Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Oct 28;25(21):11571. doi: 10.3390/ijms252111571.
Plant oils are a large group of neutral lipids that play a vital role in the food and oleochemical industries. The pecan () is a promising woody oil crop known for its high-quality sources of essential fatty acids and various bioactive compounds that may aid in preventing heart diseases. However, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the accumulation of lipids and the molecular mechanism of lipid biosynthesis during seed development. This study aims to analyze the metabolite variations and molecular mechanisms of lipid biosynthesis by integrating untargeted metabolomics and transcriptomics during pecan seed development. A total of 293 differentially accumulated metabolites were identified and further categorized into 13 groups, with lipids and lipid-like molecules constituting the largest group. The oil content and fatty acid compositions of pecan embryos were assessed at three stages of seed development. Oleic acid (c18:1) and linoleic acid (c18:2n6) were found to be the most abundant unsaturated fatty acid components in pecan embryos. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis revealed 15,990 differentially expressed genes, with a focus on the key genes related to lipid metabolism. Furthermore, the study identified 1201 transcription factors from differentially expressed genes. These transcription factors were divided into 65 families, with different members in the same family exhibiting different expression patterns during seed development. The expression patterns of ten transcription factor genes during seed development were verified by qRT-PCR. Two key genes, and were further cloned and found to be localized in the nucleus. This study used metabolome and transcriptome analysis during key periods of pecan seed development to identify the key genes associated with seed development and fatty acid biosynthesis.
植物油脂是一大类中性脂质，在食品和油脂化学工业中起着至关重要的作用。山核桃（pecan）是一种很有前途的木本油作物，以其高质量的必需脂肪酸和各种生物活性化合物而闻名，这些化合物可能有助于预防心脏病。然而，对于脂质的积累以及种子发育过程中脂质生物合成的分子机制，人们仍然知之甚少。本研究旨在通过整合非靶向代谢组学和转录组学分析山核桃种子发育过程中的代谢物变化和脂质生物合成的分子机制。共鉴定出 293 个差异积累代谢物，并进一步分为 13 组，其中脂质和类脂分子构成最大组。在种子发育的三个阶段评估了山核桃胚珠的油含量和脂肪酸组成。发现山核桃胚珠中含量最丰富的不饱和脂肪酸组分为油酸（c18:1）和亚油酸（c18:2n6）。此外，综合分析揭示了 15990 个差异表达基因，重点是与脂质代谢相关的关键基因。此外，研究从差异表达基因中鉴定出 1201 个转录因子。这些转录因子分为 65 个家族，同一家族中的不同成员在种子发育过程中表现出不同的表达模式。通过 qRT-PCR 验证了 10 个转录因子基因在种子发育过程中的表达模式。通过克隆进一步鉴定了两个关键基因和，并发现它们定位于细胞核中。本研究通过对山核桃种子发育关键时期的代谢组和转录组分析，鉴定了与种子发育和脂肪酸生物合成相关的关键基因。
