Differential Expression Unigenes Summary Table.xlsx

This study focused on investigating the effect of chlormequat chloride, a typical plant growth regulator, on the medicinal plant C. yanhusuo. A standardized field experiment was conducted to examine the changes in active compounds and the molecular mechanism under intervention of chlormequat chloride. The samples of C. yanhusuo were obtained under control conditions as well as different concentrations of chlormequat chloride intervention. Through non-targeted metabolomics analysis, it was found that the differential compounds in the control and treated groups of C. yanhusuo were mainly alkaloids. Targeted metabolomics accurately quantified the 12 abundant alkaloidal compounds in different groups of C. yanhusuo, revealing the changes in metabolite content. A comprehensive metabolomics evaluation method based on pharmacodynamic active compounds was established. Furthermore, transcriptomics analysis helped identify differential genes or enzymes related to alkaloid biosynthesis between the control and treated groups. The study found that the content of quantitatively abundant alkaloids decreased in C. yanhusuo when intervened with chlormequat chloride, indicating that the expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes, responsible for benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis, was suppressed by chlormequat chloride. Overall, this research elucidated the dose-effect change rule of chlormequat chloride on C. yanhusuo and its relevant molecular mechanism based on omics analysis.