Magnetic Hydroxyapatite Nanoparticles in Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine.

This review focuses on the latest advancements in magnetic hydroxyapatite (mHA) nanoparticles and their potential applications in nanomedicine and regenerative medicine. mHA nanoparticles have gained significant interest over the last few years for their great potential, offering advanced multi-therapeutic strategies because of their biocompatibility, bioactivity, and unique physicochemical features, enabling on-demand activation and control. The most relevant synthetic methods to obtain magnetic apatite-based materials, either in the form of iron-doped HA nanoparticles showing intrinsic magnetic properties or composite/hybrid compounds between HA and superparamagnetic metal oxide nanoparticles, are described as highlighting structure-property correlations. Following this, this review discusses the application of various magnetic hydroxyapatite nanomaterials in bone regeneration and nanomedicine. Finally, novel perspectives are investigated with respect to the ability of mHA nanoparticles to improve nanocarriers with homogeneous structures to promote multifunctional biological applications, such as cell stimulation and instruction, antimicrobial activity, and drug release with on-demand triggering.

Chemotaxonomy, antibacterial and antioxidant activities of selected aromatic plants from Tabuk region-KSA.

Chemotaxonomy is a valuable tool for obtaining taxonomic insights, which are most effectively employed in combination with other forms of data to establish a system of classification that closely reflects natural connections. The utilization of plant secondary metabolites possessing diverse therapeutic qualities signifies the growing exploitation of natural products in the medical discipline. The objectives of the current study encompassed the identification of phytochemicals in the extracts of nine species of medicinal plants, the examination of their chemotaxonomic properties, and the assessment of the antibacterial and antioxidant capabilities exhibited by the extracts. GC-MS technology was employed for the identification of phytochemical compounds. The study utilized ClassyFire, an automated chemical classification system that incorporates an extensive and computable classification, to categorize chemicals. The chemical classification of plants was examined by the application of principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis (CA). The bactericidal properties of plants were assessed against four harmful bacterial species using the disc diffusion technique. The antioxidant properties of plant extracts were assessed employing the DPPH free radical scavenging methodology, and the half maximal effective concentration (EC50) was determined using dose response models. The calculator being referred to is the Quest Graph™ EC50 Calculator. In the plant extracts, the analysis disclosed the occurrence of 160 phytochemicals, classified into 36 phytochemical classes. The results of CA and PCA demonstrated the proximity and associations among Asteraceae species, while indicating the divergence of the two Lamiaceae species. Achillea fragrantissima and Ducrosia flabellifolia demonstrated the most diversity in phytochemical classes, while Thymus vulgaris displayed the highest level of dominance. Pulicaria undulata and T. vulgaris had the most notable antibacterial activity. D. flabellifolia and P. incisa demonstrated the highest levels of antioxidant activity. Ethanol exhibited superior antibacterial efficacy compared to other solvents. The remarkable biological activities exhibited by these plant extracts can be ascribed to the copious presence of certain chemicals, predominantly sesquiterpenoids, monoterpenoids, benzene and its derivatives, naphthalenes, fatty acyls, and phenols. The susceptibility of Gram-positive bacterial species to plant extracts was shown to be higher in comparison to Gram-negative bacterial species.

Nanoparticles synergy: Enhancing wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cadmium tolerance with iron oxide and selenium.

Nanotechnology is capturing great interest worldwide due to their stirring applications in various fields and also individual application of iron oxide nanoparticle (FeO - NPs) and selenium nanoparticles (Se - NPs) have been studied in many literatures. However, the combined application of FeO and Se - NPs is a novel approach and studied in only few studies. For this purpose, a pot experiment was conducted to examine various growth and biochemical parameters in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under the toxic concentration of cadmium (Cd) i.e., 50 mg kg-1 which were primed with combined application of two levels of FeO and Se - NPs i.e., 15 and 30 mg L-1 respectively. The results showed that the Cd toxicity in the soil showed a significantly (P < 0.05) declined in the growth, gas exchange attributes, sugars, AsA-GSH cycle, cellular fractionation, proline metabolism in T. aestivum. However, Cd toxicity significantly (P < 0.05) increased oxidative stress biomarkers, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants including their gene expression in T. aestivum. Although, the application of FeO and Se - NPs showed a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the plant growth and biomass, gas exchange characteristics, enzymatic and non-enzymatic compounds and their gene expression and also decreased the oxidative stress, and Cd uptake. In addition, individual or combined application of FeO and Se - NPs enhanced the cellular fractionation and decreases the proline metabolism and AsA - GSH cycle in T. aestivum. These results open new insights for sustainable agriculture practices and hold immense promise in addressing the pressing challenges of heavy metal contamination in agricultural soils.

