Functionally Divergent Alleles and Duplicated Loci Encoding an Acyltransferase Contribute to Acylsugar Metabolite Diversity in Solanum Trichomes

Glandular trichomes from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and other species in the Solanaceae produce and secrete a mixture of O-acylsugars (aliphatic esters of sucrose and glucose) that contribute to insect defense. Despite their phylogenetic distribution and diversity, relatively little is known about how these specialized metabolites are synthesized. Mass spectrometric profiling of acylsugars in the S. lycopersicum x Solanum pennellii introgression lines identified a chromosome 11 locus containing a cluster of BAHD acyltransferases with one gene (named Sl-ASAT3) expressed in tip cells of type I trichomes where acylsugars are made. Sl-ASAT3 was shown to encode an acyl-CoA-dependent acyltransferase that catalyzes the transfer of short (four to five carbons) branched acyl chains to the furanose ring of di-acylsucrose acceptors to produce tri-acylsucroses, which can be further acetylated by Sl-ASAT4 (previously Sl-AT2). Among the wild tomatoes, diversity in furanose ring acyl chains on acylsucroses was most striking in Solanum habrochaites. S. habrochaites accessions from Ecuador and northern Peru produced acylsucroses with short (≤C5) or no acyl chains on the furanose ring. Accessions from central and southern Peru had the ability to add short or long (up to C12) acyl chains to the furanose ring. Multiple ASAT3-like sequences were found in most accessions, and their in vitro activities correlated with observed geographical diversity in acylsugar profiles.     

Mass spectrometry screening reveals widespread diversity in trichome specialized metabolites of tomato chromosomal substitution lines

Glandular secreting trichomes of cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and close relatives produce a variety of structurally diverse volatile and non‐volatile specialized (‘secondary’) metabolites, including terpenes, flavonoids and acyl sugars. A genetic screen is described here to profile leaf trichome and surface metabolite extracts of nearly isogenic chromosomal substitution lines covering the tomato genome. These lines contain specific regions of the Solanum pennellii LA0716 genome in an otherwise ‘wild‐type’ M82 tomato genetic background. Regions that have an impact on the total amount of extractable mono‐ and sesquiterpenes (IL2‐2) or only sesquiterpenes (IL10‐3) or specifically influence accumulation of the monoterpene α‐thujene (IL1‐3 and IL1‐4) were identified using GC‐MS. A rapid LC‐TOF‐MS method was developed and used to identify changes in non‐volatile metabolites through non‐targeted analysis. Metabolite profiles generated using this approach led to the discovery of introgression lines producing different acyl chain substitutions on acyl sugar metabolites (IL1‐3/1‐4 and IL8‐1/8‐1‐1), as well as two regions that influence the quantity of acyl sugars (IL5‐3 and IL11‐3). Chromosomal region 1‐1/1‐1‐3 was found to influence the types of glycoalkaloids that are detected in leaf surface extracts. These results show that direct chemical screening is a powerful way to characterize genetic diversity in trichome specialized metabolism.     

Profiling,isolation and structure elucidation of specialized acylsucrose metabolites accumulating in trichomes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Petunia</Emphasis> species

Introduction

Acylsugar specialized metabolites function as defenses against insect herbivores, and are the most abundant specialized metabolites produced in Solanaceous trichomes. Metabolite profiling provides the foundation for determining the genetic basis of specialized metabolism and its evolution.

Objectives

To profile and identify acylsugar specialized metabolites in three Petunia species: P. axillaris, P. integrifolia and P. exserta.

Methods

Metabolites were profiled using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/TOF MS). Metabolites were purified using solid phase extraction and HPLC, and structures were established using NMR spectroscopy.

Results

Twenty-eight distinct acylsucrose formulas, representing a sampling of more than 100 different detected chemical forms, were purified from three Petunia species and structures have been proposed based on one- and two-dimensional NMR data. 15 of the 28 purified acylsugars were sucrose pentaesters that possess a malonyl group on the fructose ring. These malonate esters can be readily distinguished from other acylsugars based on distinct masses of pseudomolecular ions and fragment ions generated using multiplexed collision-induced dissociation. Chemical diversity of acylsugars was observed between Petunia species, particularly with respect to the lengths of acyl chains and specific acylation positions.

Conclusions

These findings suggest substrate selectivity of various acyltransferases in Petunia species.

     

Migration through a Major Andean Ecogeographic Disruption as a Driver of Genetic and Phenotypic Diversity in a Wild Tomato Species

Evolutionary dynamics at the population level play a central role in creating the diversity of life on our planet. In this study, we sought to understand the origins of such population-level variation in mating systems and defensive acylsugar chemistry in Solanum habrochaites—a wild tomato species found in diverse Andean habitats in Ecuador and Peru. Using Restriction-site-Associated-DNA-Sequencing (RAD-seq) of 50 S. habrochaites accessions, we identified eight population clusters generated via isolation and hybridization dynamics of 4–6 ancestral populations. Detailed characterization of mating systems of these clusters revealed emergence of multiple self-compatible (SC) groups from progenitor self-incompatible populations in the northern part of the species range. Emergence of these SC groups was also associated with fixation of deleterious alleles inactivating acylsugar acetylation. The Amotape-Huancabamba Zone—a geographical landmark in the Andes with high endemism and isolated microhabitats—was identified as a major driver of differentiation in the northern species range, whereas large geographical distances contributed to population structure and evolution of a novel SC group in the central and southern parts of the range, where the species was also inferred to have originated. Findings presented here highlight the role of the diverse ecogeography of Peru and Ecuador in generating population differentiation, and enhance our understanding of the microevolutionary processes that create biological diversity.     

Identification of methylated flavonoid regioisomeric metabolites using enzymatic semisynthesis and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Discrimination of isomeric methylated metabolites is an important step toward identifying genes responsible for methylation, but presents substantial challenges because authentic standards are often unavailable and mass spectra of isomers have been considered indistinguishable. In this report, an approach is described for identifying methyl group positions in multiply methylated flavonoid metabolites using combinations of tandem mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography retention, and site-selective methylation by recombinant O-methyltransferases from Solanum habrochaites LA1777. The basis for observed fragment ions in tandem mass spectra of multiply methylated myricetin was further established using enzymatic incorporation of deuterium-labeled methyl groups using S-adenosylmethionine-d ₃ as precursor.     

Combination of QTL affecting acylsugar chemistry reveals additive and epistatic genetic interactions to increase acylsugar profile diversity

The tomato breeding line, CU071026, was bred to accumulate high levels of the insect control compounds called acylsugars, which are exuded from glandular trichomes. The acylsugars of CU071026 exhibit a characteristic profile of acylsugar composition and constituent fatty acid acyl groups that is distinct from that of the progenitor wild tomato, Solanum pennellii LA716. A prior study reported the transfer of three QTL (FA2, FA7, and FA8), from S. pennellii LA716, that are associated with changes in acylsugar chemistry into CU071026 and demonstrated that the resulting lines, each of which possesses one of these QTL, displayed a unique acylsugar and fatty acid profile distinct from that characteristic of the acylsugars of CU071026 and each other. The current study utilized marker-assisted backcrossing to combine pairs of two of these QTL or all three of these QTL. This created a new set of lines, which allowed evaluation of the combinatory effects of FA2QTL, FA7QTL, and FA8QTL, on acylsugar level and acylsugar and fatty acid profile and diversity. Analysis of the new tomato lines revealed that these QTL interacted additively and epistatically to alter acylsugar level and chemistry, increasing the diversity of fatty acid constituents and/or acylsugar chemotypes present in the exudates of some of the lines. Extensive characterization of the lines for acylsugar level, through a spectrophotometric invertase assay, and acylsugar chemistry, through gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, allowed association of the QTL interactions with aspects of acylsugar chemotype. The evaluated fatty acids and acylsugars accumulated by the set of lines generally displayed high heritability and minimal environmental effect, which is discussed. The QTL interactions that govern a more diverse acylsugar and fatty acid profile provide valuable information for the generation of tomato lines with improved acylsugar efficacy against pests of tomato.     

Quantitative trait loci regulating sugar moiety of acylsugars in tomato

Acylsugars are broad-spectrum insect resistance sugar esters produced at very high levels by some accessions of the wild tomato, Solanum pennellii. Transferring acylsugar production from S. pennellii LA716 to cultivated tomato through traditional breeding developed the benchmark acylsugar breeding line CU071026. The base moiety of acylsugars (sucrose vs. glucose) can vary among S. pennellii accessions. Additionally the accession S. pennellii LA716 produces almost exclusively acylglucoses, but the breeding line CU071026 derived from S. pennellii LA716 produces exclusively acylsucroses. This study uses a BC1F1 and a BC1F2 population derived from the cross CU071026 × (CU071026 × S. pennellii LA716) to identify and confirm the action of three quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosomes 3, 4, and 11. The QTL on chromosomes 3 and 11 are both required for acylglucose production, while addition of the chromosome 4 QTL affects the level of acylglucose produced in the presence of the QTL on chromosomes 3 and 11. A three-way interaction between these acylglucose QTL was confirmed with a post hoc ANOVA. Identification of these three QTL provides a blueprint for breeding to shift acylsucrose production to acylglucose production in tomato breeding lines. The implications of these QTL and two additional QTL affecting total acylsugar level in the BC1F2 are discussed.     

Identification of methylated flavonoid regioisomeric metabolites using enzymatic semisynthesis and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Discrimination of isomeric methylated metabolites is an important step toward identifying genes responsible for methylation, but presents substantial challenges because authentic standards are often unavailable and mass spectra of isomers have been considered indistinguishable. In this report, an approach is described for identifying methyl group positions in multiply methylated flavonoid metabolites using combinations of tandem mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography retention, and site-selective methylation by recombinant O-methyltransferases from Solanum habrochaites LA1777. The basis for observed fragment ions in tandem mass spectra of multiply methylated myricetin was further established using enzymatic incorporation of deuterium-labeled methyl groups using S-adenosylmethionine-d ₃ as precursor.

     

Striking Natural Diversity in Glandular Trichome Acylsugar Composition Is Shaped by Variation at the Acyltransferase2 Locus in the Wild Tomato Solanum habrochaites

Acylsugars are polyesters of short- to medium-length acyl chains on sucrose or glucose backbones that are produced in secretory glandular trichomes of many solanaceous plants, including cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Despite their roles in biotic stress adaptation and their wide taxonomic distribution, there is relatively little information about the diversity of these compounds and the genes responsible for their biosynthesis. In this study, acylsugar diversity was assessed for 80 accessions of the wild tomato species Solanum habrochaites from throughout the Andes Mountains. Trichome metabolites were analyzed by liquid chromatography-time of flight-mass spectrometry, revealing the presence of at least 34 structurally diverse acylsucroses and two acylglucoses. Distinct phenotypic classes were discovered that varied based on the presence of glucose or sucrose, the numbers and lengths of acyl chains, and the relative total amounts of acylsugars. The presence or absence of an acetyl chain on the acylsucrose hexose ring caused clustering of the accessions into two main groups. Analysis of the Acyltransferase2 gene (the apparent ortholog of Solyc01g105580) revealed differences in enzyme activity and gene expression correlated with polymorphism in S. habrochaites accessions that varied in acylsucrose acetylation. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that glandular trichome acylsugar acetylation is under selective pressure in some populations of S. habrochaites and that the gene mutates to inactivity in the absence of selection.Trichomes are specialized epidermal cells that protrude from the surface of a variety of plant tissues. They are thought to protect against environmental stresses such as herbivory (Kang et al., 2010a; Weinhold and Baldwin, 2011), loss of water through transpiration, and UV irradiation (Zhou et al., 2007). In particular, secreting glandular trichomes (SGTs) serve as “chemical factories” where specialized metabolites are produced, stored, or volatized (Wagner, 1991; Schilmiller et al., 2008, 2010a). In addition, SGTs produce and secrete proteins on the plant surface for insect protection (Yu et al., 1992; Thipyapong et al., 1997) and pathogen defense (Shepherd et al., 2005). SGTs also contribute to the taste and smell of plants by releasing volatile metabolites. For example, the distinctive aromas of many Mediterranean herbs of the Lamiaceae (mint family) derive from SGTs (Schilmiller et al., 2008), and compounds from the glands of hops (Humulus lupulus in the Cannabaceae) contribute to beer flavor and aroma (Wang et al., 2008). Furthermore, a number of SGT-borne metabolites are commercially valuable, especially for pharmaceutical purposes. For example, artemisinin, a widely used antimalarial, is a sesquiterpene lactone from the trichomes of Artemisia annua (Liu et al., 2011). In addition to their value in foods and medicines, trichomes provide excellent models for analyzing biosynthetic enzymes and pathways (Schilmiller et al., 2008, 2009, 2012b; Bohlmann and Gershenzon, 2009; Sallaud et al., 2009).Plants in the genus Solanum include important crop species such as potato (Solanum tuberosum), eggplant (Solanum melongena), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Previous studies reported that SGTs of cultivated tomato and its wild relatives accumulate high levels of exudates containing a variety of specialized metabolites, for example flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids (Wagner, 1991; Schilmiller et al., 2008, 2010a; McDowell et al., 2011). Cultivated tomato and its wild relatives have morphologically and chemically diverse trichomes. For example, Luckwill (1943) defined seven morphologically distinguishable types of trichomes in plants of this genus, including four glandular types (types 1, 4, 6, and 7; Supplemental Fig. S1; for more Solanum spp. trichome images, see Kang et al., 2010a, 2010b). The presence of specific types of trichomes and their densities vary across species and even within a single plant according to tissue types, developmental stages, and environmental conditions (Werker, 2000; Li et al., 2004). These morphologically distinct SGTs vary in the amounts and types of metabolites that they produce, accumulate, and/or secrete (Werker, 2000). For example, S. lycopersicum M82 leaf type 6 SGTs accumulate the sesquiterpenes β-caryophyllene and α-humulene, while the glands on the stem lack these metabolites (Schilmiller et al., 2010b). There are also species- and accession-specific differences in SGT metabolite profiles. For instance, methylketones accumulate in type 6 glands of a subset of Solanum habrochaites accessions (Fridman et al., 2005; Yu et al., 2010). Similarly, acylglucoses are highly abundant in type 4 glands of Solanum pennellii LA0716, while acylsucroses predominate in S. lycopersicum and S. habrochaites (Shapiro et al., 1994; McDowell et al., 2011). The chemical and morphological diversity of trichomes in different Solanum species and accessions makes the genus an attractive target for the identification of diverse trichome-borne metabolites and the major biosynthetic pathways responsible for their synthesis operating in each trichome type.The value of the comparative metabolomics approach in trichomes was recently demonstrated in studies of Solanum spp. trichome monoterpene and sesquiterpene biosynthesis (Bohlmann and Gershenzon, 2009; Sallaud et al., 2009; Schilmiller et al., 2009). It was discovered that S. lycopersicum SGTs synthesize monoterpenes from the cis-prenyldiphosphate intermediate neryldiphosphate (Sallaud et al., 2009; Schilmiller et al., 2009). This is contrary to the previous paradigm, where the trans-prenyldiphosphate geranyldiphosphate was considered the universal intermediate for monoterpene biosynthesis. An analogous example of biosynthetic innovation was reported for SGTs of S. habrochaites LA1777 (Sallaud et al., 2009), shown to produce sesquiterpenes in the plastid using the all-cis-prenyldiphosphate substrate Z,Z-farnesyldiphosphate. This is counter to the commonly described cytosolic sesquiterpene pathway, which uses the all-trans-sesquiterpene synthase substrate E,E-farnesyldiphosphate. Furthermore, a recent study demonstrated chemical diversity of trichome terpenes in geographically distinct S. habrochaites accessions associated with the evolution of terpene synthases, revealing how the plasticity of biosynthetic enzymes contributes to chemical complexity and diversity (Gonzales-Vigil et al., 2012). These observations suggest that trichome specialized metabolism is evolutionarily plastic, perhaps due to selective pressure from insects or other environmental stress agents.Acylsugars are sticky exudates made in SGTs that are thought to physically or chemically improve plant defense (Mirnezhad et al., 2010; Weinhold and Baldwin, 2011). Results from the literature indicate strong acylsugar diversity in various Solanum spp. trichomes (Schilmiller et al., 2010a, 2010b; McDowell et al., 2011). Acylsugars are categorized as either Suc or Glc esters based on the type of sugar core (Fig. 1), and they also have varying numbers and lengths of acyl chains decorating the sugar moiety. In particular, S. pennellii accumulates enormous amounts of acylsugars, up to 20% of leaf dry weight (Fobes et al., 1985). In addition, previously published data showed that total acylsugars in geographically distinct S. pennellii accessions vary in quantity, the proportion of Suc or Glc backbones, and the overall types of fatty acid esters (FAs) on the sugars (Shapiro et al., 1994). However, this study did not identify specific acylsugar types.Open in a separate windowFigure 1.Structural classes of acylsugars in Solanum species. A, Schematic structure of an acylglucose. The structure shown depicts a Glc triester composed of Glc and three acyl chains with various numbers of carbons represented as R. B, Schematic structure of an acylsucrose. The proposed structure shows a Suc tetraester with three acyl chains on the Glc ring and one on the Fru ring. If the sugar moiety is decorated with three, four, or five acyl chains, it is referred to as a Suc triester, tetraester, or pentaester, respectively. The positions of the acyl chains are currently unknown, with the exception of the most abundant acylsugar in cultivated tomato (M82) that was structurally characterized by NMR (Schilmiller et al., 2010a). In addition, a few acylsugars were isolated and reported from S. habrochaites and other species by King et al. (1990, 1993). Note the changes in nomenclature since these papers were published: Lycopersicum typicum LA1777 is now called S. habrochaites LA1777, and Lycopersicum hirsutum has been changed to S. habrochaites.To explore the detailed acylsugar chemotypes within accessions of one species, we focused on 80 accessions collected throughout the geographical range of S. habrochaites in Peru and Ecuador (Supplemental Table S1). We describe differences in sugar backbone as well as numbers and lengths of acyl chains, including the presence or absence of an acetyl group, which we found to be a major difference in accessions from the southern and northern Andes Mountains. The recent identification of the acyltransferase2 enzyme (SlAT2; encoded by Solyc01g105580), involved in acylsucrose biosynthesis in S. lycopersicum (Schilmiller et al., 2012a), permitted a test of the hypothesis that differences in expression or activity of this enzyme play an important role in the chemical diversity observed. The results extend previous evidence that Solanum spp. SGT chemistry is highly dynamic (Gonzales-Vigil et al., 2012) and show that the AT2 gene is surprisingly diverse across populations of S. habrochaites.     

Quantitative trait loci regulating the fatty acid profile of acylsugars in tomato

Acylsugars are secondary metabolites with proven insect resistance properties that are produced by many Solanaceous species including Solanum pennellii, a wild relative of tomato. The acylsugar chemotypes of S. pennellii varies greatly within its natural range and might be the product of plant/insect coevolution. The S. pennellii accession LA716 was used to transfer increased levels of acylsugar production into the cultivated tomato, resulting in the acylsugar tomato breeding line CU071026. S. pennellii accession LA716 produces high levels of acylsugars with chemotypes that differ greatly from those produced by CU071026 or the trace acylsugars of cultivated tomato. Understanding the genetic regulation of acylsugar chemistry will aid efforts to breed acylsugar production into cultivated tomato, allowing for alteration of both acylsugar base moieties and fatty acid profiles. This study uses a BC1F1 population produced from the cross of S. pennellii LA716 and CU071026 with CU071026 as the recurrent parent to identify QTL that change the fatty acid profile of acylsugars. Multiple QTL and epistatic interactions between QTL were detected including three QTL on chromosomes 2, 5, and 7, which significantly alter the percentage of extended iso-odd branched fatty acids and straight chain fatty acids on the acylsugars. We also report the introgression of one of these QTL, FA 2, into CU071026, resulting in a new tomato line with significantly increased i11:0 as a percentage of the fatty acids in its acylsugars. Candidate genes for these QTL and the impacts of altering acylsugar fatty acid are discussed.     

Differential and Synergistic Functionality of Acylsugars in Suppressing Oviposition by Insect Herbivores

Acylsugars are secondary metabolites exuded from type IV glandular trichomes that provide broad-spectrum insect suppression for Solanum pennellii Correll, a wild relative of cultivated tomato. Acylsugars produced by different S. pennellii accessions vary by sugar moieties (glucose or sucrose) and fatty acid side chains (lengths and branching patterns). Our objective was to determine which acylsugar compositions more effectively suppressed oviposition of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Middle East—Asia Minor 1 Group), tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds), and western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande). We extracted and characterized acylsugars from four S. pennellii accessions with different compositions, as well as from an acylsugar-producing tomato breeding line. We also fractionated the acylsugars of one S. pennellii accession to examine the effects of its components. Effects of acylsugars on oviposition were evaluated by administering a range of doses to oviposition sites of adult whiteflies and thrips in non-choice and choice bioassays, respectively. The acylsugars from S. pennellii accessions and the tomato breeding line demonstrated differential functionality in their ability to alter the distribution of whitefly oviposition and suppress oviposition on acylsugar treated substrates. Tobacco thrips were sensitive to all compositions while western flower thrips and whiteflies were more sensitive to acylsugars from a subset of S. pennellii accessions. It follows that acylsugars could thus mediate plant-enemy interactions in such a way as to affect evolution of host specialization, resistance specificity, and potentially host differentiation or local adaptation. The acylsugars from S. pennellii LA1376 were separated by polarity into two fractions that differed sharply for their sugar moieties and fatty acid side chains. These fractions had different efficacies, with neither having activity approaching that of the original exudate. When these two fractions were recombined, the effect on both whiteflies and thrips exceeded the sum of the two fractions’ effects, and was similar to that of the original exudate. These results suggest that increasing diversity of components within a mixture may increase suppression through synergistic interactions. This study demonstrates the potential for composition-specific deployment of acylsugars for herbivore oviposition suppression, either through in planta production by tomato lines, or as biocides applied by a foliar spray.     

不同番茄材料对B型烟粉虱个体发育和繁殖能力的影响

以甘蓝寄主上连续繁殖多代后的B型烟粉虱为对象,对其在8种番茄材料(4个栽培番茄、3个多毛番茄和1个醋栗番茄)上的产卵量、体型大小、发育历期、存活率以及第2代成虫的产卵量和寿命等生物学参数进行观察.自然情况下(10:00-14:00)接虫,烟粉虱在多毛番茄LA2329上的平均产卵量显著低于栽培番茄9706上的产卵量(分别为11粒,164粒).羽化后,烟粉虱雌虫在多毛番茄LA1777上的寿命显著低于在栽培番茄Moneymaker上的存活寿命(分别为5d,22d);而羽化后雌虫在LA1777上的平均产卵量显著低于在栽培番茄早粉2号上的产卵量(分别为7粒/头,95粒/头).在其他参数,如体型大小、存活率、发育历期等,没有显著性的变化.结果显示,较多毛番茄而言,栽培番茄是烟粉虱的较好寄主.而且,在评价抗烟粉虱番茄材料时,平均产卵量、羽化后雌虫寿命及产卵量是3个有效的评价参数.     

Quantitative trait loci increasing acylsugars in tomato breeding lines and their impacts on silverleaf whiteflies

Solanum pennellii LA716, a wild relative of tomato, produces acylsugars, an insect resistance compound with activity against many tomato insect pests. Breeding of cultivated tomato using S. pennellii LA716 as a donor parent has led to the development of the elite acylsugar-producing tomato breeding line CU071026. CU071026 contains five introgressed S. pennellii genomic regions, and produces acylsugars at moderate levels that are effective against insect pests. A BC1F1 population was created by crossing the F1 CU071026?×?S. pennellii LA716 with CU071026 as the recurrent parent; this BC1F1 population was used to identify additional regions of the S. pennellii genome important for further improvement of acylsugar production. This population was genotyped with 94 markers in the segregating regions and phenotyped for level of acylsugar production. Using QTLNetwork 2.1 for the detection of quantitative trait loci (QTL) and epistatic interactions, this study identified five QTL for total acylsugar level. Additionally, two epistatic interactions between QTL were found to control significant levels of total acylsugar production. Two of the QTL identified were further evaluated in silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) field cage trials using acylsugar breeding lines that differ for the presence/absence of these QTL. While high levels of silverleaf whitefly resistance were observed in all acylsugar breeding lines, lines containing the additional QTL on either chromosomes 6 or 10 had increased levels of total acylsugar production and reduced incidence of whitefly. Acylsugar lines containing the chromosome 6 QTL also had increased density of the type IV glandular trichomes which produce and exude acylsugars.     

Introgression of acylsugar chemistry QTL modifies the composition and structure of acylsugars produced by high-accumulating tomato lines

Acylsugars are important insect defense compounds produced at high levels by glandular trichomes of the wild tomato, Solanum pennellii. The ability to produce acylsugars at elevated levels was bred into the tomato line CU071026. This study utilized a marker-assisted backcross approach to individually introgress into CU071026 and to fine map the three quantitative trait loci (QTL) fatty acid 5 (FA5QTL), fatty acid 7 (FA7QTL), and fatty acid 8 (FA8QTL), which were previously associated with changes in acylsugar chemistry. Additional breeding with and fine mapping the previously introgressed QTL, fatty acid 2 (FA2QTL), was also conducted. The effect of these four QTL on acylsugar quality and quantity in the presence of the five introgressions of CU071026 was evaluated. Incorporation of the QTL altered acylsugar chemotype by modulating the length, orientation, and/or relative proportion of fatty acid acyl groups. The resulting quantities of acylsugar produced in most of the new lines were similar to that of CU071026; however, introgression of FA5QTL reduced acylsugar levels. The acylsugar lines containing each QTL were characterized for acylsugar level, trichome abundance, and acylsugar chemistry through gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The novel acylsugar chemotype lines created can contribute to elucidation of the mechanism of insect resistance mediated by acylsugars and help with identification of yet-unknown genes contributing to acylsugar synthesis and diversity.     

Metabolomics and molecular marker analysis to explore pepper (Capsicum sp.) biodiversity

An overview of the metabolic diversity in ripe fruits of a collection of 32 diverse pepper (Capsicum sp.) accessions was obtained by measuring the composition of both semi-polar and volatile metabolites in fruit pericarp, using untargeted LC–MS and headspace GC–MS platforms, respectively. Accessions represented C. annuum, C. chinense, C. frutescens and C. baccatum species, which were selected based on variation in morphological characters, pungency and geographic origin. Genotypic analysis using AFLP markers confirmed the phylogenetic clustering of accessions according to Capsicum species and separated C. baccatum from the C. annuum–C. chinense–C. frutescens complex. Species-specific clustering was also observed when accessions were grouped based on their semi-polar metabolite profiles. In total 88 semi-polar metabolites could be putatively identified. A large proportion of these metabolites represented conjugates of the main pepper flavonoids (quercetin, apigenin and luteolin) decorated with different sugar groups at different positions along the aglycone. In addition, a large group of acyclic diterpenoid glycosides, called capsianosides, was found to be highly abundant in all C. annuum genotypes. In contrast to the variation in semi-polar metabolites, the variation in volatiles corresponded well to the differences in pungency between the accessions. This was particularly true for branched fatty acid esters present in pungent accessions, which may reflect the activity through the acyl branch of the metabolic pathway leading to capsaicinoids. In addition, large genetic variation was observed for many well-established pepper aroma compounds. These profiling data can be used in breeding programs aimed at improving metabolite-based quality traits such as flavour and health-related metabolites in pepper fruits.     

