Integrated Transcriptome and Metabolome Analyses Reveal Candidate Genes Associate with Phenolic Compound Biosynthesis...

Perilla frutescens (Perilla) has great potential for utilization in food and medicine due to the abundance of secondary metabolites, especially phenolic compounds. However, the molecular mechanism underlying phenolic compound synthesis in perilla remains poorly understood. By targeted metabolome analysis, we found nine differentially accumulated metabolites among QS2, QS6, and QO7 leaves and nine unique metabolites which only exist in QS6. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis showed the differential expression genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched into phenylpropanoid- and flavonoid-related pathways. Moreover, the integrated transcriptome and metabolome analyses indicated 14 candidates highly correlated with phenolic compound biosynthesis. In addition, phenylpropanoid- and flavonoid-biosynthesis-related DEGs, including one PAL, one CYP73A, one 4CL, two CHI, two F3H, one FLS, three CHS, two CYP75B1, one ANS, and two DFR, were isolated. The results in this study provide useful information for the metabolic regulation of phenolic compounds and serve as essential gene resources for future breeding programs.