PubMed

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 24;24(23):16697. doi: 10.3390/ijms242316697.ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to identify metabolomic signatures associated with the gliomagenesis pathway (IDH-mutant or IDH-wt) and tumor grade of diffuse gliomas (DGs) according to the 2021 WHO classification on frozen samples and to evaluate the diagnostic performances of these signatures in tumor samples that are formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE). An untargeted metabolomic study was performed using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry on a cohort of 213 DG samples. Logistic regression with LASSO penalization was used on the frozen samples to build classification models in order to identify IDH-mutant vs. IDH-wildtype DG and high-grade vs low-grade DG samples. 2-Hydroxyglutarate (2HG) was a metabolite of interest to predict IDH mutational status and aminoadipic acid (AAA) and guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) were significantly associated with grade. The diagnostic performances of the models were 82.6% AUC, 70.6% sensitivity and 80.4% specificity for 2HG to predict IDH status and 84.7% AUC, 78.1% sensitivity and 73.4% specificity for AAA and GAA to predict grade from FFPE samples. Thus, this study showed that AAA and GAA are two novel metabolites of interest in DG and that metabolomic data can be useful in the classification of DG, both in frozen and FFPE samples.PMID:38069019 | DOI:10.3390/ijms242316697

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 24;24(23):16694. doi: 10.3390/ijms242316694.ABSTRACTIn order to optimize crop production and mitigate the adverse impacts associated with the utilization of chemical agents, it is necessary to explore new biocontrol agents. Bacillus velezensis has been widely studied as a biocontrol agent because of its efficient and ecofriendly plant disease control mechanisms. This study shows that the strain ZN-S10 effectively reduces the area of leaf spots caused by the pathogen Colletotrichum changpingense ZAFU0163-1, which affects conidia production and germination, inhibits mycelium growth, and induces mycelium deformation. In antifungal experiments with crude extracts, we observed a delay in the cell cycle of conidia, which may be responsible for the inhibition of conidial germination. Among the bioactive metabolites detected through integrated LC-MS- and GC-MS-based untargeted metabolomics, 7-O-Succinyl macrolactin A, telocinobufagin, and surfactin A may be the main antifungal metabolites of strain ZN-S10. The presence of 7-O-Succinyl macrolactin A could explain the cell damage in germ tubes. This is the first report of telocinobufagin detected in B. velezensis. These results are significant for understanding the inhibitory mechanisms employed by B. velezensis and should serve as a reference in the production of biocontrol agents.PMID:38069016 | DOI:10.3390/ijms242316694

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 22;24(23):16616. doi: 10.3390/ijms242316616.ABSTRACTThe principal difference between hydroponics and other substrate cultivation methods is the flowing liquid hydroponic cultivation substrate. Our previous studies have revealed that a suitable flowing environment of nutrient solution promoted root development and plant growth, while an excess flow environment was unfavorable for plants. To explain the thigmomorphogenetic response of excess flow-induced metabolic changes, six groups of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), including two flow conditions and three time periods, were grown. Compared with the plants without flow, the plants with flow showed decreased root fresh weight, total root length, root surface area, and root volume but increased average root diameter and root density. The roots with flow had more upregulated metabolites than those without flow, suggesting that the flow may trigger metabolic synthesis and activity. Seventy-nine common differential metabolites among six groups were screened, and enrichment analysis showed the most significant enrichment in the arginine biosynthesis pathway. Arginine was present in all the groups and exhibited greater concentrations in roots with flow than without flow. It can be speculated from the results that a high-flowing environment of nutrient solution promotes arginine synthesis, resulting in changes in root morphology. The findings provide insights on root thigmomorphogenesis affected by its growing conditions and help understand how plants respond to environmental mechanical forces.PMID:38068940 | DOI:10.3390/ijms242316616