Prevalence of GCKR rs1260326 Variant in Subjects with Obesity Associated NAFLD and T2DM: A Case-Control Study in South Punjab, Pakistan.

The glucokinase regulatory protein (GCKR) regulates glycogen metabolism and insulin secretion, and the GCKR rs1260326 is a putative single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with metabolic disorders including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study was conducted to investigate the genetic association of the GCKR rs1260326 in NAFLD and T2DM in our population. NAFLD (n = 103), T2DM (n = 100), and control (n = 100) samples were collected and genotyped for GCKR rs1260326 by tetra-arm PCR. The genetic variant GCKR rs1260326 was significantly linked with NAFLD and T2DM, while the GCKR rs1260326 was significantly associated with the progression of obesity only in NAFLD subjects. The frequency of the C allele (mutant) was higher in both NAFLD (f = 0.69) and T2DM (f = 0.66) subjects as compared to healthy controls of NAFLD (0.52) and T2DM (f = 0.32). The frequency of the C allele was also positively linked with the progression of obesity in both diseases. The frequency of the C allele was 0.66, 0.67, and 0.74 in NAFLD normal weight, overweight, and obese subjects, respectively, while the frequency of the C allele was 0.60, 0.60, and 0.74 in T2DM in normal weight, overweight, and obese subjects, respectively. Homozygous mutant (CC) was 53% in both NAFLD and T2DM subjects, while heterozygous mutant (CT) was 15.53% in NAFLD and 22% in T2DM subjects. Wild-type allele (TT) was 31.06% in NAFLD and 25% in T2DM subjects. In conclusion, the GCKR rs1260326 is a highly prevalent SNP in NAFLD and T2DM subjects, which possibly contributed to obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic disorders in our population.

Evaluation of nanoceria on cadmium uptake in Triticum aestivum (L.) and its implications for dietary health risk.

In recent times, significant attention has been directed toward the synthesis and application of nanoparticles (NPs) in agriculture sector. In current study, nanoceria (CeO2 NPs) synthesized by green method were employed to address cadmium (Cd) accumulation in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivated in field with excess Cd. The application of CeO2 NPs was carried out through foliar spraying, performed twice during the growth of T. aestivum. Four levels of CeO2 NPs were used: T0, T1, T2, and T3 as 0, 50, 75, and 100 mgL-1, respectively. Results highlighted the positive effects of CeO2 NPs on various growth parameters, including plant height, spike length, photosynthetic related attributes, as well as straw and grain of grains in comparison to T1 (control group). Furthermore, CeO2 NPs led to a reduction in oxidative stress in the leaves and enhanced in enzyme activities in comparison to T1. Notably, Cd concentrations in straw, roots, and grains exhibited a decline following the treatment with CeO2 NPs, in contrast to the control group. In terms of health implications, the calculated health risk index associated with dietary consumption of grains by adults remained below the defined threshold with supply of nanoparticles. Foliar application of CeO2 NPs proved to be an effective approach in reducing cadmium content in wheat grains. This reduction holds significant potential for minimizing the risk of cadmium exposure to human health through the food chain. Employing the green synthesis method amplifies the potential for extensive production and a wide array of environmental applications for CeO2 NPs. This dual capacity makes them proficient in tackling environmental stresses while concurrently mitigating adverse ecological effects.

The Expression of Triticum aestivum Cysteine-Rich Receptor-like Protein Kinase Genes during Leaf Rust Fungal Infection.

