Comparative Analysis of Citrus Species’ Flavonoid Metabolism, Gene Expression Profiling, and Their Antioxidant Capacity under Drought Stress

Citrus species are widely cultivated across the globe and frequently encounter drought stress during their growth and development phases. Previous research has indicated that citrus species synthesize flavonoids as a response mechanism to drought stress. This study aimed to comprehensively quantify...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Junaid Rao, Mingzheng Duan, Momina Eman, Huwei Yuan, Anket Sharma, Bingsong Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-09-01
Series:Antioxidants
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/13/9/1149
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author Muhammad Junaid Rao
Mingzheng Duan
Momina Eman
Huwei Yuan
Anket Sharma
Bingsong Zheng
author_facet Muhammad Junaid Rao
Mingzheng Duan
Momina Eman
Huwei Yuan
Anket Sharma
Bingsong Zheng
author_sort Muhammad Junaid Rao
collection DOAJ
description Citrus species are widely cultivated across the globe and frequently encounter drought stress during their growth and development phases. Previous research has indicated that citrus species synthesize flavonoids as a response mechanism to drought stress. This study aimed to comprehensively quantify and analyze the presence of 85 distinct flavonoids in the leaf and root tissues of lemon (drought susceptible) and sour orange (drought tolerant). In drought-stressed sour orange roots, flavonoids, such as isosakuranin, mangiferin, trilobatin, liquiritigenin, avicularin, silibinin, and glabridin, were more elevated than control sour orange roots and drought-stressed lemon roots. Additionally, hydroxysafflor yellow A, cynaroside, tiliroside, and apigenin 7-glucoside were increased in drought-stressed sour orange leaves compared to drought-stressed lemon leaves. Under drought stress, flavonoids such as (-)-epigallocatechin, silibinin, benzylideneacetophenone, trilobatin, isorhamnetin, 3,7,4′-trihydroxyflavone, and liquiritigenin were significantly increased, by 3.01-, 3.01-, 2.59-, 2.43-, 2.07-, 2.05-, and 2.01-fold, in sour orange roots compared to control sour orange roots. Moreover, the total flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity were significantly increased in drought-stressed sour orange leaves and root tissues compared to drought-stressed lemon leaves and root tissues. The expression levels of genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis were highly expressed in sour orange leaves and roots, compared to lemon leaves and root tissues, post-drought stress. These findings indicate that lemons fail to synthesize protective flavonoids under drought conditions, whereas sour orange leaves and root tissues enhance flavonoid synthesis, with higher antioxidant activities to mitigate the adverse effects of reactive oxygen species generated during drought stress.
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spelling doaj-art-a6532be54eb34455807fd53ba5f990f92025-08-20T01:55:57ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212024-09-01139114910.3390/antiox13091149Comparative Analysis of Citrus Species’ Flavonoid Metabolism, Gene Expression Profiling, and Their Antioxidant Capacity under Drought StressMuhammad Junaid Rao0Mingzheng Duan1Momina Eman2Huwei Yuan3Anket Sharma4Bingsong Zheng5State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaCollege of Agronomy and Life Sciences, Zhaotong University, Zhaotong 657000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou 311300, ChinaCitrus species are widely cultivated across the globe and frequently encounter drought stress during their growth and development phases. Previous research has indicated that citrus species synthesize flavonoids as a response mechanism to drought stress. This study aimed to comprehensively quantify and analyze the presence of 85 distinct flavonoids in the leaf and root tissues of lemon (drought susceptible) and sour orange (drought tolerant). In drought-stressed sour orange roots, flavonoids, such as isosakuranin, mangiferin, trilobatin, liquiritigenin, avicularin, silibinin, and glabridin, were more elevated than control sour orange roots and drought-stressed lemon roots. Additionally, hydroxysafflor yellow A, cynaroside, tiliroside, and apigenin 7-glucoside were increased in drought-stressed sour orange leaves compared to drought-stressed lemon leaves. Under drought stress, flavonoids such as (-)-epigallocatechin, silibinin, benzylideneacetophenone, trilobatin, isorhamnetin, 3,7,4′-trihydroxyflavone, and liquiritigenin were significantly increased, by 3.01-, 3.01-, 2.59-, 2.43-, 2.07-, 2.05-, and 2.01-fold, in sour orange roots compared to control sour orange roots. Moreover, the total flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity were significantly increased in drought-stressed sour orange leaves and root tissues compared to drought-stressed lemon leaves and root tissues. The expression levels of genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis were highly expressed in sour orange leaves and roots, compared to lemon leaves and root tissues, post-drought stress. These findings indicate that lemons fail to synthesize protective flavonoids under drought conditions, whereas sour orange leaves and root tissues enhance flavonoid synthesis, with higher antioxidant activities to mitigate the adverse effects of reactive oxygen species generated during drought stress.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/13/9/1149flavonoidsgene expressiondrought stresscitrusantioxidant capacity
spellingShingle Muhammad Junaid Rao
Mingzheng Duan
Momina Eman
Huwei Yuan
Anket Sharma
Bingsong Zheng
Comparative Analysis of Citrus Species’ Flavonoid Metabolism, Gene Expression Profiling, and Their Antioxidant Capacity under Drought Stress
Antioxidants
flavonoids
gene expression
drought stress
citrus
antioxidant capacity
title Comparative Analysis of Citrus Species’ Flavonoid Metabolism, Gene Expression Profiling, and Their Antioxidant Capacity under Drought Stress
title_full Comparative Analysis of Citrus Species’ Flavonoid Metabolism, Gene Expression Profiling, and Their Antioxidant Capacity under Drought Stress
title_fullStr Comparative Analysis of Citrus Species’ Flavonoid Metabolism, Gene Expression Profiling, and Their Antioxidant Capacity under Drought Stress
title_full_unstemmed Comparative Analysis of Citrus Species’ Flavonoid Metabolism, Gene Expression Profiling, and Their Antioxidant Capacity under Drought Stress
title_short Comparative Analysis of Citrus Species’ Flavonoid Metabolism, Gene Expression Profiling, and Their Antioxidant Capacity under Drought Stress
title_sort comparative analysis of citrus species flavonoid metabolism gene expression profiling and their antioxidant capacity under drought stress
topic flavonoids
gene expression
drought stress
citrus
antioxidant capacity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/13/9/1149
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AT mominaeman comparativeanalysisofcitrusspeciesflavonoidmetabolismgeneexpressionprofilingandtheirantioxidantcapacityunderdroughtstress
AT huweiyuan comparativeanalysisofcitrusspeciesflavonoidmetabolismgeneexpressionprofilingandtheirantioxidantcapacityunderdroughtstress
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