Tetragonia Expansa Research Articles

Exploring the Production of Secondary Metabolites from a Halophyte Tetragonia tetragonoides through Callus Culture

Considering Korea’s gradual shift toward an aging society, consumer interest in compounds with physiological benefits, including antioxidant and anticancer effects, has surged. This study explored the potential of Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kunze, commonly known as New Zealand Spinach (NZS), a halophyte with reported health benefits, including efficacy in treating gastrointestinal diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. This study also introduced a novel callus culture system for NZS, allowing for the rapid in vitro production of secondary metabolites. Optimal callus induction (100%) and biomass production (0.416 g) were achieved by adding 2.0 mg·L−1 6-BA (6-Benzylaminopurine) and 0.5 mg·L−1 2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) among five auxin and cytokinin combinations. Two distinct callus types, TGC [TDZ (Thidiazuron)-supplemented Green Callus] and TNYC [TDZ + NAA (Naphthalene acetic acid)-supplemented Yellow Callus], were identified, each with unique characteristics. The calli showed total phenolic and flavonoid contents comparable to those of NZS leaves grown in the greenhouse. An expression analysis of six genes (CHS, CHI, F3H, F3′H, FLS, and DFR) involved in the kaempferol biosynthesis revealed an enhanced flavonoid biosynthesis-related gene expression in TGC, emphasizing its potential for compound production. GC-MS analysis identified distinct compound profiles in TGC and TNYC, with 2,3-butanediol and succinic acid being the predominant compounds among the nine and forty-four components, respectively. These calli offer a stable supply of functional compounds and present an environmentally sustainable solution. The derived callus culture system is anticipated to contribute to the development of healthy functional foods or pharmaceuticals from halophyte NZS.

BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS AND PHARMACOGNOSTIC POTENTIAL OF Tetragonia tetragonioides

In the recent years, due to the increasing resistance of pathogens to synthetic antimicrobial drugs, the use of highly active compounds from plants, which have proven their effectiveness in traditional medicine practices, is increased. Extracts of medicinal plants often contain a unique species ‒ specific combination of active ingredients that have a synergistic therapeutic effect. Therefore, the analysis of the biochemical composition of cultivated plants and the range of their potential biotechnological application is an urgent task. Aim. To summarize the information on the potential of the xerophytic plant Tetragonia tetragonioides as a source of functional food ingredients and biologically active substances that increase nonspecific organism resistance and contribute to the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Results. T. tetragonioides is a salt-tolerant and heat-resistant plant containing valuable nutrients and biologically active substances, a significant amount of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers. The high level of antioxidant compounds, especially flavonoids and carotenoids, helps to reduce the risk of degenerative pathologies developing associated with excessive oxidative stress. The unique complex of biologically active substances in T. tetragonioides, which includes 6-methoxyflavonols, predominantly derivatives of 6-methoxykaempferol, as well as megastigmanes and their glucosides, lignanamide, provides significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antimicrobial activity and may be beneficial for the prevention of chronic diseases and age-related health problems. The effectiveness of T. tetragonioides has been demonstrated in animal models in the treatment of metabolic disorders such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hyperuricemia. Conclusions. T. tetragonioides, containing a specific complex of biologically active compounds, primarily 6-methoxyflavonols, may be a promising raw material for obtaining effective medications for the treatment and prevention of various chronic diseases and metabolic disorders.

Cercospora beticola causes leaf and stem spots of New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia tetragonoides) in Brazil

New Zealand (NZ) spinach (Tetragonia tetragonoides) is an important leafy vegetable crop in Brazil and other countries. This plant is used as a substitute for common spinach because it is rustic and tolerant to tropical and subtropical environmental conditions. It is often affected by a leaf and stem spot disease, which increases in severity during the warm climatic periods. Cercospora tetragoniae has been reported as the cause of this disease, but this is based on an early description of a Cercospora-like species on this host in Argentina, first named Cercosporina tetragoniae but later recombined into Cercospora. In the present study, isolates of Cercospora-like fungi were obtained from NZ spinach and beetroot plants in Brazil, and a multigene molecular study including the act, cal, gapdh, his3, ITS, and tef1-α regions was carried out to identify the causative pathogen. Additionally, morphological and cross inoculation studies were conducted with isolates obtained from diseased plants. The pathogen was confirmed as Cercospora beticola, a common and harmful pathogen of beetroot (Beta vulgaris). Cross-inoculations of isolates obtained from NZ spinach and beetroot showed that the isolates are infective to both hosts. This increases knowledge of epidemiology and management of this important disease. Several attempts to re-collect samples from the type locality in Argentina failed. NZ spinach is no longer grown at La Plata (Argentina), the type locality of C. tetragoniae. Therefore, the task of re-collecting the pathogen is still pending, for epitype designation and for a full clarification of the taxonomic status of C. tetragoniae. The possibility of the pathogen being seed-transmitted has been assessed, and evidence obtained justifies further assessment of this aspect.

