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Isoprenoids: Metabolic Mechanisms, Bioactivity and Application
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Isoprenoids: Metabolic Mechanisms, Bioactivity and Application

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2024) | Viewed by 7710

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Lei Shi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
Interests: diversity and conservation of aromatic plants; breeding; gene regulation and function excavation of aromatic secondary metabolites
Prof. Dr. Zora Dajic Stevanovic

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: plant bioactive compounds; diversity and conservation of medicinal plants; ethnobotany; functional foods; Raman spectroscopy and essential oils

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Isoprenoids belong to the most diverse class of secondary metabolites in the plant kingdom. Terpenoids are the most dominant type among isoprenoids. They are the main ingredients of essential oils synthesized in special glandular structures on the surface of above-ground plant parts. Terpenoids play many important roles in plants, including in the protection against temperature, oxidative and drought stress, protection from herbivore and pest attack, in the attraction of pollinators, and in signaling processes and the regulation of plant growth and development. Many natural and synthetic terpenoids and their mixtures, including essential oils, have great economic value, because of their increasing demand from the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. Terpenoids are known for their high biological activity, including antimicrobial and antiviral properties, as well as their anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anti-ageing and neuroprotective effects. Furthermore, the study of plant isoprenoids has given us great insights into the control of plant development, structure, and function. Various technologies, including more sensitive detection and genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, etc., have been utilized to study isoprenoid compounds. However, the use of these technologies in aromatic plants is still limited, and research must be carried out on the detection and identification of the metabolic mechanisms and biological activity of terpenes and terpenoids in aromatic plants. This Special Issue of Plants will focus on recent findings and progress for various aspects related to the metabolic mechanisms and biological activity of terpenoid compounds from aromatic plants. We are looking for original research and review articles on all relevant topics. Studies that address the aspects of isolation and determination of these metabolites, biosynthesis and genetic regulation, phylogenic studies, their role in plant stress responses, the bioavailability and bioactivity of isoprenoids, as well as studies that novel biotechnologies in their application, are especially welcome.

Prof. Dr. Lei Shi
Prof. Dr. Zora Dajic Stevanovic
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aromatic plants
  • isoprenoids
  • terpenoids
  • bioactivity
  • metabolic mechanisms
  • gene regulation
  • biotechnologies

