title: MAPK-mediated regulation of growth and essential oil composition in a salt-tolerant peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) under NaCl stress.
abstract: Peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.) is an important and commonly used flavoring agent worldwide, and salinity is a major stress that limits plant growth and reduces crop productivity. This work demonstrated the metabolic responses of essential oil production including the yield and component composition, gene expression, enzyme activity, and protein activation in a salt-tolerant peppermint Keyuan-1 with respect to NaCl stress. Our results showed that Keyuan-1 maintained normal growth and kept higher yield and content of essential oils under NaCl stress than wild-type (WT) peppermint.Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and qPCR results showed that compared to WT seedlings, a 150-mM NaCl stress exerted no obvious changes in essential oil composition, transcriptional level of enzymes related to essential oil metabolism, and activity of pulegone reductase (Pr) in Keyuan-1 peppermint which preserved the higher amount of menthol and menthone as well as the lower content of menthofuran upon the 150-mM NaCl stress. Furthermore, it was noticed that a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) protein exhibited a time-dependent activation in the Keyuan-1 peppermint and primarily involved in the modulation of the essential oil metabolism in the transcript and enzyme levels during the 12-day treatment of 150 mM NaCl. In all, our data elucidated the effect of NaCl on metabolic responses of essential oil production, and demonstrated the MAPK-dependent regulation mechanism of essential oil biosynthesis in the salt-tolerant peppermint, providing scientific basis for the economic and ecological utilization of peppermint in saline land.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, 250014, China. lizh@sdas.org.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Aglient Technologies (China) Co., Ltd, Beijing, 100102, China.
authors.forename: Wenwen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Bioengineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, 250353, China.
authors.forename: Guilong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, 250014, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, 250014, China.|Division of Ecosystem Science, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Clayton South, VIC, 3169, Australia.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, 250014, China.
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, 250014, China.
authors.forename: Zhongjuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, 250014, China.
authors.forename: Yanli
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, 250014, China.
authors.forename: Jishun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Center, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, 250014, China.
authors.forename: Hetong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D017343:Genes, Plant; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D036142:Mentha piperita / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D055432:Metabolomics; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D063245:Plant Development / Q000187:drug effects; D055049:Salt Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005419:Flavonoids; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D012965:Sodium Chloride; C054487:menthofuran; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one
keywords: Essential oil composition; Gene expression; Growth condition; MAPK cascade; Peppermint; Salt stress