Metabolite profiling of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers during wound-induced suberization

Abstract

Suberin is a specific cell wall-associated biopolymer characterized by the deposition of both a poly(phenolic) domain (SPPD) associated with the cell wall, and a poly(aliphatic) domain (SPAD) thought to be deposited between the cell wall and plasma membrane. In planta, suberin functions to prevent plants from desiccation and pathogen attack. Although the chemical identity of the monomeric components of the SPPD and SPAD are well known, their concerted biosynthesis and assembly into the suberin macromolecule is poorly understood. To expand our knowledge of suberin biosynthesis, a GC/MS-based metabolite profiling study was conducted, using wound healing potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers as a model system. A time series of both non-polar and polar metabolite profiles were created, yielding a broad-based, dynamic picture of wound-induced metabolism, including suberization. Principal component analysis revealed a separation of metabolite profiles according to different suberization stages, with clear temporal differences emerging in the non-polar and polar profiles. In the non-polar profiles, suberin-associated aliphatics contributed the most to cluster formation, while a broader range of metabolites (including organic acids, sugars, amino acids and phenylpropanoids) influenced cluster formation amongst polar profiles. Pair-wise correlation analysis revealed strong correlations between known suberin-associated compounds, as well as between suberin-associated compounds and several un-identified metabolites in the profiles. These data may help to identify additional, as yet unknown metabolites associated with suberization process.

Identification of an Arabidopsis Feruloyl-Coenzyme A Transferase Required for Suberin Synthesis

“…Whether the reduction in ferulate released by transesterification does or does not affect the lamellar structure of suberin in tissues other than roots remains to be determined. Histochemical analyses (Lulai and Corsini, 1998) and principal component analysis of precursors (Yang and Bernards, 2007) during potato wound suberization support the view that deposition of the aromatic domain is the first event in suberization. Indeed, Lulai and Freeman (2001) have proposed that there is no covalent connectivity between the polyaromatic and polyaliphatic domains.…”

“…When observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), suberin frequently exhibits a lamellar structure of alternating light and dark bands. Also, at least for wound-induced potato (Solanum tuberosum) periderm, the bulk of the phenolics appear to be deposited before the aliphatics (Lulai and Corsini, 1998;Yang and Bernards, 2007). Most of these phenolics are oxidatively cross linked (Bernards et al, 1995) and will not yield monomers by polyester depolymerization methods.…”

Ecological metabolomics: overview of current developments and future challenges

“…This study demonstrates different strategies of plant defense against generalist and specialist herbivores, although future studies are necessary to advance in this topic. In the research line of plant-herbivore relationships, Yang and Bernards (2007) have studied the metabolome shift after leaf cutting to investigate the metabolic pathways involved in suberification. Some recent studies suggest that ecometabolomic studies can also be useful to study the molecular interaction between mammals and plants (Tucker et al 2010).…”

Metabolomic evaluation of pulsed electric field-induced stress on potato tissue

“…Metabolic proWling in plant systems has been used, among other applications, to Wngerprint species, genotypes or ecotypes for taxonomic or biochemical purposes (Huhman and Sumner 2002;Beckmann et al 2007), characterize food components (Mattivi et al 2006;Moco et al 2006;Pereira et al 2006;Hu et al 2007), study developmental processes (Roessner et al 2003;Jeong et al 2004) and monitor changes in metabolites in relation to exogenous stimuli (Kaplan et al 2004(Kaplan et al , 2007Rizhsky et al 2004;Gray and Heath 2005;Yang and Bernards 2007). Global metabolic proWling analysis holds the promise to permit simultaneous monitoring of precursors, intermediates and products of metabolic pathways.…”