Capsicum Leaves under Stress: Using Multi-Omics Analysis to Detect Abiotic Stress Network of Secondary Metabolism in Two Species

Antioxidants, vol. 11, pp. 671

Abstract

The plant kingdom contains an enormous diversity of bioactive compounds which regulate plant growth and defends against biotic and abiotic stress. Some of these compounds, like flavonoids, have properties which are health supporting and relevant for industrial use. Many of these valuable compounds are synthesized in various pepper (Capsicum sp.) tissues. Further, a huge amount of biomass residual remains from pepper production after harvest, which provides an important opportunity to extract these metabolites and optimize the utilization of crops. Moreover, abiotic stresses induce the synthesis of such metabolites as a defense mechanism. Two different Capsicum species were therefore exposed to chilling temperature (24/18 ℃ vs. 18/12 ℃), to salinity (200 mM NaCl), or a combination thereof for 1, 7 and 14 days to investigate the effect of these stresses on the metabolome and transcriptome profiles of their leaves. Both profiles in both species responded to all stresses with an increase over time. All stresses resulted in repression of photosynthesis genes. Stress involving chilling temperature induced secondary metabolism whereas stresses involving salt repressed cell wall modification and solute transport. The metabolome analysis annotated putatively many health stimulating flavonoids (apigetrin, rutin, kaempferol, luteolin and quercetin) in the Capsicum biomass residuals, which were induced in response to salinity, chilling temperature or a combination thereof, and supported by related structural genes of the secondary metabolism in the network analysis.

Authors 9

1. Julia J. Reimer corresponding Aachen Institute for Biology I

   University of Applied Sciences Emden Leer · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Faculty of Technology, Molecular Biosciences, University of Applied Science Emden/Leer, Constantiaplatz 4, 26723 Emden, Germany

   Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany

2. Basel Shaaban Aachen Institute for Biology I

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany

3. Noud Drummen Aachen Institute for Biology I

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany

4. Sruthy Sanjeev Ambady Aachen Institute for Biology I

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany

5. Franziska Genzel

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany

   Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-4: Bioinformatics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany

6. Gernot Poschet

   Heidelberg University

   Affiliation as printed

   Centre for Organismal Studies, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 360, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany

7. Anika Wiese‐Klinkenberg

   Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany

   Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-4: Bioinformatics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany

8. Björn Usadel Aachen Institute for Biology I

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Chair of Biological Data Science, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany

   Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany

   Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany

   Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-4: Bioinformatics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany

9. Alexandra Wormit Aachen Institute for Biology I

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Biology I, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany