BMC Plant Biology最新文献

Background: Polyphyllins are significant medicinal compounds found in Paris species, with different polyphyllins fulfilling distinct medicinal roles. Although some genes involved in polyphyllin synthesis have been identified, further exploration of the genes in the polyphyllin synthesis pathway is necessary due to the extensive genome of Paris species. The content and composition of polyphyllins vary among different Paris species, and the variations in specific polyphyllin levels across these plants make them promising candidates for identifying metabolites and genes associated with the biosynthesis of specific polyphyllins.

Results: In this study, we investigate the global metabolic and transcriptomic profiles of three types of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand.-Mazz, one Paris fargesii Franch, and one Paris forrestii (Takht.) H. Li. The rhizome of P. polyphylla is rich in polyphyllin I and II, while P. forrestii is abundant in polyphyllin III, and P. fargesii contains high levels of polyphyllin VI, VII and H. The three Paris species exhibit distinct metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles. Through an integrated analysis of metabolic and transcriptomic data, along with a phylogenetic analysis of genes related to polyphyllin synthesis in Paris, we annotated a total of six 2,3-oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs), 120 cytochrome P450s (CYPs), and 138 UDP glycosyltransferases (UGTs). Phylogenetic tree analysis of the obtained data assisted in refining the candidate gene pool for OSC, CYP, and UGT. Subsequently, we identified 6, 12, and 26 candidate genes for OSC, CYP, and UGT, respectively. Finally, by combining the analyses of metabolic and genetic differences, we identified a total of 17 candidate genes, including 2 CAS, 4 CYP, and 11 UGT.

Conclusions: P. fargesii and P. forrestii are candidate medicinal plants for the development and application of specific polyphyllins. Transcripts from the UGT91 subfamily in Paris may play dual roles, contributing to both the synthesis of polyphyllin II and the catabolism of polyphyllin V and VI. The homologous genes of PpUGT73CE1 may regulate the synthesis of polyphyllin VI in P. fargesii. This study provides new insights into the investigation of biosynthetic pathways in medicinal plants that lack gene clusters.

An experiment was designed to fabricate Polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated zein-zipped herbal molecules infused nano colloids (PZCA-NCs) for extending Vigna mungo seeds storability. PZCA-NCs was synthesized and characterized in Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Particle size analyser, Zeta Potential, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX). The bio-efficacy of PZCA-NCs on seed storability was tested under accelerated ageing. The sphere-shaped PZCA-NCs possess a 151 nm size with 44.5mV zeta potential at an encapsulation of 73.44% curcumin and 69.0% azadirachtin. The spectra of FTIR, UV -Vis, XRD, and TGA confirmed the functionality, composition, and stability of PZCA-NCs. The dialysis diffusion method was utilised to study the maximum cumulative release of biomolecules 6.1ppm (88.4%) azadirachtin and 64.57ppm (88.2%) curcumin at pH 7.4. Density functional theory (DFT) was used to determine the binding mode of molecules and examine ligand interactions in PZCA-NCs. PZCA-NCs treated seeds at 25 mL/kg enumerated higher germination, vigour index, α-amylase, dehydrogenase, and catalase and peroxidase activity under ageing. Seeds storage pathogen infection was reduced with an increase in the concentration of PZCA-NCs coating. The bioassay results on insect activity evidenced that PZCA-NCs at 15.76 mL/kg killed 50% and 40 mL/kg killed 100% of the storage insect Callosobruchus maculatus. Toxicity study on Macrophomina phaseolina showed that PZCA-NCs at 35 mL resulted in 0.8 cm mycelia growth with 91.11% inhibition zone, while at 45 mL had zero growth of fungal mycelia with 100% inhibition. The study concludes that PZCA-NCs act as an efficient seed invigoration material to extend the vitality of Vigna mungo seeds during ageing.

The increasing temperature is a major threat to plant growth and development. It severely alters various biochemical and physiological processes and ultimately affects the overall crop yield. The membrane-based remorin protein-encoding genes (REM) were previously reported as significantly involved in the regulation of various biotic and abiotic stressors. However, these REM genes were not studied in Cajanus Cajan, the sixth most important legume crop due to its rich protein source and traditional medicinal plant. In this study, 17 REM gene orthologs were identified in C. cajan against A. thaliana REM genes and verified through the presence of conserved REM-related domains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that REM genes were divided into six different groups. All the REM genes were unevenly distributed on 11 chromosomes of C. cajan. 3D protein structures and intron-exon organization indicate conserved evolutionary pattern within C. cajan. Various core, hormone-responsive, and stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements were found in promoter regions of REM genes, including TATA-box, CAAT-box, MYB, and G-box. The total estimation of antioxidant enzyme activity revealed the increase in POD and SOD activity, potentially due to a defense mechanism in response to high temperature. RNA sequencing data processing reveals higher expression of CcREM genes in leaf and flower, including CcREM1.1 and CcREM1.2. Furthermore, the differential change in expression was observed in response to high-temperature stress. Among these genes, one upregulated gene (CcREM1.3) and two downregulated genes (CcREM6.1 and CcREM6.5) are potential candidate targets for heat stress response, followed by qRT-PCR validation. Our findings suggest that CcREM1-like and CcREM6-like genes hold significant potential for future climate-smart heat-tolerant breeding of C. cajan.

