Linum Research Articles

Chemical composition and biological activity of wild <i>Linum</i> (Linaceae) Species

The review presents data from literature sources on the component composition and biological activity of aboveground and underground parts of wild species of the genus Linum L. (Linaceae DC. ex Perleb). In recent decades, studies have been carried out on the component composition of not only flaxseed oil, but also cell cultures in vitro. This information is especially relevant for starting herbal materials derived from wild Linum species with small habitats or insignificant thicket density. Currently, information on the component composition and biological activity of oils or extracts has been obtained for 54 wild Linum species, belonging to 8 sections of 2 subgenera. In the aboveground and underground parts of the studied wild species of the genus Linum, the following sunstances were found: mucilage (in leaves and seeds), proteins (in seeds), vitamins (in leaves, seeds), alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, coumarins, tannins, pigments, cyanogenetic glucosides and lignans. Essential oil was isolated from the aboveground flowering parts of L. perenne L., L. ausrtiacum L., L. hirsutum L., L. pubescens Willd. ex Schult., L. tenuifolium L., and L. catharticum L. The chemosystematics does not contradict the system we previously compiled based on morphological, anatomical and molecular characteristics of Linum species. Asian and European herbal medicine traditionally uses aboveground parts of L. perenne, L. baicalense Juz., L. altaicum Ledeb. ex Juz., L. olgae Juz. and L. heterosepalum Regel. The seeds and fatty oil exhibit coating, wound-healing, mild laxative, and analgesic properties. Extracts of wild-growing Linum species, as well as their individual components, have varied bioactivity like antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, yeast-static, antiviral, cytotoxic, inhibitory, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and antioxidant. Species characterized by a high content of aryldihydronaphthalene-type lignans (a typical representative is justicidin B) have an antiviral effect and are effective against SARS-Cov-2. The yellow-flowered Linum species in the section Syllinum, with predominant aryltetralin lignans (e.g. 6-methoxypodophyllotoxin and its derivatives), exhibit anticancer activity. In the section Linopsis, L. corymbulosum Reichenb., which contains (–)-hinokinin, may prove to be an object of comprehensive research as a promising source of domestic herbal substances that can be used as adjunctive treatments in the anti-hepatitis B therapy.

RLC 171 (Varsha Alsi 2), the most recent and promising linseed variety for Rainfed condition of Himanchal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Nagaland

Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) 2n = 30, belongs to the genus Linum of the family Linaceae, Which is a self pollinated crop. India ranks third in area under linseed followed by Canada, China whereas, in production it stands fifth.

Drivers of diversification in Linum (Linaceae) by means of chromosome evolution: correlations with biogeography, breeding system and habit.

Chromosome evolution leads to hybrid dysfunction and recombination patterns and has thus been proposed as a major driver of diversification in all branches of the tree of life, including flowering plants. In this study we used the genus Linum (flax species) to evaluate the effects of chromosomal evolution on diversification rates and on traits that are important for sexual reproduction. Linum is a useful study group because it has considerable reproductive polymorphism (heterostyly) and chromosomal variation (n = 6-36) and a complex pattern of biogeographical distribution. We tested several traditional hypotheses of chromosomal evolution. We analysed changes in chromosome number across the phylogenetic tree (ChromEvol model) in combination with diversification rates (ChromoSSE model), biogeographical distribution, heterostyly and habit (ChromePlus model). Chromosome number evolved across the Linum phylogeny from an estimated ancestral chromosome number of n = 9. While there were few apparent incidences of cladogenesis through chromosome evolution, we inferred up to five chromosomal speciation events. Chromosome evolution was not related to heterostyly but did show significant relationships with habit and geographical range. Polyploidy was negatively correlated with perennial habit, as expected from the relative commonness of perennial woodiness and absence of perennial clonality in the genus. The colonization of new areas was linked to genome rearrangements (polyploidy and dysploidy), which could be associated with speciation events during the colonization process. Chromosome evolution is a key trait in some clades of the Linum phylogeny. Chromosome evolution directly impacts speciation and indirectly influences biogeographical processes and important plant traits.

