Costunolide and parthenolide: Novel blood-brain barrier permeable sesquiterpene lactones to improve barrier tightness.

Sesquiterpene lactones - such as those found in chicory - are considered promising bioactive compounds. These small molecules have shown several health benefits for various diseases, including brain disorders. However, it is unknown whether these compounds can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and which could be the effects on brain microvascular endothelial cells.

A comparison of three different delivery methods for achieving CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing in L.

Root chicory ( L. var. ) is used to extract inulin, a fructose polymer used as a natural sweetener and prebiotic.

Lactucin Synthase Inactivation Boosts the Accumulation of Anti-inflammatory 8-Deoxylactucin and Its Derivatives in Chicory ( L.).

For several sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) found in Asteraceae plants, very interesting biomedical activities have been demonstrated. Chicory roots accumulate the guaianolide STLs 8-deoxylactucin, lactucin, and lactucopicrin predominantly in oxalated forms in the latex. In this work, a supercritical fluid extract fraction of chicory STLs containing 8-deoxylactucin and 11β,13-dihydro-8-deoxylactucin was shown to have anti-inflammatory activity in an inflamed intestinal mucosa model.

De novo tryptophanase-based indole production by metabolically engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Indole has an increasing interest in the flavor and fragrance industry. It is used in dairy products, tea drinks, and fine fragrances due to its distinct floral odor typical of jasmine blossoms. The current production of indole based on isolation from coal tar is non-sustainable and its isolation from plants is often unprofitable due to low yields.

Enzyme-treated chicory for cosmetics: application assessment and techno-economic analysis.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) is an important industrial crop that produces large quantities of the dietary fiber inulin in its roots. Following inulin extraction, the bagasse is typically used as animal feed, but it contains numerous bioactive secondary metabolites with potential applications in healthcare and cosmetic products.

Effect of Root Storage and Forcing on the Carbohydrate and Secondary Metabolite Composition of Belgian Endive ( L. Var. ).

Belgian endive is grown in a two-step cultivation process that involves growing of the plants in the field, cold storage of the taproots, and a second growth period in dark conditions called forcing to yield the witloof heads. In this study, the changes in the carbohydrate content and the secondary metabolite composition were studied in different tissues of Belgian endive during the cultivation process. Belgian endive heads contain between 336-388 mg/g DW of total soluble carbohydrates, predominantly fructose and glucose.

CRISPR/Cas9 targeted inactivation of the kauniolide synthase in chicory results in accumulation of costunolide and its conjugates in taproots.

Chicory taproots accumulate sesquiterpene lactones lactucin, lactucopicrin, and 8-deoxylactucin, predominantly in their oxalated forms. The biosynthetic pathway for chicory sesquiterpene lactones has only partly been elucidated; the enzymes that convert farnesyl pyrophosphate to costunolide have been described. The next biosynthetic step of the conversion of costunolide to the tricyclic structure, guaianolide kauniolide, has so far not been elucidated in chicory.

Targeting proteases involved in the viral replication of SARS-CoV-2 by sesquiterpene lactones from chicory ( L.).

SARS-CoV-2 is a highly transmissible and pathogenic coronavirus causing a respiratory disease that emerged in 2019, leading to a public health emergency situation which continues to date. The treatment options are still very limited and vaccines available are less effective against new variants. SARS-CoV-2 enzymes, namely main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro), play a pivotal role in the viral life cycle, making them a putative drug target.

Fermentative Indole Production via Bacterial Tryptophan Synthase Alpha Subunit and Plant Indole-3-Glycerol Phosphate Lyase Enzymes.

Indole is produced in nature by diverse organisms and exhibits a characteristic odor described as animal, fecal, and floral. In addition, it contributes to the flavor in foods, and it is applied in the fragrance and flavor industry. In nature, indole is synthesized either from tryptophan by bacterial tryptophanases (TNAs) or from indole-3-glycerol phosphate (IGP) by plant indole-3-glycerol phosphate lyases (IGLs).

Production of indole by Corynebacterium glutamicum microbial cell factories for flavor and fragrance applications.

Background: The nitrogen containing aromatic compound indole is known for its floral odor typical of jasmine blossoms. Due to its characteristic scent, it is frequently used in dairy products, tea drinks and fine fragrances. The demand for natural indole by the flavor and fragrance industry is high, yet, its abundance in essential oils isolated from plants such as jasmine and narcissus is low.

Inactivation of the germacrene A synthase genes by CRISPR/Cas9 eliminates the biosynthesis of sesquiterpene lactones in Cichorium intybus L.

Chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum) is an industrial crop species cultivated for the production of a fructose polymer inulin, which is used as a low-calorie sweetener and prebiotic. Besides, inulin chicory taproots also accumulate sesquiterpene lactones (STLs).