Understanding the role of cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) in plant defense mechanisms is crucial for enhancing wheat resistance to leaf rust fungus infection. Here, we identified and verified 164 members of the CRK gene family using the Triticum aestivum reference version 2 collected from the international wheat genome sequencing consortium (IWGSC). The proteins exhibited characteristic features of CRKs, including the presence of signal peptides, cysteine-rich/stress antifungal/DUF26 domains, transmembrane domains, and Pkinase domains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed extensive diversification within the wheat CRK gene family, indicating the development of distinct specific functional roles to wheat plants. When studying the expression of the CRK gene family in near-isogenic lines (NILs) carrying Lr57- and Lr14a-resistant genes, Puccinia triticina, the causal agent of leaf rust fungus, triggered temporal gene expression dynamics. The upregulation of specific CRK genes in the resistant interaction indicated their potential role in enhancing wheat resistance to leaf rust, while contrasting gene expression patterns in the susceptible interaction highlighted potential susceptibility associated CRK genes. The study uncovered certain CRK genes that exhibited expression upregulation upon leaf rust infection and the Lr14a-resistant gene. The findings suggest that targeting CRKs may present a promising strategy for improving wheat resistance to rust diseases.

Evaluating the genotoxicity of salinity stress and secondary products gene manipulation in lime, Citrus aurantifolia, plants.

Salinity is a significant abiotic stress that has a profound effect on growth, the content of secondary products, and the genotoxicity of cells. Lime, Citrus aurantifolia, is a popular plant belonging to the family Rutaceae. The interest in cultivating this plant is due to the importance of its volatile oil, which is included in many pharmaceutical industries, but C. aurantifolia plants are affected by the NaCl salinity levels. In the present study, a comet assay test has been applied to evaluate the genotoxic impact of salinity at 0, 50, 100, and 200 mM of NaCl on C. aurantifolia tissue-cultured plants. Furthermore, terpene gene expression was investigated using a semi-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results from the two analyses revealed that 200 mM of NaCl stress resulted in high levels of severe damage to the C. aurantifolia plants' DNA tail 21.8%, tail length 6.56 µm, and tail moment 3.19 Unit. The relative highest expression of RtHK and TAT genes was 2.08, and 1.693, respectively, when plants were exposed to 200 mM of NaCl, whereas pv4CL2RT expressed 1.50 in plants subjected to 100 mM of NaCl. The accumulation of transcripts for the RTMYB was 0.951 when plants were treated with NaCl at 50 mM, and RtGPPS gene was significantly decreased to 0.446 during saline exposure at 100 mM. We conclude that the comet assay test offers an appropriate tool to detect DNA damage as well as RtHK, TAT, and pv4CL2RT genes having post-transcriptional regulation in C. aurantifolia plant cells under salinity stress. Future studies are needed to assess the application of gene expression and comet assay technologies using another set of genes that show vulnerability to different stresses on lime and other plants.

Phytochemical Diversity, Classification and Antibacterial Activity of Some Medicinal Plant Species from Tabuk (Saudi Arabia).

The main objectives of this study were to investigate the intra-specific and inter-specific phytochemical diversity and classification of nine important medicinal plant species from Tabuk region (KSA), namely (Pulicaria undulata L., Pulicaria incisa Lam., Artemisia herba-alba Asso., Artemisia monosperma Delile, Artemisia judaica L. and Achillea fragrantissima Forssk. from Asteraceae family, Ducrosia flabellifolia Boiss. from Apiaceae family, Thymus vulgaris L. and Lavandula coronopifolia Poir. from Lamiaceae family); to evaluate the antibacterial potentials of the plant extracts, and to inspect the possible associations between phytochemical diversity and contents of different phytochemical classes with the antibacterial activities of plant extracts. GC/MS technique was used to identify phytochemicals in the plant extracts. The standard disk diffusion technique was used to conduct the antibiotic susceptibility against four pathogenic bacterial species (two Gram positive: Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and two Gram negative species: Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. A total of 160 different phytochemicals belonging to 30 compound classes were separated and identified. A. fragrantissima had the highest phytochemical diversity and P. incisa had the lowest one. Phytochemical beta diversity was 6.2362. Ethanol outperformed other extraction solvents in terms of antibacterial activity, while Pulicaria undulata and T. vulgaris ranked highest among plants in this regard. Gram positive bacterial species were more sensitive to plant extracts compared to Gram negative species. Phytochemical diversity and antibacterial activity of plant extracts against E. coli and P. aeruginosa were positively correlative, terpenoid and benzene & substituted derivative contents exhibited significant (p<0.05) positive correlations with the antibacterial activity against E. coli, terpenoid contents also showed positive correlation with activity against P. aeruginosa; benzene & derivative showed positive correlation with activity against the rest of bacterial species.