Histo-Anatomical Characteristics of Some Endemic Species of Linum (Linaceae)

In this study, endemic two species belonging to the genus Linum and distributed in Türkiye are investigated. The outermost layer of the Linum flavum subsp. scabrinerve (P.H. Davis) P.H. Davis root, according to its cross-section, is covered with epidermis cells. In the stem cross-section, the vascular bundles are in the form of a continuous ring and sclerenchyma cells are determined on it. The lower surface and the upper surfaces of leaf have 88 and 51 stomata respectively. It contains few glandular hairs. The root of Linum hirsutum subsp. pseudoanatolicum P. H. Davis have secondary growth. Periderm cells on the outside are oval or isodiametric in shaped. In the stem cross-section, vascular bundles are in the form of a continuous ring. The cortex layer, consists of oval or rectangular shaped 9-10 rows of parenchymatous cells. The lower surface and the upper surfaces of leaf have 48 and 46 stomata respectively. No glandular or non-glandular hairs are found on the epidermis. As a result, anatomical comparison of two different taxa belonging to the same genus was made with this study. According to the findings, the root structures of the species, the presence of sclerenchyma on the stem, the size of the stomata of the leaf, mesophyll types and the presence of glandular hairs are different from each other.

Clarification of the Position of Linum stelleroides Planch. within the Phylogeny of the Genus Linum L.

The phylogeny of members of the family Linaceae DC. ex Perleb has not been adequately studied. In particular, data on the phylogenetic relationship between Linum stelleroides Planch. and other representatives of the blue-flowered flax are very controversial. In the present work, to clarify this issue, we obtained DNA sequences of three nuclear loci (IGS and ITS1 + 5.8S rDNA + ITS2 of the 35S rRNA gene and the 5S rRNA gene) and eight chloroplast loci (rbcL, the trnL–trnF intergenic spacer, matK, the 3′ trnK intron, ndhF, trnG, the psbA–trnH intergenic spacer, and rpl16) of 10 Linum L. species (L. stelleroides, L. hirsutum, L. perenne, L. leonii, L. lewisii, L. narbonense, L. decumbens, L. grandiflorum, L. bienne (syn. L. angustifolium), and L. usitatissimum) using high-throughput sequencing data. The phylogenetic analysis showed that L. stelleroides forms a basal branch in the blue-flowered flax clade. Previously found inconsistencies in the position of L. stelleroides and some other species in the Linaceae phylogenetic tree resulted from the erroneous species identification of some of the studied plant samples.

Perennial Flax: A Potential Cut Flower Crop

The genus Linum L. contains ≈200 primarily blue-flowered species, including several ornamentals, yet no reports exist regarding the cut flower potential of this genus. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cut flower potential of perennial flax cultivars (L. perenne L. ‘Blue Flax’ and ‘Sapphire’; Expt. 1, 2018) and accessions (L. austriacum L., L. lewisii Pursh., and L. perenne; Expt. 2, 2019), and record traits that will enable breeding and selection for improved cut flower performance. The mean vase life across both cultivars in Expt. 1 was 9.2 days. In Expt. 2, L. perenne had the longest average vase life (9.3 days), followed by L. austriacum (9.1 days) and L. lewisii (8.3 days). The floral preservative (Floralife 300) significantly increased vase life by an average of 1.7 days in Expt. 1, and 1.6 days in Expt. 2, and resulted in a significantly greater number of flowers (≈2x) in both experiments. Significant variation was observed among genotypes for most traits, including vase life (6.2 to 11.3 days) and number of flowers (1.3 to 10.5), highlighting the opportunities for improving the potential of cut flower perennial flax through breeding.

Screening of different species of Linum GenRes by lectin profile

In recent years, cellular glycans are increasingly recognized as a universal basis for the storage and transmission of biological information. Lectins, carbohydrate-binding proteins, play a key role in this process. A very interesting model for studying the processes of intercellular interaction and recognition is self-incompatibility in plants. This is one of the main mechanisms by which angiosperms prevent inbreeding and promote cross-pollination. Heteromorphic incompatibility is the most interesting type of self-incompatibility, because in heterostyle species S-genes are associated with morphological features of flowers. The genus Linum is very interesting in terms of studying the mechanisms of pollination. Among the representatives of this genus there are both self-pollinating species (homostyled species) and cross-pollinating species (heterostyled species). The aim of the study was to analyze the lectin profile in the pistils and stamens of both flower morphs of three model species, which are characterized by different types of self-incompatibility: L. grandiflorum Desf., L. perenne L. and L. thracicum Degen. It was found that the lectin profile of androceum and gynoecium of heterostyled Linum species consists of 40 fractions regardless of genotype. It was found that lectins of L. perenne have the highest activity, and lectins of L. grandiflorum has the lowest. The activity of lectins of L. thracicum occupies an intermediate position. The relationship between the level of lectin activity and the type of self-incompatibility has been identified, suggesting that lectins may be involved in the regulation of self-incompatibility. A method of complete extraction and purification of lectins of different types of Linum by affinity chromatography using galactose and glucose-containing carriers has been developed.

