Two new withanolides from the whole plants of Physalis peruviana

Two new withaphysalin-type withanolides (18-O-ethylwithaphysalin R and 5-O-ethylphysaminimin C, 1 and 2), along with twelve known withanolides (3-14), were purified and identified from Physalis peruviana L. The chemical structures of these new isolates were elucidated through analyzing spectroscopic and HRESIMS data. All the obtained metabolites were appraised for their potential antiproliferative activity against the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Compound 7 was discovered to exhibit potent activity with an IC₅₀ value of 3.51 µM and compounds 2, 6 and 14 showed weak cytotoxic effect.

Systemic whitefly-induced metabolic responses in newly developed distal leaves of husk tomato plants (Physalis philadelphica) impairs whiteflies development

BACKGROUND

Metabolic reconfiguration in plants is a hallmark response to insect herbivory that occurs in the attack site and systemically in undamaged tissues. Metabolomic systemic responses can occur rapidly while the herbivore is still present and may persist in newly developed tissue to counterattack future herbivore attacks. This study analyzed the metabolic profile of local and newly developed distal (systemic) leaves of husk tomato (Physalis philadelphica) plants after whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum infestation. In addition, the effect of these metabolomic adjustments on whitefly oviposition and development was evaluated.

RESULTS

Our results indicate that T. vaporariorum infestation induced significant changes in husk tomato metabolic profiles, not only locally in infested leaves, but also systemically in distal leaves that developed after infestation. The distinctive metabolic profile produced in newly developed leaves affected whitefly nymphal development but did not affect female oviposition, suggesting that changes driven by whitefly herbivory persist in the young leaves that developed after the infestation event to avoid future herbivore attacks.

CONCLUSIONS

This report contributes to further understanding the plant responses to sucking insects by describing the metabolic reconfiguration in newly developed, undamaged systemic leaf tissues of husk tomato plants after whitefly infestation. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Flower Development in the Solanaceae

Flower development is the process leading from a reproductive meristem to a mature flower with fully developed floral organs. This multi-step process is complex and involves thousands of genes in intertwined regulatory pathways; navigating through the FLOR-ID website will give an impression of this complexity and of the astonishing amount of work that has been carried on the topic (Bouché et al., Nucleic Acids Res 44:D1167-D1171, 2016). Our understanding of flower development mostly comes from the model species Arabidopsis thaliana, but numerous other studies outside of Brassicaceae have helped apprehend the conservation of these mechanisms in a large evolutionary context (Moyroud and Glover, Curr Biol 27:R941-R951, 2017; Smyth, New Phytol 220:70-86, 2018; Soltis et al., Ann Bot 100:155-163, 2007). Integrating additional species and families to the research on this topic can only advance our understanding of flower development and its evolution.In this chapter, we review the contribution that the Solanaceae family has made to the comprehension of flower development. While many of the general features of flower development (i.e., the key molecular players involved in flower meristem identity, inflorescence architecture or floral organ development) are similar to Arabidopsis, our main objective in this chapter is to highlight the points of divergence and emphasize specificities of the Solanaceae. We will not discuss the large topics of flowering time regulation, inflorescence architecture and fruit development, and we will restrict ourselves to the mechanisms included in a time window after the floral transition and before the fertilization. Moreover, this review will not be exhaustive of the large amount of work carried on the topic, and the choices that we made to describe in large details some stories from the literature are based on the soundness of the functional work performed, and surely as well on our own preferences and expertise.First, we will give a brief overview of the Solanaceae family and some of its specificities. Then, our focus will be on the molecular mechanisms controlling floral organ identity, for which extended functional work in petunia led to substantial revisions to the famous ABC model. Finally, after reviewing some studies on floral organ initiation and growth, we will discuss floral organ maturation, using the examples of the inflated calyx of the Chinese lantern Physalis and petunia petal pigmentation.

Multifunctional Contribution of the Inflated Fruiting Calyx: Implication for Cuticular Barrier Profiles of the Solanaceous Genera Physalis, Alkekengi, and Nicandra

