Distinguishing Six Edible Berries Based on Metabolic Pathway and Bioactivity Correlations by Non-targeted Metabolite Profiling

Strain-specific metabolomic diversity of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

The chemotaxonomic diversity of 20 Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains was investigated using non-targeted metabolite profiling under different culture conditions. Multivariate and metabolic pathway analyses based on GC-MS and LC-MS/MS datasets showed that amino acid metabolism, especially 2-hydroxy acids, was enriched under aerobic conditions (AE), whereas fatty acid & sugar metabolism was increased under anaerobic conditions (AN). Based on the metabolite profiles, L. plantarum strains were clustered into three main groups (A, B, and C). Overall, 79 and 83 significantly discriminant metabolites were characterized as chemical markers of AE and AN growth conditions, respectively. Notably, alcohols were more abundant in group A whereas amino acids, peptides, purines, and pyrimidines were significantly higher in group C. 2-hydroxy acids and oxylipins biosynthesized through amino acid and fatty acid metabolism, respectively, were more abundant in groups A and B. Furthermore, we observed a strong correlation between the chemical diversity of L. plantarum groups and their antioxidant activity from metabolite extracts. We propose a non-targeted metabolomic workflow to comprehensively characterize the chemodiversity of L. plantarum strain under different culture conditions, which may help reveal specific biomarkers of individual strains depending on the culture conditions.

Fruit Smoothies Enriched in a Honeysuckle Berry Extract-An Innovative Product with Health-Promoting Properties

Smoothies are claimed to be an effective way of promoting fruit and vegetable consumption. They are a rich source of bioactive compounds and provide numerous health benefits. Strawberries and apples are among the most popular smoothie ingredients. Additionally, chokeberry presents antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Another interesting fruit with a wide range of health benefits is the honeysuckle berry. In this study, a dry extract from the mentioned fruit was combined to produce a smoothie enriched in bioactive compounds of unique health-promoting properties. The smoothies were rich in anthocyanins, flavonols, phenolic acids, flavan-3-ols and iridoids. Smoothies with higher concentrations of a polyphenol-iridoid honeysuckle berry extract (0.50%) were the products of a greater content of bioactive compounds and higher antioxidant activity compared to those with no extract or a lower amount (0.25%). However, the sensory evaluation showed that, according to customers, the least attractive smoothies are those with the greatest amounts of the honeysuckle berry extract. Therefore, the correct balance between taste and bioactivity should be sought in order to obtain an innovative product showing characteristics of functional food.

Anti-Candida Properties of Gossypium hirsutum L.: Enhancement of Fungal Growth, Biofilm Production and Antifungal Resistance

(1) Background: Candida is a genus of yeasts with notable pathogenicity and significant ability to develop antimicrobial resistance. Gossypium hirsutum L., a medicinal plant that is traditionally used due to its antimicrobial properties, has demonstrated significant antifungal activity. Therefore, this study investigated the chemical composition and anti-Candida effects of aqueous (AELG) and hydroethanolic (HELG) extracts obtained from the leaves of this plant. (2) Methods: The extracts were chemically characterized by UPLC–QTOF-MS/MS, and their anti-Candida activities were investigated by analyzing cell viability, biofilm production, morphological transition, and enhancement of antifungal resistance. (3) Results: The UPLC–QTOF-MS/MS analysis revealed the presence of twenty-one compounds in both AELG and HELG, highlighting the predominance of flavonoids. The combination of the extracts with fluconazole significantly reduced its IC₅₀ values against Candida albicans INCQS 40006, Candida tropicalis INCQS 40042, and C. tropicalis URM 4262 strains, indicating enhanced antifungal activity. About biofilm production, significant inhibition was observed only for the AELG-treated C. tropicalis URM 4262 strain in comparison with the untreated control. Accordingly, this extract showed more significant inhibitory effects on the morphological transition of the INCQS 40006 and URM 4387 strains of C. albicans (4) Conclusions: Gossypium hirsutum L. presents promising antifungal effects, that may be potentially linked to the combined activity of chemical constituents identified in its extracts.

