Integrated transcriptome and metabolome analysis provide insights into the mechanism of saponin biosynthesis and its role in alleviating cadmium-induced oxidative damage in Ophiopogon japonicum.

Zhe-Maidong, a cultivar of Ophiopogon japonicus is a prominent traditional herbal medicine rich in saponins. This study explored the mechanism of saponin biosynthesis and its role in alleviating Cd-induced oxidative damage in the Zhe-Maidong cultivar using three experimental groups undergoing Cd stress. In the Cd-contaminated soil treatment, total saponins were 1.

Identification and characterization of the critical genes encoding Cd-induced enhancement of SOD isozymes activities in Zhe-Maidong ().

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) protects plants from abiotic stress-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) damage. Here, the effects of cadmium (Cd) exposure on ROS accumulation and SOD isozymes, as well as the identification of significant SOD isozyme genes, were investigated under different Cd stress treatments to Zhe-Maidong (). The exposure to Cd stress resulted in a notable elevation in the SOD activity in roots.

transcriptome combined with physiological analyses revealed key genes for cadmium accumulation in Zhe-Maidong ().

Introduction: Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that severely threatens safe food production. Zhe-Maidong, a well-known Chinese traditional herbal medicine, is susceptible to Cd stress. However, the characteristics of Cd transformation and migration, as well as the regulatory system for genes conferring Cd accumulation of Zhe-Maidong, remains an essential issue to be addressed.