Hempseeds (Cannabis spp.) as a source of functional food ingredients, prebiotics and phytosterols

The history of agriculture gives evidence that hemp have been cultivated by farmers near the northern border of agriculture for seed and oil. Nowadays, hemp is a focus of interest as a source of prebiotics and functional food ingredients. This study was aimed at the evaluation of physiologically active metabolomic compounds in the seed of thirty-three Cannabis spp. accessions, representing industrial dual-purpose (fiber and seed), universal, breeding materials used for food, ruderal and recreational landraces grown the Northwest of Russia. Amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, polysaccharides, polyhydric alcohols, phytosterols and phytol in seeds were measured. The maximum of linoleic acid reached 4379.41 mg 100 g-1, linolenic acid 427.72, oleic acid 1711.19, polysaccharides 13111.28, polyhydric alcohols 2138.38, and sitosterol 79.36. Ruderal hemp was found abundant in phytol (3.46 mg 100 g-1). The food seed/oil material contained the maximum of campesterol and sitosterol. The evaluated hemp accessions may be used as sources of physiologically active and safe ingredients of healthy food and phytosterols as well as in breeding programs to develop hempseed cultivars

Сравнительная характеристика биохимического состава образцов мангольда и свеклы столовой коллекции ВИР

Relevance. Healthy eating is one of the many steps that lead to a healthy nation. It implies the provision of the human body with all the necessary elements for its normal functioning. Within the framework of import substitution, it is extremely important to identify and popularize valuable crops that are suitable for cultivation in the territory of the Russian Federation. One of these rarely studied and insufficiently studied cultures is the leaf variety of beet –chard (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. сicla). Man uses in the food the fleshy petioles and leaves of this plant.Material and methods. The purpose of the research was to identify the characteristics of the biochemical composition of chard and compare them with the widespread red beet. The object of the study was 44 accessions of red beet (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris) and 32 accessions of chard from the VIR collection, differing in phenotype and origin. The accessions were cultivated in the vegetable crop rotation in the Research and production base “Pushkin and Pavlovsk laboratories of VIR” (Pushkin, Leningrad region) for two years (2014 and 2015). Biochemical analysis was performed using standard methods. The quantitative and qualitative composition of the metabolites was assessed using GС-МS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry).Results. The results of the study revealed significant variability of indicators depending on the specific genotype. The indicators of the content of ascorbic acid, protein and pigments: betanin in beetroot and β -carotene in leafy can be attributed to slightly varying. A detailed comparative description of the content of carbohydrate profile metabolites is given. It is shown that chard is better balanced in terms of monosaccharides content, differs in low sucrose content. The amino acid composition of chard is richer and more diverse than that of table beet, it is significantly ahead of table beet in essential amino acids for humans. Selected accessions of chard are recommended for use in infant, dietary and diabetic nutrition. Due to the high protein content (83% higher than that of red beet), the culture is recommended as an ingredient for feed production. Leaf beet has a number of valuable advantages: unpretentious in cultivation, decorative and, most importantly, has great potential for use in human nutrition and fodder production.Актуальность. Одним из многих этапов, которые ведут к оздоровлению нации, является здоровое питание, которое подразумевает под собой обеспечение организма человека всеми необходимыми ему элементами для его нормального функционирования. В рамках импортозамещения крайне важно выявить и популяризировать ценные культуры, которые пригодны для выращивания на территории РФ. Одной из таких малораспространенных и недостаточно изученных культур является листовая разновидность свеклы – мангольд (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. cicla). Для человека пищевой частью растения мангольда являются мясистые черешки и листья.Материалы и методы. Целью проведенных исследований было выявить особенности биохимического состава мангольда и сравнить их с широко распространенной свеклой столовой. Объектом исследования послужили 44 образца столовой свеклы (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris) и 32 образца листовой свеклы коллекции ВИР, различающиеся по фенотипу и происхождению. Опытные образцы выращивали в овощном севообороте в НПБ (научно-производственная база) «Пушкинские и Павловские лаборатории ВИР» (г. Пушкин, Ленинградская обл.) на протяжении двух лет (2014 и 2015 годы). Биохимический анализ проводили в лаборатории биохимии и молекулярной биологии ВИР с помощью стандартных методов. Количественный и качественный состав метаболитов оценивали с применением газо-жидкостной хроматографии, сопряженной с масс-спектрометрией.Результаты. Результаты исследования выявили значительную изменчивость показателей в зависимости от конкретного генотипа. К слабо варьирующими можно отнести показатели содержания аскорбиновой кислоты, белка и пигментов: бетанина у свеклы столовой и β-каротина у листовой. Дано подробное сравнительное описание содержания метаболитов углеводного профиля. Показано, что мангольд лучше сбалансирован по содержанию моносахаридов, отличается пониженным содержанием сахарозы. Аминокислотный состав мангольда богаче и разнообразнее, чем у свеклы столовой, по незаменимым для человека аминокислотам значительно ее опережает. Выделившиеся образцы мангольда рекомендованы к использованию в детском, диетическом и диабетическом питании. Благодаря высокому содержанию белка (выше столовой на 83%) культура рекомендуется как компонент для кормопроизводства. Листовая свекла обладает рядом ценных преимуществ: неприхотлива в выращивании, декоративна и, главное, имеет большой потенциал для использования в питании человека и кормопроизводстве