Pivotal barrier properties of the hydrophobic plant cuticle covering aerial plant surfaces depend on its physicochemical composition. Among plant species and organs, compounds of this boundary layer between the plant interior and the environment vary considerably but cuticle-related studies comparing different organs from the same plant species are still scarce. Thus, this study focused on the cuticle profiles of Physalis peruviana, Physalis ixocarpa, Alkekengi officinarum, and Nicandra physalodes species. Inflated fruiting calyces enveloping fruits make Physalis, Alkekengi, and Nicandra highly recognizable genera among the Solanoideae subfamily. Although the inflation of fruiting calyces is well discussed in the literature still little is known about their post-floral functionalities. Cuticular composition, surface structure, and barrier function were examined and compared in fully expanded amphistomatous leaves, ripe astomatous fruits, and fully inflated hypostomatous fruiting calyces. Species- and organ-specific abundances of non-glandular and glandular trichomes revealed high structural diversity, covering not only abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces but also fruiting calyx surfaces, whereas fruits were glabrous. Cuticular waxes, which limit non-stomatal transpiration, ranged from <1 μg cm^-2 on P. peruviana fruiting calyces and N. physalodes fruits to 22 μg cm^-2 on P. peruviana fruits. Very-long-chain aliphatic compounds, notably n-alkanes, iso-, and anteiso-branched alkanes, alkanols, alkanoic acids, and alkyl esters, dominated the cuticular wax coverages (≥86%). Diversity of cuticular wax patterns rose from leaves to fruiting calyces and peaked in fruits. The polymeric cutin matrix providing the structural framework for cuticular waxes was determined to range from 81 μg cm^-2 for N. physalodes to 571 μg cm^-2 for A. officinarum fruits. Cuticular transpiration barriers were highly efficient, with water permeabilities being ≤5 × 10^-5 m s^-1. Only the cuticular water permeability of N. physalodes fruits was 10 × 10^-5 m s^-1 leading to their early desiccation and fruits that easily split, whereas P. peruviana, P. ixocarpa, and A. officinarum bore fleshy fruits for extended periods after maturation. Regarding the functional significance, fruiting calyces establish a physicochemical shield that reduces water loss and enables fruit maturation within a protective microclimate, and promotes different seed dispersal strategies among plant species investigated.

Growth rate and life history shape plant resistance to herbivores

PREMISE

Plant defenses are shaped by many factors, including herbivory, lifespan, and mating system. Predictions about plant defense and resistance are often based on resource allocation trade-offs with plant growth and reproduction. Additionally, two types of plant resistance, constitutive and induced resistance, are predicted to be evolutionary alternatives or redundant strategies. Given the variety of plant trait combinations and non-mutually exclusive predictions, examining resistance strategies in related species with different combinations of growth and reproductive traits is important to tease apart roles of plant traits and evolutionary history on plant resistance.

METHODS

Phylogenetic comparative methods were used to examine the potentially interacting influences of life history (annual/perennial), mating system (self-compatible/self-incompatible), and species growth rates on constitutive resistance and inducibility (additional resistance following damage) across Physalis species (Solanaceae).

RESULTS

Resistance was evolutionarily labile, and there was no correlation between constitutive resistance and inducibility. Annual species with fast growth rates displayed higher constitutive resistance, but growth rate did not affect constitutive resistance in perennials. In contrast, inducibility was negatively associated with species growth rate regardless of life history or mating system.

CONCLUSIONS

The different effects of plant life history and growth rate on constitutive resistance and inducibility indicate that defensive evolution is unconstrained by a trade-off between resistance types. The interactions among plant life history, growth, and herbivore resistance show that plant defense is shaped not only by herbivore environment, but also by plant traits that reflect a plant's evolutionary history and local selective pressures.

The powerful Solanaceae: Food and nutraceutical applications in a sustainable world

The Solanaceae family is considered one of the most important families among plant species because, on one hand encompasses many staple food crops of the human diet while, on the other hand, it includes species rich in powerful secondary metabolites that could be valorized in medicine or drug formulation as well as nutraceuticals and food supplements. The main genera are Solanum, Capsicum, Physalis, and Lycium which comprise several important cultivated crops (e.g., tomato, pepper, eggplant, tomatillo, and goji berry), as well as genera notable for species with several pharmaceutical properties (e.g., Datura, Nicotiana, Atropa, Mandragora, etc.). This chapter discusses the nutritional value of the most important Solanaceae species commonly used for their edible fruit, as well as those used in the development of functional foods, food supplements, and nutraceuticals due to their bioactive constituents. The toxic and poisonous effects are also discussed aiming to highlight possible detrimental consequences due to irrational use. Finally, considering the high amount of waste and by-products generated through the value chain of the main crops, the sustainable management practices implemented so far are presented with the aim to increase the added-value of these crops.

Therapeutic Applications of Physalins: Powerful Natural Weapons

Physalins, or 16,24-cyclo-13,14-seco steroids, are compounds belonging to the class of withanolides that can be found in plants of Solanaceae family, mainly in species belonging to the genus Physalis spp., which are annual herbaceous plants widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Physalins are versatile molecules that act in several cell signaling pathways and activate different mechanisms of cell death or immunomodulation. A number of studies have shown a variety of actions of these compounds, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiparasitic, antimicrobial, antinociceptive, and antiviral activities. Here we reviewed the main findings related to the anticancer, immunomodulatory, and antiparasitic activities of physalins and its mechanisms of action, highlighting the \challenges and future directions in the pharmacological application of physalins.

