Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) are an excellent dietary source of phytochemicals that include flavonol glycosides, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins (condensed tannins), and organic and phenolic acids. Using C-18 and Sephadex Lipophilic LH-20 column chromatography, HPLC and tandem LC-ES/MS, we have analyzed, quantified and separated total cranberry extract (TCE) into fractions enriched in sugars, organic acids, total polyphenols, proanthocyanidins and anthocyanins (39.4, 30.0, 10.6, 5.5, 1.2% composition, respectively). Using a luminescent ATP cell viability assay, the antiproliferative effects of TCE (200 g/mL) vs. all fractions were evaluated against human oral (KB, CAL27), colon (HT-29, HCT116, SW480, SW620) and prostate (RWPE-1, RWPE-2, 22Rv1) cancer cell lines. The total polyphenol fraction was the most active fraction against all cell lines with 96.1 and 95% inhibition of KB and CAL27 oral cancer cells, respectively. For the colon cancer cells, the antiproliferative activity of this fraction was greatest against HCT116 (92.1%) than HT-29 (61.1%), SW480 (60%) and SW620 (63%). TCE and all fractions, showed 50% antiproliferative activity against prostate cancer cells with total polyphenols being the most active fraction (RWPE-1, 95%; RWPE-2, 95%; 22Rv1, 99.6%). Cranberry sugars (78.8 g/mL) did not inhibit the proliferation of any cancer cell lines. The enhanced antiproliferative activity of total polyphenols compared to TCE and its individual phytochemicals suggests synergistic or additive antiproliferative interactions of the anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins and flavonol glycosides within the cranberry extract.

Total Cranberry Extract vs. its Phytochemical Constituents: Antiproliferative and Synergistic Effects against Human Tumor Cell Lines

Biofortification is an upcoming, promising, cost-effective, and sustainable technique of delivering micronutrients to a population that has limited access to diverse diets and other micronutrient interventions. Unfortunately, major food crops are poor sources of micronutrients required for normal human growth. The manuscript deals in all aspects of crop biofortification which includes-breeding, agronomy, and genetic modification. It tries to summarize all the biofortification research that has been conducted on different crops. Success stories of biofortification include lysine and tryptophan rich quality protein maize (World food prize 2000), Vitamin A rich orange sweet potato (World food prize 2016); generated by crop breeding, oleic acid, and stearidonic acid soybean enrichment; through genetic transformation and selenium, iodine, and zinc supplementation. The biofortified food crops, especially cereals, legumes, vegetables, and fruits, are providing sufficient levels of micronutrients to targeted populations. Although a greater emphasis is being laid on transgenic research, the success rate and acceptability of breeding is much higher. Besides the challenges biofortified crops hold a bright future to address the malnutrition challenge.

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Biofortified Crops Generated by Breeding, Agronomy, and Transgenic Approaches Are Improving Lives of Millions of People around the World

https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/download/34635/PDF

Approaches and challenges to engineering seed phytate and total phosphorus

Phytic acid in cereal grains and oilseeds is poorly digested by monogastric animals and negatively affects animal nutrition and the environment. However, breeding programs involving mutants with less phytic acid and more inorganic phosphate (Pi) have been frustrated by undesirable agronomic characteristics associated with the phytic acid-reducing mutations. We show that maize lpa1 mutants are defective in a multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter that is expressed most highly in embryos, but also in immature endosperm, germinating seed and vegetative tissues. Silencing expression of this transporter in an embryo-specific manner produced low-phytic-acid, high-Pi transgenic maize seeds that germinate normally and do not show any significant reduction in seed dry weight. This dominant transgenic approach obviates the need for incorporating recessive lpa1 mutations to create maize hybrids with reduced phytic acid. Suppressing the homologous soybean MRP gene also generated low-phytic-acid seed, suggesting that the strategy might be feasible for many crops.

