Lipid metabolism mechanisms underlying seed oil content differences in Toxicodendron vernicifluum based on...

The seeds of Toxicodendron vernicifluum (Stokes) F. A. Barkley are rich in oils and hold significant economic value in industrial and food applications, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying lipid biosynthesis are not fully elucidated, which hinders targeted improvement efforts.

To investigate the genetic and metabolic basis of oil accumulation, this study first surveyed and collected seeds from 36 distinct half-sib familys across three provenances in Yunnan Province, China. Seed morphology and oil content measurements revealed the most significant oil content difference between the LS1 and YG6 families. Subsequently, integrated lipidomic and transcriptomic analyses were performed to identify differential metabolites (DEMs) and differential genes (DEGs) related to lipid synthesis in seeds of these two families. Lipidomics results identified 221 lipid DEMs (51 up-regulated, 170 down-regulated). Transcriptomics detected 6,658 DEGs (1,800 up-regulated, 4,858 down-regulated). Integrated analysis revealed significant enrichment of DEMs and DEGs in glycerophospholipid metabolism and ether lipid metabolism, suggesting that these pathways are key regulators of Toxicodendron vernicifluum oil composition. Among these pathways, three key lipid metabolites were identified: phosphatidylcholine (PC), 1-alkyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (1-alkyl-G3P), and 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (1-acyl-G3P).

This research establishes a foundational framework for elucidating lipid synthesis and accumulation in Toxicodendron vernicifluum seeds and provides critical insights for future targeted breeding and utilization strategies.