[Effects of Straw and Biochar Amendments on Characteristics of Soil Fungal Community and Organic Carbon Pool in Jasminum sambac Garden].

In order to elucidate the changes in the soil fungal community and soil organic carbon components of a Jasminum sambac garden after straw and biochar application, we measured the organic carbon components and soil fungal community of the 0-15 cm soil layer in a J. sambac garden, which was divided into a control group, straw treatment group, and biochar treatment group. The carbon pool management index （CPMI） was also calculated. The results showed that the diversity of the soil fungal community was decreased after straw and biochar application, and the structure of dominant fungal genera was changed in each treatment. The soil fungal community structure in the biochar treatment was significantly different from that in the straw treatment and control groups. Redundancy analysis （RDA） showed that soil fungal community structure was mainly affected by soil bulk density, C∶N, salinity, and TN. Secondly, compared with that in the control group, soil labile organic carbon （LOC） in the straw treatment group was significantly increased by 87.44% （P<0.05）, whereas soil dissolved organic carbon （DOC） and microbial biomass carbon （MBC） in the biochar treatment group were significantly increased by 22.27% and 23.17% （P<0.05）, respectively. Further, compared with that in the control group, the carbon pool activity （L） under straw treatment was significantly increased （P<0.05）, and the carbon pool index （CPI） under biochar treatment was significantly increased （P<0.05）. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon active components were regulated by the dominant fungi. FUNGuild functional prediction results showed that saprophytic and its facultative nutritional fungi had an important impact on soil organic carbon active components and carbon pool management index after straw and biochar application.

Efficacy and mechanism of Jasminum sambac gel for musculoskeletal injuries.

OBJECTIVE: Formulate a gel and test its scientific efficacy for treating musculoskeletal ailments with or without phonophoresis. METHODS: Gel was made from Jasminum sambac leaf extract (30:70 aqueous-methanolic). A pragmatic, community-based, double-blinded randomized clinical study (IRCT20230202057310N1) was undertaken on 380 pre-diagnosed individuals with 1st and 2nd-grade musculoskeletal injuries, divided into four parallel groups (n = 95 per group): Group I got phonophoresis-applied J. sambac 10% gel. Group II got phonophoresis-applied diclofenac diethylammonium 2% gel. J. sambac 10% gel was superficially massaged onto Group III. Group IV received a superficial massage with diclofenac diethylammonium 2% gel. Color, stability, pH, spreadability, beginning of pain relief, discomfort, stiffness, and activities of daily living were recorded using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) Scale. Methods included phytochemical analysis, molecular docking, and antioxidant quantification using 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide (NO), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) tests. RESULTS: J. sambac gel worked better than diclofenac gel in phonophoresis and massage, with regard to NPRS P<0.001, WOMAC pain P<0.001, WOMAC stiffness P<0.003, and WOMAC activities of daily living (ADLs) P<0.001. There were also significant differences in pain, stiffness, and ADLs. J. sambac showed significant (P<0.005-0.001) results. CONCLUSION: J. sambac gel relieved pain and inflammation in musculoskeletal injury patients. J. sambac gel is natural, cheap, and easy to make. Better drug absorption may explain the effectiveness of phonophoresis.

A Study on the Antibacterial, Antispasmodic, Antipyretic, and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of ZnO Nanoparticles Using Leaf Extract from Jasminum sambac (L. Aiton).

