AUTHOR=Xu Wenjing , Xu Xiaoyi , Han Ran , Wang Xiaolu , Wang Kai , Qi Guang , Ma Pengtao , Komatsuda Takao , Liu Cheng 

TITLE=Integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis reveals that flavonoids function in wheat resistance to powdery mildew

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2023.1125194

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2023.1125194

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=Powdery mildew is a fungal disease devastating to wheat, causing significant quality and yield loss. Flavonoids are important secondary plant metabolites that confer resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. However, whether they play a role in powdery mildew resistance in wheat has yet to be explored. In the present study, we combined transcriptome and metabolome analyses to compare differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially accumulated flavonoids identified in plants with versus without powdery mildew inoculation. Transcriptome analysis identified 4,329 DEGs in susceptible wheat cv. Jimai229 and 8,493 in resistant cv. HHG46. The DEGs were functionally enriched using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, revealing flavonoids synthesis pathway as the most significantly in both cultivars – this was consistent with the upregulation of flavonoids synthesis pathway genes observed by quantitative PCR. Metabolome analysis indicated flavone and flavonol biosynthesis pathways as the most significantly enriched following powdery mildew inoculation. An accumulation of total flavonoids content was also found to be induced by powdery mildew infection. Exogenous flavonoids treatment of inoculated plants led to less severe infection, with fewer and smaller powdery mildew spots on the wheat leaves. This reduction is speculated to be regulated through malondialdehyde content and the activities of peroxidase and catalase. Our study provides a fundamental theory for further exploration of the potential of flavonoids as biological prevention and control agents against powdery mildew in wheat.