Silicic and Ascorbic Acid Induced Modulations in Photosynthetic, Mineral Uptake, and Yield Attributes of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) under Ozone Stress.

Most of the world's crop production and plant growth are anticipated to be seriously threatened by the increasing tropospheric ozone (O3) levels. The current study demonstrates how different mung bean genotypes reacted to the elevated level of O3 in the presence of exogenous ascorbic and silicic acid treatments. It is the first report to outline the potential protective effects of ascorbic and silicic acid applications against O3 toxicity in 12 mung bean {Vigna radiata (L.) Wilken} varieties. Under controlled circumstances, the present investigation was conducted in a glass house. There were four different treatments used: control (ambient O3 concentration of 40-45 ppb), elevated O3 (120 ppb), elevated O3 with silicic acid (0.1 mM), and elevated O3 with ascorbic acid (10 mM). Three varieties, viz. NM 20-21, NM 2006, and NM 2016, showcased tolerance to O3 toxicity. Our findings showed that ascorbic and silicic acid applications gradually increased yield characteristics such as seed yield, harvest index, days to maturity, and characteristics related to gas exchange such as transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic activity, and water-use efficiency. Compared to the control, applying both growth regulators enhanced the mineral uptake across all treatments. Based on the findings of the current study, it is concluded that the subject mung bean genotypes responded to silicic acid treatment more efficiently than ascorbic acid to mitigate the harmful effects of O3 stress.

Potentiating Biosynthesis of Alkaloids and Polyphenolic Substances in Catharanthus roseus Plant Using ĸ-Carrageenan.

Catharanthus roseus is a medicinal plant that produces indole alkaloids, which are utilized in anticancer therapy. Vinblastine and vincristine, two commercially important antineoplastic alkaloids, are mostly found in the leaves of Catharanthus roseus. ĸ-carrageenan has been proven as plant growth promoting substance for a number of medicinal and agricultural plants. Considering the importance of ĸ-carrageenan as a promoter of plant growth and phytochemical constituents, especially alkaloids production in Catharanthus roseus, an experiment was carried out to explore the effect of ĸ-carrageenan on the plant growth, phytochemicals content, pigments content, and production of antitumor alkaloids in Catharanthus roseus after planting. Foliar application of ĸ-carrageenan (at 0, 400, 600 and 800 ppm) significantly improved the performance of Catharanthus roseus. Phytochemical analysis involved determining the amount of total phenolics (TP), flavonoids (F), free amino acids (FAA), alkaloids (TAC) and pigments contents by spectrophotometer, minerals by ICP, amino acids, phenolic compounds and alkaloids (Vincamine, Catharanthine, Vincracine (Vincristine), and vinblastine) analysis uses HPLC. The results indicated that all examined ĸ-carrageenan treatments led to a significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in growth parameters compared to the untreated plants. Phytochemical examination indicates that the spray of ĸ-carrageenan at 800 mg L-1 increased the yield of alkaloids (Vincamine, Catharanthine and Vincracine (Vincristine)) by 41.85 µg/g DW, total phenolic compounds by 3948.6 µg gallic/g FW, the content of flavonoids 951.3 µg quercetin /g FW and carotenoids content 32.97 mg/g FW as compared to the control. An amount of 400 ppm ĸ-carrageenan treatment gave the best contents of FAA, Chl a, Chl b and anthocyanin. The element content of K, Ca, Cu, Zn and Se increased by treatments. Amino acids constituents and phenolics compounds contents were altered by ĸ-carrageenan.

