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Comprehensive metabolite profiling of onion bulbs (Allium cepa) using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

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Abstract

Introduction

Onion (Allium cepa) represents one of the most important horticultural crops and is used as food, spice and medicinal plant almost worldwide. Onion bulbs accumulate a broad range of primary and secondary metabolites which impact nutritional, sensory and technological properties.

Objectives

To complement existing analytical methods targeting individual compound classes this work aimed at the development and validation of an analytical workflow for comprehensive metabolite profiling of onion bulbs.

Method

Metabolite profiling was performed by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-QTOFMS). For annotation of metabolites accurate mass tandem mass spectrometry experiments were carried out.

Results

On the basis of LC/ESI-QTOFMS and two chromatographic methods an analytical workflow was developed which facilitates profiling of polar and semi-polar onion metabolites including fructooligosaccharides, proteinogenic amino acids, peptides, S-substituted cysteine conjugates, flavonoids and saponins. To minimize enzymatic conversion of S-alk(en)ylcysteine sulfoxides, a sample preparation and extraction protocol for fresh onions was developed comprising cryohomogenization and a low-temperature quenching step. A total of 123 metabolites were annotated and characterized by chromatographic and tandem mass spectral data. For validation, recovery rates and matrix effects were determined for 15 model compounds. Repeatability and linearity were assessed for more than 80 endogenous metabolites.

Conclusion

As exemplarily demonstrated by comparative metabolic analysis of six onion cultivars the established analytical workflow in combination with targeted and non-targeted data analysis strategies can be successfully applied for comprehensive metabolite profiling of onion bulbs.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Astrid Hansen and Tania Geselle for excellent technical assistance. Roland Buchhorn (JKI) and his team are greatly acknowledged for performing the field trials.

Funding

This work was supported by funding from the state of Niedersachsen to Symrise AG (FKZ W380143435).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Julius Kühn-Institute, Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Königin-Luise-Strasse 19, 14195, Berlin, Germany

    Christoph Böttcher, Andrea Krähmer & Hartwig Schulz

  2. Symrise AG, Mühlenfeldstrasse 1, 37603, Holzminden, Germany

    Melanie Stürtz & Sabine Widder

Authors
  1. Christoph Böttcher
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  2. Andrea Krähmer
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  4. Sabine Widder
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christoph Böttcher.

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Conflict of interest

Christoph Böttcher, Andrea Krähmer and Hartwig Schulz declare that they have no conflict of interest. Melanie Stürtz and Sabine Widder are employees of Symrise AG holding IP on processing of onions.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Böttcher, C., Krähmer, A., Stürtz, M. et al. Comprehensive metabolite profiling of onion bulbs (Allium cepa) using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Metabolomics 13, 35 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-017-1175-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-017-1175-1

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