Combination of Acylglucose QTL reveals additive and epistatic genetic interactions and impacts insect oviposition and virus infection

Acylsugars are important insect defense compounds produced at high levels by glandular trichomes of the wild tomato, Solanum pennellii. Marker-assisted selection was used to select for plants containing the three AGQTL named AG3QTL, AG4QTL, and AG11QTL from self-pollinated populations derived from an interspecific backcross population of CU071026 x (CU071026 x S. pennellii LA716). High acylglucose-accumulating lines were selected from these populations that possess these three AGQTL and the fewest number of extraneous S. pennellii LA716 introgressions. Incorporation of these three acylglucose QTL in the presence of the five standard S. pennellii introgressions of CU071026 altered acylsugar level and sugar moiety, demonstrating epistatic interactions between the acylglucose QTL on both of these traits. Comparison of the lines generated from the two breeding techniques indicated the three acylglucose QTL are essential but not necessarily sufficient for the production of elevated levels of acylglucose acylsugars. Fine-mapping of AG3QTL, AG4QTL, and AG11QTL resulted in less than 1 Mbp intervals for the locations of AG4QTL and AG11QTL; proposals of the causal genes underlying these acylglucose QTL are discussed. Characterization of the fatty acid profile of lines selected out of the interspecific backcross populations revealed an increase in the proportion of acylsugar n-C10 fatty acid acyl chains, possibly governed by one or more of the three acylglucose QTL. Characterization of the acylsugar profile of acylglucose lines selected from the interspecific backcross populations also demonstrated interactions among the acylglucose QTL to further modulate the diversity of acylsugars accumulated. Evaluation of an acylglucose line and controls against the tomato insect pest Frankliniella occidentalis demonstrated that levels of resistance differed among these lines and that the acylsugars accumulated by the acylglucose line were effective at reducing both F. occidentalis oviposition and incidence of Tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus. However, of some of the acylglucose lines and hybrids tested against Spodoptera exigua did not indicate differences for larval weight gain and survival.     

Relative Mass Defect Filtering of Mass Spectra: A Path to Discovery of Plant Specialized Metabolites