Characteristic of morphological traits and biochemical indicators in Linum pubescens

The article describes the morphological characteristics and biochemical parameters of a very little studied wild species Linum pubescens (downy flax). This representative of the genus Linum naturally grows in the eastern Mediterranean: Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey, Iraq, Greece, Cyprus, Albania. There are brief references to it in the description of the flora of these regions. In Israel, on natural populations of L. pubescens, studies of dimorphic heterostyly, anatomical features of the flower, mechanisms of pollination and incompatibility were carried out. However, other signs, including economically valuable ones, are not described in him. We were the first to study the species ex-situ in a field bank. It was found that in the arid conditions of the southeastern Steppe of Ukraine L. pubescens has a one-year development cycle, a height of 30 cm, 1.2 flowering stems, a bright pink flower with a diameter of 25 mm, a small slightly elongated box with a diameter of 2.7 mm, weight 1000 seeds is 0.6 g, and the leaf area is 218.9 mm2. Plants bloom in mid-July- September. Taking into account the rather large size, the bright color of the flower and the flowering period, we believe that the L. pubescens species has prospects of use as an ornamental flowering plant. In the resulting artificial population of L. pubescens, dimorphic heterostyly is clearly traced. Long and short pest morphs are clearly identified. L. pubescens seeds contain 24% protein and 35% oil. The fatty acid composition of the oil belongs to the "linum-type", like most other types of flax. With a low content of saturated acids (palmitic 6.7% and stearic 2.8%) and a significant predominance of unsaturated acids, especially linolenic up to 64%. It was revealed that this species has a dense non-cracking capsule. This trait is unusual for other flax varieties. Most annual and perennial species are characterized by moderate to severe cracking. Cultivated flax has a non-cracking boll, but not a hard one that breaks easily. It was found that less organic matter and more ash elements accumulate in the capsules and seeds of L. pubescens than in other species of the genus Linum. Probably, this feature, together with non-cracking, helps to better preserve fruits in difficult natural conditions and preserves seed germination for a long time. According to A.A. Zhuchenko, plant genetic resources are divided into six groups. At this stage, L. pubescen is classified as a wild weed relative. It was proposed to include L. pubescens in breeding work to create ornamental varieties in order to transfer it to the improved germplasm group in the future.

Origin and diversification of flax and their relationship with heterostyly across the range

AbstractAimUnderstanding plant diversity and how different traits have shaped the current biodiversity setting across the world is one of the major challenges for evolutionary biology. In this sense, genus Linum have been broadly studied as a model of species showing heterostyly, but no studies have attempted to investigate possible correlations between heterostyly and diversification. Thus, in this study we aim to explore the origin and diversification of the genus Linum and to determine its centre of diversity and potential source for the colonisation of other areas. Also, we aim to study how heterostyly may have shaped diversification rates and colonisation patterns in the genus.LocationWorldwide (focused on the Western Palearctic).TaxonGenus Linum L. (Linaceae).MethodsWe analysed nuclear ITS and plastid ndhF, matK and trnL‐F DNA regions in a total of 103 samples of 93 different species of the genus Linum, as well as seven samples from other Linaceae. We performed divergence time analysis in BEAST2 under a birth‐death tree model, then used the resulting tree for an ancestral area reconstruction using the R package “BioGeoBEARS.” Finally, we estimated diversification rates using BAMM and examined the correlation between diversification rates and geographic ranges and heterostyly.ResultsLinum s.l. diverged during the late Eocene to mid Oligocene (27.2–38.29 Ma at 95% highest posterior density interval) in the Western Palearctic, where most species diversified. Within‐area speciation is the main mechanism of diversification in the genus. Most dispersal events occurred from the Western Palearctic to other regions, probably through long‐distance dispersal (LDD). No changes were found regarding diversification rates in specific clades or in relation with reproductive system (heterostyly) or geographic areas. Colonisation of new areas was achieved mostly by monomorphic lineages, whereas heterostylous species mostly remained in the ancestral Western Paleartic area.Main conclusionsThe Western Palearctic acted as a source of dispersal in seven out of nine total dispersal events but never as a sink. All species or lineages that colonised new areas after LDD were monomorphic for style length, as predicted by the theory on reproductive traits of colonising species. Thus, heterostyly is shown to affect establishment success in a new area. Neither biogeographic changes nor analysed trait changes can explain speciation nor extinction rates in Linum. Our results confirm that the evolution of heterostyly is related to the paleogeographic history and are not consistent with the idea that a key innovation or “dispersification” has shaped the diversification patterns in Linum.