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 22;24(23):16603. doi: 10.3390/ijms242316603.ABSTRACTSaliva, which contains molecular information that may reflect an individual's health status, has become a valuable tool for discovering biomarkers of oral and general diseases. Due to the high vascularization of the salivary glands, there is a molecular exchange between blood and saliva. However, the composition of saliva is complex and influenced by multiple factors. This study aimed to investigate the possible relationships between the salivary and serum metabolomes to gain a comprehensive view of the metabolic phenotype under physiological conditions. Using 1H-NMR spectroscopy, we obtained the serum metabolite profiles of 20 healthy young individuals and compared them with the metabolomes of parotid, submandibular/sublingual, and whole-saliva samples collected concurrently from the same individuals using multivariate and univariate statistical analysis. Our results show that serum is more concentrated and less variable for most of the shared metabolites than the three saliva types. While we found moderate to strong correlations between serum and saliva concentrations of specific metabolites, saliva is not simply an ultrafiltrate of blood. The intense oral metabolism prevents very strong correlations between serum and salivary concentrations. This study contributes to a better understanding of salivary metabolic composition, which is crucial for utilizing saliva in laboratory diagnostics.PMID:38068926 | DOI:10.3390/ijms242316603

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 21;24(23):16566. doi: 10.3390/ijms242316566.ABSTRACTCucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) is a typical seed-borne tobamovirus that mainly infects cucurbit crops. Due to the rapid growth of international trade, CGMMV has spread worldwide and become a significant threat to cucurbit industry. Despite various studies focusing on the interaction between CGMMV and host plants, the molecular mechanism of CGMMV infection is still unclear. In this study, we utilized transcriptome and metabolome analyses to investigate the antiviral response of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) under CGMMV stress. The transcriptome analysis revealed that in comparison to mock-inoculated bottle gourd, 1929 differently expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in CGMMV-inoculated bottle gourd. Among them, 1397 genes were upregulated while 532 genes were downregulated. KEGG pathway enrichment indicated that the DEGs were mainly involved in pathways including the metabolic pathway, the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, plant hormone signal transduction, plant-pathogen interaction, and starch and sucrose metabolism. The metabolome result showed that there were 76 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), of which 69 metabolites were up-accumulated, and 7 metabolites were down-accumulated. These DAMs were clustered into several pathways, including biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, tyrosine metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, carbon metabolism, and plant hormone signal transduction. Combining the transcriptome and metabolome results, the genes and metabolites involved in the jasmonic acid and its derivatives (JAs) synthesis pathway were significantly induced upon CGMMV infection. The silencing of the allene oxide synthase (AOS) gene, which is the key gene involved in JAs synthesis, reduced CGMMV accumulation. These findings suggest that JAs may facilitate CGMMV infection in bottle gourd.PMID:38068889 | DOI:10.3390/ijms242316566

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 21;24(23):16563. doi: 10.3390/ijms242316563.ABSTRACTCarotenoids are important pigments in pepper fruits. The colors of each pepper are mainly determined by the composition and content of carotenoid. The 'ZY' variety, which has yellow fruit, is a natural mutant derived from a branch mutant of 'ZR' with different colors. ZY and ZR exhibit obvious differences in fruit color, but no other obvious differences in other traits. To investigate the main reasons for the formation of different colored pepper fruits, transcriptome and metabolome analyses were performed in three developmental stages (S1-S3) in two cultivars. The results revealed that these structural genes (PSY1, CRTISO, CCD1, CYP97C1, VDE1, CCS, NCED1 and NCED2) related to carotenoid biosynthesis were expressed differentially in the two cultivars. Capsanthin and capsorubin mainly accumulated in ZR and were almost non-existent in ZY. S2 is the fruit color-changing stage; this may be a critical period for the development of different color formation of ZY and ZR. A combination of transcriptome and metabolome analyses indicated that CCS, NCED2, AAO4, VDE1 and CYP97C1 genes were key to the differences in the total carotenoid content. These new insights into pepper fruit coloration may help to improve fruit breeding strategies.PMID:38068885 | DOI:10.3390/ijms242316563

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Nov 21;24(23):16550. doi: 10.3390/ijms242316550.ABSTRACTMikania micrantha is a highly invasive vine, and its ability to sexually reproduce is a major obstacle to its eradication. The long-distance dissemination of M. micrantha depends on the distribution of seeds; therefore, inhibiting M. micrantha flowering and seed production is an effective control strategy. The number of blooms of M. micrantha differs at different altitudes (200, 900, and 1300 m). In this study, we used a combination of metabolomics and transcriptomics methods to study the patterns of metabolite accumulation in the flower buds of M. micrantha. Using LC-MS/MS, 658 metabolites were found in the flower buds of M. micrantha at three different altitudes (200, 900, and 1300 m). Flavonoids and phenolic acids were found to be the main differential metabolites, and their concentrations were lower at 900 m than at 200 m and 1300 m, with the concentrations of benzoic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid being the lowest. The biosynthesis pathways for flavonoids and phenolic compounds were significantly enriched for differentially expressed genes (DEGs), according to the results of transcriptome analysis. The production of flavonoid and phenolic acids was strongly linked with the expressions of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase (COMT), and 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL), according to the results of the combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis. These genes' roles in the regulation of distinct phenolic acids and flavonoids during M. micrantha bud differentiation are still unknown. This study adds to our understanding of how phenolic acids and flavonoids are regulated in M. micrantha flower buds at various altitudes and identifies regulatory networks that may be involved in this phenomenon, offering a new approach for the prevention and management of M. micrantha.PMID:38068873 | DOI:10.3390/ijms242316550

