Non‐targeted metabolite profiling of a fast neutron soybean mutant reveals an increase in sulfur‐containing metabolites

Abstract

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] seed is a valuable source of raw materials of protein, oil, and metabolites for food, feed, and pharmaceutical industries. Using global metabolic profiling, we identified 718 non‐redundant metabolites of a fast neutron‐mediated soybean known to have 24 genes deleted and 15% more seed protein compared to wild‐type seed. Among the 554 identified metabolites in leaves and 629 identified in seed, 465 were found in both leaves and seed. Mapping of the deleted genes and identified metabolites indicated a complex perturbation of global metabolism involving glutamine‐arginine, aspartate, aromatic amino acid, glycolytic, and tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) pathways. The mutant seed showed a higher content of sulfur‐containing metabolites such as S‐methylmethionine, methionine, and cysteine compared to wild‐type seed. The gene deletions may alter carbon flow from glycolytic and TCA pathways, resulting in higher protein content and increased abundance of sulfur‐containing metabolites in the mutant seeds. The results provide valuable information for altering metabolic pathways to increase value‐added seed traits in soybeans.