Project description:Lonicera japonica Thunb., known as Jin Yin Hua or Japanese honeysuckle, is an herbal medicine in Asian countries. Its flowers have been used as folk medicine for clinical practice or used as food or making healthy beverage for 1500 years in China. To investigate the molecular developmental processes from L. japonica buds to flowers under UV radiation, comparative proteomics analyses of buds and flowers were performed. Fifty-four differential proteins were identified including 42 increased proteins and 12 decreased proteins. The abundance of proteins related to glycolysis, TCA/organic acid transformation, major carbohydrate metabolism, oxidative pentose phosphate, stress, secondary metabolism, hormone, and mitochondrial electron transport were increased during flower opening process under UV radiation. Six metabolites were identified and relatively quantified by LC-MS/MS in L. japonica buds and flowers. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay revealed that antioxidant activity of L. japonica buds was better than that of flowers. These results suggest that UV-B radiation could induce the production of endogenous ethylene in L. japonica buds, which facilitate the buds blossom and activate the antioxidant system. Additionally, the higher content of metabolites and antioxidant capability in L. japonica buds indicates that L. japonica buds stage might be the better harvest time compared to the flower.
Project description:Transcriptomic studies typically examine expression at the gene level, although it has been long recognized that the same genetic locus may produce isoforms distinct in their splicing and site of polyadenylation. Here we examine alternatively polyadenylated (APA) transcripts throughout embryogenesis and discover distinct strategies for gene regulation. We introduce APA-Seq, an RNA-Seq method to study APA at a global level, and apply it to study individual C. elegans embryos throughout early development. Surprisingly, we find that genes, whose overall expression is constitutive throughout development, generally show highly dynamic expression for individual isoforms. Such genes tend to participate in cellular as opposed to developmental processes, and this trend was also evident in the closely related C. japonica nematode, providing evidence that the manner by which cellular processes are regulated during embryogenesis is evolutionarily conserved. Finally, we report that genes with dynamic isoform usage have significantly more miRNA binding sites relative to constitutively-expressed isoforms, suggesting strong miRNA regulation in the control of isoform expression. Our findings support a model distinguishing two modes of gene regulatory underlying embryonic development each with unique functions and mechanisms.
Project description:The study introduces a novel, rapid and precise method for identifying Lonicera japonica (JYH), an important medicinal herb, utilizing Proofman-LMTIA (Proofman probe-ladder melting temperature isothermal amplification) technology. Based on the 5.8 S-ITS2 rDNA sequence, specific primers and Proofman probes were designed to distinguish JYH from similar species, addressing the frequent market adulteration. The method's optimal reaction conditions were established at 67 °C, ensuring high specificity. Sensitivity test demonstrated this method could detect as little as 10 pg/µL of JYH genomic DNA, with a detection limit of 1% (v/v) in adulteration experiments. The Proofman-LMTIA method successfully authenticated all eight market slice samples of JYH, six drugs and one solid beverage, achieving a 100% positive detection rate. This technique represents a significant advancement in medicinal material quality control, ensuring the JYH authenticity. These findings underscore the potential of the Proofman-LMTIA as a reliable, cost-effective, and user-friendly tool for real-time quality assessment in the herbal medicine industry.