Terpenoids comprise tens of thousands of small molecule natural products that are widely distributed across all domains of life. Plants produce by far the largest array of terpenoids with various ...roles in development and chemical ecology. Driven by selective pressure to adapt to their specific ecological niche, individual species form only a fraction of the myriad plant terpenoids, typically representing unique metabolite blends. Terpene synthase (TPS) enzymes are the gatekeepers in generating terpenoid diversity by catalyzing complex carbocation-driven cyclization, rearrangement, and elimination reactions that enable the transformation of a few acyclic prenyl diphosphate substrates into a vast chemical library of hydrocarbon and, for a few enzymes, oxygenated terpene scaffolds. The seven currently defined clades (a-h) forming the plant TPS family evolved from ancestral triterpene synthase- and prenyl transferase-type enzymes through repeated events of gene duplication and subsequent loss, gain, or fusion of protein domains and further functional diversification. Lineage-specific expansion of these TPS clades led to variable family sizes that may range from a single TPS gene to families of more than 100 members that may further function as part of modular metabolic networks to maximize the number of possible products. Accompanying gene family expansion, the TPS family shows a profound functional plasticity, where minor active site alterations can dramatically impact product outcome, thus enabling the emergence of new functions with minimal investment in evolving new enzymes. This article reviews current knowledge on the functional diversity and molecular evolution of the plant TPS family that underlies the chemical diversity of bioactive terpenoids across the plant kingdom.
Ziziphus mauritiana Lam leaves were utilized in treating asthma, diabetes, inflammation, and hepatic diseases in Indian traditional medicine. The leaves were used as an edible vegetables in rural ...parts of India.
The aim is to prove the anti-inflammatory activity of Ziziphus mauritiana Lam leaves against LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and OVA-induced airway inflammation in mice through its attenuation mechanism in the NFκB signalling pathway.
Terpenoids present in MEZ were quantified using U(H)PLC analysis. MEZ at 50 and 100 μg/mL were tested against LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. The concentration of NO, ROS, and cytokines was quantified from the cell culture supernatants. OVA-induced asthma in mice was adopted for screening airway inflammation. MEZ at 250 and 500 mg/kg was tested for airway hyperresponsiveness, leukocyte counting, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and TNF-α), lung histopathology, and various inflammatory gene expressions in lungs for NFκB signalling pathway in asthma.
Terpenoids like betulin, betulinic acid, oleanolic acid, and ursolic acid were quantified from U(H)PLC analysis. MEZ at higher doses reduced the NO, ROS, and pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. MEZ at 500 mg/kg significantly reduced AHR and also decreased total and differential leukocytes. MEZ also reduced the expressions of ICAM, VCAM, and Muc5C genes. Histopathological analysis revealed MEZ significantly reduced the leukocyte infiltration and mucus hypersecretion in the lungs. MEZ suppressed lung inflammation by inhibition of p65 mediated IκB-α translocation in the NFκB signalling pathway.
From these findings, MEZ significantly reduced airway inflammation by inhibiting NFκB mediated inflammatory pathway. Hence, this study proved that Ziziphus mauritiana Lam has anti-asthmatic potential in Indian traditional medicine.
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•Four terpenoids were quantified using U(H)PLC analysis in MEZ.•MEZ inhibits the release of proinflammatory cytokines.•MEX reduces the expressions of ICAM, VCAM, and Muc5AC genes.•MEX inhibits leukocyte infiltration and mucus hypersecretion.•MEZ blocks p65 mediated IκB-α translocation in NFκB signalling pathway.
Aeromonas hydrophila, a Gram-negative bacterium widely found in freshwater environments, acts as a common conditional pathogen affecting humans, livestock, and aquatic animals. In this study, the ...impact of oridonin, an ent-kaurane diterpenoid compound derived from Rabdosia rubescens, on the virulence factors of A. hydrophila AS 1.1801 and its antibacterial mechanism was elucidated. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of oridonin against A. hydrophila AS 1.1801 was 100 μg/mL. Oridonin at inhibitory concentrations could significantly increase the electrical conductivity in the supernatant and escalate nucleic acid leakage (p < 0.01). This effect was concomitant with observed distortions in bacterial cells, the formation of cytoplasmic cavities, cellular damage, and pronounced inhibition of protein and nucleic acid synthesis. Additionally, oridonin at inhibitory levels exhibited a noteworthy suppressive impact on A. hydrophila AS 1.1801 across biofilm formation, motility, hemolytic activity, lipase activity, and protease activity (p < 0.05), demonstrating a dose-dependent enhancement. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the gene expression of luxR, qseB and omp were significantly downregulated after oridonin treatment in A. hydrophila AS 1.1801 (p < 0.05). Our results indicated that oridonin possessed significant antibacterial and anti-virulence effects on A. hydrophila AS 1.1801.
