Transcriptomic analysis unravels the molecular response of Lonicera japonica leaves to chilling stress

• DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1092857
• Publication Date: 2022-12-22T12:10:34Z
• Authors: Meng Zhang; Mengxin Li; Hongwei Fu; Kehao Wang; Xu Tian; Renping Qiu; Jinkun Liu; Shuai Gao; Zhuoheng Zhong; Bingxian Yang; Lin Zhang
• Keywords: Secondary metabolism; Chlorogenic Acid; Metabolic pathway

Lonicera japonica is not only an important resource of traditional Chinese medicine, but also has very high horticultural value. Studies have been performed on the physiological responses L. leaves to chilling, however, molecular mechanism underlying low temperature-induced morphological changes remains unclear. In this study, it demonstrated that ratio pigments content including anthocyanins, chlorophylls, and carotenoids was significantly altered in response chilling condition, resulting color transformation from green purple. Transcriptomic analysis showed there were 10,329 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) co-expressed during stress. DEGs mainly mapped secondary metabolism, cell wall, minor carbohydrate. The upregulated (UGs) enriched protein transport, signaling, while UGs metabolism involved phenylpropaoids-flavonoids pathway (PFP) (CP). Protein-protein interaction illustrated 21 interacted CAX3, NHX2, ACA8, ACA9 calcium transport/potassium ion transport. BR biosynthesis related insensitive (BRI) collectively induced by Furthermore, expression anthocyanins CPs as well chlorogenic acid (CGA) luteoloside increased under Taken together, these results indicate activation PFP CP stress, largely attributed elevation homeostasis stimulation which then regulated PFP/CP transcription factors.