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 5341 KiB  
Article
Functional Identification and Regulatory Active Site Screening of the DfDXS Gene of Dryopteris fragrans
by Hanxu Zhao, Jiameng Su, Zhaoxuan Zhong, Tongyou Xiong, Weicong Dai, Dongrui Zhang and Ying Chang
Plants 2024, 13(18), 2647; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13182647 - 21 Sep 2024
Viewed by 687
Abstract
Dryopteris fragrans (L.) Schott has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and terpenoids are important components of its active constituents. The methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway is one of the major pathways for the synthesis of terpene precursors in plants, and 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) is the [...] Read more.
Dryopteris fragrans (L.) Schott has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and terpenoids are important components of its active constituents. The methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway is one of the major pathways for the synthesis of terpene precursors in plants, and 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) is the first rate-limiting enzyme in this pathway. DXS has been shown to be associated with increased stress tolerance in plants. In this experiment, two DXS genes were extracted from the D. fragrans transcriptome and named DfDXS1 and DfDXS2. Based on phylogenetic tree and conserved motif analyses, DXS was shown to be highly conserved evolutionarily and its localization to chloroplasts was determined by subcellular localization. Prokaryotic expression results showed that the number and growth status of recombinant colonies were better than the control under 400 mM NaCl salt stress and 800 mM mannitol-simulated drought stress. In addition, the DfDXS1 and DfDXS2 transgenic tobacco plants showed improved resistance to drought and salt stress. DfDXS1 and DfDXS2 responded strongly to methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and PEG-mimicked drought stress following exogenous hormone and abiotic stress treatments of D. fragrans. The transcriptional active sites were investigated by dual luciferase and GUS staining assays, and the results showed that the STRE element (AGGGG), the ABRE element (ACGTGGC), and the MYC element (CATTTG) were the important transcriptional active sites in the promoters of the two DXS genes, which were closely associated with hormone response and abiotic stress. These results suggest that the DfDXS gene of D. fragrans plays an important role in hormone signaling and response to stress. This study provides a reference for analyzing the molecular mechanisms of stress tolerance in D. fragrans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isoprenoids: Metabolic Mechanisms, Bioactivity and Application)
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16 pages, 1135 KiB  
Article
Saponin and Phenolic Composition and Assessment of Biological Activities of Saponaria officinalis L. Root Extracts
by Despina Charalambous, Michalis Christoforou, Krystallo Christou, Melina Christou, Antonis Ververis, Marios Andreou, Kyproula Christodoulou, Andrie Koutsoulidou, Christoforos Papachrysostomou and Maria Pantelidou
Plants 2024, 13(14), 1982; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13141982 - 19 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1300
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify the saponin and phenolic components in root extracts of Saponaria officinalis, a widespread species, found in Cyprus. A total of six major saponins, including gypsogenin and gypsogenic acid derivatives, as well as saponariosides C, [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to identify the saponin and phenolic components in root extracts of Saponaria officinalis, a widespread species, found in Cyprus. A total of six major saponins, including gypsogenin and gypsogenic acid derivatives, as well as saponariosides C, D, and E, were identified using UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS analysis, with gypsogenin derivatives being the most common saponins detected through quantitative analysis. A total of six phenolic compounds were also identified, including rutin, quercetin galactoside, syringic acid, apigenin, protocatechuic, and vanillic acid. In addition to their saponin and phenolic contents, the root extracts were prepared through different extraction methods, and their biological activity was assessed. All samples demonstrated antioxidant capacity, as well as antibacterial activity, against four bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Salmonella enteritidis), with the acetone extract presenting higher susceptibility. The evaluation of anticancer activity in A375 (human malignant melanoma), HeLa (human cervical epithelioid carcinoma), and HaCaT (healthy human keratinocytes) cell lines revealed that the acetone extract of S. officinalis extract demonstrated a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of A375 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. None of the extracts demonstrated anti-neurotoxic potential against Aβ25–35 cytotoxic peptides. The results of this study support previous findings that reveal that the Saponaria species are an excellent natural source of biologically active compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isoprenoids: Metabolic Mechanisms, Bioactivity and Application)
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11 pages, 2233 KiB  
Article
Development of Menthyl Esters of Valine for Pest Control in Tomato and Lettuce Crops
by Genki Mori, Sarira Rahimian, Rika Ozawa, Kenya Murata, Masakazu Hachisu and Gen-ichiro Arimura
Plants 2024, 13(7), 1015; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13071015 - 2 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1000
Abstract
Menthyl ester of valine (MV) has been developed as a plant defense potentiator to induce pest resistance in crops. In this study, we attempted to establish MV hydrochloride (MV-HCl) in lettuce and tomato crops. When MV-HCl solutions were used to treat soil or [...] Read more.
