Phosphoproteomics Reveals Regulation of Secondary Metabolites in Mahonia bealei Exposed to Ultraviolet-B Radiation

Mahonia bealei (M. bealei) is a traditional Chinese medicine containing a high alkaloid content used to treat various diseases. Generally, only dried root and stem are used as medicines, considering that the alkaloid content in M. bealei leaves is lower than in the stems and roots. Some previous research found that alkaloid and flavonoid contents in the M. bealei leaves may increase when exposed to ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation. However, the underlying mechanism of action is still unclear. In this study, we used titanium dioxide material enrichment and mass-based label-free quantitative proteomics techniques to explore the effect and mechanism of M. bealei leaves when exposed to UV-B treatment. Our data suggest that UV-B radiation increases the ATP content, photosynthetic pigment content, and some enzymatic/nonenzymatic indicators in the leaves of M. bealei. Moreover, phosphoproteomics suggests phosphoproteins related to mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction and the plant hormone brassinosteroid signaling pathway as well as phosphoproteins related to photosynthesis, glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and the amino acid synthesis/metabolism pathway are all affected by UV-B radiation. These results suggest that the UV-B radiation activates the oxidative stress response, MAPK signal transduction pathway, and photosynthetic energy metabolism pathway, which may lead to the accumulation of secondary metabolites in M. bealei leaves.

Evolution of the Ergot Alkaloid Biosynthetic Gene Cluster Results in Divergent Mycotoxin Profiles in Claviceps purpurea Sclerotia

Research into ergot alkaloid production in major cereal cash crops is crucial for furthering our understanding of the potential toxicological impacts of Claviceps purpurea upon Canadian agriculture and to ensure consumer safety. An untargeted metabolomics approach profiling extracts of C. purpurea sclerotia from four different grain crops separated the C. purpurea strains into two distinct metabolomic classes based on ergot alkaloid content. Variances in C. purpurea alkaloid profiles were correlated to genetic differences within the lpsA gene of the ergot alkaloid biosynthetic gene cluster from previously published genomes and from newly sequenced, long-read genome assemblies of Canadian strains. Based on gene cluster composition and unique polymorphisms, we hypothesize that the alkaloid content of C. purpurea sclerotia is currently undergoing adaptation. The patterns of lpsA gene diversity described in this small subset of Canadian strains provides a remarkable framework for understanding accelerated evolution of ergot alkaloid production in Claviceps purpurea.

Assessment of the Total Flavonoid, Phenol, Alkaloid Content and Sun Protection Factor in Grewia abutilifolia Leaf Extract

A variety of secondary metabolites provide a valuable source of treatment for various pharmacological ailments. Grewia abutilifolia is a shrub found in the family Tiliaceae that is also investigated for its nutritional and medicinal benefits. Grewia is reported for its good antioxidant potential, which is applied to protect skin from UV rays. The main goal of this study is to determine the in-vitro sunscreen effect of Grewia abutilifolia based on phytochemical evidence of UV protection. Chemical treatments used to protect skin from the sun have several drawbacks, including numerous hazardous side effects on humans and the environment. The hydroalcoholic, ethyl acetate, and methanolic extracts were studied for their phytochemical, physicochemical, and sun protection activities. Total phenolic content, total alkaloid content, total flavonoid content, and SPF value were all highest in the methanolic leaf extract, with values of 99.20 0.12, 47.661.527, 96.02, and 14.50.01 for total phenolic content, total alkaloid content, total flavonoid content, and SPF value, respectively.

The Cultivation of Chelidonium majus L. Increased the Total Alkaloid Content and Cytotoxic Activity Compared with Those of Wild-Grown Plants

The effect of cultivation practises on both the phytochemical profile and biological activity of aqueous ethanol extracts of Chelidonium majus L. was studied. Extracts were prepared from aerial parts of the same plant population collected in the wild and grown under organic farming conditions. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses of alkaloids and flavonoid derivatives were performed by LC/MS methods, and the cytotoxicity of lyophilised extracts was studied in B16-F10, HepG2, and CaCo-2 cells. Coptisine was the dominant alkaloid of extracts prepared from wild-grown plants, whereas after cultivation, chelidonine was the most abundant alkaloid. The total alkaloid content was significantly increased by cultivation. Ten flavonol glycoconjugates were identified in C. majus extracts, and quantitative analysis did not reveal significant differences between extracts prepared from wild-grown and cultivated specimens. Treatment with C. majus extracts resulted in a dose-dependent increase in cytotoxicity in all three cell lines. The extracts prepared from cultivated specimens showed higher cytotoxicity than the extracts prepared from wild-grown plants. The strongest cytotoxic effect of cultivated C. majus was observed in B16-F10 cells (IC50 = 174.98 ± 1.12 µg/mL). Cultivation-induced differences in the phytochemical composition of C. majus extracts resulted in significant increases in the cytotoxic activities of the preparations.

Optimasi Penggunaan High Shear Mixer pada Pembuatan Fraksi Alkaloid dari Daun Awar-awar (Ficus septica) dengan Desain Faktorial

Awar-awar (Ficus septica) is an Indonesian anticancer plant that contains alkaloids as the active compound. The n-hexane insoluble fraction (FTLH) is alkaloid-containing fraction obtained from the ethanolic extract of F. septica leaves (EEDFS) by fractionation using n-hexane. High shear mixer (HSM) can be used to optimize the separation processes, including fractionation. The application of HSM in the fractionation of EEDFS is affected by fractionation duration, amount of solvent per gram extract, and strirring strength. Thus, these parameters must be optimized to obtain the optimum condition for the production of FTLH with the highest alkaloid content. This study aimed to optimize the production of FTLH using HSM with factorial designs. The single factor experimental design was employed to determine the influence of the individual variable on the alkaloid content and to define the optimum range value of each variable. A full factorial design was used to determine the presence of interaction among the factors and to determine the optimal fractionation condition. The results showed that all investigated factors independently affected alkaloid contents. The solvent volume of 14-18 mL per gram extract, the fractionation duration of 2.5-5.0 minutes, and the stirring strength of 3000 rpm are the optimal range value of each factor. The optimal conditions were solvent volume of 14.0-14.4 mL/gram extract, fractionation duration of 2.5-2.7 minutes, and strirring strength at 3000 rpm. At the optimal condition, the total alkaloid content in the FTLH reached 0.1466% or 1.3 times higher than the extract (0.1128%).

Isolation and characterization of alkaloids from thalictrum minus

The aim of the present work was to continue studies on the alkaloid content of the minus and identifying major alkaloids of the above ground parts of Th. minus of Iranian origin. Thalictrum minus population of Iran, contained two major phenanthrene alkaloids that their structure were established by spectral methods. Thaliglucine has been detected for the first time in the minus. Thaliglucine N-oxide is assumed to be a new phenanthrene N-oxide.