Beneficial Secondary Metabolites Research Articles

Влияние фитохимического и антиоксидантного составов необработанных водных экстрактов Chlorella vulgaris на рост Saccharomyces cerevisiae в спиртовой среде

Chlorella vulgaris is rich in secondary metabolites that defend against environmental stress and aid in detoxification. In particular, bioactive compounds extracted from C. vulgaris may enhance the growth of microorganisms and detoxify them in an ethanolic medium. We aimed to effectively extract and characterize bioactive compounds found in C. vulgaris and further test them for their beneficial effects on the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultured in an ethanolic medium. Bioactive compounds in C. vulgaris were extracted using ultrasound and water as solvents. The extracts were analyzed for total phenol and flavonoid contents as part of their phytochemical composition. Their DPPH radical activity and Hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity were examined to determine their antioxidant properties and protective potential for S. cerevisiae in an ethanolic medium. Further, the extracts were added at 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4% w/v concentrations into S. cerevisiae culture induced with 1% v/v ethanol for 23 days. The yeast cells’ density and viability were measured after 2, 5, 9, 13, 17, and 23 days. The extracts of C. vulgaris were rich in phenols and flavonoids, which are important bioactive compounds. Higher concentrations of the extracts increased total phenols up to 47.67 GAE mg/L and total flavonoids up to 218.67 QE mg/L. The extracts’ antioxidant composition showed high DPPH activity (70.12%) and H2O2 scavenging activity (4.97%). After 23 days, the samples treated with C. vulgaris extracts maintained a high viability of the yeast cells. In particular, the samples with 2, 4, 0.1, and 1% of the extract had a cell viability of 95.75, 94.04, 89.15, and 74%, respectively. The positive control (1% ethanol alone) and negative control (yeast alone) had 47.71 and 21.01% viability, respectively. This drastic reduction in viability was due to lysis of the yeast cells caused by ethanol. Ultrasound extraction with water as a solvent produced abundant beneficial secondary metabolites from C. vulgaris. The addition of C. vulgaris extract increased the viability and cell density of S. cerevisiae after 27 days, thereby protecting the yeast cells from the toxic effects of ethanol.

Enhancing the Nutritional Profile of Crataegus monogyna Fruits by Optimizing the Extraction Conditions

Crataegus monogyna (CM) fruits are highly regarded for their rich nutritional content, boasting elevated levels of various beneficial secondary metabolites like total polyphenols, including anthocyanins, and ample amounts of ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity. Despite the acknowledged benefits of CM fruits, researchers have directed more attention toward its leaves and flowers. Consequently, the current research attempts to optimize extraction techniques for CM fruit using a multifaceted approach involving varied durations, temperatures, and concentrations of ethanol solvent to isolate the diverse range of bioactive components present effectively. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) is employed for the identification and quantification of polyphenolic compounds. According to the results, by following the optimum extraction parameters (50% ethanolic solvent, 50 °C extraction temperature, and 60 min extraction time), the total polyphenol content can be increased up to 410%, reaching 55.59 mg gallic acid equivalents/g. Using 50% ethanolic solvent, 80 °C extraction temperature, and extraction time of 90 min, the total anthocyanin content can be enhanced by more than 560%, reaching a quantity of 51.83 μg cyanidin equivalents/g. Moreover, the antioxidant activity of CM fruit extracts can reach 415.95 μmol ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE)/g dw (by FRAP method), using 50% ethanolic solvent, 50 °C extraction temperature, and 60 min extraction time, and 270.26 μmol AAE/g dw (by DPPH method) and 1053.28 mg/100 g dw ascorbic acid content, using 50% ethanolic solvent, 80 °C extraction temperature, and 90 min extraction time. This comprehensive study seeks to augment the already substantial content of bioactive compounds found in CM, resulting in an extract with promising applications across the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries.

