Valorization and protection of anthocyanins from strawberries (Fragaria×ananassa Duch.) by acidified natural deep eutectic solvent based on intermolecular interaction.

This study introduces an innovative approach for the valorization and protection of anthocyanins from 'Benihoppe' strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) based on acidified natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES). Choline chloride-citric acid (ChCl-CA, 1:1) was selected and acidified to enhance the valorization and protection of anthocyanins through hydrogen bond. The optimal conditions (ultrasonic power of 318 W, extraction temperature of 61 °C, liquid-to-solid ratio of 33 mL/g, ultrasonic time of 19 min), yielded the highest anthocyanins of 1428.34 µg CGE/g DW. UPLC-Triple-TOF/MS identified six anthocyanins in acidified ChCl-CA extract. Stability tests indicated that acidified ChCl-CA significantly increased storage stability of anthocyanins in high temperature and light treatments. Molecular dynamics results showed that acidified ChCl-CA system possessed a larger diffusion coefficient (0.05 m2/s), hydrogen bond number (145) and hydrogen bond lifetime (4.38 ps) with a reduced intermolecular interaction energy (-1329.74 kcal/mol), thereby efficiently valorizing and protecting anthocyanins from strawberries.

Insights into the Superrosids phylogeny and flavonoid synthesis from the telomere-to-telomere gap-free genome assembly of Penthorum chinense Pursh.

The completion of the first telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome assembly of Penthorum chinense Pursh (PC), a prominent medicinal plant in China, represents a significant achievement. This assembly spans a length of 257.5 Mb and consists of nine chromosomes. PC's notably smaller genome size in Saxifragales, compared to that of Paeonia ostii, can be attributed to the low abundance of transposable elements. By utilizing single-copy genes from 30 species, including 28 other Superrosids species, we successfully resolved a previously debated Superrosids phylogeny. Our findings unveiled Saxifragales as the sister group to the core rosids, with both being the sister group to Vitales. Utilizing previously characterized cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes, we predicted the compound classes that most CYP genes of PC are involved in synthesizing, providing insight into PC's potential metabolic diversity. Metabolomic and transcriptomic data revealed that the richest sources of the three most noteworthy medicinal components in PC are young leaves and flowers. We also observed higher activity of upstream genes in the flavonoid synthesis pathway in these plant parts. Additionally, through weighted gene co-expression network analysis, we identified gene regulatory networks associated with the three medicinal components. Overall, these findings deepen our understanding of PC, opening new avenues for further research and exploration.

Integrated multi-omic analysis reveals the cytokinin and sucrose metabolism-mediated regulation of flavone glycoside biosynthesis by MeJA exposure in Ficus pandurata Hance.

Ficus pandurata Hance (FPH) holds a rich history as a traditional Chinese botanical remedy, utilized both as a culinary condiment and a medicinal intervention for diverse ailments. This study focuses on enhancing FPH's therapeutic potential by subjecting it to exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment, a strategy aimed at elevating the levels of active constituents to align with clinical and commercial requirements. Employing metabolomics, the impact of MeJA treatment on the lipid and flavonoid profiles of FPH leaves was investigated, revealing a marked increase in flavone glycosides, a subset of flavonoids. Investigation into the regulatory mechanism governing flavone glycoside biosynthesis uncovered elevated expression of structural genes associated with flavonoid production in response to MeJA exposure. Global endogenous hormone analysis pinpointed the selective activation of JA and cytokinin biosynthesis following MeJA treatment. Through a comprehensive integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic data, the cooperative stimulation of glucosyltransferase activity, alongside the JA and cytokinin signaling pathways, orchestrated by MeJA were explored. Furthermore, genes linked to sucrose metabolism exhibited heightened expression, concomitant with a noteworthy surge in antioxidant activity subsequent to MeJA treatment. These findings validate the augmentation of FPH leaf antioxidant capacity through MeJA intervention, while also offering profound insights into the regulatory role of MeJA in flavone glycoside biosynthesis, mediated by the interplay between cytokinin and sucrose metabolism pathways.

Current Advances in the Biosynthesis, Metabolism, and Transcriptional Regulation of α-Tomatine in Tomato.