Genomic exploration of Sesuvium sesuvioides: comparative study and phylogenetic analysis within the order Caryophyllales from Cholistan desert, Pakistan

BackgroundThe Aizoaceae family’s Sesuvium sesuvioides (Fenzl) Verdc is a medicinal species of the Cholistan desert, Pakistan. The purpose of this study was to determine the genomic features and phylogenetic position of the Sesuvium genus in the Aizoaceae family. We used the Illumina HiSeq2500 and paired-end sequencing to publish the complete chloroplast sequence of S. sesuvioides.ResultsThe 155,849 bp length cp genome sequence of S. sesuvioides has a 36.8% GC content. The Leucine codon has the greatest codon use (10.6%), 81 simple sequence repetitions of 19 kinds, and 79 oligonucleotide repeats. We investigated the phylogeny of the order Caryophyllales’ 27 species from 23 families and 25 distinct genera. The maximum likelihood tree indicated Sesuvium as a monophyletic genus, and sister to Tetragonia. A comparison of S. sesuvioides, with Sesuvium portulacastrum, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, Mesembryanthemum cordifolium, and Tetragonia tetragonoides was performed using the NCBI platform. In the comparative investigation of genomes, all five genera revealed comparable cp genome structure, gene number and composition. All five species lacked the rps15 gene and the rpl2 intron. In most comparisons with S. sesuvioides, transition substitutions (Ts) were more frequent than transversion substitutions (Tv), producing Ts/Tv ratios larger than one, and the Ka/Ks ratio was lower than one. We determined ten highly polymorphic regions, comprising rpl22, rpl32-trnL-UAG, trnD-GUC-trnY-GUA, trnE-UUC-trnT-GGU, trnK-UUU-rps16, trnM-CAU-atpE, trnH-GUG-psbA, psaJ-rpl33, rps4-trnT-UGU, and trnF-GAA-ndhJ.ConclusionThe whole S. sesuvioides chloroplast will be examined as a resource for in-depth taxonomic research of the genus when more Sesuvium and Aizoaceae species are sequenced in the future. The chloroplast genomes of the Aizoaceae family are well preserved, with little alterations, indicating the family’s monophyletic origin. This study’s highly polymorphic regions could be utilized to build realistic and low-cost molecular markers for resolving taxonomic discrepancies, new species identification, and finding evolutionary links among Aizoaceae species. To properly comprehend the evolution of the Aizoaceae family, further species need to be sequenced.

Identification of the Abscisic Acid-, Stress-, and Ripening-Induced (ASR) Family Involved in the Adaptation of Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze to Saline–Alkaline and Drought Habitats

Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze (Aizoaceae, 2n = 2x = 32), a vegetable used for both food and medicine, is a halophyte that is widely distributed in the coastal areas of the tropics and subtropics. Saline–alkaline soils and drought stress are two major abiotic stressors that significantly affect the distribution of tropical coastal plants. Abscisic acid-, stress-, and ripening-induced (ASR) proteins belong to a family of plant-specific, small, and hydrophilic proteins with important roles in plant development, growth, and abiotic stress responses. Here, we characterized the ASR gene family from T. tetragonoides, which contained 13 paralogous genes, and divided TtASRs into two subfamilies based on the phylogenetic tree. The TtASR genes were located on two chromosomes, and segmental duplication events were illustrated as the main duplication method. Additionally, the expression levels of TtASRs were induced by multiple abiotic stressors, indicating that this gene family could participate widely in the response to stress. Furthermore, several TtASR genes were cloned and functionally identified using a yeast expression system. Our results indicate that TtASRs play important roles in T. tetragonoides’ responses to saline–alkaline soils and drought stress. These findings not only increase our understanding of the role ASRs play in mediating halophyte adaptation to extreme environments but also improve our knowledge of plant ASR protein evolution.

First Report of Fusarium oxysporum Causing Leaf Wilt on Dinteranthus vanzylii (Green Stone Plant) in China.

