Metabolomic profiling of Indian bryophytes: Unveiling chemodiversity in Dumortiera hirsuta and Leucophanes glaucum

This study investigates the chemodiversity and adaptive potential of two Indian bryophytes, Dumortiera hirsuta (liverwort) and Leucophanes glaucum (moss), using comprehensive metabolomic approaches. Both species, collected from diverse terrestrial habitats, were analyzed for phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and metabolite profiles. Untargeted metabolomics, employing GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) and UHPLC-QTOF-IMS (Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography Quadrupols Time-of-Flight Ion Mobility Spectrometry), revealed significant compositional differences. GC-MS revealed distinct fatty acids, terpenoids, and steroids, with unique compounds like δ-elemene in D. hirsuta and eugenol/neoclovene in L. glaucum . UHPLC-QTOF-IMS showed 115 unique metabolites in D. hirsuta and 97 in L. glaucum , encompassing both primary and secondary metabolites. KEGG pathway analysis highlighted species-specific adaptations: D. hirsuta showed enrichment in sphingolipid metabolism and diterpenoid biosynthesis, linked to development and resistance, while L. glaucum exhibited enrichment in ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, associated with oxidative tolerance. This research provides valuable insights into bryophyte metabolite diversity and their capacity to adapt to environmental stressors, crucial in the context of global climate change. • Comprehensive metabolomic profiling, using both GC-MS and UHPLC-QTOF-IMS, uncovers significant chemodiversity and distinct metabolite profiles between the Indian liverwort Dumortiera hirsuta and the moss Leucophanes glaucum. • Unique compounds, such as δ-elemene in the liverwort and eugenol/neoclovene in the moss, alongside differing counts of total unique metabolites, underscore the species-specific metabolic adaptations. • KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identifies species-specific metabolic strategies for adaptation, revealing pathways related to development and resistance in the liverwort and oxidative tolerance in the moss. • This detailed metabolomic study provides valuable insights into the metabolite diversity and adaptive mechanisms of bryophytes, contributing to a better understanding of their potential to respond to terrestrial environmental challenges.