The first checklist of alien vascular plants of Kyrgyzstan, with new records and critical evaluation of earlier data. Contribution 2

Background

We continue the inventory of alien vascular plants of Kyrgyzstan, with emphasis on the time and pathways of introduction of the species and their current status in the territory. Each taxon is discussed in the context of plant invasions in Central Asia. This work is a further development of the preliminary checklist of alien plants of Kyrgyzstan, which was compiled for the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species in 2018.

New information

This contribution includes all alien species of Kyrgyzstan belonging to Solanaceae and Asphodelaceae and one species of Asteraceae. Physalisphiladelphicus (syn. P.ixocarpa) is reported for the first time from Central Asia, as new to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, thus marking a recent invasion with a variety of imported grain and seed material. The old records of P.ixocarpa from Uzbekistan are based on misidentified specimens of P.angulata. Physalisangulata is an old cotton immigrant in Central Asia, whose invasion started in the 1920s; it is excluded from the alien flora of Kyrgyzstan as registered in error on the basis of cultivated plants. Alkekengiofficinarum is an archaeophyte of the Neolithic period in Central Asia, formerly used for food, now strongly declining and largely casual in Kyrgyzstan. The only historical record of Physalisviscosa from Uzbekistan was based on a technical error and belongs to A.officinarum. Daturastramonium and Hyoscyamusniger were introduced as medicinal plants during the period of the Arabic invasion of Central Asia, by the 11th century. Daturainnoxia is a newly recorded casual alien, recently escaped from ornamental cultivation. Nicandraphysalodes is a casual alien, which was cultivated by Russian colonists in the early 20^th century for culinary use and is currently used in ornamental cultivation. Hemerocallisfulva was a remnant of historical cultivation in the former Khanate of Buxoro, and its formerly established colonies are presumably extinct in the wild. Bidensfrondosa was seemingly introduced with contaminated forage and seed of American origin during the late Soviet period and started to spread in the period of independence; its invasion in the former USSR is analysed.

Intraspecific breakdown of self-incompatibility in Physalis acutifolia (Solanaceae)

Variation in mating systems is prevalent throughout angiosperms, with many transitions between outcrossing and selfing above and below the species level. This study documents a new case of an intraspecific breakdown of self-incompatibility in a wild relative of tomatillo, Physalis acutifolia. We used controlled greenhouse crosses to identify self-incompatible (SI) and self-compatible (SC) individuals grown from seed sampled across seven sites across Arizona and New Mexico. We measured 14 flower and fruit traits to test for trait variation associated with mating system. We also quantified pollen tube growth in vivo and tested for the presence of the S-RNase proteins in SI and SC styles. We found that seed from six of the seven sites produced SI individuals that terminated self-pollen tubes in the style and showed detectable S-RNase expression. By contrast, seed from one Arizona site produced SC individuals with no S-RNase expression. These SC individuals displayed typical selfing-syndrome traits such as smaller corollas, reduced stigma-anther distances, and a smaller pollen-ovule ratio. We also found plasticity in self-incompatibility as most of the SI individuals became SC and lost S-RNase expression roughly after 6 months in the greenhouse. While fixed differences in mating systems are known among the SI wild species and the often SC domesticated tomatillos, our study is the first to demonstrate intraspecific variation in natural populations as well as variation in SI over an individual's lifespan.

alleviates testicular disruptions associated with streptozotocin-induced diabetes in male Wistar rats, Rattus norvegicus

Testicular impairment is a serious complication of diabetes that is mediated by oxidative stress and inflammation. Physalis has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory actions. Thus, the present study investigated the ameliorative role of Physalis juice (PJ) prepared from the fruits against testicular damages in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Adult male Wistar rats were divided randomly into five groups (n=6): control, orally administered 5 mL PJ/kg daily (PJ), injected intraperitoneally with a single dose of 55 mg STZ/kg without treatment (STZ), or treated daily with PJ (STZ+PJ) or with 500 mg metformin/kg (STZ+Met), for 28 days. The STZ group showed a marked elevation in the blood glucose level by 230%, whereas remarkable declines in the serum levels of testosterone (44%), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (48%), and luteinizing hormone (LH) (36%), as compared to controls. In comparison to controls, the testis of the STZ group showed remarkable declines in the testis weight (15%), the glutathione (GSH) content (45%), mRNA and protein levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) (48 and 35%), mRNA and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) (63 and 40%), catalase (CAT) (56 and 31%), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (51 and 44%), and glutathione reductase (GR) (62 and 43%), whereas marked elevations in the levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β (169%), tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNFα) (85%), nitric oxide (NO) (96%), malondialdehyde (MDA) (83%), mRNA and protein levels of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) (400 and 61%), and mRNA level of caspase-3 (Cas-3) (370%). Some histopathological alterations were observed in the testicular tissue of the STZ group. In contrast, PJ markedly alleviated all the abovementioned disturbances. In conclusion, PJ at a dose of 5 mL/kg attenuated the diabetes-associated testicular impairments, which may be due to its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic actions.

