Metabolic Profiling and Potential Taste Biomarkers of Two Rambutans during Maturation

Abstract

The metabolite-caused taste variation during rambutan maturation is unknown due to a lack of systematic investigation of all components. In this study, three growing stages, including unripe (S1), half-ripe (S2), and full-ripe (S3) BY2 and BY7 rambutans were compared and profiled by UPLC–MS/MS-based widely targeted metabolomics analysis. We demonstrated that the sugar-acid ratios of two rambutans were greatly improved between the S2 and S3 stages. A total of 821 metabolites were identified, including 232, 205, 204, and 12 differential metabolites (DMs) in BY2-S1 vs. BY2-S2, BY2-S2 vs. BY2-S3, BY7-S1 vs. BY7-S2, and BY7-S2 vs. BY7-S3, respectively. A correlation analysis showed that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) could be the sugar-acid ratio biomarker of BY2 rambutan. Methionine (Met), alanine (Ala), and S-methyl-L-cysteine (SMC) could be total amino acid biomarkers of BY2 and BY7 rambutans. In addition, UPLC-MS/MS-based quantitative verification of the above biomarkers exhibited the same variations as metabolomics analysis. This study not only provides useful nutritive information on rambutans but also valuable metabolic data for rambutan breeding strategies.

A Systematic Analysis of the Correlation between Flavor Active Differential Metabolites and Multiple Bean Ripening Stages of Coffea arabica L.

“…To eliminate the effects of quantity on pattern recognition, we applied a log 2 transformation of peak areas for 46 DMs, followed by a correlational analysis between them and the taste indicators [ 33 ]. As shown in Figure 5 B, the target 46 DMs correlated strongly with 11 of the 27 taste indicators ( p < 0.05, Pearson’s r > 0.8), including one sugar, nine amino acids, one chlorogenic acid, and trigonelline ( Table S2 ).…”

Metabolomics of chemical constituents as a tool for understanding the quality of fruits during development and processing operations

“…In the recent past, studies done by Chen et al 2019) have explored the metabolomics techniques for the estimation of fruits metabolites and their composition as affected by regional distributions and environmental stresses. For instance, Deng et al (2023) examined the alteration in the concentration of sugars, organic acids and AA in two different varieties of rambutan fruit during the maturation and ripening stage. They identified 20 metabolic pathways of which sugars metabolism and AA biosynthesis was the major one.…”

“…Rambutan contained 3-O-p-coumaroylshikimic acid, which was observed to be the derivative of shikimic acid (shikimate) as well as precursor for the formation of aromatic AA, i.e., tyrosine, tryptophan and phenylalanine (Schmid & Amrhein, 1995). Deng et al (2023) identified D-fructose, fructose-6P and 3,4-digalloylshikimic acid as the precursors of shikimic acid. GC analysis of fatty aldehydes as dimethylacetal derivatives was the first recognition approaches for fatty aldehydes (Berdyshev, 2011).…”

“…For instance, Deng et al . (2023) examined the alteration in the concentration of sugars, organic acids and AA in two different varieties of rambutan fruit during the maturation and ripening stage. They identified 20 metabolic pathways of which sugars metabolism and AA biosynthesis was the major one.…”

“…Deng et al . (2023) identified D‐fructose, fructose‐6P and 3,4‐digalloylshikimic acid as the precursors of shikimic acid. GC analysis of fatty aldehydes as dimethylacetal derivatives was the first recognition approaches for fatty aldehydes (Berdyshev, 2011).…”