Метаболомный подход к комплексной биохимической характеристике вида капуста огородная Brassica oleracea L.

Relevance A commonly cultivated and demanded type of vegetable crops – cabbage Brassica oleracea L. – in the process of evolution and domestication was divided into three clusters: leafy cabbage, headed cabbage and broccoli (cauliflower). According to modern data, cabbage originated in culture from the large-leaved forms of leafy cabbage. Portuguese tronchuda is a transitional form to a typical headed cabbage. It is represented by leafy and semi-capped forms and evolutionarily related to Portuguese halega (Galician) leafy cabbage. White cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. convar. capitata (DC.) Alef. var. capitata L. f. alba DC.) is the most significant in the world and Russian economy. The characteristic of cultures of Brassica oleracea L. (varieties of white cabbage and tronchuda) is given according to the most important biochemical quality characteristics. Methods The research material included 48 samples of cabbage, including 27 samples of 13 European cultivar types, including Dutch, Central European and South European cultivar types, 8 samples – two Russian northwestern and central Russian cultivar types and 13 samples – five oriental cultivar types of Caucasian and Turkish-Balkan origin, 9 samples – Portuguese cabbage tronchuda from the VIR collection, reflecting the ecological, geographic and genetic diversity of cabbage. Samples of cabbage were grown at the research and production base "Pushkin and Pavlovsk laboratories VIR" (St. Petersburg), biochemical analysis was carried out in the laboratory of biochemistry and molecular biology of VIR. Results As a result of using of the modern non-specific metabolic approach to the study of the biochemical composition in samples of white cabbage, about 100 components have been identified from the groups of organic acids, free amino acids, including essential, fatty acids, including essential, polyhydric alcohols, sugars, and also phenolic compounds, wax, nucleosides, and others. Regularity in the accumulation of nutrient and biologically active substances by cultures of Brassica oleracea L., by cultivar types and individual samples were revealed. As a result of our research using modern techniques, including the nonspecific metabolic approach, new data on the biochemical composition of white and semi-capped forms were obtained. The cabbage within the studied botanical varieties and groups of cultivar types has a complex biochemical composition that characterizes cabbage samples as samples with potentially high value (the role and importance of far from all compounds in the organization of healthy human nutrition is known), which confirms the need for in-depth control of the biochemical composition of plants when breeding new varieties. Samples with the optimal component composition for balanced human nutrition, which are proposed to be used in breeding for quality, including obtaining varieties for healthy (functional) and therapeutic and prophylactic nutrition of the population of theRussian Federation were found.Актуальность Повсеместно культивируемый и востребованный вид овощных культур – капуста огородная Brassica oleracea L. – в процессе эволюции и доместикации разделился на три кластера: капуста листовая, кочанная и брокколи (цветная). Португальская капуста трончуда эволюционно связана с португальской листовой капустой. Она является переходной формой к типично кочанной капусте и представлена листовыми и полукочанными формами. Капуста огородная отличается ценным биохимическим составом, оптимальным соотношением белков, углеводов и витаминов. Методика Материал исследований включал 48 образцов капусты белокочанной, в том числе 27 образцов 13 европейских сортотипов, включая голландские, центрально-европейские и южно-европейские сортотипы, 8 образцов – двух русских северо-западных и центрально-русских сортотипов и 13 образцов – пяти восточных сортотипов кавказского и турецко-балканского происхождения, 9 образцов Португальской капусты трончуда из коллекции ВИР, отражающих эколого-географическое и генетическое разнообразие капусты. Образцы капусты выращивали на научно-производственной базе «Пушкинские и Павловские лаборатории ВИР» (Санкт-Петербург), биохимический анализ проводили в лаборатории биохимии и молекулярной биологии ВИР. Результаты Дана характеристика капустных культур вида капуста огородная Brassica oleracea L. (разновидности белокочанная и трончуда) по основным наиболее важным биохимическим признакам качества. В результате применения современного неспецифического метаболомного подхода к изучению биохимического состава в образцах капусты белокочанной идентифицировано около 100 компонентов из групп органических кислот, свободных аминокислот, в том числе незаменимых, жирных кислот, в том числе незаменимых, многоатомных спиртов, сахаров, а также фенольных соединений, восков, нуклеозидов и др. Выявлены закономерности в накоплении питательных и биологически активных веществ культурами вида, сортотипами и отдельными образцами. Капуста огородная в пределах изученных ботанических разновидностей и групп сортотипов имеет сложный биохимический состав, характеризующий данные образцы как потенциально высокоценные (при этом роль и значение далеко не всех соединений в организации здорового питания человека известна), что подтверждает необходимость углубленного контроля биохимического состава растений при выведении новых сортов. Найдены сортобразцы с оптимальным компонентным составом для сбалансированного питания человека, которые предлагается использовать в селекции на качество, в том числе получения сортов для здорового (функционального) и лечебно-профилактического питания населения РФ