The green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using plants has grown in significance in recent years. ZnO NPs were synthesized in this work via a chemical precipitation method with Jasminum sambac (JS) leaf extract serving as a capping agent. These NPs were characterized using UV-vis spectroscopy, FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, TGA, and DTA. The results from UV-vis and FT-IR confirmed the band gap energies (3.37 eV and 3.50 eV) and the presence of the following functional groups: CN, OH, C=O, and NH. A spherical structure and an average grain size of 26 nm were confirmed via XRD. The size and surface morphology of the ZnO NPs were confirmed through the use of SEM analysis. According to the TEM images, the ZnO NPs had an average mean size of 26 nm and were spherical in shape. The TGA curve indicated that the weight loss starts at 100 °C, rising to 900 °C, as a result of the evaporation of water molecules. An exothermic peak was seen during the DTA analysis at 480 °C. Effective antibacterial activity was found at 7.32 ± 0.44 mm in Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus) and at 15.54 ± 0.031 mm in Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria against the ZnO NPs. Antispasmodic activity: the 0.3 mL/mL sample solution demonstrated significant reductions in stimulant effects induced by histamine (at a concentration of 1 µg/mL) by (78.19%), acetylcholine (at a concentration of 1 µM) by (67.57%), and nicotine (at a concentration of 2 µg/mL) by (84.35%). The antipyretic activity was identified using the specific Shodhan vidhi method, and their anti-inflammatory properties were effectively evaluated with a denaturation test. A 0.3 mL/mL sample solution demonstrated significant reductions in stimulant effects induced by histamine (at a concentration of 1 µg/mL) by 78.19%, acetylcholine (at a concentration of 1 µM) by 67.57%, and nicotine (at a concentration of 2 µg/mL) by 84.35%. These results underscore the sample solution's potential as an effective therapeutic agent, showcasing its notable antispasmodic activity. Among the administered doses, the 150 mg/kg sample dose exhibited the most potent antipyretic effects. The anti-inflammatory activity of the synthesized NPs showed a remarkable inhibition percentage of (97.14 ± 0.005) at higher concentrations (250 µg/mL). Furthermore, a cytotoxic effect was noted when the biologically synthesized ZnO NPs were introduced to treated cells.

Synthesis of eco-friendly layered double hydroxide and nanoemulsion for jasmine and peppermint oils and their larvicidal activities against Culex pipiens Linnaeus.

Mosquito-borne diseases represent a growing health challenge over time. Numerous potential phytochemicals are target-specific, biodegradable, and eco-friendly. The larvicidal activity of essential oils, a jasmine blend consisting of Jasmine oil and Azores jasmine (AJ) (Jasminum sambac and Jasminum azoricum) and peppermint (PP) Mentha arvensis and their nanoformulations against 2nd and 4th instar larvae of Culex pipiens, was evaluated after subjecting to different concentrations (62.5, 125, 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 ppm). Two forms of phase-different nanodelivery systems of layered double hydroxide LDH and oil/water nanoemulsions were formulated. The synthesized nanoemulsions showed particle sizes of 199 and 333 nm for AJ-NE and PP-NE, with a polydispersity index of 0.249 and 0.198, respectively. Chemical and physiochemical analysis of TEM, SEM, XRD, zeta potential, drug loading capacity, and drug release measurements were done to confirm the synthesis and loading efficiencies of essential oils' active ingredients. At high concentrations of AJ and PP nanoemulsions (2000 ppm), O/W nanoemulsions showed higher larval mortality than both LDH conjugates and crude oils. The mortality rate reached 100% for 2nd and 4th instar larvae. The relative toxicities revealed that PP nanoemulsion (MA-NE) was the most effective larvicide, followed by AJ nanoemulsion (AJ-NE). There was a significant increase in defensive enzymes, phenoloxidase, and α and ß-esterase enzymes in the treated groups. After treatment of L4 with AJ, AJ-NE, PP, and PP-NE, the levels of phenoloxidase were 545.67, 731.00, 700.00, and 799.67 u/mg, respectively, compared with control 669.67 u/mg. The activity levels of α-esterase were 9.71, 10.32, 8.91, and 10.55 mg α-naphthol/min/mg protein, respectively. It could be concluded that the AJ-NE and PP-NE nanoformulations have promising larvicidal activity and could act as safe and effective alternatives to chemical insecticides.

Floral volatile composition of Jasminum sambac variants developed through colchicine.

