Metabolomics reveals biotic and abiotic elicitor effects on the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi terpenoid content

Abstract

The effects of six biotic and abiotic elicitors, i.e. MeJA (methyl jasmonate), SA (salicylic acid), ZnCl2, glutathione and β-glucan BG (fungal elicitor), and wounding, on the secondary metabolite accumulation in the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi were assessed. Upon elicitation, metabolites were extracted and analysed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Except for MeJA, no differences in photosynthetic efficiency were observed after treatments, suggesting the absence of a remarkable stress on primary production. Chemometric analyses of UPLC-MS data showed clear segregation of SA and ZnCl2 elicited samples at 24 and 48 h post elicitation. Levels of acetylated diterpene and sterol viz., sarcophytonolide I and cholesteryl acetate, was increased in ZnCl2 and SA groups, respectively, suggesting an activation of specific acetyl transferases. Post elicitation, sarcophytonolide I level increased 132 and 17-folds at 48 h in 0.1 mM SA and 1 mM ZnCl2 groups, respectively. Interestingly, decrease in sarcophine, a major diterpene was observed only in response to ZnCl2, whereas no change was observed in sesquiterpene content following treatments. To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first documentation for elicitation effects on a soft corals secondary metabolome and suggests that SA could be applied to increase diterpenoid levels in corals.

Sarcoehrenbergilides D–F: cytotoxic cembrene diterpenoids from the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi

“…20 While Red Sea marine invertebrates have been historically under-reported within the scientic literature, intensive investigation of Red Sea marine life has occurred over the past ten years. 8,[21][22][23] To continue efforts to identify new marine metabolites from Red Sea so coral, [6][7][8][22][23][24] herein we report three cembrene diterpenoids isolated from S. ehrenbergi (Fig. 1).…”

Effect of Oxylipins, Terpenoid Precursors and Wounding on Soft Corals’ Secondary Metabolism as Analyzed via UPLC/MS and Chemometrics

“…Here the absence of response to MeJA treatment could be related to presumably lower zooxanthellae content of L. pauciflorum suggested by its slightly paler color. Under such circumstances, the plant specific elicitor MeJA would have less pronounced effects at low density zooxanthellae, although a previous experiment showed that the symbionts readily responded at the metabolic level in Sarcophyton ehrenbergi [ 21 ]. Incubation with MeJA in the culture seawater led to decreased photosynthetic efficiency in S. ehrenbergi, but at this experiment neither the coral host nor the separately analysed zooxanthellae increased their terpenoid levels [ 21 ].…”

“…Under such circumstances, the plant specific elicitor MeJA would have less pronounced effects at low density zooxanthellae, although a previous experiment showed that the symbionts readily responded at the metabolic level in Sarcophyton ehrenbergi [ 21 ]. Incubation with MeJA in the culture seawater led to decreased photosynthetic efficiency in S. ehrenbergi, but at this experiment neither the coral host nor the separately analysed zooxanthellae increased their terpenoid levels [ 21 ]. Nevertheless MeJA has been shown to elicit stress response in plants [ 41 ].…”

“…A multiplexed metabolomic approach for the profiling of marine soft corals secondary metabolites was previously applied for corals classification based on its genotype, growth habitat i.e., depth or aquarium cultured specimens [ 12 ]. Additionally, this tool was recently reported by our group to monitor variations in coral metabolism in response to biotic and abiotic water soluble elicitation [ 21 ]. Among eight different elicitors, salicylic acid (SA) was found effective in inducing acetylated diterpenes and sterol in the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi .…”

Trichoderma aspereullm ACCC30536 inoculation differently regulates the time-course expression of five indole-3-acetic acid amido synthetase genes and the levels of IAA, SA and JA in Populus davidiana × P. alba var. Pyramidalis

“…The plant hormone IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid) can modulate plant growth, including plant apical dominance, root formation, adversity stress adaptation and physiological aging process, by means of inducing faster and higher expression of primary response genes (Hagen & Guilfoyle, 2002). SA (Salicylic acid) is a signal molecule of plant defense reactions to abiotic stresses (Farag et al, 2017). JA (Jasmonic acid) is one of the key signal molecules inducing resistance responses of plants.…”