Recent Studies on Berry Bioactives and Their Health-Promoting Roles

Along with the increased knowledge about the positive health effects of food bioactives, the eating habits of many individuals have changed to obtain higher nutritional benefits from foods. Fruits are among the most preferred food materials in this regard. In particular, berry fruits are important sources in the diet in terms of their high nutritional content including vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds. Berry fruits have remedial effects on several diseases and these health-promoting impacts are associated with their phenolic compounds which may vary depending on the type and variety of the fruit coupled with other factors including climate, agricultural conditions, etc. Most of the berries have outstanding beneficial roles in many body systems of humans such as gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems. Furthermore, they are effective on some metabolic disorders and several types of cancer. In this review, the health-promoting effects of bioactive compounds in berry fruits are presented and the most recent in vivo, in vitro, and clinical studies are discussed from a food science and nutrition point of view.

Combined transcriptomic and metabolic analyses reveal potential mechanism for fruit development and quality control of Chinese raspberry (Rubus chingii Hu)

Combined transcriptomic and metabolic analyses reveal that fruit of Rubus chingii Hu launches biosynthesis of phenolic acids and flavonols at beginning of fruit set and then coordinately accumulated or converted to their derivatives. Rubus chingii Hu (Chinese raspberry) is an important dual functional food with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical values. Comprehensively understanding the mechanisms of fruit development and bioactive components synthesis and regulation could accelerate genetic analysis and molecular breeding for the unique species. Combined transcriptomic and metabolic analyses of R. chingii fruits from different developmental stages, including big green, green-to-yellow, yellow-to-orange, and red stages, were conducted. A total of 89,188 unigenes were generated and 57,545 unigenes (64.52%) were annotated. Differential expression genes (DEGs) and differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were mainly involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. The fruit launched the biosynthesis of phenolic acids and flavonols at the very beginning of fruit set and then coordinately accumulated or converted to their derivatives. This was tightly regulated by expressions of the related genes and MYB and bHLH transcription factors. The core genes products participated in the biosynthesis of ellagic acid (EA) and kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside (K-3-R), such as DAHPS, DQD/SDH, PAL, 4CL, CHS, CHI, F3H, F3'H, FLS, and UGT78D2, and their corresponding metabolites were elaborately characterized. Our research reveals the molecular and chemical mechanisms of the fruit development of R. chingii. The results provide a solid foundation for the genetic analysis, functional genes isolation, fruit quality improvement and modifiable breeding of R. chingii.

Comparison of fruit morphology and nutrition metabolism in different cultivars of kiwifruit across developmental stages

Kiwifruit (Actinidia) is becoming increasingly popular worldwide due to its favorable flavour and high vitamin C content. However, quality parameters vary among cultivars. To determine the differences in quality and metabolic parameters of kiwifruit, we monitored the growth processes of 'Kuilv' (Actinidia arguta), 'Hongyang' (Actinidia chinensis) and 'Hayward' (Actinidia deliciosa). We found that 'Kuilv' required the shortest time for fruit development, while 'Hayward' needed the longest time to mature. The fruit size of 'Hayward' was the largest and that of 'Kuilv' was the smallest. Furthermore, 'Hongyang' showed a double-S shape of dry matter accumulation, whereas 'Kuilv' and 'Hayward' showed a linear or single-S shape pattern of dry matter accumulation during development. The three cultivars demonstrated the same trend for total soluble solids accumulation, which did not rise rapidly until 90-120 days after anthesis. However, the accumulation of organic acids and soluble sugars varied among the cultivars. During later fruit development, the content of glucose, fructose and quinic acid in 'Kuilv' fruit was far lower than that in 'Hongyang' and 'Hayward'. On the contrary, 'Kuilv' had the highest sucrose content among the three cultivars. At maturity, the antioxidative enzymatic systems were significantly different among the three kiwifruit cultivars. 'Hongyang' showed higher activities of superoxide dismutase than the other cultivars, while the catalase content of 'Hayward' was significantly higher than that of 'Hongyang' and 'Kuilv'. These results provided knowledge that could be implemented for the marketing, handling and post-harvest technologies of the different kiwifruit cultivars.

