Features of Metabolomic Profiles in Different Stages of Ontogenesis in Prunella vulgaris (Lamiaceae) Grown in a Climate Chamber

Abstract

Metabolic analysis of methanol extracts of leaves of Prunella vulgaris L. (Lamiaceae) grown in a climate chamber has been carried out using gas chromatography—mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Up to 102 components (including the 41 identified components) have been detected in each metabolic profile. A comparative analysis of metabolomic changes in P. vulgaris ontogenesis has shown that the metabolic profile at the vegetative stage is significantly different from the ones at other stages (due to the absence of such groups of metabolites as amino acids, terpenes, and lipids in vegetative plants). Comparison of the results of statistical processing of the data on all detected metabolites shows that the metabolomes of blooming and fruiting plants often coincide, and only a small number of metabolites are specific to these stages, i.e., that are the quantitative characteristics of the P. vulgaris metabolome at the stages of blooming and fruiting that make it specific. Studies on the spatial structure of the metabolic network have shown heterogeneity of the metabolite distribution at the leaf base, and its middle and apical regions. The comparison of the total metabolite profiles using principal component analysis (PCA) has revealed that the difference between metabolomes of individual leaves in a single plant is much larger than local differences within parts of one leaf blade. Spatial inhomogeneities in metabolite distribution in a lamina have been illustrated on the example of threonic acid.