Compared the physiological response of two petroleum tolerant-contrasting plants to petroleum stress.[Pubmed: 30095314]

Petroleum not only benefits the world economy but also contaminates the soil. In order to select the plants tolerant to petroleum, the physiological response of two petroleum tolerant-contrasting plants, Mirabilis jalapa and Orychophragmus violace, were investigated in variation of petroleum-contaminated soils (0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 g petroleum per kg soil) for 120 d. Petroleum degradation rate, seeds germination rate, free proline, and superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities of M. jalapa were higher than that of O. violace under petroleum stress. However, the decrease rate of soluble protein, plant height, chlorophyll, and root fresh weight was greater in O. violace as compared to M. jalapa. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was conducted, which indicated that the higher tolerance of M. jalapa was correlated with the higher level of free proline and antioxidative enzyme activities. Besides, the 10 g petroleum per kg soil may be appropriate for petroleum-tolerant plants selection, in which petroleum significantly restrain growth in O. violace but not in M. jalapa.

Gain-of-function mutations in beet DODA2 identify key residues for betalain pigment evolution.[Pubmed: 29754447]

The key enzymatic step in betalain biosynthesis involves conversion of l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA) to betalamic acid. One class of enzymes capable of this is 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine 4,5-dioxygenase (DODA). In betalain-producing species, multiple paralogs of this gene are maintained. This study demonstrates which paralogs function in the betalain pathway and determines the residue changes required to evolve a betalain-nonfunctional DODA into a betalain-functional DODA. Functionalities of two pairs of DODAs were tested by expression in beets, Arabidopsis and yeast, and gene silencing was performed by virus-induced gene silencing. Site-directed mutagenesis identified amino acid residues essential for betalamic acid production. Beta vulgaris and Mirabilis jalapa both possess a DODA1 lineage that functions in the betalain pathway and at least one other lineage, DODA2, that does not. Site-directed mutagenesis resulted in betalain biosynthesis by a previously nonfunctional DODA, revealing key residues required for evolution of the betalain pathway. Divergent functionality of DODA paralogs, one clade involved in betalain biosynthesis but others not, is present in various Caryophyllales species. A minimum of seven amino acid residue changes conferred betalain enzymatic activity to a betalain-nonfunctional DODA paralog, providing insight into the evolution of the betalain pigment pathway in plants.

Formulation of nanoparticles ribosome inactivating proteins from Mirabilis jalapa L. (RIP MJ) conjugated AntiEpCAM antibody using low chain chitosan-pectin and cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cell line.[Pubmed: 29618424]

Ribosome Inactivating Proteins (RIPs) isolated from Mirabilis jalapa L. (MJ protein) leaves showed high cytotoxic effect on malignant. Chitosan nanoparticles have frequently been used in protein delivery applications. The aim of this study was to develop targeted drug delivery system of RIP MJ for breast cancer therapy with chitosan nanoparticles conjugated antiEpCAM antibody. RIP MJ nanoparticles were prepared using low viscous chitosan and pectin using polyelectrolit complex method, followed by conjugation process with antiEpCAM antibody. Characterization of this formula was then carried out for its entrapment efficiency, particles size, zeta potential, morphology using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and cytotoxic assay against T47D and Vero cell line. The optimal concentration of MJ protein; low viscous chitosan; pectin for preparing AntiEpCAM conjugated of RIP MJ nanoparticles was 0.1%; 0.01%;1% (m/v) respectively and showed satisfactory formula with the average particle size of 376.8±105.2nm, polydispersity index (PI) 0.401, zeta potential 43,71 mV, high entrapment efficiency 98,97±0,12%. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) imaging showed a spherical and homogenous structure for nanoparticles. The in vitro cytotoxicity analysis showed that RIP MJ nanoparticle had more cytotoxic effect compared to unformulated RIP against T47D cell-lines. AntiEpCAM conjugated RIP MJ nanoparticles however, increased cytotoxic effect of RIPs on Vero cell-lines not for T47D cell-lines. Chitosan-Pectin nanoparticles suitable for delivering protein to target cancer cells.

