The Disease Progression and Molecular Defense Response in Chenopodium Quinoa Infected with Peronospora Variabilis, the Causal Agent of Quinoa Downy Mildew

Downy mildew disease, caused by the biotrophic oomycete Peronospora variabilis, is the largest threat to the cultivation of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) in the Andean highlands, and occurs worldwide. However, so far, no molecular study of the quinoa-Peronospora interaction has been reported. Here, we developed tools to study downy mildew disease in quinoa at the gene expression level. P. variabilis was isolated and maintained, allowing the study of downy mildew disease progression in two quinoa cultivars under controlled conditions. Quinoa gene expression changes induced by P. variabilis were analyzed by qRT-PCR, for quinoa homologues of A. thaliana pathogen-associated genes. Overall, we observed a slower disease progression and higher tolerance in the quinoa cultivar Kurmi than in the cultivar Maniqueña Real. The quinoa orthologs of putative defense genes such as the catalase CqCAT2 and the endochitinase CqEP3 showed no changes in gene expression. In contrast, quinoa orthologs of other defense response genes such as the transcription factor CqWRKY33 and the chaperone CqHSP90 were significantly induced in plants infected with P. variabilis. These genes could be used as defense response markers to select quinoa cultivars that are more tolerant to P. variabilis infection.

The genome of Chenopodium pallidicaule: An emerging Andean super grain

PREMISE

Cañahua is a semi-domesticated crop grown in high-altitude regions of the Andes. It is an A-genome diploid (2n = 2x = 18) relative of the allotetraploid (AABB) Chenopodium quinoa and shares many of its nutritional benefits. Cañahua seed contains a complete protein, a low glycemic index, and offers a wide variety of nutritionally important vitamins and minerals.

METHODS

The reference assembly was developed using a combination of short- and long-read sequencing techniques, including multiple rounds of Hi-C-based proximity-guided assembly.

RESULTS

The final assembly of the ~363-Mbp genome consists of 4633 scaffolds, with 96.6% of the assembly contained in nine scaffolds representing the nine haploid chromosomes of the species. Repetitive element analysis classified 52.3% of the assembly as repetitive, with the most common repeat identified as long terminal repeat retrotransposons. MAKER annotation of the final assembly yielded 22,832 putative gene models.

DISCUSSION

When compared with quinoa, strong patterns of synteny support the hypothesis that cañahua is a close A-genome diploid relative, and thus potentially a simplified model diploid species for genetic analysis and improvement of quinoa. Resequencing and phylogenetic analysis of a diversity panel of cañahua accessions suggests that coordinated efforts are needed to enhance genetic diversity conservation within ex situ germplasm collections.

ODZ1 allows glioblastoma to sustain invasiveness through a Myc-dependent transcriptional upregulation of RhoA

Long-term survival remains low for most patients with glioblastoma (GBM), which reveals the need for markers of disease outcome and novel therapeutic targets. We describe that ODZ1 (also known as TENM1), a type II transmembrane protein involved in fetal brain development, plays a crucial role in the invasion of GBM cells. Differentiation of glioblastoma stem-like cells drives the nuclear translocation of an intracellular fragment of ODZ1 through proteolytic cleavage by signal peptide peptidase-like 2a. The intracellular fragment of ODZ1 promotes cytoskeletal remodelling of GBM cells and invasion of the surrounding environment both in vitro and in vivo. Absence of ODZ1 by gene deletion or downregulation of ODZ1 by small interfering RNAs drastically reduces the invasive capacity of GBM cells. This activity is mediated by an ODZ1-triggered transcriptional pathway, through the E-box binding Myc protein, that promotes the expression and activation of Ras homolog family member A (RhoA) and subsequent activation of Rho-associated, coiled-coil containing protein kinase (ROCK). Overexpression of ODZ1 in GBM cells reduced survival of xenografted mice. Consistently, analysis of 122 GBM tumour samples revealed that the number of ODZ1-positive cells inversely correlated with overall and progression-free survival. Our findings establish a novel marker of invading GBM cells and consequently a potential marker of disease progression and a therapeutic target in GBM.

Antioxidant and antimutagenic polyisoprenylated benzophenones and xanthones from Rheedia acuminata

Dichloromethane extract of the stem bark of Rheedia acuminata yielded three benzophenones with antioxidant activity, the new one named acuminophenone A (1), guttiferone K (2) and isoxanthochymol (3), along with the known xanthones formoxanthone C (4) and macluraxanthone (5). The structures were established through interpretation of their spectroscopic data, the stereochemistry of compounds (1) and (2) were resolved by experimental and computational experiments and their antioxidant activities were measured using the DPPH, ABTS and TEAC assays. The antioxidant results showed that metabolites 1, 4 and 5 had a better antioxidant activity than the reference compound quercetin. In addition, we evaluate the mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of the CH2Cl2 extract as well as of the free radical scavenger compounds 1, 4 and 5 by the AMES Salmonella/microsomal test. No mutagenicity was found in the CH2Cl2 extract using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA102, TA1537 and TA1538, with or without S9 metabolic activation. The pure compounds neither showed mutagenicity in TA 102 strain and the most important result was the strong reduction of mutagenic effect induced by hydrogen peroxide in S. typhimurium TA102, with or without S9, showed by the compounds 1 (more than 93%) and 4 (more than 88%) at 0.02 microg/plate.

Antioxidant and Antimutagenic Polyisoprenylated Benzophenones and Xanthones from Rheedia acuminata

Dichloromethane extract of the stem bark of Rheedia acuminata yielded three benzophenones with antioxidant activity, the new one named acuminophenone A (1), guttiferone K (2) and isoxanthochymol (3), along with the known xanthones formoxanthone C (4) and macluraxanthone (5). The structures were established through interpretation of their spectroscopic data, the stereochemistry of compounds (1) and (2) were resolved by experimental and computational experiments and their antioxidant activities were measured using the DPPH, ABTS and TEAC assays. The antioxidant results showed that metabolites 1, 4 and 5 had a better antioxidant activity than the reference compound quercetin.

In addition, we evaluate the mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of the CH2Cl2 extract as well as of the free radical scavenger compounds 1, 4 and 5 by the AMES Salmonella/microsomal test. No mutagenicity was found in the CH2Cl2 extract using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98, TA100, TA102, TA1537 and TA1538, with or without S9 metabolic activation. The pure compounds neither showed mutagenicity in TA 102 strain and the most important result was the strong reduction of mutagenic effect induced by hydrogen peroxide in S. typhimurium TA 102, with or without S9, showed by the compounds 1 (more than 93%) and 4 (more than 88%) at 0.02 μg/plate.

Antimalarial activity and cytotoxicity of (-)-roemrefidine isolated from the stem bark of Sparattanthelium amazonum

(-)-Roemrefidine, an aporphine alkaloid isolated from Sparattanthelium amazonum Martius (Hernandiaceae) a vine from Bolivia, has been found to be active against both resistant and sensitive strains of Plasmodium falciparum in vitro and against P. berghei in mice. The compound demonstrated no cytotoxic activity against three cell lines (KB, HEp-2 and HeLa).