Sambucus williamsii Raw sequence reads
This study employed transcriptomic and bioinformatic analyses to construct a transcriptome database for three S. williamsii tissues-root, leaf, and stem-and extracted genes related to flavonoid biosynthesis. A total of 90,635 unigenes with an average length of 971 base pairs were obtained, including 43 differentially expressed genes associated with the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Through correlation analysis, four S. williamsii 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (Sw4CL) genes were identified as candidate regulatory genes potentially involved in the regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis. Subsequently, a phylogenetic tree and structural model of Sw4CL were constructed. The study further investigated the secondary and tertiary structures of Sw4CL and established a molecular docking model with cinnamic acid. Additionally, network pharmacology analysis was performed to examine the main pathways and targets of S. williamsii flavonoids in the intervention of osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Finally, the expression levels of 12 single genes encoding key enzymes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis were validated using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. This study provides a basis for further exploration of transcriptional-level candidate genes involved in the regulation of flavonoid biosynthesis and offers scientific evidence for Sambucus plants development and utilization.