Open AccessTranscriptomic and metabolomic profiling reveals the protective role of anthocyanins in alleviating low phosphate stress in maize
Author(s) -
Laming Pei,
Jiajia Li,
Yuanyuan Zhou,
Yu-Hang Jiang,
Hui Li
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
physiology and molecular biology of plants/physiology and molecular biology of plants
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.754
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 0971-5894
pISSN - 0974-0430
DOI - 10.1007/s12298-021-00981-9
Subject(s) - metabolome , transcriptome , photosynthesis , plant physiology , anthocyanin , metabolomics , sugar , biology , phosphate , horticulture , photosystem , metabolite , photosystem ii , botany , chemistry , food science , biochemistry , gene expression , gene , bioinformatics
Anthocyanin accumulation is a characteristic response to phosphate (Pi) deficiency in plants. In the present study, we investigated the role of maize anthocyanins (MA) in alleviating low Pi (LP) stress in maize ( Zea mays L). To this end, maize plants were exposed to LP conditions and treated with or without (control) MA. Interestingly, MA-treated maize plants showed relieved growth inhibition, reproductive development retardation, and yield loss compared to control plants under LP stress. Moreover, the level of oxidative destruction was significantly alleviated in MA-treated plants compared to the untreated control under conditions of LP stress. Acid phosphatase (APase) activity was significantly higher in MA-treated plants than in control plants, resulting in enhanced Pi mobilization and recycling. The results of the transcriptome analysis suggested that genes involved in photosynthesis, photosystem light harvesting, Pi transport, and recycling were differentially expressed between MA-treated plants and control plants. Moreover, metabolome analysis indicated higher sugar and organic acid levels and lower phosphorylated metabolite contents in MA-treated plants than in control plants, which was consistent with the results of the comparative transcriptome analysis. Taken together, our findings indicate that MA plays critical roles in alleviating LP stress in maize plants, probably by improving photosynthetic performance and increasing Pi mobilization and recycling.