N-Acetylglutamic Acid Enhances Tolerance to Oxidative and Heat Stress in Humulus lupulus

Humulus lupulus (hop) is a necessary material in beer brewing because its female inflorescences (called hop cones) give a floral aroma, bitterness and foam stability to beer. Various aspects of growth conditions in the cultivation area, especially temperature, strongly affect the yield and quality of hop cones. Recent estimates suggest that climate change accompanied by global warming is negatively impacting hop production, with high temperatures reducing the expression of genes that regulate beneficial secondary metabolites in hops. This underscores the need for techniques to enhance hop tolerance to high temperatures. This study explores the potential of N-acectylglutamic acid (NAG), a non-proteinogenic amino acid, to confer hops with tolerance against oxidative and heat stress by suppressing ROS accumulation. Exogenous NAG treatment activated the expression of HlZAT10/12 and HlHSFA2, which are putative homologues considered master regulators in response to oxidative and heat stress in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). Additionally, histone acetylation, a histone modification associated with transcriptional activation, was increased at these stress-responsive genes in the NAG-treated hops. These findings reveal NAG as a potential chemical compound to mitigate hop production reduction caused by high temperatures and suggest the conservation of epigenetic modification-mediated regulation of gene expression in response to environmental stresses in hops.

A method for mining condition-specific co-expressed genes in Camellia sinensis based on k-means clustering

BackgroundAs one of the world’s most important beverage crops, tea plants (Camellia sinensis) are renowned for their unique flavors and numerous beneficial secondary metabolites, attracting researchers to investigate the formation of tea quality. With the increasing availability of transcriptome data on tea plants in public databases, conducting large-scale co-expression analyses has become feasible to meet the demand for functional characterization of tea plant genes. However, as the multidimensional noise increases, larger-scale co-expression analyses are not always effective. Analyzing a subset of samples generated by effectively downsampling and reorganizing the global sample set often leads to more accurate results in co-expression analysis. Meanwhile, global-based co-expression analyses are more likely to overlook condition-specific gene interactions, which may be more important and worthy of exploration and research.ResultsHere, we employed the k-means clustering method to organize and classify the global samples of tea plants, resulting in clustered samples. Metadata annotations were then performed on these clustered samples to determine the “conditions” represented by each cluster. Subsequently, we conducted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) separately on the global samples and the clustered samples, resulting in global modules and cluster-specific modules. Comparative analyses of global modules and cluster-specific modules have demonstrated that cluster-specific modules exhibit higher accuracy in co-expression analysis. To measure the degree of condition specificity of genes within condition-specific clusters, we introduced the correlation difference value (CDV). By incorporating the CDV into co-expression analyses, we can assess the condition specificity of genes. This approach proved instrumental in identifying a series of high CDV transcription factor encoding genes upregulated during sustained cold treatment in Camellia sinensis leaves and buds, and pinpointing a pair of genes that participate in the antioxidant defense system of tea plants under sustained cold stress.ConclusionsTo summarize, downsampling and reorganizing the sample set improved the accuracy of co-expression analysis. Cluster-specific modules were more accurate in capturing condition-specific gene interactions. The introduction of CDV allowed for the assessment of condition specificity in gene co-expression analyses. Using this approach, we identified a series of high CDV transcription factor encoding genes related to sustained cold stress in Camellia sinensis. This study highlights the importance of considering condition specificity in co-expression analysis and provides insights into the regulation of the cold stress in Camellia sinensis.

Genetic characterization and evaluation of pigmented maize (Zea mays L.) landraces of the North East Hill Region of India-an established centre of maize diversity

Abstract The North East Hill Region (NEHR) of India is home to diverse maize landraces including pigmented accessions rich in antioxidants and nutritional properties. The present study attempted to characterize a representative collection of this mostly unexplored diversity. Altogether eighty-three local maize landraces from the seven hill states of the NEHR were studied with special emphasis on pigmentation diversity. For the morphological traits, a significant ANOVA indicated the presence of substantial genetic variability for which selection would be fruitful. A number of these accessions were found to have traits that help cope with moisture stress, improve stalk strength and optimize photosynthesis. Principal component analysis studies for the yield attributing traits indicated that ear weight was most variable. The bleaching/histological studies confirmed that anthocyanin pigment when present was always restricted to the aleurone layer of the kernels, typical of blue maize. Quantitative analysis for kernel anthocyanin/phlobaphene content also revealed genetic differences among the accessions. Genetic analysis using the model-based STRUCTURE indicated significant population structuring among the accessions. Specifically, for the pigmentation diversity studies both principal coordinate analysis and neighbour joining methods revealed near concurrent population structuring due in part to the high differentiation of seven of the twenty-one pigmentation specific loci studied. The results obtained provide comprehensive evidence of a significant amount of genetic differentiation among the landraces under study. Landraces are valuable reservoirs of favourable alleles for which selection can be made and, as in this study, identify accessions for breeding maize with enhanced levels of beneficial secondary metabolites.

