Papaver Decaisnei: GC-MS Alkaloids Profiling, in Vitro Antioxidant, and Anticancer Activity

The Papaver L. plant have been well known as a source of pharmaceutically valuable alkaloids (noscapine, thebaine, codeine, roemerine, papaverine and morphine). The current study investigates the phytochemical, in-vitro antioxidant, and anticancer activities of papaver decaisnei, an endemic plant species to the flora of Kurdistan-Iraq. The chemical analysis of the methanolic (MeOH) extracts of flowers, leaves, and roots of papaver decaisnei were made by using gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (GC-MS), and the antioxidant activity evaluation done by radical scavenging [on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2j-azino-bis (3- ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS)], and reducing power [cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)] assays. The anticancer actions were presented as IC50 (inhibitory concentration at 50%) on human colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2), mammary cancer cells (MCF-7), and human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells. The results of the phytochemical analysis showed 17, 19, and 22 chemical compounds for flowers, leaves, and roots of P. decaisnei, respectively. The prevalent organic compounds of P. decaisnei were alkaloids, phenolics, fatty acids, esters, and phytosterols, namely Roemerine (70.44%), Decarbomethoxytabersonine, 9,12,15-Octadecatrien-1-ol, Hexadecanoic acid, 6,8-Dioxa-3-thiabicyclo(3,2,1)octane 3,3-dioxide, and γ-Sitosterol. The antioxidant activity of plant organ extracts was within 39.1-143.5 μg/ml for DPPH and 123.12-276.4 μg/ml for ABTS assays, while, the FRAP and CUPRAC values ranged within 12.4- 34.3 and 42.6-75.8 μg/ml, respectively. The anticancer action of P.decaisnei organ extracts was found against all tested human cell lines (Caco-2, MCF-7, HeLa) with inhibitory concentrations (IC50) values between 125.3-388.4 μg/ml. The presented data on alkaloid contents and biological activity of P. decaisnei can serve a ground knowledge for the future biomedical synthesis and cancer research projects.

ПАЛОЧНИКИ КАК ФАКТОР ПОЧВООБРАЗОВАНИЯ

Изучение существ – создателей важнейшего компонента жизни на планете – почвы, скорее всего, важная часть подготовки межпланетных космических команд. Работа представляет собой многоплановое исследование, где главным объектом выступает насекомое – Палочник аннамский. Автором проведены наблюдения за пищевой активностью и получены данные о количестве помета, то есть скорости формирования будущего гумуса. Проведено выращивание комнатного растения хлорофитум и оценено влияние смеси песка и гуано палочника на рост листьев и корней. Автору удалось провести серию химических анализов на количество нитратов в полученной «почве». Оценка концентрации нитратов в грунте проводилась как с помощью реагентов, так и с использованием прибора «Соэкс Эковизор F4». С их помощью получены данные о разных по времени формирования «почвах». The study of the creatures - creators of the most important component of life on the planet - the soil, first of all, is an important part of the preparation of interplanetary space teams. The work is a multifaceted study, where the main object is the insect – the Annam stick insect. The author carried out observations of food activity and obtained data on the amount of litter, that is, the rate of formation of future humus. A chlorophytum houseplant was grown and the effect of a mixture of sand and stick insect guano on the growth of leaves and roots was evaluated. The author managed to conduct a series of chemical analyses for the amount of nitrates in the resulting "soil". The assessment of the nitrate concentration in the soil was carried out both with the help of reagents and with the use of the device "Soex Ecovisor F4". With their help, data on "soils" of different formation times were obtained.

Forms of application of silicon in quinoa and mechanisms involved in the association between productivity with grain biofortification

Multiple aspects of the physiological and nutritional mechanisms involved with silicon (Si) absorption by quinoa plants remain poorly investigated, as well as the best way of supplying this element to crops. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating whether the application of Si increases its uptake by quinoa plants and consequently the use efficiency of N and P, as well as the levels of phenolic compounds in the shoots, crop productivity and the biofortification of grains. For this purpose, the concentration of 3 mmol L-1 of Si was tested, according to the following procedures: foliar application (F), root application in the nutrient solution (R), combined Si application via nutrient solution and foliar spraying (F+R), and no Si application (0). The provision of Si through the leaves and roots promoted the highest uptake of the element by the plant, which resulted in an increased use efficiency of N and P. Consequently, such a higher uptake favored the productivity of grains. The optimal adoption of the application of Si through leaves and roots promoted the highest Si concentration and ascorbic acid (AsA) content in quinoa grains. Combining root and leaf application of Si was the best way to supply this nutrient, as it increased the use efficiency of N and P, and favored both the productivity and biofortification of quinoa grains with Si and AsA.