Steroid glycoalkaloids (SGAs) are a class of cholesterol-derived metabolites commonly found in the Solanaceae plants. α-Tomatine, a well-known bitter-tasting compound, is the major SGA in tomato, accumulating extensively in all plant tissues, particularly in the leaves and immature green fruits. α-Tomatine exhibits diverse biological activities that contribute to plant defense against pathogens and herbivores, as well as conferring certain medicinal benefits for human health. This review summarizes the current knowledge on α-tomatine, including its molecular chemical structure, physical and chemical properties, biosynthetic and metabolic pathways, and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. Moreover, potential future research directions and applications of α-tomatine are also discussed.

Antioxidant, antihyperglycemic, and antihyperlipidemic properties of Chimonanthus salicifolius S. Y. Hu leaves in experimental animals: modulation of thioredoxin and glutathione systems, renal water reabsorption, and gut microbiota.

Introduction: Excessive calorie intake and physical inactivity have dramatically increased nutrient overload-associated disease, becoming a global public health issue. Chimonanthus salicifolius S. Y. Hu (CHI) is a homology plant of food and medicine in China and shows several health benefits. Methods: This work investigated the antioxidant activity, the alleviating effects, and the mechanism of action on diabetes and hyperlipidemia of CHI leaves. Results and discussion: Results showed that CHI leaves infusion displayed in vitro antioxidant activity measured by ABTS and ferric reducing antioxidant power methods. In wild-type Kunming mice, CHI leaves infusion consumption activated the hepatic antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase as well as thioredoxin reductase 1. In alloxan-induced type 1 diabetic mice, CHI leaves infusion ameliorated diabetic symptoms, including polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia and hyperglycemia, in a dose-dependent and time-course manners. The mechanism involved CHI leaves up-regulating renal water reabsorption associated protein - urine transporter A1-and promoting the trafficking of urine transporter A1 and aquaporin 2 to the apical plasma membrane. Despite this, in high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemic golden hamsters, CHI leaves powder did not significantly effect on hyperlipidemia and body weight gain. This might be attributed to CHI leaves powder increasing the calorie intake. Interestingly, we found that CHI leaves extract containing a lower dose of total flavonoid than CHI leaves powder pronouncedly reduced the levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum in golden hamsters fed a high-fat diet. Furthermore, CHI leaves extract elevated the diversity of gut microbiota and the abundance of Bifidobacterium and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014. It also decreased the abundance of Lactobacillus at the genus level in golden hamsters fed a high-fat diet. Overall, CHI leaves benefit oxidative stress prevention and metabolic syndrome amelioration in vivo.

Effects of Ficus pandurata Hance var. angustifolia Cheng Flavonoids on Intestinal Barrier and Cognitive Function by Regulating Intestinal Microbiota.

More and more evidence has supported the interaction between circadian rhythms and intestinal microbes, which provides new insights into how dietary nutrition can improve host health. Our research showed that Ficus pandurata Hance var. angustifolia Cheng flavonoids (FCF) ameliorated the pathological damage of colon and abnormal intestinal microflora structure in mice with circadian clock disorder and improved their exploration and memory behaviors. Mechanism studies have shown that FCF is involved in regulating metabolic pathways and related metabolites, regulating the expression of related tight junction proteins in the colon and the levels of Aß and inflammatory factors in the hippocampus. Further analysis found that these metabolites showed a certain correlation with intestinal flora and played a certain role in alleviating intestinal physiological damage and cognitive decline.