Comparing Metabolites and Functional Properties of Various Tomatoes Using Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics Approach

Tomato is one of the world's most consumed vegetables, and thus, various cultivars have been developed. Therefore, metabolic differences and nutrient contents of various tomatoes need to be discovered. To do so, we performed metabolite profiling along with evaluation of morphological and physicochemical properties of five representative tomato types. Common tomato cultivars, bigger and heavier than other tomatoes, contained higher levels of amino acids, organic acids, and lipids. On the contrary, cherry tomato cultivars contained a higher proportion of phenylpropanoids, lycopene, β-carotene, and α-carotene than the other tomatoes. Also, the highest antioxidant activity and total phenolic and flavonoid contents were observed in cherry tomato cultivars. Furthermore, to understand metabolic distributions in various tomato cultivars, we constructed a metabolic pathway map. The higher metabolic flux distribution of most primary metabolite synthetic pathways was observed in common tomatoes, while cherry tomato cultivars showed a significantly elevated flux in secondary metabolite synthetic pathways. Accordingly, these results provide valuable information of different characteristics in various tomatoes, which can be considered while purchasing and improving tomato cultivars.

Metabolic Profiling Analysis Reveals the Potential Contribution of Barley Sprouts against Oxidative Stress and Related Liver Cell Damage in Habitual Alcohol Drinkers

Chronic excessive alcohol consumption is associated with multiple liver defects, such as steatosis and cirrhosis, mainly attributable to excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Barley sprouts (Hordeum vulgare L.) contain high levels of polyphenols that may serve as potential antioxidants. This study aimed to investigate whether barley sprouts extract powder (BSE) relieves alcohol-induced oxidative stress and related hepatic damages in habitual alcohol drinkers with fatty liver. In a 12-week randomized controlled trial with two arms (placebo or 480 mg/day BSE; n = 76), we measured clinical markers and metabolites at the baseline and endpoint to understand the complex molecular mechanisms. BSE supplementation reduced the magnitude of ROS generation and lipid peroxidation and improved the glutathione antioxidant system. Subsequent metabolomic analysis identified alterations in glutathione metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and fatty acid synthesis pathways, confirming the role of BSE in glutathione-related lipid metabolism. Finally, the unsupervised machine learning algorithm indicated that subjects with lower glutathione reductase at the baseline were responders for liver fat content, and those with higher fatigue and lipid oxidation were responders for γ-glutamyl transferase. These findings suggest that BSE administration may protect against hepatic injury by reducing oxidative stress and changing the metabolism in habitual alcohol drinkers with fatty liver.

Influence of domestication on specialized metabolic pathways in fruit crops

During the process of plant domestication, the selection and traditional breeding for desired characters such as flavor, juiciness and nutritional value of fruits, probably have resulted in gain or loss of specialized metabolites contributing to these traits. Their appearance in fruits is likely due to the acquisition of novel and specialized metabolic pathways and their regulation, driven by systematic molecular evolutionary events facilitated by traditional breeding. Plants change their armory of specialized metabolism to adapt and survive in diverse ecosystems. This may occur through molecular evolutionary events, such as single nucleotide polymorphism, gene duplication and transposition, leading to convergent or divergent evolution of biosynthetic pathways producing such specialized metabolites. Breeding and selection for improved specific and desired traits (fruit size, color, taste, flavor, etc.) in fruit crops through conventional breeding approaches may further alter content and profile of specialized metabolites. Biosynthetic routes of these metabolites have been studied in various plants. Here, we explore the influence of plant domestication and breeding processes on the selection of biosynthetic pathways of favorable specialized metabolites in fruit crops. An orderly clustered arrangement of genes associated with their production is observed in many fruit crops. We further analyzed selection-based acquisition of specialized metabolic pathways comparing first the metabolic profiles and genes involved in their biosynthesis, followed by the genomic organization of such genes between wild and domesticated horticultural crops. Domestication of crop plants favored the acquisition and retention of metabolic pathways that enhanced the fruit value while eliminated those which produced toxic or unfavorable metabolites. Interestingly, unintentional reorganization of complex metabolic pathways by selection and traditional breeding processes has endowed us with flavorful, juicy and nutritionally rich fruits.

