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Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals Molecular Responses of Alkaloid Content Variations in Lycoris radiata Across Different Locations
Li Q, Li H, Huang S, Xu J, Zhou L, Ren Z, Wang Z, Yang Z et al.. Research Square, 2026-09-08
Topic: Genetics and APOE
The Amaryllidaceae geophyte Lycoris radiata is a primary botanical source of high-value medicinal alkaloids, including the Alzheimer’s therapeutic galanthamine. However, the accumulation of these compounds exhibits immense spatial and geographical variation. To elucidate the regulatory networks driving this divergence, we investigated three geographically distinct ecotypes (Hubei, HB; Guangxi, GX; Yunnan, YN) using an integrative multi-omics approach. Untargeted metabolomics revealed highly region-specific accumulation patterns of key alkaloids, such as galanthamine and lycorine. Interestingly, transcriptomic profiling uncovered a regional paradox: the Yunnan population exhibited the highest expression of core alkaloid biosynthetic genes despite possessing relatively lower target alkaloid contents, suggesting the involvement of post-transcriptional or environmental regulation. Furthermore, 16S and ITS amplicon sequencing of the rhizosphere revealed distinctly partitioned bacterial and fungal communities across regions, with the Yunnan ecotype exhibiting reduced diversity and highly specialized microbial taxa. Integrating these multi-omics datasets with 32 soil physicochemical indices demonstrated that trace metals and soil pH strongly correlated with local microbiome assembly. Mantel tests revealed that the environmental factors associated with the transcriptional activation of alkaloid biosynthetic genes were largely uncoupled from the factors correlating with terminal metabolite accumulation. Overall, this study details the profound region-specific transcriptomic, metabolomic, and micro-ecological variations in L. radiata , highlighting a complex environmental decoupling between genetic potential and final alkaloid accumulation.
Key findings
- Untargeted metabolomics revealed highly region-specific accumulation patterns of key alkaloids, such as galanthamine and lycorine.
- Furthermore, 16S and ITS amplicon sequencing of the rhizosphere revealed distinctly partitioned bacterial and fungal communities across regions, with the Yunnan ecotype exhibiting reduced diversity and highly specialized microbial taxa.
- Integrating these multi-omics datasets with 32 soil physicochemical indices demonstrated that trace metals and soil pH strongly correlated with local microbiome assembly.
- Mantel tests revealed that the environmental factors associated with the transcriptional activation of alkaloid biosynthetic genes were largely uncoupled from the factors correlating with terminal metabolite accumulation.
- Overall, this study details the profound region-specific transcriptomic, metabolomic, and micro-ecological variations in L. radiata , highlighting a complex environmental decoupling between genetic potential and final alkaloid accumulation.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 16/100
Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. It scored 21 on the same rubric, but non-peer-reviewed sources are capped at 16, so it shows as 16. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 13 of the 62 points we could judge it on, which is 21 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 2 / 10 | Tier 4 — not a peer-reviewed journal (Research Square) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Not a journal article, so the journal's record does not count |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 4 / 10 | Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. Hosted on a preprint server. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 13 / 62 | Scored on 12 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 13 of the 62 points we could judge it on is 21 out of 100. |
| Total | 21 / 100 | Capped to 16 because this is not a peer-reviewed article. |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Li, Q., Li, H., Huang, S., Xu, J., Zhou, L., Ren, Z., et al. (2026). Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals Molecular Responses of Alkaloid Content Variations in Lycoris radiata Across Different Locations. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-10358926/v1
Vancouver
Li Q, Li H, Huang S, Xu J, Zhou L, Ren Z, et al. Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals Molecular Responses of Alkaloid Content Variations in Lycoris radiata Across Different Locations. Research Square. 2026. doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-10358926/v1.
BibTeX
@article{li2026-0086bc7b,
author = {Li, Q. and Li, H. and Huang, S. and Xu, J. and Zhou, L. and Ren, Z. and Wang, Z. and Yang, Z. and others},
title = {{Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals Molecular Responses of Alkaloid Content Variations in Lycoris radiata Across Different Locations}},
journal = {Research Square},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.21203/rs.3.rs-10358926/v1},
url = {https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-10358926/v1}
}
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