Metabolic response to larval herbivory in three Physalis species

The Physalis genus includes species of commercial importance due to their ornamental, edible and medicinal properties. These qualities stem from their variety of biologically active compounds. We performed a metabolomic analysis of three Physalis species, i.e., P. angulata, P. grisea, and P. philadelphica, differing in domestication stage and cultivation practices, to determine the degree of inter-species metabolite variation and to test the hypothesis that these related species mount a common metabolomic response to foliar damage caused by Trichoplusia ni larvae. The results indicated that the metabolomic differences detected in the leaves of these species were species-specific and remained even after T. ni herbivory. They also show that each Physalis species displayed a unique response to insect herbivory. This study highlighted the metabolite variation present in Physalis spp. and the persistence of this variability when faced with biotic stressors. Furthermore, it sets an experimental precedent from which highly species-specific metabolites could be identified and subsequently used for plant breeding programs designed to increase insect resistance in Physalis and related plant species.

Naturally occurring physalins from the genus Physalis: A review

Physalins, including physalins and neophysalins, are a class of highly oxygenated ergostane-type steroids. They are commonly known by the name of 16,24-cyclo-13,14-seco steroids, in which the disconnection of C-13 and C-14 produces an eight or nine-membered ring and the carbocyclization of C-16 and C-24 generates a new six-membered ring. Meanwhile, the oxidation of C-18 methyl to carboxyl group forms a 18,20-lactone, and the oxidation of C-14 and C-17 gets a heterocyclic oxygen acrossing rings C and D. Additionly, physalins frequently form an oxygen bridge to connect C-14 to C-27. Physalins are a kind of characteristic constituents from the species of the genus Physalis (Solanaceae), which are reported with a wide array of pharmacological activities, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, antimicrobial, trypanocidal and leishmanicidal, antinociceptive, antidiabetic and some other activities. Herein,the research progress of physalins from the genus Physalis during the decade from 1970 to 2021 on phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and application in China are systematically presented and discussed for the first time.

against neurological impairment associated with streptozotocin induced diabetes in rats

Neuropathy is considered a critical complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Scientific studies are needed to relieve these painful complications. The current study aims to estimate the ameliorative role of Physalis juice (PJ) against neurological impairment in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Type 1 DM was induced after one week of injecting rats with 55 mg STZ/kg body weight. PJ-treated rats were orally administered 5 ml PJ/kg body weight per day for 28 days after induction of diabetes. A small piece of the cerebral cortex of rats was fixed and used for histopathological investigations. The remaining portion of the cerebral cortex was homogenized for biochemical and molecular analyses. As compared to the controls, STZ-injected rats showed significant elevations in the levels of blood glucose, tumor necrosis factor alfa, interleukin-1β, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and expression levels of caspase-3 and B-cell lymphoma-2 associated X-protein. Additionally, remarkable declines in the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, monoamines, B-cell lymphoma-2, glutathione, as well as the activities and gene expression levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase in STZ-treated rats were reported. Moreover, some histopathological alterations were observed in the brain cortex of the STZ-treated rats. On the other hand, the administration of PJ substantially reduced the blood glucose and alleviated the above-mentioned alterations in all the studied parameters of the cerebral cortex. In conclusion, an oral administration of 5 ml PJ/kg revealed a neuroprotective action against neurodegenerative diabetes-induced complications in rats, which might be due to the reported antioxidative and anti-inflammatory actions of PJ. Thus, further therapeutic studies are recommended to apply PJ in the treatment regimen of diabetes.

franchetii Extracts Exert Antitumor Effects on Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Multiple Myeloma by Inhibiting STAT3 Signaling

Background

Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii is an herb that possesses various ethnopharmacological applications. Herein, our current study focuses on the antitumor effect of a combination of physalins, which are regarded as the most representative secondary metabolites from calyces of Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii.

Materials and Methods

We mainly investigated the antitumor activity of the physalins extracted from Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii on both solid and hematologic cancers. The main cells used in this study were NCI-H1975 and U266 cells. The major assays used were the CCK-8 assay, Western blot analyses, immunofluorescence assay and Annexin V assay, and a xenograft mouse model was used.

Results

The results showed that physalins exhibited a strong antitumoural effect on both non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and multiple myeloma (MM) cells by suppressing constitutive STAT3 activity and further inhibiting the downstream target gene expression induced by STAT3 signaling, which resulted in the enhanced apoptosis of tumor cells. Moreover, physalins significantly reduced tumor growth in xenograft models of lung cancer.