Screening of Phenolic Compounds in Australian Grown Berries by LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and Determination of Their Antioxidant Potential

Berries are grown worldwide with the most consumed berries being blackberries (Rubus spp.), blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), red raspberries (Rubus idaeus) and strawberries (Fragaria spp.). Berries are either consumed fresh, frozen, or processed into wines, juices, and jams. In recent times, researchers have focused their attention on berries due to their abundance in phenolic compounds. The current study aimed to evaluate the phenolic content and their antioxidant potential followed by characterization and quantification using LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and HPLC-PDA. Blueberries were highest in TPC (2.93 ± 0.07 mg GAE/gf.w.) and TFC (70.31 ± 1.21 µg QE/gf.w.), whereas the blackberries had the highest content in TTC (11.32 ± 0.13 mg CE/gf.w.). Blueberries had the highest radical scavenging capacities for the DPPH (1.69 ± 0.09 mg AAE/gf.w.), FRAP (367.43 ± 3.09 µg AAE/gf.w.), TAC (1.47 ± 0.20 mg AAE/gf.w.) and ABTS was highest in strawberries (3.67 ± 0.14 mg AAE/gf.w.). LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS study identified a total of 65 compounds including 42 compounds in strawberries, 30 compounds in raspberries, 28 compounds in blueberries and 21 compounds in blackberries. The HPLC-PDA quantification observed phenolic acid (p-hydroxybenzoic) and flavonoid (quercetin-3-rhamnoside) higher in blueberries compared to other berries. Our study showed the presence of phenolic acids and provides information to be utilized as an ingredient in food, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries.

Characterization of Metabolic Changes under Low Mineral Supply (N, K, or Mg) and Supplemental LED Lighting (Red, Blue, or Red-Blue Combination) in Perilla frutescens Using a Metabolomics Approach

In order to achieve premium quality with crop production, techniques involving the adjustment of nutrient supply and/or supplemental lighting with specific light quality have been applied. To examine the effects of low mineral supply and supplemental lighting, we performed non-targeted metabolite profiling of leaves and stems of the medicinal herb Perilla frutescens, grown under a lower (0.75×) and lowest (0.1×) supply of different minerals (N, K, or Mg) and under supplemental light-emitting diode (LED) lighting (red, blue, or red-blue combination). The lowest N supply increased flavonoids, and the lowest K or Mg slightly increased rosmarinic acid and some flavonoids in the leaves and stems. Supplemental LED lighting conditions (red, blue, or red-blue combination) significantly increased the contents of chlorophyll, most cinnamic acid derivatives, and rosmarinic acid in the leaves. LED lighting with either blue or the red-blue combination increased antioxidant activity compared with the control group without LED supplementation. The present study demonstrates that the cultivation of P. frutescens under low mineral supply and supplemental LED lighting conditions affected metabolic compositions, and we carefully suggest that an adjustment of minerals and light sources could be applied to enhance the levels of targeted metabolites in perilla.

Physicochemical characteristics and consumer acceptance of puddings fortified with Cudrania tricuspidata and Aronia melanocarpa extracts

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics of puddings fortified with 0.01% mandarin melon berry (Cudrania tricuspidata) and 0%-1.0% aronia (Aronia melanocarpa) extracts and to assess the effects of the fortification on consumer acceptance. The soluble solid content of pudding significantly increased as aronia concentration increased, whereas pH levels significantly decreased in a similar concentration-dependent manner. The texture profiles of hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness increased significantly in the pudding fortified with 0.01% mandarin melon berry extract compared to those of the control pudding, and these profiles decreased with increasing aronia concentration. One hundred consumers evaluated ten puddings, both with and without acid treatments, in two sessions. Overall acceptance, taste acceptance, and texture acceptance showed no significant differences until 0.1% aronia concentration was reached. However, these differences decreased significantly in the pudding fortified with 0.5% and 1.0% aronia extract. The results demonstrate that the potential application of mandarin melon berry and aronia extract fortification in pudding products should be limited to 0.01% mandarin melon berry and 0.1% aronia concentrations.

