{"title":"Multi-omics joint analysis reveals the mechanism of flower color and fragrance variation in <i>Lilium cernuum</i>.","authors":"Shaopeng Chen, Zhiqun Chen, Qianqian Zhuang, Hewen Chen","doi":"10.3389/fpls.2025.1489918","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong><i>Lilium cernuum</i>, a fragrant purple-red wild lily endemic to Northeast Asia, represents both ecological significance (as a key protected species) and horticultural value. While its white variant (<i>L. cernuum</i> var. <i>album</i>) exhibits distinct flower color and fragrance traits, the molecular mechanisms underlying these variations remain poorly understood. Previous studies attributed the low anthocyanin content in the white variant to LcMYB12 downregulation, yet comprehensive analyses of associated genes and metabolic pathways are lacking.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study employed integrated transcriptomics, metabolomics, and volatile metabolomics to systematically compare <i>L. cernuum</i> and its white variant. We analyzed differential gene expression in the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, quantified anthocyanin/flavonoid metabolites, and assessed volatile organic compound profiles.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The white variant showed significant reductions in flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin) and anthocyanins (cyanidin, pelargonidin, peonidin), linked to the downregulation of 58 genes in the flavonoid pathway-including <i>PAL</i>, <i>C4H</i>, <i>4CL</i>, and UFGT. Critically, UFGT suppression disrupted anthocyanin glycosylation, promoting degradation and vacuolar accumulation failure. Concurrently, phenylpropanoid pathway inhibition reduced p-coumaric acid synthesis, diminishing downstream anthocyanins and volatile compounds (eugenol/methyleugenol).</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Our multi-omics approach reveals that flower color loss in <i>L. cernuum</i> var. album results from synergistic effects of transcriptional regulation and metabolic flux redirection. The UFGT-mediated glycosylation defect provides a novel explanation for anthocyanin instability in white petals. These findings complement prior genetic studies and establish a framework for targeted breeding of ornamental traits in Lilium species.</p>","PeriodicalId":12632,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Plant Science","volume":"16 ","pages":"1489918"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12066478/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Frontiers in Plant Science","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2025.1489918","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PLANT SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Lilium cernuum, a fragrant purple-red wild lily endemic to Northeast Asia, represents both ecological significance (as a key protected species) and horticultural value. While its white variant (L. cernuum var. album) exhibits distinct flower color and fragrance traits, the molecular mechanisms underlying these variations remain poorly understood. Previous studies attributed the low anthocyanin content in the white variant to LcMYB12 downregulation, yet comprehensive analyses of associated genes and metabolic pathways are lacking.
Methods: This study employed integrated transcriptomics, metabolomics, and volatile metabolomics to systematically compare L. cernuum and its white variant. We analyzed differential gene expression in the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, quantified anthocyanin/flavonoid metabolites, and assessed volatile organic compound profiles.
Results: The white variant showed significant reductions in flavonoids (catechin, epicatechin) and anthocyanins (cyanidin, pelargonidin, peonidin), linked to the downregulation of 58 genes in the flavonoid pathway-including PAL, C4H, 4CL, and UFGT. Critically, UFGT suppression disrupted anthocyanin glycosylation, promoting degradation and vacuolar accumulation failure. Concurrently, phenylpropanoid pathway inhibition reduced p-coumaric acid synthesis, diminishing downstream anthocyanins and volatile compounds (eugenol/methyleugenol).
Discussion: Our multi-omics approach reveals that flower color loss in L. cernuum var. album results from synergistic effects of transcriptional regulation and metabolic flux redirection. The UFGT-mediated glycosylation defect provides a novel explanation for anthocyanin instability in white petals. These findings complement prior genetic studies and establish a framework for targeted breeding of ornamental traits in Lilium species.
简介：百合（Lilium cernuum）是一种芳香的紫红色野生百合，产于东北亚，具有重要的生态保护价值和园艺价值。虽然它的白色变种（L. cernuum var. album）表现出不同的花色和香味特征，但这些变化背后的分子机制仍然知之甚少。先前的研究将白色变异体花青素含量低归因于LcMYB12下调，但缺乏对相关基因和代谢途径的全面分析。方法：采用综合转录组学、代谢组学、挥发性代谢组学等方法，系统地比较了鸢尾及其白色变异株。我们分析了苯丙素和类黄酮生物合成途径中的差异基因表达，量化了花青素/类黄酮代谢物，并评估了挥发性有机化合物谱。结果：白色变异显示黄酮类化合物（儿茶素、表儿茶素）和花青素（花青素、月球花苷、芍药苷）显著减少，这与黄酮类化合物通路中58个基因的下调有关，包括PAL、C4H、4CL和UFGT。关键的是，UFGT抑制破坏了花青素糖基化，促进了降解和液泡积累失败。同时，苯丙素途径抑制减少了对香豆酸的合成，减少了下游花青素和挥发性化合物（丁香酚/甲基丁香酚）。讨论：我们的多组学方法揭示了L. cernuum var. album的花色损失是转录调控和代谢通量重定向的协同作用的结果。ugft介导的糖基化缺陷为白花瓣花青素不稳定性提供了一种新的解释。这些发现补充了先前的遗传研究，并为百合观赏性状的定向育种建立了框架。
期刊介绍：
In an ever changing world, plant science is of the utmost importance for securing the future well-being of humankind. Plants provide oxygen, food, feed, fibers, and building materials. In addition, they are a diverse source of industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals. Plants are centrally important to the health of ecosystems, and their understanding is critical for learning how to manage and maintain a sustainable biosphere. Plant science is extremely interdisciplinary, reaching from agricultural science to paleobotany, and molecular physiology to ecology. It uses the latest developments in computer science, optics, molecular biology and genomics to address challenges in model systems, agricultural crops, and ecosystems. Plant science research inquires into the form, function, development, diversity, reproduction, evolution and uses of both higher and lower plants and their interactions with other organisms throughout the biosphere. Frontiers in Plant Science welcomes outstanding contributions in any field of plant science from basic to applied research, from organismal to molecular studies, from single plant analysis to studies of populations and whole ecosystems, and from molecular to biophysical to computational approaches.
Frontiers in Plant Science publishes articles on the most outstanding discoveries across a wide research spectrum of Plant Science. The mission of Frontiers in Plant Science is to bring all relevant Plant Science areas together on a single platform.
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