Supercritical CO Extraction as a Tool to Isolate Anti-Inflammatory Sesquiterpene Lactones from L. Roots.

. or chicory plants are a natural source of health-promoting compounds in the form of supplements such as inulin, as well as other bioactive compounds such as sesquiterpene lactones (SLs). After inulin extraction, chicory roots are considered waste, with most SLs not being harnessed.

Physiological Response of to Indole.

The aromatic heterocyclic compound indole is widely spread in nature. Due to its floral odor indole finds application in dairy, flavor, and fragrance products. Indole is an inter- and intracellular signaling molecule influencing cell division, sporulation, or virulence in some bacteria that synthesize it from tryptophan by tryptophanase.

Fermentative -Methylanthranilate Production by Engineered .

The -functionalized amino acid -methylanthranilate is an important precursor for bioactive compounds such as anticancer acridone alkaloids, the antinociceptive alkaloid -isopropyl -methylanthranilate, the flavor compound -methyl--methylanthranilate, and as a building block for peptide-based drugs. Current chemical and biocatalytic synthetic routes to -alkylated amino acids are often unprofitable and restricted to low yields or high costs through cofactor regeneration systems. Amino acid fermentation processes using the Gram-positive bacterium are operated industrially at the million tons per annum scale.

Identification of the Bisabolol Synthase in the Endangered Candeia Tree ( (DC) McLeisch).

Candeia ( (DC) McLeisch, Asteraceae) is a Brazilian tree, mainly occurring in the cerrado areas. From ethnobotanical information its essential oil is known to have wound healing and nociceptive properties. These properties are ascribed to result from a sesquiterpene alcohol, (-)-α-bisabolol, which is present at high concentrations in this oil.

The effect of isabelin, a sesquiterpene lactone from Ambrosia artemisiifolia on soil microorganisms and human pathogens.

Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (common ragweed) is an invasive weed, which is well known for the strong allergenic effect of its pollen as well as for its invasiveness and impact in crop fields (e.g.

Identification of major loci and genomic regions controlling acid and volatile content in tomato fruit: implications for flavor improvement.

Plant metabolites are important to world food security due to their roles in crop yield and nutritional quality. Here we report the metabolic profile of 300 tomato accessions (Solanum lycopersicum and related wild species) by quantifying 60 primary and secondary metabolites, including volatile organic compounds, over a period of 2 yr. Metabolite content and genetic inheritance of metabolites varied broadly, both within and between different genetic groups.

Fungal volatile compounds induce production of the secondary metabolite Sodorifen in Serratia plymuthica PRI-2C.

The ability of bacteria and fungi to communicate with each other is a remarkable aspect of the microbial world. It is recognized that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) act as communication signals, however the molecular responses by bacteria to fungal VOCs remain unknown. Here we perform transcriptomics and proteomics analyses of Serratia plymuthica PRI-2C exposed to VOCs emitted by the fungal pathogen Fusarium culmorum.

Genome-Wide Identification of BAHD Acyltransferases and Characterization of HQT-like Enzymes Involved in Caffeoylquinic Acid Synthesis in Globe Artichoke.

Globe artichoke ( L. var. ) is a rich source of compounds promoting human health (phytonutrients), among them caffeoylquinic acids (CQAs), mainly represented by chlorogenic acid (CGA), and dicaffeoylquinic acids (diCQAs).

Biotechnological production of limonene in microorganisms.

This mini review describes novel, biotechnology-based, ways of producing the monoterpene limonene. Limonene is applied in relatively highly priced products, such as fragrances, and also has applications with lower value but large production volume, such as biomaterials. Limonene is currently produced as a side product from the citrus juice industry, but the availability and quality are fluctuating and may be insufficient for novel bulk applications.

Exploring the genomic traits of fungus-feeding bacterial genus Collimonas.

Background: Collimonas is a genus belonging to the class of Betaproteobacteria and consists mostly of soil bacteria with the ability to exploit living fungi as food source (mycophagy). Collimonas strains differ in a range of activities, including swimming motility, quorum sensing, extracellular protease activity, siderophore production, and antimicrobial activities.

Results: In order to reveal ecological traits possibly related to Collimonas lifestyle and secondary metabolites production, we performed a comparative genomics analysis based on whole-genome sequencing of six strains representing 3 recognized species.

Capturing of the monoterpene olefin limonene produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Monoterpene olefins such as limonene are plant compounds with applications as flavouring and fragrance agents, as solvents and potentially also in polymer and fuel chemistry. We engineered baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae to express a (-)-limonene synthase from Perilla frutescens and a (+)-limonene synthase from Citrus limon. Both proteins were expressed either with their native plastid targeting signal or in a truncated form in which the plastidial sorting signal was removed.