Confirmed mixed bird-insect pollination system of Scrophularia trifoliata L., a Tyrrhenian species with corolla spots

Sweet cherry TCP gene family analysis reveals potential functions of PavTCP1, PavTCP2 and PavTCP3 in fruit light responses

BACKGROUND

TCP proteins are plant specific transcription factors that play important roles in plant growth and development. Despite the known significance of these transcription factors in general plant development, their specific role in fruit growth remains largely uncharted. Therefore, this study explores the potential role of TCP transcription factors in the growth and development of sweet cherry fruits.

RESULTS

Thirteen members of the PavTCP family were identified within the sweet cherry plant, with two, PavTCP1 and PavTCP4, found to contain potential target sites for Pav-miR159, Pav-miR139a, and Pav-miR139b-3p. Analyses of cis-acting elements and Arabidopsis homology prediction analyses that the PavTCP family comprises many light-responsive elements. Homologs of PavTCP1 and PavTCP3 in Arabidopsis TCP proteins were found to be crucial to light responses. Shading experiments showed distinct correlation patterns between PavTCP1, 2, and 3 and total anthocyanins, soluble sugars, and soluble solids in sweet cherry fruits. These observations suggest that these genes may contribute significantly to sweet cherry light responses. In particular, PavTCP1 could play a key role, potentially mediated through Pav-miR159, Pav-miR139a, and Pav-miR139b-3p.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first to unveil the potential function of TCP transcription factors in the light responses of sweet cherry fruits, paving the way for future investigations into the role of this transcription factor family in plant fruit development.

Chemical Characterization and Anti-HIV-1 Activity Assessment of Iridoids and Flavonols from Scrophularia trifoliata

Plants are the everlasting source of a wide spectrum of specialized metabolites, characterized by wide variability in term of chemical structures and different biological properties such antiviral activity. In the search for novel antiviral agents against Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) from plants, the phytochemical investigation of Scrophularia trifoliata L. led us to isolate and characterize four flavonols glycosides along with nine iridoid glycosides, two of them, 5 and 13, described for the first time. In the present study, we investigated, for the first time, the contents of a methanol extract of S. trifoliata leaves, in order to explore the potential antiviral activity against HIV-1. The antiviral activity was evaluated in biochemical assays for the inhibition of HIV-1Reverse Transcriptase (RT)-associated Ribonuclease H (RNase H) activity and HIV-1 Integrase (IN). Three isolated flavonoids, rutin, kaempferol-7-O-rhamnosyl-3-O-glucopyranoside, and kaempferol-3-O-glucopyranoside, 8–10, inhibited specifically the HIV-1 IN activity at submicromolar concentration, with the latter being the most potent, showing an IC₅₀ value of 24 nM.