RNA-seq, de novo transcriptome assembly and flavonoid gene analysis in 13 wild and cultivated berry fruit species with high content of phenolics

This research was funded by the European Union Framework Program 7, Project BacHBerry [FP7–613793]. The authors also acknowledge support from the Institute Strategic Programmes ‘Designing Future Wheat’ (BB/P016855/1), ‘Understanding and Exploiting Plant and Microbial Secondary Metabolism’ (BB/J004596/1) and ‘Molecules from Nature’ (BB/P012523/1) from the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to the John Innes Centre and the European funded COST ACTION FA1106 QualityFruit. VT, PV and CM have also received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme through the TomGEM project under grant agreement No. 679796. The funding bodies had no role in the design of the study, collection, analysis and interpretation of data nor in writing the manuscript.Background: Flavonoids are produced in all flowering plants in a wide range of tissues including in berry fruits. These compounds are of considerable interest for their biological activities, health benefits and potential pharmacological applications. However, transcriptomic and genomic resources for wild and cultivated berry fruit species are often limited, despite their value in underpinning the in-depth study of metabolic pathways, fruit ripening as well as in the identification of genotypes rich in bioactive compounds. Results: To access the genetic diversity of wild and cultivated berry fruit species that accumulate high levels of phenolic compounds in their fleshy berry(-like) fruits, we selected 13 species from Europe, South America and Asia representing eight genera, seven families and seven orders within three clades of the kingdom Plantae. RNA from either ripe fruits (ten species) or three ripening stages (two species) as well as leaf RNA (one species) were used to construct, assemble and analyse de novo transcriptomes. The transcriptome sequences are deposited in the BacHBerryGEN database (http://jicbio.nbi.ac.uk/berries) and were used, as a proof of concept, via its BLAST portal (http://jicbio.nbi.ac.uk/berries/blast.html) to identify candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoid compounds. Genes encoding regulatory proteins of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway (MYB and basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors and WD40 repeat proteins) were isolated using the transcriptomic resources of wild blackberry (Rubus genevieri) and cultivated red raspberry (Rubus idaeus cv. Prestige) and were shown to activate anthocyanin synthesis in Nicotiana benthamiana. Expression patterns of candidate flavonoid gene transcripts were also studied across three fruit developmental stages via the BacHBerryEXP gene expression browser (http://www.bachberryexp.com) in R. genevieri and R. idaeus cv. Prestige. Conclusions: We report a transcriptome resource that includes data for a wide range of berry(-like) fruit species that has been developed for gene identification and functional analysis to assist in berry fruit improvement. These resources will enable investigations of metabolic processes in berries beyond the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway analysed in this study. The RNA-seq data will be useful for studies of berry fruit development and to select wild plant species useful for plant breeding purposes.publishersversionpublishe