Pseudostellaria heterophylla improves intestinal microecology through modulating gut microbiota and metabolites in mice.

Pseudostellaria heterophylla is a Chinese medicine and healthy edible that is widely used to for its immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic and antitussive properties. However, the potential function of P. heterophylla in intestinal microecology remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of P. heterophylla on immune functions and evaluated its potential to regulate the gut microbiota and metabolome. The results showed that P. heterophylla significantly increased the content of red blood cells, total antioxidant capacity and expression of immune factors, and decreased platelet counts when compared to the control under cyclophosphamide injury. In addition, P. heterophylla altered the diversity and composition of the gut bacterial community; increased the abundance of potentially beneficial Akkermansia, Roseburia, unclassified Clostridiaceae, Mucispirillum, Anaeroplasma and Parabacteroides; and decreased the relative abundance of pathogenic Cupriavidus and Staphylococcus in healthy mice. Metabolomic analyses showed that P. heterophylla significantly increased the content of functional oligosaccharides, common oligosaccharides, vitamins and functional substances. Probiotics and pathogens were regulated by metabolites across 11 pathways in the bacterial-host co-metabolism network. We demonstrated that P. heterophylla increased the abundance of probiotics and decreased pathogens, and further stimulated host microbes to produce beneficial secondary metabolites for host health. Our studies highlight the role of P. heterophylla in gut health and provide new insights for the development of traditional Chinese medicine in the diet. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

The serine/threonine protein kinase MpSTE1 directly governs hyphal branching in Monascus spp.

Monascus spp. are commercially important fungi due to their ability to produce beneficial secondary metabolites such as the cholesterol-lowering agent lovastatin and natural food colorants azaphilone pigments. Although hyphal branching intensively influenced the production of these secondary metabolites, the pivotal regulators of hyphal development in Monascus spp. remain unclear. To identify these important regulators, we developed an artificial intelligence (AI)–assisted image analysis tool for quantification of hyphae-branching and constructed a random T-DNA insertion library. High-throughput screening revealed that a STE kinase, MpSTE1, was considered as a key regulator of hyphal branching based on the hyphal phenotype. To further validate the role of MpSTE1, we generated an mpSTE1 gene knockout mutant, a complemented mutant, and an overexpression mutant (OE::mpSTE1). Microscopic observations revealed that overexpression of mpSTE1 led to a 63% increase in branch number while deletion of mpSTE1 reduced the hyphal branching by 68% compared to the wild-type strain. In flask cultures, the strain OE::mpSTE1 showed accelerated growth and glucose consumption. More importantly, the strain OE::mpSTE1 produced 9.2 mg/L lovastatin and 17.0 mg/L azaphilone pigments, respectively, 47.0% and 30.1% higher than those of the wild-type strain. Phosphoproteomic analysis revealed that MpSTE1 directly phosphorylated 7 downstream signal proteins involved in cell division, cytoskeletal organization, and signal transduction. To our best knowledge, MpSTE1 is reported as the first characterized regulator for tightly regulating the hyphal branching in Monascus spp. These findings significantly expanded current understanding of the signaling pathway governing the hyphal branching and development in Monascus spp. Furthermore, MpSTE1 and its analogs were demonstrated as promising targets for improving production of valuable secondary metabolites.Key points• MpSTE1 is the first characterized regulator for tightly regulating hyphal branching• Overexpression of mpSTE1 significantly improves secondary metabolite production• A high-throughput image analysis tool was developed for counting hyphal branching

Significant enhancement of edible Monascus azaphilone pigments production via targeted improvement of the expression of histone deacetylase MrHos2

Monascus azaphilone pigments (MonAzPs) are beneficial secondary metabolites secreted by Monascus spp., which have great potentials to be used in industrial fields besides food industry. But there is very little knowledge about their regulatory mechanism, which limits the large-scale production and utilization of MonAzPs. In this study, we firstly studied the effect on MonAzPs production by inhibiting and enhancing histone deacetylase gene hos2 (Mrhos2) expression in Monascus ruber. UPLC detection revealed that inactivation of Mrhos2 dramatically decreased MonAzPs production, while overexpression of Mrhos2 significantly increased MonAzPs production. Transcriptional level analysis shows Mrhos2 regulates expression of MonAzPs biosynthesis genes. Immunoaffinity enrichment assisted mass spectrometry assay reveals deletion of Mrhos2 perturbs lysine acetylation of enzymes in the metabolic pathway of acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA. Collectively, transcription activation and protein acetylation modification mediated by MrHos2 are involved in regulating the MonAzPs production, and MrHos2 can be used as a target to increase MonAzPs production.

