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Secondary Metabolites in Plants
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Secondary Metabolites in Plants

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Physiology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2024 | Viewed by 6897

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hsiaohang Chung

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Guest Editor
Department of Horticulture, College of Bioresources, National Ilan University, Yilan 26047, Taiwan
Interests: plant secondary metabolites; plant pigments; plant tissue culture; biotechnology
Dr. Sarana Sommano

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Guest Editor
Plant Bioactive Compound Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand
Interests: bioactive compound
Prof. Dr. Javier Palazon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, Healthcare and the Environment, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: vitro cultures; biotechnological production of plant secondary metabolites; plant metabolic engineering

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Secondary metabolites (SMs) are diverse organic compounds that are derived through pathways from primary metabolism and generally do not appear to participate directly in the growth as well as development of plants. Although the term “secondary metabolites” may imply a less important role than “primary metabolites” in plants, these compounds play a variety of roles in the interaction of plants with the environment and can be involved in the response against herbivores, microbes (bacteria, fungi), and viruses. Some of them also show the function of signal molecules to attract pollinating insects or seed-dispersing animals and interact with proteins (receptors, ion channels, enzymes, cytoskeleton, and transcription factors), DNA/RNA, and/or biomembranes. SMs are often differentially distributed among limited taxonomic groups within the plant kingdom. Regarding the functions and biosynthetic pathways of SMs, these still remain largely unknown at the moment. This Special Issue aims to reveal the functions and biosynthesis of SMs in plants, as well as biotechnological production of secondary metabolites and studies related to their biological activities.

Dr. Hsiaohang Chung
Dr. Sarana Sommano
Prof. Dr. Javier Palazon
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant secondary metabolites
  • natural products
  • bioactive compounds
  • phytochemistry
  • biosynthetic pathway
  • metabolomics
  • omics

