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Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2018Plant secondary metabolites (SMs) are not only a useful array of natural products but also an important part of plant defense system against pathogenic attacks and... (Review)
Review
Plant secondary metabolites (SMs) are not only a useful array of natural products but also an important part of plant defense system against pathogenic attacks and environmental stresses. With remarkable biological activities, plant SMs are increasingly used as medicine ingredients and food additives for therapeutic, aromatic and culinary purposes. Various genetic, ontogenic, morphogenetic and environmental factors can influence the biosynthesis and accumulation of SMs. According to the literature reports, for example, SMs accumulation is strongly dependent on a variety of environmental factors such as light, temperature, soil water, soil fertility and salinity, and for most plants, a change in an individual factor may alter the content of SMs even if other factors remain constant. Here, we review with emphasis how each of single factors to affect the accumulation of plant secondary metabolites, and conduct a comparative analysis of relevant natural products in the stressed and unstressed plants. Expectantly, this documentary review will outline a general picture of environmental factors responsible for fluctuation in plant SMs, provide a practical way to obtain consistent quality and high quantity of bioactive compounds in vegetation, and present some suggestions for future research and development.
Topics: Biological Products; Plants; Salinity; Secondary Metabolism; Soil; Stress, Physiological; Temperature; Water
PubMed: 29584636
DOI: 10.3390/molecules23040762 -
Chimia Nov 2022Nematodes represent the most abundant group of metazoans on earth. They utilize diverse chemicals to interact with con-specific and hetero-specific organisms, and are... (Review)
Review
Nematodes represent the most abundant group of metazoans on earth. They utilize diverse chemicals to interact with con-specific and hetero-specific organisms, and are also impacted by compounds produced by other interacting organisms. In the first part of this review we discuss how nematode-derived glycolipids modulate their behavior and development, as well as the interactions with other organisms. Furthermore, we provide a short overview about other secondary metabolites produced by nematodes that affect different life traits of free-living nematodes. In the second part of this review we discuss how different bacteria-, nematode-, and plant-derived chemicals such as volatile organic compounds, root exudates, and plant defenses regulate the interaction between entomopathogenic nematodes, their symbiotic bacteria, insect prey, predators, and plants.
Topics: Animals; Nematoda; Ecology; Plants; Volatile Organic Compounds; Bacteria
PubMed: 38069790
DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2022.945 -
Viruses May 2021Negative-strand (-) RNA viruses (NSVs) comprise a large and diverse group of viruses that are generally divided in those with non-segmented and those with segmented... (Review)
Review
Negative-strand (-) RNA viruses (NSVs) comprise a large and diverse group of viruses that are generally divided in those with non-segmented and those with segmented genomes. Whereas most NSVs infect animals and humans, the smaller group of the plant-infecting counterparts is expanding, with many causing devastating diseases worldwide, affecting a large number of major bulk and high-value food crops. In 2018, the taxonomy of segmented NSVs faced a major reorganization with the establishment of the order . This article overviews the major plant viruses that are part of the order, i.e., orthospoviruses (), tenuiviruses (), and emaraviruses (), and provides updates on the more recent ongoing research. Features shared with the animal-infecting counterparts are mentioned, however, special attention is given to their adaptation to plant hosts and vector transmission, including intra/intercellular trafficking and viral counter defense to antiviral RNAi.
