Biotechnology Bulletin ›› 2025, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (12): 280-293.doi: 10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2025-0452

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Transcriptome Analysis of Different Parts of Ferula Sinkiangensis K. M. Shen and Exploration of Genes Related to Sesquiterpene Synthesis

SI Xu-peng1,2(), CUI Xiu-wen1,2, OUYANG Li-zhi3, FANG Dan-dan1,2, PEI Long-ying1,2, FANG Gui-ping1,2, PU Xi-lei1,2, MA Yi-mian3, ZHANG Zheng3()   

  1. 1.Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, Xinjiang Institute of Technology, Akesu 843100
    2.Xinjiang Auricularia Engineering Technology Research Center, Akesu 843100
    3.Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193
  • Received:2025-05-01 Online:2025-12-26 Published:2026-01-06
  • Contact: ZHANG Zheng E-mail:sixupeng0527@163.com;zhangzheng@implad.ac.cn

Abstract:

Objective By analyzing the transcriptome information of different parts of Ferula sinkiangensis, we aim to explore the key metabolic pathways and regulatory genes involved in the biosynthesis of sesquiterpenes, providing genetic resources for molecular breeding and resource development of F. sinkiangensis Method The Unigene sequences of different parts of the roots, stems and leaves of F. sinkiangensis were obtained by transcriptome sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis was carried out. Result A total of 116 517 transcripts were obtained by transcriptome sequencing, and a total of 44 896 Unigene sequences were annotated. F. sinkiangensis has the highest proportion of homologous sequence matching with Daucus carota subsp. sativus. A total of 19 290 Unigenes were annotated in biological processes, cell composition and molecular function. The metabolic pathways of terpenoids and polyketides (11 pathways, 204 Unigenes) and other secondary metabolite synthesis pathways (17 pathways, 233 Unigenes) were enriched by KEGG. Further studies showed that 57 Unigenes were related to sesquiterpene synthesis, involving 34 full-length transcripts of 9 key enzyme genes. The differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the MEP pathway, and the RT-qPCR results of six enzyme genes with obvious expression trends showed similar expression patterns with the RNA-seq results. The expression analysis showed that the relative expressions of P450 and TPS, the key genes downstream of sesquiterpene synthesis, were the highest in the roots, the expressions of DXS and HMGR were the highest in the leaves, and the expressions of AACT and DXR were the highest in the stems. Meanwhile, a total of 28 017 CDS sequences, 1 886 transcription factors, 14 277 SSR loci and 9 844 pairs of corresponding primers were predicted in the transcriptome. Conclusion Through transcriptome analysis, the biosynthetic pathway of sesquiterpenes in F. sinkiangensis is clarified, and it is speculated that P450 and TPS in the roots are the key downstream genes of sesquiterpene synthesis.

Key words: Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen, transcriptome, secondary metabolism, metabolic pathway, SSR