Dinteranthus vanzylii is a low-growing species in the family Aizoaceae, native to southern Africa, with a pair of thick grey leaves covered with dark red spots and stripes. This stone-like succulent grows near the ground, which may protect it from water evaporation and herbivores. Dinteranthus vanzylii has become popular in China due to its attractive appearance and easy indoor cultivation. In September 2021, 7% of D. vanzylii (approximately 140 pots) showed leaf wilt symptoms in a commercial greenhouse located in Ningde (119°35'39.696″E, 27°23'30.556″N), Fujian Province, China. The diseased plants were shrivelling and eventually underwent necrosis. Their leaf tissues were rotting and carpeted with white mycelium. The leaf tissues of 10 symptomatic plants were cut into 0.5 cm2 pieces, surface-sterilized and placed on PDA medium. According to the colony morphology after 7 days of culture, 20 fungal isolates with abundant whitish aerial mycelium were divided into two types: 8 isolates produced lilac pigment whereas 12 did not. Both produced unicellular ovoid microconidia, sickled-shaped macroconidia with 3 - 4 septa and single or paired smooth, thick-walled chlamydospores on carnation leaf agar (CLA). Molecular identification based on DNA sequences from EF1-α (O'Donnell et al. 1998), RPB1 and RPB2 (O'Donnell et al. 2010) revealed 100% identity among isolates within each group; however, there were several base differences between two types. Sequences of representative isolates KMDV1 and KMDV2 were deposited in GenBank (acc. nos.: OP910243, OP910244, OR030448, OR030449, OR030450 and OR030451), which showed 99.10% - 99.74% identity with different F. oxysporum strains (GenBank acc. nos.: KU738441, LN828039, MN457050, MN457049, ON316742 and ON316741). Phylogenetic tree inferred from the concatenated EF1-α, RPB1 and RPB2 revealed that these isolates clustered with F. oxysporum. Thus, these isolates were identified as F. oxysporum. Using a root-drenching method, 10 one-year-old healthy D. vanzylii were inoculated in conidial suspensions (1*106 conidia/mL) of isolates KMDV1 and KMDV2 for 60 min, respectively. They were transplanted into pots with sterilized soil and incubated in a plant-growth chamber at 25°C and 60% relative humidity. Control plants were treated with sterilized water. The pathogenicity test was repeated three times. All plants inoculated with each isolate developed leaf wilt symptoms after 15 days and were dead after 20 - 30 days. However, no symptoms were observed in the control plants. Fusarium oxysporum was reisolated and confirmed based on morphology and EF1-α sequence analysis. No pathogens were isolated from the control plants. This is the first report of F. oxysporum causing leaf wilt disease on D. vanzylii in China. To date, several diseases have been reported on members of the Aizoaceae. For instance, collar and stem rot on Lampranthus sp. caused by Pythium aphanidermatum (Garibaldi et al. 2009), wilt on Lampranthus sp. and Tetragonia tetragonioides caused by Verticillium dahliae (Garibaldi et al. 2010; Garibaldi et al. 2013), and leaf spot on Sesuvium portulacastrum caused by Gibbago trianthemae (Chen et al., 2022). Our research could provide insight into fungal diseases on members of the Aizoaceae and contribute to their cultivation and management.

First Report of Olive Mild Mosaic Virus in Imported Tulips (Tulipa gesneriana) in Korea.

