Bioactive Secondary Metabolites in Plants: Biosynthesis, Regulation, and Function

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Physiology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2023) | Viewed by 3187

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Biotechnology, Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, FEB RAS, Vladivostok 690022, Russia
Interests: gene expression; transgenic plants; plant gene silencing; secondary metabolites of plants

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Biotechnology, Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, FEB RAS, Vladivostok 690022, Russia
Interests: gene expression; transgenic plants; plant gene silencing; mutagenesis, regulation of the gene expression
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant secondary metabolites are diverse and numerous chemical compounds produced by the plant cell via metabolic pathways derived from primary metabolic pathways. According to their biosynthetic pathways, plant secondary metabolites are generally classified into the following several large molecular families: phenolics, terpenes, steroids, alkaloids, and flavonoids. Plant secondary metabolites perform a variety of functions such as plant growth and development processes, innate immunity, defense response signaling, and response to environmental stresses. In addition, plant secondary metabolites also perform important functions such as repelling pests and pathogens, acting as signals for symbiosis between plants and microbes, and altering host-associated microbial communities. There are many secondary metabolites yet to be discovered as detections become more sensitive, approaches to control the amount of metabolites in plants improve, and our molecular understanding of metabolite biosynthesis and transport expands. This Special Issue of the journal Plants highlights the function, biosynthesis, and diversity of plant secondary metabolites in plants, and their role in plant–environment interactions.

Dr. Andrey R. Suprun
Dr. Zlata V. Ogneva
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • secondary metabolites production
  • phenolics
  • terpenes
  • steroids
  • alkaloids
  • flavanoids
  • regulation
  • function of metabolites
  • biosynthesis
  • medicinal effect

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2103 KiB  
Article
The Biosynthesis Pattern and Transcriptome Analysis of Sapindus saponaria Oil
by Xiao Zhou, Lijuan Jiang, Peiwang Li, Jingzhen Chen, Yunzhu Chen, Yan Yang, Luhong Zhang, Yuena Ji, Zhihong Xiao, Kezhai Sheng, Xiaoqian Sheng, Hui Yao, Qiang Liu and Changzhu Li
Plants 2024, 13(13), 1781; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13131781 - 27 Jun 2024
Viewed by 154
Abstract
The Sapindus saponaria (soapberry) kernel is rich in oil that has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, promotes cell proliferation, cell migration, and stimulates skin wound-healing effects. S. saponaria oil has excellent lubricating properties and is a high-quality raw material for biodiesel and premium [...] Read more.
The Sapindus saponaria (soapberry) kernel is rich in oil that has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, promotes cell proliferation, cell migration, and stimulates skin wound-healing effects. S. saponaria oil has excellent lubricating properties and is a high-quality raw material for biodiesel and premium lubricants, showing great potential in industrial and medical applications. Metabolite and transcriptome analysis revealed patterns of oil accumulation and composition and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during seed development. Morphological observations of soapberry fruits at different developmental stages were conducted, and the oil content and fatty acid composition of the kernels were determined. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on kernels at 70, 100, and 130 days after flowering (DAF). The oil content of soapberry kernels was lowest at 60 DAF (5%) and peaked at 130 DAF (31%). Following soapberry fruit-ripening, the primary fatty acids in the kernels were C18:1 (oleic acid) and C18:3 (linolenic acid), accounting for an average proportion of 62% and 18%, respectively. The average contents of unsaturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids in the kernel were 86% and 14%, respectively. Through the dynamic changes in fatty acid composition and DEGs analysis of soapberry kernels, FATA, KCR1, ECR, FAD2 and FAD3 were identified as candidate genes contributing to a high proportion of C18:1 and C18:3, while DGAT3 emerged as a key candidate gene for TAG biosynthesis. The combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolism unveiled the molecular mechanism of oil accumulation, leading to the creation of a metabolic pathway pattern diagram for oil biosynthesis in S. saponaria kernels. The study of soapberry fruit development, kernel oil accumulation, and the molecular mechanism of oil biosynthesis holds great significance in increasing oil yield and improving oil quality. Full article
16 pages, 5543 KiB  
Article
The Effect of External Treatment of Arabidopsis thaliana with Plant-Derived Stilbene Compounds on Plant Resistance to Abiotic Stresses
by Olga A. Aleynova, Zlata V. Ogneva, Andrey R. Suprun, Alexey A. Ananev, Nikolay N. Nityagovsky, Alina A. Beresh, Alexandra S. Dubrovina and Konstantin V. Kiselev
Plants 2024, 13(2), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13020184 - 10 Jan 2024
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Abstract
Stilbenes are a group of plant phenolic secondary metabolites, with trans-resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) being recognized as the most prominent and studied member. Stilbenes have a great potential for use in agriculture and medicine, as they have significant activities against plant pathogens [...] Read more.
Stilbenes are a group of plant phenolic secondary metabolites, with trans-resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) being recognized as the most prominent and studied member. Stilbenes have a great potential for use in agriculture and medicine, as they have significant activities against plant pathogens and have valuable beneficial effects on human health. In this study, we analyzed the effects of direct application of stilbenes, stilbene precursor, and stilbene-rich extract solutions to the plant foliar surface for increasing the resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana to various abiotic stresses (heat, cold, drought, and soil salinity). Exogenous treatment of A. thaliana with stilbenes (trans-resveratrol, piceid, and spruce bark extract) and phenolic precursor (p-coumaric acid or CA) during germination resulted in considerable growth retardation of A. thaliana plants: a strong delay in the root and stem length of 1-week-old seedlings (in 1.3–4.5 fold) and rosette diameter of 1-month-old plants (in 1.2–1.8 fold), while the 2-month-old treated plants were not significantly different in size from the control. Plant treatments with stilbenes and CA increased the resistance of A. thaliana to heat and, to a lesser extent, to soil salinity (only t-resveratrol and spruce extract) to drought (only CA), while cold resistance was not affected. Plant treatments with stilbenes and CA resulted in a significant increase in plant resistance and survival rates under heat, with plants showing 1.5–2.3 times higher survival rates compared to untreated plants. Thus, exogenous stilbenes and a CA are able to improve plant survival under certain abiotic stresses via specific activation of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of auxins, gibberellins, abscisic acid, and some stress-related genes. The present work provides new insights into the application of stilbenes to improve plant stress tolerance. Full article
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Review

