Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Insights into Deterioration of Rice Quality during Storage

Metabolic regulation mechanism of melatonin for reducing cadmium accumulation and improving quality in rice

Melatonin acts as a potential regulator of cadmium (Cd) tolerance in rice. However, its practical value in rice production remains unclear. To validate the hypothesis that melatonin affects Cd accumulation and rice quality, a series of experiments were conducted. The results showed that exogenous melatonin application was associated with reduced Cd accumulation (23-43%) in brown rice. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis showed that exogenous melatonin affected the rice protein secondary structure and starch short-range structure. Metabolomics based on LC-MS/MS revealed that exogenous melatonin altered the brown rice metabolic profile, decreased fatty acid metabolite content, but increased amino acid metabolite, citric acid, melatonin biosynthetic metabolite, and plant hormone contents. These findings indicate that exogenous melatonin can effectively reduced Cd accumulation and improve rice quality through metabolic network regulation, serving as an effective treatment for rice cultivated in Cd-contaminated soil.

FEDformer-Based Paddy Quality Assessment Model Affected by Toxin Change in Different Storage Environments

The storage environment can significantly impact paddy quality, which is vital to human health. Changes in storage can cause growth of fungi that affects grain quality. This study analyzed grain storage monitoring data from over 20 regions and found that five factors are essential in predicting quality changes during storage. The study combined these factors with the FEDformer (Frequency Enhanced Decomposed Transformer for Long-term Series Forecasting) model and k-medoids algorithm to construct a paddy quality change prediction model and a grading evaluation model, which showed the highest accuracy and lowest error in predicting quality changes during paddy storage. The results emphasize the need for monitoring and controlling the storage environment to preserve grain quality and ensure food safety.

Rice Quality-Related Metabolites and the Regulatory Roles of Key Metabolites in Metabolic Pathways of High-Quality Semi-Glutinous japonica Rice Varieties

We explored the related metabolites produced by different quality semi-glutinous japonica rice varieties and the modulatory role of key metabolites in metabolic mechanisms. In this study, three high-quality edible semi-glutinous rice varieties were employed as investigational materials, the metabolites of the three varieties were detected using LC-MS metabolomics technology, and the rice quality traits of the three rice varieties were determined. The taste value (TV) of Yangnongxiang 28 (YNX28H) was substantially higher than that of Hongyang 5 hao (HY5H) and Nanjing 5718 (NJ5718), and the hardness (HA) of YNX28H was significantly lower than that of HY5H and NJ5718. The HA was significantly negatively correlated with the TV. The highest chalkiness rate (CR) and chalkiness degree (CD) were observed for NJ5718, and the lowest CR and CD were observed for HY5H. HY5H had a substantially lower protein content (PC) than YNX28H and NJ5718 and a markedly higher amylose content (AC) than those two varieties. Overall, 188 differential metabolites (DMs) were recognized between HY5H and NJ5718. A total of 136 DMs were detected between YNX28H and NJ5718, and 198 DMs were recognized between HY5H and YNX28H. The metabolites with a strong correlation with rice quality were mainly associated with amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism and the citrate cycle. The key metabolites in the metabolic pathway include lipid metabolites (sagittariol, glycerophosphocholine, gamma-eudesmol rhamnoside, goshonoside F1, diosbulbinoside F, and corchorifatty acid F), amino acid metabolites (pantothenic acid, L-serine, L-proline, L-aspartic acid, L-glutamate, L-asparagine, and glutathione) and carbohydrate metabolites (sucrose, levan, D-maltose, and amylose). These key metabolites play important regulatory roles in metabolic mechanisms, providing a theoretical basis for breeding new high-quality edible rice varieties.

Storage Drives Alterations of Proteomic and Protein Structural Properties in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice quality changes during storage. However, few studies have reported the difference in protein structure between the indica and japonica varieties of rice during storage. The current research characterized the structural properties of the rice protein, and further investigated the proteomic profiles of Jianzhen 2 (indica rice) and Nanjing 9108 (japonica rice) during storage using the TMT labeling method. A significant reduction in free sulfhydryl content and an increase in disulfide bonds content and surface hydrophobicity were observed in both varieties after storage. The results of FTIR indicated that the changes in the protein’s secondary structure of Nanjing 9108 (japonica rice) were more significant than in Jianzhen 2 (indica rice). A total of 4039 proteins in Nanjing 9108 and 4301 proteins in Jianzhen 2 were identified by TMT-labeled proteomics analysis in this study. Significantly, changes were detected in 831 proteins in Nanjing 9108, while only in 60 proteins in Jianzhen 2. Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, starch, and sucrose metabolism were both accelerated in both varieties, while oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria, glycolysis, fatty acid metabolism, and glutathione metabolism were enhanced in Nanjing 9108 (japonica rice). This study provides insight into the proteomic changes and protein structure in rice induced by storage.