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum leaf extracts ameliorate NAFLD in mice with low-grade colitis via the gut-liver axis.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a complex metabolic disorder, manifested as oxidative stress, lipid accumulation, and inflammation of the liver. Tetrastigma hemsleyanum leaves (THL), which are rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids, have good anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective effects. However, it is unknown whether THL extracts can improve NAFLD and the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Hence, this study was designed to investigate the effects of THL extracts on NAFLD and perform a preliminary inquiry into the underlying mechanism based on the gut-liver axis. The results showed that THL extracts could reverse NAFLD-related oxidative stress, lipid accumulation, and inflammation. Additionally, the protective effect of THL extracts on the gut includes the maintenance of the intestinal barrier and the regulation of gut microbiota, which may be one of the mechanisms by which THL improves NAFLD. To be specific, in our study, THL extracts alleviated hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative stress by regulating the expression of lipid synthesis/catabolism and the oxidative stress genes (SREBP-1c/ACC-1/PPAR-α/PPAR-γ/Keap1/Nrf2). In addition, THL extracts reduced damage to the intestinal barrier (ZO-1/Mucin2/occludin) and increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillales, Ruminococcaceae, and Bifidobacteriales in NAFLD mice. In short, THL extracts alleviated NAFLD-related oxidative stress, lipid accumulation, and inflammation in NAFLD mice which may be via the gut-liver axis (gut barrier integrity and gut microbiota).

Identification of a novel α-glucosidase inhibitor from Melastoma dodecandrum Lour. fruits and its effect on regulating postprandial blood glucose.

Melastoma dodecandrum Lour. (MDL) extracts have shown potent α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, suggesting MDL might be a good source of α-glucosidase inhibitors. The aim of the study was to identify compounds in MDL extracts with α-glucosidase inhibitory activities and evaluate their effect on postprandial blood glucose as well as elucidating the underlying mechanisms of inhibition. A total of 34 polyphenols were identified in MDL fruits, among which 10 anthocyanins and three proanthocyanidin derivatives were discovered for the first time. Dosing mice with MDL extracts (100 mg/kg body weight, by gavage) was associated with a significantly decrease in postprandial blood glucose concentrations after oral administration of maltose. The most potent α-glucosidase inhibitor was identified as casuarictin (IC50 of 0.21 µg/mL). Casuarictin bound competitively to α-glucosidase, occupying not only the catalytic site but also forming strong hydrogen bonds with α-glucosidase residues. Therefore, casuarictin derived from MDL fruits might be used as novel α-glucosidase inhibitor in functional foods or other dietary products.

Structure Characterization, Antioxidant and Immunomodulatory Activities of Polysaccharide from Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn.

Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn (Pteridaceae family) has been widely used as a food and medicine in China and Korea. Previous studies indicate that P. aquilinum contains a variety of bioactive chemical components such as flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, saponins, polysaccharides, and so on. In the present study, a novel polysaccharide (named as PAP-3) with average molecular weight of 2.14 × 105 Da was obtained from P. aquilinum. The structure was studied through physicochemical and spectroscopic analysis. The results indicated that PAP-3 consists of arabinose, rhamnose, fucose, galactose, mannose, and xylose in a molar ratio of 1.58:1.00:3.26:4.57:4.81:3.33. The polysaccharide is mainly composed of (1→2)-linked xylose and (1→3,6)-linked mannose on the main chain, with (1→2)-linked xylose, (1→6)-linked mannose, and (1→6)- and (1→3,6)-linked galactose as side chains. Galactose, fucose, and xylose are located at the end of the side chains. The in vitro immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities were assayed. PAP-3 has strong free-radical scavenging activity on DPPH and ABTS radicals and significant immunomodulatory activity on RAW264.7 cells. These data provide useful information for further study on the polysaccharides of P. aquilinum and their applications in the food and medical industries.

Fabrication of Ag/ZnO@N-Carbon Core@Shell Photocatalyst for Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B.

Photocatalytic degradation method has been recognized as an effective way to eliminate the contamination of environment. However, developing photocatalysts with excellent photocatalytic properties are still a big challenge. In this paper, Ag doped ZnO coating with a layer of N doped porous carbon (Ag/ZnO@N-carbon) was successfully synthesized by using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) modified ZIF-8 as precursor via adsorption, hydrothermal treatment, in situ growth and carbonization processes. The physical and chemical properties of all samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron transmission microscopy (TEM) and so on. The results show that Ag doping does not change the crystallinity of ZnO, but broaden its photo-response property. The coating of N doped carbon can improve the specific surface area of photocatalyst. The photocatalytic activity of all samples was evaluated by degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) solution under UV light irradiation for 25 min. Ag/ZnO@N-carbon exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity for degradation of RhB with a degradation of 98.65%. Furthermore, Ag/ZnO@N-carbon also has high stability. Based on the characterization, possible mechanism for degradation of RhB by Ag/ZnO@N-carbon under UV light irradiation was proposed.