Conclusion

Collectively, these findings demonstrated that the physalins from Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii may potentially act as cancer preventive or chemotherapeutic agents for NSCLC and MM by inhibiting the STAT3 signaling pathway. The present study served as a promising guide to further explore the precise mechanism of Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii in cancer treatment.

A review of nutritional properties and health benefits of Physalis species

The Physalis genus of the Solanaceae family is home to many edible food crops including tomatillo, goldenberry, and groundcherry. These Physalis members have garnered more attention as consumer interest in novel fruits and vegetables has increased because of increasing awareness of the health benefits of eating a diverse diet. As a result of this interest, several preliminary studies were conducted of these Physalis to evaluate their nutritional and chemical profiles associated with health benefits. Results showed these crops contain many essential minerals and vitamins, notably potassium and immune system supporting Vitamin C, also known for its antioxidant activity. Beyond nutritional properties, these crops also contain a class of steroidal lactones called withanolides, which have been recognized for their antitumor, and antinflammatory properties. In some studies, withanolide extract from Physalis species have exhibited cytotoxicity towards cancers cells. Overall, this review focuses on the nutritional and physiochemical properties of tomatillo, goldenberry, and groundcherry and how they relate to human health.

Transcriptomic variation of the flower-fruit transition in Physalis and Solanum

Gene expression variations in response to fertilization between Physalis and Solanum might play essential roles in species divergence and fruit evolution. Fertilization triggers variation in fruit development and morphology. The Chinese lantern, a morphological novelty derived from the calyx, is formed upon fertilization in Physalis but is not observed in Solanum. The underlying genetic variations are largely unknown. Here, we documented the developmental and morphological differences in the flower and fruit between Physalis floridana and Solanum pimpinellifolium and then evaluated both the transcript sequence variation and gene expression at the transcriptomic level at fertilization between the two species. In Physalis transcriptomic analysis, 468 unigenes were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were strongly regulated by fertilization across 3 years. In comparison with tomato, 14,536 strict single-copy orthologous gene pairs were identified between P. floridana and S. pimpinellifolium in the flower-fruit transcriptome. Nine types of gene variations with specific GO-enriched patterns were identified, covering 58.82% orthologous gene pairs that were DEGs in either trend or dosage at the flower-fruit transition between the two species, which could adequately distinguish Solanum and Physalis, implying that differential gene expression at fertilization might play essential roles during the divergence and fruit evolution of Solanum-Physalis. Virus-induced gene silencing analyses revealed the developmental roles of some transcription factor genes in fertility, Chinese lantern development, and fruit weight control in Physalis. This study presents the first floral transcriptomic resource of Physalis, and reveals some candidate genetic variations accounting for the early fruit developmental evolution in Physalis in comparison to Solanum.

by methyl-jasmonate: an investigation of compound accumulation patterns and biosynthesis-related candidate genes

We employed both metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches to explore the accumulation patterns of physalins, flavonoids and chlorogenic acid in Physalis angulata and revealed the genes associated with the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds under methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. Physalis angulata L. is an annual Solanaceae plant with a number of medicinally active compounds. Despite the potential pharmacological benefits of P. angulata, the scarce genomic information regarding this plant has limited the studies on the mechanisms of bioactive compound biosynthesis. To facilitate the basic understanding of the main chemical constituent biosynthesis pathways, we performed both metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches to reveal the genes associated with the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds under methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. Untargeted metabolome analysis showed that most physalins, flavonoids and chlorogenic acid were significantly upregulated. Targeted HPLC-MS/MS analysis confirmed variations in the contents of two important representative steroid derivatives (physalins B and G), total flavonoids, neochlorogenic acid, and chlorogenic acid between MeJA-treated plants and controls. Transcript levels of a few steroid biosynthesis-, flavonoid biosynthesis-, and chlorogenic acid biosynthesis-related genes were upregulated, providing a potential explanation for MeJA-induced active ingredient synthesis in P. angulata. Systematic correlation analysis identified a number of novel candidate genes associated with bioactive compound biosynthesis. These results may help to elucidate the regulatory mechanism underlying MeJA-induced active compound accumulation and provide several valuable candidate genes for further functional study.

Complete chloroplast genomes of four Physalis species (Solanaceae): lights into genome structure, comparative analysis, and phylogenetic relationships

BACKGROUND

Physalis L. is a genus of herbaceous plants of the family Solanaceae, which has important medicinal, edible, and ornamental values. The morphological characteristics of Physalis species are similar, and it is difficult to rapidly and accurately distinguish them based only on morphological characteristics. At present, the species classification and phylogeny of Physalis are still controversial. In this study, the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of four Physalis species (Physalis angulata, P. alkekengi var. franchetii, P. minima and P. pubescens) were sequenced, and the first comprehensive cp genome analysis of Physalis was performed, which included the previously published cp genome sequence of Physalis peruviana.

