Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Key Antioxidant Mechanisms in <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> Under Combined Salt and Heat Stress

Combined abiotic stresses often impose greater challenges to plant survival than individual stresses. In this study, we focused on elucidating the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the response of <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> to combined salt and heat stress by integrati...

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Main Authors: Xingen Zhang, Guohui Li, Jun Dai, Peipei Wei, Binbin Du, Fang Li, Yulu Wang, Yujuan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Plants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2303
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author Xingen Zhang
Guohui Li
Jun Dai
Peipei Wei
Binbin Du
Fang Li
Yulu Wang
Yujuan Wang
author_facet Xingen Zhang
Guohui Li
Jun Dai
Peipei Wei
Binbin Du
Fang Li
Yulu Wang
Yujuan Wang
author_sort Xingen Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Combined abiotic stresses often impose greater challenges to plant survival than individual stresses. In this study, we focused on elucidating the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the response of <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> to combined salt and heat stress by integrating physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses. Our results demonstrated that high temperature plays a dominant role in the combined stress response. Physiological assays showed increased oxidative damage under combined stress, accompanied by significant activation of antioxidant enzyme systems (SOD, POD, CAT). Metabolomic analysis revealed significant enrichment of glutathione metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, with key antioxidants such as glutathione and naringenin chalcone accumulating under combined stress. Transcriptomic data supported these findings, showing differential regulation of stress-related genes, including those involved in reactive oxygen species scavenging and secondary metabolism. These results highlight a coordinated defense strategy in <i>D. huoshanense</i>, involving both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems to maintain redox homeostasis under combined stress. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying combined stress tolerance and lays the foundation for improving stress resilience in medicinal orchids.
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spelling doaj-art-7bc8decb1b694278bbe32f8ed8a9ce492025-08-20T03:02:58ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-07-011415230310.3390/plants14152303Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Key Antioxidant Mechanisms in <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> Under Combined Salt and Heat StressXingen Zhang0Guohui Li1Jun Dai2Peipei Wei3Binbin Du4Fang Li5Yulu Wang6Yujuan Wang7Engineering Technology Research Center of Plant Cell Engineering, Lu’an 237012, ChinaEngineering Technology Research Center of Plant Cell Engineering, Lu’an 237012, ChinaEngineering Technology Research Center of Plant Cell Engineering, Lu’an 237012, ChinaEngineering Technology Research Center of Plant Cell Engineering, Lu’an 237012, ChinaEngineering Technology Research Center of Plant Cell Engineering, Lu’an 237012, ChinaEngineering Technology Research Center of Plant Cell Engineering, Lu’an 237012, ChinaEngineering Technology Research Center of Plant Cell Engineering, Lu’an 237012, ChinaEngineering Technology Research Center of Plant Cell Engineering, Lu’an 237012, ChinaCombined abiotic stresses often impose greater challenges to plant survival than individual stresses. In this study, we focused on elucidating the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the response of <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> to combined salt and heat stress by integrating physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses. Our results demonstrated that high temperature plays a dominant role in the combined stress response. Physiological assays showed increased oxidative damage under combined stress, accompanied by significant activation of antioxidant enzyme systems (SOD, POD, CAT). Metabolomic analysis revealed significant enrichment of glutathione metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, with key antioxidants such as glutathione and naringenin chalcone accumulating under combined stress. Transcriptomic data supported these findings, showing differential regulation of stress-related genes, including those involved in reactive oxygen species scavenging and secondary metabolism. These results highlight a coordinated defense strategy in <i>D. huoshanense</i>, involving both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems to maintain redox homeostasis under combined stress. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying combined stress tolerance and lays the foundation for improving stress resilience in medicinal orchids.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2303<i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i>combined salt and high-temperature stresstranscriptomemetabolomeantioxidant systems
spellingShingle Xingen Zhang
Guohui Li
Jun Dai
Peipei Wei
Binbin Du
Fang Li
Yulu Wang
Yujuan Wang
Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Key Antioxidant Mechanisms in <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> Under Combined Salt and Heat Stress
Plants
<i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i>
combined salt and high-temperature stress
transcriptome
metabolome
antioxidant systems
title Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Key Antioxidant Mechanisms in <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> Under Combined Salt and Heat Stress
title_full Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Key Antioxidant Mechanisms in <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> Under Combined Salt and Heat Stress
title_fullStr Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Key Antioxidant Mechanisms in <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> Under Combined Salt and Heat Stress
title_full_unstemmed Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Key Antioxidant Mechanisms in <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> Under Combined Salt and Heat Stress
title_short Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Key Antioxidant Mechanisms in <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i> Under Combined Salt and Heat Stress
title_sort integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal key antioxidant mechanisms in i dendrobium huoshanense i under combined salt and heat stress
topic <i>Dendrobium huoshanense</i>
combined salt and high-temperature stress
transcriptome
metabolome
antioxidant systems
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/15/2303
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