Jasmines are commercially grown for their fragrant flowers and essential oil. The present study investigates the composition of the volatile compounds from flowers of Jasminum sambac cv. Ramanthapuram Gundumalli and its variants that were evolved through colchicine. GC-MS analysis revealed that the flowers possessed major terpenes and sesquiterpenes such as Linalool, α-farnesene, germacrene-D, geranyl Linalool and D-Limonene as well as benzenoids (including benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol and (Z)-Cinnamyl benzoate). The relative abundance of these volatile compounds in the variants have shown higher percentages than their wild-type (parent) which indicates that the variants possessed enhanced volatile composition. The new variations generated in floral volatile composition of J. sambac through polyploidisation are likely to have significant impact on the loose flower and perfume industries. Besides, the identified unique compounds can also be used as metabolic signatures to characterise the novel variants.

Network pharmacology integrated with molecular docking reveals the anticancer mechanism of Jasminum sambac Linn. essential oil against human breast cancer and experimental validation by in vitro and in vivo studies.

Jasminum sambac L. (J. sambac) belongs to the family Oleaceae and it is an ornamental subtropical evergreen shrub used in traditional treatments of certain ailments and diseases. This study aimed at devising an integrated strategy attempts to evaluate the bioactive components in the J. sambac essential oil (JEO) against human breast cancer. JEO extracted by distillation process and analyzed by GC-MS was subjected to screening of therapeutic components in their allegiance to the drug-likeness index. The utility and efficacy of its molecular mechanism relating to anticancer potential were probed with network pharmacology analysis. Gene ontology, pathway enrichment, and compound-target-pathway network by Cytoscape helped to harp on hub targets and pathways involved in curative action. Drawing from the network data, molecular docking analysis of selected compounds on breast cancer targets was approached. The anti-proliferative study was carried out in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 to evaluate the cytotoxicity of JEO. Finally, in vivo anticancer activity was verified using rat models. The results showed MDA-MB-231 cell growth was highly inhibited than the MCF-7 cell line. Alongside this in vitro trial, in situ effectiveness of JEO was evaluated using female Sprague-Dawley rat animal models. In vivo experiments and histopathological analysis showed convincing results in DMBA tumor-induced rats. The larger aim of this study is to identify the potential ingredients of the JEO in cancer apoptosis by integrating network pharmacology and experimental validation achieved to certain extent confers credence to the concept of hiring J. sambac as floral therapy in dealing with the disastrous disease.

Multiomics Analysis Reveals the Involvement of JsLHY in Controlling Aroma Production in Jasmine Flowers.

The Jasminum sambac flower is famous for its rich fragrance. However, our knowledge of the regulatory network for its aroma formation remains largely unknown and therefore needs further study. To this end, an integrated analysis of the volatilomics and transcriptomics of jasmine flowers at different flowering stages was performed. The results revealed many candidate transcription factors (TFs) may be involved in regulating the aroma formation of jasmine, among which the MYB-related TF LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (JsLHY) was identified as a hub gene. Using the DNA affinity purification sequencing method, dual-luciferase reporter, and yeast one-hybrid assays, we demonstrate that JsLHY can bind the gene promoter regions of six aroma-related structural genes (JsBEAT1, JsTPS34, JsCNL6, JsBPBT, JsAAAT5, and Js4CL7) and directly promote their expression. In addition, suppressing JsLHY expression decreased both the expression of JsLHY-bound genes and the content of related VOCs. The present study reveals how JsLHY participates in jasmine aroma formation.