Tulip cultivation in Korea primarily uses imported bulbs due to the absence of domestic production. To ensure safety and sustainability, Korean authorities have implemented strict phytosanitary measures for five viruses: arabis mosaic virus, tobacco necrosis virus, tobacco ringspot virus, tomato black ring virus, and tomato bushy stunt virus. In April 2021, 86 tulip plants presented symptoms such as chlorotic mottle, mosaic, streak, stripe, yellowing of the leaves, and color breaking on flowers. These samples were collected to investigate the incidence of viruses in four Korean provinces (Gangwon, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, and Chungnam). The leaves and petals from each individual sample (10 mg each) were pooled and ground using liquid nitrogen. Total RNA was extracted using a Maxwell® 16 LEV Plant RNA Kit (Promega, Madison, USA). A cDNA library was constructed using TruSeq Standard Total RNA with Ribo - Zero (Illumina, San Diego, USA) and sequenced on an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform (Macrogen, Seoul, Korea) with 100-bp paired-end reads. Trinity software identified tulip breaking virus (TBV), tulip virus X (TVX), and lily symptomless virus (LSV), which are known to occur in Korea (Bak et al. 2023) by de novo assembly of 628 million reads into 498,795 contigs. The contigs were annotated as previously described (Bak et al. 2022). Moreover, a contig (ON758350) related to olive mild mosaic virus (OMMV; genus Alphanecrovirus, family Tombusviridae) was identified through BLASTn analysis. This contig had a 99.27% nucleotide (nt) identity to OMMV PPO-L190209 (KU641010), which was assembled from 201,346 reads and spanned 3,713 bp. To confirm the presence of OMMV, a primer pair (5'-GAATGTCTGGCGTTAAGCG-3'/5'-GTGTCCTGCGCATCATACAC-3') was designed to amplify a 797-bp fragment of the coat protein gene. In RT-PCR, 31.4% (27/86) of samples were positive for OMMV and coinfected with TBV or TBV+LSV. Coinfection with TBV led to chlorotic mottling and stripes, whereas triple coinfection with TBV+LSV produced distinct yellow streaks and mosaic within the lesion boundaries. In contrast, solely TBV infection did not produce such symptoms. The samples infected with OMMV were exclusively collected from Gangwon and Gyeongnam. In each province, an RT-PCR amplicon was cloned, and subsequently sequenced (Bioneer, Daejeon, Korea). The obtained sequences were named CC (OM243091) and GS (OM243092), and they shared 98.6% and 98.9% identity with PPO-L190209 (KU641010), respectively. A bioassay was conducted using a leaf infected with OMMV CC and TBV to inoculate 13 indicator species in triplicate, including Capsicum annuum, Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa, Cucumis sativus, Nicotiana benthamiana, N. clevelandii, N. glutinosa, N. occidentalis, N. rustica, N. tabacum, Solanum lycopersicum, Tetragonia tetragonioides, and Tulipa gesneriana. The RT-PCR revealed positivity only for OMMV in the upper leaves of N. clevelandii, while all other species were negative with no symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first report of OMMV occurring in tulips grown from imported bulbs in Korea, with no other known natural hosts such as olive tree (Cardoso et al. 2004), spinach (Gratsia et al. 2012), and corn salad (Verdin et al. 2018). The Korean OMMV isolates exhibited a high nt identity with the foreign isolate, and the samples were collected from farms that rely entirely on bulb imports for cultivation. These suggest that the outbreak of OMMV was likely caused by imported bulbs.

First report of Tulip Virus X infecting tulip (Tulipa gesneriana) in Korea.

Tulip virus X (tulip virus X, TVX) is a member of the genus Potexvirus (family Alphaflexiviridae) and is a positive single-stranded RNA virus. TVX was described first in Scotland (Mowat 1982), followed by several countries (Yamaji et al. 2001; Tzanetakis et al. 2005; Ward et al. 2008; Dees et al. 2011; Sochacki and Komorowska 2012; Wylie et al. 2019). In April 2021, 86 whole tulip plants showing viral symptoms in leaves (mosaic, yellowing, and malformation) and flowers (color breaking) were collected in Chilgok, Chuncheon, Goseong, Yecheon and Yesan, Korea. Furthermore, high-throughput sequencing was performed to identify viruses that infect tulips in Korea. Total RNA was extracted from pooled the leaves and petals using a Maxwell® 16 LEV Plant RNA Kit (Promega, Madison, USA). We constructed a single library using the TruSeq Stranded Total RNA LT Sample Prep Kit for Plant (Illumina, San Diego, USA). The library was 100 bp paired-end sequenced using Illumina's NovaSeq 6000 (Macrogen, Seoul, Korea) and was assembled de novo using Trinity software version trinityrnaseq_r20140717, with default parameters. The contigs were annotated as in previous study (Lee et al. 2020), revealing a single contig each related to TVX, lily symptomless virus (LSV), and tulip breaking virus (TBV) was generated from 648 million total reads. The TVX-related contig (GenBank ON205948) consisting of 6,076 bp showed 99.52% nucleotide identity (6027/6056 bp) with TVX-J (GenBank AB066288). We conducted an RT-PCR assay to validate the presence of viruses with specific primers as TVX-F5093/R5624 (5'-CTATCCGGACTCATTCTACTTC/GTGCGTTCCAGATAAGCTTG-3'), LSV-F7013/R7338 (5'-CTTGGTCGACAGGGACATAAC/GATTGGAATTGTGCTTTTCAGC-3'), and TBV-F7515/R8116 (5'-GTGTGTCATGGATGATTGTTG/CAACTGATTTGCTACCGCTAG-3'). Consequently, TVX were detected in 13 of 86 samples. Moreover, LSV and TBV were detected in 15 and 26 samples, respectively. However, the yellowing and mosaic observed in the TVX infected samples were not observed in the LSV and TBV infected samples. Subsequently, two TVX amplicons were selected, cloned and sequenced. The obtained sequences were 532 bp and were named YS24 and YS38 (GenBank LC664027 and LC664028), respectively. The Korean isolates showed 98.68% (525/532 bp) and 99.62% (530/532 bp) identity with Australian isolate (GenBank MH886522) in BLASTn analysis. To bioassay for TVX, the infected tulip leaf tissue from which YS24 was obtained was used to sap-inoculate, in triplicates, 15 species of indicator plants (Nicotiana benthamiana, N. clevelandii, N. debneyi, N. glutinosa, N. rustica, N. tabacum, Datura stramonium, Glycine max, Phaseolus vulgaris, Chenopodium amaranticolor, C. quinoa, Cucumis sativus, Cu. melo, Gomphrena globosa, and Tetragonia tetragonioides). After 14 days of inoculation, we observed distinct chlorotic spots on inoculated and upper leaves of C. quinoa, but no symptoms were observed in other indicator plants. In RT-PCR assay using TVX-specific primers, only C. quinoa showed a positive reaction. In previous studies, C. amaranticolor, C. quinoa, G. globosa, and N. benthamiana were known as the experimental host of TVX (Dees et al. 2011; Tzanetakis et al. 2005), but only C. quinoa was confirmed to be susceptible to the Korean isolate. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy revealed typical flexuous rod-shaped viral particles in the inoculated C. quinoa. To our knowledge, this is the first report of TVX infecting tulips in Korea.

