[Screening and analysis of genes associated with lignin synthesis in stone cells of Asparagus cochinchinensis through integrated analysis of transcriptome sequencing and mass spectrometry imaging].

Authors

Shi-Lin Zhang, Meng-Fan Deng, Fei-Li Yan, Duan-Yang Li, Xiang-Yang Lyu, Fei-Xia Hou, Cheng Peng, Ji-Hai Gao

Published in

Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica. Volume 51. Issue 11. Pages 3181-3190.

Abstract

Asparagus cochinchinensis is an important TCM material, whose stone cells in tuberous roots directly affect the material's texture and quality due to extensive lignification. To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms underlying lignin deposition in stone cells, this study integrated the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging(MALDI-MSI) technique with RNA sequencing(RNA-seq) to conduct spatial metabolomic and transcriptome sequencing on parenchyma and stone cells in tuberous roots of A. cochinchinensis. The MALDI-MSI technique has, for the first time, achieved spatial visualization of lignin and its derivatives in the tuberous roots of A. cochinchinensis. It was found that characteristic fragments of G-type lignin, such as 2-methoxyxylenol, were specifically enriched in the stone cells region. Metabolomics identified significant accumulation of phenylpropanoid derivatives, such as dihydroferulic acid and 2-methoxyresorcinol in stone cell regions, indicating active lignin synthesis and modification in this region. Transcriptome analysis yielded 40 929 single genes, among which over half(22 776) were functionally annotated, and seven differentially expressed genes associated with lignin synthesis were screened. Correlation analysis further demonstrates strong positive associations between the expression of laccase and cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase genes and the content of key lignin derivatives, suggesting their pivotal roles in lignin polymerization. This study systematically delineated the metabolic and gene expression characteristics of lignin synthesis in stone cells of A. cochinchinensis, providing both theoretical foundations and candidate genes for clarifying lignification mechanisms and improving the quality of materials through molecular breeding.

PMID:
42543277
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 03 Aug 2026.

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