Integrated pathway-based and network-based analysis of GC-MS rice metabolomics data under diazinon stress to infer affected biological pathways

Diazinon insecticide is widely applied in rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields in Iran. However, concerns are now being raised about its potential adverse impacts on rice. In this study, a time-course metabolic change in rice plants was investigated after diazinon treatment using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and subsequently three different methods, MetaboAnalyst, MetaboNetwork, and analysis of reporter reactions, as a potential multivariate method were used to find the underlying changes in metabolism with stronger evidence in order to link differentially expressed metabolites to biological pathways. Results clearly showed the similarity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of rice plants to that of animals in terms of its inhibitability by diazinon and emphasized that subsequent accumulation of AChE mainly affects the metabolism of osmolites and tricarboxylic acid intermediates subsequent accumulation of ACh mainly affects the metabolism of osmolites and TCA intermediates.