Metabolomics combined with physiology and transcriptomics reveal the regulation of key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa by foliar spraying with nano-selenium

Abstract Selenium promotes plant growth and improves nutritional quality, and the role of nano-selenium in alfalfa in regulating nutritional quality is unknown. In this study, using the 15N labeling method, it was found that nano-selenium could promote plant nitrogen metabolism and photosynthesis by...

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Main Authors: Pengbo Sun, Gentu Ge, Lin Sun, Jian Bao, Muqier Zhao, Junfeng Hao, Yuhan Zhang, Guoshun Liu, Zhijun Wang, Yushan Jia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:Journal of Nanobiotechnology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-024-03073-4
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author Pengbo Sun
Gentu Ge
Lin Sun
Jian Bao
Muqier Zhao
Junfeng Hao
Yuhan Zhang
Guoshun Liu
Zhijun Wang
Yushan Jia
author_facet Pengbo Sun
Gentu Ge
Lin Sun
Jian Bao
Muqier Zhao
Junfeng Hao
Yuhan Zhang
Guoshun Liu
Zhijun Wang
Yushan Jia
author_sort Pengbo Sun
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Selenium promotes plant growth and improves nutritional quality, and the role of nano-selenium in alfalfa in regulating nutritional quality is unknown. In this study, using the 15N labeling method, it was found that nano-selenium could promote plant nitrogen metabolism and photosynthesis by increasing the light energy capture capacity and the activities of key enzymes of the nitrogen metabolism process, leading to an increase in alfalfa nitrogen accumulation and dry matter content. The transcriptome and metabolome revealed that nano-selenium mainly affected the pathways of ‘biosynthesis of amino acids’, ‘starch and sucrose metabolism’, ‘pentose and glucuronate interconversions’, ‘pentose phosphate pathway’, and ‘flavonoid biosynthesis’. At the early stage of nano-selenium treatment, the nitrogen metabolism, sugar metabolism, and flavonoid metabolism pathways were regulated by modulating the expression of genes such as NR, Nir, GS, GOGAT, E3.1.1.11, adh, CHS, FLS, etc., which increased the amount of L-glutamic, L-histidine, glycerone-P, coniferin, naringenin chalcone, and other beneficial substances, thus promoting the acceleration of nitrogen accumulation by plants. In summary, this study provides a better understanding of the mechanisms by which nano-selenium regulates key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa. Graphical Abstract
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spelling doaj-art-299db4ff78994efbb6ddce7ecb06c06e2025-08-20T01:47:59ZengBMCJournal of Nanobiotechnology1477-31552025-01-0123112110.1186/s12951-024-03073-4Metabolomics combined with physiology and transcriptomics reveal the regulation of key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa by foliar spraying with nano-seleniumPengbo Sun0Gentu Ge1Lin Sun2Jian Bao3Muqier Zhao4Junfeng Hao5Yuhan Zhang6Guoshun Liu7Zhijun Wang8Yushan Jia9Key Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, People’s Republic of China, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, People’s Republic of China, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityInner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry SciencesInner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry SciencesKey Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, People’s Republic of China, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, People’s Republic of China, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityForestry and Grassland Work Station of Inner MongoliaForestry Station of XiningKey Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, People’s Republic of China, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityKey Laboratory of Forage Cultivation, Processing and High Efficient Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, People’s Republic of China, Key Laboratory of Grassland Resources, Ministry of Education, People’s Republic of China, College of Grassland, Resources and Environment, Inner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityAbstract Selenium promotes plant growth and improves nutritional quality, and the role of nano-selenium in alfalfa in regulating nutritional quality is unknown. In this study, using the 15N labeling method, it was found that nano-selenium could promote plant nitrogen metabolism and photosynthesis by increasing the light energy capture capacity and the activities of key enzymes of the nitrogen metabolism process, leading to an increase in alfalfa nitrogen accumulation and dry matter content. The transcriptome and metabolome revealed that nano-selenium mainly affected the pathways of ‘biosynthesis of amino acids’, ‘starch and sucrose metabolism’, ‘pentose and glucuronate interconversions’, ‘pentose phosphate pathway’, and ‘flavonoid biosynthesis’. At the early stage of nano-selenium treatment, the nitrogen metabolism, sugar metabolism, and flavonoid metabolism pathways were regulated by modulating the expression of genes such as NR, Nir, GS, GOGAT, E3.1.1.11, adh, CHS, FLS, etc., which increased the amount of L-glutamic, L-histidine, glycerone-P, coniferin, naringenin chalcone, and other beneficial substances, thus promoting the acceleration of nitrogen accumulation by plants. In summary, this study provides a better understanding of the mechanisms by which nano-selenium regulates key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-024-03073-4Nano-seleniumAlfalfaNitrogen metabolismTranscriptomeMetabolome
spellingShingle Pengbo Sun
Gentu Ge
Lin Sun
Jian Bao
Muqier Zhao
Junfeng Hao
Yuhan Zhang
Guoshun Liu
Zhijun Wang
Yushan Jia
Metabolomics combined with physiology and transcriptomics reveal the regulation of key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa by foliar spraying with nano-selenium
Journal of Nanobiotechnology
Nano-selenium
Alfalfa
Nitrogen metabolism
Transcriptome
Metabolome
title Metabolomics combined with physiology and transcriptomics reveal the regulation of key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa by foliar spraying with nano-selenium
title_full Metabolomics combined with physiology and transcriptomics reveal the regulation of key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa by foliar spraying with nano-selenium
title_fullStr Metabolomics combined with physiology and transcriptomics reveal the regulation of key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa by foliar spraying with nano-selenium
title_full_unstemmed Metabolomics combined with physiology and transcriptomics reveal the regulation of key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa by foliar spraying with nano-selenium
title_short Metabolomics combined with physiology and transcriptomics reveal the regulation of key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa by foliar spraying with nano-selenium
title_sort metabolomics combined with physiology and transcriptomics reveal the regulation of key nitrogen metabolic pathways in alfalfa by foliar spraying with nano selenium
topic Nano-selenium
Alfalfa
Nitrogen metabolism
Transcriptome
Metabolome
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12951-024-03073-4
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