Nearly Complete Genome Sequence of Cherry Virus A, Isolated from Prunus armeniaca in Jammu and Kashmir, India.

A nearly complete genome sequence of cherry virus A (CVA), isolated from the Prunus armeniaca plant, is presented in this publication. The genome is 7,380 bases in length and is divided into two open reading frames, with a 54-nucleotide (nt) 5' noncoding region (NCR) and a 297-nt 3' NCR.

Physiological responses of the symbiotic shrimp Ancylocaris brevicarpalis and its host sea anemone Stichodactyla haddoni to ocean acidification.

In this study, the physiology of symbiotic 'peacock-tail' shrimp Ancylocaris brevicarpalis and its host 'Haddon's carpet' sea anemone Stichodactyla haddoni were tested under lowered pH (7.7) and control (8.1) conditions. The biochemical responses such as digestive enzyme (AP), organic acids (lactate and succinate), oxidative damages (MDA), antioxidants metabolites/enzymes (ASC, GSH, SOD, CAT, APX, GPX, GR, POX, and PHOX), and detoxification enzyme (GST) were measured. The AP showed insignificantly reduced values in both the organisms in lowered pH conditions compared to control indicating the effect of abiotic stress. The hierarchical clustering analysis indicated low MDA in sea anemone can be explained by higher POX, APX, GR, ASC, and GSH levels compared to shrimps. However, the detoxification enzyme GST showed less activity in sea anemones compared to shrimps. The results suggest that A. brevicarpalis and sea anemone S. haddoni may have deleterious effects when exposed to short-term acidification stress.

Developmental Stages-Specific Response of Anise Plants to Laser-Induced Growth, Nutrients Accumulation, and Essential Oil Metabolism.

Compared to seeds and mature tissues, sprouts are well known for their higher nutritive and biological values. Fruits of Pimpinella anisum (anise) are extensively consumed as food additives; however, the sprouting-induced changes in their nutritious metabolites are hardly studied. Herein, we investigated the bioactive metabolites, phytochemicals, and antioxidant properties of fruits, sprouts (9-day-old), and mature tissue (5-week-old) of anise under laser irradiation treatment (He-Ne laser, 632 nm). Laser treatment increased biomass accumulation of both anise sprouts and mature plants. Bioactive primary (e.g., proteins and sugars) and secondary metabolites (e.g., phenolic compounds), as well as mineral levels, were significantly enhanced by sprouting and/or laser light treatment. Meanwhile, laser light has improved the levels of essential oils and their related precursors (e.g., phenylalanine), as well as enzyme activities [e.g., O-methyltransferase and 3-Deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase (DAHPS)] in mature tissues. Moreover, laser light induced higher levels of antioxidant and anti-lipidemic activities in sprouts as compared to fruits and mature tissues. Particularly at the sprouting stage, anise was more responsive to laser light treatment than mature plants.

Assessment of phytotoxicity of treated water of Tabuk wastewater plant by different technologies on seed germination of chick pea (Cicer arietinum).

The use of reclaimed water as an alternative source is a sustainable way forward for an arid country like The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The sewage contains organic and inorganic pollutants from households and industrial sources that may not be removed during treatment. In this study, seeds of Cicer arietinum were germinated using six different concentrations of treated water from the Tabuk wastewater treatment plant and tap water was used as control. The physicochemical properties such as total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, total suspended solids, and turbidity values of treated water were higher, which gradually decreased on dilution with tap water. The amount of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and phosphate was in higher concentration in treated water as compared to control. The use of 40% treated water (T3) improved the germination percentage, speed of germination and germination index of C. arietinum. The phytotoxicity test reveals that undiluted treated water (T6) is not fit for direct use on plants. All the investigated treatments confirmed that the use of more than 40% of treated water decreased the fresh weight and dry weight of the seedlings as compared to control. The results are encouraging and help in attaining water sustainability in the Tabuk region.