Alzheimer's Disease-Related Proteins Targeted by Secondary Metabolite Compounds from Streptomyces: A Scoping Review.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that is characterized as rapid and progressive cognitive decline affecting 26 million people worldwide. Although immunotherapies are ideal, its clinical safety and effectiveness are controversial, hence, treatments are still reliant on symptomatic medications. Concurrently, the Streptomyces genus has attracted attention given its pharmaceutically beneficial secondary metabolites to treat neurodegenerative diseases. To present secondary metabolites from Streptomyces sp. with regulatory effects on proteins and identified prospective target proteins for AD treatment. Research articles published between 2010 and 2021 were collected from five databases and 83 relevant research articles were identified. Post-screening, only 12 research articles on AD-related proteins were selected for further review. Bioinformatics analyses were performed through the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) network, PANTHER Go-Slim classification system (PANTHER17.0), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Mapper. A total of 20 target proteins were identified from the 12 shortlisted articles. Amyloid-β, BACE1, Nrf-2, Beclin-1, and ATG5 were identified as the potential target proteins, given their role in initiating AD, mitigating neuroinflammation, and autophagy. Besides, 10 compounds from Streptomyces sp., including rapamycin, alborixin, enterocin, bonnevillamides D and E, caniferolide A, anhydroexfoliamycin, rhizolutin, streptocyclinone A and B, were identified to exhibit considerable regulatory effects on these target proteins. The review highlights several prospective target proteins that can be regulated through treatments with Streptomyces sp. compounds to prevent AD's early stages and progression. Further identification of Streptomyces sp. compounds with potential anti-AD properties is recommended.

6-Pentyl-α-Pyrone from Trichoderma gamsii Exert Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Mouse Macrophages.

Filamentous fungi produce several beneficial secondary metabolites, including bioactive compounds, food additives, and biofuels. Trichoderma, which is a teleomorphic Hypocrea that falls under the taxonomic groups Ascomycota and Dikarya, is an extensively studied fungal genus. In an ongoing study that seeks to discover bioactive natural products, we investigated potential bioactive metabolites from the methanolic extract of cultured Trichoderma gamsii. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), one major compound was isolated and structurally identified as 6-pentyl-α-pyrone (6PP) based on nuclear magnetic resonance data and LC-MS analysis. To determine its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, as well as the underlying mechanisms, we treated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated Raw264.7 mouse macrophages with 6PP. We found that 6PP suppresses LPS-induced increase in the levels of nitric oxide, a mediator of oxidative stress and inflammation, and restores LPS-mediated depletion of total glutathione by stabilizing nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), an antioxidative factor, and elevating heme oxygenase-1 levels. Furthermore, 6PP inhibited LPS-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines, which are, at least in part, regulated by heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). 6PP suppressed proinflammatory responses by inhibiting the nuclear localization of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), as well as by dephosphorylating the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). These results indicate that 6PP can protect macrophages against oxidative stress and LPS-induced excessive inflammatory responses by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway while inhibiting the proinflammatory, NF-κB, and MAPK pathways.

Camellia sinensis L. Extract Suppresses Inflammation on Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Cells Models via Decreasing IL-1ß, IL-6 and COX-2 Expressions

