Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Mechanisms of Accumulation
and Conversion of Folate Derivatives during Germination of Quinoa
(Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Seeds
posted on 2024-02-08, 06:04authored byYanan He, Cui Li, Miao Yang, Chengxiang Wang, Haiyun Guo, Jun Liu, Haijie Liu
Folate was enriched during quinoa
germination, while molecular
mechanisms were not well understood. In this study, three quinoa varieties
were selected for germination, and changes in substrate content and
enzyme activity of the folate biosynthesis pathway were monitored.
5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-CH3-THF) and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate
(5-CHO-THF) were significantly enriched in quinoa sprouts. Among the
selected varieties, QL-2 exhibited the lowest content of the oxidation
product MeFox and the highest total folate content. Based on transcriptome
analysis, the p-ABA branch was found to be crucial
for folate accumulation, while the pterin branch served as a key control
point for the one carbon pool by folate pathway, which limited further
folate biosynthesis. In the one carbon pool by folate pathway, genes CqMTHFR and CqAMT significantly contributed
to the enrichment of 5-CH3-THF and 5-CHO-THF. Findings
gained here would facilitate the potential application of quinoa sprouts
as an alternative strategy for folate supplementation.