Phenolics Extracted from Jasminum sambac Mitigates Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Modulating Oxidative Stress, Apoptotic Mediators and the Nfr-2/HO-1 Pathway in Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Rats.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder defined as hyperglycemia and pancreatic ß-cell deterioration, leading to other complications such as cardiomyopathy. The current study assessed the therapeutic effects of phenolic acids extracted from Jasminum sambac phenols of leaves (JSP) against diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy in rats. The rats were divided into four groups, with each group consisting of 20 rats. The rats were given intraperitoneal injections of alloxan monohydrate (150 mg/kg) to induce diabetes. The diabetes-induced groups (III and IV) received treatment for six weeks that included 250 and 500 mg/kg of JSP extract, respectively. In the treated rats, the results demonstrated that JSP extract restored fasting glucose, serum glucose, and hyperlipidemia. Alloxan induced cardiomyopathy, promoted oxidative stress, and altered cardiac function biomarkers, including cardiac troponin I, proBNP, CK-MB, LDH, and IMA. The JSP extract-treated rats showed improved cardiac function indicators, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. In diabetic rats, the mRNA expression of caspase-3, BAX, and Bcl-2 was significantly higher, while Bcl-2, Nrf-2, and HO-,1 was significantly lower. In the treated groups, the expression levels of the BAX, Nrf-2, HO-1, Caspase-3, and Bcl-2 genes were dramatically returned to normal level. According to our findings, the JSP extract prevented cardiomyopathy and heart failure in the hyperglycemic rats by improving cardiac biomarkers and lowering the levels of hyperlipidemia, oxidative stress, apoptosis, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia.

Chemical Constituents from the Roots of Jasminum sambac (L.) Ait. and their Cytotoxicity to the Cancer Cell Lines.

BACKGROUND: The roots of J. sambac is the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with analgesic and anesthetic effects. However, relatively fewer studies on the chemical compositions and the biological activities of the roots of J. sambac have been carried out till now. We studied the chemical compositions of the roots of J. sambac planted in Fujian Province to discover new compounds from this TCM to develop new drugs or drug candidates. AIM: This work aims to find the new compounds from the roots of Jasminum sambac (L.) Ait. (J. sambac) for the development of new drugs or drug candidates. METHODS: The dichloromethane (DCM) extract was selected to isolate over silica gel column chromatography to obtain different polar fractions. Several similar fractions were combined according to Thin Layer Chemotherapy (TLC) or High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The combined fractions were reisolated by silica gel column chromatography, preparative TLC or HPLC to obtain nine pure compounds (1-9). The purity of the isolated compounds was detected by HPLC, and their structures were determined by 1D, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS analysis. The in vitro anticancer activity was evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) method. RESULTS: Nine compounds were isolated in this work. Compounds (1-3) are new compounds, while compounds (4-9) were isolated for the first time from the roots of J. sambac. Their structures were elucidated by 1D, 2D NMR, and HRESIMS analysis. The biological evaluation showed that compound 7 exhibited potent cytotoxic efficacy against MCF-7 cell lines with IC50 values of 148.3 µM for 24 hs and 35.94 µM for 48 hs, respectively; compound 1 displayed significant cytotoxic potential against MCF-7 cell lines with IC50 value of 38.5 µM for 24 hs; while compound 3 and 4 displayed potent cytotoxic effects against MCF-7 cell lines with IC50 values of 161.1 µM and 243.7 µM for 48 hs, respectively. CONCLUSION: We discovered new compounds from the roots of J. sambac. and several compounds exhibited potent cytotoxity to MCF-7 cell lines. This work encourages us to further study the chemical constituents and their biological activities from the roots of J. sambac.

Structural characterization and immunomodulatory activity of an arabinogalactan from Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton tea processing waste.

An arabinogalactan named JSP-1a was isolated from Jasmine tea processing waste by DEAE Sepharose FF and Sephacryl S-200 HR chromatography. Polysaccharide JSP-1a, with an average molecular weight of 87.5 kDa, was composed of galactose (59.60 %), arabinose (33.89 %), mannose (4.81 %), and rhamnose (1.70 %). JSP-1a was found to be a type II arabinogalactan comprising the main backbone of 1, 6-linked Galp residues, and the side chain containing α-T-Araf, α-1,5-Araf, ß-T-Galp, ß-1,3-Galp, and ß-1,4-Manp residues was attached to the O-3 position of ß-1,3,6-Galp residues. Evidence from bioactivity assays indicated that JSP-1a possessed potent immunomodulatory effects on RAW264.7 macrophages: treatment with JSP-1a increased phagocytosis, activated NF-κB p65 translocation, and promoted the production of NO, reactive oxygen species (ROS), the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6. Furthermore, inhibition of Toll-like receptor 4 caused the suppression of NO release and cytokines secretion, which indicated that TLR-4/NF-κB pathway might play a significant role in JSP-1a-induced macrophages' immune response. The results of this study could provide a theoretical basis of JSP-1a as a safe immunostimulatory functional foods or a treatment for immunological diseases.

