UPLC-MS-Based Non-targeted Analysis of Endogenous Metabolite Changes in the Leaves of Scabiosa tschiliensis Grüning Induced by 6-Benzylaminopurine and Kinetin

Jialin Du; Weiwei Ma; Yi Li; Xu Lu; Zhaopeng Geng; Hangjun Huang; Yuanyuan Yuan; Yue Liu; Xiaodong Wang; Junli Wang

doi:10.3389/fpls.2021.700623

UPLC-MS-Based Non-targeted Analysis of Endogenous Metabolite Changes in the Leaves of Scabiosa tschiliensis Grüning Induced by 6-Benzylaminopurine and Kinetin

Front Plant Sci. 2021 Jul 21:12:700623. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.700623. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Jialin Du^{1

2}, Weiwei Ma^{1

2}, Yi Li^{1

2}, Xu Lu^{1

2}, Zhaopeng Geng^{1

2}, Hangjun Huang^{1

2}, Yuanyuan Yuan^{1

2}, Yue Liu^{1

2}, Xiaodong Wang^{1

2}, Junli Wang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environment in Minority Areas (Minzu University of China), National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Beijing, China.
² College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China.

Abstract

In vitro propagation technology with plant growth regulators (PGRs) is generally applied in the cultivation of Scabiosa tschiliensis, which can solve collection difficulties and limited resources of S. tschiliensis. Nevertheless, comprehensive metabolomic evaluation on S. tschiliensis with PGR effects is still lacking. In this work, a non-targeted metabolomics approach, coupled with statistical and pathway enrichment analysis, was used to assess the regulatory influences of 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) and kinetin (KT) applied in S. tschiliensis. The results showed that the PGRs affect metabolism differentially, and the addition of 6-BA and KT can increase different secondary metabolites. In the two PGR groups, some primary metabolites such as L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, L-arginine, L-asparagine, and D-proline were significantly reduced. We suspect that under the action of PGRs, these decreased amino acids are derived into secondary metabolites such as umbelliferone, chlorogenic acid, and glutathione. Additionally, some of those secondary metabolites have a biological activity and can also promote the plant growth. Our results provide a basis for the targeted cultivation and utilization of S. tschiliensis, especially the expression of metabolites related to PGR application.

Keywords: S. tschiliensis; adventitious shoot; metabolic pathways; metabolomics; plant growth regulator.