Toxic effect of common poisonous plants of district Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.[Pubmed: 29348085]

The present paper was a part of Ph.D research work, conducted during the year 2014, in which 87 poisonous plants belonging to 54 genera, were collected, documented and preserved in the herbarium of Bannu, Department of Botany UST, Bannu Khyber Pakhtunkwa Pakistan. The plants were identified botanically, arranged alphabetically along with their Latin name, family name, common name, poisonous parts, toxicity, affects, toxin and their effects. Aim of the study was to induce awareness in the local people of district Bannu about the poisonous effects of the commonly used plants. Data about poisonous effect were collected from the local experienced and mostly old age people through questionnaire. Some information were collected from a number of veterinary texts and literature. The most important plants genera studied in the area were Brassica 6 species (11.11%), Lathyrus 5 spp (9.26%), Astragalus, Euphorbia and Prunus were with 4 spp (7.40%). Datura, Jatropha, Ranunculus, Solanum and Sorghum were with 3 spp (5.56%) while Allium, Amaranthus, Chenopodium, Melilotus and Taxus were with 2 spp (3.70%). These 15 genera contribute 48 species (55.17 %) while the remaining 39 genera have single species each and contribute 44.83% to the total poisonous flora of the research area. Other important poisonous plants were Anagallis arvensis L., Cannabis sativa, Datura stramonium L., D. metel L., Euphorbia species, Heliotropium europaeum, Ipomoea tricolor, Jatropha curcas, Lolium temulentum L., Malus domestica, Mangifera indica L., Medicago sativa L., Melilotus alba Desr., M. officinalis (L.) Lam., Mirabilis jalapa L., Narcissus tazetta, Nicotiana tabacum L., Sorghum halepense (L) Pers., and Xanthium strumarium. It was concluded that the local population had poor knowledge about the poisonous effect of the plants and the present research work was anticipated for use by health care professionals, veterinarians, farmers, homeowners, as well as botanically curious individuals.

Transcriptome and Metabolic Profiling Provides Insights into Betalain Biosynthesis and Evolution in Mirabilis jalapa.[Pubmed: 29247705]

Betalains are tyrosine-derived pigments that occur solely in one plant order, the Caryophyllales, where they largely replace the anthocyanins in a mutually exclusive manner. In this study, we conducted multi-species transcriptome and metabolic profiling in Mirabilis jalapa and additional betalain-producing species to identify candidate genes possibly involved in betalain biosynthesis. Among the candidates identified, betalain-related cytochrome P450 and glucosyltransferase-type genes, which catalyze tyrosine hydroxylation or (hydroxy)cinnamoyl-glucose formation, respectively, were further functionally characterized. We detected the expression of genes in the flavonoid/anthocyanin biosynthetic pathways as well as their metabolite intermediates in betalain-accumulating M. jalapa flowers, and found that the anthocyanin-related gene ANTHOCYANIDIN SYNTHASE (MjANS) is highly expressed in the betalain-accumulating petals. However, it appears that MjANS contains a significant deletion in a region spanning the corresponding enzyme active site. These findings provide novel insights into betalain biosynthesis and a possible explanation for how anthocyanins have been lost in this plant species. Our study also implies a complex, non-uniform history for the loss of anthocyanin production across betalain producers, previously assumed to be strictly due to diminished expression of anthocyanin-related genes.

Determination and production of antimicrobial compounds by Aspergillus clavatonanicus strain MJ31, an endophytic fungus from Mirabilis jalapa L. using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS and TD-GC-MS analysis.[Pubmed: 29049321]

Endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants are reported as potent producers of diverse classes of secondary metabolites. In the present study, an endophytic fungi, Aspergillus clavatonanicus strain MJ31, exhibiting significant antimicrobial activity was isolated from roots of Mirabilis jalapa L., was identified by sequencing three nuclear genes i.e. internal transcribed spacers ribosomal RNA (ITS rRNA), 28S ribosomal RNA (28S rRNA) and translation elongation factor 1- alpha (EF 1α). Ethyl acetate extract of strain MJ31displayed significant antimicrobial potential against Bacillus subtilis, followed by Micrococccus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 0.078, 0.156 and 0.312 mg/ml respectively. In addition, the strain was evaluated for its ability to synthesize bioactive compounds by the amplification of polyketide synthase (PKS) and non ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) genes. Further, seven antibiotics (miconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, ampicillin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and rifampicin) were detected and quantified using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Additionally, thermal desorption-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) analysis of strain MJ31 showed the presence of 28 volatile compounds. This is the first report on A. clavatonanicus as an endophyte obtained from M. jalapa. We conclude that A. clavatonanicus strain MJ31 has prolific antimicrobial potential against both plant and human pathogens and can be exploited for the discovery of new antimicrobial compounds and could be an alternate source for the production of secondary metabolites.

Enhanced Phytoextraction of Lead from Artificially Contaminated Soil by Mirabilis jalapa with Chelating Agents.[Pubmed: 28646396]

A microcosm experiment was conducted to compare how different chelating agents enhance the phytoextraction of lead (Pb) by Mirabilis jalapa from an artificially Pb-contaminated soil. Chelating agents used included ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA), ethylene diamine disuccinic acid (EDDS), oxalic acid, humic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid, with concentrations ranging from 0 to 2000 mg/kg. Results show that with increasing concentrations of chelating agents, the concentrations, bioaccumulation coefficients, and translocation factors of Pb in M. jalapa gradually increased. Of all chelating agents used, the concentrations, bioaccumulation coefficients and translocation factors of Pb in M. jalapa were higher for EDTA and NTA than for the other chelating agents. Given the potential environmental risks of EDTA, we recommend NTA be used as a suitable chelating agent to increase the phytoremediation of Pb-contaminated soil with M. jalapa.

Molecular characterization of a new begomovirus infecting Mirabilis jalapa in northern India.[Pubmed: 28342034]

Begomoviruses are whitefly-transmitted single-stranded DNA viruses that are responsible for considerable economic losses. A begomovirus, alphasatellite and betasatellite were characterized in a Mirabilis jalapa plant exhibiting severe leaf curling and mottling symptoms. The complete viral genome shared highest sequence identity of 87% with pedilanthus leaf curl virus (AM712436), reported from Pakistan. Additionally, the viral genome was 84% identical to that of chilli leaf curl India virus (KX951415) and 83% identical to that of tobacco curly shoot virus (GU1999584), which were previously reported to infect M. jalapa in India and China, respectively. Based on the ICTV criterion for begomovirus species demarcation (≥91% sequence identity for the complete genome), the virus represents a new species, for which we propose the name Mirabilis leaf curl virus. The alphasatellite and betasatellite sequences were similar to the corresponding sequences of ageratum yellow vein India alphasatellite (KU852743; 99% identity) and tomato leaf curl Patna betasatellite (HQ180394; 86% identity) sequences, respectively. This report describes a new begomovirus-satellite disease complex in M. jalapa.

Quantitative proteomics analysis reveals the tolerance of Mirabilis jalapa L. to petroleum contamination.[Pubmed: 28108917]

Petroleum is not only an important energy resource but is also a major soil pollutant. To gain better insight into the adaptability mechanism of Mirabilis jalapa to petroleum-contaminated soil, the protein profiles of M. jalapa root were investigated using label-free quantitative proteomics technique. After exposing to petroleum-contaminated soil for 24 h, 34 proteins significantly changed their protein abundance and most of the proteins increased in protein abundance (91.18%). Combined with gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses as well as data from previous studies, our results revealed that M. jalapa enhanced tolerance to petroleum by changing antioxidation and detoxification, cell wall organization, amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, transportation and protein process, and so on. These metabolism alterations could result in the production and secretion of low molecular carbohydrate, amino acid, and functional protein, which enhanced the bioavailability of petroleum and reducing the toxicity of the petroleum. Taken together, these results provided novel information for better understanding of the tolerance of M. jalapa to petroleum stress.