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is one of the clinical manifestations in severe COVID-19 patients characterized by acute inflammation resulting in respiratory failure and death. Camellia sinensis L. or green tea extract has many beneficial secondary metabolites including polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory and anti-viral roles. This study was aimed to investigate the activity of green tea extract (GTE) as an anti-inflammatory on ARDS model cells. In this study, rat lung alveolar type II epithelial cells line (L2) was induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic the inflammation process in ARDS. These cells were then treated with GTE to determine the GTE effectiveness in reducing the inflammation. The GTE polyphenol constitutions were first confirmed using Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The cytotoxic assay was conducted using MTS assay kit to determine the safe range of GTE concentrations that used in the next assay. The effectiveness of the GTE was determined by measuring pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß and IL-6) and inflammation-mediated enzymes (COX-2), both of which were by ELISA method. Furthermore, this study measured the ACE-2 and TMPRSS-2 gene expressions by qRT-PCR method. The results showed that GTE treatment significantly reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6, inflammation-mediated enzyme COX-2, and significantly increased ACE-2 and TMPRSS-2 mRNA expressions. In short, green tea extract possesses the potential to alleviate inflammation. HIGHLIGHTS Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is one of clinical manifestations in severe COVID-19 patients characterized by acute inflammation results in respiratory failure and death In lung inflammation, the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE-2) and Trans-Membrane Protease Serine-2 (TMPRSS-2) genes were lowly expressed, then causes alveolar tissue collapse High levels of inflammatory mediator cytokines would be secreted in respiratory tracts, such as Interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and Cyclooxygenases (COX)-2 Polyphenols in green tea (Camelia sinensis L.) have been reported to have anti-inflammatory activities GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Isolation and Identification of Endophytic Bacterial Isolates from the Leaves, Roots, and Stems Parts of Artemisia annua, Moringa oleifera, and Ocimum lamiifolium Plants.

Medicinal plants are known to harbor diverse species of endophytic bacteria which are known for secretion of beneficial secondary metabolites, like enzymes and antimicrobial compounds. The present study aimed to isolate, characterize, and identify the endophytic bacteria isolates from Artemisia annua, Moringa oleifera, and Ocimum lamiifolium plants. Certain endophytic bacterial isolates were screened. Phosphate and Zinc solubilization were performed for newly obtained isolates. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed for RPAAI-8 isolate. Data were analyzed. Our study showed that endophytic bacterial isolates were recognized to be Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter asburiae, E. cloacae, E. kobei, E. ludwigii, Enterococcus faecium, and Pseudomonas monteilli. From among these differentiated endophytic bacterial isolates, Enterobacter species are the most frequently obtained isolates. These bacterial isolates were shown 99.77% sequence similarity to Enterobacter ludwigii EN-119T (JTLO01000001) using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. This isolate was designated as Enterobacter sp. RPAAI-8. This isolate was able to employ selected cheap and cost-effective agro wastes as a carbon source. This cheap agro waste utilization by these Enterobacter species could be the first report. In conclusion, the present isolates are found to be employed for plant growth promotion and solubilizing insoluble phosphate and zinc. Before this time, most of the recent isolates were not identified from these medicinal plants. The ethyl acetate extract of the isolates also showed inhibitory activity against selected test pathogens.

Effect of lactic acid bacteria by different concentrations of copper based on non-target metabolomic analysis.

Copper (Cu) is an essential element for mammals, but excess intake can have detrimental health consequences. However, Cu is no longer present in the "Limit of Contaminants in Foods" promulgated in 2022. The potential impact of different Cu (II) concentrations on human health remains unclear. In this study, a strain of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), namely, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CICC 23121 (L23121), was selected as a prebiotic indicator strain to indirectly assess the effects of food-limited Cu (II) concentrations (issued by Tolerance limit of copper in foods in 1994) on the functions of intestinal microbes. We used non-target metabolomics, automatic growth curve detector, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to investigate the effects of Cu (II) on L23121. The study revealed shows that the 50% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) of Cu (II) for most lactic acid bacteria was 4 mg/L. At low Cu (II) concentrations (≤ 4 mg/L), the pentose phosphate pathway and pyrimidine metabolism of the lactic acid bacteria were affected, resulting in a decrease in the content of beneficial secondary metabolites and a significant decrease in the cell activity. As Cu (II) concentrations increase (≥ 6 mg/L), the key amino acid and lipid metabolisms were affected, leading to the inhibition of growth and primary metabolite production of the bacteria. Under high concentration of Cu (II) (6 mg/L), the surface adhesion of the bacteria was distorted and covered with significantly large particles, and the functional groups of the cells were significantly shifted. As a probiotic, the abundance of lactic acid bacteria in the intestine is significantly reduced, which will inevitably seriously damage intestinal homeostasis. Thus, to protect human intestinal microbes' health, it is recommended to limit the concentration of Cu in food to less than 4 mg/L.

