New Sulfoxide-Containing Derivatives from the Resin of Ferula sinkiangensis

Four undescribed sulfoxide-containing derivatives, sinkiangenoxides A and B, (2Z, 4E)-sinkiangenoxide C, and (2E, 4E)-sinkiangenoxide C (1 – 4), and one known compound, 1-(methylthio)propyl (E)-1-propenyl disulfide (5), were isolated from the resin of Ferula sinkiangensis. Their structures were determined based on spectroscopic methods, including IR, UV, HRESIMS, NMR, and CD analysis. Compounds 2 – 4 showed moderate cytotoxic activities against four human cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 15.0 to 40.3 µM. Sinkiangenoxide B (2) was shown to induce apoptosis in HepG2 cells. In addition, compound 5 effectively attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide release and TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 expression.

High-throughput sequencing analysis of the rhizosphere arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community composition associated with Ferula sinkiangensis

Background Ferula sinkiangensis is an increasingly endangered medicinal plant. Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) are symbiotic microorganisms that live in the soil wherein they enhance nutrient uptake, stress resistance, and pathogen defense in host plants. While such AMF have the potential to contribute to the cultivation of Ferula sinkiangensis, the composition of AMF communities associated with Ferula sinkiangensis and the relationship between these fungi and other pertinent abiotic factors still remains to be clarified. Results Herein, we collected rhizosphere and surrounding soil samples at a range of depths (0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm) and a range of slope positions (bottom, middle, top). These samples were then subjected to analyses of soil physicochemical properties and high-throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). We determined that Glomus and Diversispora species were highly enriched in all samples. We further found that AMF diversity and richness varied significantly as a function of slope position, with this variation primarily being tied to differences in relative Glomus and Diversispora abundance. In contrast, no significant relationship was observed between soil depth and overall AMF composition, although some AMF species were found to be sensitive to soil depth. Many factors significantly affected AMF community composition, including organic matter content, total nitrogen, total potassium, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available potassium, total dissolvable salt levels, pH, soil water content, and slope position. We further determined that Shannon diversity index values in these communities were positively correlated with total phosphorus, nitrate-nitrogen levels, and pH values (P < 0.05), whereas total phosphorus, total dissolvable salt levels, and pH were positively correlated with Chao1 values (P < 0.05). Conclusion In summary, our data revealed that Glomus and Diversispora are key AMF genera found within Ferula sinkiangensis rhizosphere soil. These fungi are closely associated with specific environmental and soil physicochemical properties, and these soil sample properties also differed significantly as a function of slope position (P < 0.05). Together, our results provide new insights regarding the relationship between AMF species and Ferula sinkiangensis, offering a theoretical basis for further studies of their development.

Variation of rhizosphere bacterial community diversity in the desert ephemeral plant Ferula sinkiangensis across environmental gradients

Ferula sinkiangensis (F. sinkiangensis) is a desert short-lived medicinal plant, and its number is rapidly decreasing. Rhizosphere microbial community plays an important role in plant growth and adaptability. However, F. sinkiangensis rhizosphere bacterial communities and the soil physicochemical factors that drive the bacterial community distribution are currently unclear. On this study, based on high-throughput sequencing, we explored the diversity, structure and composition of F. sinkiangensis rhizosphere bacterial communities at different slope positions and soil depths and their correlation with soil physicochemical properties. Our results revealed the heterogeneity and changed trend of F. sinkiangensis rhizosphere bacterial community diversity and abundance on slope position and soil depth and found Actinobacteria (25.5%), Acidobacteria (16.9%), Proteobacteria (16.6%), Gemmatimonadetes (11.5%) and Bacteroidetes (5.8%) were the dominant bacterial phyla in F. sinkiangensis rhizosphere soil. Among all soil physicochemical variables shown in this study, there was a strong positive correlation between phosphorus (AP) and the diversity of rhizosphere bacterial community in F. sinkiangensis. In addition, Soil physicochemical factors jointly explained 24.28% of variation in F. sinkiangensis rhizosphere bacterial community structure. Among them, pH largely explained the variation of F. sinkiangensis rhizosphere bacterial community structure (5.58%), followed by total salt (TS, 5.21%) and phosphorus (TP, 4.90%).

