Multi-omics analysis elucidates adaptive microbe--plant--metabolite
crosstalk in medicinal plant Schisandra sphenanthera
Abstract
Understanding how medicinal plants adapt to environmental changes is
critical for optimizing their growth, yield, and pharmacological
quality. This study investigates the adaptive mechanisms of
Schisandra sphenanthera following ecological migration from
Luanchuan (LC) to Tongdao (TD), focusing on the interplay between
metabolic reprogramming, microbial community dynamics, and
transcriptional regulation. Utilizing an integrative multi-omics
approach—combining metabolomics (HPLC-MS), transcriptomics (RNA-seq),
and metagenomics—we identified 2,627 metabolites, 57,061 unigenes, and
significant shifts in microbial community structures. Notably, the
accumulation of lignans (e.g., Schisandrin A, B, C) and triterpenoids
(e.g., hydroxymexicanoic acid, ganoderic acid) significantly increased
in TD, while flavonoid compounds (e.g., apigenin, daidzein) decreased,
indicating a resource allocation trade-off consistent with the ”energy
allocation hypothesis.” Concurrently, rhizosphere microbial communities
shifted from Alphaproteobacteria dominance in LC to Actinobacteria
prevalence in TD, with implications for nitrogen fixation and pathogen
suppression. Transcriptomic analyses revealed extensive reprogramming,
with upregulation of key genes ( PAL, 4CL, SQS)
linked to secondary metabolism, and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network
Analysis (WGCNA) highlighted MAPK signaling pathways mediating
plant-microbe interactions. These findings elucidate a complex
regulatory network where environmental stress triggers microbial
community restructuring, transcriptional reprogramming, and secondary
metabolism remodeling, ultimately facilitating ecological adaptation.