Hu Shunkai, Dong Mengran, Guo Qirong
Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
Foods. 2025 May 7;14(9):1647. doi: 10.3390/foods14091647.
Bamboo is a member of the Poaceae family and serves as an important economic resource with various applications, including reforestation, food production, and environmental conservation, due to its rapid growth and renewable nature. Among its various uses, bamboo shoots stand out for their tender texture and delicate flavor, making them a highly sought-after culinary delicacy in many cultures and a key ingredient in global food industries. Despite extensive research on the development of monopodial bamboos, studies focused on the developmental processes of sympodial bamboos, especially regarding their culinary potential, remain limited. This study conducted a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of sympodial bamboo ( sp.) across six developmental stages (S1-S6) to uncover the molecular regulatory networks governing early bamboo shoot development. The results revealed that 1603 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across S1-S6 were enriched in multiple key pathways, with the most significant being plant hormone signaling, MAPK signaling, and Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis pathways. Co-expression clustering analysis indicated that the Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis pathway plays a crucial role during the later stages of bamboo shoot development (S5-S6), impacting its texture and flavor-two critical factors determining its culinary quality. Further Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) highlighted the significant role of the MAPK signaling pathway during early bamboo shoot development and identified key hub genes (, , ) within this pathway, emphasizing their importance in cell division and hormonal coordination. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the rapid growth and exceptional flavor of bamboo shoots and lays the foundation for the genetic improvement of bamboo as a sustainable and nutritious food source, enhancing its value as a premium food ingredient in the global market.
竹子是禾本科的一员，由于其生长迅速且可再生，它是一种具有多种用途的重要经济资源，包括重新造林、粮食生产和环境保护。在其各种用途中，竹笋因其鲜嫩的质地和细腻的味道而脱颖而出，使其成为许多文化中备受追捧的美食佳肴，也是全球食品工业中的关键成分。尽管对单轴竹的发育进行了广泛研究，但针对合轴竹发育过程的研究，尤其是关于其烹饪潜力的研究仍然有限。本研究对合轴竹（ 种）在六个发育阶段（S1-S6）进行了全面的转录组分析，以揭示调控竹笋早期发育的分子调控网络。结果表明，S1-S6阶段共有1603个差异表达基因（DEGs）富集在多个关键途径中，其中最显著的是植物激素信号传导、MAPK信号传导和糖酵解/糖异生途径。共表达聚类分析表明，糖酵解/糖异生途径在竹笋发育后期（S5-S6）起着关键作用，影响其质地和风味——这两个决定其烹饪品质的关键因素。进一步的加权基因共表达网络分析（WGCNA）突出了MAPK信号通路在竹笋早期发育中的重要作用，并确定了该通路中的关键枢纽基因（ 、 、 ），强调了它们在细胞分裂和激素协调中的重要性。本研究为竹笋快速生长和独特风味的分子机制提供了有价值的见解，为将竹子作为可持续和营养丰富的食物来源进行遗传改良奠定了基础，提高了其在全球市场作为优质食品成分的价值。
