Comprehensive transcriptome and metabolome profiling reveal metabolic mechanisms of Nitraria sibirica Pall. to salt stress

Nitraria sibirica Pall., a typical halophyte that can survive under extreme drought conditions and in saline-alkali environments, exhibits strong salt tolerance and environmental adaptability. Understanding the mechanism of molecular and physiological metabolic response to salt stress of plant will better promote the cultivation and use of halophytes. To explore the mechanism of molecular and physiological metabolic of N. sibirica response to salt stress, two-month-old seedlings were treated with 0, 100, and 400 mM NaCl. The results showed that the differentially expressed genes between 100 and 400 mmol L−1 NaCl and unsalted treatment showed significant enrichment in GO terms such as binding, cell wall, extemal encapsulating structure, extracellular region and nucleotide binding. KEGG enrichment analysis found that NaCl treatment had a significant effect on the metabolic pathways in N. sibirica leaves, which mainly including plant-pathogen interaction, amino acid metabolism of the beta alanine, arginine, proline and glycine metabolism, carbon metabolism of glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, galactose, starch and sucrose metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction and spliceosome. Metabolomics analysis found that the differential metabolites between the unsalted treatment and the NaCl treatment are mainly amino acids (proline, aspartic acid, methionine, etc.), organic acids (oxaloacetic acid, fumaric acid, nicotinic acid, etc.) and polyhydric alcohols (inositol, ribitol, etc.), etc. KEGG annotation and enrichment analysis showed that 100 mmol L−1 NaCl treatment had a greater effect on the sulfur metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism in N. sibirica leaves, while various amino acid metabolism, TCA cycle, photosynthetic carbon fixation and sulfur metabolism and other metabolic pathways have been significantly affected by 400 mmol L−1 NaCl treatment. Correlation analysis of differential genes in transcriptome and differential metabolites in metabolome have found that the genes of AMY2, BAM1, GPAT3, ASP1, CML38 and RPL4 and the metabolites of L-cysteine, proline, 4-aminobutyric acid and oxaloacetate played an important role in N. sibirica salt tolerance control. This is a further improvement of the salt tolerance mechanism of N. sibirica, and it will provide a theoretical basis and technical support for treatment of saline-alkali soil and the cultivation of halophytes.