Embryo-specific silencing of a transporter reduces phytic acid content of maize and soybean seeds

We analyzed cDNA libraries from developing endosperm of the B73 maize inbred line to evaluate the expression of storage protein genes. This study showed that zeins are by far the most highly expressed genes in the endosperm, but we found an inverse relationship between the number of zein genes and the relative amount of specific mRNAs. Although alpha-zeins are encoded by large multigene families, only a few of these genes are transcribed at high or detectable levels. In contrast, relatively small gene families encode the gamma- and delta-zeins, and members of these gene families, especially the gamma-zeins, are highly expressed. Knowledge of expressed storage protein genes allowed the development of DNA and antibody probes that distinguish between closely related gene family members. Using in situ hybridization, we found differences in the temporal and spatial expression of the alpha-, gamma-, and delta-zein gene families, which provides evidence that gamma-zeins are synthesized throughout the endosperm before alpha- and delta-zeins. This observation is consistent with earlier studies that suggested that gamma-zeins play an important role in prolamin protein body assembly. Analysis of endosperm cDNAs also revealed several previously unidentified proteins, including a 50-kD gamma-zein, an 18-kD alpha-globulin, and a legumin-related protein. Immunolocalization of the 50-kD gamma-zein showed this protein to be located at the surface of prolamin-containing protein bodies, similar to other gamma-zeins. The 18-kD alpha-globulin, however, is deposited in novel, vacuole-like organelles that were not described previously in maize endosperm.

Genomics Analysis of Genes Expressed in Maize Endosperm Identifies Novel Seed Proteins and Clarifies Patterns of Zein Gene Expression

Giant reed (Arundo donax) is a perennial rhizomatous grass which is widely diffused in subtropical and warm temperate regions From its native area, probably Eastern Asia, it has been dispersed all over the world by humans who use it for multiple purposes such as roof thatching, reeds in woodwind instruments, fishing rods, etc Its spontaneous and rapid growth allows A donax to be considered as an invasive weed But more recently, due to its high biomass production and great adaptability to marginal land, it is being seen as one of the most promising energy crops for lignocellulosic bioethanol production A donax is a sterile plant because it is a hybrid with uneven ploidy or triploid specie Therefore, its propagation is strictly agamic by rhizome fragmentation and sprouting from cane nodes The lack of sexual reproduction is a negative characteristic when we consider A donax as an energy crop, since it makes genetic improvement difficult, and this is further limited by the absence of genome sequence information and the lack of specific molecular tools In this review we will summarize and discuss recent data on A donax, specifically its origins, genetics and possible utilization as a source of biomass

	 

	Key words: Arundo donax, vegetative propagation, polyploidy, energy crop, biomass, ethanol fermentation

https://www.academicjournals.org/article/article1381136031_Pilu et al.pdf

Giant reed (Arundo donax L.): A weed plant or a promising energy crop?

Phytic acid is a nearly ubiquitous component of plant seeds, supplying both phosphate (P) and cations during germination. However, during digestion, the phytic acid form of P is not bioavailable for monogastric animals. A possible solution to this problem is the isolation of cereal mutants accumulating less phytic P and more free P and cations in the seed (low phytic add, Ipa). In a previously published study, we described a single, recessive Ipa mutation (named lpa241) in maize (Zea mays L.) mapping on chromosome 1S in the same location of the lpa1-1 mutant, showing a decrease in the expression of the first enzyme of phytic acid pathway, myo-inositol-3-phosphate synthase (MIPS). The goal of this study was to gain further information about the nature of lpa241 mutation as well as its effects on seed physiology and plant growth. We present new results of genetic, molecular, and histological analyses demonstrating that lpa241 is indeed allelic to lpa1-1, its MIPS1S coding region does not show a relevant molecular lesion, is accompanied by a strong reduction in globoid number and size, and shows highly variable expression causing some negative pleiotropic effects related to embryo development and size, germination rate, seedling growth rate, and ear size. The origin and the consequences of the lpa241 mutation led us to advance the hypothesis of an epigenetic nature of the mutation and to emphasize the role of myo-inositol and its derivatives during seed maturation, germination, and seedling growth.