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29 pages, 1311 KiB  
Review
Uncovering the Role of Hormones in Enhancing Antioxidant Defense Systems in Stressed Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Plants
by Paola Hernández-Carranza, Raúl Avila-Sosa, Obdulia Vera-López, Addí R. Navarro-Cruz, Héctor Ruíz-Espinosa, Irving I. Ruiz-López and Carlos E. Ochoa-Velasco
Plants 2023, 12(20), 3648; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203648 - 23 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1753
Abstract
Tomato is one of the most important fruits worldwide. It is widely consumed due to its sensory and nutritional attributes. However, like many other industrial crops, it is affected by biotic and abiotic stress factors, reducing its metabolic and physiological processes. Tomato plants [...] Read more.
Tomato is one of the most important fruits worldwide. It is widely consumed due to its sensory and nutritional attributes. However, like many other industrial crops, it is affected by biotic and abiotic stress factors, reducing its metabolic and physiological processes. Tomato plants possess different mechanisms of stress responses in which hormones have a pivotal role. They are responsible for a complex signaling network, where the antioxidant system (enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants) is crucial for avoiding the excessive damage caused by stress factors. In this sense, it seems that hormones such as ethylene, auxins, brassinosteroids, and salicylic, jasmonic, abscisic, and gibberellic acids, play important roles in increasing antioxidant system and reducing oxidative damage caused by different stressors. Although several studies have been conducted on the stress factors, hormones, and primary metabolites of tomato plants, the effect of endogenous and/or exogenous hormones on the secondary metabolism is still poorly studied, which is paramount for tomato growing management and secondary metabolites production. Thus, this review offers an updated overview of both endogenous biosynthesis and exogenous hormone application in the antioxidant system of tomato plants as a response to biotic and abiotic stress factors. Full article
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