Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Analyses Reveal that Blue Light Promotes Chlorogenic Acid Synthesis in Strawberry

Light-emitting
diodes (LEDs) have been widely used in plant factories
and agricultural facilities. Different LEDs can be designed in accordance
with the light quality and intensity requirements of different plants,
allowing the regulation of plant growth and development, as well as
metabolic processes. Blue and red lights have significant effects
on anthocyanin metabolism in strawberry fruit, but their effects on
other metabolites are unknown. Here, we studied the effects of blue
and red lights on the metabolism and gene expression of strawberry
using metabolomics combined with transcriptomics. A total of 33 differentially
expressed metabolites (DEMs) and 501 differentially expressed genes
(DEGs) were isolated and identified. Among these DEMs, chlorogenic
acid synthesis was upregulated by the blue light compared with the
red light. Co-expression network analysis of DEMs and DEGs revealed
that the expression of hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:shikimate hydroxycinnamoyltransferase
(FvHCT), the main gene in the chlorogenic acid synthetic
pathway, was induced by blue light. Using multi-omics-based approach,
our results suggest that different LED lights have multiple effects
on strawberry fruit, with blue light able to co-upregulate chlorogenic
acid synthesis and FvHCT gene expression.