Potential Importance of Molybdenum Priming to Metabolism and Nutritive Value of Canavalia spp. Sprouts.

Molybdenum ions (Mo) can improve plants' nutritional value primarily by enhancing nitrogenous metabolism. In this study, the comparative effects of seed priming using Mo were evaluated among sproutings of Canavalia species/cultivars, including Canavalia ensiformis var. gladiata (CA1), Canavalia ensiformis var. truncata Ricker (CA2), and Canavalia gladiata var. alba Hisauc (CA3). Mo impacts on growth, metabolism (e.g., nitrogen and phenolic metabolism, pigment and total nutrient profiles), and biological activities were assayed. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to correlate Mo-mediated impacts. The results showed that Mo induced photosynthetic pigments that resulted in an improvement in growth and increased biomass. The N content was increased 0.3-fold in CA3 and 0.2-fold in CA1 and CA2. Enhanced nitrogen metabolism by Mo provided the precursors for amino acids, protein, and lipid biosynthesis. At the secondary metabolic level, phenolic metabolism-related precursors and enzyme activities were also differentially increased in Canavalia species/cultivars. The observed increase in metabolism resulted in the enhancement of the antioxidant (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) free radical scavenging, 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP)) and antidiabetic potential (Glycemic index (GI) and inhibition activity of α-amylase, and α-glucosidase) of species. The antioxidant activity increased 20% in CA3, 14% in CA1, and 8% in CA2. Furthermore, PCA showed significant variations not only between Mo-treated and untreated samples but also among Canavalia species. Overall, this study indicated that the sprouts of Canavalia species have tremendous potential for commercial usage due to their high nutritive value, which can be enhanced further with Mo treatment to accomplish the demand for nutritious feed.

Effect of Elevated CO2 on Biomolecules' Accumulation in Caraway (Carum carvi L.) Plants at Different Developmental Stages.

Caraway plants have been known as a rich source of phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, monoterpenoid glucosides and alkaloids. In this regard, the application of elevated CO2 (eCO2) as a bio-enhancer for increasing plant growth and phytochemical content has been the focus of many studies; however, the interaction between eCO2 and plants at different developmental stages has not been extensively explored. Thus, the present study aimed at investigating the changes in growth, photosynthesis and phytochemicals of caraway plants at two developmental stages (sprouts and mature tissues) under control and increased CO2 conditions (ambient CO2 (a CO2, 400 ± 27 µmol CO2 mol-1 air) and eCO2, 620 ± 42 µmol CO2 mol-1 air ppm). Moreover, we evaluated the impact of eCO2-induced changes in plant metabolites on the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of caraway sprouts and mature plants. CO2 enrichment increased photosynthesis and biomass accumulation of both caraway stages. Regarding their phytochemical contents, caraway plants interacted differently with eCO2, depending on their developmental stages. High levels of CO2 enhanced the production of total nutrients, i.e., carbohydrates, proteins, fats and crude fibers, as well as organic and amino acids, in an equal pattern in both caraway sprouts and mature plants. Interestingly, the eCO2-induced effect on minerals, vitamins and phenolics was more pronounced in caraway sprouts than the mature tissues. Furthermore, the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of caraway plants were enhanced under eCO2 treatment, particularly at the mature stage. Overall, eCO2 provoked changes in the phytochemical contents of caraway plants, particularly at the sprouting stage and, hence, improved their nutritive and health-promoting properties.

Antibacterial, Antihemolytic, Cytotoxic, Anticancer, and Antileishmanial Effects of Ajuga bracteosa Transgenic Plants.