Nutrients. 2023 Dec 4;15(23):5011. doi: 10.3390/nu15235011.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: The edible fungus Auricularia delicate (ADe) is commonly employed in traditional medicine for intestinal disorders; however, its inhibitory effect on colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC) and the underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. (2) Methods: The inhibitory effect of ADe on CAC was investigated using a mouse model induced by azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium.RESULTS: ADe effectively suppressed the growth and number of intestinal tumors in mice. Intestinal microbiota analyses revealed that ADe treatment increased Akkermansia and Parabacteroides while it decreased Clostridium, Turicibacter, Oscillospira, and Desulfovibrio. ADe regulated the levels of 2'-deoxyridine, creatinine, 1-palmitoyl lysophosphatidylcholine, and choline in serum. Furthermore, the levels of these metabolites were associated with the abundance of Oscillospira and Paraacteroides. ADe up-regulated the free fatty acid receptor 2 and β-Arrestin 2, inhibited the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, and significantly attenuated the levels of inflammatory cytokines, thereby mitigating the inflammatory in CAC mice.CONCLUSIONS: The protective effect of ADe in CAC mice is associated with the regulation of intestinal microbiota, which leads to the inhibition of NF-kB pathway and regulation of inflammation.PMID:38068869 | DOI:10.3390/nu15235011

Nutrients. 2023 Nov 30;15(23):4971. doi: 10.3390/nu15234971.ABSTRACTObesity is a chronic metabolic disease that can be induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) and predisposes to a variety of complications. In recent years, various bioactive substances, such as probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics, have been widely discussed because of their good anti-lipid and anti-inflammatory activities. In this paper, soybean protein isolate was used as a substrate to prepare the postbiotic. Compound prebiotics (galactose oligosaccharides, fructose oligosaccharides, and lactitol) preparation Aunulife Postbiotics and Prebiotics Composition (AYS) is the research object. Weight loss and bowel movements in mice induced by a high-fat diet were studied. Moreover, qualitative and quantitative analyses of small-molecule metabolites in AYS were performed to identify the functional molecules in AYS. After 12 weeks of feeding, the weight gain of mice that were fed with high-dose AYS (group H) and low-dose AYS (group L) from 4 to 12 weeks was 6.72 g and 5.25 g (p < 0.05), both of which were significantly lower than that of the high-fat diet (group DM, control group) group (7.73 g) (p < 0.05). Serum biochemical analysis showed that TC, TG, and LDL-C levels were significantly lower in mice from the H and L groups (p < 0.05). In addition, the fecal lipid content of mice in the L group reached 5.89%, which was significantly higher than that of the DM group at 4.02% (p < 0.05). The study showed that AYS changed the structure of the intestinal microbiota in mice on a high-fat diet, resulting in a decrease in the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Muribaculaceae and an increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Lactobacillus. The metabolomics study results of AYS showed that carboxylic acids and derivatives, and organonitrogen compounds accounted for 51.51% of the AYS metabolites, among which pantothenate, stachyose, betaine, and citrate had the effect of preventing obesity in mice. In conclusion, the administration of prebiotics and postbiotic-rich AYS reduces weight gain and increases fecal lipid defecation in obese mice, potentially by regulating the intestinal microbiota of mice on a high-fat diet.PMID:38068829 | DOI:10.3390/nu15234971