In light of the detrimental effects of global warming, exacerbated by the intense sunlight and high temperatures prevalent during summer in southern China, on the growth of Melaleuca alternifolia (M. alternifolia) seedlings, this study sets out to examine the impact of various shading treatments on the growth and physiological attributes of M. alternifolia seedlings, with the aim of determining the optimum shading level. The seedling phase is of paramount importance in the growth cycle and regeneration process of M. alternifolia, as both excessive and insufficient light exposure can negatively influence seedling development. Four shading regimes (CK: no shading; C1: 35-45% shading; C2: 45-50% shading; C3: 60-70% shading) were imposed on M. alternifolia seedlings, following which observations were conducted after a 35-day period. The results reveal that the different shading treatments had a significant effect on the growth and physiological indicators of the seedlings, with the moderate shading treatment (C2) proving to be the most advantageous for seedling growth. Under the C2 treatment, an increase in chlorophyll content was observed in the leaves of the seedlings, accompanied by a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Concurrently, there was a reduction in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, namely superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). Furthermore, the levels of abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA3) declined, while the concentrations of auxin (IAA), salicylic acid (SA), and cytokinin (CTK) ascended. Leaf anatomical analysis disclosed that, in comparison to the control group, the thickness of the lower epidermis and palisade tissue in the leaves of the seedlings subjected to the C2 treatment exhibited a significant reduction. Additionally, an increase in the number of spongy tissue cells was noted, along with a marked increase in total leaf thickness. Consequently, cultivating M. alternifolia seedlings under shading conditions ranging from 45 to 50% is deemed more favorable. The findings of this study offer novel insights into the adaptive responses of M. alternifolia seedlings to varying light intensities and provide theoretical guidance for the cultivation and management of M. alternifolia seedlings in the southern regions of China.

Background: The global prevalence of herbal-based health care rapidly promoted requirements for medicinal plant resources. Accurate classification and identification are crucial to assuring the safety of these herbal sources.

Results: Here, we took Dendrobium (Orchidaceae), a famous horticultural and medicinal plant taxon, as the study focus to establish an effective authentication approach for medicinal plants based on new mtDNA barcodes. We first de novo assembled three complete mitogenomes using Illumina and Nanopore data. These three mitogenomes were 635,454 bp-831,745 bp long with multichromosomal structures. Moreover, the three mitogenomes were compared to the other four published Dendrobium mitogenomes. The results revealed great variations of the structure and repeat contents among these mitogenomes, while gene contents and genomic sequences were relatively conserved. The analysis of mutational hotspots showed eight mitochondrial DNA regions with high sequence variability (> 5%) at the interspecific level, which could provide abundant informatic loci for phylogeny, genetic diversity, and identification analyses. We also newly obtained mitochondrial sequences of 45 individuals from 15 Dendrobium species for authentication analysis. These 15 Dendrobium species were successfully identified by the whole mitogenome sequences and the isoform combination (Mt17 + Mt19) respectively.

Conclusions: Our findings revealed that mitochondrial isoforms (chromosomes) could be used as super-barcodes for Dendrobium species authentication. The multi-chromosomal structure of mitogenomes provided new insights into the accurate authentication of medical plants.

Background: Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) imparts unique health benefits and flavour to tea. Photosynthesis plays a crucial role in modulating secondary metabolite production in plants, and this study investigated its impact on the biosynthesis of EGCG in tea plants under different ecological conditions.

Results: Enhanced photosynthetic activity and the increased EGCG content, total esterified catechins (TEC), total catechins (TC) responded synchronously to changes in ecological factors. The photosynthetic capacity of tea plants and the EGCG content fit surface model equations (Extreme 2D and Polynomial 2D) and multiple regression equations (R² > 70%). Additionally, logistic regression and ROC curves revealed that photosynthetic capacity was related to EGCG accumulation patterns in response to ecological variations. Upon perceiving ecological changes, the response of photosynthesis-related genes (CspsaA from photosystem I, CspsbB, CspsbC from photosystem II, and CsLHCB3 from the antenna protein pathway) was associated to carbon cycle-related genes (CsALDO, CsACOX, CsICDH, Csrbcs), which mediated the expression of CsPAL in the phenylalanine pathway; CsaroDE in the shikimate pathway; and CsCHS, CsF3H, CsF3'H, and CsANS in the flavonoid pathway. Eventually, this influenced the accumulation of EGCG and its precursors (gallic acid and epigallocatechin) in tea plants.

Conclusions: This study reveals the effects of photosynthesis on EGCG biosynthesis in response to ecological factors, providing insights for optimizing tea cultivation and quality.

Background: Arctium lappa L. is a medicinal edible homologous plant, commonly known as burdock or bardana, which belongs to the Asteraceae family and is abundant all over the world. Genetic diversity assessment is essential for A. lappa germplasm resource conservation and breeding. The assessment techniques include morphological, biochemical, and DNA marker analysis. However, the limited number of available DNA markers is insufficient to conduct related genetic diversity assessment studies.

