivatives and the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes significantly increases in XHBF, providing a reasonable explanation for the change in petal color from white to purple under the low temperature. Six candidate UDP-glycosyltransferase genes involved in the glycosylation of flavonoids were identified through correlation networks and phylogenetic analysis. CmNAC1, CmbZIP3, and other transcription factors potentially regulating flavonoid metabolism and responding to low temperatures were discovered by correlation analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). In conclusion, this study elucidated the specific response of flavonoids to low temperatures in Chrysanthemums, providing valuable insights and metabolic data for investigating cold tolerance.