Nutrients. 2023 Nov 29;15(23):4949. doi: 10.3390/nu15234949.ABSTRACTPediatric short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a rare condition characterized by a massive loss of the small intestine, leading to the inability to meet nutritional requirements without the use of parenteral or enteral supplementation. SBS causes profound alterations in the intestinal microbiome and metabolome. The aim of this study was a detailed assessment of the intestinal microbiome and metabolome in a murine model of SBS. We performed a 60% proximal small bowel resection versus a sham operation in C57BL/6 mice. Four weeks postoperatively, the microbial communities of different intestinal segments (jejunum, ileum, colon) and stool were assessed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bile acids in serum and stool and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the fecal headspace were assessed using LC-MS and GC-MS techniques. The α-diversity of the different intestinal segments did not significantly differ between the two groups. β-diversity significantly differed between sham and SBS mice. While in the jejunum, Faecalibaculum was significantly increased in SBS animals, a significant reduction in Lactobacillus and Sporosarcina was detected in the ileum of SBS mice. In the colon of SBS mice, a significant decrease in Ruminococcaceae and a significant increase in Proteobacteria such as Faecalibaculum and Escherichia-Shigella were found. Serum levels of deoxycholic, taurocholic and taurochenodeoxycholic acids were significantly higher in the SBS group. Of the 29 VOCs tested, hexane, isoflurane and pentane were significantly higher in the SBS group, and pyrrole was significantly lower. We were able to show that SBS causes shifts in the murine intestinal microbiome and metabolome including serum BAs and fecal VOCs.PMID:38068807 | DOI:10.3390/nu15234949

Nutrients. 2023 Nov 24;15(23):4906. doi: 10.3390/nu15234906.ABSTRACTOsteoporosis (OP) leads to the acceleration of tooth movement and aggravation of periodontal bone loss during orthodontic treatment. Chroogomphus rutilus (CR) is abundant in nutrients and demonstrates remarkable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In the present study, the components of CR, including 35.00% total sugar, 0.69% reducing sugar, 14.40% crude protein, 7.30% total ash, 6.10% crude fat, 0.51% total flavonoids, 1.94% total triterpenoids, 0.32% total sterol, 1.30% total saponins, 1.69% total alkaloids, and 1.02% total phenol, were first systematically examined, followed by an investigation into its regulatory effects on bone metabolism in order to mitigate bone loss during orthodontic tooth movement in osteoporotic rats. The results of the imaging tests revealed that CR treatment reduced periodontal bone loss and normalized tooth movement in the OP. In conjunction with analyses of intestinal flora and metabolomics, CR enhances the prevalence of anti-inflammatory genera while reducing the production of inflammatory metabolites. Meanwhile, CR reduced the levels of periodontal inflammatory factors, including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, by activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and promoted periodontal bone formation. These findings imply that CR is a potent supplementary therapy for controlling periodontal bone remodeling in patients with OP undergoing orthodontic treatment.PMID:38068764 | DOI:10.3390/nu15234906

Nutrients. 2023 Nov 24;15(23):4905. doi: 10.3390/nu15234905.ABSTRACT(1) Background: studies have shown that some patients experience mental deterioration after bariatric surgery. (2) Methods: We examined whether the use of probiotics and improved eating habits can improve the mental health of people who suffered from mood disorders after bariatric surgery. We also analyzed patients' mental states, eating habits and microbiota. (3) Results: Depressive symptoms were observed in 45% of 200 bariatric patients. After 5 weeks, we noted an improvement in patients' mental functioning (reduction in BDI and HRSD), but it was not related to the probiotic used. The consumption of vegetables and whole grain cereals increased (DQI-I adequacy), the consumption of simple sugars and SFA decreased (moderation DQI-I), and the consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids increased it. In the feces of patients after RYGB, there was a significantly higher abundance of two members of the Muribaculaceae family, namely Veillonella and Roseburia, while those after SG had more Christensenellaceae R-7 group, Subdoligranulum, Oscillibacter, and UCG-005. (4) Conclusions: the noted differences in the composition of the gut microbiota (RYGB vs. SG) may be one of the determinants of the proper functioning of the gut-brain microbiota axis, although there is currently a need for further research into this topic using a larger group of patients and different probiotic doses.PMID:38068763 | DOI:10.3390/nu15234905

