Metabolome fingerprinting elucidates chemodiversity in Ornithogalum, Loncomelos, and Melomphis (Asparagaceae)
(2026) In Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 124.- Abstract
This research employed GC-MS metabolomics profiling on bulbs of three genera i.e., Ornithogalum, Loncomelos, and Melomphis (Asparagaceae), to elucidate their taxonomic relationships. The analysis of 30 specimens across 8 species (Ornithogalum comprising 3 species: O. cuspidatum, O. neurostegium, O. orthophyllum; Loncomelos including 4 species: L. arcuatum, L. brachystachys, L. bungei, L. kurdicum; and Melomphis persica) from Iran revealed 147 detected metabolites, classified in several main superclasses e.g., organic oxygen compounds (40 %), organic acids (23 %), and lipids (18 %). Additionally, the metabolites were grouped into classes, with carbohydrates comprising the majority (42 %), followed by carboxylic acids (17 %) and fatty... (More)
This research employed GC-MS metabolomics profiling on bulbs of three genera i.e., Ornithogalum, Loncomelos, and Melomphis (Asparagaceae), to elucidate their taxonomic relationships. The analysis of 30 specimens across 8 species (Ornithogalum comprising 3 species: O. cuspidatum, O. neurostegium, O. orthophyllum; Loncomelos including 4 species: L. arcuatum, L. brachystachys, L. bungei, L. kurdicum; and Melomphis persica) from Iran revealed 147 detected metabolites, classified in several main superclasses e.g., organic oxygen compounds (40 %), organic acids (23 %), and lipids (18 %). Additionally, the metabolites were grouped into classes, with carbohydrates comprising the majority (42 %), followed by carboxylic acids (17 %) and fatty acids (14 %). Multivariate statistics including the variable importance in projection, and hierarchical clustering heat map discerned metabolites differentiating the genera. Projections to latent structures discriminant analysis revealed that Ornithogalum exhibited significant metabolic divergence from the closely related taxa Loncomelos and Melomphis, aligning with their established phylogenetic divisions. Overall, this work significantly expands knowledge of the chemodiversity of these taxa. The findings provide a phylogenetic framework to guide further ethno-pharmacological, phytochemical, and evolutionary research on these geophyte taxa.
(Less)
- author
- Rihai Rad, Khadijeh ; Babaei, Alireza ; Kiani, Mahmoud ; Potter, Daniel and Ardalani, Hamidreza LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Chemotaxonomy, Evolution, Geophyte, Metabolome fingerprinting, Phylogenetics
- in
- Biochemical Systematics and Ecology
- volume
- 124
- article number
- 105121
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105015575280
- ISSN
- 0305-1978
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.bse.2025.105121
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 541fea19-fe5c-498a-87f9-d0992be1d099
- date added to LUP
- 2025-10-02 09:47:32
- date last changed
- 2025-10-14 10:53:28
@article{541fea19-fe5c-498a-87f9-d0992be1d099,
abstract = {{<p>This research employed GC-MS metabolomics profiling on bulbs of three genera i.e., Ornithogalum, Loncomelos, and Melomphis (Asparagaceae), to elucidate their taxonomic relationships. The analysis of 30 specimens across 8 species (Ornithogalum comprising 3 species: O. cuspidatum, O. neurostegium, O. orthophyllum; Loncomelos including 4 species: L. arcuatum, L. brachystachys, L. bungei, L. kurdicum; and Melomphis persica) from Iran revealed 147 detected metabolites, classified in several main superclasses e.g., organic oxygen compounds (40 %), organic acids (23 %), and lipids (18 %). Additionally, the metabolites were grouped into classes, with carbohydrates comprising the majority (42 %), followed by carboxylic acids (17 %) and fatty acids (14 %). Multivariate statistics including the variable importance in projection, and hierarchical clustering heat map discerned metabolites differentiating the genera. Projections to latent structures discriminant analysis revealed that Ornithogalum exhibited significant metabolic divergence from the closely related taxa Loncomelos and Melomphis, aligning with their established phylogenetic divisions. Overall, this work significantly expands knowledge of the chemodiversity of these taxa. The findings provide a phylogenetic framework to guide further ethno-pharmacological, phytochemical, and evolutionary research on these geophyte taxa.</p>}},
author = {{Rihai Rad, Khadijeh and Babaei, Alireza and Kiani, Mahmoud and Potter, Daniel and Ardalani, Hamidreza}},
issn = {{0305-1978}},
keywords = {{Chemotaxonomy; Evolution; Geophyte; Metabolome fingerprinting; Phylogenetics}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Biochemical Systematics and Ecology}},
title = {{Metabolome fingerprinting elucidates chemodiversity in Ornithogalum, Loncomelos, and Melomphis (Asparagaceae)}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bse.2025.105121}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.bse.2025.105121}},
volume = {{124}},
year = {{2026}},
}