The rapid identification of novel plant metabolites and assignments of newly discovered substances to natural product classes present the main bottlenecks to defining plant specialized phenotypes. Although mass spectrometry provides powerful support for metabolite discovery by measuring molecular masses, ambiguities in elemental formulas often fail to reveal the biosynthetic origins of specialized metabolites detected using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. A promising approach for mining liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolite profiling data for specific metabolite classes is achieved by calculating relative mass defects (RMDs) from molecular and fragment ions. This strategy enabled the rapid recognition of an extensive range of terpenoid metabolites in complex plant tissue extracts and is independent of retention time, abundance, and elemental formula. Using RMD filtering and tandem mass spectrometry data analysis, 24 novel elemental formulas corresponding to glycosylated sesquiterpenoid metabolites were identified in extracts of the wild tomato Solanum habrochaites LA1777 trichomes. Extensive isomerism was revealed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography, leading to evidence of more than 200 distinct sesquiterpenoid metabolites. RMD filtering led to the recognition of the presence of glycosides of two unusual sesquiterpenoid cores that bear limited similarity to known sesquiterpenes in the genus Solanum. In addition, RMD filtering is readily applied to existing metabolomics databases and correctly classified the annotated terpenoid metabolites in the public metabolome database for Catharanthus roseus.Plant metabolic networks generate amazing chemical diversity, but our understanding of the genetic factors responsible for plant chemistry remains primitive. The discovery and identification of metabolites has posed the greatest bottleneck in recent efforts to exploit metabolomics to address questions about the basis for biosynthetic diversity in the plant kingdom (Ji et al., 2009; Zhou et al., 2012). Since the specialized metabolism of nonmodel plants is taxonomically restricted, metabolite databases offer a poor representation of plant chemical diversity, and de novo recognition and discovery of metabolite chemistry is necessary. A common strategy for metabolite discovery has often started with the generation of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) spectra, usually beginning with the most abundant metabolites, and uses characteristic fragment ions to assign metabolites to a particular class of compounds. Flavonoid identification from MS/MS spectra is often successful because most flavonoids yield MS/MS fragment ions characteristic of their flavonoid cores (Ma et al., 1997; Li et al., 2013). However, when MS/MS spectra fail to display class-characteristic fragment ions, the recognition of a metabolite’s structural class is less obvious.Specialized plant metabolites are often grouped as polyphenolic, terpenoid, alkaloid, polyketide, or fatty acid metabolites based upon the biosynthesis of their core scaffolds, which often undergo subsequent metabolic decoration such as glycosylation. Among phytochemicals, terpenoids offer perhaps the greatest structural diversity. This feature makes them useful as chemical defenses and as the foundation for candidate drugs (Ajikumar et al., 2008; Goodger and Woodrow, 2011), and the commercial importance of terpenes makes their discovery and synthesis an important research focus (Zwenger and Basu, 2008). Terpenoids exhibit remarkable structural diversity resulting from varied metabolic cyclizations, oxidations, rearrangements, and branching reactions (Chappell, 1995; Mizutani and Ohta, 2010) and from diversity in glycosylation (Dembitsky, 2006; Goodger and Woodrow, 2011). Such structural diversity challenges investigators to recognize novel terpenoids in a complex matrix (Pfander and Stoll, 1991; Fraga, 2012), because few features in the MS/MS spectra of nonvolatile terpenoids provide reliable keys for their annotation as terpenoids. As a result, nonvolatile terpenoids represent an underappreciated group of plant specialized metabolites.Advances in chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS) have enabled the detection of a broad range of natural products, and characteristic ions in mass spectra have been useful for distinguishing compound classes. While gas chromatography-MS has enabled the identification of volatile and semivolatile terpenes for decades, it is not a suitable approach for nonvolatile conjugated terpenoids unless they are first cleaved to form volatile products or derivatized to increase volatility. Furthermore, MS/MS fragment ions characteristic of terpenoid glycosides have yet to be documented, and the characterization of conjugated terpenoids has been limited largely to saponins that share a common steroidal or triterpenoid core (Challinor and De Voss, 2013). In contrast with other specialized metabolite classes, the diversity of terpenoid cores dictates that fragment ions specific to terpenoids often fail to provide for the universal recognition of metabolites within this class, particularly for two situations: (1) when terpenoids are glycosylated and MS/MS spectra are dominated by fragment ions derived from the carbohydrate, and (2) when mass spectra are generated in negative ion mode, which often yields limited cleavage of carbon-carbon bonds in the terpenoid core that might serve as terpenoid indicators. The structural diversity of the terpenoid cores yields different fragments in MS/MS spectra of different nonvolatile terpenoids, as has been demonstrated for a series of saponins (Huhman and Sumner, 2002). Therefore, annotations of terpene glycosides in a metabolite profile have been driven by the absence of fragment ions in mass spectra that represent other classes of molecules (Ward et al., 2011).Despite its limited capabilities in differentiating stereoisomers, MS plays important roles in the discovery of natural products and the elucidation of their structures (Lei et al., 2011). Modern medium- to high-resolution mass spectrometers have provided greater (low-ppm) mass measurement accuracy. Such mass measurement errors may be more pronounced than measurements for an individual sample when they represent an average mass extracted from large metabolomics data sets. For metabolites of relatively low molecular mass, such measurements provide sufficient information to assign molecular formulas, but for metabolites of higher (greater than 500 D) molecular masses, formula assignments often are ambiguous owing to the large number of formulas consistent with a molecular mass (Kind and Fiehn, 2007). Moreover, assignments of molecular formulas often fail to yield reliable assignments of metabolites to specific biosynthetic origins.In this report, we examine specialized metabolites of the wild tomato Solanum habrochaites LA1777, which has been studied extensively for its plant defense compounds, including volatile sesquiterpenoids and acyl sugars (Coates et al., 1988; Ghosh et al., 2014). Our recent discovery of a few glycosylated sesquiterpenoids in this accession suggested the metabolic capacity to form such metabolites in the genus (Ekanayaka et al., 2014). It is the intent of this report to present a framework for the accelerated discovery of terpenoid glycosides from mass spectra generated using common instruments such as time-of-flight mass spectrometers that provide intermediate mass resolution and low-ppm mass accuracy using S. habrochaites LA1777 as an example.     

Toward better annotation in plant metabolomics: isolation and structure elucidation of 36 specialized metabolites from Oryza sativa (rice) by using MS/MS and NMR analyses

Metabolomics plays an important role in phytochemical genomics and crop breeding; however, metabolite annotation is a significant bottleneck in metabolomic studies. In particular, in liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomics, which has become a routine technology for the profiling of plant-specialized metabolites, a substantial number of metabolites detected as MS peaks are still not assigned properly to a single metabolite. Oryza sativa (rice) is one of the most important staple crops in the world. In the present study, we isolated and elucidated the structures of specialized metabolites from rice by using MS/MS and NMR. Thirty-six compounds, including five new flavonoids and eight rare flavonolignan isomers, were isolated from the rice leaves. The MS/MS spectral data of the isolated compounds, with a detailed interpretation of MS fragmentation data, will facilitate metabolite annotation of the related phytochemicals by enriching the public mass spectral data depositories, including the plant-specific MS/MS-based database, ReSpect.