The Jasmine (Jasminum sambac) Genome Provides Insight into the Biosynthesis of Flower Fragrances and Jasmonates.

Jasminum sambac (jasmine flower), a world-renowned plant appreciated for its exceptional flower fragrance, is of cultural and economic importance. However, the genetic basis of its fragrance is largely unknown. Here, we present the first de novogenome assembly of J. sambac with 550.12 Mb (scaffold N50 = 40.10 Mb) assembled into 13 pseudochromosomes. Terpene synthase (TPS) genes associated with flower fragrance are considerably amplified in the form of gene clusters through tandem duplications in the genome. Gene clusters within the salicylic acid/benzoic acid/theobromine (SABATH) and benzylalcohol O-acetyltransferase/anthocyanin O-hydroxycinnamoyltransferases/anthranilate N-hydroxycinnamoyl/benzoyltransferase/deacetylvindoline 4-O-acetyltransferase (BAHD) superfamilies were identified to be related to the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoid/benzenoid compounds. Several key genes involved in jasmonate biosynthesis were duplicated, causing an increase in copy numbers. In addition, multi-omics analyses identified various aromatic compounds and many genes involved in fragrance biosynthesis pathways. Furthermore, the roles of JsTPS3 in ß-ocimene biosynthesis, as well as JsAOC1 and JsAOS in jasmonic acid biosynthesis, were functionally validated. The genome assembled in this study for J. sambac offers a basic genetic resource for studying floral scent and jasmonate biosynthesis, and provides a foundation for functional genomic research and variety improvements in Jasminum.

First Report of Colletotrichum siamense Causing Leaf Spot on Jasminum sambac in China.

Jasmine (Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton) is cultivated as a commercial floricultural crop in many countries around the world (Gao et al., 2020). From June to August 2020, leaf spots on jasmine were observed on a jasmine plantation in Hengzhou of Guangxi province. Over 40% of the plants in 6 ha fields were infected. This disease was prevalent in jasmine production area of China (Chen et al., 2012; Du et al., 2020). Symptoms began as chlorotic regions (from 5 to 10 mm in diameter) with light brown necrotic centers, which gradually expanded to the entire leaf. Eventually, the disease leaded to defoliation and dieback. The edges of the affected parts from diseased leaves were cut into pieces (3 mm2). Pieces were treated with 75% ethanol for 10 s, soaked in 2% NaClO solution for 1 min, washed three times with sterile water, and then incubated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates at 28℃ for 5 days in the dark. Fungal cultures that showed similar morphological characteristics were isolated, and three representative isolates (HL6-1 to HL6-3) were purified following Mo et al. (2018). The cultures on PDA changed from white to dark grey after 7 days and produced conidiomata after 14 days. Conidia were hyaline, one-celled, guttulate, cylindrical, of 12.07 to 18.09 × 4.04 to 8.05 µm, 13.17 to 16.35 × 4.22 to 6.13 µm and 10.11 to 22.17 × 3.65 to 8.1 µm for HL6-1, HL6-2 and HL6-3, respectively. Gray-brown or dark brown appressoria formed from conidia were subglobose or elliptical. Conidial appressoria and mycelial appressoria were 5.53 to 13.96 × 3.58 to 13.95 µm and 4.24 to 14.01 × 2.4 to 10.86 µm. Genomic DNA was extracted from three isolates and the partial internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, intergenic region of apn2 and MAT1-2-1 (ApMAT), and fragments of actin (ACT), glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), chitin synthase (CHS-1), and ß-tubulin (TUB2) genes were amplified, sequenced and submitted to GenBank (ITS, ON115173 to ON115175; ApMat, ON156517 to ON156519; ACT, ON146469 to ON146471; GAPDH, ON156502 to ON156504; CHS-1, ON156507 to ON156509; TUB-2, ON156512 to ON156514). Phylogenetic tree was constructed with MrBayes v. 3.2.6 and MEGA v. 10.1.5 based on the concatenation of multiple sequences. Three isolates were grouped with strain C. siamense ICMP 18578. Results indicated three isolates were identified as Colletotrichum siamense Prihastuti, L. Cai & K.D. Hyde. To confirm the pathogenicity of the three isolates, four sets (five plants per set) of 160 healthy leaves of 2-year-old plants (J. sambac, eight leaves per plant) were slightly scratched with a sterilized toothpick at each of eight locations. Conidial suspension (1×106 conidia/mL) in 0.1% Tween 20 were inoculated onto each wounded spot of three sets as the treatment groups, while wounded leaves treated with sterile water as the control. All plants were covered with plastic bags and cultivated in phytotron (12 h/12 h light/dark, 28°C). After 7 days, irregular chlorotic regions with brown lesions were observed on inoculated leaves while no symptoms on controls. The same fungi were reisolated from inoculated leaves and confirmed by morphological and molecular identification, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Colletotrichum siamense has been associated with leaf anthracnose of J. sambac in Vietnam (Wikee et al., 2011) and J. mesnyi in China (Zhang et al., 2019). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. siamense causing jasmine anthracnose in China, which provides a reference for the management of this disease.

