bZIP proteins are one of the largest transcriptional regulators playing crucial roles in plant development, physiological processes, and biotic/abiotic stress responses. Despite the availability of ...recently published draft genome sequence of Cucumis sativus, no comprehensive investigation of these family members has been presented for cucumber. We have identified 64 bZIP transcription factor-encoding genes in the cucumber genome. Based on structural features of their encoded proteins, CsbZIP genes could be classified into 6 groups. Cucumber bZIP genes were expanded mainly by segmental duplication rather than tandem duplication. Although segmental duplication rate of the CsbZIP genes was lower than that of Arabidopsis, rice and sorghum, it was observed as a common expansion mechanism. Some orthologous relationships and chromosomal rearrangements were observed according to comparative mapping analysis with other species. Genome-wide expression analysis of bZIP genes indicated that 64 CsbZIP genes were differentially expressed in at least one of the ten sampled tissues. A total of 4 CsbZIP genes displayed higher expression values in leaf, flowers and root tissues. The in silico micro-RNA (miRNA) and target transcript analyses identified that a total of 21 CsbZIP genes were targeted by 38 plant miRNAs. CsbZIP20 and CsbZIP22 are the most targeted by miR165 and miR166 family members, respectively. We also analyzed the expression of ten CsbZIP genes in the root and leaf tissues of drought-stressed cucumber using quantitative RT-PCR. All of the selected CsbZIP genes were measured as increased in root tissue at 24th h upon PEG treatment. Contrarily, the down-regulation was observed in leaf tissues of all analyzed CsbZIP genes. CsbZIP12 and CsbZIP44 genes showed gradual induction of expression in root tissues during time points. This genome-wide identification and expression profiling provides new opportunities for cloning and functional analyses, which may be used in further studies for improving stress tolerance in plants.
•Green synthesis of Ag NPs using leaf extract of Rheum Ribes was performed.•Biogenic Ag NPs characterized by UV–Vis, XPS, XRD, TEM.•Ag Nanoparticles showed high antibacterial activity against ...gram-positive (S. aureus, MRSA and B. subtilis) and gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria.•Ag nanoparticles showed high anticarcinogenic activity in the breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB 231).
This paper reports the anticarcinogenic and antimicrobial properties of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) obtained by green synthesis using the extract of Rheum ribes (R. ribes), a medicinal plant. For the synthesis of Ag NPs, the ethanolic extracts of R. ribes were used as a reducing as well as the stabilizing agent. For the characterization of Ag NPs, advanced analytical methods such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV–vis spectrophotometry were performed. The synthesized Ag NPs obtained from R. ribes were evaluated as a cytotoxic agent against MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cell line. The IC50 values of the nanoparticles were ranged from 165 to 99 μg/mL against MDA-MB 231 cell line for 24 h and 48 h, respectively. The results show that the use of Ag NPs at low concentrations show the toxic effect in the cancer cells. In addition, the results of experiments on gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis)) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli (E. coli)) bacteria showed that the Ag NPs had high antimicrobial activity. The results suggest that Ag NPs can be developed as potential anticancer and antibacterial agents.
This study was conducted to elucidate the genome-wide gene expression profile in streptozotocin induced diabetic rat liver tissues in response to resveratrol treatment and to establish differentially ...expressed transcription regulation networks with microarray technology. In addition to measure the expression levels of several antioxidant and detoxification genes, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was also used to verify the microarray results. Moreover, gene and protein expressions as well as enzymatic activities of main antioxidant enzymes; superoxide dismutase (SOD-1 and SOD-2) and glutathione S-transferase (GST-Mu) were analyzed. Diabetes altered 273 genes significantly and 90 of which were categorized functionally which suggested that genes in cellular catalytic activities, oxidation-reduction reactions, co-enzyme binding and terpenoid biosynthesis were dominated by up-regulated expression in diabetes. Whereas; genes responsible from cellular carbohydrate metabolism, regulation of transcription, cell signal transduction, calcium independent cell-to-cell adhesion and lipid catabolism were down-regulated. Resveratrol increased the expression of 186 and decreased the expression of 494 genes in control groups. While cellular and extracellular components, positive regulation of biological processes, biological response to stress and biotic stimulants, and immune response genes were up-regulated, genes responsible from proteins present in nucleus and nucleolus were mainly down-regulated. The enzyme assays showed a significant decrease in diabetic SOD-1 and GST-Mu activities. The qRT-PCR and Western-blot results demonstrated that decrease in activity is regulated at gene expression level as both mRNA and protein expressions were also suppressed. Resveratrol treatment normalized the GST activities towards the control values reflecting a post-translational effect. As a conclusion, global gene expression in the liver tissues is affected by streptozotocin induced diabetes in several specific pathways. The present data suggest the presence of several processes which contribute and possibly interact to impair liver functions in type 1 diabetes, several of which are potentially amenable to therapeutic interventions with resveratrol.
