青藏高原黑果枸杞花青素对人肝癌细胞增殖和自噬的影响

探究黑果枸杞花青素在体外对人肝癌HepG2细胞增殖和自噬的影响。利用CCK-8法测定细胞活力,EdU和细胞划痕试验检测细胞增殖和迁移效果,RT-PCR和Western blot检测增殖和自噬相关基因的mRNA和蛋白表达。结果显示,黑果枸杞花青素可有效抑制人肝癌HepG2细胞的增殖和迁移;上调增殖因子(LATS1、LATS2和MOB1)和自噬因子(Beclin-1、LC3-Ⅱ和AMPK),并下调增殖因子YAP的mRNA水平;下调自噬因子p-mTOR和细胞周期因子CDK4,并上调自噬因子p-AMPK和LC3-Ⅱ的蛋白表达。由此推测黑果枸杞花青素可在体外抑制人肝癌HepG2细胞增殖和迁移,并促进人肝癌HepG2细胞发生自噬。     

中国沙棘HrANR基因及黄酮类累积与抗旱的关系

花青素还原酶(anthocyanidin reductase, ANR)是合成黄酮类物质的关键酶之一,为明确其编码基因结构及干旱胁迫下的表达模式和黄酮类物质含量及二者之间的相关性,该文从中国沙棘转录组数据中筛选获得1个ANR基因,命名为HrANR基因。采用生物信息学软件对基因序列及编码蛋白进行分析,并对不同胁迫下各组织中HrANR基因的表达量和叶中黄酮类化合物含量进行相关性分析。结果表明:(1)中国沙棘HrANR基因ORF为1 017 bp,编码338个氨基酸,为稳定的亲水性蛋白,其ANR同源蛋白具有明显的科属特性。(2)干旱胁迫下HrANR基因在中国沙棘根、茎、叶中均有表达,但表达趋势不同,其中在根中的表达呈先升高后降低再升高的趋势,在茎中呈持续下降的趋势,在叶中呈先升高后持续降低的趋势。(3)通过芦丁标准曲线获得不同胁迫程度下中国沙棘叶内黄酮类的含量,表明黄酮类含量呈先持续上升,随后略有下降,复水后上升至最高点的变化趋势,表明干旱胁迫初期叶黄酮类含量与干旱胁迫呈正相关,在严重胁迫下黄酮类含量与胁迫呈负相关。(4)叶和茎的HrANR基因表达量与黄酮类含量呈负相关(P_叶=-0.751,P_茎=-0.934),根中呈正相关(P_根=0.444)。综上表明,中国沙棘HrANR基因的表达及黄酮类含量变化与其抗旱性密切相关,其结果为中国沙棘抗旱机制的阐明提供了依据。     

Quantifying the metabolic cost to an Antarctic liverwort of responding to an abrupt increase in UVB radiation exposure

We quantified the metabolic cost to the Antarctic leafy liverwort Cephaloziella varians of responding to an abrupt increase in ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation exposure in the natural environment at Rothera Point on the western Antarctic Peninsula (67 °34'S, 68 °07'W). The liverwort was protected from exposure to UVB radiation for 44 days with screens containing Mylar polyester, after which time its thalli, which are normally black in colour, had become green owing to reduced concentrations of an anthocyanidin, identified here as riccionidin A, in thallus tips. Thalli were then exposed to an abrupt increase in UVB radiation by removing the screens. The thalli became visibly darker within 48 h of the screens being removed, resynthesizing riccionidin A to the same concentration as that present in thalli outside screens during this period. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements indicated that nonphotochemical quenching was higher in the thalli formerly under the screens than in those not previously covered with screens, but that F _v/ F _m and photochemical quenching were the same in the two groups of thalli. We used data from aqueous phase oxygen electrode measurements to calculate an estimate for carbon fixation by C. varians during the 48 h after the screens were removed. Assuming a photosynthetic quotient for Antarctic bryophytes of 1, these analyses indicated that the minimum weight of carbon used to synthesize riccionidin A was equivalent to 1.85% of the carbon fixed by thalli during the 48 h after the abrupt increase in UVB radiation exposure.     

Flower colour and cytochromes P450

Cytochromes P450 play important roles in biosynthesis of flavonoids and their coloured class of compounds, anthocyanins, both of which are major floral pigments. The number of hydroxyl groups on the B-ring of anthocyanidins (the chromophores and precursors of anthocyanins) impact the anthocyanin colour, the more the bluer. The hydroxylation pattern is determined by two cytochromes P450, flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase (F3′H) and flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase (F3′5′H) and thus they play a crucial role in the determination of flower colour. F3′H and F3′5′H mostly belong to CYP75B and CYP75A, respectively, except for the F3′5′Hs in Compositae that were derived from gene duplication of CYP75B and neofunctionalization. Roses and carnations lack blue/violet flower colours owing to the deficiency of F3′5′H and therefore lack the B-ring-trihydroxylated anthocyanins based upon delphinidin. Successful redirection of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway to delphinidin was achieved by expressing F3′5′H coding regions resulting in carnations and roses with novel blue hues that have been commercialized. Suppression of F3′5′H and F3′H in delphinidin-producing plants reduced the number of hydroxyl groups on the anthocyanidin B-ring resulting in the production of monohydroxylated anthocyanins based on pelargonidin with a shift in flower colour to orange/red. Pelargonidin biosynthesis is enhanced by additional expression of a dihydroflavonol 4-reductase that can use the monohydroxylated dihydrokaempferol (the pelargonidin precursor). Flavone synthase II (FNSII)-catalysing flavone biosynthesis from flavanones is also a P450 (CYP93B) and contributes to flower colour, because flavones act as co-pigments to anthocyanins and can cause blueing and darkening of colour. However, transgenic plants expression of a FNSII gene yielded paler flowers owing to a reduction of anthocyanins because flavanones are precursors of anthocyanins and flavones.     