Nutrients. 2023 Nov 23;15(23):4896. doi: 10.3390/nu15234896.ABSTRACTDietary omega-3 fatty acids are promising nutrients in dementia. Several prospective cohort studies have examined the relationships between circulating omega-3 (an objective biomarker of dietary intake) and incident dementia, the largest to date being a report from the UK Biobank (n = 102,722). Given the recent release of new metabolomics data from baseline samples from the UK Biobank, we re-examined the association in a much larger sample (n = 267,312) and also focused on associations with total omega-3, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and non-DHA omega-3. Using Cox regression models, we observed that the total omega-3 status was inversely related to the risk of Alzheimer's (Q5 vs. Q1, hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] = 0.87 [0.76; 1.00]) and all-cause dementia (Q5 vs. Q1, 0.79 [0.72; 0.87]). The strongest associations were observed for total omega-3 (and non-DHA omega-3) and all-cause dementia. In prespecified strata, we found stronger associations in men, and in those aged ≥60 years at baseline (vs. those aged 50-59). Thus, in the largest study to date on this topic, we confirmed the favorable relationships between DHA and risk for dementia, and we also found evidence that non-DHA omega-3 may be beneficial. Finally, we have better defined the populations most likely to benefit from omega-3-based interventions.PMID:38068754 | DOI:10.3390/nu15234896

Nutrients. 2023 Nov 23;15(23):4895. doi: 10.3390/nu15234895.ABSTRACTMultiple studies have indicated that distinct metabolites are involved in the occurrence and development of osteopenia (ON) and osteoporosis (OP); however, these metabolites in OP and ON have not yet been classified and standardized. This systematic review and meta-analysis included 21 articles aiming to investigate the distinct metabolites in patients with ON and OP. The quality of the included articles was generally high; seventeen studies had >7 stars, and the remaining four received 6 stars. This systematic review showed that three metabolites (phosphatidylcholine (PC) (lipid metabolites), galactose (carbohydrate metabolites), and succinic acid (other metabolites)) increased, four (glycylglycine (gly-gly), cystine (amino acids), sphingomyelin (SM) (lipid metabolites) and glucose (carbohydrate metabolites)) decreased, and five (glutamine, hydroxyproline, taurine (amino acids), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) (lipid metabolites), and lactate (other metabolites)) had conflicting directions in OP/ON. The results of the meta-analysis show that gly-gly (MD = -0.77, 95%CI -1.43 to -0.11, p = 0.02) and cystine (MD = -5.52, 95%CI -7.35 to -3.68, p < 0.00001) decreased in the OP group compared with the healthy control group. Moreover, LPC (MD = 1.48, 95%CI 0.11 to 2.86, p = 0.03) increased in the OP group compared with the healthy control group. These results indicate that distinct metabolites were associated with ON and OP, which could be considered a predictor for OP.PMID:38068753 | DOI:10.3390/nu15234895

Nutrients. 2023 Nov 22;15(23):4877. doi: 10.3390/nu15234877.ABSTRACTUlcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic noninfectious intestinal disease that severely affects patients' quality of life. Agaricus blazei Murrill polysaccharide (ABP) is an effective active ingredient extracted from Agaricus blazei Murrill (ABM). It has good efficacy in inhibiting tumor cell growth, lowering blood pressure, and improving atherosclerosis. However, its effect on colitis is unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the protective effects and potential mechanisms of ABP against dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced acute colitis in mice. The results showed that dietary supplementation with ABP significantly alleviated DSS-induced colitis symptoms, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress. Meanwhile, ABP intervention was able to maintain the integrity of the intestinal mechanical barrier by promoting the expression of ZO-1 and Occludin tight junction proteins and facilitating mucus secretion. Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing results suggested that ABP intervention was able to alleviate DSS-induced gut microbiota disruption, and nontargeted metabolomics results indicated that ABP was able to remodel metabolism. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that dietary supplementation with ABP alleviated DSS-induced acute colitis by maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and remodeling metabolism. These results improve our understanding of ABP function and provide a theoretical basis for the use of dietary supplementation with ABP for the prevention of ulcerative colitis.PMID:38068735 | DOI:10.3390/nu15234877