Deciphering the microbial and molecular responses of geographically diverse Setaria accessions grown in a nutrient-poor soil

The microbial and molecular characterization of the ectorhizosphere is an important step towards developing a more complete understanding of how the cultivation of biofuel crops can be undertaken in nutrient poor environments. The ectorhizosphere of Setaria is of particular interest because the plant component of this plant-microbe system is an important agricultural grain crop and a model for biofuel grasses. Importantly, Setaria lends itself to high throughput molecular studies. As such, we have identified important intra- and interspecific microbial and molecular differences in the ectorhizospheres of three geographically distant Setaria italica accessions and their wild ancestor S. viridis. All were grown in a nutrient-poor soil with and without nutrient addition. To assess the contrasting impact of nutrient deficiency observed for two S. italica accessions, we quantitatively evaluated differences in soil organic matter, microbial community, and metabolite profiles. Together, these measurements suggest that rhizosphere priming differs with Setaria accession, which comes from alterations in microbial community abundances, specifically Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria populations. When globally comparing the metabolomic response of Setaria to nutrient addition, plants produced distinctly different metabolic profiles in the leaves and roots. With nutrient addition, increases of nitrogen containing metabolites were significantly higher in plant leaves and roots along with significant increases in tyrosine derived alkaloids, serotonin, and synephrine. Glycerol was also found to be significantly increased in the leaves as well as the ectorhizosphere. These differences provide insight into how C4 grasses adapt to changing nutrient availability in soils or with contrasting fertilization schemas. Gained knowledge could then be utilized in plant enhancement and bioengineering efforts to produce plants with superior traits when grown in nutrient poor soils.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of the Roots and Leaves of Bupleurum Chinense DC. Seedlings Under Drought Stress

Background drought stress is one of the important environmental factors affecting the quality and yield of medicinal materials, and is the main factor restricting the field production of Bupleurum chinense. B. chinense seedlings sensitive to low moisture, but there are few reports on the molecular mechanism of B. chinense seedlings under drought stress. Therefore, the transcriptome of the leaves and roots of B. chinense seedlings before and after drought were analyzed by Illumina sequencing technology and bioinformatics analysis. Results a total of 59.82 GB of clean data was obtained, and the unigenes were compared with Nr, Swissprot, String, GO, KEGG, and Pfam databases. Under drought stress, 3,737 and 6,816 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in leaves and roots of B. chinense, respectively. The obtained DEGs from leaves and roots were classified into 37, and 36 GO terms and were involved in 222 and 253 KEGG pathways, respectively. SSR analysis were obtained identified 33,728 loci, wherein dinucleotides accounted for the largest proportion. Genes involved in diterpenoid and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis were significantly over-expressed in roots under drought stress, suggesting these two cellular processes underpin the adaptation and resistance of B. chinense seedlings to drought stress. Conclusions the results provided a theoretical basis for further identification of the molecular mechanism of drought resistance and breeding of drought resistance varieties of B. chinense.

Transcriptome Profiling of the Salt Stress Response in the Leaves and Roots of Halophytic Eutrema salsugineum

Eutrema salsugineum can grow in natural harsh environments; however, the underlying mechanisms for salt tolerance of Eutrema need to be further understood. Herein, the transcriptome profiling of Eutrema leaves and roots exposed to 300 mM NaCl is investigated, and the result emphasized the role of genes involved in lignin biosynthesis, autophagy, peroxisome, and sugar metabolism upon salt stress. Furthermore, the expression of the lignin biosynthesis and autophagy-related genes, as well as 16 random selected genes, was validated by qRT-PCR. Notably, the transcript abundance of a large number of lignin biosynthesis genes such as CCoAOMT, C4H, CCR, CAD, POD, and C3′H in leaves was markedly elevated by salt shock. And the examined lignin content in leaves and roots demonstrated salt stress led to lignin accumulation, which indicated the enhanced lignin level could be an important mechanism for Eutrema responding to salt stress. Additionally, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) assigned in the autophagy pathway including Vac8, Atg8, and Atg4, as well as DEGs enriched in the peroxisome pathway such as EsPEX7, EsCAT, and EsSOD2, were markedly induced in leaves and/or roots. In sugar metabolism pathways, the transcript levels of most DEGs associated with the synthesis of sucrose, trehalose, raffinose, and xylose were significantly enhanced. Furthermore, the expression of various stress-related transcription factor genes including WRKY, AP2/ERF-ERF, NAC, bZIP, MYB, C2H2, and HSF was strikingly improved. Collectively, the increased expression of biosynthesis genes of lignin and soluble sugars, as well as the genes in the autophagy and peroxisome pathways, suggested that Eutrema encountering salt shock possibly possess a higher capacity to adjust osmotically and facilitate water transport and scavenge reactive oxidative species and oxidative proteins to cope with the salt environment. Thus, this study provides a new insight for exploring the salt tolerance mechanism of halophytic Eutrema and discovering new gene targets for the genetic improvement of crops.

Transcriptome Profiles of Leaves and Roots of Goldenrain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm.) in Response to Cadmium Stress

Cadmium (Cd) pollution is a widespread environmental problem. In this study, we explored the transcriptome and biochemical responses of goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata Laxm.) leaves and roots to Cd stress. Leaf and root growth decreased substantially under Cd stress (50 mg/L CdCl2), but leaf and root antioxidant mechanisms were significantly activated. In RNA-seq analysis, roots treated with 25 mg/L CdCl2 featured enriched GO terms in cellular components related to intracellular ribonucleoprotein complex, ribonucleoprotein complex, and macromolecular complex. In leaves under Cd stress, most differentially expressed genes were enriched in the cellular component terms intrinsic component of membrane and membrane part. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis and analysis of module–trait relations revealed candidate genes associated with superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activities and malondialdehyde (MDA). Ten transcription factors responded to Cd stress expression, including those in C2H2, MYB, WRKY, and bZIP families. Transcriptomic analysis of goldenrain tree revealed that Cd stress rapidly induced the intracellular ribonucleoprotein complex in the roots and the intrinsic component of membrane in the leaves. The results also indicate directions for further analyses of molecular mechanisms of Cd tolerance and accumulation in goldenrain tree.