Integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis reveals antioxidant machinery in grapevine exposed to salt and alkali stress

Abstract Plant acclimation to salt and alkali stress is closely linked to the ability of the antioxidant system to mediate the scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, we investigated the effects of salt stress and alkali stress on ROS, antioxidant enzymes, transcriptome, and metabolome. The results showed that the levels of superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde, and electrolyte leakage increased under salt and alkali stress, with higher concentrations observed under alkali stress than salt stress. The activities of superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1), peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7), catalase (EC 1.11.1.6), ascorbate peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.11), glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2), dehydroascorbate reductase (EC 1.8.5.1), and monodehydroascorbate reductase (EC 1.6.5.4) varied under salt and alkali stress. The transcriptome analysis revealed the induction of signal transduction and metabolic processes and differential expression of genes encoding antioxidant enzymes in response to salt and alkali stress. The metabolome analysis demonstrated increased ascorbic acid and glutathione under salt stress, while most phenolic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids increased under salt and alkali stress. Integrative analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome data revealed that the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway played a key role in the grapevine's response to salt stress. The total flavonoid content increased under salt and alkali stress, but the accumulation of flavonoids was higher under salt stress than alkali stress. In conclusion, our findings indicate significant differences in the antioxidant defense of grapevines under these two stresses, providing insight into distinct acclimation mechanisms in grapevine under salt and alkali stress.