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 1424 KiB  
Article
Banana Peel (Musa ABB cv. Nam Wa Mali-Ong) as a Source of Value-Adding Components and the Functional Properties of Its Bioactive Ingredients
by Pattarapol Khamsaw, Sarana Rose Sommano, Malaiporn Wongkaew, William G. T. Willats, Cassie R. Bakshani, Sasithorn Sirilun and Piyachat Sunanta
Plants 2024, 13(5), 593; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants13050593 - 22 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1011
Abstract
Banana peel (BP) is the primary by-product generated during banana processing which causes numerous environmental issues. This study examines the physical attributes, proximate analysis, glycoarray profiling, antioxidant abilities, and prebiotic activity of BP. The analysis demonstrated that carbohydrates constituted the primary components of [...] Read more.
Banana peel (BP) is the primary by-product generated during banana processing which causes numerous environmental issues. This study examines the physical attributes, proximate analysis, glycoarray profiling, antioxidant abilities, and prebiotic activity of BP. The analysis demonstrated that carbohydrates constituted the primary components of BP and the glycoarray profiling indicated that BP contains multiple pectin and hemicellulose structures. BP also contained phenolic compounds, including (+)-catechin and gallic acid, flavonoid compounds, and antioxidant activities. BP demonstrated prebiotic effects by promoting the proliferation of advantageous gut bacteria while inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. The prebiotic index scores demonstrated that BP exhibited a greater capacity to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in comparison to regular sugar. The study demonstrated the potential of the BP as a valuable source of dietary fibre, bioactive compounds, and prebiotics. These components have beneficial characteristics and can be utilised in the production of food, feed additives, and functional food. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites in Plants)
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19 pages, 3181 KiB  
Article
Analysing a Group of Homologous BAHD Enzymes Provides Insights into the Evolutionary Transition of Rosmarinic Acid Synthases from Hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:Shikimate/Quinate Hydroxycinnamoyl Transferases
by Jiali Zhou, Xiaofang Zou, Zixin Deng and Lian Duan
Plants 2024, 13(4), 512; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants13040512 - 13 Feb 2024
Viewed by 914
Abstract
The interplay of various enzymes and compounds gives rise to the intricate secondary metabolic networks observed today. However, the current understanding of their formation and expansion remains limited. BAHD acyltransferases play important roles in the biosynthesis of numerous significant secondary metabolites. In plants, [...] Read more.
The interplay of various enzymes and compounds gives rise to the intricate secondary metabolic networks observed today. However, the current understanding of their formation and expansion remains limited. BAHD acyltransferases play important roles in the biosynthesis of numerous significant secondary metabolites. In plants, they are widely distributed and exhibit a diverse range of activities. Among them, rosmarinic acid synthase (RAS) and hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:shikimate/quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT) have gained significant recognition and have been extensively investigated as prominent members of the BAHD acyltransferase family. Here, we conducted a comprehensive study on a unique group of RAS homologous enzymes in Mentha longifolia that display both catalytic activities and molecular features similar to HCT and Lamiaceae RAS. Subsequent phylogenetic and comparative genome analyses revealed their derivation from expansion events within the HCT gene family, indicating their potential as collateral branches along the evolutionary trajectory, leading to Lamiaceae RAS while still retaining certain ancestral vestiges. This discovery provides more detailed insights into the evolution from HCT to RAS. Our collective findings indicate that gene duplication is the driving force behind the observed evolutionary pattern in plant-specialized enzymes, which probably originated from ancestral enzyme promiscuity and were subsequently shaped by principles of biological adaptation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites in Plants)
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15 pages, 3527 KiB  
Article
Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity Comparison of Wild-Type and Yellow-Leaf gl1 Mutant of Lagerstroemia indica
by Sumei Li, Min Yin, Peng Wang, Lulu Gao, Fenni Lv, Rutong Yang, Ya Li, Qing Wang, Linfang Li, Yongdong Liu and Shuan Wang
Plants 2024, 13(2), 315; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants13020315 - 20 Jan 2024
Viewed by 766
Abstract
Background: The yellow-leaf gl1 mutant of Lagerstroemia indica exhibits an altered phenylpropanoid metabolism pathway compared to wild-type (WT). However, details on the metabolites associated with leaf color variation, including color-specific metabolites with bioactive constituents, are not fully understood. Methods: Chemical and metabolomics approaches [...] Read more.
Background: The yellow-leaf gl1 mutant of Lagerstroemia indica exhibits an altered phenylpropanoid metabolism pathway compared to wild-type (WT). However, details on the metabolites associated with leaf color variation, including color-specific metabolites with bioactive constituents, are not fully understood. Methods: Chemical and metabolomics approaches were used to compare metabolite composition and antioxidant capacity between the gl1 mutant and WT leaves. Results: The mutant exhibited an irregular xylem structure with a significantly lower phenolic polymer lignin content and higher soluble phenolic compounds. Untargeted metabolomics analysis identified phenolic compounds, particularly lignans, as key differential metabolites between gl1 and WT, with a significant increase in the mutant. The neolignan derivative balanophonin-4-O-D-glu was identified as a characteristic metabolite in the gl1 mutant. The soluble phenolic compounds of the gl1 mutant exhibited higher FRAP, ABTS, DPPH, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity than in WT. Correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between antioxidant capacity and phenolic compounds in L. indica. Conclusions: Metabolites associated with leaf color variation in the L. indica yellow-leaf gl1 mutant demonstrated high antioxidant capacity, particularly in scavenging hydroxyl radicals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites in Plants)
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12 pages, 2073 KiB  
Article
Gene Expression and Interaction Analysis of FsWRKY4 and FsMAPK3 in Forsythia suspensa
by Xinjie Tan, Jiaxi Chen, Jiaqi Zhang, Guangyang Guo, Hongxiao Zhang, Xingli Zhao, Shufang Lv, Huawei Xu and Dianyun Hou
Plants 2023, 12(19), 3415; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12193415 - 28 Sep 2023
Viewed by 897
Abstract
Forsythia suspensa is a deciduous shrub that belongs to the family Myrtaceae, and its dried fruits are used as medicine. F. suspensa contains several secondary metabolites, which exert pharmacological effects. One of the main active components is forsythin, which exhibits free radical scavenging, [...] Read more.
Forsythia suspensa is a deciduous shrub that belongs to the family Myrtaceae, and its dried fruits are used as medicine. F. suspensa contains several secondary metabolites, which exert pharmacological effects. One of the main active components is forsythin, which exhibits free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) can increase the activity of WRKY family transcription factors in a phosphorylated manner, thereby increasing the content of secondary metabolites. However, the mechanism of interaction between MAPKs and WRKYs in F. suspensa remains unclear. In this study, we cloned the genes of FsWRKY4 and FsMAPK3, and performed a bioinformatics analysis. The expression patterns of FsWRKY4 and FsMAPK3 were analyzed in the different developmental stages of leaf and fruit from F. suspensa using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Subcellular localization analysis of FsWRKY4 and FsMAPK3 proteins was performed using a laser scanning confocal microscope. The existence of interactions between FsWRKY4 and FsMPAK3 in vitro was verified by yeast two-hybridization. Results showed that the cDNA of FsWRKY4 (GenBank number: OR566682) and FsMAPK3 (GenBank number: OR566683) were 1587 and 522 bp, respectively. The expression of FsWRKY4 was higher in the leaves than in fruits, and the expression of FsMAPK3 was higher in fruits but lower in leaves. The subcellular localization results indicated that FsWRKY4 was localized in the nucleus and FsMAPK3 in the cytoplasm and nucleus. The prey vector pGADT7-FsWRKY4 and bait vector pGBKT7-FsMAPK3 were constructed and co-transferred into Y2H Glod yeast receptor cells. The results indicated that FsWRKY4 and FsMAPK3 proteins interact with each other in vitro. The preliminary study may provide a basis for more precise elucidation of the synthesis of secondary metabolites in F. suspensa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites in Plants)
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14 pages, 2475 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Centelloside Production in Centella asiatica Hairy Root Lines through Metabolic Engineering of Triterpene Biosynthetic Pathway Early Genes
by Miguel Angel Alcalde, Javier Palazon, Mercedes Bonfill and Diego Hidalgo-Martinez
Plants 2023, 12(19), 3363; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12193363 - 23 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1044
Abstract
Centella asiatica is a medicinal plant with a rich tradition of use for its therapeutic properties. Among its bioactive compounds are centellosides, a group of triterpenoid secondary metabolites whose potent pharmacological activities have attracted significant attention. Metabolic engineering has emerged as a powerful [...] Read more.
Centella asiatica is a medicinal plant with a rich tradition of use for its therapeutic properties. Among its bioactive compounds are centellosides, a group of triterpenoid secondary metabolites whose potent pharmacological activities have attracted significant attention. Metabolic engineering has emerged as a powerful biotechnological tool to enhance the production of target compounds. In this study, we explored the effects of overexpressing the squalene synthase (SQS) gene and transcription factor TSAR2 on various aspects of C. asiatica hairy root lines: the expression level of centelloside biosynthetic genes, morphological traits, as well as squalene, phytosterol, and centelloside content. Three distinct categories of transformed lines were obtained: LS, harboring At-SQS; LT, overexpressing TSAR2; and LST, simultaneously carrying both transgenes. These lines displayed noticeable alterations in morphological traits, including changes in branching rate and biomass production. Furthermore, we observed that the expression of T-DNA genes, particularly aux2 and rolC genes, significantly modulated the expression of pivotal genes involved in centelloside biosynthesis. Notably, the LS lines boasted an elevated centelloside content but concurrently displayed reduced phytosterol content, a finding that underscores the intriguing antagonistic relationship between phytosterol and triterpene pathways. Additionally, the inverse correlation between the centelloside content and morphological growth values observed in LS lines was countered by the action of TSAR2 in the LST and LT lines. This difference could be attributed to the simultaneous increase in the phytosterol content in the TSAR2-expressing lines, as these compounds are closely linked to root development. Overall, these discoveries offer valuable information for the biotechnological application of C. asiatica hairy roots and their potential to increase centelloside production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites in Plants)
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Review

