-
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton, a member of the Lamiaceae family, stands out as a versatile plant highly valued for its unique aroma and medicinal properties....
Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton, a member of the Lamiaceae family, stands out as a versatile plant highly valued for its unique aroma and medicinal properties. Additionally, P. frutescens seeds are rich in Îś-linolenic acid, holding substantial economic importance. While the nuclear and chloroplast genomes of P. frutescens have already been documented, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence remains unreported. To this end, the sequencing, annotation, and assembly of the entire Mitochondrial genome of P. frutescens were hereby conducted using a combination of Illumina and PacBio data. The assembled P. frutescens mitochondrial genome spanned 299,551 bp and exhibited a typical circular structure, involving a GC content of 45.23%. Within the genome, a total of 59 unique genes were identified, encompassing 37 protein-coding genes, 20 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNA genes. Additionally, 18 introns were observed in 8 protein-coding genes. Notably, the codons of the P. frutescens mitochondrial genome displayed a notable A/T bias. The analysis also revealed 293 dispersed repeat sequences, 77 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), and 6 tandem repeat sequences. Moreover, RNA editing sites preferentially produced leucine at amino acid editing sites. Furthermore, 70 sequence fragments (12,680 bp) having been transferred from the chloroplast to the mitochondrial genome were identified, accounting for 4.23% of the entire mitochondrial genome. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that among Lamiaceae plants, P. frutescens is most closely related to Salvia miltiorrhiza and Platostoma chinense. Meanwhile, inter-species Ka/Ks results suggested that Ka/Ks for 28 PCGs, indicating that these genes were evolving under purifying selection. Overall, this study enriches the mitochondrial genome data for P. frutescens and forges a theoretical foundation for future molecular breeding research.
Topics: RNA Editing; Genome, Mitochondrial; Perilla frutescens; Codon Usage; Phylogeny; Microsatellite Repeats; RNA, Transfer; Base Composition; Molecular Sequence Annotation
PubMed: 38886463
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64509-3 -
Heliyon Jun 2024The objective of this study was to assess the pharmacological activity and therapeutic mechanism of Dahuang Mudan Decotion (DHMDD) for colorectal cancer using...
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to assess the pharmacological activity and therapeutic mechanism of Dahuang Mudan Decotion (DHMDD) for colorectal cancer using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), network pharmacology and in vitro experiments.
METHODS
The chemical components of DHMDD were identified by UPLC-MS. Network pharmacological analysis was utilized to screen the active ingredients and targets associated with DHMDD for colorectal cancer. Based on the results of network pharmacology, the potential mechanism of DHMDD on colorectal cancer predicted was experimentally studied and verified in vitro.
RESULTS
DHMDD primarily exerts its effects on colorectal cancer through 52 active ingredients. AKT1, ESR1, HSP90AA1, JUN, PIK3CA, PIK3CB, PIK3R1, SRC, STAT3, TP53 were the top 10 targets. The top 10 ingredient nodes were Quercetin, Physcione, Pontigenin, Crysophanol, Linolenic acid, Piceatannol, Adenosine, Emodin, Sambunigrin, and Prunasin. The main compounds and the target proteins exhibited strong binding ability in molecular docking studies. The results of cell experiments demonstrated that DHMDD can inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration of CRC cells through the PI3K/Akt pathway.
CONCLUSION
Through network pharmacology analysis and cell experiments, this study suggests that DHMDD can exert its therapeutic effects on colorectal cancer through a combination of multiple components and targets.
PubMed: 38882337
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32136 -
Journal of Pharmacological Sciences Aug 2024We examined the inhibitory effects of α-linolenic acid (ALA) on the contractions of pig coronary arteries. ALA concentration-dependently inhibited the contractions...
We examined the inhibitory effects of α-linolenic acid (ALA) on the contractions of pig coronary arteries. ALA concentration-dependently inhibited the contractions elicited by U46619 and prostaglandin F without affecting those elicited by 80 mM KCl, histamine, acetylcholine, and serotonin. ALA rightward shifted the concentration-response curve of U46619, and Schild plot analysis revealed that ALA competitively antagonized U46619. Furthermore, ALA inhibited the increase in intracellular Ca concentration caused by TP receptor stimulation but not that caused by FP receptor stimulation. These results suggest that ALA behaves as a selective antagonist of TP receptors in coronary arteries.
