Omanische Heilpflanze im Fokus der Phytochemie IPB-Wissenschaftler und Partner aus Dhofar haben jüngst die omanische Heilpflanze Terminalia dhofarica unter die phytochemische Lupe genommen. Die Pflanze ist reich an…
Geschmack ist vorhersagbar: Mit FlavorMiner. FlavorMiner heißt das Tool, das IPB-Chemiker und Partner aus Kolumbien jüngst entwickelt haben. Das Programm kann, basierend auf maschinellem Lernen (KI), anhand der…
The decision to replicate its DNA is of crucial importance for every cell and, in many organisms, is decisive for the progression through the entire cell cycle. A comparison of animals versus yeast has shown that, although most of the involved cell-cycle regulators are divergent in both clades, they fulfill a similar role and the overall network topology of G1/S regulation is highly conserved. Using germline development as a model system, we identified a regulatory cascade controlling entry into S phase in the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana, which, as a member of the Plantae supergroup, is phylogenetically only distantly related to Opisthokonts such as yeast and animals. This module comprises the Arabidopsis homologs of the animal transcription factor E2F, the plant homolog of the animal transcriptional repressor Retinoblastoma (Rb)-related 1 (RBR1), the plant-specific F-box protein F-BOX-LIKE 17 (FBL17), the plant specific cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors KRPs, as well as CDKA;1, the plant homolog of the yeast and animal Cdc2+/Cdk1 kinases. Our data show that the principle of a double negative wiring of Rb proteins is highly conserved, likely representing a universal mechanism in eukaryotic cell-cycle control. However, this negative feedback of Rb proteins is differently implemented in plants as it is brought about through a quadruple negative regulation centered around the F-box protein FBL17 that mediates the degradation of CDK inhibitors but is itself directly repressed by Rb. Biomathematical simulations and subsequent experimental confirmation of computational predictions revealed that this regulatory circuit can give rise to hysteresis highlighting the here identified dosage sensitivity of CDK inhibitors in this network.
Publikation
Farag, M. A.; Wessjohann, L. A.;Volatiles Profiling in Medicinal Licorice Roots Using Steam Distillation and Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME) Coupled to ChemometricsJ. Food Sci.77C1179-C1184(2012)DOI: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2012.02927.x
Abstract: Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) is a plant of considerable commercial importance in traditional medicine and for the flavor and sweets industry. Although Glycyrrhiza species are very competitive targets for phytochemical studies, very little is known about the volatiles composition within that genus, although such knowledge can be suspected to be relevant for understanding the olfactory and taste properties. To provide insight into Glycyrrhiza species aroma composition and for its use in food and pharmaceutical industry, volatile constituents from G. glabra, G. inflata, and G. echinata roots were profiled using steam distillation and solid‐phase microextraction. Two phenols, thymol and carvacrol, were found exclusively in essential oil and headspace samples of G. glabra, and with highest amounts for samples that originated from Egypt. In G. echinata oil, (2E, 4E)‐decadienal (21%) and β‐caryophyllene oxide (24%) were found as main constituents, whereas 1α, 10α‐epoxyamorpha‐4‐ene (13%) and β‐dihydroionone (8%) predominated G. inflata. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses clearly separated G. echinata and G. inflata from G. glabra; with phenolics and aliphatic aldehydes contributing mostly for species segregation.Practical Application: Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) has large economic, nutritional, and medicinal values. The data presented in this article help in licorice quality control analysis to identify G. glabra from its closely allied species. The presence of thymol and carvacrol exclusively in G. glabra suggests that these volatiles could serve as chemotaxonomic markers and also might be considered as potentially relevant for taste.