Integrated Analysis of Transcriptomics and Proteomics Provides Insights into the Accumulation Mechanism of Ascorbic Acid in Rosa roxburghii Tratt

TL;DR

This study explores how Rosa roxburghii accumulates high levels of vitamin C using transcriptomic and proteomic data.

Contribution

The first integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of ascorbic acid accumulation in Rosa roxburghii.

Findings

Ascorbic acid concentration in RRT fruits increases linearly, peaking at 2274.60 mg/(100 g FW) at maturity.

DEGs and DAPs are mainly linked to the ascorbate and aldarate metabolism pathway, indicating its key role in AsA accumulation.

Abstract

Rosa roxburghii Tratt (RRT) is widely cultivated in Guizhou Province, China. In recent years, RRT has emerged as one of the most promising new fruit crops in China, primarily because of its remarkably high levels of ascorbic acid (AsA). In this research, we assessed the AsA levels in RRT across various growth phases. The findings demonstrate that the AsA concentration in RRT fruits progressively increased in a linear fashion throughout development, peaking at 2274.60 mg/(100 g FW) when the fruit reached maturity (84 DAA). Furthermore, we conducted an integrated analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic data for the first time to investigate the mechanisms responsible for AsA accumulation in RRT. Our results show that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were primarily associated with the ascorbate and aldarate metabolism pathway, suggesting that this pathway plays a crucial role in regulating AsA accumulation in RRT. This study elucidates the molecular mechanism underlying AsA accumulation in RRT and provides a robust scientific foundation for subsequent research on AsA accumulation in RRT.

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