The Front Cover shows like the fungi, the organocatalytic multi‐catalytic one‐pot method also stands as a unique kingdom in the field of synthetic organic chemistry by simply making the impossible ...possible. We sincerely thank Mr. A. Vamshi Krishna, Ms. Revoju Sravanthi and Mr. Raghu Ghanapuram for the excellent cover design. More information can be found in the Research Article by D. B. Ramachary et al.
Sunburn and sunscald are common apple and pear peel disorders. Although both disorders are caused by excessive sunlight exposure, sunburn occurs in the orchard, whereas sunscald develops ...progressively during storage periods. Despite having been well characterized and studied in apples, these disorders are still poorly understood in pears. Here we performed comparative metabolomic analyses on pears with different levels of sunburn and sunscald incidences to understand metabolic changes associated with sun damage. Fruit from different orchards were classified according to their sunburn severity (light, moderate, and severe) at commercial harvest and later, sunscald level (light, moderate, and severe) after cold storage for 6 months. Peel samples were collected from both damaged and healthy sections of each class for metabolic profiling. From a total of 379 primary and secondary metabolites, 260 and 278 were found to have different accumulation levels between sunburned and sunscalded peel, respectively, compared to healthy tissues. Sunburn severity was positively correlated with the level of photosystem-related metabolites, while sunscald was with diacylglycerides, α-amyrin acyl esters, and pentacyclic triterpenoic acids. The content of some volatiles and fatty acids were elevated in both disorders. Our results provide biochemical information to distinguish these physiological disorders on pears, which may occur more frequently in the future due to increasing seasonal temperatures in many pear growing regions in the world due to climate change.
•Sunburn and sunscald have distinctive metabolic profiles on pears.•Sunburn is highly correlated with photosystem-related metabolites.•Sunscald is correlated with α-amyrin acyl esters and pentacyclic triterpenoic acids.•Volatile alcohols and fatty acids were elevated in both disorders.
Fruit and leaf cuticular waxes are valuable source materials for the isolation of triterpenoids that can be applied as natural antioxidants and anticancer agents. The present study aimed at the ...semi-preparative fractionation of triterpenoids from cuticular wax extracts of Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. (lingonberry) leaves and fruits and the evaluation of their cytotoxic potential. Qualitative and quantitative characterization of obtained extracts and triterpenoid fractions was performed using HPLC-PDA method, followed by complementary analysis by GC-MS. For each fraction, cytotoxic activities towards the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line (HT-29), malignant melanoma cell line (IGR39), clear renal carcinoma cell line (CaKi-1), and normal endothelial cells (EC) were determined using MTT assay. Furthermore, the effect of the most promising samples on cancer spheroid growth and viability was examined. This study allowed us to confirm that particular triterpenoid mixtures from lingonberry waxes may possess stronger cytotoxic activities than crude unpurified extracts. Fractions containing triterpenoid acids plus fernenol, complexes of oleanolic:ursolic acids, and erythrodiol:uvaol were found to be the most potent therapeutic candidates in the management of cancer diseases. The specificity of cuticular wax extracts of lingonberry leaves and fruits, leading to different purity and anticancer potential of obtained counterpart fractions, was also enclosed. These findings contribute to the profitable utilization of lingonberry cuticular waxes and provide considerable insights into the anticancer effects of particular triterpenoids and pharmacological interactions.
The role of volatiles in plant communication Bouwmeester, Harro; Schuurink, Robert C.; Bleeker, Petra M. ...