Effect of Flaxseeds in Diabetic Rats with or without Experimentally Induced Chronic Kidney Disease

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a progressive disease that can lead to multiple complications including nephropathy, neuropathy, retinopathy, and others. It is one of the major risk factors for the development of chronic kidney diseases (CKD). Therefore, identification and development of new therapeutic agents for CKD and diabetes is highly needed. Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum), a member of the genus Linum, has been found to be beneficial in treatment of several human diseases. Here we examined the effects of different doses of flaxseeds on experimentally induced diabetes in rats with or without experimentally adenine-induced CKD. DM was induced in Male Wister rats via a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/Kg) and CKD was induced thereafter by oral adenine (150 mg/kg/day in feed for five weeks). Several plasma and urinary biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammatory and renal damage were measured and assessed. Animals given adenine exhibited physiological (e.g., weight loss, increases urine output), biochemical (e.g., increased urea and creatinine), inflammatory (e.g., increased cystatin C and interleukin-1β), oxidative (e.g., reduced sodium dismutase and renal catalase) and histopathological markers and signs of CKD. streptozotocin induced DM alone worsened most of these markers and further worsened the renal damage induced by adenine. Flaxseed significantly ameliorated the renal actions of adenine and streptozotocin, given either singly or in combination. These results demonstrated that flaxseed is a useful agent in the treatment of DM induced CKD.

Effect of Roasting on Bioactive and Antinutritional Components of Flaxseed (Linum Usitatissimum)

Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) collected from Morang district, Nepal was studied to explore the effect of roasting at 180oC for 5, 10, 15 and 20 min and soaking (12 h followed by sun drying followed by roasting at 180oC for 15 minutes) on its bioactive compounds (flavonoids, polyphenol and anti-oxidant activity), nutritional and anti-nutritional compounds (hydrocyanic acid and oxalate). The crude extracts of samples were prepared using 80% methanol by maceration technique for analysis of total flavonoid content, polyphenol content and free radical scavenging activity. Roasting of flaxseed had significant impact on its bioactive, nutritional and anti-nutritional components. Flavonoid content increased significantly (p<0.001) from 45.33 ± 5.03 mg QE/100 g to 238.16 ± 8.8 mg QE/100 g on roasting whereas there was no significant increment of flavonoid on soaking. Polyphenols content decreased significantly (p<0.001) on roasting and soaking followed by roasting. The highest amount of antioxidant activity was found to be in raw and 15 min roasting i.e 1.57 mg AAE/mg DM. And antioxidant activity was further increased on soaking followed by roasting. Hydrocyanic acid on raw sample was 649.3 ± 1.41 mg/kg decreased significantly (p<0.001) to 115.2 ± 10.41 mg/kg at 15 min roasting. Similarly, oxalate content decreased significantly (p<0.001) on roasting. Soaking followed by roasting further decreased HCN and oxalate content significantly (p<0.001). Protein, fat and fiber content were decreased significantly whereas calcium content increased significantly on 15min roasting. Similarly, on soaking followed by roasting, protein, fat and calcium content were decreased and crude fiber increased significantly.

High-throughput sequencing techniques to flax genetics and breeding

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an important oil and fiber crop. Using modern methods for flax breeding allows accelerating the introduction of some desired genes into the genotypes of future varieties. Today, an important condition for their creation is the development of research, that is based on next-generation sequencing (NGS). This review summarizes the results obtained using NGS in flax research. To date, a linkage map with a high marker density has been obtained for L. usitatissimum, which is already being used for a more efficient search for quantitative traits loci. Comparative studies of transcriptomes and miRNomes of flax under stress and in control conditions elucidated molecular-genetic mechanisms of abiotic and biotic stress responses. The very accurate model for genomic selection of flax resistant to pasmo was constructed. Based on NGS-sequencing also some details of the genus Linum evolution were clarified. The knowledge systematized in the review can be useful for researchers working in flax breeding and whereas fundamental interest for understanding the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Linum, the ontogenesis, and the mechanisms of the response of flax plants to various stress factors.