Extraction, Separation and Characterization of Antibiotic Compound produced by Streptomyces rimosus (ACW9) Active against MDRs Uropathogens

Abstract: Soil is a well-studied ecological niche for the discovery of beneficial biologically active chemicals like therapeutically relevant antibiotics. Actinobacteria have been recognised as one of the largest microbial groups in soil that are capable of producing a wide range of beneficial secondary metabolites and compounds with varying characteristics. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Streptomyces rimosus ACW9 isolated from wheat farm soil. Molecular identification (16S rRNA ribotyping) was used to identify strain ACW9. Ethyl acetate crude extract displayed promising antibacterial activity against clinically isolated uropathogens, Enterobacter sp. (20 mm) and Bacillus subtilis (14 mm). In addition, the extract showed 62.3% DPPH scavenging with IC50= 1.829 mg/ml. The characterization of the purified metabolites from strain ACW9 was done by GCMS, FTIR, and HPLC techniques. The profound metabolites of ethyl acetate extract were identified by GCMS were cyclohexane, (-2-Nitro-2-Propyl), hexadecane, and pentanoic acid. It may be concluded that actinobacteria isolated from wheat farm soil is a promising source for medicinally important bioactive compounds

Genetic Regulation, Environmental Cues, and Extraction Methods for Higher Yield of Secondary Metabolites in Capsicum.

Capsicum (chili pepper) is a widely popular and highly consumed fruit crop with beneficial secondary metabolites such as capsaicinoids, carotenoids, flavonoids, and polyphenols, among others. Interestingly, the secondary metabolite profile is a dynamic function of biosynthetic enzymes, regulatory transcription factors, developmental stage, abiotic and biotic environment, and extraction methods. We propose active manipulable genetic, environmental, and extraction controls for the modulation of quality and quantity of desired secondary metabolites in Capsicum species. Specific biosynthetic genes such as Pun (AT3) and AMT in the capsaicinoids pathway and PSY, LCY, and CCS in the carotenoid pathway can be genetically engineered for enhanced production of capsaicinoids and carotenoids, respectively. Generally, secondary metabolites increase with the ripening of the fruit; however, transcriptional regulators such as MYB, bHLH, and ERF control the extent of accumulation in specific tissues. The precise tuning of biotic and abiotic factors such as light, temperature, and chemical elicitors can maximize the accumulation and retention of secondary metabolites in pre- and postharvest settings. Finally, optimized extraction methods such as ultrasonication and supercritical fluid method can lead to a higher yield of secondary metabolites. Together, the integrated understanding of the genetic regulation of biosynthesis, elicitation treatments, and optimization of extraction methods can maximize the industrial production of secondary metabolites in Capsicum.

Metabolic responses of tea (Camellia sinensis L.) to the insecticide thiamethoxam.

Thiamethoxam (TMX) is insecticidal, but also can trigger physiological and metabolic reactions of plant cycles. The objective of this work was to evaluate the physiological and metabolic effect of TMX on tea plants and its potential benefits. In this study, dose of TMX (0.09, 0.135 and 0.18 kg a.i./ha) were tested. Except for peroxidase (POD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), chlorophyll, carotenoid, catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly affected compared with the controls. The CAT activity was increased by 3.38, 1.71, 2.91 times, respectively, under three doses of TMX treatment. The metabolic response between TMX treatment and control groups on the third day was compared using a widely targeted metabolomics. A total of 97 different metabolites were identified, including benzenoids, flavonoids, lipids and lipid-like molecules, organic acids and derivatives, organic nitrogen compounds, organic oxygen compounds, organoheterocyclic compounds, phenylpropanoids and polyketides, and others. Those metabolites were mapped on the perturbed metabolic pathways. The results demonstrated that the most perturbation occurred in flavone and flavonol biosynthesis. The beneficial secondary metabolites luteolin and kaempferol were upregulated 1.46 and 1.31 times respectively, which protect plants from biotic and abiotic stresses. Molecular docking models suggest interactions between TMX and flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase. Thiamethoxam spray positively promoted the physiological and metabolic response of tea plants. And this work also provided the useful information of TMX metabolism in tea plants as well as rational application of insecticides. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dynamic changes of active substances of rice, Pueraria and yam fermentation by Monascus ruber

Monascus spp., a fungus of medicine food homology, produces various beneficial secondary metabolites such as monacolin K (MK) during fermentation. In this study, the mixed fermentation of Monascus with rice, Pueraria, and yam has been systematically investigated. Single-factor and response surface methodology (RSM) were carried out to maximize MK content, and the optimized fermentation results showed that the content of MK reached 1.40 ± 0.04 mg/g. The optimal fermentation process determined the ratio of 8: 1: 1 for rice, Pueraria, and yam, respectively, the inoculation amount was 106 spores/mL, fermentation time was 15 days. Further analysis of the content of active substance in the fermentation process revealed that the β-glycosidase activity increased, the amylase enzyme activity decreased, the dioscin content decreased by 19.5%, and the diosgenin content increased by 175%, suggesting that there was a dynamic equilibrium relationship among the changes of active substances. This study aims at provide a basis and reference for the research of Monascus fermented foods by medicine food homology raw materials.