Topics: Animals; Coronary Vessels; alpha-Linolenic Acid; Swine; 15-Hydroxy-11 alpha,9 alpha-(epoxymethano)prosta-5,13-dienoic Acid; Calcium; Receptors, Thromboxane; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Male; Dinoprost; Muscle Contraction
PubMed: 38880549
DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2024.06.001 -
Plant Communications Jun 2024E3 ligases are key enzymes required for protein degradation. Here we identified a C3H2C3 RING domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase gene named GhATL68b. It is...
E3 ligases are key enzymes required for protein degradation. Here we identified a C3H2C3 RING domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase gene named GhATL68b. It is preferentially and highly expressed in developing cotton fiber cells, and is more conserved in plants than in animals or in archaea. All four orthologs copies of this gene in various diploid cottons and eight in the allotetraploid G. hirsutum were found to originate from a single common ancestor that can be traced back to C. reinhardii at about 992 million years ago (MYA). Structural variations (SVs) occurred in the promoter regions of G. hirsutum, G. herbaceum, G. arboreum and G. raimondii correlated with significantly different methylation patterns. Homozygous CRISPR-Cas9 knock-out cotton lines produced significant poor fiber quality in terms of upper half mean length, elongation at break, uniformity and mature fiber weight. GhATL68b was shown to modulate the homeostasis of 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase (GhDECR), a rate-limiting enzyme for β-oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) via the ubiquitin proteasome pathway through in vitro ubiquitination and cell-free protein degradation assays. Fiber cells harvested from these knockout mutants contained significantly lower levels of PUFAs important for glycerophospholipids production and also for plasma membrane fluidity regulations. Finally, the mutant fiber-growth defective phenotype can be fully compensated by adding linolenic acid (C18:3), the most abundant type of PUFA externally in ovule culture media. To our knowledge, this is the first experimentally characterized C3H2C3 type E3 ubiquitin ligase that is involved in regulating fiber cell elongation, and it may thus provide us with a new genetic target for improved cotton lint production.
PubMed: 38877704
DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2024.101003 -
The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry Jun 2024Increased adiposity is a significant risk factor for pancreatic cancer development. Multiple preclinical studies have documented that high-fat, high caloric diets, rich...
BACKGROUND
Increased adiposity is a significant risk factor for pancreatic cancer development. Multiple preclinical studies have documented that high-fat, high caloric diets, rich in omega-6 fatty acids (FA) accelerate pancreatic cancer development. However, the effect of a high-fat, low sucrose diet (HFD), on pancreatic carcinogenesis remains unclear. We evaluated the impact of a HFD on early-stage pancreatic carcinogenesis in the clinically relevant Kras; Ptf1a (KC) genetically engineered mouse model, and characterized the role of the mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT).
METHODS
Cohorts of male and female KC mice were randomly assigned to a control diet (CD) or a HFD, matched for FA composition (9:1 of omega-6 FA: omega-3 FA), and fed their diets for eight weeks.
RESULTS
After eight weeks on a HFD, KC mice had significantly higher body weight, fat mass, and serum leptin compared to CD-fed KC mice. Furthermore, a HFD accelerated pancreatic acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and proliferation, associated with increased activation of ERK and STAT3, and macrophage infiltration in the pancreas, compared to CD-fed KC mice. Metabolomics analysis of the MAT revealed sex differences between diet groups. In females, a HFD altered metabolites related to FA (α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid) and amino acid metabolism (alanine, aspartate, glutamate). In males, a HFD significantly affected pathways related to alanine, aspartate, glutamate, linoleic acid, and the citric acid cycle.
CONCLUSIONS
A HFD accelerates early pancreatic ADM through multifaceted mechanisms, including effects at the tumor and surrounding MAT. The sex-dependent changes in MAT metabolites could explain some of the sex differences in HFD-induced pancreatic ADM.
PubMed: 38876394
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2024.109690 -
The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry Jun 2024Females have higher docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels than males, proposed to be a result of higher DHA synthesis rates from α-linolenic acid (ALA). However, DHA...
