Comparative metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed the differential accumulation of secondary metabolites during the ripening process of acerola cherry (Malpighia emarginata) fruit

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Acerola cherry is a famous functional fruit containing plentiful antioxidants and other nutrients. However, studies on the variations among nutrients during the ripening process of acerola fruit are scare. RESULTS: Comparative metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses were performed and identified 31 331 unigenes and 1896 annotated metabolite features in acerola cherry fruit. K Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis showed that several antioxidant and nutrient-related metabolic pathways, such as the flavonoids, vitamins, carotenoids, amino acids, and fatty acids metabolic pathways, were significantly changed during the ripening process. The metabolites related to the vitamin, carotenoid, and fatty acid metabolic pathways were downregulated during the ripening process. Several flavonoid biosynthesis-related genes (including dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, chalcone synthase, flavanone 3-hydroxylase, and anthocyanidin synthase), were significantly upregulated, suggesting their essential functions in the accumulation of flavonoids in mature fruit.CONCLUSION: Most of the vitamin and carotenoid metabolism-related metabolites significantly accumulated in immature fruit, suggesting that immature acerola fruit is a good material for the extraction of vitamins and carotenoids. For macronutrients, most of the amino acids accumulated in mature fruit and most of the fatty acids greatly accumulated in immature fruit. Our data revealed the differential accumulation of antioxidants and nutrients during the ripening process of acerola cherry fruit.

A study on the factors influencing the preservation rate of ascorbic acid in acerola cherry pulp

“…In addition to ascorbic acid, polyphenols, flavonoids and pigment content also change during the maturation process (Shah et al, 2020). Most of differential accumulated amino acids, flavonoids, lipids, and terpenoids predominantly accumulated in the mature fruits and ascorbic acid predominantly accumulated in the immature fruits (Xu et al, 2021). Acerola cherries with low maturity have stronger antioxidant capacity.…”

Genetic and biochemical strategies for regulation of L-ascorbic acid biosynthesis in plants through the L-galactose pathway

“…for each interesting plant species. Until now, multi-omics resources have been obtained for some plant species such as Actinidia arguta “kiwifruit” ( Lei et al., 2022 ), Capsicum annuum “sweet pepper” ( Alós et al., 2013 ), Malpighia emarginata “acerola” ( Xu et al., 2022 ), Myrciaria dubia “camu-camu” ( Castro et al., 2015b ), and other plant species ( Li et al., 2015 ; Li et al., 2017 ; Deng et al., 2022 ). In summary, with the accelerated increase and accessibility of multi-omics resources from diverse plant species, together with the decodification of the genetic and biochemical mechanisms controlling the metabolism and accumulation of AsA in plants, we will have a sufficient scientific basis to rationally develop plant varieties overproducing-AsA.…”