Transcriptome and Metabonomics Combined Analysis Revealed the Defense Mechanism Involved in Hydrogen-Rich Water-Regulated Cold Stress Response of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum.

The poor resistance to cold stress conditions has become the bottleneck problem in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum (T. hemsleyanum) planting industry. Exogenous hydrogen (H2) plays an important role in improving stress resistance in plants. However, the key factors and regulatory network of plants in response to hydrogen-rich water (HRW) treatment under environmental stress are not clear. Here, we conducted integrative analyses of metabolome and transcriptome profiles to reveal the defense mechanism involved in the HRW-regulated cold stress response of T. hemsleyanum. The application of 75% HRW could alleviate stress damage by decreasing stomatal apparatus density and significantly increasing photosynthetic efficiency and mitigating physiological indexes of resistance, such as Pn, Cond, MDA, SOD, etc., which were changed by cold stress conditions. A total of 7,883 DEGs and 439 DEMs were identified. DEGs were the most relevant to phenylpropanoid, isoflavonoid, monoterpenoid, and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Using gene co-expression analysis (WGCNA), we identified one gene module that showed a strong correlation between total antioxidant capacity and transpiration rate. Trend analysis indicated that the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway played a major role in the transcription and metabolism process of HRW treatment under cold stress. Based on the integrated analysis of genes and metabolites, the results showed cold stress upregulated the expression of PAL, CHS, COMT, CCR, AtBG1, etc., resulting in the accumulation of coniferyl alcohol and eriodictyol contents in T. hemsleyanum under cold stress, but the 75% HRW treatment could attenuate the enhancement. The study not only identified the main strategy of HRW protection against cold stress but also provided candidate genes for flavonoid biosynthesis, so as to better improve cold tolerance through molecular breeding techniques.

Effects of Intestinal Flora on Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Therapeutic Significance of Polysaccharides.

In recent years, the relevant research on intestinal flora has been in full swing, and it has become an extremely important research direction in clinical medicine and life science. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disease characterized by changes in intestinal function and accompanied by comorbid anxiety. At present, the pathogenic mechanism of IBS is not yet clear. The gut-brain axis (GBA), as a two-way information exchange system between the gut and the brain, has an important influence on the prevention of IBS. Present studies have shown that polysaccharides are important for maintaining the steady status of intestinal micro-environment. This review summarized the relationship between intestinal flora, GBA and immune activation, and provided a new idea for the preventive treatment of IBS from the perspective of polysaccharides.

Single-Cell Transcriptomic Analysis Demonstrates the Regulation of Peach Polysaccharides on Circadian Rhythm Disturbance.

SCOPE: Plant polysaccharides are thought to have a prebiotic effect, promoting the growth of probiotics, which may regulate circadian rhythms. This study evaluates the regulation of peach polysaccharides (PPS) on circadian rhythm disturbance through intestinal microbiota by a mouse model. METHODS AND RESULTS: PPS is administered to mice with circadian rhythm disturbance for 4 weeks. The study finds that PPS ameliorated the structural disorder of intestinal microbiota induced by continuous darkness, decreasing the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B), thereby regulating furfural degradation, penicillin and cephalosporin biosynthesis, and antibiotic biosynthesis. Single-cell transcriptomics is used to determine the type of hypothalamus cells and the expression of clock genes in mice, showing that the number of astrocytes and oligoendrocytes cells in the hypothalamus of the transplanted mice is up-regulated, and the expression of neuroprotective genes such as Sox9 and Mobp increased. In addition, clock genes such as Cry2 and Per3 show significant callback. CONCLUSION: This study shows that PPS can ameliorate the imbalance of intestinal microbiota and cell dysfunction caused by circadian rhythm disorder, suggesting that PPS is a feasible strategy for the prevention and treatment of circadian rhythm disorder and related cognitive impairment.