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37 pages, 1251 KiB  
Review
Prenylated Flavonoids of the Moraceae Family: A Comprehensive Review of Their Biological Activities
by Jaime Morante-Carriel, Suzana Živković, Hugo Nájera, Susana Sellés-Marchart, Ascensión Martínez-Márquez, María José Martínez-Esteso, Anna Obrebska, Antonio Samper-Herrero and Roque Bru-Martínez
Plants 2024, 13(9), 1211; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants13091211 (registering DOI) - 27 Apr 2024
Viewed by 132
Abstract
Prenylated flavonoids (PFs) are natural flavonoids with a prenylated side chain attached to the flavonoid skeleton. They have great potential for biological activities such as anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, enzyme inhibition, and anti-Alzheimer’s effects. Medicinal chemists have recently paid increasing attention to [...] Read more.
Prenylated flavonoids (PFs) are natural flavonoids with a prenylated side chain attached to the flavonoid skeleton. They have great potential for biological activities such as anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, enzyme inhibition, and anti-Alzheimer’s effects. Medicinal chemists have recently paid increasing attention to PFs, which have become vital for developing new therapeutic agents. PFs have quickly developed through isolation and semi- or full synthesis, proving their high value in medicinal chemistry research. This review comprehensively summarizes the research progress of PFs, including natural PFs from the Moraceae family and their pharmacological activities. This information provides a basis for the selective design and optimization of multifunctional PF derivatives to treat multifactorial diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites in Plants)
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18 pages, 1932 KiB  
Review
Do Abiotic Stresses Affect the Aroma of Damask Roses?
by Nutthawut Charoimek, Sirinun Phusuwan, Chaleerak Petcharak, Kiattisak Huanhong, Shashanka K. Prasad, Taepin Junmahasathien, Julaluk Khemacheewakul, Sarana Rose Sommano and Piyachat Sunanta
Plants 2023, 12(19), 3428; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/plants12193428 - 28 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1575
Abstract
Roses are popular ornamental plants all over the world. Rosa damascena Mill., also known as the damask rose, is a well-known scented rose species cultivated to produce essential oil. The essential oils obtained are high in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are in [...] Read more.
Roses are popular ornamental plants all over the world. Rosa damascena Mill., also known as the damask rose, is a well-known scented rose species cultivated to produce essential oil. The essential oils obtained are high in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are in demand across the pharmaceutical, food, perfume, and cosmetic industries. Citronellol, nonadecane, heneicosane, caryophyllene, geraniol, nerol, linalool, and phenyl ethyl acetate are the most important components of the rose essential oil. Abiotic factors, including as environmental stress and stress generated by agricultural practises, frequently exert a selective impact on particular floral characteristics, hence influencing the overall quality and quantity of rose products. Additionally, it has been observed that the existence of stress exerts a notable impact on the chemical composition and abundance of aromatic compounds present in roses. Therefore, understanding the factors that affect the biosynthesis of VOCs, especially those representing the aroma and scent of rose, as a response to abiotic stress is important. This review provides comprehensive information on plant taxonomy, an overview of the volatolomics involving aromatic profiles, and describes the influence of abiotic stresses on the biosynthesis of the VOCs in damask rose. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secondary Metabolites in Plants)
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