Heat-shock proteins (Hsps) are a family of proteins essential in preserving the vitality and functionality of proteins under stress conditions. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely grown plant with ...high nutritional value and is used as a model organism in many studies. This study employed a genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics approach to investigate cucumbers' Hsps against abiotic stress conditions. Bioinformatics methods were used to identify six Hsp families in the cucumber genome and to characterize family members. Transcriptomics data from the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) database was also conducted to select CsHsp genes for further study. Real-time PCR was used to evaluate gene expression levels under different stress conditions, revealing that CssHsp-08 was a vital gene for resistance to stress conditions; including drought, salinity, cold, heat stresses, and ABA application. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of plant extracts revealed that amino acids accumulate in leaves under high temperatures and roots under drought, while sucrose accumulates in both tissues under applied most stress factors.
The study provides valuable insights into the structure, organization, evolution, and expression profiles of the Hsp family and contributes to a better understanding of plant stress mechanisms. These findings have important implications for developing crops that can withstand environmental stress conditions better.
•Heat Shock Protein Family members in Cucumis sativus genome were identified and characterized with bioinformatics methods.•Real-time PCR showed that the expression of CssHsp-08, CsHsp40-70, and CsHsp70-06 genes significantly increased in response to different stress conditions.•Metabolite level analysis revealed that the accumulation of amino acids in leaves and sucrose accumulation in both tissues were observed under most stress factors.•The work gives crucial knowledge on the organization, metabolite, and expression profiles of the cucumber heat shock protein family under stress conditions.
Liquidambar orientalis Mill., commonly called the Anatolian sweetgum or Sigla tree, is endemic to southwestern Turkey. It has been historically significant in traditional medicine. In our research, ...we delved into the therapeutic attributes of its oil, emphasizing its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor properties. The primary chemical constituent of the gum is styrene, accounting for 78.5 %. The gum demonstrated antioxidant capabilities in several assays, including in 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′‐azinobis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS), cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). It displayed bactericidal actions against various gram‐positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, and gram‐negative strains, including Escherichia coli. Additionally, the oil showcased potent antitumor effects against breast (MDA‐MB‐231), lung (A549), and prostate (PC3) cancer cell lines. These effects were found to be both time‐ and dose‐dependent. L. orientalis Mill. oil showed the best antitumor activity against breast, lung, and prostate cancer cell lines after the 24 h and 48 h treatment. Its oil might induce autophagy in the PC3 prostate cancer cell line, whereas its cytotoxicity against MDA‐MB‐231 and A549 cancer cell lines might not be correlated with autophagy or apoptosis pathways. In conclusion, the oil from the Sigla tree offers promising therapeutic potential and warrants further exploration.
Members of basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene family found in all eukaryotes play crucial roles in response to stress. Though, most eukaryotes carry the proteins of this family, biological functions ...of the most bHLH family members are not deeply evaluated in plants. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of bHLH transcription factors in salt tolerant common bean. We identified 155 bHLH protein-encoding genes (PvbHLH) by using in silico comparative genomics tools. Based on the phylogenetic tree, PvbHLH genes were classified into 8 main groups with 21 subfamilies. Exon–intron analysis indicated that proteins belonging to same main groups exhibited a closely related gene structure. While, the PvbHLH gene family has been mainly expanded through segmental duplications, a total of 11 tandem duplication were detected. Genome-wide expression analysis of bHLH genes showed that 63 PvbHLH genes were differentially expressed in at least one tissue. Three of them displayed higher expression values in both leaf and root tissues. The in silico micro-RNA target transcript analyses revealed that totally 100 PvHLH genes targeted by 86 plant miRNAs. The most abundant transcripts, which were targeted by all 18 plant miRNA, were belonging to PvHLH-22 and PvHLH-44 genes. The expression of 16 PvbHLH genes in the root and leaf tissues of salt-stressed common bean was evaluated using qRT-PCR. Among them, two of PvbHLHs, PvbHLH-54, PvbHLH-148, were found to be up-regulated in both tissues in correlation with RNA-seq measurements. The results of this study could help improve understanding of biological functions of common bean bHLH family under salt stress. Additionally, it may provide basic resources for analyzing bHLH protein function for improving economic, agronomic and ecological benefit in common bean and other species.
