Combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics reveals the effects of sugar treatment on postharvest strawberry fruit quality

Abstract The composition and accumulation of soluble sugars are key factors influencing the development of fruit flavor, and although the application of fertilizers can increase the postharvest fruit quality, long-term application will cause certain food hazards. Therefore, evaluating the effects of...

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Main Authors: Zihui Zhang, Riru Tian, Junyi Wan, Yan Wang, He Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:BMC Plant Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06919-7
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author Zihui Zhang
Riru Tian
Junyi Wan
Yan Wang
He Li
author_facet Zihui Zhang
Riru Tian
Junyi Wan
Yan Wang
He Li
author_sort Zihui Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The composition and accumulation of soluble sugars are key factors influencing the development of fruit flavor, and although the application of fertilizers can increase the postharvest fruit quality, long-term application will cause certain food hazards. Therefore, evaluating the effects of externally applied sugar sources on fruit quality is essential for improving postharvest strawberry quality. In this study, exogenous sugar application significantly enhanced the postharvest quality of ‘Yanli’. Specifically, strawberries treated with 0.2 mol∙L−1 fructose increased the single fruit weight, soluble solids content and soluble sugar content. Based on these results, combined metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses were performed to assess the impact of 0.2 mol∙L−1 fructose treatment. The results showed that broadly targeted metabolomics screened a total of 371 significantly different metabolites, 123 up-regulated and 248 down-regulated. Sugar-targeted metabolomics further revealed a marked increase in fructose content to 43.40 mg∙g−1. Transcriptomic analysis identified 3,506 differentially expressed genes. Integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic data indicated that FaINV and FaSUS are key genes involved in the sugar metabolism pathway. These findings elucidate molecular responses to exogenous sugar treatment and offer a foundation for further investigation of gene functions in postharvest fruit quality regulation.
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language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
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series BMC Plant Biology
spelling doaj-art-3fd907df209e45ac93c522a79786aa4c2025-08-20T03:03:36ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292025-07-0125111210.1186/s12870-025-06919-7Combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics reveals the effects of sugar treatment on postharvest strawberry fruit qualityZihui Zhang0Riru Tian1Junyi Wan2Yan Wang3He Li4Liaoning Key Laboratory of Strawberry Breeding and Cultivation, College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural UniversityLiaoning Key Laboratory of Strawberry Breeding and Cultivation, College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural UniversityLiaoning Key Laboratory of Strawberry Breeding and Cultivation, College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural UniversityLiaoning Key Laboratory of Strawberry Breeding and Cultivation, College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural UniversityLiaoning Key Laboratory of Strawberry Breeding and Cultivation, College of Horticulture, Shenyang Agricultural UniversityAbstract The composition and accumulation of soluble sugars are key factors influencing the development of fruit flavor, and although the application of fertilizers can increase the postharvest fruit quality, long-term application will cause certain food hazards. Therefore, evaluating the effects of externally applied sugar sources on fruit quality is essential for improving postharvest strawberry quality. In this study, exogenous sugar application significantly enhanced the postharvest quality of ‘Yanli’. Specifically, strawberries treated with 0.2 mol∙L−1 fructose increased the single fruit weight, soluble solids content and soluble sugar content. Based on these results, combined metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses were performed to assess the impact of 0.2 mol∙L−1 fructose treatment. The results showed that broadly targeted metabolomics screened a total of 371 significantly different metabolites, 123 up-regulated and 248 down-regulated. Sugar-targeted metabolomics further revealed a marked increase in fructose content to 43.40 mg∙g−1. Transcriptomic analysis identified 3,506 differentially expressed genes. Integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic data indicated that FaINV and FaSUS are key genes involved in the sugar metabolism pathway. These findings elucidate molecular responses to exogenous sugar treatment and offer a foundation for further investigation of gene functions in postharvest fruit quality regulation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06919-7StrawberryPostharvest fruit qualityExogenous sugarMetabolomeTranscriptome
spellingShingle Zihui Zhang
Riru Tian
Junyi Wan
Yan Wang
He Li
Combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics reveals the effects of sugar treatment on postharvest strawberry fruit quality
BMC Plant Biology
Strawberry
Postharvest fruit quality
Exogenous sugar
Metabolome
Transcriptome
title Combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics reveals the effects of sugar treatment on postharvest strawberry fruit quality
title_full Combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics reveals the effects of sugar treatment on postharvest strawberry fruit quality
title_fullStr Combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics reveals the effects of sugar treatment on postharvest strawberry fruit quality
title_full_unstemmed Combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics reveals the effects of sugar treatment on postharvest strawberry fruit quality
title_short Combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics reveals the effects of sugar treatment on postharvest strawberry fruit quality
title_sort combined analysis of metabolomics and transcriptomics reveals the effects of sugar treatment on postharvest strawberry fruit quality
topic Strawberry
Postharvest fruit quality
Exogenous sugar
Metabolome
Transcriptome
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-025-06919-7
work_keys_str_mv AT zihuizhang combinedanalysisofmetabolomicsandtranscriptomicsrevealstheeffectsofsugartreatmentonpostharveststrawberryfruitquality
AT rirutian combinedanalysisofmetabolomicsandtranscriptomicsrevealstheeffectsofsugartreatmentonpostharveststrawberryfruitquality
AT junyiwan combinedanalysisofmetabolomicsandtranscriptomicsrevealstheeffectsofsugartreatmentonpostharveststrawberryfruitquality
AT yanwang combinedanalysisofmetabolomicsandtranscriptomicsrevealstheeffectsofsugartreatmentonpostharveststrawberryfruitquality
AT heli combinedanalysisofmetabolomicsandtranscriptomicsrevealstheeffectsofsugartreatmentonpostharveststrawberryfruitquality