Proteomics and metabolomics reveal the mechanism underlying differential antioxidant activity among the organs of two base plants of Shiliang tea (Chimonanthus salicifolius and Chimonanthus zhejiangensis).

The leaves and branches of Chimonanthus salicifolius and Chimonanthus zhejiangensis are the base ingredients of Shiliang tea. In this study, proteomics and metabolomics were performed to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying antioxidant activity (AA) in the leaves and branches of the two species. Stress and redox related proteins are differentially expressed among organs. The abundance of isoprenoid pathway-related proteins is higher in leaves while the abundance of phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathway-related proteins is higher in branches in both species. Metabolomics revealed the flavonoid composition and demonstrated that procyanidins are more abundant in branches. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), and AA are stronger in branches than leaves. Overall, branches might contribute to redox homeostasis through SOD/GSH-PX and flavonoids. Furthermore, the high level of AA of branches might be largely due to their increased accumulation of procyanidins.

Omics Analyses of Intestinal Microbiota and Hypothalamus Clock Genes in Circadian Disturbance Model Mice Fed with Green Tea Polyphenols.

Green tea polyphenols (GTP) have similar activities as prebiotics, which effectively regulate the structure of intestinal flora and affect their metabolic pathways. The intestinal flora is closely related to the host's circadian rhythm, and the supplementation with GTP may be an effective way to improve circadian rhythm disorders. In this study, we established a mouse model of circadian rhythm disturbance of anthropogenic flora to investigate the regulation mechanism of GTP on the host circadian rhythms. After 4 weeks of GTP administration, the results showed that GTP significantly alleviated the structural disorder of intestinal microbiota, thus effectively regulating related metabolites associated with brain nerves and circadian rhythms. Moreover, single-cell transcription of the mouse hypothalamus suggested that GTP up-regulated the number of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes and adjusted the expression of core clock genes Csnk1d, Clock, Per3, Cry2, and BhIhe41 caused by circadian disruption. Therefore, this study provided evidence that GTP can improve the physiological health of hosts with the circadian disorder by positively affecting intestinal flora and related metabolites and regulating circadian gene expression.

Chemical composition, quality attributes and antioxidant activity of stirred-type yogurt enriched with Melastoma dodecandrum Lour fruit powder.

This study for the first time used Melastoma dodecandrum Lour fruit powder (MDLP) as a novel functional ingredient for improving the quality of stirred-type yogurt (STY). Physicochemical properties, polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, textural analysis, fat globules, microstructure, and sensorial properties of MDLP-fortified STY were evaluated during storage (at 4 °C). The results indicated that MDLP significantly (p < 0.05) improved the total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and proanthocyanidins, as well as increased the antioxidant activity of fortified yogurts compared to an STY-control. Interstitially, MDLP altered the structure of STY, making it firmer and more cohesive, increased its viscosity index, and significantly reduced whey and fat globule release compared to the STY-control during cold storage. Among all MDLP concentrations, 1% MDLP-fortified STY showed the best results followed by 0.5%. This study concluded that MDLP can be used as a potential nutritious ingredient and as a natural stabilizer for yogurt and related products.

Bioactive constituents of Mosla chinensis-cv. Jiangxiangru ameliorate inflammation through MAPK signaling pathways and modify intestinal microbiota in DSS-induced colitis mice.

BACKGROUND: Mosla chinensis Maxim. cv. Jiangxiangru (JXR), a traditional Chinese medicine, commonly used for the therapy of cold, fever, diarrhea, digestive disorders, and other diseases. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disorder of the human gastrointestinal tract. Research about the effect of JXR on IBD and the active ingredient composition of JXR remains deficiency. PURPOSE: This study aims to determine the phytochemical composition and the anti-inflammatory property of JXR, as well as the possible anti-inflammatory mechanisms. METHODS: The bioactive profile of JXR extracts was determined by UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS. A DSS induced colitis mouse model was applied to explore the anti-inflammatory activity of JXR. The body weight, colon length and histopathological status of colon tissue were evaluated. The content of inflammatory mediators (nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2)) and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)), corresponding mRNA and protein expression levels were analyzed. Oxidation pressure and gut microbial composition were also explored. RESULTS: Totally 63 constitutes were identified from JXR, among them, phenolic acids and flavonoids comprised a large part, and rosmarinic acid (RA) was the main compound. The results of DSS-induced colitis mice model indicated that JXR effectively ameliorated inflammation, restore the redox balance in the gut. JXR treatment significantly reduced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased the activity of antioxidative enzyme, suppressed the secretion of inflammatory mediators (NO, PGE2) and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß). JXR also restrained the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathway. Furthermore, JXR could restore the microbial diversity by suppressing Bacteroidaceae, increasing Bifidobacteriales and Melainabacteria in DSS colitis mouse model. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that JXR composed with various bioactive compounds, effectively ameliorated colitis, restored the redox balance and regulated gut microbiota. Results from the present study provide an insight of therapeutic potential of JXR in IBD based on its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, also provide a scientific basis for using JXR as a functional ingredient to promote colon health.

