Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal the mechanism of fatty acid accumulation during the development of Xanthoceras sorbifolium Bunge fruits

The fatty acid content of Xanthoceras sorbifolia serves as a core indicator for edible oil, and the levels of various fatty acids significantly impact human health. To investigate the biosynthesis of fatty acids, a comprehensive analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome of the nucleolus across different developmental stages was conducted. During the initial stage of seed development, linoleic acid levels were relatively high, decreasing during the middle stage. Conversely, oleic acid and nervonic acid were initially low in fruit development but gradually accumulated as the fruit matured. Notably, the later stages of fruit development are critical for the synthesis of nervonic acid. Through co-expression regulatory network analysis, the genetic regulatory networks were uncovered that related to nervonic acid and oleic acid. This analysis identified multiple transcription factors that regulate genes associated with nervonic acid synthesis.