Bioinformatics Predicted Linear Epitopes of the Major Coat Protein of the Beet Yellows Virus for Detection of the Virus in the Cell Extract of the Infected Plant.

Beet yellows virus, which belongs to the genus Closterovirus, family Closteroviridae and has a significant negative economic impact, has proven to be challenging to detect and diagnose. To obtain antibodies against BYV, we propose an easier bioinformatics approach than the isolation and purification of the wild virus as an antigen. We used the SWISS-MODEL Workspace (Biozentrum Basel) protein 3D prediction program to discover epitopes of major coat protein p22 lying on the surface of the BYV capsid. Sequences coding these epitopes were cloned into plasmid pQE-40 (Qiagen) in frame with mouse dihydrofolate reductase gene. Fused epitopes were expressed in Escherichia coli and isolated by the Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. Murine antibodies were raised against each epitope and in a combination of both and characterized by dot-ELISA and indirect ELISA. We successively used these antibodies for diagnosis of virus disease in systemically infected Tetragonia tetragonioides. We believe the approach described above can be used for diagnostics of difficult-to-obtain and hazardous-to-health viral infections.

Effect of Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze Extract on Andropause Symptoms.

Testosterone and free testosterone levels decrease in men as they age, consequently inducing andropause symptoms, such as weight gain, fatigue, and depression. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the reducing effect of New Zealand spinach (NZS) on these androgenic symptoms by orally administering its extract to 26-week-old rats for four weeks. Biochemical blood testing was conducted, and the andropause symptoms-related indicators and muscular endurance levels were examined. In the NZS extract-treated rats, the decrease in muscle mass was suppressed, and immobility time was reduced in the forced swim test. In addition, the grip force and muscular endurance of the forelimbs were significantly increased compared to the control group; therefore, NZS extract exhibits a positive effect on the maintenance of muscle mass and improves muscular endurance. The representative male hormones, testosterone and progesterone, in the NZS extract-treated group were 1.84 times and 2.48 times higher than those in the control groups, respectively. Moreover, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, which affect lipid metabolism, were significantly reduced in the NZS extract-treated group. Overall, NZS extract shows potential for further development as a functional food material for improving muscle strength and relieving andropause symptoms.

NATURAL ACIDIFIER APPLICATION WITH EFFECTS ON SOIL MICROBIAL ACTIVITY IN SWISS CHARD, TUSCANY BLACK CABBAGE AND TETRAGONIA TETRAGONIOIDES CULTIVATION

