Multiomics analysis reveals that peach gum colouring reflects plant defense responses against pathogenic fungi
Jia Liu1, Xiping Zhang2, Ju Tian2
1Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety-State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base, Ministry of Science and Technology, 50 Zhongling Street, Nanjing 210014, China; Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 50 Zhongling Street, Nanjing 210014, China; School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, 301 Zhenjiang City University Road, Zhenjiang 212001, China.
Abstract:
In the present study, the differences in the antioxidant capability, metabolite composition and fungal diversity in peach gum with various colours were investigated. Metabolomics revealed that peach gum comprised many small-molecule metabolites (including primary and secondary metabolites), and most polyphenols (such as flavonoids and phenolic acids) showed a significantly positive relationship with the colour deepening, total phenol content and antioxidant capability. Using fungal diversity analysis, the abundance of five fungi at the genus level increased with peach gum colour deepening, and these fungi demonstrated a significantly positive relationship with two defense hormones (salicylic acid and abscisic acid) and most polyphenols (particularly flavonoids). The gummosis pathogenic fungus Botryosphaeria was among the five fungi, suggesting that peach gum colouring may reflect plant defense responses against pathogenic fungi. Additionally, the concentrations of 12 flavonoids in peach gum samples were detected based on LC-QQQ/MS, among which hesperetin, naringenin and eriodictyol were the most abundant.