Females have higher docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels than males, proposed to be a result of higher DHA synthesis rates from α-linolenic acid (ALA). However, DHA synthesis rates are reported to be low, and have not been directly compared between sexes. Here, we apply a new compound specific isotope analysis model to determine n-3 PUFA synthesis rates in male and female mice and assess its potential translation to human populations. Male and female C57BL/6N mice were allocated to one of three 12-week dietary interventions with added ALA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or DHA. The diets included low carbon-13 (δC)-n-3 PUFA for 4 weeks, followed by high δC-n-3 PUFA for 8 weeks (n=4 per diet, time point, sex). Following the diet switch, blood and tissues were collected at multiple time points, and fatty acid levels and δC were determined and fit to one-phase exponential decay modeling. Hepatic DHA synthesis rates were not different (p>0.05) between sexes. However, n-3 docosapentaenoic acid (DPAn-3) synthesis from dietary EPA was 66% higher (p<0.05) in males compared to females, suggesting higher synthesis downstream of DPAn-3 of females. Estimates of percent conversion of dietary ALA to serum DHA was 0.2%, in line with previous rodent and human estimates, but severely underestimates percent dietary ALA conversion to whole body DHA of 9.5%. Taken together, our data indicates that reports of low human DHA synthesis rates may be inaccurate, with synthesis being much higher than previously believed. Future animal studies and translation of this model to humans are needed for greater understanding of n-3 PUFA synthesis and metabolism, and whether the higher-than-expected ALA-derived DHA can offset dietary DHA recommendations set by health agencies.
PubMed: 38876393
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2024.109689 -
Food Science & Nutrition Jun 2024The aim of this study is to combine flaxseed oil (FO), rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA), with Sunite sheep tail fat (STF) through a lipase-catalyzed transesterification...
Lipase-catalyzed interesterification of Sunite sheep tail fat and flaxseed oil provides a fat having a unique fatty acid content and favorable physicochemical and nutritional properties.
The aim of this study is to combine flaxseed oil (FO), rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA), with Sunite sheep tail fat (STF) through a lipase-catalyzed transesterification reaction, in order to produce an edible oil with a fatty acid ratio suitable for human needs. Initially, the optimal conditions for esterification were determined using the Box-Behnken design, with the measurement criterion being the content of ALA at the sn-2 position. The results indicated that the highest content of sn-2 ALA was obtained under the conditions of using 6.8 wt% Lipozyme®RMIM as the catalyst, a reaction temperature of 57°C, a reaction time of 3.3 h, and a substrate mass ratio of 5.6:4.4 for STF and FO. This led to the rapid breaking and recombining of molecular bonds, resulting in the interesterified fat (IF) with the highest content of ALA at the sn-2 position. Comparing STF and FO, IF exhibited excellent fatty acid composition and content. Furthermore, IF had a lower melting point and crystallization temperature compared to STF, and its solid fat content decreased with increasing temperature, completely melting at temperatures above 30°C. Thus, IF is a synthesized fat with excellent properties from both animal and vegetable sources.
PubMed: 38873454
DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.4111 -
Translational Animal Science 2024Information about the full spectrum of metabolites present in porcine colostrum and factors that influence metabolite abundances is still incomplete. Parity number...
Information about the full spectrum of metabolites present in porcine colostrum and factors that influence metabolite abundances is still incomplete. Parity number appears to modulate the concentration of single metabolites in colostrum. This study aimed to 1) characterize the metabolome composition and 2) assess the effect of parity on metabolite profiles in porcine colostrum. Sows ( = 20) were divided into three parity groups: A) sows in parity 1 and 2 ( = 8), B) sows in parity 3 and 4 ( = 6), and C) sows in parity 5 and 6 ( = 6). Colostrum was collected within 12 h after parturition. A total of 125 metabolites were identified using targeted reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and anion-exchange chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry. Gas chromatography additionally identified 19 fatty acids (FAs). Across parities, colostrum was rich in creatine and creatinine, 1,3-dioleyl-2-palmitatoylglycerol, 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol, and sialyllactose. Alterations in colostrum concentrations were found for eight metabolites among parity groups ( < 0.05) but the effects were not linear. For instance, colostrum from parity group C comprised 75.4% more valine but 15.7%, 34.1%, and 47.9% less citric, pyruvic, and pyroglutamic acid, respectively, compared to group A ( < 0.05). By contrast, colostrum from parity group B contained 39.5% more spermidine than from group A ( < 0.05). Of the FAs, C18:1, C16:0, and C18:2 n6 were the main FAs across parities. Parity affected four FAs (C18:3n3, C14:1, C17:0ai, and C17:1), including 43.1% less α-linolenic acid (C18:3n3) in colostrum from parity group C compared to groups A and B ( < 0.05). Signature feature ranking identified 1-stearoyl-2-hydroxy--glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine and the secondary bile acid hyodeoxycholic acid as the most discriminative metabolites, showing a higher variable importance in the projection score in colostrum from parity group A than from groups B and C. Overall, results provided a comprehensive overview about the metabolome composition of sow colostrum. The consequences of the changes in colostrum metabolites with increasing parity for the nutrient supply of the piglets should be investigated in the future. The knowledge gained in this study could be used to optimize feeding strategies for sows.