Research goal: This research aimed to evaluate the effects of a natural product with acidifying activity on seed germination and growth of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris), Tuscany black cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) and Tetragonia tetragonioides plants and whether there were any interactions or interferences with soil microbial activity and fertility parameters. Materials and Methods: The experiments, which started in January 2022, were conducted in the greenhouses of CREA-OF in Pescia (Pt), Tuscany, Italy (43°54′N 10°41′E). The experimental groups were: 1) group control in peat, irrigated with water and substrate previously fertilized; 2) group control in compost, irrigated with water and substrate previously fertilized; 3) group with organic acidifiers (organic acidifying product by Fertalis SRL) in peat irrigated with water and substrate previously fertilized; 4) group with organic acidifiers in compost irrigated with water and substrate previously fertilized. Results and Discussion: The trial significantly improved the agronomic parameters analyzed on Swiss chard, Tuscany black cabbage and Tetragonia tetragonioides plants treated with an organic acidifier. In particular, there was an increase in plant height, vegetative and roots weight, seeds germination and average germination time. In addition, the experiment showed that in plants treated with the organic acidifier, there was a lowering of the pH and a significant increase in substrate microfauna. Conclusions: According to the results obtained in this above-ground experiment, applying a natural acidifier in peat- or compost-based substrate can be beneficial for increasing plant productivity and quality and positively influence the microbiology of the soil. In the experiment, a reduction in the pH of the substrate was found in the theses treated with the acidifier. At the same time, a significant increase in the agronomic quality of the plants (in terms of productivity and growth) was observed. Furthermore, in these theses, it was evident how the microbial presence increased, which positively affected the substrate structure and fertilizer uptake. KEY-WORDS: sustainable agriculture, beneficial microorganisms, plant interactions, succulent plants, substrate microbiology, organic acidifier, alkaline soil

The Response of Halophyte (Tetragonia tetragonioides (Pallas) Kuntz.) and Glycophyte (Lactuca sativa L.) Crops to Diluted Seawater and NaCl Solutions: A Comparison between Two Salinity Stress Types

The use of seawater in horticulture is underestimated. Although pure seawater is harmful to most living plants, diluted seawater could represent a promising integration to meet the crop’s nutrient and water requirements. In the current trial, we compared the effects of moderate and high concentrations of seawater and a comparable NaCl solution on a salt-tolerant (Tetragonia tetragonioides) and a salt-sensitive (Lactuca sativa) crop grown in hydroponics. We tested the hypothesis that, due to its mineral composition, diluted seawater would result in a less stressful growing medium than NaCl. We observed that diluted seawater resulted in a less detrimental growing medium compared to an EC-comparable NaCl solution, with remarkable differences between the salt-tolerant and the salt-sensitive species. While the growth rates in Tetragonia did not vary between the two types of stress, diluted seawater led to a higher FW and DW biomass yield in the salt-sensitive lettuce compared to the NaCl treatment. Moreover, NaCl reduced the water consumption and water productivity in Tetragonia. In lettuce, NaCl-treated plants demonstrated lower water use efficiency and water productivity compared to the EC-comparable seawater treatment. Physiological parameters and the concentration of mineral elements, phenolics and proline also demonstrated that, due to different mineral composition, seawater is a less stressful growing medium compared to a NaCl solution at comparable EC.

Tetragonia tetragonioides Relieves Depressive-Like Behavior through the Restoration of Glial Loss in the Prefrontal Cortex

Tetragonia tetragonioides, which is a halophyte and grows widely in Asian-Pacific regions, has been used for the treatment of digestive disorders in traditional oriental medicine. This study examined the potential antidepressant effect of Tetragonia tetragonioides in an astroglial degeneration model of depression, which was established based on the postmortem study of depressive patients' brain presenting diminished astrocytes in the prefrontal cortex. C57BL/6 male mice were exposed to glial ablation in the prefrontal cortex by the administration of the gliotoxin, L-alpha-aminoadipic acid (L-AAA) to induce depression. Tetragonia tetragonioides at doses of 100 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg, imipramine at a dose of 15 mg/kg, and distilled water were orally administrated to mice for 18 days. Behavioral tests including the open field test (OFT), sucrose preference test (SPT), forced swimming test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST) were carried out after 2 days of L-AAA injection. The expression levels of GFAP and NeuN in the prefrontal cortex were determined by immunohistochemistry. Mice subjected to glial ablation in the prefrontal cortex displayed decreased sucrose consumption in SPT and increased immobility time in FST and TST. Treatment with imipramine and Tetragonia tetragonioides remarkably ameliorated the behavioral despair induced by L-AAA. In addition, immunohistochemistry analysis showed that treatment with Tetragonia tetragonioides significantly restored the glial loss as indicated by the elevated GFAP expression level. These findings suggest that Tetragonia tetragonioides exerts an antidepressant effect through the restoration of glial loss under conditions of depression and can be a candidate for an antidepressant agent.

