Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of flavonoid biosynthesis in cigar tobacco leaves under variable nitrogen regimes
IntroductionFlavonoids are the most abundant secondary metabolites in plants and play important roles in plant growth, environmental adaptation, and human health. Tobacco serves as a vital cash crop and key source of flavonoids. Given tobacco's high nitrogen demand and the particular sensitivit...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1589215/full |
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| author | Kai Jia Juanjuan Shi Lingli Bai Xueren Wang Yuemin Wang Xiangzhen Li Wenqing Li Chaoyuan Zheng |
| author_facet | Kai Jia Juanjuan Shi Lingli Bai Xueren Wang Yuemin Wang Xiangzhen Li Wenqing Li Chaoyuan Zheng |
| author_sort | Kai Jia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionFlavonoids are the most abundant secondary metabolites in plants and play important roles in plant growth, environmental adaptation, and human health. Tobacco serves as a vital cash crop and key source of flavonoids. Given tobacco's high nitrogen demand and the particular sensitivity of flavonoid synthesis to nitrogen supply, understanding the regulatory mechanisms of flavonoid biosynthesis under varying nitrogen conditions is essential.Methods and resultsWe systematically investigated the flavonoid biosynthesis pathways in the cigar tobacco cultivar Haiyan 204 under different nitrogen application rates using integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. This study identified 694 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) and 6,114 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Integrated analyses revealed significant enrichment in the flavonoid biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. A regulatory network of flavonoid biosynthesis in response to nitrogen was constructed. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified CHS2 as a key gene strongly associated with flavonoid biosynthesis, alongside its potential regulatory transcription factors MYB7, MYB9, bHLH14, and MYB_related1. The reliability of transcriptome data was validated via qPCR.DiscussionThese results provide a scientific basis for elucidating the biosynthesis mechanisms of tobacco flavonoids and identifying key nitrogen-responsive genes. The constructed regulatory network and identified transcriptional regulators offer critical insights into nitrogen-modulated flavonoid synthesis in cigar tobacco. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-76e7ea6297464f7dafa200633bcb06ae |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-76e7ea6297464f7dafa200633bcb06ae2025-08-20T03:30:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2025-06-011610.3389/fpls.2025.15892151589215Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of flavonoid biosynthesis in cigar tobacco leaves under variable nitrogen regimesKai Jia0Juanjuan Shi1Lingli Bai2Xueren Wang3Yuemin Wang4Xiangzhen Li5Wenqing Li6Chaoyuan Zheng7College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaSanming Tobacco Sciences Institute, Sanming Tobacco Company of Fujian Province, Sanming, Fujian, ChinaInstitute of Tobacco Sciences, Fujian Provincial Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaInstitute of Tobacco Sciences, Fujian Provincial Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaCollege of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, Fujian, ChinaIntroductionFlavonoids are the most abundant secondary metabolites in plants and play important roles in plant growth, environmental adaptation, and human health. Tobacco serves as a vital cash crop and key source of flavonoids. Given tobacco's high nitrogen demand and the particular sensitivity of flavonoid synthesis to nitrogen supply, understanding the regulatory mechanisms of flavonoid biosynthesis under varying nitrogen conditions is essential.Methods and resultsWe systematically investigated the flavonoid biosynthesis pathways in the cigar tobacco cultivar Haiyan 204 under different nitrogen application rates using integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. This study identified 694 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) and 6,114 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Integrated analyses revealed significant enrichment in the flavonoid biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways. A regulatory network of flavonoid biosynthesis in response to nitrogen was constructed. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified CHS2 as a key gene strongly associated with flavonoid biosynthesis, alongside its potential regulatory transcription factors MYB7, MYB9, bHLH14, and MYB_related1. The reliability of transcriptome data was validated via qPCR.DiscussionThese results provide a scientific basis for elucidating the biosynthesis mechanisms of tobacco flavonoids and identifying key nitrogen-responsive genes. The constructed regulatory network and identified transcriptional regulators offer critical insights into nitrogen-modulated flavonoid synthesis in cigar tobacco.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1589215/fullnitrogentranscriptomicsmetabolomicsflavonoidscigar tobacco |
| spellingShingle | Kai Jia Juanjuan Shi Lingli Bai Xueren Wang Yuemin Wang Xiangzhen Li Wenqing Li Chaoyuan Zheng Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of flavonoid biosynthesis in cigar tobacco leaves under variable nitrogen regimes Frontiers in Plant Science nitrogen transcriptomics metabolomics flavonoids cigar tobacco |
| title | Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of flavonoid biosynthesis in cigar tobacco leaves under variable nitrogen regimes |
| title_full | Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of flavonoid biosynthesis in cigar tobacco leaves under variable nitrogen regimes |
| title_fullStr | Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of flavonoid biosynthesis in cigar tobacco leaves under variable nitrogen regimes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of flavonoid biosynthesis in cigar tobacco leaves under variable nitrogen regimes |
| title_short | Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of flavonoid biosynthesis in cigar tobacco leaves under variable nitrogen regimes |
| title_sort | integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of flavonoid biosynthesis in cigar tobacco leaves under variable nitrogen regimes |
| topic | nitrogen transcriptomics metabolomics flavonoids cigar tobacco |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1589215/full |
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