Jasminum sambac Cell Extract as Antioxidant Booster against Skin Aging.

Oxidative stress plays a major role in the skin aging process through the reactive oxygen species production and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) formation. Antioxidant ingredients are therefore needed in the skin care market and the use of molecules coming from plant cell cultures provide a unique opportunity. In this paper, the features of an hydroethanolic extract obtained by Jasminum sambac cells (JasHEx) were explored. The antioxidant and anti-AGE properties were investigated by a multidisciplinary approach combining mass spectrometric and bio-informatic in vitro and ex vivo experiments. JasHEx contains phenolic acid derivatives, lignans and triterpenes and it was found to reduce cytosolic reactive oxygen species production in keratinocytes exposed to exogenous stress. It also showed the ability to reduce AGE formation and to increase the collagen type I production in extracellular matrix. Data demonstrated that JasHEx antioxidant properties were related to its free radical scavenging and metal chelating activities and to the activation of the Nrf2/ARE pathway. This can well explain JasHEx anti-inflammatory activity related to the decrease in NO levels in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Thus, JasHEx can be considered a powerful antioxidant booster against oxidative stress-induced skin aging.

A high-quality genome assembly of Jasminum sambac provides insight into floral trait formation and Oleaceae genome evolution.

As one of the most economically significant Oleaceae family members, Jasminum sambac is renowned for its distinct sweet, heady fragrance. Using Illumina reads, Nanopore long reads, and HiC-sequencing, we efficiently assembled and annotated the J. sambac genome. The high-quality genome assembly consisted of a total of 507 Mb sequence (contig N50 = 17.6 Mb) with 13 pseudomolecules. A total of 21,143 protein-coding genes and 303 Mb repeat sequences were predicted. An ancient whole-genome triplication event at the base of Oleaceae (~66 million years ago [Ma], Late Cretaceous) was identified and this may have contributed to the diversification of the Oleaceae ancestor and its divergence from the Lamiales. Stress-related (e.g., WRKY) and flowering-related (e.g., MADS-box) genes were located in the triplicated regions, suggesting that the polyploidy event might have contributed adaptive potential. Genes related to terpenoid biosynthesis, for example, FTA and TPS, were observed to be duplicated to a great extent in the J. sambac genome, perhaps explaining the strong fragrance of the flowers. Copy number changes in distinct phylogenetic clades of the MADS-box family were observed in J. sambac genome, for example, AGL6- and Mα- were lost and SOC- expanded, features that might underlie the long flowering period of J. sambac. The structural genes implicated in anthocyanin biosynthesis were depleted and this may explain the absence of vivid colours in jasmine. Collectively, assembling the J. sambac genome provides new insights into the genome evolution of the Oleaceae family and provides mechanistic insights into floral properties.