Plant journal,
December 2019, Volume:
100, Issue:
5
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Summary
Volatiles mediate the interaction of plants with pollinators, herbivores and their natural enemies, other plants and micro‐organisms. With increasing knowledge about these interactions the ...underlying mechanisms turn out to be increasingly complex. The mechanisms of biosynthesis and perception of volatiles are slowly being uncovered. The increasing scientific knowledge can be used to design and apply volatile‐based agricultural strategies.
Significance Statement
Volatiles mediate the interaction of plants with pollinators, micro‐organisms, other plants and herbivores and their natural enemies. The increasing knowledge about the role of volatiles in these interactions, the underlying mechanisms, the biosynthesis and perception of volatiles are reviewed and the perspective for volatile‐based agricultural control strategies discussed.
Given the increasingly serious diseases anthracnose mainly caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (C. gloeosporioides) of walnut plants in recent years and the environmental pollution caused by ...chemical pesticides, phosphites had been shown to be new environmental friendly chemical agents for plants. In this study, seven-year-old ‘Xiangling’ and ‘Xifu 4’ walnut trees were treated with different concentrations of potassium phosphite foliar fertilizer. The treatments were T1 (1500-fold dilution fluid of potassium phosphite), T2 (1000-fold dilution fluid of potassium phosphite) and CK (water). The results showed that the disease incidence rates of fruit treated with potassium phosphite were lower than CK. Moreover, the diseased fruit rates of ‘Xiangling’ (4) and ‘Xifu 4’ (14) in T2, lower than they (28 and 38) in CK. Metabolome and transcriptome further analysis revealed that potassium phosphite significantly increased the expression level of genes in the photosynthesis pathway and accumulated terpeniods, phenolic, salicylic acid and other secondary metabolic pathways. In addition, as salicylic acid content significantly increased, the expression level of the gene encoding the disease resistance-related protein (PR1) showed a corresponding trend. In vitro antibacterial tests of six related metabolites on C. gloeosporioides showed that hederagenin, 23-hydroxybetulinic acid, ursolic acid, eriodictyol, and salicylic acid had effect on C. gloeosporioides spores, among which salicylic acid and ursolic acid significantly inhibited the growth of C. gloeosporioides. Further experiments revealed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations of salicylic acid and ursolic acid were 2 and 5 g L−1, respectively. In addition, potassium phosphite could directly inhibit the growth of C. gloeosporioides spores in vitro tests. In conclusion, potassium phosphite enhanced walnut fruit disease resistance through up-regulated the genes related to photosynthetic performance and abundant in secondary metabolites, such as salicylic acid, terpenoids and phenolics, which were antibacterial effects on C. gloeosporioides.
•First, potassium phosphite has a significant effect on walnut disease in China.•Second, integrated metabolome and transcriptome analysis revealed that potassium phosphate significant increased the expression level of genes in the photosynthesis pathway and accumulated terpeniods, phenolic, salicylic acid and other secondary metabolites, which the key player in the interaction and defense reactions between plants and disease.•Third, the results shown salicylic acid and ursolic acid significantly inhibited the growth of C. gloeosporioides and the resistance of ursolic acid to C. gloeosporioides has not been reported in previous studies.•Four, potassium phosphate not only induced salicylic acid and ursolic acid, but also potassium phosphate could directly inhibit the growth of C. gloeosporioides in vitro antibacterial tests.
Medical
and its major cannabinoids (-)-
-Δ
-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are gaining momentum for various medical purposes as their therapeutic qualities are becoming better ...established. However, studies regarding their efficacy are oftentimes inconclusive. This is chiefly because
is a versatile plant rather than a single drug and its effects do not depend only on the amount of THC and CBD. Hundreds of
cultivars and hybrids exist worldwide, each with a unique and distinct chemical profile. Most studies focus on THC and CBD, but these are just two of over 140 phytocannabinoids found in the plant in addition to a milieu of terpenoids, flavonoids and other compounds with potential therapeutic activities. Different plants contain a very different array of these metabolites in varying relative ratios, and it is the interplay between these molecules from the plant and the endocannabinoid system in the body that determines the ultimate therapeutic response and associated adverse effects. Here, we discuss how phytocannabinoid profiles differ between plants depending on the chemovar types, review the major factors that affect secondary metabolite accumulation in the plant including the genotype, growth conditions, processing, storage and the delivery route; and highlight how these factors make
treatment highly complex.
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