Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Reveal the Critical Genes of Carotenoid Biosynthesis and Color Formation of Goji (Lycium barbarum L.) Fruit Ripening

Abstract

Carotenoids in goji (Lycium barbarum L.) have excellent health benefits, but the underlying mechanism of carotenoid synthesis and color formation in goji fruit ripening is still unclear. The present study uses transcriptomics and metabolomics to investigate carotenoid biosynthesis and color formation differences in N1 (red fruit) and N1Y (yellow fruit) at three stages of ripening. Twenty-seven carotenoids were identified in N1 and N1Y fruits during the M1, M2, and M3 periods, with the M2 and M3 periods being critical for the difference in carotenoid and color between N1 and N1Y fruit. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), gene trend analysis, and correlation analysis suggest that PSY1 and ZDS16 may be important players in the synthesis of carotenoids during goji fruit ripening. Meanwhile, 63 transcription factors (TFs) were identified related to goji fruit carotenoid biosynthesis. Among them, four TFs (CMB1-1, WRKY22-1, WRKY22-3, and RAP2-13-like) may have potential regulatory relationships with PSY1 and ZDS16. This work sheds light on the molecular network of carotenoid synthesis and explains the differences in carotenoid accumulation in different colored goji fruits.

Integrated Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Profiles Provide Insights into the Mechanisms of Anthocyanin and Carotenoid Biosynthesis in Petals of Medicago sativa ssp. sativa and Medicago sativa ssp. falcata

“…In recent years, many studies have reported that carotenoids are closely correlated with yellow color formation in plant tissues [ 31 , 32 , 33 ]. In agreement with previous findings, we uncovered that most carotenoids are highly accumulated in yellow flowers compared to cream flowers, including α-carotene, β-carotene, (E/Z)-phytoene, α-cryptoxanthin, lutein and its derivatives, β-cryptoxanthin and its derivatives, zeaxanthin derivatives, violaxanthin and its derivatives, antheraxanthin and neoxanthin.…”

Combined Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Analysis Reveals the Effect of Selenium Fertilization on Lycium barbarum Fruit

“…In our study, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) in the three treatment groups (sodium selenite-SE1, nano-selenium-SE2, and organic selenium-SE3 versus sprayed water control-CK) were involved to varying degrees in glutathione metabolism. Among the treatment groups, SE3vsCK had the highest number of DEGs (19) and DEMs (2) involved in glutathione metabolism, followed by SE2vsCK, with 7 DEGs and 1 DEM. SE1vsCK had the fewest, with 2 DEGs and 1 DEM.…”

“…Wei et al combined transcriptomics and metabolomics to reveal that the synthesis and accumulation of carotenoids in Lycium barbarum differed in terms of the formation of different colors of Lycium barbarum, and that color differences between the red and yellow varieties were obvious during the green fruiting stage, the color change stage, and the red ripening stage. They also noted that the color change stage and red ripening stage were key stages for the differences in the carotenoids and colors of the fruits, and that, during ripening, one Lycium barbarum carotenoid biosynthesis-related transcription factor (TF), as well as four factors (CMB1-1, WRKY22-1, WRKY22-3, and RAP2-13-like) in the TFs, were found to be potentially regulated in relation to the phytoene synthase gene (PSY16) and the zeta-carotene desaturase gene (ZDS16) [19].…”