Combined Transcriptome and Metabolome Analysis Reveals Adaptive Defense Responses to DON Induction in Potato

Abstract

<i>Phytophthora infestans</i> poses a serious threat to potato production, storage, and processing. Understanding plant immunity triggered by fungal elicitors is important for the effective control of plant diseases. However, the role of the potato stress response to <i>Fusarium</i> toxin deoxynivalenol (DON)-induced stress is still not fully understood. In this study, the metabolites of DON-treated potato tubers were studied for four time intervals using UPLC-MS/MS. We identified 676 metabolites, and differential accumulation metabolite analysis showed that alkaloids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids were the major differential metabolites that directly determined defense response. Transcriptome data showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in phenylpropane and flavonoid metabolic pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified many hub genes, some of which modulate plant immune responses. This study is important for understanding the metabolic changes, transcriptional regulation, and physiological responses of active and signaling substances during DON induction, and it will help to design defense strategies against <i>Phytophthora infestans</i> in potato.