The Maize lpa241 Mutation Causes a Remarkable Variability of Expression and Some Pleiotropic Effects

The “green revolution” involving mainly wheat and rice was based on the use by breeders of semidominant mutations involved in the signal transduction pathway of Gibberellin (GA). In particular, mutations in the Reduced height (Rht) gene of wheat have been used to reduce plant height and consequently to avoid storm damage and lodging. These genes have been cloned and they encode for DELLA proteins which contain an N-terminal DELLA and a VHYNP domain essential for GA-dependent degradation of these proteins. In maize several mutations have been isolated which affect gibberellin biosynthesis and perception and in particular, mutations in Dwarf8 (D8) gene cause a severe dwarfing phenotype. D8 gene has been identified as an orthologue of Rht (Reduced height), Slr1(Slender rice 1) and Gibberellic Acid Insensitive (GAI) genes, this latter is a negative regulator of GA response in Arabidopsis. In this work, for the first time, we isolated and characterized a single amino acid insertion in the VHYNP domain of D8 maize gene causing the appearance of a dominant dwarf mutation. This spontaneous mutation, named D8-1023, showed a phenotype which is less severe in comparison with the other D8 mutants previously isolated which have modifications in the DELLA domain. This mutant appears to be an useful tool either to study the mechanism of GA-modulated growth in plants or to lower the height of maize tropical germplasm for breeding purposes.

Characterization of the first dominant dwarf maize mutant carrying a single amino acid insertion in the VHYNP domain of the dwarf8 gene

So far, in maize, three classes of mutants involved in phytic acid biosynthesis have been isolated: lpa1, lpa2 and lpa3. In 2007, a gene tagging experiment performed by Shi et al. found that mutations in ZmMRP4 (multidrug resistance-associated proteins 4) gene cause lpa1 phenotype. In previous studies, we isolated and described a single recessive lpa mutation (originally named lpa241), which was allelic to the lpa1-1 mutant, and was consequently renamed lpa1-241. It showed a decrease in the expression of the myo-inositol (Ins)-3-phosphate synthase gene (mips1S). In this study, we present genetic and molecular analyses of the lpa1-241 mutation that indicate an epigenetic origin of this trait, that is, a paramutagenic interaction that results in meiotically heritable changes in ZmMRP4 gene expression, causing a strong pleiotropic effect on the whole plant. The use of a 5-Azacytidine treatment provided data suggesting an association between gene methylation and the lpa1-241 phenotype. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a paramutagenic activity not involving flavonoid biosynthesis in maize, but regarding a key enzyme of an important metabolic pathway in plants.

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A paramutation phenomenon is involved in the genetics of maize low phytic acid1-241 (lpa1-241) trait.

Arundo donax (giant reed) is a rhizomatous grass widely found in temperate and subtropical regions. Because of its capacity to grow vigorously in marginal land, it is considered as a dangerous weed plant. However, humans contributed to the dispersion of this plant around the world because Arundo is used it for multiple purposes such as reeds in woodwind musical instruments, roof thatching and fishing rods. In recent years A. donax, due to its high biomass production has been also considered as a promising energy crop. Nevertheless, some important issues must be addressed. In fact, A. donax is a sterile plant and its propagation is based on vegetative propagation (fragmentation of rhizomes or canes) and in vitro culture, making establishing the crop on a large scale very expensive. Furthermore the geneticists cannot carry out conventional breeding programmes, so improvement will be based on ecotype selection, chemical and physical mutagenesis, and transgenesis techniques. Another aspect to consider for a massive utilization of A. donax as an energy crop consists in the scarcity of data on long-term field experiments, since the duration of the crop’s life is 12-15 years. Hence, in this short review, we will bring together the principal pros and cons of this new putative energy crop.

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Michela Landoni

Papers

Giant reed (Arundo donax L.): A weed plant or a promising energy crop?

The Maize lpa241 Mutation Causes a Remarkable Variability of Expression and Some Pleiotropic Effects

Characterization of the first dominant dwarf maize mutant carrying a single amino acid insertion in the VHYNP domain of the dwarf8 gene

A paramutation phenomenon is involved in the genetics of maize low phytic acid1-241 (lpa1-241) trait.

Arundo donax as an energy crop: pros and cons of the utilization of this perennial plant