Physical, chemical, sensory and mineral characterization of salty muffins enriched with Tetragonia tetragonoides

Abstract The preparation of bakery products is expanding, mainly due to the possibility of adding other ingredients, in order to enrich them nutritionally. Spinach (Tetragonia tetragonoides) is a vegetable widely used, although its stem that has great potential for use, is still considered a waste and discarded. Based on the aforementioned information, this work aims to elaborate and characterize physical, chemical, sensory and minerals of salty muffins enriched with T. tetragonoides. Four formulations of salty muffins were prepared as following: Standard Formulation (F1); Formulation with addition of spinach leaves (F2); Formulation with addition of spinach stems (F3); Formulation with addition of spinach leaves and stems (F4). The physical and chemical characterization of the leaves and stems of T. tetragonoides was done by quantifying the moisture, residue mineral fixed, proteins, color and minerals. Muffins were characterized by analyzing moisture, fixed mineral residue, protein, total reducing sugars and instrumental analysis of color and texture; sensory and minerals. The muffins showed a predominant green color, due to the addition of spinach. However, stems, leaves and muffins have a high content of minerals, especially calcium and iron. The incorporation of vegetables in the formulations provided an increase in protein content, in addition to expressive sensory acceptance. Feasibility is observed in the production of savory muffins with the addition of leaves and stems, thus using the entire vegetable and avoiding food waste.

Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze Restores Blood Perfusion from Hind-Limb Ischemic Mice

Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze (TTK) is grown for the edible leaves, and can be used as food. And which commonly called Beonhaengcho in Republic of Korea. TTK is found along the seaside of the Jeju-Island and it has long been consumed as a food for women’s health. We investigated the effects of TTK on peripheral circulation disorder during menopausal transition and/or menopause in a hind-limb ischemic (HLI) mouse model. Chemotactic motility and tube formation of vascular epithelial cells were evaluated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Female C57BL/6 mice were fed a TTK (150 or 450 mg/kg/day) for four weeks and the rate of blood flow was assessed using a laser Doppler after HLI. TTK treatment significantly increased cell migration and the branch interval value of tubular structure in a dose-dependently. In the TTK treatment group, blood flow rate was significant induced at 7, 14, and 28 days after HLI, compared with the vehicle. TTK treatment also an increase in capillary density, and the highest levels of pERK(1/2), pAkt, pPLCγ1 and pFAK proteins compared to the vehicle control. These results suggest that extract of TTK may ameliorate the blood flow via improvement of peripheral angiogenesis under hind-limb ischemic stress in a menopausal mouse model.

Tetragonia tetragonioides (Pallas) Kuntz. as promising salt-tolerant crop in a saline agricultural context

The lack of natural resources, especially good-quality cropland and renewable water resources is threatening food production potential in marginal agricultural ecosystems, which are already negatively affected by climate change. Since the world's major crops are proving inadequate to supply the calories and nutrients for people in these areas, new crops are sought that can withstand harsh ecological environmental conditions. In the current trial, we assessed the growth and productivity of Tetragonia tetragonioides (Pallas) Kuntz. in a floating hydroponic system supplied with different seawater proportions (i.e. 15% and 30% seawater, EC = 9.8 and 18.0 dS m−1). Moreover, the effects of different salinity levels on mineral elements accumulation, production of osmotic solutes and secondary metabolites were determined, along with the salt removal capacity of the crop. The results indicated that plant growth was not affected by either of the seawater treatments used in this study. The increased leaf succulence and the reduction of both leaf area and specific leaf area with increasing salinity might represent an essential feature of this salt-tolerant species associated to the plants need of limiting transpiration. Low seawater treated plants showed a significantly higher biomass yield per liter of (sea)water used (117%) than the control. Under these conditions plants accumulated the highest amount of Mg (+31% and 48% in medium and high seawater treated plants compared with the control) and Cu (+14% and 30%, respectively) along with increasing proline and decreasing nitrate concentrations. By contrast, we found that seawater supply resulted in a Na-enriched leaf biomass that may represent an issue for human health. We concluded that Tetragonia tetragonioides can be grown in saline agriculture up to a salinity level characterized by an EC of 18 dS m-1 but further investigation is required to address Na accumulation in leaves.

