Unraveling the serial glycosylation in the biosynthesis of steroidal saponins in the medicinal plant and their antifungal action.

Sugar-sugar glycosyltransferases play important roles in constructing complex and bioactive saponins. Here, we characterized a series of UDP-glycosyltransferases responsible for biosynthesizing the branched sugar chain of bioactive steroidal saponins from a widely known medicinal plant var. .

A new sesquiterpene synthase catalyzing the formation of (R)-β-bisabolene from medicinal plant Colquhounia coccinea var. mollis and its anti-adipogenic and antibacterial activities.

The sesquiterpene β-bisabolene possessing R and S configurations is commonly found in plant essential oils with antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Here, we report the cloning and functional characterization of a (R)-β-bisabolene synthase gene (CcTPS2) from a Lamiaceae medicinal plant Colquhounia coccinea var. mollis.

An imputation-based genome-wide association study for growth and fatness traits in Sujiang pigs.

Sujiang pigs are a synthetic breed derived from Jiangquhai, Fengjing, and Duroc pigs. In this study, we sequenced the genome of 62 pigs with a coverage depth of 10× to 20×, including 27 Sujiang and 35 founder breed pigs, and we collected 360 global pigs' genome sequence data from public databases including 39 Duroc pigs. We obtained a high-quality variant dataset of 365 Sujiang pigs by imputing the porcine 80 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) Beadchip to the whole-genome scale with a total of 422 pigs as a reference panel.

Genetic structure and domestication footprints of the tusk, coat color, and ear morphology in East Chinese pigs.

The domestication and artificial selection of wild boars have led to dramatic morphological and behavioral changes, especially in East Chinese (ECN) pigs. Here, we provide insights into the population structure and current genetic diversity of representative ECN pig breeds. We identify a 500-kb region containing six tooth development-relevant genes with almost completely different haplotypes between ECN pigs and Chinese wild boars or European domestic pigs.

Genomic Analyses Revealed the Genetic Difference and Potential Selection Genes of Growth Traits in Two Duroc Lines.

Duroc pigs are famous for their high growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, and lean meat percentage. Given that they have been subjected to artificial selection and breeding in multiple countries, various lines with obvious differences in production performance have formed. In this study, we genotyped 3,770 American Duroc (AD) pigs and 2,098 Canadian Duroc (CD) pigs using the GeneSeek Porcine SNP50 Beadchip to dissect the genetic differences and potential selection genes of growth traits in these two Duroc pig lines.

Cloning and Functional Characterization of a Squalene Synthase from Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis.

Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand.

Immunosuppressive and Adipogenesis Inhibitory Sesterterpenoids with a Macrocyclic Ether System from .

Eurysoloids A () and B (), two novel diastereomeric sesterterpenoids possessing a pentacyclic 5/6/5/10/5 framework with an unusual macrocyclic ether system, were isolated from Prain. Their structures were unambiguously determined by spectroscopic, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and DP4+ analyses. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for compounds and was proposed.

Characterization of defensive cadinenes and a novel sesquiterpene synthase responsible for their biosynthesis from the invasive Eupatorium adenophorum.

Eupatorium adenophorum is a malignant invasive plant possessing extraordinary defense potency, but its chemical weaponry and formation mechanism have not yet been extensively investigated. We identified six cadinene sesquiterpenes, including two volatiles (amorpha-4,7(11)-diene and (-)-amorph-4-en-7-ol) and four nonvolatiles (9-oxo-10,11-dehydroageraphorone, muurol-4-en-3,8-dione, 9-oxo-ageraphorone and 9β-hydroxy-ageraphorone), as the major constitutive and inducible chemicals of E. adenophorum.

Production of the Inaccessible Sesquiterpene (-)-5-Epieremophilene by Metabolically Engineered Escherichia coli.

(-)-5-Epieremophilene, an epimer of the versatile sesquiterpene (+)-valencene, is an inaccessible natural product catalyzed by three sesquiterpene synthases (SmSTPSs1-3) of the Chinese medicinal herb Salvia miltiorrhiza, and its biological activity remains less explored. In this study, three metabolically engineered Escherichia coli strains were constructed for (-)-5-epieremophilene production with yields of 42.4-76.

Unusual glycosidic labdane diterpenoids with cytotoxicity from the root of Phlomoides betonicoides.

Chemical investigation on the root of Phlomoides betonicoides led to the isolation of six undescribed diterpenoid glycosides, phlomoidesides A-F, along with two known ones using various chromatographic techniques. The structures of these compounds were determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses (including 1D, 2D-NMR and HRMS), single crystal X-ray diffraction, and calculated C NMR. The glycoside modifications of phlomoidesides A-F are rare in natural products, and a plausible biosynthetic pathway for these unusual glycosides was proposed.