Topics: Bunyaviridae; Plant Diseases; Plant Viruses; Plants; RNA Viruses
PubMed: 34066457
DOI: 10.3390/v13050842 -
Cytometry. Part a : the Journal of the... Apr 2021Flow cytometric analysis and sorting of plant mitotic chromosomes has been mastered by only a few laboratories worldwide. Yet, it has been contributing significantly to... (Review)
Review
Flow cytometric analysis and sorting of plant mitotic chromosomes has been mastered by only a few laboratories worldwide. Yet, it has been contributing significantly to progress in plant genetics, including the production of genome assemblies and the cloning of important genes. The dissection of complex genomes by flow sorting into the individual chromosomes that represent small parts of the genome reduces DNA sample complexity and streamlines projects relying on molecular and genomic techniques. Whereas flow cytometric analysis, that is, chromosome classification according to fluorescence and light scatter properties, is an integral part of any chromosome sorting project, it has rarely been used on its own due to lower resolution and sensitivity as compared to other cytogenetic methods. To perform chromosome analysis and sorting, commercially available electrostatic droplet sorters are suitable. However, in order to resolve and purify chromosomes of interest the instrument must offer high resolution of optical signals as well as stability during long runs. The challenge is thus not the instrumentation, but the adequate sample preparation. The sample must be a suspension of intact mitotic metaphase chromosomes and the protocol, which includes the induction of cell cycle synchrony, accumulation of dividing cells at metaphase, and release of undamaged chromosomes, is time consuming and laborious and needs to be performed very carefully. Moreover, in addition to fluorescent staining chromosomal DNA, the protocol may include specific labelling of DNA repeats to facilitate discrimination of particular chromosomes. This review introduces the applications of chromosome sorting in plants, and discusses in detail sample preparation, chromosome analysis and sorting to achieve the highest purity in flow-sorted fractions, and their suitability for downstream applications.
Topics: Cell Cycle; Chromosomes, Plant; Flow Cytometry; Metaphase; Plants
PubMed: 33615737
DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.24324 -
The New Phytologist Aug 2021Plants are systemically relevant to our planet not only by constituting a major part of its biomass, but also because they produce a vast diversity of bioactive... (Review)
Review
Plants are systemically relevant to our planet not only by constituting a major part of its biomass, but also because they produce a vast diversity of bioactive phytochemicals. These compounds often modulate interactions between plants and the environment, and can have substantial effects on plant consumers and their health. By taking a food web perspective, we highlight the role of bioactive phytochemicals in linking soils, plants, animals and humans and discuss their contributions to systems health. The analysis of connections among food web components revealed an underexplored potential of phytochemicals to optimize food web health and productivity.
Topics: Animals; Food Chain; Phytochemicals; Plants
PubMed: 33826755
DOI: 10.1111/nph.17385 -
Trends in Microbiology Apr 2022Phosphate is an essential macronutrient for fungal proliferation as well as a key mediator of antagonistic, beneficial, and pathogenic interactions between fungi and... (Review)
Review
Phosphate is an essential macronutrient for fungal proliferation as well as a key mediator of antagonistic, beneficial, and pathogenic interactions between fungi and other organisms. In this review, we summarize recent insights into the integration of phosphate metabolism with mechanisms of fungal adaptation that support growth and survival. In particular, we highlight aspects of phosphate sensing important for responses to stress and regulation of cell-surface changes with an impact on fungal pathogenesis, host immune responses, and disease outcomes. Additionally, new studies provide insights into the influence of phosphate availability on cooperative or antagonistic interactions between fungi and other microbes, the associations of mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi with plants, and connections with plant immunity. Overall, phosphate homeostasis is emerging as an integral part of fungal metabolism and communication to support diverse lifestyles.
Topics: Fungi; Mycorrhizae; Phosphates; Plants
PubMed: 34479774
DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.08.002 -
Comptes Rendus Biologies 2016There are only three grand theories in biology: the theory of the cell, the theory of the gene, and the theory of evolution. Two of these, the cell and gene theories,... (Review)
Review
There are only three grand theories in biology: the theory of the cell, the theory of the gene, and the theory of evolution. Two of these, the cell and gene theories, originated in the study of plants, with the third resulting in part from botanical considerations as well. Mendel's elucidation of the rules of inheritance was a result of his experiments on peas. The rediscovery of Mendel's work in 1900 was by the botanists de Vries, Correns, and Tschermak. It was only in subsequent years that animals were also shown to have segregation of genetic elements in the exact same manner as had been shown in plants. The story of developmental biology is different - while the development of plants has long been studied, the experimental and genetic approaches to developmental mechanism were developed via experiments on animals, and the importance of genes in development (e.g., Waddington, 1940) and their use for understanding developmental mechanisms came to botanical science much later - as late as the 1980s.