RESULTS

The Physalis cp genomes exhibited typical quadripartite and circular structures, and were relatively conserved in their structure and gene synteny. However, the Physalis cp genomes showed obvious variations at four regional boundaries, especially those of the inverted repeat and the large single-copy regions. The cp genomes' lengths ranged from 156,578 bp to 157,007 bp. A total of 114 different genes, 80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes, were observed in four new sequenced Physalis cp genomes. Differences in repeat sequences and simple sequence repeats were detected among the Physalis cp genomes. Phylogenetic relationships among 36 species of 11 genera of Solanaceae based on their cp genomes placed Physalis in the middle and upper part of the phylogenetic tree, with a monophyletic evolution having a 100% bootstrap value.

CONCLUSION

Our results enrich the data on the cp genomes of the genus Physalis. The availability of these cp genomes will provide abundant information for further species identification, increase the taxonomic and phylogenetic resolution of Physalis, and assist in the investigation and utilization of Physalis plants.

Effects of Infrared-Assisted Refractance Window™ Drying on the Drying Kinetics, Microstructure, and Color of Physalis Fruit Purée

The objective of this work was to study the influence of the drying temperature, infrared (IR) radiation assistance, and the Mylar™ film thickness during Physalis fruit purée drying by the Refractance Window™ (RW™) method. For this, a RW™ dryer layout with a regulated bath at working temperatures of 60, 75, and 90 °C, Mylar™ thicknesses of 0.19, 0.25, 0.30 mm and IR radiation of 250 W for assisting RW™ drying process was used. Experimental curves data were expressed in moisture ratio (MR) in order to obtain moisture effective diffusivities (non-assisted RW™: D_eff = 2.7-10.1 × 10^-10 m²/s and IR-assisted RW™: D_eff = 4.2-13.4 × 10^-10 m²/s) and further drying curves modeling (Page, Henderson-Pabis, Modified Henderson-Pabis, Two-Term, and Midilli-Kucuk models). The Midilli-Kucuk model obtained the best-fit quality on experimental curves regarding statistical tests applied (Coefficient of Determination (R²), Chi-Square (χ²) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). Microscopical observations were carried out to study the RW™ drying conditions effect on microstructural changes of Physalis fruit purée. The main findings of this work indicated that the use of IR-assisted RW™ drying effectively accelerates the drying process, which achieved a decrease drying time around 60%. Thus, this combined RW™ process is strongly influenced by the working temperature and IR-power applied, and slightly by Mylar™ thickness.

var franchetii

Phytochemical investigation into the calyx of Physalis alkekengi L. var franchetii (Mast) Makino resulted in the isolation of ten cytotoxic withanolides, including five new withanolides, 1-5. Compounds 2-4 were obtained as epimeric withaphysalins. The new structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. The withanolides were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against the A549 and K562 cell lines. Compounds 1 and 8 exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against both cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 1.9-4.3 μM and induced typical apoptosis as evaluated by flow cytometric analysis. Further studies indicated that 1 and 8 displayed antitumour effects by suppressing the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signalling pathway.

Comparative Metabolomic and Proteomic Analyses Reveal the Regulation Mechanism Underlying MeJA-Induced Bioactive Compound Accumulation in Cutleaf Groundcherry ( Physalis angulata L.) Hairy Roots

Cutleaf groundcherry ( Physalis angulata L.) is an annual plant with a number of medicinal ingredients. However, studies about the secondary metabolism of P. angulata are very limited. An integrated metabolome and proteome approach was used to reveal the variations in the metabolism associated with bioactive compounds under methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. Application of MeJA to the hairy roots could significantly increase the accumulation of most active ingredients. A targeted approach confirmed the variations in physalins D and H between MeJA treatment and the controls. Increases in the levels of a number of terpenoid backbone biosynthesis and steroid biosynthesis related enzymes, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and 3β-hydroxysterioid dehydrogenase might provide a potential explanation for the MeJA-induced active ingredient synthesis. Our results may contribute to a deeper understanding of the regulation mechanism underlying the MeJA-induced active compound accumulation in P. angulata.

Comparative Metabolomic and Proteomic Analyses Reveal the Regulation Mechanism Underlying MeJA-Induced Bioactive Compound Accumulation in Cutleaf Groundcherry ( Physalis angulata L.) Hairy Roots

Cutleaf groundcherry ( Physalis angulata L.) is an annual plant with a number of medicinal ingredients. However, studies about the secondary metabolism of P. angulata are very limited. An integrated metabolome and proteome approach was used to reveal the variations in the metabolism associated with bioactive compounds under methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. Application of MeJA to the hairy roots could significantly increase the accumulation of most active ingredients. A targeted approach confirmed the variations in physalins D and H between MeJA treatment and the controls. Increases in the levels of a number of terpenoid backbone biosynthesis and steroid biosynthesis related enzymes, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and 3β-hydroxysterioid dehydrogenase might provide a potential explanation for the MeJA-induced active ingredient synthesis. Our results may contribute to a deeper understanding of the regulation mechanism underlying the MeJA-induced active compound accumulation in P. angulata.

