Coumarin accumulation inthe root and canopy of Notopterygium franchetii at different growth stage
Transcriptomics analyses indicated that there were multiple genes differentially expressed between the root system and the canopy at different growth stages. These genes were associated with multiple pathways contributing to phenylalanine synthesis and metabolism. Moreover, the transcriptional activity of related enzyme-encoding genes did not differ significantly at each step of the pathway from the synthesis of umbelliferone to the formation of various coumarin compounds. Metabolomics analyses of the root and canopy indicated 491 differentially accumulated metabolites were involved in 82 metabolic pathways during the vegetative growth stage, while 572 differentially accumulated metabolites were associated with 76 metabolic pathways during the reproductive growth stage. Additionally, 307 differentially accumulated metabolites in both growth stages were involved in 14 metabolic pathways, many of which were related to coumarin biosynthesis. Overall design: the aboveground and belowground parts of 2-year-old plants were collected during the vegetative growth and reproductive growth periods