Identification of anticancer compounds from Linum usitatissimum seed extract and their effect on HeLa cells

Aim: The aim of the study is to analyze the phytoconstituents and to determine the anticancer potential of Linum usitatissimum seed against Human cervical cancer cell line is the correct expansion (HeLa). Materials and Methods: The seeds of L. usitatissimum were extracted with methanol, ethyl acetate, and chloroform by cold maceration method. These extracts were subjected to qualitative phytochemical analysis, free-radical scavenging ability (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) assay, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and flow cytometric analysis for studying their cytotoxic and apoptotic effect on HeLa cell. Ethyl acetate extract of L. usitatissimum seeds was subjected to liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS)/MS analysis for identifying its phytoconstituents. Results: Qualitative analysis of the different extracts of the seed revealed the presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, phenols, steroids, and anthraquinones. Free-radical scavenging activity of chloroform extract was found to be more than methanolic and ethyl acetate extracts. Further, methanol, ethyl acetate, and chloroform extracts exerted cytotoxic effect with an 50% inhibitory concentration value of 21 μg/ml, 17.5 μg/ml, and 20 μg/ml, respectively. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that the number of proapoptotic and late apoptotic cells were found to increase with the increasing concentration of seed extract. LC-MS/MS analysis of ethyl acetate extract revealed the presence of glabranine, protocatechuic acid-O-hexoside, and naringenin. Conclusion: The study demonstrated the anticancer effect of the seeds of L. usitatissimum , and the presence of glabranine and naringenin, well-known anticancer agents, is being reported for the first time in L. usitatissimum seed. The antioxidant and anticancer potential of the seed could be due to the presence of glabranine and naringenin.

Molecular systematic study in the genus Linum (Linaceae) in Iran

The genus Linum L. is an important plant genus as it contains the species with economic values and particularly Linum usitatissimum L. that is source of fibre and linseed oil. This genus contains 230 species throughout the world and has about 22 species in Iran. Little is known about Linum species relationship and phylogeny. Therefore, the aim of present study was molecular phylogenetic investigation of the Linum species growing in Iran and to present data on their biogeography. We used both ITS and chloroplast DNA sequences (psbA-trnHGUG region) for inferring the species phylogeny and relationship. We also used cpDNA for inferring the species time of divergence and with ISSR markers to identify the path of species distribution in the country. The phylogenetic trees obtained for both ITS and cpDNA sequences were almost congruent. NeighborNet diagram and BEAST tree based on Bayesian method separated the outgroup species Hugonia and Anisadenia from the other species studied. The subspecies studied in Linum macronicum were placed close to each other and along with L. corymbulosum comprised a separate clade. The clades obtained showed divergence time between 5–20 mya. The present study revealed that the species of the sect. Linum are monophyletic, while members of the sections Linastrum and Syllinum are intermixed and seem to be paraphyletic.

Callus formation, organogenesis and microclonal reproduction in different species of the genus Linum L. in vitro

Purpose. To reveal the frequency and intensity of callus formation and organogenesis, the effectiveness of microclonal reproduction of various species of the genus Linum L. (Linaceae) in vitro. Methods. For in vitro induction of callus formation and organogenesis, hypocotyl segments of species Linum usitatissimum L. convar. elongatum and convar. usitatissimum, L. tenue Desf., L. bienne Mill., L. corymbulosum Pchb., L. nervosum Waldst. &amp; Kit., L. flavum L., L. campanulatum L., L. perenne L., L. austriacum L., L. grandiflorum Desf., L. strictum L. were cultivated on Murashige and Skoog medium supplementedwith 0.05 mg/l 1-naphthylacetic acid and 1.0 mg/l 6-benzyl aminopurine at 22–24 °C, relative humidity of 60–80%,with 16 hours photoperiod (2500 flux). For microclonal reproduction Murashige and Skoog, White, Gamborg and Eveleigh media and their modifications were used. The measurement results were interpreted by the arithmetic mean, standard error for the sample mean, the leastsignificantdifference and ranked. Results. Different species of the genus Linum to a large extend are capable of forming callus and regenerating shoots under the specified cultivation conditions. The frequency of callus formation for the studied samples on the 35th day of cultivation varied within 81.25–100%, the mass of callus from one explant – 0.21–1.64 g, the frequency of organogenesis – 12.50–100%, the number of shoots – 1.8–7.6 pcs. and the height of the shoots was 0.82–2.12 cm. The following species: L. usitatissimum convar. elongatum, L. tenue, L. bienne and L. strictum were distinguished by a high intensity of callus formation. Intensive organogenesis was pecular to L. tenue, L. bienne, L. flavum, L. austriacum and L. grandiflorum. The efficiency of somaclone obtaining was quite low in L. nervosum and L. campanulatum. In total, for the microclonal reproduction of species of the genus Linum Murashige and Skoog, Gamborg and Eveleighmedia supplementedwith 12.5 g/l glucose were optimal. At the final stages of microclonal propagation, before transferring microclones in vivo, it is advisable to use White medium, which contributes to a high frequency of rhizogenesis. Varieties of L. usitatissimum convar. elongatum and convar. usitatissimum had diffe­rent responses to in vitro culture. Conclusions. The frequency and intensity of callus formation and organogenesis, the effectiveness of microclonal reproduction depended on the genotype of a particular species; therefore it is advisable to select the composition of the nutrient medium and growth regulators for each of them. Some species of the genus Linum have not yet been studied in vitro, so the obtained results allow expanding the scope of their use in practice, in particular in breeding as a new source material with somaclonal variation, interspecific crosses, and ornamental floriculture.