Role of gibberellin and its three GID1 receptors in Jasminum sambac stem elongation and flowering.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Taken together, our results establish a reciprocal relationship between vine elongation and flowering, and reveal that GA is a positive signal for stem elogation but a negative regulator of flowering in this species. Vines or climbing plants exhibit vigorous vegetative shoot extension. GA have long been recognized as an important signal for seasonal stem elongation and flowering in many woody perennials. However, less is explored as how GA pathway is involved in the regulation of shoot extension in woody vines. Here, we investigated the role of GA and its signaling components in shoot elongation in Jasminum sambac. We found high accumulation of GA4 in the elongating internode, in contrast to a depletion of GAs in the floral differentiating shoot, which in turn featured a higher zeatin content, and a lower IAA and JA concentrations. This GA accumulation was coincident with the strong expression of JsGA20ox1 and JsGAS1 in the leaves, as well as of the JsGA2ox3 in the internode. Treatment of GA biosynthesis inhibitor reduced elongation while stimulated the terminal flowering. Remarkably, three B-type GA-receptor genes were abundantly expressed in both internodes and leaves of the extending shoots, which could enhance GA responsiveness in heterologous transgenic Arabidopsis. Furthermore, these JsGID1s showed distinct GA-dependent interaction with the JsDELLA in a yeast-two-hybrid assay. Taken together, our results establish a reciprocal relationship between vine elongation and flowering, and reveal that GA is a positive signal for stem elogation but a negative regulator of flowering in this species.

Novel Antioxidant and Hypoglycemic Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from Jasmine Tea.

There have been few studies dealing with chemical elucidation and pharmacological potentials of water-soluble polysaccharides from jasmine tea, limiting their use in functional foods. In this study, water-soluble polysaccharides (named as JSP) were extracted from Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton tea and fractionated to afford two sub-fractions (JSP-1 and JSP-2). The main structural characteristics of novel JSP sub-fractions were determined by high performance gel permeation chromatography, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. Physiologically, the abilities of JSP-1 and JSP-2 to reduce ferric ions, scavenge DPPH and hydroxyl radicals, as well as protect islet cells were confirmed in vitro. JSP-1 exhibited better antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities than JSP-2. The molecular weights of JSP-1 and JSP-2 were 18.4 kDa and 14.1 kDa, respectively. JSP-1 was made up of glucose, galactose, rhamnose, xylose, arabinose, and galacturonic acid with molar ratios 1.14:4.69:1.00:9.92:13.79:4.09, whereas JSP-2 with a triple helical structure was composed of galactose, rhamnose, xylose, arabinose, and galacturonic acid as 3.80:1.00:8.27:11.85:5.05 of molar ratios. JSP-1 contains →1)-α-Galƒ-(3→, →1)-α-Galƒ-(2→, →1)-α-Araƒ-(5→, →1)-α-Araƒ-(3→, →1)-α-Araƒ-(3,5→, →1)-ß-Xylp-(2→ and →1)-ß-Xylp-(3→ residues in the backbone. These results open up new pharmacological prospects for the water-soluble polysaccharides extracted from jasmine tea.

An integrated transcriptomic and proteomic approach to dynamically study the mechanism of pollen-pistil interactions during jasmine crossing.