Studies on the performance and phytoremediation effect of underutilized leafy vegetables in salt affected soils

Phytoremediation is a biological approach proving the efficiency of plants to desalinize the soil. Soil phytodesalinisation is based on the capacity of some halophytes to accumulate enormous sodium quantities in their shoots. The study on the evaluation of underutilized leafy vegetables along with amaranthus in salt affected soils for leaf yield and phytoremediation effect was carried out at HC&RI (W), Trichy from 2017-19. Portulaca oleraceae (Paruppukeerai), Chenopodium album (Chakravarthi keerai) Sesuvium portulacastrum, Tetragonia tetragonioides and Amaranthus (CO2 Mulai keerai and PLR1 Sirukeerai) were utilized in the study. The leafy vegetables show significant difference in plant height, number of leaves and total biomass per plant. The leaf stem ratio showed no significant difference among the leafy vegetables. The leafy vegetables differ significantly for protein, fibre content and RWC. The yield per plot was significantly higher in Chenopodium album. The pH and EC of the soil at the start and end of the trial revealed that there was reduction in pH and EC content of the soil in the Portulaca and Chenopodium grown field indicating their phytoremediation effect. This indicated that the sodic soils can be utilized for growing the under utilized leafy vegetables like Paruppu keerai, Chakravarthi keerai, Newzealand spinach and Palak. The study also indicated that the crops Portulaca, Chenopodium and Palak are potential crops for mitigation of sodic soils. Repeated cropping of these crops until the soil reaches acceptable levels will help the farmers to utilize their lands for regular crops.

New lignan tyramide, phenolics, megastigmanes, and their glucosides from aerial parts of New Zealand spinach, Tetragonia tetragonoides.

Twenty compounds, including a new lignan amide, were isolated from the aerial parts of New Zealand spinach, Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze, which is an edible halophyte. These compounds were identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance experiments to be N-2,3-dihydroxy-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenol)tyramine (new compound), methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, syringaldehyde, ethyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid, coniferyl alcohol, methyl caffeoate, trans- and cis-coumaroyl-β-d-glucopyranosides, trans- and cis-feruloyl-β-d-glucopyranosides, caffeic acid, staphylionoside E, canabiside D, apocyanol A, megastima-5,7-diene-3,4,9-triol, 1-O-oleoyl-3-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-sn-glycerol, 5,5'-dimethyl-lariciresinol, and kaempferol 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside. These compounds were identified in New Zealand spinach for the first time.

The functional identification of glycine-rich TtASR from Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze involving in plant abiotic stress tolerance

In this study, we reported on an ASR gene (TtASR) related to salt/drought tolerance from the edible halophyte Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze (Aizoaceae). A phylogenetic analysis revealed that TtASR was evolutionarily close to other two halophytic glycine-rich ASR members, SbASR-1 (from Salicornia brachiate) and SlASR (from Suaeda liaotungensis), with a typical abscisic acid (ABA)/water-deficit stress (WDS) domain at C-terminal. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses showed that TtASR was expressed in all tested different organs of the T. tetragonoides plant and that expression levels were apparently induced after salt, osmotic stress, and ABA treatments in T. tetragonoides seedlings. An induction of TtASR improved the growth performance of yeast and bacteria more than the control under high salinity, osmotic stress, and oxidative stress. TtASR was not a nuclear-specific protein in plant, and the transcriptional activation assay also demonstrated that TtASR could not activate reporter gene's expression in yeast. TtASR overexpressed Arabidopsis plants exhibited higher tolerance for salt/drought and oxidative stresses and lower ROS accumulation than wild type (WT) plants, accompanied by increased CAT, SOD activities, higher proline content, and lower MDA content in vivo. The results indicated that the TtASR was involved in plant responses to salt and drought, probably by mediating water homeostasis or by acting as ROS scavengers, and that it decreased the membrane damage and improved cellular osmotic adjustment that respond to abiotic stresses in microorganisms and plants.

Utilization of Complex Pectic Polysaccharides from New Zealand Plants (Tetragonia tetragonioides and Corynocarpus laevigatus) by Gut Bacteroides Species.

Pectic polysaccharides from New Zealand (NZ) spinach (Tetragonia tetragonioides) and karaka berries (Corynocarpus laevigatus) were extracted and analyzed. NZ spinach polysaccharides comprised mostly homogalacturonan (64.4%) and rhamnogalacturonan I (5.8%), with side chains of arabinan (8.1%), galactan (2.2%), and type II arabinogalactan (7.1%); karaka berry polysaccharides comprised homogalacturonan (21.8%) and rhamnogalacturonan I (10.0%), with greater proportions of side chains (arabinan, 15.6%; galactan, 23.8%; and type II arabinogalactan, 19.3%). Screening of gut commensal Bacteroides showed that six were able to grow on the NZ spinach extract, while five were able to grow on the karaka berry extract. Analysis of the polysaccharides remaining after fermentation, by size-exclusion chromatography and constituent sugar analysis, showed that the Bacteroides species that grew on these two substrates showed preferences for the different pectic polysaccharide types. Our data suggest that, to completely degrade and utilize the complex pectin structures found in plants, members of Bacteroides and other bowel bacteria work as metabolic consortia.