Integrative Analysis of Metabolome and Transcriptome Reveals the Mechanism of Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Lithocarpus polystachyus Rehd

Flavonoids as key players in cold tolerance: molecular insights and applications in horticultural crops

Cold stress profoundly affects the growth, development, and productivity of horticultural crops. Among the diverse strategies plants employ to mitigate the adverse effects of cold stress, flavonoids have emerged as pivotal components in enhancing plant resilience. This review was written to systematically highlight the critical role of flavonoids in plant cold tolerance, aiming to address the increasing need for sustainable horticultural practices under climate stress. We provide a comprehensive overview of the role of flavonoids in the cold tolerance of horticultural crops, emphasizing their biosynthesis pathways, molecular mechanisms, and regulatory aspects under cold stress conditions. We discuss how flavonoids act as antioxidants, scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during cold stress, and how they regulate gene expression by modulating stress-responsive genes and pathways. Additionally, we explore the application of flavonoids in enhancing cold tolerance through genetic engineering and breeding strategies, offering insights into practical interventions for improving crop resilience. Despite significant advances, a research gap remains in understanding the precise molecular mechanisms by which specific flavonoids confer cold resistance, especially across different crop species. By addressing current knowledge gaps, proposing future research directions and highlighting implications for sustainable horticulture, we aim to advance strategies to enhance cold tolerance in horticultural crops.

Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Provide Insights Into the Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Dangshen

INTRODUCTION

Dangshen (DS) has been used for hundreds of years as a traditional Chinese medicine. It has a wide range of biological activities. Flavonoids are one of the important bioactive components with strong free radical scavenging and antioxidant capacity in DS. However, the biosynthesis process of flavonoids in DS remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to understand the biosynthesis molecular mechanism of flavonoids in DS.

METHODS

In this study, metabolomics research and transcriptome sequencing for DS were carried out. Transcript and metabolite profiles were generated by high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data analysis and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, respectively.

RESULTS

In total, 256 metabolites were identified in the root, stem, leaf, and flower of DS using untargeted metabolomics. Among them, 55 flavonoids, including pinobanksin, butein, fustin, pelargonidin, apigenin, luteolin, and eriodictyol, were closely related to flavonoid metabolism, and most of them were upregulated in different tissues of DS. Furthermore, the differentially expressed genes identified by transcriptomics were mainly enriched in the biosynthesis of flavonoid, isoflavonoid, flavone, and flavonol. A number of genes, including ANS, CCOAOMT, CHI, CHS, CYP75B1, CYP75A, CYP93B2_16, CYP98A/C3'H, DFR, F3H, FLS, and HCT, may regulate the production of flavonoids in different tissues of DS. An integrated analysis of transcriptome and metabolome revealed the flavonoid biosynthetic network in DS and elucidated the diversity of flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of DS.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provide a molecular basis and new insights into flavonoid biosynthesis in DS and lay the foundation for breeding new valuable DS cultivars.

Synergistic antitumor effects of Phlorizin and Temozolomide in glioblastoma: Mechanistic insights and molecular targeting

Glioblastoma (GBM), one of the most aggressive brain cancers, presents significant treatment challenges due to its complex biology and resistance to conventional therapies, necessitating the development of new, low-toxicity, and effective treatments. This study explores the antitumor potential of phlorizin, a naturally occurring dihydrochalcone, as a standalone agent and in combination with temozolomide (TMZ), the standard chemotherapeutic for GBM. Phlorizin was found to significantly inhibit cell viability and migration in vitro, with synergistic effects observed when combined with TMZ. Comprehensive analyses, including protein-protein interaction network construction, enrichment analysis, and molecular docking with AKT1, identified the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway as a critical mediator of glioblastoma cell survival and proliferation targeted by phlorizin. Pathway enrichment analysis of 88 intersection targets further highlighted this pathway's role in phlorizin's activity. Western blot validation confirmed that phlorizin inhibits the expression of key proteins within the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, providing a mechanistic basis for its antitumor effects. These findings suggest that phlorizin, particularly in combination with TMZ, holds significant potential as a therapeutic strategy for glioblastoma by targeting molecular pathways critical for cancer cell survival and proliferation.

A novel electrochemical sensor based on gold nanobipyramids and poly-L-cysteine for the sensitive determination of trilobatin

Trilobatin is a flavonoid that has wide application prospects due to its various pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation. In this work, a novel electrochemical sensor based on gold nanobipyramids (AuNBs) and L-cysteine (L-cys) was constructed for the sensitive and selective determination of trilobatin. The AuNBs, which were prepared by a seed-mediated growth method, had large specific surface areas and excellent electrical conductivity. A layer of L-cys film, which provided more active sites through the amino and hydroxyl groups, was modified on the surface of the AuNBs by electropolymerization. Significantly, the Au-S bond between the L-cys film and AuNBs could improve the stability of the sensor and it exhibited satisfactory electrocatalytic oxidation activity for trilobatin. Under optimized conditions, the sensor based on poly-L-cys/AuNBs/GCE was used to determine trilobatin by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Two wide linear ranges between the current peak and the concentration of trilobatin were obtained in the range from 5 to 100 μM and 100 to 1000 μM, and the low detection limit (LOD) was up to 2.55 μM (S/N = 3). The sensor demonstrated desirable reproducibility, stability, and selectivity and was applied to detect real trilobatin samples extracted from Lithocarpus polystachyus Rehd.'s leaves, showing recoveries of 98.36%-104.96%, with satisfactory results.