Jasmine (Jasminum sambac Aiton, Oleaceae) flowers are widely consumed in many countries for their tea-making, medicinal and ornamental properties. To improve the quality and yield of flowers, it is very important to carry out cross-breeding between different petal types of jasmine. However, because of the difficulty of sexual reproduction, there is no report on the success of jasmine crosses. In this paper, single- and double-petal jasmine plants were crossed artificially. The stigmas of single-petal plants post pollination, including those at 0 h after pollination (CK), 1 h after pollination (T1) and 6 h after pollination (T2), were sequenced by transcriptomic combined with proteomic analyses. A total of 178,098 gene products were assembled. Simultaneously, a total of 2337 protein species were identified. Some regulatory gene products and functional protein species were identified that may be involved in the process of pollen-pistil interactions. These findings suggest that the identified differentially expressed gene products and differentially accumulated protein species may play vital roles in jasmine plants in response to pollen-pistil interactions, providing important genetic resources for further functional dissection of the molecular mechanisms of these interactions. SIGNIFICANCE: These results have important scientific significance to take effective measures to overcome pre-fertilization barriers and to guide the cross breeding of jasmine. Further, they can also be used for reference in other plant breeding with the same fertilization barriers.

Characterization of Two BAHD Acetyltransferases Highly Expressed in the Flowers of Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton.

Volatile benzenoid compounds are found in diverse aromatic bouquets emitted by most moth-pollinated flowers. The night-blooming Jasminum sambac is widely cultivated worldwide in the tropics and subtropics for ornamental and industrial purposes owing to its fragrant flowers. Benzylacetate is a characteristic constituent in jasmine scent which makes up to approximately 20-30% of the total emission in the headspace or extract, but the biosynthesis enzymes and the encoding genes have not yet been described. Here, we identify two cytosolic BAHD acyltransferases specifically expressed in the petals with a positive correlation closely to the emission pattern of the volatile benzenoids. Both JsBEAT1 and JsBEAT2 could use benzylalcohol and acetate-CoA as substrates to make benzylacetate in vitro. The recombinant GST-JsBEAT1 has an estimated apparent Km of 447.3 µM for benzylalcohol and 546.0 µM for acetate-CoA, whereas in the instance of the His-JsBEAT2, the Km values are marginally lower, being 278.7 and 317.3 µM, respectively. However, the catalytic reactions by the GST-JsBEAT1 are more efficient than that by the His-JsBEAT2, based on the steady-state kcat parameters. Furthermore, ectopic expression of JsBEAT1 and JsBEAT2 in the transgenic P. hybrida plants, driven by a flower-specific promotor, significantly enhances the biosynthesis of benzylbenzoate and benzylacetate, as well as the total VOCs.

Extracts of Jasminum sambac flowers fermented by Lactobacillus rhamnosus inhibit H2 O2 - and UVB-induced aging in human dermal fibroblasts.

Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is a crucial factor that leads to skin photoaging and results in increased DNA damage, oxidative stress, and collagen degradation. Jasmine flowers have been utilized as a traditional medicine in Asia to treat various diseases, including dermatitis, diarrhea, and fever. Furthermore, the fermented broth of Lactobacillus rhamnosus has been reported to exert protective effects on the skin. In the present study, jasmine flower extract was fermented with L. rhamnosus. We investigated the antioxidant and collagen-promoting effects on UVB/H2 O2 -induced HS68 dermal fibroblast cell damage. The results indicated that treatment with the fermented flower extracts of Jasminum sambac (F-FEJS) could enhance the viability of HS68 cells. Furthermore, the UVB/H2 O2 -induced excessive production of reactive oxygen species, degradation of collagen, activation of MAPKs, including P38, ERK, and JNK, and premature senescence were remarkably attenuated by F-FEJS in dermal fibroblast cells. The nuclear accumulation of p-c-jun, which is downstream of MAPK, and the inactivation of p-smad2/3, which is one of the crucial transcription factors that enhance collagen synthesis, were reversed in response to F-FEJS treatment in UVB/H2 O2 -exposed cells. Notably, the expression of antioxidant genes, such as HO-1, and the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 were further enhanced by F-FEJS in UVB/H2 O2 -treated cells. Interestingly, the F-FEJS-induced increase in ARE luciferase activity indicated the activation of Nrf2/ARE signaling. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that F-FEJS can effectively ameliorate UVB/H2 O2 -induced dermal cell aging and may be considered a promising ingredient in skin aging therapy.