Abstract
Gynura bicolor (Roxb. ex Willd.) DC. (G. bicolor) is a functional vegetable rich in iron (Fe) and widely grown in Asia (e.g., Japan and China). Because most Fe in the soil exists in the form of insoluble oxides or hydroxides, it is difficult for plants to obtain Fe from the soil. A comparative metabolomic and transcriptome study was carried out to investigate the effect of Fe deficiency on metabolite synthesis and gene expression in young and mature leaves of G. bicolor. Fe deficiency caused chlorosis and decreased the chlorophyll content in young leaves. The metabolomic results for young leaves showed that l-glutamate and 4-hydroxybutanoic acid lactone significantly increased and decreased, respectively. The transcriptome results showed that the expression levels of genes involved in ferric reduction oxidase 7 and 14-kDa proline-rich protein DC2.15-like were significantly upregulated and downregulated, respectively. However, Fe deficiency had little effect on mature leaves.
Highlights
Iron (Fe) is the fourth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, but it is usually present in the form of insoluble oxides or hydroxides
The molecular mechanism of G. bicolor response to Fe deficiency was investigated by combined metabolomics and transcriptome analyses
Fe deficiency can lead to the yellowing of young leaves of plants but has no significant effect on the color of mature leaves, findings that were verified in this study
Summary
Iron (Fe) is the fourth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, but it is usually present in the form of insoluble oxides or hydroxides. Iron is an essential element for plants and is involved in many important biological processes, such as nitrogen fixation [2], photosynthesis [3] and respiration [4]. Plants have two different strategies to dissolve and transport Fe (strategy 1: H+ -ATPase, Fe3+ reduction, and Fe2+ transport system; strategy 2: synthesis and secretion of mugineic acid). Fe deficiency affects the synthesis of cytochromes, catalases, peroxidases, and metalloflavoproteins. A phenotype of Fe deficiency in plants is obvious; chlorosis occurs because of the inhibition of chlorophyll (Chl) synthesis (leaf chloroplasts contain 80% iron [5]). Fe deficiency severely affects energy and substance metabolism in plants. Prolonged iron deficiency results in quality deterioration and yield losses of crops
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