Comparative nutrient profiling of three Murraya species through combined metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses

Abstract

Murraya, a valuable plant resource, plays a critical role in medicine, industry, and landscaping. Despite its significance, research on Murraya, as well as its development and utilization, remains limited. Therefore, investigating the metabolites and metabolic pathways within its germplasm is of considerable importance. In this study, we utilized LC-MS to comprehensively profile amino acids, nucleotides, saccharides, and vitamins in the leaves of three Murraya materials. In parallel, transcriptome analysis was conducted to unravel the metabolic pathways associated with key metabolites and to identify candidate genes. Our metabolomic profiling identified a total of 215 metabolites, including 95 saccharides, 85 amino acids, 25 nucleotides, and 10 vitamins. Among these, D-(+)-Maltose Monohydrate, L(+)-Arabinose, and DL-Xylose were identified as pivotal candidate metabolites contributing to the distinct characteristics of Murraya materials through differential metabolite analysis. Furthermore, transcriptome and qPCR analysis revealed 11 differentially expressed genes, which are proposed as potential regulators influencing the differential accumulation of these key metabolites. Our study reveals that among the three materials examined, Murraya tetramera exhibits heightened potential for medicinal and industrial applications. This research significantly advances our comprehension of the metabolic regulatory mechanisms at play within Murraya species. Furthermore, it lays a vital scientific groundwork that is instrumental for the advancement of medicinal resources, the enhancement of plant varieties, the expansion of industrial utilization, and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices for Murraya.