Integrated Transcriptomic and Targeted Metabolomic Analyses Elucidate the Molecular Mechanism Underlying Dihydromyricetin Synthesis in <i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>

<i>Nekemias grossedentata</i> (Hand.-Mazz.) J. Wen & Z. L. Nie is a medicinal and edible plant with a high dihydromyricetin (DHM) content in its bud tips. Vine tea made from its bud tips has served as a health tea and Chinese herbal medicine for nearly 700 years. However, the molecul...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fuwen Wu, Zhi Feng, Zhi Yao, Peiling Zhang, Yiqiang Wang, Meng Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Plants
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/10/1561
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850126912804880384
author Fuwen Wu
Zhi Feng
Zhi Yao
Peiling Zhang
Yiqiang Wang
Meng Li
author_facet Fuwen Wu
Zhi Feng
Zhi Yao
Peiling Zhang
Yiqiang Wang
Meng Li
author_sort Fuwen Wu
collection DOAJ
description <i>Nekemias grossedentata</i> (Hand.-Mazz.) J. Wen & Z. L. Nie is a medicinal and edible plant with a high dihydromyricetin (DHM) content in its bud tips. Vine tea made from its bud tips has served as a health tea and Chinese herbal medicine for nearly 700 years. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the high DHM content in <i>N. grossedentata</i> bud tips remain inadequately elucidated. This study conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses of bud tip flavonoids utilizing HPLC and targeted metabolomics. Core genes influencing the substantial synthesis of DHM in <i>N. grossedentata</i> were identified through integrated transcriptome and metabolome analyses. The results revealed that 65 flavonoid metabolites were detected in bud tips, with DHM as the predominant flavonoid (37.5%), followed by myricetin (0.144%) and taxifolin (0.141%). Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between <i>NgF3′5′H3</i> expression and DHM content. Co-expression analysis and qRT-PCR validation demonstrated a significant positive correlation between NgMYB71 and <i>NgF3′5′H3</i>, with consistent expression trends across three periods and four tissues. Consequently, <i>NgF3′5′H3</i> and <i>NgMYB71</i> were identified as core genes influencing the substantial synthesis of DHM in <i>N. grossedentata</i>. Elevated NgMYB71 expression in bud tips induced high <i>NgF3′5′H3</i> expression, facilitating extensive DHM synthesis in bud tips. Molecular docking analysis revealed that NgF3′5′H3 had a strong binding affinity for taxifolin. <i>NgF3′5′H3</i> was the pivotal core node gene in the dihydromyricetin biosynthesis pathway in <i>N. grossedentata</i> and was highly expressed in bud tips. The strong specific binding of NgF3′5′H3 to dihydromyricetin precursor metabolites catalyzed their conversion into DHM, resulting in higher DHM contents in bud tips than in other tissues or plants. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the substantial synthesis of DHM in <i>N. grossedentata</i>, providing a theoretical foundation for enhancing DHM production and developing <i>N. grossedentata</i> resources.
format Article
id doaj-art-7d8047ddea3d44daba31c6094a828e58
institution OA Journals
issn 2223-7747
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Plants
spelling doaj-art-7d8047ddea3d44daba31c6094a828e582025-08-20T02:33:48ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-05-011410156110.3390/plants14101561Integrated Transcriptomic and Targeted Metabolomic Analyses Elucidate the Molecular Mechanism Underlying Dihydromyricetin Synthesis in <i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>Fuwen Wu0Zhi Feng1Zhi Yao2Peiling Zhang3Yiqiang Wang4Meng Li5Key Laboratory of Forestry Biotechnology of Hunan Province, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaKey Laboratory of Forestry Biotechnology of Hunan Province, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaKey Laboratory of Forestry Biotechnology of Hunan Province, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaKey Laboratory of Forestry Biotechnology of Hunan Province, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaKey Laboratory of Forestry Biotechnology of Hunan Province, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaYuelushan Laboratory Carbon Sinks Forests Variety Innovation Center, Changsha 410012, China<i>Nekemias grossedentata</i> (Hand.-Mazz.) J. Wen & Z. L. Nie is a medicinal and edible plant with a high dihydromyricetin (DHM) content in its bud tips. Vine tea made from its bud tips has served as a health tea and Chinese herbal medicine for nearly 700 years. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the high DHM content in <i>N. grossedentata</i> bud tips remain inadequately elucidated. This study conducted qualitative and quantitative analyses of bud tip flavonoids utilizing HPLC and targeted metabolomics. Core genes influencing the substantial synthesis of DHM in <i>N. grossedentata</i> were identified through integrated transcriptome and metabolome analyses. The results revealed that 65 flavonoid metabolites were detected in bud tips, with DHM as the predominant flavonoid (37.5%), followed by myricetin (0.144%) and taxifolin (0.141%). Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between <i>NgF3′5′H3</i> expression and DHM content. Co-expression analysis and qRT-PCR validation demonstrated a significant positive correlation between NgMYB71 and <i>NgF3′5′H3</i>, with consistent expression trends across three periods and four tissues. Consequently, <i>NgF3′5′H3</i> and <i>NgMYB71</i> were identified as core genes influencing the substantial synthesis of DHM in <i>N. grossedentata</i>. Elevated NgMYB71 expression in bud tips induced high <i>NgF3′5′H3</i> expression, facilitating extensive DHM synthesis in bud tips. Molecular docking analysis revealed that NgF3′5′H3 had a strong binding affinity for taxifolin. <i>NgF3′5′H3</i> was the pivotal core node gene in the dihydromyricetin biosynthesis pathway in <i>N. grossedentata</i> and was highly expressed in bud tips. The strong specific binding of NgF3′5′H3 to dihydromyricetin precursor metabolites catalyzed their conversion into DHM, resulting in higher DHM contents in bud tips than in other tissues or plants. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the substantial synthesis of DHM in <i>N. grossedentata</i>, providing a theoretical foundation for enhancing DHM production and developing <i>N. grossedentata</i> resources.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/10/1561<i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>dihydromyricetinHPLC-MS/MStranscriptomeflavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylaseMYB transcription factor
spellingShingle Fuwen Wu
Zhi Feng
Zhi Yao
Peiling Zhang
Yiqiang Wang
Meng Li
Integrated Transcriptomic and Targeted Metabolomic Analyses Elucidate the Molecular Mechanism Underlying Dihydromyricetin Synthesis in <i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>
Plants
<i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>
dihydromyricetin
HPLC-MS/MS
transcriptome
flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase
MYB transcription factor
title Integrated Transcriptomic and Targeted Metabolomic Analyses Elucidate the Molecular Mechanism Underlying Dihydromyricetin Synthesis in <i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>
title_full Integrated Transcriptomic and Targeted Metabolomic Analyses Elucidate the Molecular Mechanism Underlying Dihydromyricetin Synthesis in <i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>
title_fullStr Integrated Transcriptomic and Targeted Metabolomic Analyses Elucidate the Molecular Mechanism Underlying Dihydromyricetin Synthesis in <i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>
title_full_unstemmed Integrated Transcriptomic and Targeted Metabolomic Analyses Elucidate the Molecular Mechanism Underlying Dihydromyricetin Synthesis in <i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>
title_short Integrated Transcriptomic and Targeted Metabolomic Analyses Elucidate the Molecular Mechanism Underlying Dihydromyricetin Synthesis in <i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>
title_sort integrated transcriptomic and targeted metabolomic analyses elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying dihydromyricetin synthesis in i nekemias grossedentata i
topic <i>Nekemias grossedentata</i>
dihydromyricetin
HPLC-MS/MS
transcriptome
flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase
MYB transcription factor
url https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/10/1561
work_keys_str_mv AT fuwenwu integratedtranscriptomicandtargetedmetabolomicanalyseselucidatethemolecularmechanismunderlyingdihydromyricetinsynthesisininekemiasgrossedentatai
AT zhifeng integratedtranscriptomicandtargetedmetabolomicanalyseselucidatethemolecularmechanismunderlyingdihydromyricetinsynthesisininekemiasgrossedentatai
AT zhiyao integratedtranscriptomicandtargetedmetabolomicanalyseselucidatethemolecularmechanismunderlyingdihydromyricetinsynthesisininekemiasgrossedentatai
AT peilingzhang integratedtranscriptomicandtargetedmetabolomicanalyseselucidatethemolecularmechanismunderlyingdihydromyricetinsynthesisininekemiasgrossedentatai
AT yiqiangwang integratedtranscriptomicandtargetedmetabolomicanalyseselucidatethemolecularmechanismunderlyingdihydromyricetinsynthesisininekemiasgrossedentatai
AT mengli integratedtranscriptomicandtargetedmetabolomicanalyseselucidatethemolecularmechanismunderlyingdihydromyricetinsynthesisininekemiasgrossedentatai