Topics: Developmental Biology; Genes, Plant; Genetics; Plant Development; Plants; Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid
PubMed: 27238367
DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2016.05.003 -
The Plant Journal : For Cell and... Jan 2022Originally conceived as harmful metabolic byproducts, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are now recognized as an integral part of numerous cellular programs. Thanks to their... (Review)
Review
Originally conceived as harmful metabolic byproducts, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are now recognized as an integral part of numerous cellular programs. Thanks to their diverse physicochemical properties, compartmentalized production, and tight control exerted by the antioxidant machinery they activate signaling pathways that govern plant growth, development, and defense. Excessive ROS levels are often driven by adverse changes in environmental conditions, ultimately causing oxidative stress. The associated negative impact on cellular constituents have been a major focus of decade-long research efforts to improve the oxidative stress resilience by boosting the antioxidant machinery in model and crop species. We highlight the role of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants as integral factors of multiple signaling cascades beyond their mere function to prevent oxidative damage under adverse abiotic stress conditions.
Topics: Antioxidants; Droughts; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative Stress; Plant Physiological Phenomena; Plants; Reactive Oxygen Species; Signal Transduction; Stress, Physiological
PubMed: 34519111
DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15493 -
Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal... May 2022Dogs possess the ability to obtain essential nutrients, established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), from both animal- and plant-based... (Review)
Review
Dogs possess the ability to obtain essential nutrients, established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), from both animal- and plant-based ingredients. There has been a recent increase in the popularity of diets that limit or completely exclude certain plant-based ingredients. Examples of these diets include 'ancestral' or 'evolutionary' diets, raw meat-based diets and grain-free diets. As compared to animal sources, plant-derived ingredients (including vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds) provide many non-essential phytonutrients with some data suggesting they confer health benefits. This review aims to assess the strength of current evidence on the relationship between the consumption of plant-based foods and phytonutrients (such as plant-derived carotenoids, polyphenols and phytosterols) and biomarkers of health and diseases (such as body weight/condition, gastrointestinal health, immune health, cardiovascular health, visual function and cognitive function) from clinical trials and epidemiological studies. This review highlights the potential nutritional and health benefits of including plant-based ingredients as a part of balanced canine diets. We also highlight current research gaps in existing studies and provide future research directions to inform the impact of incorporating plant-based ingredients in commercial or home-prepared diets.
Topics: Animals; Diet; Dogs; Fruit; Nutritional Status; Phytochemicals; Plants; United States; Vegetables
PubMed: 34495560
DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13626 -
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal... Nov 2018RNA uridylation consists of the untemplated addition of uridines at the 3' extremity of an RNA molecule. RNA uridylation is catalysed by terminal uridylyltransferases... (Review)
Review
RNA uridylation consists of the untemplated addition of uridines at the 3' extremity of an RNA molecule. RNA uridylation is catalysed by terminal uridylyltransferases (TUTases), which form a subgroup of the terminal nucleotidyltransferase family, to which poly(A) polymerases also belong. The key role of RNA uridylation is to regulate RNA degradation in a variety of eukaryotes, including fission yeast, plants and animals. In plants, RNA uridylation has been mostly studied in two model species, the green algae and the flowering plant Plant TUTases target a variety of RNA substrates, differing in size and function. These RNA substrates include microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering silencing RNAs (siRNAs), ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and mRNA fragments generated during post-transcriptional gene silencing. Viral RNAs can also get uridylated during plant infection. We describe here the evolutionary history of plant TUTases and we summarize the diverse molecular functions of uridylation during RNA degradation processes in plants. We also outline key points of future research.This article is part of the theme issue '5' and 3' modifications controlling RNA degradation'.
Topics: Arabidopsis; Chlamydomonas reinhardtii; Plants; RNA; RNA Interference; RNA Stability; Uridine
PubMed: 30397100
DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0163