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Physiologia Plantarum Apr 2021Iron is not only important for plant physiology, but also a very important micronutrient in human diets. The vacuole is the main site for accumulation of excess amounts...
Iron is not only important for plant physiology, but also a very important micronutrient in human diets. The vacuole is the main site for accumulation of excess amounts of various nutrients and toxic substances in plant cells. During the past decade, many Vacuolar Iron Transporter (VIT) and VIT-Like (VTL) genes have been identified and shown to play important roles in iron homeostasis in different plants. Furthermore, recent reports identified novel roles of these transporter genes in symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) in legume crops as well as in the blue coloration of petals in flowers. The literature indicates their universal role in Fe transport across different tissues (grains, nodules, flowers) to different biological processes (cellular iron homeostasis, SNF, petal coloration) in different plants. Here, we have systematically reviewed different aspects, such as structure, molecular evolution, expression, and function of VIT/VTL proteins. This will help future studies aimed at functional analysis of VIT/VTL genes in other plant species, vacuolar transportation mechanisms, and iron biofortification at large.
Topics: Flowers; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Iron; Plant Proteins; Vacuoles
PubMed: 33580885
DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13363 -
Theranostics 2021Macroautophagy (hereafter called autophagy) is a highly conserved physiological process that degrades over-abundant or damaged organelles, large protein aggregates and...
Macroautophagy (hereafter called autophagy) is a highly conserved physiological process that degrades over-abundant or damaged organelles, large protein aggregates and invading pathogens via the lysosomal system (the vacuole in plants and yeast). Autophagy is generally induced by stress, such as oxygen-, energy- or amino acid-deprivation, irradiation, drugs, . In addition to non-selective bulk degradation, autophagy also occurs in a selective manner, recycling specific organelles, such as mitochondria, peroxisomes, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), lysosomes, nuclei, proteasomes and lipid droplets (LDs). This capability makes selective autophagy a major process in maintaining cellular homeostasis. The dysfunction of selective autophagy is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), tumorigenesis, metabolic disorders, heart failure, . Considering the importance of selective autophagy in cell biology, we systemically review the recent advances in our understanding of this process and its regulatory mechanisms. We emphasize the 'cargo-ligand-receptor' model in selective autophagy for specific organelles or cellular components in yeast and mammals, with a focus on mitophagy and ER-phagy, which are finely described as types of selective autophagy. Additionally, we highlight unanswered questions in the field, helping readers focus on the research blind spots that need to be broken.
Topics: Autophagy; Humans; Macroautophagy; Mitophagy; Organelles
PubMed: 33391472
DOI: 10.7150/thno.49860 -
Journal of Ethnopharmacology Mar 2021The different plant parts of Cassia occidentalis Linn, (CO) such as root, leaves, seeds and pods have traditionally been used in multifarious medicines for the treatment...
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE
The different plant parts of Cassia occidentalis Linn, (CO) such as root, leaves, seeds and pods have traditionally been used in multifarious medicines for the treatment of dysentery, diarrhea, constipation, fever, eczema, cancer and venereal diseases.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A systematic search of literature has been done in books and scientific databases like Science Direct, Pubmed, Google Scholar and Scopus etc. These sources were used to compile, analyze and review the information regarding the phytochemistry, toxicology and mechanism of toxicity of CO. The various references on this subject are cited in our review ranging from 1956 to 2019.
RESULTS
Unintentional exposure of CO causes serious pathological condition in children, known as hepato-myo-encephalopathy (HME). The toxicity after CO consumption is associated with the presence of anthraquinones (AQs), a class of secondary plant metabolites. These AQs at high concentrations are known to cause detrimental effects on essential vital organs such as liver, kidney, spleen, brain, muscle and reproductive organs. The animal studies in rodent models as well as clinical investigations have clearly revealed that CO toxicity is associated with enhanced hepatotoxicity serum markers (ALT, AST, and LDH) and presence of necrotic lesions in liver. Furthermore, CO also causes vacuolization in muscle tissue and increases the level of CPK which is a prominent muscle damage marker. Apart from these target organs, CO consumption also causes neuronal damage via disturbing the levels of different proteins such as (GFAP and b-tubulin III). The mechanistic studies show that AQs present in CO have the potential to disturb the cellular homeostasis via binding to DNA, increasing the production ROS and showing inhibitory effects on essential enzymes etc. Therefore, AQs have been observed to be the primary culprit agents contributing to the toxicity of CO in children and animals.
CONCLUSION
Despite its therapeutic potential, CO consumption can be detrimental if consumed in high amounts. A thorough analysis of literature reveals that AQs are the primary factors contributing to toxicity of CO seeds. Exposure to CO seeds causes HME, which is a serious life threatening condition for the malnourished children from lower strata. Multiple mechanisms are involved in the CO induced HME in patients. Lack of appropriate diagnostic measures and a poor understanding of the CO toxicity mechanism in humans and animals complicate the clinical management of CO poisoning subjects. Therefore, development of point of care diagnostic kits shall help in early diagnosis & suitable management of CO poisoning.
Topics: Animals; Anthraquinones; Brain; Hepatic Encephalopathy; Humans; Liver; Muscle, Skeletal; Muscular Diseases; Plant Extracts; Prognosis; Seeds; Senna Plant
PubMed: 33011371
DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113431 -
Journal of the Science of Food and... Jan 2021Tea is the one of the most popular non-alcoholic caffeinated beverages in the world. Tea is produced from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze), which is...
Tea is the one of the most popular non-alcoholic caffeinated beverages in the world. Tea is produced from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze), which is known to accumulate fluoride. This article systematically analyzes the literature concerning fluoride absorption, transportation and fluoride tolerance mechanisms in tea plants. Fluoride bioavailability and exposure levels in tea infusions are also reviewed. The circulation of fluoride within the tea plantation ecosystems is in a positive equilibrium, with greater amounts of fluoride introduced to tea orchards than removed. Water extractable fluoride and magnesium chloride (MgCl ) extractable fluoride in plantation soil are the main sources of absorption by tea plant root via active trans-membrane transport and anion channels. Most fluoride is readily transported through the xylem as F /F-Al complexes to leaf cell walls and vacuole. The findings indicate that tea plants employ cell wall accumulation, vacuole compartmentalization, and F-Al complexes to co-detoxify fluoride and aluminum, a possible tolerance mechanism through which tea tolerates higher levels of fluoride than most plants. Furthermore, dietary and endogenous factors influence fluoride bioavailability and should be considered when exposure levels of fluoride in commercially available dried tea leaves are interpreted. The relevant current challenges and future perspectives are also discussed. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
Topics: Aluminum; Biological Availability; Biological Transport; Camellia sinensis; Cell Wall; Dietary Exposure; Fluorides; Humans; Plant Leaves; Risk Assessment; Soil; Tea
PubMed: 32623727
DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.10640