Resveratrol from transgenic alfalfa for prevention of aberrant crypt foci in mice.

Transgenic alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), which accumulated resveratrol-glucoside (RG), was incorporated into diets and fed to female, 6-wk-old CF-1 mice for 5 wk. Mice fed diets containing transgenic alfalfa with supplemented alpha -galactosidase had significantly fewer azoxymethane (AOM)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in their colon relative to mice fed the transgenic alfalfa diets without added alpha -galactosidase (P = 0.

Transgenic alfalfa that accumulates piceid (trans-resveratrol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside) requires the presence of beta-glucosidase to inhibit the formation of aberrant crypt foci in the colon of CF-1 mice.

Plants have been genetically enhanced to produce a number of products for agricultural, industrial and pharmaceutical purposes. This technology could potentially be applied to providing chemoprevention strategies to the general population. Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene) is a compound that has been shown to have protective activity against a number of cancers and could be an ideal candidate for such an application.

Transcriptome analysis of alfalfa glandular trichomes.

Glandular trichomes are a major site of plant natural product synthesis and accumulation for protection against insect predation. However, to date few studies have attempted to obtain a global view of trichome gene expression. Two contrasting approaches have been adopted to investigate genes expressed in glandular trichomes from alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.

Molecular and biochemical analysis of two cDNA clones encoding dihydroflavonol-4-reductase from Medicago truncatula.

Dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR; EC1.1.1.

Role of anthocyanidin reductase, encoded by BANYULS in plant flavonoid biosynthesis.

Condensed tannins (CTs) are flavonoid oligomers, many of which have beneficial effects on animal and human health. The flavanol (-)-epicatechin is a component of many CTs and contributes to flavor and astringency in tea and wine. We show that the BANYULS (BAN) genes from Arabidopsis thaliana and Medicago truncatula encode anthocyanidin reductase, which converts anthocyanidins to their corresponding 2,3-cis-flavan-3-ols.

Profiling isoflavonoids found in legume root extracts using capillary electrophoresis.

Legumes such as alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), barrel medic (Medicago truncatula), white sweet clover (Melilotus alba) and fenugreek (Trigonella graecum), normally accumulate (-)-medicarpin and its malonated glucose conjugate as natural inhibitors of fungal pathogens. These plants also accumulate the biosynthetic precursor formononetin as well as the malonated glycoside.