Metabolism of Phenolics of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Roots under In Vitro Digestion and Colonic Fermentation as Well as Their In Vivo Antioxidant Activity in Rats.

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg is a herbaceous perennial species distributed mainly in southern China. The Tetrastigma hemsleyanum root (THR) has been prevalently consumed as a functional tea or dietary supplement. In vitro digestion models, including colonic fermentation, were built to evaluate the release and stability of THR phenolics with the method of HPLC-QqQ-MS/MS and UPLC-Qtof-MS/MS. From the oral cavity, the contents of total phenolic and flavonoid began to degrade. Quercetin-3-rutinoside, quercetin-3-glucoside, kaempferol-3-rutinoside, and kaempferol-3-glucoside were metabolized as major components and they were absorbed in the form of glycosides for hepatic metabolism. On the other hand, the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, and glutathione (GSH) content were significantly increased, while malondialdehyde (MDA) content was decreased in plasma and tissues of rats treated with THR extract in the oxidative stress model. These results indicated that the THR extract is a good antioxidant substance and has good bioavailability, which can effectively prevent some chronic diseases caused by oxidative stress. It also provides a basis for the effectiveness of THR as a traditional functional food.

Microfluid-based soft metasurface for tunable optical activity in THz wave.

Metasurfaces are usually planar structures and do not possess intrinsic chirality and therefore hardly generate optical activity. Here we realized a tunable optical activity in a terahertz wave through a microfluid-based soft metasurface. The meta-atom is a chiral structured microchannel made of soft polydimethylsiloxane and injected with the liquid metal Galinstan. A microfluid pressure system is bonded to the metasurface to reconfigure all meta-atoms simultaneously. By pumping glycerol liquid into the pressure system, the metasurface is deformed from a planar structure to a three dimensional one, which manifests intrinsic chirality for optical activity realization. By controlling the injected glycerol volume, a polarization rotation from 0°to 14° at 0.19 THz is demonstrated. The soft metasurface with tunable optical activity can be flexibly applied in various applications such as polarization microscopy, bio-detection and material analysis, etc.

The Chimonanthus salicifolius genome provides insight into magnoliid evolution and flavonoid biosynthesis.

Chimonanthus salicifolius, a member of the Calycanthaceae of magnoliids, is one of the most famous medicinal plants in Eastern China. Here, we report a chromosome-level genome assembly of C. salicifolius, comprising 820.1 Mb of genomic sequence with a contig N50 of 2.3 Mb and containing 36 651 annotated protein-coding genes. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that magnoliids were sister to the eudicots. Two rounds of ancient whole-genome duplication were inferred in the C. salicifolious genome. One is shared by Calycanthaceae after its divergence with Lauraceae, and the other is in the ancestry of Magnoliales and Laurales. Notably, long genes with > 20 kb in length were much more prevalent in the magnoliid genomes compared with other angiosperms, which could be caused by the length expansion of introns inserted by transposon elements. Homologous genes within the flavonoid pathway for C. salicifolius were identified, and correlation of the gene expression and the contents of flavonoid metabolites revealed potential critical genes involved in flavonoids biosynthesis. This study not only provides an additional whole-genome sequence from the magnoliids, but also opens the door to functional genomic research and molecular breeding of C. salicifolius.