Characterization of dihydroflavonol 4-reductases for recombinant plant pigment biosynthesis applications

Anthocyanins are colorful plant pigments with promising applications as pharmaceuticals and colorants. In order to engineer efficient pigment biosynthesis in Escherichia coli, the activities of various dihydroflavonol 4-reductases (DFRs) were characterized for the three primary dihydroflavonol substrates. The biochemical assays demonstrated variable DFR activities for dihydroflavonol with one B-ring hydroxyl group, the precursor of pelargonidin derivatives. In contrast, dihydroflavonols with two and three B-ring hydroxylation were metabolized with comparable efficiency. Furthermore, the catalysis of DFR for the secondary substrates, flavanones, also depended on the number of B-ring hydroxyl groups. Engineering the expression of the DFR clones together with plant-specific 4-coumaroyl:CoA ligase, chalcone synthase, chalcone isomerase, and flavanone 3-hydroxylase in E. coli resulted in the synthesis of pelargonidin at various levels, from p-coumaric acids. The identification of a robust DFR from this study can also be used for engineering recombinant synthesis of other bioactive flavonoids, such as flavan-3-ols.     

Anthocyanidin synthase in non-anthocyanin-producing Caryophyllales species

Red colors in flowers are mainly produced by two types of pigments: anthocyanins and betacyanins. Although anthocyanins are widely distributed in higher plants, betacyanins have replaced anthocyanins in the Caryophyllales. There has been no report so far to find anthocyanins and betacyanins existing together within the same plant. This curious phenomenon has been examined from genetic and evolutionary perspectives, however nothing is known at the molecular level about the mutual exclusion of anthocyanins and betacyanins in higher plants. Here, we show that spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), which are both members of the Caryophyllales, have functional anthocyanidin synthases (ANSs). The ability of ANSs of the Caryophyllales to oxidize trans-leucocyanidin to cyanidin is comparable to that of ANSs in anthocyanin-producing plants. Expression profiles reveal that, in spinach, dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) and ANS are not expressed in most tissues and organs, except seeds, in which ANS may contribute to proanthocyanidin synthesis. One possible explanation for the lack of anthocyanins in the Caryophyllales is the suppression or limited expression of the DFR and ANS.     

Molecular regulation of catechins biosynthesis in tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze

Catechins are bioprospecting molecules present in tea and any effort towards metabolic engineering of this important moiety would require knowledge on gene regulation. These are synthesized through the activities of phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways. Expression regulation of various genes of these pathways namely phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (CsPAL), cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (CsC4H), p-coumarate:CoA ligase (Cs4CL), flavanone 3-hydroxylase (CsF3H), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (CsDFR) and anthocyanidin reductase (CsANR) was accomplished previously. In depth analyses of the remaining genes namely, chalcone synthase (CsCHS), chalcone isomerase (CsCHI), flavonoid 3'5'-hydroxylase (CsF3'5'H) and anthocyanidin synthase (CsANS) were lacking. The objective of the work was to clone and analyze these genes so as to generate a comprehensive knowledge on the critical genes of catechins biosynthesis pathway. Gene expression analysis was carried out in response to leaf age and external cues (drought stress, abscisic acid, gibberellic acid treatments and wounding). A holistic analysis suggested that CsCHI, CsF3H, CsDFR, CsANS and CsANR were amongst the critical regulatory genes in regulating catechins content.     

Triterpenoid-biosynthetic UDP-glycosyltransferases from plants

Triterpenoid saponins are naturally occurring structurally diverse glycosides of triterpenes that are widely distributed among plant species. Great interest has been expressed by pharmaceutical and agriculture industries for the glycosylation of triterpenes. Such modifications alter their taste and bio-absorbability, affect their intra?/extracellular transport and storage in plants, and induce novel biological activities in the human body. Uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyze glycosylation using UDP sugar donors. These enzymes belong to a multigene family and recognize diverse natural products, including triterpenes, as the acceptor molecules. For this review, we collected and analyzed all of the UGT sequences found in Arabidopsis thaliana as well as 31 other species of triterpene-producing plants. To identify potential UGTs with novel functions in triterpene glycosylation, we screened and classified those candidates based on similarity with UGTs from Panax ginseng, Glycine max, Medicago truncatula, Saponaria vaccaria, and Barbarea vulgaris that are known to function in glycosylate triterpenes. We highlight recent findings on UGT inducibility by methyl jasmonate, tissue-specific expression, and subcellular localization, while also describing their catalytic activity in terms of regioselectivity for potential key UGTs dedicated to triterpene glycosylation in plants. Discovering these new UGTs expands our capacity to manipulate the biological and physicochemical properties of such valuable molecules.     

植物甜菜素研究进展

植物花色素的研究已经非常广泛和深入,但是甜菜素作为类似花色素的一种重要的植物次生代谢物质还不被人们所熟悉。为了增加人们对甜菜素的了解,本文结合国内外研究的最新进展,从种类与化学结构、提纯与鉴定、稳定性及影响因素、合成途径、生物功能和应用价值等方面对甜菜素进行了介绍,重点比较分析了甜菜素和花色素结构和合成途径的不同与联系,并对当前甜菜素研究的热点领域和亟待解决的问题进行了展望。