Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed the synthesis of aromatic compounds in Dendrobium catenatum

Aromatic compounds in Dendrobium catenatum could affect brewing quality. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment enhances the content of aromatic compounds in D. catenatum, improving the wine quality in brewing industry and medicinal value. In this study, two D. catenatum genotypes, A6 and B1, were used to investigate the effect of MeJA treatment on aromatic compounds. A total of 52 aromatic metabolites were identified using metabolome technique. Based on RNA-seq, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of 16, 841 highly expressed transcripts uncovered black, cyan and turquoise modules that are significantly associated with the variation of aromatic compounds. These results reveal the changes of aromatic metabolites during MeJA treatment and provide insight into the biosynthesis mechanism of aromatic compounds in D. catenatum, which could be conducive to the synthesis of active bioactive compounds and their use as industrial by-products.