English

Linseed is the only cultivated species from the genus Linum and selection is the most frequently used method to develop varieties from the crop resulting in the reduction of the genetic diversity. Linum bienne Mill. is genetically more diverse than linseed and produces fertile hybrids with linseed. The author aimed for the development of hybrids with new combinations of genes useful for variety development programme. Morphological characters of parental, F1 and F2 hybrid plants were studied in field and cluster analyses, coefficient of variations (CV) and Nested analysis of variance (NANOVA) were used for the analyses. Cluster analyses from combined quantitative and qualitative characteristics were more powerful in grouping genotype. Selfed F2 hybrids scored the highest CV for all characteristics and seed-weight (20.36%). The degree of boll shattering was different among hybrids. F2 hybrids scored more phenotypic classes from seed coat colour. The differences in seed length and 1000-SW among the groups were significant (P = 0.017 and 0.033, respectively). Except for the differences in seed length, all the mean value differences in quantitative characteristics among sub-groups within the group were significant (P < 0.01). The result showed that the hybrids would be important populations to develop varieties for different traits. There was dragging of unwanted parental characters to hybrids due to a linkage. Assisting the process of crossing with markers associated with a trait would help to minimize the dragging of unwanted characters into hybrids. Key words: Linum bienne, Linum usitatissimum, crop wild relative, segregation, crossing.

PHYTOCHEMICAL EVALUATION, GC-MS ANALYSIS OF PHYTOACTIVE COMPOUNDS, AND ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY STUDIES FROM LINUM USITATISSIMUM

Objective: The flaxseed or linseed (Linum usitatissimum) is a minor oil seed belonging to the family Linaceae and genus Linum, which has been used as a precious nutritional food grain and folklore medicine in human diets for thousands of years and more. Recently, it has been used as a source of nutraceuticals and identified as a healthy component whose benefits on health are generally attributed to the high concentration of linolenic acids (omega 3) and lignans as well as significant quantities of dietary fiber including soluble and insoluble fibers.&#x0D; Methods: The present study was carried out to assess the various phytochemical compositions, Gas chromatogram and Mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, and antibacterial potential of different extracts of L. usitatissimum.&#x0D; Results: The crude extracts of L. usitatissimum revealed the presence of several biologically active phytochemicals with the highest quantity of steroids, terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, cardiac glycosides, protein, and amino acids. The antibacterial potency was explored against pathogenic bacteria, and the highest inhibitory activity of ethanol and methanol extracts was obtained against Staphylococcus aureus. The GC-MS analysis provides different peaks determining the presence of 10 phytochemical compounds with different therapeutic activities. The phytoactive principles were described with their molecular formula, retention time, molecular weight, and peak area (%).&#x0D; Conclusion: Our results confer the utility of this plant extract in developing novel broad-spectrum therapeutic agent.