BacHBerry: BACterial Hosts for production of Bioactive phenolics from bERRY fruits

BACterial Hosts for production of Bioactive phenolics from bERRY fruits (BacHBerry) was a 3-year project funded by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Union that ran between November 2013 and October 2016. The overall aim of the project was to establish a sustainable and economically-feasible strategy for the production of novel high-value phenolic compounds isolated from berry fruits using bacterial platforms. The project aimed at covering all stages of the discovery and pre-commercialization process, including berry collection, screening and characterization of their bioactive components, identification and functional characterization of the corresponding biosynthetic pathways, and construction of Gram-positive bacterial cell factories producing phenolic compounds. Further activities included optimization of polyphenol extraction methods from bacterial cultures, scale-up of production by fermentation up to pilot scale, as well as societal and economic analyses of the processes. This review article summarizes some of the key findings obtained throughout the duration of the project

The metabolomic approach to the complex biochemical characteristics of cole <i>Brassica oleracea</i> L.

Relevance A commonly cultivated and demanded type of vegetable crops – cabbage Brassica oleracea L. – in the process of evolution and domestication was divided into three clusters: leafy cabbage, headed cabbage and broccoli (cauliflower). According to modern data, cabbage originated in culture from the large-leaved forms of leafy cabbage. Portuguese tronchuda is a transitional form to a typical headed cabbage. It is represented by leafy and semi-capped forms and evolutionarily related to Portuguese halega (Galician) leafy cabbage. White cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. convar. capitata (DC.) Alef. var. capitata L. f. alba DC.) is the most significant in the world and Russian economy. The characteristic of cultures of Brassica oleracea L. (varieties of white cabbage and tronchuda) is given according to the most important biochemical quality characteristics. Methods The research material included 48 samples of cabbage, including 27 samples of 13 European cultivar types, including Dutch, Central European and South European cultivar types, 8 samples – two Russian northwestern and central Russian cultivar types and 13 samples – five oriental cultivar types of Caucasian and Turkish-Balkan origin, 9 samples – Portuguese cabbage tronchuda from the VIR collection, reflecting the ecological, geographic and genetic diversity of cabbage. Samples of cabbage were grown at the research and production base "Pushkin and Pavlovsk laboratories VIR" (St. Petersburg), biochemical analysis was carried out in the laboratory of biochemistry and molecular biology of VIR. Results As a result of using of the modern non-specific metabolic approach to the study of the biochemical composition in samples of white cabbage, about 100 components have been identified from the groups of organic acids, free amino acids, including essential, fatty acids, including essential, polyhydric alcohols, sugars, and also phenolic compounds, wax, nucleosides, and others. Regularity in the accumulation of nutrient and biologically active substances by cultures of Brassica oleracea L., by cultivar types and individual samples were revealed. As a result of our research using modern techniques, including the nonspecific metabolic approach, new data on the biochemical composition of white and semi-capped forms were obtained. The cabbage within the studied botanical varieties and groups of cultivar types has a complex biochemical composition that characterizes cabbage samples as samples with potentially high value (the role and importance of far from all compounds in the organization of healthy human nutrition is known), which confirms the need for in-depth control of the biochemical composition of plants when breeding new varieties. Samples with the optimal component composition for balanced human nutrition, which are proposed to be used in breeding for quality, including obtaining varieties for healthy (functional) and therapeutic and prophylactic nutrition of the population of theRussian Federation were found

Comparative characteristics of the biochemical composition of chard and table beet accessions from VIR collection