Plants (Basel). 2023 Nov 27;12(23):3981. doi: 10.3390/plants12233981.ABSTRACTKorla fragrant pear (Pyrus sinkiangensis Yü) fruits have a unique flavor and are rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids, amino acids, and other nutrients. At present, the molecular basis of the quality differences among Korla fragrant pear fruits with a convex calyx and rough skin (RS), calyx shedding (SD), and a convex calyx (CV) remains unknown. To analyze the main metabolic components of Korla fragrant pear fruits and compare the antioxidant activities of these three fruits with different qualities, we used nutrient composition analysis and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS)-based widely targeted metabolomics approaches to analyze the changes in the quality characteristics of the pulp of these three Korla fragrant pear fruits with different appearances. The nutrient composition analysis showed that the fructose and glucose contents were not significantly different, and sucrose and vitamin C contents were significantly higher in SD fruits compared with CV and RS fruits. However, the levels of flavor substances such as titratable acids, total phenols, and total flavonoids were high in the pulp of RS fruits. The metabolomics results identified 1976 metabolites that were clustered into 12 categories, and phenolic acid and flavonoid metabolites were the most abundant. The differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) in the fruits with different appearances were screened by multivariate statistical methods, and a total of 595 DAMs were detected. The analysis identified 300 DAMs between the CV and SD fruits, 246 DAMs between the RS and CV fruits, and 405 DAMs between the RS and SD groups. SD fruits contained the most metabolites with a high relative content, especially phenolic acids, lipids, amino acids and derivatives, alkaloids, and organic acids. Compared with CV fruits, flavonoid metabolism was more active in RS fruits, which also had a higher content of flavonoids, whereas the fewest metabolites were found in CV fruits, which also displayed less flavonoid accumulation. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the DAMs were mainly enriched in the metabolic pathways of flavone and flavonol biosynthesis, confirming that CV fruits have decreased flavone and flavonol biosynthesis and accumulate fewer flavonoids than RS fruits, which may explain the less bitter and astringent flavor of CV fruits. However, the flavonoid content in RS fruits was very high, which may be one of the reasons why RS fruits have a harder pulp and are less juicy, more slaggy, and less flavorful. Moreover, the analysis of the antioxidant activity showed that during fruit development and maturation, RS fruits had stronger antioxidant activity than SD and CV fruits. These results provide a theoretical basis for improving the fruit quality of Korla fragrant pears and the processing of pear pulp.PMID:38068617 | DOI:10.3390/plants12233981

Plants (Basel). 2023 Nov 24;12(23):3962. doi: 10.3390/plants12233962.ABSTRACTClimate change has significantly exacerbated the effects of abiotic stresses, particularly high temperatures and drought stresses. This study aims to uncover the mechanisms underlying heat and drought tolerance in lentil accessions. To achieve this objective, twelve accessions were subjected to high-temperature stress (32/20 °C), while seven accessions underwent assessment under drought stress conditions (50% of field capacity) during the reproductive stage. Our findings revealed a significant increase in catalase activity across all accessions under both stress conditions, with ILL7814 and ILL7835 recording the highest accumulations of 10.18 and 9.33 under drought stress, respectively, and 14 µmol H2O2 mg protein-1 min-1 under high temperature. Similarly, ascorbate peroxidase significantly increased in all tolerant accessions due to high temperatures, with ILL6359, ILL7835, and ILL8029 accumulating the highest values with up 50 µmol ascorbate mg protein-1 min-1. In contrast, no significant increase was obtained for all accessions subjected to water stress, although the drought-tolerant accessions accumulated more APX activity (16.59 t to 25.08 µmol ascorbate mg protein-1 min-1) than the sensitive accessions. The accessions ILL6075, ILL7814, and ILL8029 significantly had the highest superoxide dismutase activity under high temperature, while ILL6363, ILL7814, and ILL7835 accumulated the highest values under drought stress, each with 22 to 25 units mg protein-1. Under both stress conditions, ILL7814 and ILL7835 recorded the highest contents in proline (38 to 45 µmol proline/g FW), total flavonoids (0.22 to 0.77 mg QE g-1 FW), total phenolics (7.50 to 8.79 mg GAE g-1 FW), total tannins (5.07 to 20 µg CE g-1 FW), and total antioxidant activity (60 to 70%). Further, ILL7814 and ILL6338 significantly recorded the highest total soluble sugar content under high temperature (71.57 and 74.24 mg g-1, respectively), while ILL7835 achieved the maximum concentration (125 mg g-1) under drought stress. The accessions ILL8029, ILL6104, and ILL7814 had the highest values of reducing sugar under high temperature with 0.62 to 0.79 mg g-1, whereas ILL6075, ILL6363, and ILL6362 accumulated the highest levels of this component under drought stress with 0.54 to 0.66 mg g-1. Overall, our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the metabolomic responses of lentil to drought and heat stresses, serving as a valuable reference for lentil stress tolerance breeding.PMID:38068599 | DOI:10.3390/plants12233962