Legumes are rich in protein and phytochemicals and have provided a healthy diet for human beings for thousands of years. In recognition of the important role they play in human nutrition and ...agricultural production, the researchers have made great efforts to gain new genetic traits in legumes such as yield, stress tolerance, and nutritional quality. In recent years, the significant increase in genomic resources for legume plants has prepared the groundwork for applying cutting-edge breeding technologies, such as transgenic technologies, genome editing, and genomic selection for crop improvement. In addition to the different genome editing technologies including the CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing system, this review article discusses the recent advances in plant-specific gene-editing methods, as well as problems and potential benefits associated with the improvement of legume crops with important agronomic properties. The genome editing technologies have been effectively used in different legume plants including model legumes like alfalfa and lotus, as well as crops like soybean, cowpea, and chickpea. We also discussed gene-editing methods used in legumes and the improvements of agronomic traits in model and recalcitrant legumes. Despite the immense opportunities genome editing can offer to the breeding of legumes, governmental regulatory restrictions present a major concern. In this context, the comparison of the regulatory framework of genome editing strategies in the European Union and the United States of America was also discussed. Gene-editing technologies have opened up new possibilities for the improvement of significant agronomic traits in legume breeding.
The family of basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors plays diverse crucial roles in numerous biological processes. Despite the identification of
bZIP
genes in several plants, to our ...knowledge, bZIP members in watermelon and melon are yet to be comprehensively investigated. The genomes of watermelon and melon encode 59
ClabZIP
and 75
CmbZIP
putative genes, respectively. Both bZIP protein family members were phylogenetically grouped into seven subfamilies. The majority of
bZIP
genes in the same subfamily shared similar gene structures and conserved motifs. Chromosome distribution and genetic analysis revealed that 21 duplication events between
ClabZIP
genes and 106 duplication events between
CmbZIP
genes have occurred. Further, the three-dimensional structure and functional annotation of bZIP proteins was predicted. For evaluating the expression patterns of
ClabZIP
and
CmbZIP
genes, RNA-seq data available in public databases were analyzed. The expression profiles of selected
ClabZIP
and
CmbZIP
genes in root and leaf tissues of drought-stressed watermelon and melon were also examined using qRT-PCR.
ClabZIP-57
,
CmbZIP-52
, and
CmbZIP-31
genes exhibited the highest expression levels after stress exposure in leaf and root tissues. Gene identification studies like the present study offer new perspectives in the analysis of bZIP protein family members and their functions in plants.
Sorbus torminalis (L.) Crantz has a rich history of versatile applications spanning the fields of medicine and nutrition. It is noteworthy that the decoction obtained from S. torminalis leaves is a ...traditional treatment method against both diabetes and stomach disorders. Phytochemical profiling determined by HPLC/MS‐MS. The effects of the extracts on cell viability were investigated using the MTT (3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) method against MDA‐MB‐231 cell line (human breast adenocarcinoma).The ethanol/water extract contained more concentration of total phenolic (91.41 mg gallic acid (GAE) equivalent /gr) and flavanoid (29.10 mg rutin (RE) equivalent/gr) in the tested extract (p<0.05). Resulting of HPLC analysis, the chemical constituents varied depending on the solvents and chlorogenic acid, hyperoside, isoquercetin, delphindin‐3,5‐diglucoside, procyanidin B2, epicatechin, neochlorogenic acid, 3,5‐dicaffeoylquinic acid were identified in all extracts. Overall, ethanol, n‐hexane and ethyl acetate extracts showed the highest inhibition for the tyrosinase enzyme. The effect of leaf extracts of S. torminalis on antimicrobial, biofilm inhibitory, and anticancer activities was examined. Based on outcomes of our study recognize this plant as a critical source of medically active chemicals for feasible phytopharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications, providing the first scientific insight into the detailed biological and chemical profiles of S. torminalis.
As the safety and effectiveness of synthetic drugs remain in doubt, researchers are trying to develop natural medicines from medicinal plants. Herein, ethyl acetate, methanol and water extracts from ...the Heracleum humile plant were obtained by an ultrasonic‐assisted extraction process and the aim was to evaluate some biological effects of the extracts due to the limited data on the pharmacological properties of Heracleum humile in the literature. Weak antibacterial activity was observed on tested bacterial species. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration values ranged from 250 to 500 μg/mL. In addition, cytotoxic activity was determined using the MTT test. The strongest findings were determined for ethyl acetate extract on the MDA‐MB‐231 cell lines at the 48th hour (IC50:97.94 μg/mL), followed by the MCF‐7 cell lines at the 24th hour (IC50:103.9 μg/mL). All extracts of Heracleum humile contained mainly flavonoids, phenolic acids and their derivatives, i. e., well‐known compounds that possess numerous biological activities such as antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial etc. The study results could provide important information that Heracleum humile could be a potential candidate as a natural enzyme inhibitor. It can be concluded that these extracts could be useful in the elementary step of improving novel plant‐derived multifunctional pharmaceuticals.