Integrated analysis of metabolome, transcriptome, and bioclimatic factors of Acer truncatum seeds reveals key candidate genes related to unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, and potentially optimal production area.

BACKGROUND: Lipids found in plant seeds are essential for controlling seed dormancy, dispersal, and defenses against biotic and abiotic stress. Additionally, these lipids provide nutrition and energy and are therefore important to the human diet as edible oils. Acer truncatum, which belongs to the Aceaceae family, is widely cultivated around the world for its ornamental value. Further because its seed oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs)- i.e. α-linolenic acid (ALA) and nervonic acid (NA)- and because it has been validated as a new food resource in China, the importance of A. truncatum has greatly risen. However, it remains unknown how UFAs are biosynthesized during the growth season, to what extent environmental factors impact their content, and what areas are potentially optimal for their production. RESULTS: In this study, transcriptome and metabolome of A. truncatum seeds at three representative developmental stages was used to find the accumulation patterns of all major FAs. Cumulatively, 966 metabolites and 87,343 unigenes were detected; the differential expressed unigenes and metabolites were compared between stages as follows: stage 1 vs. 2, stage 1 vs. 3, and stage 2 vs. 3 seeds, respectively. Moreover, 13 fatty acid desaturases (FADs) and 20 ß-ketoacyl-CoA synthases (KCSs) were identified, among which the expression level of FAD3 (Cluster-7222.41455) and KCS20 (Cluster-7222.40643) were consistent with the metabolic results of ALA and NA, respectively. Upon analysis of the geographical origin-affected diversity from 17 various locations, we found significant variation in phenotypes and UFA content. Notably, in this study we found that 7 bioclimatic variables showed considerable influence on FAs contents in A. truncatum seeds oil, suggesting their significance as critical environmental parameters. Ultimately, we developed a model for potentially ecological suitable regions in China. CONCLUSION: This study provides a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between metabolome and transcriptome in A. truncatum at various developmental stages of seeds and a new strategy to enhance seed FA content, especially ALA and NA. This is particularly significant in meeting the increasing demands for high-quality edible oil for human consumption. The study offers a scientific basis for A. truncatum's novel utilization as a woody vegetable oil rather than an ornamental plant, potentially expanding its cultivation worldwide.

The Effects of Chinese Medicine QRD, Antibiotics, and Probiotics on Therapy and Gut Microbiota in Septic Rats.

Sepsis is a common and often treacherous medical emergency with a high mortality and long-term complications in survivors. Though antibiotic therapy can reduce death rate of sepsis significantly, it impairs gut microbiota (GM), which play imperative roles in human health. In this study, we compared the therapeutic effects of antibiotics, probiotics, and Chinese medicine QRD on the survival rates of septic model and observed the GM characteristics of experimental rats via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The 72 h survival rates of septic rat demonstrated the significant therapeutic effects in the three groups treated with antibiotics (AT), Chinses medicine QRD (QT), and probiotics (PT), which were elevated from the survival rate of 26.67% for the sepsis control group (ST) to 100.0% for AT, 88.24% for QT, and 58.33% for PT. The original characteristics of GM identified in the sham operation controls (SC) were relatively similar to those in PT and QT; nevertheless, the AT rats were shown dramatically decreased in the GM diversity. In addition, the septic rats in AT were revealed the higher abundances of Escherichia Shigella, Proteus, Morganella, Enterococcus, and Lysinibacillus, but the lower those of Parabacteroides, Alistipes, Desulfovibrio, Bacteroides, Helicobacter, Mucispirillum, Oscillibacter, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminiclostridium 9, when compared to the PT and QT rats. By contrast, the GM of PT and QT rats shared similar diversity and structure. Our findings indicated that QRD increased the survival rates without impairment of the GM characteristics, which provides novel insights into the role of Chinese medicine in therapy and long-term recovery of sepsis.

Protective Effects of Yinchenhao Decoction on Cholesterol Gallstone in Mice Fed a Lithogenic Diet by Regulating LXR, CYP7A1, CYP7B1, and HMGCR Pathways.

The study attempted to elucidate whether lipid genes are closely associated with lipid metabolic abnormalities during the lithogenic time and how Yinchenhao Decoction (YCHD) works on the transcriptions of lipid genes against cholesterol gallstone model. C57BL/6J mice fed on lithogenic diet (LD) were used for model establishment and randomized into 5 groups. All groups received LD for different weeks with isometrically intragastric administration of YCHD or NS. Biochemical tests were measured and liver tissues were harvested for histological and genetic detection. It was found that all groups with increasing LD showed a following tendency of gallstone incidence, bile cholesterol, phospholipids, total bile acid, and cholesterol saturation index (CSI). Conversely, YCHD could significantly normalize the levels of gallstone incidence, bile lipids, and CSI (CSI<1). As lithogenic time progressed, ABCG5, ABCG8, PPAR-α, and ABCB4 were upregulated, and SREBP2, CYP7A1, and CYP7B1 were downregulated, while CYP7A1, CYP7B1, LXR, and HMGCR mRNA were increased 3-fold under the administration of YCHD. It was concluded that abnormal expressions of the mentioned genes may eventually progress to cholesterol gallstone. CYP7A1, CYP7B1, LXR, and HMGCR mRNA may be efficient targets of YCHD, which may be a preventive drug to reverse liver injury, normalize bile lipids, facilitate gallstone dissolution, and attenuate gallstone formation.