Project description:The chromosome-level genome assembly and multi-omics analyses unveil a pivotal regulatory mechanism of Piperlongumine biosynthesis in the Piper sarmentosum
Project description:Piper sarmentosum Roxb. (Piperaceae) is a traditional medicinal herb native to Southeast Asia. The complete genome of P. sarmentosum was sequenced and characterized in this study with the aim of providing genomic resources for the evolution and molecular breeding of P. sarmentosum. It has a typical quadripartite structure, with a large single-copy (LSC) region of 88,979 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,274 bp, and two copies of 27,068 bp inverted-repeat regions (IRa and IRb). A total of 130 genes were annotated, comprising 85 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 8 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and 37 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. The phylogenetic tree showed that P. sarmentosum in the current study is closely related to Piper longum.
Project description:Comparative chloroplast genome analyses are mostly carried out at lower taxonomic levels, such as the family and genus levels. At higher taxonomic levels, chloroplast genomes are generally used to reconstruct phylogenies. However, little attention has been paid to chloroplast genome evolution within orders. Here, we present the chloroplast genome of Sedum sarmentosum and take advantage of several available (or elucidated) chloroplast genomes to examine the evolution of chloroplast genomes in Saxifragales. The chloroplast genome of S. sarmentosum is 150,448 bp long and includes 82,212 bp of a large single-copy (LSC) region, 16.670 bp of a small single-copy (SSC) region, and a pair of 25,783 bp sequences of inverted repeats (IRs).The genome contains 131 unique genes, 18 of which are duplicated within the IRs. Based on a comparative analysis of chloroplast genomes from four representative Saxifragales families, we observed two gene losses and two pseudogenes in Paeonia obovata, and the loss of an intron was detected in the rps16 gene of Penthorum chinense. Comparisons among the 72 common protein-coding genes confirmed that the chloroplast genomes of S. sarmentosum and Paeonia obovata exhibit accelerated sequence evolution. Furthermore, a strong correlation was observed between the rates of genome evolution and genome size. The detected genome size variations are predominantly caused by the length of intergenic spacers, rather than losses of genes and introns, gene pseudogenization or IR expansion or contraction. The genome sizes of these species are negatively correlated with nucleotide substitution rates. Species with shorter duration of the life cycle tend to exhibit shorter chloroplast genomes than those with longer life cycles.
Project description:Exposure to cigarette smoke is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Nicotine is an addictive compound in cigarette smoke that triggers oxidative stress, which leads to vascular dysfunction. Piper sarmentosum Roxb. is a herb with antioxidant and vascular protective effects. This study evaluated the potential protective effect of the aqueous extract of P. sarmentosum leaf (AEPS) on vascular dysfunction in rats induced with prolonged nicotine administration. A total of 22 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control (normal saline, oral gavage [p.o.]), nicotine (0.8 mg/kg/day nicotine, intraperitoneally [i.p.]), and nicotine + AEPS groups (250 mg/kg/day AEPS, p.o. + 0.8 mg/kg/day nicotine, i.p.). Treatment was given for 21 days. Thoracic aortae were harvested from the rats for the measurement of vasorelaxation, vascular nitric oxide (NO) level, and antioxidant level and the assessment of vascular remodeling. Rats treated with AEPS had improved vasorelaxation to endothelium-dependent vasodilator, acetylcholine (ACh), compared with the nicotine-induced rats (p < 0.05). The presence of endothelium increased the maximum relaxation of aortic rings in response to ACh. Compared with the nicotine group, AEPS enhanced vascular NO level (p < 0.001) and increased antioxidant levels as measured by superoxide dismutase activity (p < 0.05), catalase activity (p < 0.01), and reduced glutathione level (p < 0.05). No remarkable changes in aortic histomorphometry were detected. In conclusion, P. sarmentosum attenuates vascular endothelial dysfunction in nicotine-induced rats by improving vasorelaxation and enhancing vascular NO and antioxidant levels.
Project description:Bioassay-guided fractionation was conducted on a chloroform-soluble extract of the aerial parts of Piper sarmentosum collected in Vietnam, monitored by a mitochondrial transmembrane potential assay using HT-29 human colon cancer cells. This led to the isolation of four new C-benzylated dihydroflavones, sarmentosumins A-D (1-4), as well as 14 known compounds. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data interpretation. Among these compounds, 1-4 as well as five known C-benzylated dihydroflavones (5-9) and a piperamide, pipercallosine (11), were found to induce apoptosis in HT-29 cells by moderately reducing the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (??m), with ED50 values ranging from 1.6 to 13.6 ?M. Furthermore, 7-methoxydichamanetin (8) and pinocembrin (10) exhibited proteasome inhibitory activities in a human 20S proteasome bioassay with IC50 values of 3.45±0.18 and 2.87±0.26 ?M, respectively. This is the first time that C-benzylated dihydroflavones have been reported to demonstrate an apoptotic effect associated with disruption of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential.
Project description:Piper sarmentosum Roxb. (Piperaceae) is a traditional medicinal plant in South-East Asian countries. The chemical investigation of leaves from this species resulted in the isolation of three previously not described compounds, namely 4″-(3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaroyl)-2″-β-D-glucopyranosyl vitexin (1), kadukoside (2), and 6-O-trans-p-coumaroyl-D-glucono-1,4-lactone (3), together with 31 known compounds. Of these known compounds, 21 compounds were isolated for the first time from P. sarmentosum. The structures were established by 1D and 2D NMR techniques and HR-ESI-MS analyses. The compounds were evaluated for their anthelmintic (Caenorhabditis elegans), antifungal (Botrytis cinerea, Septoria tritici and Phytophthora infestans), antibacterial (Aliivibrio fischeri) and cytotoxic (PC-3 and HT-29 human cancer cells lines) activities. Methyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propionate (8), isoasarone (12), and trans-asarone (15) demonstrated anthelmintic activity with IC50 values between 0.9 and 2.04 mM. Kadukoside (2) was most active against S. tritici with IC50 at 5.0 µM and also induced 94% inhibition of P. infestans growth at 125 µM. Trans-asarone (15), piperolactam A (23), and dehydroformouregine (24) displayed a dose-dependent effect against B. cinerea from 1.5 to 125 µM up to more than 80% inhibition. Paprazine (19), cepharadione A (21) and piperolactam A (23) inhibited bacterial growth by more than 85% at 100 µM. Only mild cytotoxic effects were observed.