Work

Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal flavonoid and lipid metabolic reprogramming in Dendrobiumofficinale during Colletotrichum fructicola -induced anthracnose

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum fructicola severely compromises the medicinal value and yield of Dendrobium officinale . To elucidate the host metabolic response to pathogen infection, we integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of D. officinale challenged with C. fructicola . Our results revealed a profound metabolic reprogramming orchestrated by the pathogen, characterized by upregulated flavonoid biosynthesis ( e.g. , DFR , LDOX activation) and enhanced lipid catabolism ( e.g. , β-oxidation via LACS , DECR , HACL ). Metabolite profiling demonstrated a significant reduction in phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) alongside increased free fatty acids, indicating active lipid degradation. Notably, acyl-CoA intermediates linked lipid catabolism to flavonoid production, suggesting a metabolic axis where pathogen-induced lipid breakdown fuels defense-related secondary metabolite synthesis. This study identifies flavonoid and lipid metabolic reprogramming as critical axes in host-pathogen interactions, providing a foundation for developing targeted disease control strategies.

Source: PeerJ

DOI: 10.7717/peerj.20563