Transcriptome and metabolome analysis of Cycas bifida response to low-temperature stress

This study identified a key gene module in Cycas bifida that coordinates carbon allocation through a metabolic trade-off mechanism, promoting osmoprotectant synthesis while suppressing flavonoid accumulation. This finding first reveals the suppression of flavonoid metabolism in cycads under cold stress, elucidating a novel mechanism of resource optimization through gene module reprogramming in plants, which provides a theoretical foundation for cold-tolerant breeding.