Molecular identification of species of Physalis (Solanaceae) using a candidate DNA barcode: the chloroplast psbA-trnH intergenic region

Physalis L., an important genus of the family Solanaceae, includes many commercially important edible and medicinal species. Traditionally, species identification is based on morphological traits; however, the highly similar morphological traits among species of Physalis make this approach difficult. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of using a popular DNA barcode, the chloroplast psbA-trnH intergenic region, in the identification of species of Physalis. Thirty-six psbA-trnH regions of species of Physalis and of the closely related plant Nicandra physalodes were analyzed. The success rates of PCR amplification and sequencing of the psbA-trnH region were 100%. MEGA V6.0 was utilized to align the psbA-trnH sequences and to compute genetic distances. The results show an apparent barcoding gap between intra- and interspecific variations. Results of both BLAST1 and nearest-distance methods prove that the psbA-trnH regions can be used to identify all species examined in the present study. In addition, phylogenetic analysis using psbA-trnH data revealed a distinct boundary between species. It also confirmed the relationship between species of Physalis and closely related species, as established by previous studies. In conclusion, the psbA-trnH intergenic region can be used as an efficient DNA barcode for the identification of species of Physalis.

Application of the Ribosomal DNA ITS2 Region of Physalis (Solanaceae): DNA Barcoding and Phylogenetic Study

Recently, commercial interest in Physalis species has grown worldwide due to their high nutritional value, edible fruit, and potential medicinal properties. However, many Physalis species have similar shapes and are easily confused, and consequently the phylogenetic relationships between Physalis species are poorly understood. This hinders their safe utilization and genetic resource conservation. In this study, the nuclear ribosomal ITS2 region was used to identify species and phylogenetically examine Physalis. Eighty-six ITS2 regions from 45 Physalis species were analyzed. The ITS2 sequences were aligned using Clustal W and genetic distances were calculated using MEGA V6.0. The results showed that ITS2 regions have significant intra- and inter-specific divergences, obvious barcoding gaps, and higher species discrimination rates (82.2% for both the BLASTA1 and nearest distance methods). In addition, the secondary structure of ITS2 provided another way to differentiate species. Cluster analysis based on ITS2 regions largely concurred with the relationships among Physalis species established by many previous molecular analyses, and showed that most sections of Physalis appear to be polyphyletic. Our results demonstrated that ITS2 can be used as an efficient and powerful marker in the identification and phylogenetic study of Physalis species. The technique provides a scientific basis for the conservation of Physalis plants and for utilization of resources.

Chemopreventive Agents from Physalis minima Function as Michael Reaction Acceptors

Background:

The fruits of some varieties of genus Physalis have been used as delicious fruits and functional food in the Northeast of China.

Materials and Methods:

To reveal the functional material basis, we performed bioactivity-guided phytochemical research and chemopreventive effect assay of the constituents from Physalis minima.

Results:

It was demonstrated that the ethyl acetate extract of P. minima L. (EEPM) had potential quinone reductase (QR) inducing activity with induction ratio (IR, QR induction activity) value of 1.47 ± 0.24, and glutathione binding property as potential Michael reaction acceptors (with an α, β-unsaturated ketone moiety). Furthermore, bioactivity-guided phytochemical research led eight compounds (1–8), which were elucidated as 3-isopropyl-5-acetoxycyclohexene-2-one-1 (1), isophysalin B (2), physalin G (3), physalin D (4), physalin I (5), physordinose B (6), stigmasterol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7) and 5α-6β-dihydroxyphysalin R (8) on the basis of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analyses and HRESIMS. Then, isophysalin B (2) and physordinose B (6) showed significant QR inducing activity with IR value of 2.80 ± 0.19 and 2.38 ± 0.46, respectively.

SUMMARY

An ultra-performance liquid chromatographic method with glutathione as the substrate was used to detect the Michael reaction acceptors in extracts of Physalis minima (EPM)

We investigated the chemical constituents of EPM guided by biological activity method

Isophysalin B (1) and physordinose B (6) showed strong quinone reductase inducing activity with induction ratio values of 2.80 ± 0.19 and 2.38 ± 0.46

This study generated useful information for consumers and many encourage researchers to utilize edible fruits from Physalis as a source of phytochemicals

Abbreviations used: EPM: Extracts of Physalis minima, EEPM: Ethyl acetate extract of Physalis minima L., GSH: Glutathione, MRAs: Michael reaction acceptors, QR: Quinone reductase.