Relevance. Healthy eating is one of the many steps that lead to a healthy nation. It implies the provision of the human body with all the necessary elements for its normal functioning. Within the framework of import substitution, it is extremely important to identify and popularize valuable crops that are suitable for cultivation in the territory of the Russian Federation. One of these rarely studied and insufficiently studied cultures is the leaf variety of beet –chard (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. сicla). Man uses in the food the fleshy petioles and leaves of this plant.Material and methods. The purpose of the research was to identify the characteristics of the biochemical composition of chard and compare them with the widespread red beet. The object of the study was 44 accessions of red beet (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris) and 32 accessions of chard from the VIR collection, differing in phenotype and origin. The accessions were cultivated in the vegetable crop rotation in the Research and production base “Pushkin and Pavlovsk laboratories of VIR” (Pushkin, Leningrad region) for two years (2014 and 2015). Biochemical analysis was performed using standard methods. The quantitative and qualitative composition of the metabolites was assessed using GС-МS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry).Results. The results of the study revealed significant variability of indicators depending on the specific genotype. The indicators of the content of ascorbic acid, protein and pigments: betanin in beetroot and β -carotene in leafy can be attributed to slightly varying. A detailed comparative description of the content of carbohydrate profile metabolites is given. It is shown that chard is better balanced in terms of monosaccharides content, differs in low sucrose content. The amino acid composition of chard is richer and more diverse than that of table beet, it is significantly ahead of table beet in essential amino acids for humans. Selected accessions of chard are recommended for use in infant, dietary and diabetic nutrition. Due to the high protein content (83% higher than that of red beet), the culture is recommended as an ingredient for feed production. Leaf beet has a number of valuable advantages: unpretentious in cultivation, decorative and, most importantly, has great potential for use in human nutrition and fodder production

Metabolomic profiling in evaluation of cultivated oat species with different ploidy level

The article presents biochemical characteristics identified during the analysis of metabolomic profiles. The object of this study was the landraces of cultivated oat species Avena strigosa Schreb., A. abyssinica Hochst. and A. sativa L. with different ploidy levels from the global collection of the Department of Genetic Resources of Oats, Rye, and Barley of VIR. Metabolic profiling was performed using an Agilent 6850 gas chromatograph (Agilent Technologies, USA). The main task of this evaluation was determination of differences between cultivated oat species of diploid, tetraploid and hexaploid ploidy levels according to their metabolomic spectra. These spectra reflect the metabolic state of genotypes of various ecological and geographical origin. The investigation touched on the most important groups of metabolites important for the resistance formation nutritional, medicinal and dietary benefits. Particular, attention was paid to biologically active compounds that determine the functional value of daily human foods − phenolic compounds, free amino acids and sugar acids. The most informative indicators, which separate the oat with different ploidy levels were: isofucosterol, xylitol, MAG-1 18: 0, linolenic, undecylic, threonic, glutamic and methylmalonic acids

Analysis of miRNA polymorphism during the selected developmental processes of flax

MicroRNAs represent small non-coding RNAs that play important role in regulating gene expression under various biotic and abiotic stresses as well as in different developmental stages of plants. They are involved in wide variety of biological and metabolic pathways of plants. The research was focused on the potential of selected miRNA-based molecular markers (miR156 and miR168) to map the polymorphism level of flax genome in the selected developmental stages (flower bud - flowering – boll development) as a reflection of the activity of specific miRNAs in these flax organs and tissues. The miRNA polymorphism was evaluated on 8 flax genotypes by miRNA-based molecular marker assays and data were supported by the morphology measurements on buds, flowers, petals and developing bolls. Extent of PCR amplification of miRNA fragments ranged from 40 bp to 200 bp (miR168a-F/miR-R primer pair) or 35 bp to 120 bp (miR156b-F/miR-R primer pair), respectively. MiRNA-based primers amplified in total 196, respectively 158 miRNA loci. Based on the results can be concluded that the representation of miR168 loci have increased according to developmental stages ascending (stage of bud, flower and boll). In overall miRNA156b loci profile in all three analyzed developmental stages is possible to observe the increase of miRNA loci amplification almost in all genotypes. Taking into account the genetic background of genotypes, based on the peak analysis profile of amplified miRNA loci, implemented by GeneTools software, was possible to identified unique loci in linseed and intermediate genotypes in individual developmental stages. Have been found out that only the genotype Bolley Golden differ from other genotypes in both analysis (molecular and morphological) if the variability of miR168 loci number in the flower bud growing stage was compared to the variability in trait petals colour in bud