Multi-Omics Provides New Insights into the Aroma Regulation of Rhododendron fortunei Lindl Treated with Methyl Jasmonate and Brassinosteroids

TY - JOUR

T1 - Multi-Omics Provides New Insights into the Aroma Regulation of Rhododendron fortunei Lindl Treated with Methyl Jasmonate and Brassinosteroids

AU - Zhang, Danyidie

AU - Qin, Yi

AU - Wu, Jiayi

AU - Zhong, Xingyun

AU - Hu, Haichao

AU - Chen, Zhihui

AU - Shi, Pei

AU - Wu, Yueyan

N1 - Copyright: © 2025 by the authors.

PY - 2025/12/16

Y1 - 2025/12/16

N2 - Rhododendron fortunei Lindl is known for its unique aroma, but the molecular mechanism behind plant hormone-mediated aroma biosynthesis remains unclear. To explore how brassinosteroids (BRs) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) regulate its aroma, this study analyzed R. fortunei petal samples via physiological assays, volatile metabolome analysis, and transcriptome sequencing. Physiologically, BR/MeJA significantly increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity and decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Metabolome analysis identified 1268 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with 265/70 VOCs up-/downregulated in the BR group and 248/181 VOCs up-/downregulated in the MeJA group compared to the controls. Transcriptome sequencing identified 19,333 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were enriched in pathways such as terpenoid and polyketide metabolism. Multi-omics screening revealed the candidate gene RfCYP92C6, whose transient overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana increased the terpenoid content 2.2-fold. These findings clarify the aroma regulation mechanism of BRs/MeJA in R. fortunei and support the improvement of its aroma traits via genetic engineering.

AB - Rhododendron fortunei Lindl is known for its unique aroma, but the molecular mechanism behind plant hormone-mediated aroma biosynthesis remains unclear. To explore how brassinosteroids (BRs) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) regulate its aroma, this study analyzed R. fortunei petal samples via physiological assays, volatile metabolome analysis, and transcriptome sequencing. Physiologically, BR/MeJA significantly increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity and decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Metabolome analysis identified 1268 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with 265/70 VOCs up-/downregulated in the BR group and 248/181 VOCs up-/downregulated in the MeJA group compared to the controls. Transcriptome sequencing identified 19,333 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were enriched in pathways such as terpenoid and polyketide metabolism. Multi-omics screening revealed the candidate gene RfCYP92C6, whose transient overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana increased the terpenoid content 2.2-fold. These findings clarify the aroma regulation mechanism of BRs/MeJA in R. fortunei and support the improvement of its aroma traits via genetic engineering.

KW - aroma

KW - brassinosteroid (BR)

KW - methyl jasmonate (MeJA)

KW - multi-omics

KW - Rhododendron

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105025750630

U2 - 10.3390/cimb47121054

DO - 10.3390/cimb47121054

M3 - Article

C2 - 41614818

AN - SCOPUS:105025750630

SN - 1467-3037

VL - 47

JO - Current Issues in Molecular Biology

JF - Current Issues in Molecular Biology

IS - 12

M1 - 1054

ER -