posted on 2023-11-29, 12:39authored byPeisi Xie, Jing Chen, Pengfei Wu, Zongwei Cai
Seed germination
is a vital process in plant development involving
dynamic biochemical transformations such as lipid metabolism. However,
the spatial distribution and dynamic changes of lipids in different
seed compartments during germination are poorly understood. In this
study, we employed liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS)-based
lipidomics and MALDI mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to investigate
lipid changes occurring in the cotyledon and plumule of mung bean
seeds during germination. Lipidomic data revealed that the germination
process reduced the levels of many glycerolipids (e.g., triglyceride)
and phosphatidylglycerols (e.g., phosphatidylcholine) while increased
the levels of lysophospholipids (e.g., lysophosphatidylcholine) in
both the cotyledon and plumule. Sphingolipids (e.g., sphingomyelin)
displayed altered levels solely in the plumule. Sterol levels increased
in the cotyledon but decreased in the plumule. Further imaging results
revealed that MALDI–MSI could serve as a supplement and validate
LC–MS data. These findings enhance our understanding of the
metabolic processes underlying seedling development, with potential
implications for crop improvement and seed quality control.