Temperature has a major effect on the cuticular wax composition of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruit

Cuticle is the first layer protecting plants against external biotic and abiotic factors and is responsive to climatic factors as well as determined by genetic adaptations. In this study, the chemical composition of bilberry fruit cuticular wax was investigated through a latitudinal gradient from Latvia (56°N 24°E) through Finland (65°N 25°E) to northern Norway (69°N 18°E) in two seasons 2018 and 2019. Changes in the major cuticular wax compounds, including triterpenoids, fatty acids, alkanes, aldehydes, ketones, and primary alcohols, were detected by GC-MS analysis. Generally, a decreasing trend in the proportion of triterpenoids from southern to northern latitudes, accompanied with an increase in proportion of fatty acids, aldehydes, and alkanes, in bilberry fruit cuticular wax was observed. A correlation analysis between climatic factors with proportion of wax compounds indicated that temperature was the main factor affecting the cuticular wax composition in bilberries. A controlled phytotron experiment with southern and northern bilberry ecotypes confirmed the major effect of temperature on bilberry fruit cuticular wax load and composition. Elevated temperature increased wax load most in berries of northern ecotypes. The level of triterpenoids was higher, while levels of fatty acids and alkanes were lower, in wax of bilberry fruits ripened at 18°C compared to 12°C in both northern and southern ecotypes. Based on our results, it can be postulated that the predicted increase in temperature due to climate change leads to alterations in fruit cuticular wax load and composition. In northern ecotypes, the alterations were especially evident.

Analysis of composition, morphology, and biosynthesis of cuticular wax in wild type bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and its glossy mutant

In this study, cuticular wax load, its chemical composition, and biosynthesis, was studied during development of wild type (WT) bilberry fruit and its natural glossy type (GT) mutant. GT fruit cuticular wax load was comparable with WT fruits. In both, the proportion of triterpenoids decreased during fruit development concomitant with increasing proportions of total aliphatic compounds. In GT fruit, a higher proportion of triterpenoids in cuticular wax was accompanied by a lower proportion of fatty acids and ketones compared to WT fruit as well as lower density of crystalloid structures on berry surfaces. Our results suggest that the glossy phenotype could be caused by the absence of rod-like structures in GT fruit associated with reduction in proportions of ketones and fatty acids in the cuticular wax. Especially CER26-like, FAR2, CER3-like, LTP, MIXTA, and BAS genes showed fruit skin preferential expression patterns indicating their role in cuticular wax biosynthesis and secretion.

Analysis of composition, morphology, and biosynthesis of cuticular wax in wild type bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and its glossy mutant

In this study, cuticular wax load, its chemical composition, and biosynthesis, was studied during development of wild type (WT) bilberry fruit and its natural glossy type (GT) mutant. GT fruit cuticular wax load was comparable with WT fruits. In both, the proportion of triterpenoids decreased during fruit development concomitant with increasing proportions of total aliphatic compounds. In GT fruit, a higher proportion of triterpenoids in cuticular wax was accompanied by a lower proportion of fatty acids and ketones compared to WT fruit as well as lower density of crystalloid structures on berry surfaces. Our results suggest that the glossy phenotype could be caused by the absence of rod-like structures in GT fruit associated with reduction in proportions of ketones and fatty acids in the cuticular wax. Especially CER26-like, FAR2, CER3-like, LTP, MIXTA, and BAS genes showed fruit skin preferential expression patterns indicating their role in cuticular wax biosynthesis and secretion.

Compositional and morphological analyses of wax in northern wild berry species

Aerial surfaces of plants are covered by a waxy cuticle protecting plants from excessive water loss and UV light. In the present study, composition and morphology of cuticular waxes of northern wild berry species bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), lingonberry (V. vitis-idaea L.), bog bilberry (V. uliginosum L.) and crowberry (Empetrum nigrum L.) were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed differences in epicuticular wax morphology, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis confirmed variation in chemical composition of cuticular waxes between the berry species. The dominant compounds in bilberry and lingonberry cuticular waxes were triterpenoids, while fatty acids and alkanes were the dominant ones in bog bilberry and crowberry, respectively. Wax extracted by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) from industrial press cakes of bilberry and lingonberry contained linoleic acid and γ-linolenic acid as the dominant compounds. Furthermore, in vitro sun protection factor (SPF) of berry waxes depicted good UV-B absorbing capacities.

Evaluation of furanocoumarins from seeds of the wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L. s.l.)

Although the wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L. s.l.) fruits are known to contain linear and angular furanocoumarins, the individual components of the seeds have not been fully identified and quantitated, and, in the case of immature seeds, reported. In view of this, the main furanocoumarin compounds were extracted using pyridine, and were isolated using semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. The structural elucidation of isolated compounds was done based on detailed spectral analysis conducted by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS), ¹H and ¹³C NMR and, where possible, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The quantitative analysis of furanocoumarin compounds in the wild parsnip was conducted by analytical ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC-DAD), calculated against the standard curves of isolated compounds. The total yields of furanocoumarin compounds from the seeds after extraction with pyridine were 107.2-222.8 mg g^-1 (fresh weight) and 50.2-66.4 mg g^-1 (soluble dry matter). Thirteen furanocoumarins were identified. The main compounds (percentage in FW) in immature seeds were bergapten (40.8), pimpinellin (10.5), methoxsalen (5.7), isopimpinellin (4.3), imperatorin (3.2), and phellopterin (7.2). Seven constituents previously not described in P. sativa seeds and its products were identified, namely, byakangelicol (14.4), heraclenin (8.5), isobergapten (2.5), byakangelicin (1.3), heraclenol (0.5), psoralen (0.3), and isobyakangelicin (0.8). The latter is a new compound of the Apiaceae family. Extraction of immature seeds using pyridine gave a much higher yield and a greater variety of furanocoumarins. This indicates that the wild parsnip, along with other Apiaceae family plants, may be an important source of bioactive compounds.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) juice exerts an anticonvulsant effect in mice through binding to GABA receptors

Naturally occurring benzodiazepines have been identified in regular food such as wheat and potato, but there is still no evidence that potato extracts can affect CNS responses in vivo. Here we found that undiluted potato juice and potato juice diluted with saline 1 : 2 administered 10 min intracisternally ( I. C.) and 30 min per os before bicuculline exerted significant anticonvulsant activity in the bicuculline-induced seizure threshold test in mice. In vitro, potato juice from different harvests at dilution series from 10 % to 0.000001 %, diluted 100,000-fold, displaced 50 % of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor ligand [ (3)H]GABA and diluted 40-fold displaced 50 % of [(3)H]flunitrazepam from binding sites in mice forebrain membranes. The low content of diazepam (0.04 +/- 0.01 mg/kg) determined by HPLC and mass spectrometry in the potato extracts could not sustain the anticonvulsant activity of potato juice in vivo; therefore we hypothesized that potato juice might contain GABA (A) receptor GABA-site active compounds. The findings of this study suggest that potato juice as well as potato taken as food may have the capacity of influencing brain GABA-ergic activity.