Liao Ru-Xing, Chen Yang-Yang, Li Li-Min, Zhan Ruo-Ting, Chen Yu-Fan
Research Center of Chinese Herbal Resource Science and Engineering, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China.
Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicinal Resource from Lingnan (Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine), Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510006, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Apr 13;26(8):3680. doi: 10.3390/ijms26083680.
(patchouli) is an economically important aromatic plant widely used in the fragrance and pharmaceutical industries. This study investigates the effects of Corynespora leaf spot disease (CLSD) on the metabolic profiles and patchouli alcohol content of patchouli leaves. Utilizing gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), real-time PCR (qPCR), and comprehensive non-targeted metabolomic analyses (HS-SPME-GC-MS and LC-MS/MS), we compared diseased (LD-TJ) and healthy (CK) leaves. Results revealed a significant 51% reduction in patchouli alcohol content in CLSD-infected leaves, which was correlated with a 94% decrease in expression of the patchoulol synthase (PTS)-encoding gene ( < 0.01) and a 79% reduction in farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPS)-encoding gene expression ( < 0.05), both critical for terpenoid biosynthesis. Metabolomic analyses identified extensive disruptions in both volatile and non-volatile compounds, with the majority of differential abundance metabolites (DAMs) being downregulated. Key metabolic pathways, including beta-alanine metabolism and nicotinate/nicotinamide metabolism, were notably affected, indicating broader metabolic instability. Additionally, crucial transcription factors involved in terpenoid biosynthesis were significantly downregulated, indicating a potential mechanism by which may compromise patchouli quality through modulation of host metabolic processes. These findings underscore the urgent need to develop disease-resistant cultivars through genetic and metabolic engineering to enhance the sustainability and productivity of this valuable industrial crop.
广藿香是一种在香料和制药行业广泛应用的具有重要经济价值的芳香植物。本研究调查了广藿香叶斑病（CLSD）对广藿香叶片代谢谱和广藿香醇含量的影响。利用气相色谱 - 质谱联用（GC - MS）、实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应（qPCR）以及全面的非靶向代谢组学分析（HS - SPME - GC - MS和LC - MS/MS），我们比较了患病叶片（LD - TJ）和健康叶片（CK）。结果显示，感染CLSD的叶片中广藿香醇含量显著降低了51%，这与编码广藿香醇合酶（PTS）基因的表达下降94%（<0.01）以及编码法呢基焦磷酸合酶（FPPS）基因的表达下降79%（<0.05）相关，这两个基因对萜类生物合成至关重要。代谢组学分析发现挥发性和非挥发性化合物均受到广泛干扰，大多数差异丰度代谢物（DAMs）表达下调。包括β - 丙氨酸代谢和烟酸/烟酰胺代谢在内的关键代谢途径受到显著影响，表明存在更广泛的代谢不稳定。此外，参与萜类生物合成的关键转录因子显著下调，这表明CLSD可能通过调节宿主代谢过程来损害广藿香品质的潜在机制。这些发现强调了迫切需要通过遗传和代谢工程培育抗病品种，以提高这种重要工业作物的可持续性和生产力。