Comparative Characterization of the Leaf Tissue of Physalis alkekengi and Physalis peruviana Using RNA-seq and Metabolite Profiling

The genus Physalis in the Solanaceae family contains several species of benefit to humans. Examples include P. alkekengi (Chinese-lantern plant, hôzuki in Japanese) used for medicinal and for decorative purposes, and P. peruviana, also known as Cape gooseberry, which bears an edible, vitamin-rich fruit. Members of the Physalis genus are a valuable resource for phytochemicals needed for the development of medicines and functional foods. To fully utilize the potential of these phytochemicals we need to understand their biosynthesis, and for this we need genomic data, especially comprehensive transcriptome datasets for gene discovery. We report the de novo assembly of the transcriptome from leaves of P. alkekengi and P. peruviana using Illumina RNA-seq technologies. We identified 75,221 unigenes in P. alkekengi and 54,513 in P. peruviana. All unigenes were annotated with gene ontology (GO), Enzyme Commission (EC) numbers, and pathway information from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). We classified unigenes encoding enzyme candidates putatively involved in the secondary metabolism and identified more than one unigenes for each step in terpenoid backbone- and steroid biosynthesis in P. alkekengi and P. peruviana. To measure the variability of the withanolides including physalins and provide insights into their chemical diversity in Physalis, we also analyzed the metabolite content in leaves of P. alkekengi and P. peruviana at five different developmental stages by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We discuss that comprehensive transcriptome approaches within a family can yield a clue for gene discovery in Physalis and provide insights into their complex chemical diversity. The transcriptome information we submit here will serve as an important public resource for further studies of the specialized metabolism of Physalis species.

Phenolic constituents and antioxidant properties of five wild species of Physalis (Solanaceae)

BACKGROUND

Fruits of wild species of the genus Physalis are consumed as food and calyces and leaves are used in traditional medicine. The phenolic composition of the species of this genus have been scarcely studied. To contribute to a better knowledge for the use of all the potential of these wild species of plants, leaves, fruits, and calyces of five wild species of the genus were analyzed for their phenolic composition and antioxidant properties.

RESULTS

Important tissue- and species-dependent variations were found. Calyces of Physalis subulata showed the highest contents of phenolics (176.58 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g dry tissue), flavonoids (39.63 mg/g dry tissue), and phenolic acids (50.57 mg of quercitrin equivalents/g dry tissue), and its leaves displayed the highest total antioxidant capacity (3.59 mg of ascorbic acid equivalents/mL) and one of the highest reduction powers (0.54 µg of ascorbic acid equivalents/mL). A high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection analysis revealed a total of 28 phenolic compounds in foliar tissues (mainly kaempferol-3-O-glycosides), 16 in fruits (mainly phenolic acids), and 16 in calyces (mainly kaempferol-3-O-glycosides); the profiles of these compounds in the three types of tissue were species-specific.

CONCLUSIONS

The studied species of Physalis are important sources of phenolics with relevant antioxidant activity. The current results indicate that phenolic profiles are valuable specific chemical markers and can be relevant as food tracing and authenticity indicators for plant-based preparations involving species of Physalis.

Physalis floridana Cell Number Regulator1 encodes a cell membrane-anchored modulator of cell cycle and negatively controls fruit size

Physalis species show a significant variation in berry size; however, the underlying molecular basis is unknown. In this work, we showed that cell division difference in the ovaries might contribute to the ultimate berry size variation within Physalis species, and that mRNA abundance of Physalis floridana Cell Number Regulator1 (PfCNR1), the putative orthologue of the tomato fruit weight 2.2 (FW2.2), was negatively correlated with cell division in the ovaries. Moreover, heterochronic expression variation of the PfCNR1 genes in the ovaries concomitantly correlated with berry weight variation within Physalis species. In transgenic Physalis, multiple organ sizes could be negatively controlled by altering PfCNR1 levels, and cell division instead of cell expansion was primarily affected. PfCNR1 was shown to be anchored in the plasma membrane and to interact with PfAG2 (an AGAMOUS-like protein determining ovary identity). The expression of PfCYCD2;1, a putative orthologue of the mitosis-specific gene CyclinD2;1 in the cell cycle was negatively correlated with the PfCNR1 mRNA levels. PfAG2 was found to selectively bind to the CArG-box in the PfCYCD2;1 promoter and to repress PfCYCD2;1 expression, thus suggesting a PfAG2-mediated pathway for PfCNR1 to regulate cell division. The interaction of PfCNR1 with PfAG2 enhanced the repression of PfCYCD2;1 expression. The nuclear import of PfAG2 was essential in the proposed pathway. Our data provide new insights into the developmental pathways of a cell membrane-anchored protein that modulates cell division and governs organ size determination. This study also sheds light on the link between organ identity and organ growth in plants.