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Liang W, Xu Y, Cui X, Li C, Lu S. Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of miRNAs and Natural Antisense Transcripts Show the Complexity of Gene Regulatory Networks for Secondary Metabolism in Aristolochia contorta. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6043. [PMID: 38892231 PMCID: PMC11172604 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Aristolochia contorta Bunge is an academically and medicinally important plant species. It belongs to the magnoliids, with an uncertain phylogenetic position, and is one of the few plant species lacking a whole-genome duplication (WGD) event after the angiosperm-wide WGD. A. contorta has been an important traditional Chinese medicine material. Since it contains aristolochic acids (AAs), chemical compounds with nephrotoxity and carcinogenicity, the utilization of this plant has attracted widespread attention. Great efforts are being made to increase its bioactive compounds and reduce or completely remove toxic compounds. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and natural antisense transcripts (NATs) are two classes of regulators potentially involved in metabolism regulation. Here, we report the identification and characterization of 223 miRNAs and 363 miRNA targets. The identified miRNAs include 51 known miRNAs belonging to 20 families and 172 novel miRNAs belonging to 107 families. A negative correlation between the expression of miRNAs and their targets was observed. In addition, we identified 441 A. contorta NATs and 560 NAT-sense transcript (ST) pairs, of which 12 NATs were targets of 13 miRNAs, forming 18 miRNA-NAT-ST modules. Various miRNAs and NATs potentially regulated secondary metabolism through the modes of miRNA-target gene-enzyme genes, NAT-STs, and NAT-miRNA-target gene-enzyme genes, suggesting the complexity of gene regulatory networks in A. contorta. The results lay a solid foundation for further manipulating the production of its bioactive and toxic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjing Liang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource of Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yayun Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource of Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xinyun Cui
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource of Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Caili Li
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource of Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shanfa Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality Ensurance and Sustainable Use of Dao-di Herbs, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
- Engineering Research Center of Chinese Medicine Resource of Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China
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Kong ASY, Maran S, Yap PSX, Lim SHE, Yang SK, Cheng WH, Tan YH, Lai KS. Anti- and Pro-Oxidant Properties of Essential Oils against Antimicrobial Resistance. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11091819. [PMID: 36139893 PMCID: PMC9495521 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11091819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has remained a major public health issue, reducing the efficacy of antibiotics and increasing the difficulty of treating infections. The discovery of novel antimicrobial agents is urgently needed to overcome the challenges created by AMR. Natural products such as plant extracts and essential oils (EOs) have been viewed as potential candidates to combat AMR due to their complex chemistry that carries inherent pro-oxidant and antioxidant properties. EOs and their constituents that hold pro-oxidant properties can induce oxidative stress by producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to biological damage in target cells. In contrast, the antioxidant properties scavenge free radicals through offsetting ROS. Both pro-oxidant and antioxidant activities in EOs represent a promising strategy to tackle AMR. Thus, this review aimed to discuss how pro-oxidants and antioxidants in EOs may contribute to the mitigation of AMR and provided a detailed description of the challenges and limitations of utilizing them as a means to combat AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Shen-Yee Kong
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sathiya Maran
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Polly Soo-Xi Yap
- Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Swee-Hua Erin Lim
- Health Sciences Division, Abu Dhabi Women’s College, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi 41012, United Arab Emirates
| | - Shun-Kai Yang
- Health Sciences Division, Abu Dhabi Women’s College, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi 41012, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wan-Hee Cheng
- Faculty Health and Life Sciences, INTI International University, Persiaran Perdana BBN, Putra Nilai, Nilai 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
| | - Yong-Hui Tan
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, UCSI Heights, 1, Jalan Puncak Menara Gading, Taman Connaught, Cheras, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
| | - Kok-Song Lai
- Health Sciences Division, Abu Dhabi Women’s College, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi 41012, United Arab Emirates
- Correspondence:
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