Zhu Ting, He Jianing, Li Junting, Liu Chenxi, Min Xinyi, Hu Xinyi, Liu Xia
School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Life Sciences, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China.
Molecules. 2024 Nov 25;29(23):5556. doi: 10.3390/molecules29235556.
Kudzu, scientifically known as var. (Willd.) Maesen & S.M.Almeida ex Sanjappa & Predeep (), is a perennial vine belonging to the family Leguminosae. Puerarin, a unique constituent and primary active ingredient of this genus, exhibits a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. This study started with several practical questions: Why is the root the main medicinal part? Why is it not peeled for medicinal purposes? Why is the harvest period usually from December to February? Although the puerarin biosynthesis pathway has been investigated, the stage at which the 8-C glycosylation reaction occurs remains controversial. In this study, metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses were performed on organs and tissues, including leaves, young stems, mature stems, tuberous cortices, and cortex-excised tubers of roots. Two modules containing genes associated with puerarin biosynthesis were identified by WGCNA. The final selection of important candidate UDP-glucosyltransferases (UGTs) that may be involved in the puerarin biosynthesis pathway included two 8-C-GTs, three 7-O-GTs, and key transcription factors. On this basis, the regulatory network of puerarin biosynthesis was constructed and laid the foundation for the cultivation of high-quality medicinal kudzu with high puerarin content.
葛根，学名野葛（学名：Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Maesen & S.M.Almeida ex Sanjappa & Predeep），是豆科的一种多年生藤本植物。葛根素是该属植物特有的成分和主要活性成分，具有广泛的药理活性。本研究始于几个实际问题：为什么根是主要药用部位？为什么药用时不剥皮？为什么收获期通常在12月至2月？尽管已经对葛根素生物合成途径进行了研究，但8-C糖基化反应发生的阶段仍存在争议。在本研究中，对根的叶片、幼茎、成熟茎、块根皮层和去皮块根等器官和组织进行了代谢组学和转录组学分析。通过加权基因共表达网络分析（WGCNA）鉴定出两个与葛根素生物合成相关的基因模块。最终筛选出可能参与葛根素生物合成途径的重要候选尿苷二磷酸葡萄糖基转移酶（UGT），包括两个8-C-葡萄糖基转移酶、三个7-O-葡萄糖基转移酶和关键转录因子。在此基础上，构建了葛根素生物合成的调控网络，为培育高含量葛根素的优质药用葛根奠定了基础。
