Measurement of metabolite variations and analysis of related gene expression in Chinese liquorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) plants under UV-B irradiation

Plants respond to UV-B irradiation (280-315 nm wavelength) via elaborate metabolic regulatory mechanisms that help them adapt to this stress. To investigate the metabolic response of the medicinal herb Chinese liquorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) to UV-B irradiation, we performed liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based metabolomic analysis, combined with analysis of differentially expressed genes in the leaves of plants exposed to UV-B irradiation at various time points. Fifty-four metabolites, primarily amino acids and flavonoids, exhibited changes in levels after the UV-B treatment. The amino acid metabolism was altered by UV-B irradiation: the Asp family pathway was activated and closely correlated to Glu. Some amino acids appeared to be converted into antioxidants such as γ-aminobutyric acid and glutathione. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed that various flavonoids with characteristic groups were induced by UV-B. In particular, the levels of some ortho-dihydroxylated B-ring flavonoids, which might function as scavengers of reactive oxygen species, increased in response to UV-B treatment. In general, unigenes encoding key enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis were upregulated by UV-B irradiation. These findings lay the foundation for further analysis of the mechanism underlying the response of G. uralensis to UV-B irradiation.