Menthyl ester of valine (MV) has been developed as a plant defense potentiator to induce pest resistance in crops. In this study, we attempted to establish MV hydrochloride (MV-HCl) in lettuce and tomato crops. When MV-HCl solutions were used to treat soil or leaves of potted tomato and lettuce plants, 1 µM MV-HCl solution applied to potted plant soil was most effective in increasing the transcript level of defense genes such as pathogenesis-related 1 (PR1). As a result, leaf damage caused by Spodoptera litura and oviposition by Tetranychus urticae were significantly reduced. In addition, MV-HCl-treated plants showed an increased ability to attract Phytoseiulus persimilis, a predatory mite of T. urticae, when they were attacked by T. urticae. Overall, our findings showed that MV-HCl is likely to be effective in promoting not only direct defense by activating defense genes, but also indirect defense mediated by herbivore-induced plant volatiles. Moreover, based on the results of the sustainability of PR1 expression in tomato plants treated with MV-HCl every 3 days, field trials were conducted and showed a 70% reduction in natural leaf damage. Our results suggest a practical approach to promoting organic tomato and lettuce production using this new plant defense potentiator. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isoprenoids: Metabolic Mechanisms, Bioactivity and Application)
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19 pages, 6022 KiB  
Article
Characterization of a Unique Pair of Ferredoxin and Ferredoxin NADP+ Reductase Isoforms That Operates in Non-Photosynthetic Glandular Trichomes
by Joshua T. Polito, Iris Lange, Kaylie E. Barton, Narayanan Srividya and B. Markus Lange
Plants 2024, 13(3), 409; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13030409 - 30 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1838
Abstract
Our recent investigations indicated that isoforms of ferredoxin (Fd) and ferredoxin NADP+ reductase (FNR) play essential roles for the reductive steps of the 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway of terpenoid biosynthesis in peppermint glandular trichomes (GTs). Based on an analysis of [...] Read more.
Our recent investigations indicated that isoforms of ferredoxin (Fd) and ferredoxin NADP+ reductase (FNR) play essential roles for the reductive steps of the 2C-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway of terpenoid biosynthesis in peppermint glandular trichomes (GTs). Based on an analysis of several transcriptome data sets, we demonstrated the presence of transcripts for a leaf-type FNR (L-FNR), a leaf-type Fd (Fd I), a root-type FNR (R-FNR), and two root-type Fds (Fd II and Fd III) in several members of the mint family (Lamiaceae). The present study reports on the biochemical characterization of all Fd and FNR isoforms of peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.). The redox potentials of Fd and FNR isoforms were determined using photoreduction methods. Based on a diaphorase assay, peppermint R-FNR had a substantially higher specificity constant (kcat/Km) for NADPH than L-FNR. Similar results were obtained with ferricyanide as an electron acceptor. When assayed for NADPH–cytochrome c reductase activity, the specificity constant with the Fd II and Fd III isoforms (when compared to Fd I) was slightly higher for L-FNR and substantially higher for R-FNR. Based on real-time quantitative PCR assays with samples representing various peppermint organs and cell types, the Fd II gene was expressed very highly in metabolically active GTs (but also present at lower levels in roots), whereas Fd III was expressed at low levels in both roots and GTs. Our data provide evidence that high transcript levels of Fd II, and not differences in the biochemical properties of the encoded enzyme when compared to those of Fd III, are likely to support the formation of copious amounts of monoterpene via the MEP pathway in peppermint GTs. This work has laid the foundation for follow-up studies to further investigate the roles of a unique R-FNR–Fd II pair in non-photosynthetic GTs of the Lamiaceae. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isoprenoids: Metabolic Mechanisms, Bioactivity and Application)
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15 pages, 3825 KiB  
Article
Chemical Compositions of Essential Oil Extracted from Eight Thyme Species and Potential Biological Functions
by Yanmei Dong, Ziling Wei, Rui Yang, Yanan Zhang, Meiyu Sun, Hongtong Bai, Meiling Mo, Chunlei Yao, Hui Li and Lei Shi
Plants 2023, 12(24), 4164; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12244164 - 15 Dec 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2042
Abstract
Thymus is an herbaceous perennial or subshrub of the Lamiaceae family and is widely distributed worldwide. Essential oils extracted from thymus have attracted much attention, owing to their potential biological functions. Here, we evaluated the chemical compositions of eight thyme essential oils (TEOs) [...] Read more.
Thymus is an herbaceous perennial or subshrub of the Lamiaceae family and is widely distributed worldwide. Essential oils extracted from thymus have attracted much attention, owing to their potential biological functions. Here, we evaluated the chemical compositions of eight thyme essential oils (TEOs) using gas chromatography mass spectrometry and assessed their antioxidant activity. The results showed that (1) the main components in eight TEOs were monoterpene hydrocarbons and oxygenated monoterpenes (84.26–92.84%), and the chemical compositions of the TEOs were affected by the specie factor; (2) eight TEOs could be divided into three groups (thymol-, geraniol-, and nerol acetate-types), and thymol was the main type; (3) eight TEOs had some common compounds, such as thymol and p-cymene, which were the main components in seven TEOs; (4) eight TEOs had antioxidant activity, and Thymus pulegioides, Thymus thracicus, and Thymus serpyllum EOs had stronger antioxidant activity than vitamin E (0.07–0.27 fold) at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, while Thymus quinquecostatus and Thymus longicaulis EOs had relatively weak antioxidant activity. In addition, three chemical type standards were used to evaluate potential roles in antibacterial and tumor therapy. The results showed that thymol had strong antibacterial activity against the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and antimigratory activity for A549 cell. Overall, our results can provide a theoretical basis for further exploring the function of natural products from thyme essential oils. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Isoprenoids: Metabolic Mechanisms, Bioactivity and Application)
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