PubMed: 38863596
DOI: 10.1093/tas/txae062 -
BMC Plant Biology Jun 2024Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) has greatly improved the utilization of heterosis in crops due to the absence of functional male gametophyte. The newly developed...
BACKGROUND
Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) has greatly improved the utilization of heterosis in crops due to the absence of functional male gametophyte. The newly developed sporophytic D1 type CMS (CMS-D1) rice exhibits unique characteristics compared to the well-known sporophytic CMS-WA line, making it a valuable resource for rice breeding.
RESULTS
In this research, a novel CMS-D1 line named Xingye A (XYA) was established, characterized by small, transparent, and shriveled anthers. Histological and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assays conducted on anthers from XYA and its maintainer line XYB revealed that male sterility in XYA is a result of delayed degradation of tapetal cells and abnormal programmed cell death (PCD) of microspores. Transcriptome analysis of young panicles revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in XYA, compared to XYB, were significantly enriched in processes related to chromatin structure and nucleosomes during the microspore mother cell (MMC) stage. Conversely, processes associated with sporopollenin biosynthesis, pollen exine formation, chitinase activity, and pollen wall assembly were enriched during the meiosis stage. Metabolome analysis identified 176 specific differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) during the meiosis stage, enriched in pathways such as α-linoleic acid metabolism, flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, and linolenic acid metabolism. Integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic data underscored the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis pathway was significant enriched in XYA during the meiosis stage compared to XYB. Furthermore, levels of JA, MeJA, OPC4, OPDA, and JA-Ile were all higher in XYA than in XYB at the meiosis stage.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings emphasize the involvement of the JA biosynthetic pathway in pollen development in the CMS-D1 line, providing a foundation for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms involved in CMS-D1 sterility.
Topics: Oryza; Pollen; Plant Infertility; Transcriptome; Gene Expression Profiling; Metabolomics; Metabolome; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Meiosis
PubMed: 38862889
DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05259-2 -
F1000Research 2023The growing popularity of nutrient-rich foods, among which is quinoa, is due to the increasing demand for healthier choices. Oils and hydrolyzed proteins from these...
The growing popularity of nutrient-rich foods, among which is quinoa, is due to the increasing demand for healthier choices. Oils and hydrolyzed proteins from these foods may help prevent various health issues. The objective of this work was to perform extraction from the endosperm of the grain from high-protein quinoa flour by physical means a differential abrasive milling process and extracting the oil using an automatic auger extractor at 160°C, as well as characterizing extracted oil. Quinoa oil extraction and physicochemical characterization were carried out. Chemical and physical quality indexes of quinoa oil were established, and both characterizations were conducted based on international and Columbian standards. Thermal properties were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, and rheological and interfacial properties of the oil were evaluated using hybrid rheometers and Drop Tensiometers, respectively, to determine its potential for obtaining functional foods. The result was 10.5 g of oil/ 100 g of endosperm, with a moisture content of 0.12%, insoluble impurities of 0.017%, peroxide index of 18.5 meq O /kg of oil, saponification index of 189.6 mg potassium hydroxide/g of oil, refractive index of 1.401, and a density of 0.9179 g/cm at 20°C. Regarding contaminating metals, it presented 7 mg of iron/kg of oil, a value higher than previously established limits of 5 mg of iron/kg of oil. The oil contained 24.9% oleic acid, 55.3% linoleic acid, and 4% linolenic acid, demonstrating antioxidant capacity. Quinoa oil showed thermal properties similar to other commercial oils. The interfacial and rheological properties were suitable for the stabilization of emulsions, gels, and foams, which are important in various industrial applications and could facilitate the development of new products. The extracted quinoa oil presented similar characteristics to other commercial oils, which could make it a potential product for commercialization and application in different industries.
Topics: Chenopodium quinoa; Rheology; Plant Oils; Chemical Phenomena; Temperature
PubMed: 38854700
DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.134134.1