Abstract
In this study, we report on the use of NMR-based metabolomics to access variation in low molecular weight polar metabolites between the European wheat cultivars Apache, Charger, Claire and Orvantis. Previous unassigned resonances in the published NMR spectra of wheat extracts were identified using 13C NMR and two dimensional proton-carbon NMR. These included a peak for trans-aconitate (δ3.43) and resonances corresponding to fructose in the crowded carbohydrate region of the spectra. Large metabolite differences were observed between two different growth stages, namely the coleoptile and two week old leaf tissue extracts which were consistent across cultivars. Two week old leaf tissue extracts had higher abundances of glutamine, glutamate, sucrose and trans-aconitate and less glucose and fructose than were observed in the coleoptile extracts. Across both growth stages the cultivars Apache and Charger showed the greatest differences in metabolite profiles. Charger had higher abundances of betaine, the single most influential metabolite in the principal component analysis, in addition to fructose and sucrose. However, Charger had lower levels of aspartate, choline and glucose than Apache. These findings demonstrate the potential for a biochemical mapping approach using NMR, across European wheat germplasm, for metabolites of known importance to functional characteristics.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baker, J. M., Hawkins, N. D., Ward, J. L., Lovegrove, A., Napier, J. A., Shewry, P. R., et al. (2006). A metabolic study of substantial equivalence of field grown genetically modified wheat. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 4, 381–392. doi:10.1111/j.1467-7652.2006.00197.x.
Browne, R. A., & Brindle, K. M. (2007). 1H NMR-based metabolite profiling as a potential selection tool for breeding passive resistance against Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat. Molecular Plant Pathology, 8, 401–410. doi:10.1111/j.1364-3703.2007.00400.x.
Charlton, A., Allnutt, T., Holmes, S., Chisholm, J., Bean, S., Ellis, N., et al. (2004). NMR profiling of transgenic peas. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 2, 27–35. doi:10.1046/j.1467-7652.2003.00045.x.
Choi, Y. H., Kim, H. K., Linthorst, H. J. M., Hollander, J. G., Lefeber, A. W. M., Erkelens, C., et al. (2006). NMR Metabolomics to revisit the Tobacco Mosaic virus Infection in Nicotiana tabacum Leaves. Journal of Natural Products, 69, 742–748. doi:10.1021/np050535b.
Fan, T. W.-M. (1996). Metabolite profiling by one- and two-dimensional NMR analysis of complex mixtures. Progress in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, 28, 161–219.
Fiehn, O. (2002). Metabolomics-the link between genotypes and phenotypes. Plant Molecular Biology, 48, 155–171. doi:10.1023/A:1013713905833.
Krishnan, P., Kruger, N. J., & Ratcliffe, R. G. (2005). Metabolite fingerprinting and profiling in plants using NMR. Journal of Experimental Botany, 56, 255–265. doi:10.1093/jxb/eri010.
Le Gall, G., Colquhoun, I. J., & Defernez, M. (2004). Metabolite profiling using (1)H NMR spectroscopy for quality assessment of green tea, Camellia sinensis (L.). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 52, 692–700. doi:10.1021/jf034828r.
Li, X., & Wu, Z. S. (1994). Studies on relationship between choline concentration in flowering spikes and resistance to scab among bread wheat varieties. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 20, 176–185.
Likes, R., Madl, R. L., Zeisel, S. H., & Craig, S. A. S. (2007). The betaine and choline content of a whole wheat flour compared to other mill streams. Journal of Cereal Science, 46, 93–95. doi:10.1016/j.jcs.2006.11.002.
Pereira, G. E., Gaudillere, J. P., van Leeuwen, C., Hilbert, G., Maucourt, M., Deborde, C., et al. (2006). 1H NMR metabolite fingerprints of grape berry: Comparison of vintage and soil effects in Bordeaux grapevine growing areas. Analytica Chimica Acta, 563, 346–352. doi:10.1016/j.aca.2005.11.007.
Ryan, D., & Robards, K. (2006). Metabolomics: The greatest omics of them all? Analytical Chemistry, 78, 7954–7958. doi:10.1021/ac0614341.
Schauer, N., Semel, Y., Roessner, U., Gur, A., Balbo, I., Carrari, F., et al. (2006). Comprehensive metabolic profiling and phenotyping of interspecific introgression lines for tomato improvement. Nature Biotechnology, 24, 447–454. doi:10.1038/nbt1192.
Sobolev, A. P., Brosio, E., Gianferri, R., & Segre, A. L. (2005). Metabolic profile of lettuce leaves by high-field NMR spectra. Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry, 43, 625–638. doi:10.1002/mrc.1618.
Strange, R. N., Maher, J. R., & Smith, H. (1974). Isolation and identification of choline and betaine as 2 major components in anthers and wheat germ that simulate Fusarium graminearum in vitro. Physiological Plant Pathology, 4, 277–290. doi:10.1016/0048-4059(74)90015-0.
Zeisel, S. H., Mar, M.-H., Howe, J. C., & Holden, J. M. (2003). Concentrations of choline-containing compounds and betaine in common foods. The Journal of Nutrition, 133, 1302–1307.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Graham, S.F., Amigues, E., Migaud, M. et al. Application of NMR based metabolomics for mapping metabolite variation in European wheat. Metabolomics 5, 302–306 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-008-0154-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-008-0154-y