Metabonomics analysis of flavonoids in seeds and sprouts of two Chinese soybean cultivars

Abstract

A popular food in China, soybean seeds and sprouts contained many biologically active substances which are beneficial to the human body, such as flavonoids. Northeast of China is the main producing area of soybean. The experimental materials came from the main soybean producing areas in Northeast China, this study compared flavonoids of two China cultivars of soybeans, Heinong52(HN52) and Heinong71(HN71). Here, we also considered the effects of germination on the chemical profile of flavonoids. Using a LC–ESI–MS/MS system, 114 differential flavonoid metabolites were identified. A total of 18 metabolites were significantly different between the two soybean varieties before germination, of which 14 were up-regulated and 4 were down-regulated. After germination, 33 significantly different metabolites were found in the two soybean sprouts, of which 19 were up-regulated and 14 were down-regulated. These experimental results revealed significant up-regulation of metabolites in soybean sprouts compared with soybean seeds, thus suggesting that soybean germination may increase content of flavonoid metabolites. There are six main pathways for the synthesis of flavonoids: isoflavonoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids. Soybean seeds lack flavone and flavanol biosynthesis and develop the capacity for this biosynthetic pathway after germination as sprouts. Isoflavonoid biosynthesis is the most abundantly utilized pathway.

UV-B radiation enhances isoflavone accumulation and antioxidant capacity of soybean calluses

“…The function of individual isoflavone is different in soybean callus. Glycosidic isoflavone, which is mainly used to form cell parenchyma or organelle membrane to maintain the structural stability of cells, is abundant in callus ( 1 ). UV-B radiation can accelerate the conversion between malonyl-glycosidic and glycosidic isoflavone ( 25 ).…”

“…Soybeans ( Glycine max L.) are a major economic crop that provide high-quality protein and other bioactive metabolites. Isoflavones are the main secondary metabolites in soybean, and they are related to plant defense responses and health-related benefits for human ( 1 ). Isoflavones are synthesized from phenylalanine and can be divided into four groups (12 different monomers): aglycones (include daidzein, genistein and glycitein), glycosides (include daidzin, genistin, and glycitin), malonylglycosides (include malonyldaidzin, malonylgenistin, and malonylglycitin), and acetylglycosides (include acetyldaidzin, acetylgenistin, acetylglycitin) ( 2 ).…”

Comparative study of the effects of selenium nanoparticles and selenite on selenium content and nutrient quality in soybean sprouts

“…Furthermore, soybean sprouts have higher contents of several chemicals than soybean seeds. For example, a higher content of flavonoid metabolites was observed in soybean sprouts than soybean seeds (Bi et al, 2022). Selenium (Se) is a microelement that is required by both humans and animals.…”

Multiomics Analyses Reveal the Dual Role of Flavonoids in Pigmentation and Abiotic Stress Tolerance of Soybean Seeds

“…32 Moreover, the flavonoid content was significantly increased during germination in soybean. 21 Based on our results, the BLK seeds had significantly higher germination potency when imbibed with solutions containing Basta, MV, NaCl, and NaHCO 3 , whereas the germination rate between YL and BLK seeds showed no difference when imbibed in water (Figure 2A,B). It is noteworthy that Basta and MV are potent ROS generators, 20,33 while NaCl and NaHCO 3 are representative of salt stress and alkaline stress, respectively.…”