Transcriptome-based analysis reveals the key genes of sesquiterpene glycosylation in Dendrobium nobile

Abstract Dendrobium nobile is a traditional Chinese medicine and nourishing food in China. Alkaloids and sesquiterpene glycosides are the two main active ingredients in D. nobile. The previous reports showed that alkaloids and sesquiterpene glycosides have the same upstream biosynthetic pathway, starting from sesquiterpene components, part of which is converted to sesquiterpene glycosides by the action of UDP-glycosyltransferase, and part of which is further synthesized to alkaloids. Therefore, sesquiterpene UDP-glycosyltransferases play an important role in the biosynthesis of alkaloids and sesquiterpene glycosides in D. nobile. In this study, the key glycosyltransferase genes in sesquiterpene glycosylation in D. nobile were explored, predicted and validated by transcriptome technology.