Herbal and traditional medicines can play a pivotal role in combating cancer and neglected tropical diseases. Ajuga bracteosa, family Lamiaceae, is an important medicinal plant. The genetic transformation of A. bracteosa with rol genes of Agrobacterium rhizogenes further enhances its metabolic content. This study aimed at undertaking the molecular, phytochemical, and in vitro biological analysis of A. bracteosa extracts. We transformed the A. bracteosa plant with rol genes and raised the regenerants from the hairy roots. Transgenic integration and expression of rolB were confirmed by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and qPCR analysis. The methanol: chloroform crude extracts of wild-type plants and transgenic regenerants were screened for in vitro antibacterial, antihemolytic, cytotoxic, anticancer, and leishmanial activity. Among all plants, transgenic line 3 (ABRL3) showed the highest expression of the rolB gene. Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) analysis confirmed the enhanced number of functional groups of active compounds in all transgenic lines. Moreover, ABRL3 exhibited the highest antibacterial activity, minimum hemolytic activity (CC50 = 7293.05 ± 7 µg/mL) and maximum antileishmanial activity (IC50 of 56.16 ± 2 µg/mL). ABRL1 demonstrated the most prominent brine shrimp cytotoxicity (LD5039.6 ± 4 µg/mL). ABRL3 was most effective against various human cancer cell lines with an IC50 of 57.1 ± 2.2 µg/mL, 46.2 ± 1.1 µg/mL, 72.4 ± 1.3 µg/mL, 73.3 ± 2.1 µg/mL, 98.7 ± 1.6 µg/mL, and 97.1 ± 2.5 µg/mL against HepG2, LM3, A549, HT29, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231, respectively. Overall, these transgenic extracts may offer a cheaper therapeutic source than the more expensive synthetic drugs.

Nitric oxide is involved in nano-titanium dioxide-induced activation of antioxidant defense system and accumulation of osmolytes under water-deficit stress in Vicia faba L.

Nano-titanium dioxide (nTiO2) has been reported to improve tolerance of plants against different environmental stresses by modulating various physiological and biochemical processes. Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to act as an important stress signaling molecule during plant responses to abiotic stresses. The present work was planned to investigate the involvement of endogenous NO in nTiO2-induced activation of defense system of fava bean (Vicia faba L.) plants under water-deficit stress (WDS) conditions. Water-suffered plants showed increased concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide (O2-) content coupled with increased electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation which adversely affected nitrate reductase (NR) activity, chlorophyll content and growth of the plants. However, application of 15 mg L-1 nTiO2 to stressed plants significantly induced NR activity and synthesis of NO which elevated enzymatic and non-enzymatic defense system of the stressed plants and suppressed the generation of H2O2 and O2- content, leakage of electrolytes, and lipid peroxidation. Application of nTiO2, in association with NO, also enhanced the accumulation of osmolytes (proline and glycine betaine) that assisted the stressed plants in osmotic adjustment as witnessed by improved hydration level of the plants. Involvement of NO in nTiO2-induced activation of defense system was confirmed with NO scavenger cPTIO [2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide] which caused recurrence of WDS.

The role of miRNA in somatic embryogenesis.

Somatic embryogenesis (SEG) is one of the best techniques for mass production of economically important plants. It is also used for the study of morphology, anatomy, physiology, genetics and molecular mechanism of embryo development. Somatic Embryos (SE) are bipolar structures that develop from a cell other than a gamete or zygote. SEG reflects the unique developmental potential of plant somatic cells, resulting in the transition of the differentiated somatic cells to embryogenic cells to follow the zygotic embryo stages. There are several biochemical and physiological processes that transformed a single somatic cell to a whole plant. SE studies provide insight into cell mechanisms governing the totipotency process in plants. Previously, in vitro studies have suggested the role of various regulatory genes in embryogenic transition that are triggered by plant hormones in response to stress. The omic studies identify the specific genes, transcripts, and proteins required for somatic embryogenesis development. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, 19-24 nucleotides (nt), non-coding small RNA regulatory molecules controlling a large number of biological processes. In addition to their role in SEG, miRNAs play vital role in plant development, secondary metabolite synthesis and metabolism of macromolecules, hormone signal transduction, and tolerance of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. During last decade several types of miRNAs involved in SEG have been reported. Among these miRNAs, miR156, miR162, miR166a, miR167, miR168, miR171a/b, miR171c, miR393, miR397 and miR398 played very active role during various stages of SEG. In this review, we highlighted the role of these as well as other miRNAs in some economically important plants.