Spatiotemporal Modulation of Flavonoid Metabolism in Blueberries

Blueberries are distinguished by their purple-blue fruit color, which develops during ripening and is derived from a characteristic composition of flavonoid-derived anthocyanin pigments. The production of anthocyanins is confined to fruit skin, leaving the colorless fruit flesh devoid of these compounds. By linking accumulation patterns of phenolic metabolites with gene transcription in Northern Highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum) and Rabbiteye (Vaccinium virgatum) blueberry, we investigated factors limiting anthocyanin production in berry flesh. We find that flavonoid production was generally lower in fruit flesh compared with skin and concentrations further declined during maturation. A common set of structural genes was identified across both species, indicating that tissue-specific flavonoid biosynthesis was dependent on co-expression of multiple pathway genes and limited by the phenylpropanoid pathway in combination with CHS, F3H, and ANS as potential pathway bottlenecks. While metabolite concentrations were comparable between the blueberry genotypes when fully ripe, the anthocyanin composition was distinct and depended on the degree of hydroxylation/methoxylation of the anthocyanidin moiety in combination with genotype-specific glycosylation patterns. Co-correlation analysis of phenolic metabolites with pathway structural genes revealed characteristic isoforms of O-methyltransferases and UDP-glucose:flavonoid-3-O-glycosyltransferase that were likely to modulate anthocyanin composition. Finally, we identified candidate transcriptional regulators that were co-expressed with structural genes, including the activators MYBA, MYBPA1, and bHLH2 together with the repressor MYBC2, which suggested an interdependent role in anthocyanin regulation.

Comparative Metabolomics Unravel the Effect of Magnesium Oversupply on Tomato Fruit Quality and Associated Plant Metabolism

In general, greenhouse cultivation involves the rampant application of chemical fertilizers, with the aim of achieving high yields. Oversaturation with mineral nutrients that aid plant growth, development, and yield may lead to abiotic stress conditions. We explore the effects of excess magnesium on tomato plant metabolism, as well as tomato fruit quality using non-targeted mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomic approaches. Tomato plants were subjected to three different experiments, including high magnesium stress (MgH), extremely high magnesium stress (MgEH), and a control with optimal nutrient levels. Leaves, roots, and fruits were harvested at 16 weeks following the treatment. A metabolic pathway analysis showed that the metabolism induced by Mg oversupply was remarkably different between the leaf and root. Tomato plants allocated more resources to roots by upregulating carbohydrate and polyamine metabolism, while these pathways were downregulated in leaves. Mg oversupply affects the fruit metabolome in plants. In particular, the relative abundance of threonic acid, xylose, fucose, glucose, fumaric acid, malic acid, citric acid, oxoglutaric acid, threonine, glutamic acid, phenylalanine, and asparagine responsible for the flavor of tomato fruits was significantly decreased in the presence of Mg oversupply. Altogether, we concluded that Mg oversupply leads to drastically higher metabolite transport from sources (fully expanded leaves) to sinks (young leaves and roots), and thus, produces unfavorable outcomes in fruit quality and development.

Multivitamin and Mineral Supplementation Containing Phytonutrients Scavenges Reactive Oxygen Species in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Phytonutrients and vitamin and mineral supplementation have been reported to provide increased antioxidant capacity in humans; however, there is still controversy. In the current clinical trial, we examined the antioxidant and DNA protection capacity of a plant-based, multi-vitamin/mineral, and phytonutrient (PMP) supplementation in healthy adults who were habitually low in the consumption of fruits and vegetables. This study was an eight-week, double-blind, randomized, parallel-arm, and placebo-controlled trial. PMP supplementation for eight weeks reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and prevented DNA damage without altering endogenous antioxidant system. Plasma vitamins and phytonutrients were significantly correlated with ROS scavenging and DNA damage. In addition, gene expression analysis in PBMC showed subtle changes in superoxide metabolic processes. In this study, we showed that supplementation with a PMP significantly improved ROS scavenging activity and prevented DNA damage. However, additional research is still needed to further identify mechanisms of actions and the role of circulating phytonutrient metabolites.