Levulinic Acid Production from the Green Macroalgae Chaetomorpha Linum and Valonia Aegagropila Harvested in the Orbetello Lagoon

In recent years, the replacement of fossil resources with renewable ones has received great interest, especially as regards the production of new valuable bio-products and bio-fuels, in order to replace the traditional petroleum-based ones. In this context, the exploitation of waste biomasses into added-value bio-chemicals is strongly encouraged. Among these ones, the algae ones are attracting considerable attention, in particular macroalgae which cause eutrophication problems in estuaries and lagoons, due to the drastic reduction of dissolved oxygen during their decomposition. This is true for Orbetello lagoon (Italy), where a large amount of algal biomasses is removed every year through an expensive practice, with consequent environmentally serious disposal problems. In this work, for the first time, the acid-catalyzed conversion of two different macroalgae harvested in Orbetello lagoon, Chaetomorpha linum (Muller) Kutzing and Valonia aegagropila C. Agardh, into levulinic acid was studied and optimized, adopting a one-pot hydrothermal treatment, under microwave heating and in the presence of aqueous diluted mineral acids, H2SO4 and HCl. Levulinic acid is a versatile platform chemical, classified by the United States Department of Energy as one of the top-12 promising bio-based building blocks. The effect of the main reaction parameters to give levulinic acid was investigated and discussed, in particular the type and concentration of the acid catalyst, the temperature and the reaction time. The highest levulinic acid yields of 19 wt% for Chaetomorpha linum and 16 wt% for Valonia aegagropila, calculated respect to the weight of the starting dried biomass, were reached. The achieved results are very promising and confirm the significant potential of these green algae as renewable starting feedstocks for levulinic acid production.

Pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductases, key to the lignan synthesis in plants.

This paper provides an overview on activity, stereospecificity, expression and regulation of pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductases in plants. These enzymes are shared by the pathways to all 8-8' lignans derived from pinoresinol. Pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductases (PLR) are enzymes involved in the lignan biosynthesis after the initial dimerization of two monolignols. They catalyze two successive reduction steps leading to the production of lariciresinol or secoisolariciresinol from pinoresinol. Two secoisolariciresinol enantiomers can be synthetized with different fates. Depending on the plant species, these enantiomers are either final products (e.g., in the flaxseed where it is stored after glycosylation) or are the starting point for the synthesis of a wide range of lignans, among which the aryltetralin type lignans are used to semisynthesize anticancer drugs such as Etoposide®. Thus, the regulation of the gene expression of PLRs as well as the possible specificities of these reductases for one reduction step or one enantiomer are key factors to fine-tune the lignan synthesis. Results published in the last decade have shed light on the presence of more than one PLR in each plant and revealed various modes of action. Nevertheless, there are not many results published on the PLRs and most of them were obtained in a limited range of species. Indeed, a number of them deal with wild and cultivated flax belonging to the genus Linum. Despite the occurrence of lignans in bryophytes, pteridophytes and monocots, data on PLRs in these taxa are still missing and indeed the whole diversity of PLRs is still unknown. This review summarizes the data, published mainly in the last decade, on the PLR gene expression, enzymatic activity and biological function.

Characterization of repeated DNA sequences in genomes of blue-flowered flax

BackgroundMembers of different sections of the genus Linum are characterized by wide variability in size, morphology and number of chromosomes in karyotypes. Since such variability is determined mainly by the amount and composition of repeated sequences, we conducted a comparative study of the repeatomes of species from four sections forming a clade of blue-flowered flax. Based on the results of high-throughput genome sequencing performed in this study as well as available WGS data, bioinformatic analyses of repeated sequences from 12 flax samples were carried out using a graph-based clustering method.ResultsIt was found that the genomes of closely related species, which have a similar karyotype structure, are also similar in the repeatome composition. In contrast, the repeatomes of karyologically distinct species differed significantly, and no similar tandem-organized repeats have been identified in their genomes. At the same time, many common mobile element families have been identified in genomes of all species, among them, Athila Ty3/gypsy LTR retrotransposon was the most abundant. The 30-chromosome members of the sect. Linum (including the cultivated species L. usitatissimum) differed significantly from other studied species by a great number of satellite DNA families as well as their relative content in genomes.ConclusionsThe evolution of studied flax species was accompanied by waves of amplification of satellite DNAs and LTR retrotransposons. The observed inverse correlation between the total contents of dispersed repeats and satellite DNAs allowed to suggest a relationship between both classes of repeating sequences. Significant interspecific differences in satellite DNA sets indicated a high rate of evolution of this genomic fraction. The phylogenetic relationships between the investigated flax species, obtained by comparison of the repeatomes, agreed with the results of previous molecular phylogenetic studies.