Transcriptomic analysis reveals flavonoid biosynthesis of Syringa oblata Lindl. in response to different light intensity

Background Hazy weather significantly increase air pollution and affect light intensity which may also affect medicinal plants growth. Syringa oblata Lindl. (S. oblata), an effective anti-biofilm medicinal plants, is also vulnerable to changes in plant photoperiods and other abiotic stress responses. Rutin, one of the flavonoids, is the main bioactive ingredient in S. oblata that inhibits Streptococcus suis biofilm formation. Thus, the present study aims to explore the biosynthesis and molecular basis of flavonoids in S. oblata in response to different light intensity. Results In this study, it was shown that compared with natural (Z(0)) and 25% similar to 35% (Z(2)) light intensities, the rutin content of S. oblata under 50% similar to 60% (Z(1)) light intensity increased significantly. In addition, an integrated analysis of metabolome and transcriptome was performed using light intensity stress conditions from two kinds of light intensities which S. oblata was subjected to: Z(0) and Z(1). The results revealed that differential metabolites and genes were mainly related to the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. We found out that 13 putative structural genes and a transcription factor bHLH were significantly up-regulated in Z(1). Among them, integration analysis showed that 3 putative structural genes including 4CL1, CYP73A and CYP75B1 significantly up-regulated the rutin biosynthesis, suggesting that these putative genes may be involved in regulating the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway, thereby making them key target genes in the whole metabolic process. Conclusions The present study provided helpful information to search for the novel putative genes that are potential targets for S. oblata in response to light intensity.