Peltate glandular trichomes of Colquhounia vestita harbor diterpenoid acids that contribute to plant adaptation to UV radiation and cold stresses.

Plant glandular trichomes (GTs) are adaptive epidermal structures that synthesize and accumulate diverse specialized metabolites well-known as defense chemicals against biotic attacks, but their roles against abiotic challenges including UV radiation and cold climates remain largely unexplored. Colquhounia vestita Wall is a Chinese-Himalayan Lamiaceae plant with dense peltate and capitate GTs on its leaf and stem surfaces under a scanning electron microscope. Three diterpenoid acids, including a clerodane 5-epi-hardwickiic acid and two labdanes polyalthic acid and E-communic acid, were identified from the peltate GTs of C.

Leucosceptroid B from glandular trichomes of Leucosceptrum canum reduces fat accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans through suppressing unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis.

Obesity that is highly associated with numerous metabolic diseases has become a global health issue nowdays. Plant sesterterpenoids are an important group of natural products with great potential; thus, their bioactivities deserve extensive exploration. RNA-seq analysis indicated that leucosceptroid B, a sesterterpenoid previously discovered from the glandular trichomes of Leucosceptrum canum, significantly regulated the expression of 10 genes involved in lipid metabolism in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Detoxification of Plant Aromatic Abietanoids via Cleavage of the Benzene Ring into 11,12--diterpene Polyenes by a Specialist Insect of .

Leaves of harbor abundant toxic aromatic abietanoids, and they are rarely attacked by insect herbivores, except for the larvae of . The excrements of the insect that fed on leaves were investigated, leading to the isolation and identification of two unprecedented 11,12--abietane diterpene polyenes: nacnabietanins A () and B (). This discovery heralds a unique detoxification mechanism of plant aromatic abietanoids by insects through enzymatic cleavage of stable benzene rings into more easily degraded polyenes.

Characterization of a sesquiterpene cyclase from the glandular trichomes of Leucosceptrum canum for sole production of cedrol in Escherichia coli and Nicotiana benthamiana.

Cedrol is an extremely versatile sesquiterpene alcohol that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States as a flavoring agent or adjuvant and has been commonly used as a flavoring ingredient in cosmetics, foods and medicine. Furthermore, cedrol possesses a wide range of pharmacological properties including sedative, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities. Commercial production of cedrol relies on fractional distillation of cedar wood oils, followed by recrystallization, and little has been reported about its biosynthesis and aspects of synthetic biology.

Effect of and , the Components of a Detoxification Herbal Formula, on Disturbance of the Intestinal Absorptions of Indole Alkaloids in Caco-2 Cells.

(GE) is a kind of well-known toxic plant. It can be detoxified by (MP), but the detoxification mechanism is still unclear. Thus, a detoxification herbal formula (GM) comprising GE and MP was derived.

Localization of a defensive volatile 4-hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one in the capitate glandular trichomes of .

Glandular trichomes of plants produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites which are considered as major defensive chemicals. The capitate glandular trichomes of (Onagraceae) were collected with laser microdissection and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The volatile compound 4-hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one () was identified.

[Study on dynamic of chemical components of rhizoma alismatis and Evodia rutaecarpa in their compatibility].

This article studied the changes of chemical components in decoctions that made from the single medicinal herb of Rhizoma Alismatis or Evodia rutaecarpa, the co-decoctions made from different compatibilities of the two medicinal herbs, and that mixed decotions of two single medicinal herb decotions, by HPLC. The changes of chemical components of the codicotions were focused on. The relationships between the changes of chemical components of the codicotions and defferent compatibility ratios of medicinal herb were summarized.

[Effects of ultrasound induction on genomic DNA of housefly larvae].

The genomic DNA of housefly larvae was extracted after ultrasound induction, and the structure was analyzed by UV, fluorescence, IR and 1H NMR. The 3'-end of attacin gene was sequenced and compared by means of PCR. All the results indicated that ultrasound induction can destroy the second structure and the base stacking of genomic DNA of housefly larvae, which will result in mismatch repair during DNA duplication and finally change the sequence of DNA, but it has no significant effect on chemical groups and chemical band of genomic DNA.

[Analysis of antibacterial-relative proteins and peptides in housefly larvae].

Objective: To study the antibacterial-relative proteins and peptides in housefly larvae.

Methods: Third-instar larvae of housefly were treated with different methods including pricking, pricking with bacteria, heating and ultrasonication and were extracted respectively after 6 h, 16 h, 24 h, 48 h, 65 h. After liquid phase assay, the antibacterial-relative proteins and peptides were confirmed with stepwise regression analysis.