Results: In this study, we conducted RNA sequencing of the A. lappa cultivar 'Yanagikawa Ideal' and developed SSR markers to characterize the genetic diversity and population structure of 56 A. lappa accessions and 8 wild relative accessions. A total of 4,851 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) loci were identified. The proportions of mono-, di- and tri-nucleotide repeat motifs were 30.40%, 21.50% and 33.10%, respectively. We developed and verified the reliability of 28 SSR core primer pairs through electronic polymerase chain reaction (ePCR) and the PCR amplification process. The polymorphism information content (PIC) values of the 28 SSR core primer pairs ranged from 0.246 to 0.848, with 14 pairs of SSR primers displaying high polymorphism (PIC > 0.5). The 28 SSR core primer pairs showed 100% mobility in Arctium tomentosum Miller and 96.43% mobility in Synurus deltoides (Aiton) Nakai, indicating their high versatility. The average Shannon information index (I) was 1.231, and the average observed heterozygosity (Ho) was 0.132, the average expected heterozygosity (He) was 0.564. The 64 accessions were divided into three clusters at a genetic distance of 0.558. AMOVA analysis shows 83% genetic variation within populations and 17% among populations, highlighting implications for conservation and breeding strategies.

Conclusion: Our study provides 28 newly high-quality SSR markers to enhance genetic resource conservation and breeding programs for A. lappa, as well as to support comparative genomics and cross-species breeding strategies for related species.

Background: Lipids in rapeseed is of great significance to human health, and 'Fangyou 777' (No. GPD-2019-510073) has been identified as an excellent cultivar with high oil content. However, the change of lipid profile at different ripening stages remain unclear. Herein, UPLC-MS/MS was utilized for comprehensive lipidomics analysis of 'Fangyou 777' and its parents at four ripening stages.

Results: 778 lipids components across 25 subclasses were identified, and triglycerides (TGs), diglycerides (DGs), phosphatidylserines (PSs), phosphatidylinositols (PIs), phosphatidylglycerols (PGs), phosphatidylcholines (PCs), phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), and free fatty acids (FFAs) were identified as the dominant lipid subclass. Due to heterotic vigor, the total lipids, TGs, FFAs, lysophosphatidylglycerol (LPGs) and PSs contents in 'Fangyou 777' were significantly higher than its parents. The PCA and OPLS-DA results elucidated that lipids in 'Fangyou 777' differed obviously from its parents at S1 (17 April, 2023; 28 days before ripening, 28 DBR), S2 (1 May, 2023; 14 DBR), and S3 (15 May, 2023; ripening day). TG(18:1_18:3_22:1), TG(18:1_22:1_18:2), TG(16:0_18:1_20:1), TG(16:0_18:1_22:1), TG(20:1_18:2_20:2), TG(18:1_18:1_20:1), and FFA(24:4) were recognized as key differential lipids. The glycerolipid metabolism and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis were the differential metabolic pathways at S1 and S3, while glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor biosynthesis and glycerophospholipid metabolism were the differential metabolic pathways at S2 and S4 (7 days after ripening/physiologically ripened for one week).

Conclusion: This study provided a comprehensive profile to facilitate the understanding lipids accumulation in 'Fangyou 777' and its parents during ripening stages, and offered a foundation to comprehend lipid metabolism.

Background: The tuberous roots of Potentilla anserina (Pan), which are called silverweed cinquefoil roots, serve as a source of starch for the inhabitants of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. They are also regarded as a valuable tonic food and herbal medicine in the ethnic medicine system. Starch plays a crucial part in the plant's life cycle, particularly during the growth stage and in response to abiotic stress. Moreover, numerous biological processes and regulatory networks are involved in the synthesis and accumulation of starch.

Results: In this research, a combination of transcriptome and metabolomics approaches were employed to analyze the genes related to starch synthesis and degradation in Pan. The crucial genes involved in starch metabolism were identified, and the response characteristics of these genes to drought and low temperature treatments were investigated. Seven AMYs (Alpha-amylases) and 18 BAMs (Beta-amylases) were identified from the genome of Pan. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of AMYs and BAMs derived from 11 species of rosids were conducted respectively. AMYs of Pan and other species were clustered into 3 groups, whereas BAMs were classified into 4 groups. In the tuberous roots, when compared with the control conditions, 2 AMYs and 4 BAMs were upregulated, while 3 BAMs were downregulated, meanwhile, the contents of maltose and glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) were decreased, while the content of glucose-1-phosphate (G1P) was increased under drought treatment. In the tuberous roots under low temperature treatment, 1 BAM was upregulated, while 2 AMYs and 4 BAMs were downregulated compared with control. The response characteristics of AMYs and BAMs to drought and low temperature treatments were further verified through qPCR analysis.

Conclusions: In this research, the genes associated with starch synthesis in Pan were characterized, and the functions of AMYs and BAMs in abiotic stress treatments were elucidated. An overview of evolution of AMY and BAM gene families within rosids was also provided.