High-throughput sequencing analysis of the rhizosphere arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community composition associated with Ferula sinkiangensis

Background: Ferula sinkiangensis is an increasingly endangered medicinal plant. Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) are symbiotic microorganisms that live in the soil wherein they enhance nutrient uptake, stress resistance, and pathogen defense in host plants. While such AMF have the potential to contribute to the cultivation of Ferula sinkiangensis, the composition of AMF communities associated with Ferula sinkiangensis and the relationship between these fungi and other pertinent abiotic factors still remains to be clarified.Results: Herein, we collected rhizosphere and surrounding soil samples at a range of depths (0-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm) and a range of slope positions (bottom, middle, top). These samples were then subjected to analyses of soil physicochemical properties and high-throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). We determined that Glomus and Diversispora species were highly enriched in all samples. We further found that AMF diversity and richness varied significantly as a function of slope position, with this variation primarily being tied to differences in relative Glomus and Diversispora abundance. In contrast, no significant relationship was observed between soil depth and overall AMF composition, although some AMF species were found to be sensitive to soil depth. Many factors significantly affected AMF community composition, including organic matter content, total nitrogen, total potassium, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available potassium, total dissolvable salt levels, pH, soil water content, and slope position. We further determined that Shannon diversity index values in these communities were positively correlated with total phosphorus, nitrate-nitrogen levels, and pH values (P<0.05), whereas total phosphorus, total dissolvable salt levels, and pH were positively correlated with Chao1 values (P<0.05). Conclusion: In summary, our data revealed that Glomus and Diversispora are key AMF genera found within Ferula sinkiangensis rhizosphere soil. These fungi are closely associated with specific environmental and soil physicochemical properties, and these soil sample properties also differed significantly as a function of slope position (P<0.05). Together, our results provide new insights regarding the relationship between AMF species and Ferula sinkiangensis, offering a theoretical basis for further studies of their development.

Variation of rhizosphere bacterial community diversity in the desert ephemeral plant Ferula sinkiangensis across environmental gradients

Ferula sinkiangensis ( F.sinkiangensis ) is a desert short-lived medicinal plant, and its number is rapidly decreasing. Rhizosphere microbial community plays an important role in plant growth and adaptability. However, F.sinkiangensis rhizosphere bacterial communities and the soil physicochemical factors that drive the bacterial community distribution are currently unclear. On this study, based on high-throughput sequencing, we explored the diversity, structure and composition of F.sinkiangensis rhizosphere bacterial communities at different slope positions and soil depths and their correlation with soil physicochemical properties. Our results revealed the heterogeneity and changed trend of F.sinkiangensis rhizosphere bacterial community diversity and abundance on slope position and soil depth and found Actinobacteria (25.5%), Acidobacteria (16.9%), Proteobacteria (16.6%), Gemmatimonadetes (11.5%) and Bacteroidetes (5.8%) were the dominant bacterial phyla in F.sinkiangensis rhizosphere soil. Among all soil physicochemical variables shown in this study, there was a strong positive correlation between phosphorus (AP) and the diversity of rhizosphere bacterial community in F.sinkiangensis . In addition, Soil physicochemical factors jointly explained 24.28% of variation in F.sinkiangensis rhizosphere bacterial community structure. Among them, pH largely explained the variation of F.sinkiangensis rhizosphere bacterial community structure (5.58%), followed by total salt (TS, 5.21%) and phosphorus (TP, 4.90%).

High-throughput sequencing analysis of the rhizosphere arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community composition associated with Ferula sinkiangensis

Background: Ferula sinkiangensis is an increasingly endangered medicinal plant. Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) are symbiotic microorganisms that live in the soil wherein they enhance nutrient uptake, stress resistance, and pathogen defense in host plants. While such AMF have the potential to aid in Ferula sinkiangensis cultivation, the composition of AMF communities associated with Ferula sinkiangensis and the relationship between these fungi and other pertinent abiotic factors remain to be clarified.Results: Herein, we collected samples of rhizosphere and surrounding soil at a range of depths (0-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm) and a range of slope positions (bottom, middle, top). These samples were then subjected to analyses of soil physicochemical properties and high-throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq). We determined that Glomus and Diversispora species were highly enriched in all samples. We further found that AMF diversity and richness varied significantly as a function of slope position, with this variation primarily being tied to differences in relative Glomus and Diversispora abundance. In contrast, no significant relationship was observed between soil depth and overall AMF composition, although some AMF species were found to be sensitive to soil depth. Many factors were found to significantly affect AMF community composition, including organic matter content, total nitrogen, total potassium, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, available potassium, total dissolvable salt levels, pH, soil water content, and slope position. We further found that Shannon diversity index values in these communities were positively correlated with total phosphorus, nitrate-nitrogen levels, and pH values (P<0.05), whereas total phosphorus, total dissolvable salt levels, and pH were positively correlated with Chao1 values (P<0.05).Conclusion: In summary, these findings reveal that Glomus and Diversispora are key AMF genera found within the rhizosphere soil of Ferula sinkiangensis. These fungi are closely associated with specific environmental and soil physicochemical properties. The physical and chemical properties of these soil samples also differed significantly as a function of slope position (P<0.05). Together, our results provide new insights regarding the relationship between AMF species and Ferula sinkiangensis, providing a theoretical basis for further studies of their development.