A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics strategy to explore plant metabolic diversity

Tetsuya Mori, Amit Rai, Hiroshi Tsugawa, Yutaka Yamada, Kazuki Saito

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Plants are expert chemists producing millions of metabolites, only a fraction of which are known to date. Plant metabolomics explores the rationale for highly diverse metabolites evolved and synthesized by plants. Over two-thirds of modern medicines are somehow inspired and/or derived from plants, making the identification of phytochemicals a means of discovering new medicines to challenge existing and emerging diseases. This chapter introduces our established liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics approach centered around discovering specialized metabolites (so-called secondary metabolites) across broad lineages of nonmodel plant species. Detecting hundreds to thousands of metabolite peaks, including assigning chemical identity, makes metabolomics data generation and analysis a very complex process. Various mass spectrometry techniques are currently being developed to approach the comprehensive metabolome. Among them, untargeted metabolomics can provide new biological insights by simultaneously and unbiasedly measuring and analyzing all detected metabolites. We have provided a hands-on modular account for untargeted plant metabolomics, from preparing plant biological samples to data analysis and processing using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The methods described here offer a foundation and expert opinion on plant metabolome analysis.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationBiochemical Pathways and Environmental Responses in Plants
Subtitle of host publicationPart B
EditorsJoseph Jez
PublisherAcademic Press Inc.
Pages247-273
Number of pages27
ISBN (Print)9780443185847
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2023
Externally publishedYes

Publication series

NameMethods in Enzymology
Volume680
ISSN (Print)0076-6879
ISSN (Electronic)1557-7988

Keywords

  • Liquid chromatography
  • Metabolite extraction
  • Plant metabolome analysis
  • Quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry
  • Specialized metabolite analysis
  • Untargeted metabolomics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology

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