Untargeted Metabolomics analysis of Physalis pubescens L. with 1 respect to different varieties

Song Yan¹Jialei Li¹Kaixin Chen¹Shan Shan¹Shan Zhang¹Yang Gao^1*Bin Liu^2,3*

• ¹Institute of Food Processing, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
• ²Harbin university of commerce, Harbin, China
• ³Harbin university of commerce, 哈尔滨, China

Abstract 27 Physalis pubescens L. is a nutritious fruit with recognized pharmacological value, yet 28 its comprehensive metabolomic profile remains unexplored. This study aimed to 29 investigate the metabolomic differences among three distinct varieties of P. pubescens, 30 with a focus on the influence of fruit size. An untargeted metabolomics approach 31 employing UPLC-ESI-MS/MS was utilized. Multivariate statistical analyses, 32 including PCA and PLS-DA, revealed a clear separation in metabolic profiles, 33 primarily driven by fruit size. Comparative analysis between large-fruited variety B 34 and small-fruited varieties S and T identified 67 significant differential metabolites. 35 Notably, the flavonoid quercetin was not detected in large-fruited variety B under our 36 analytical conditions, and the relative content of most phenylpropanoid metabolites 37 was significantly lower in large-fruited variety compared to small-fruited varieties. 38 Conversely, 17 metabolites, including certain amino acids and riboflavin, were 39 up-regulated in large-fruited variety. Pathway analysis highlighted riboflavin 40 metabolism as a key distinguishing pathway. Our findings demonstrate that fruit size 41 may be a major factor influencing the phytochemical composition of P. pubescens. 42 The novelty of this work lies in establishing fruit size as a major factor shaping the 43 phytochemical composition of P. pubescens. These findings provide a metabolic 44 foundation for selecting varieties with desired nutraceutical properties and for guiding 45 future quality control and breeding programs.