Plants (Basel). 2023 Nov 24;12(23):3959. doi: 10.3390/plants12233959.ABSTRACTFlower bud formation in the apple tree life cycle is associated with multiple biological processes. To explore the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the protein and metabolite changes in buds with different flowering capabilities, axillary buds with no flowering (Ab), long-shoot buds with a low flowering rate (Lb), and spur buds with a higher flowering rate than the Lb (Sb) were analyzed using a Tandem Mass Tag™ proteomic technique in combination with nLC-MS/MS analyses. We identified 471 (88 up- and 383 down-regulated), 459 (176 up- and 283 down-regulated), and 548 (387 up- and 161 down-regulated) differentially expressed proteins in Sb vs. Lb, Sb vs. Ab, and Lb vs. Ab, respectively, that were involved in carbohydrate, amino acid and lipid transport, and metabolism. Additionally, 110 (91 increased and 19 decreased), 89 (71 increased and 18 decreased), and 99 (37 increased and 62 decreased) metabolites having significantly different levels were identified in Sb vs. Lb, Sb vs. Ab, and Lb vs. Ab, respectively. The identified metabolites were related to amino acids and their isoforms, sugars and polyols, and organic acids, and occurred at significantly greater levels in the Sbs than the other buds. Thus, flower bud formation is a complex process that involves various biochemical materials and signals, such as carbohydrates, amino acids and their isoforms, and organic acids.PMID:38068596 | DOI:10.3390/plants12233959

Plants (Basel). 2023 Nov 24;12(23):3955. doi: 10.3390/plants12233955.ABSTRACTDrought has become one of the main factors of crop yield losses worldwide. This negatively affects the plant industry, decreasing crop yields, and it may result in resource deficits in different sectors of the world economy and its national branches. Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub) represents one of the strategic crops, as its seeds are the source of guar gum, which is critically important in the modern oil industry. Although guar is generally known to be a drought-tolerant plant, it is known that soil dehydration negatively affects plant fitness and crop productivity. As guar genotypes are characterized by high variability in the manifestation of drought tolerance, screening genetic resources for this feature seems to be a promising strategy for accessing drought-resistant varieties. The discovery of drought-tolerant genotypes is mandatory to secure sustainable guar production. In this context, the identification of reliable chemical and molecular markers of drought tolerance (i.e., drought-responsive and/or drought-protective metabolites, proteins and transcripts) will provide the solid basis for marker-driven breeding of new tolerant varieties. Therefore, here we provide a comprehensive overview of the available literature data on guar drought stress response, its physiological and molecular genetic aspects, and considerations on the approaches to improve the quality of this crop.PMID:38068592 | DOI:10.3390/plants12233955

J Clin Med. 2023 Nov 27;12(23):7336. doi: 10.3390/jcm12237336.ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: The increasing number of late complications described after cesarean sections is prompting a reexamination of the indications for them in pregnant women. The high percentage of pregnancies terminated by preventive cesarean section for non-obstetric reasons also largely involves orthopedic conditions. A challenge for obstetricians is pregnant patients with orthopedic conditions both before and during pregnancy. Pregnant women with a history of orthopedic surgery require special attention. The lack of consensus in this area, physicians' fear of patients' claims and the skewing of patients' requests for surgical termination of pregnancy have prompted an analysis and systematization of existing knowledge in this field.METHODS: References published up to 30 June 2023 in five databases Pubmed, Embase are included. Keywords have been checked for the following: pubic symphysis diastasis, lumbar disc herniation, past hip arthroplasty and fractures in the pelvic bones. In the described conditions complicating pregnancy, the mode of delivery was taken into account.RESULTS: All included studies were screened and reviewed by at least two authors until an overall consensus of 50 articles was reached.CONCLUSIONS: Orthopedic indications for cesarean section in many cases should not be treated imperatively, since natural delivery after correct fusion of a pelvic fracture, implantation of a hip endoprosthesis or a limited dissection of the pubic symphysis is possible and is not associated with a higher risk of obstetric or orthopedic complications. Extra-obstetric indications for cesarean section should be determined individually for each pregnant woman in a multidisciplinary team, since orthopedic conditions may overlap with obstetric pathology in the pelvis.PMID:38068388 | DOI:10.3390/jcm12237336