Comparative transcriptome and metabolome analysis reveal glutathione metabolic network and functional genes underlying blue and red-light mediation in maize seedling leaf

Abstract

Background Light quality severely affects biosynthesis and metabolism-associated process of glutathione. However, the role of specific light is still unclear on the glutathione metabolism. In this article, comparatively transcriptome and metabolome methods are used to fully understand the blue and red-light conditions working on the glutathione metabolism in maize seedling leaf. Results There are 20 differently expressed genes and 4 differently expressed metabolites in KEGG pathway of glutathione metabolism. Among them, 12 genes belong to the glutathione S-transferase family, 3 genes belong to the ascorbate peroxidase gene family and 2 genes belong to the ribonucleoside-diphosphate reductase gene family. Three genes, G6PD, SPDS1, and GPX1 belong to the gene family of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, spermidine synthase, and glutathione peroxidase, respectively. Four differently expressed metabolites are identified. Three of them, Glutathione disulfide, Glutathione, and l-γ-Glutamyl-L-amino acid are decreased while L-Glutamate is increased. In addition, Through PPI analysis, two annotated genes gst16 and DAAT, and 3 unidentified genes 100381533, pco105094 and umc2770, identified as RPP13-like3, BCAT-like1and GMPS, were obtained. By the analysis of protein sequence and PPI network, we predict that pco105094 and umc2770 were involved in the GSSG-GSH and AsA-GSH cycle in the network of glutathione metabolism. Conclusions Compared to red light, blue light remarkably changed the transcription signal transduction and metabolism of glutathione metabolism. Differently expressed genes and metabolic mapped to the glutathione metabolism signaling pathways. In total, we obtained three unidentified genes, and two of them were predicted in current glutathione metabolism network. This result will contribute to the research of glutathione metabolism of maize.

Effects of light quality on growth, nutritional characteristics, and antioxidant properties of winter wheat seedlings (Triticum aestivum L.)

“…Numerous studies have shown that the responses of antioxidants vary with the proportion of red and blue light, plant species, their genotypes and development stages (Choi et al, 2013;Manivannan et al, 2017;Ye et al, 2017;Yu et al, 2017;Liu et al, 2018). In our study, WB (B:G:R = 70:21:9) increased the contents of GSH and ASA (Figure 5), which may be due to blue light changes transcription signal transduction and metabolism of GSH and ASA metabolism (Liu and Zhang, 2021). WB also enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT, and APX) in leaves or stems of wheat seedlings (Figure 6), which is similar to the results reported by Kook et al (2013), who found blue LEDs light improved CAT and APX activities of lettuce.…”

Light Intensity- and Spectrum-Dependent Redox Regulation of Plant Metabolism

“…Supplementary BL did not affect the amount of GSH, whereas supplementary FRL even decreased it compared to WL in wheat, and both spectral modifications reduced the transcription of the glutathione synthase gene [ 67 ]. The transcriptional regulation of the genes of GSH-metabolism by spectrum was also confirmed in maize, in which BL had a stronger effect on their expression compared to RL [ 169 ]. GSH, due to its central position in the redox system, may mediate the effect of the light spectrum on many metabolic processes, but the clarification of these regulatory mechanisms needs further investigations.…”

Transcriptome-based network analysis of cell cycle-related genes in response to blue and red light in maize

“…Comparative transcriptome analysis can be used to identify essential genes involved in specific metabolic pathways ( Liu and Zhang 2021a , 2021b ). In this study, four unidentified genes were found in six comparisons between light treatments.…”