Vinca alkaloids as a potential cancer therapeutics: recent update and future challenges.

Vinca alkaloids including vincristine, vinblastine, vindesine, and vinflunine are chemotherapeutic compounds commonly used to treat various cancers. Vinca alkaloids are one of the first microtubule-targeting agents to be produced and certified for the treatment of hematological and lymphatic neoplasms. Microtubule targeting agents like vincristine and vinblastine work by disrupting microtubule dynamics, causing mitotic arrest and cell death. The key issues facing vinca alkaloids applications include establishing an environment-friendly production technique based on microorganisms, as well as increasing bioavailability without causing harm to patient's health. The low yield of these vinca alkaloids from the plant and the difficulty of meeting their huge colossal demand around the globe prompted researchers to create a variety of approaches. Endophytes could thus be selected to produce beneficial secondary metabolites required for the biosynthesis of vinca alkaloids. This review covers the significant aspects of these vital drugs, from their discovery to the present day, in a concise manner. In addition, we emphasize the major hurdles that must be overcome in the coming years to improve vinca alkaloid's effectiveness.

The anticancer effect of Salvia pisidica essential oil through promotion intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways in human cancer cell lines

IntroductionSpecies of the Salvia genus are aromatic herbs and traditionally used for many medicinal purposes in Anatolia. The genus has produced an extraordinarily large number of beneficial secondary metabolites belonging to numerous chemical groups. Salvia pisidica is an endemic plant of southwest Anatolia, the dried parts of which are used as herbal tea and local materia medica. MethodsThe composition of endemic S. pisidica essential oil was determined through GC-MS studies. In vitro cytotoxicity activity and apoptosis analysis were investigated by MTT assay, q-PCR and Annexin V staining experiments. ResultsOur results showed that 1,8 cineole (19.15 %) camphor (18.12 %) and γ-gurjunene (8.58 %) were the major constituents of the essential oil. It showed cytotoxic effects on the human breast cancer MCF-7, colon carcinoma Caco-2, hepatocyte carcinoma HepG2, and prostate carcinoma LnCap. The results of q-PCR and image-cytometer analysis showed that the essential oil caused induction of apoptosis by intrinsic and extrinsic pathways in all cancer cell lines. ConclusionS. pisidica essential oil demonstrates considerable cytotoxic activity due to an apoptosis-related mechanism, suggesting that their bioactive components could be used as natural anticancer substances.

The isolation of novel terrestrial Streptomyces strains with antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties

Streptomyces are very important Gram-positive filamentous bacteria because they can produce many beneficial secondary metabolites with various biological activities. The study aims to isolate and identify novel Streptomyces strains from terrestrial habitats in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties. The antimicrobial efficacy was assessed using the disk and well susceptibility methods. Crude ethyl acetate extracts of active-producing strains were used to determine the antimicrobial activity by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against E. coli, S. aureus, C. albicans, S. cerevisiae, B. subtilis, and E. coli-ESBL (extended-spectrum Beta-Lactamase), and cytotoxic properties against HeLa cells by MTT assay and DAPI staining. The novelty of the strains was determined by sequencing the 16S rRNA fragment. Results showed that antimicrobial activity was observed for CSK1, CSK3, CSW2, CSU1, CSU2, and CSG1 strains, with zones of inhibition ranging between 16 and 35 mm. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of ethyl acetate extracts ranged from 0.21 to 12.17 µg/mL, with the highest inhibitory effect against S. aureus ranging between 0.21 and 0.29 µg/mL. Some strains (CSK3, CSW2, CSU1 and CSG1) also displayed cytotoxic activity against the HeLa cancer cell line with IC50 values ranging between 3.46 and 9.74 µg/µL, and apparent DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation. This study indicates that Streptomyces sp. strains isolated from different soil habitats in the UAE can produce antimicrobial compounds that can treat microbial infections. In addition, some strains’ cytotoxicity suggests that they are producing bioactive compounds that can lead to drug discovery.