Determination and Metabolite Profiling of Mixtures of Triterpenoid Saponins from Seeds of Chilean Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) Germplasm

The seed pericarp of Chenopodium quinoa Willd. (quinoa) contains a mixture of triterpenoid saponins conferring undesired organoleptic properties. In this study, we evaluated saponin content and their corresponding sapogenins in 114 different quinoa accessions. Relative saponin content ranged from 0.22 to 15.04 mg/g of seed dry weight among the genotypes studied and the genotype effect was significant (p < 0.001). About 75% of the genotypes could be classified as low-saponin content lines which is promising in view of ongoing plant breeding efforts. In addition to the quantitative determination of saponins, metabolic profiling was performed by LC-FTICR-MS and LC-MS/MS. We obtained highly accurate mass estimation from ion spectra allowing the identification of twelve saponins of the oleanane type. These differ in their aglycons and in the number and type of glycoside units. Interestingly, we identified a saponin compound that, to our knowledge, had not been reported previously. Our study highlights that there is considerable variability concerning saponin content in quinoa, which contributes to the valorization of genetic resources towards the identification of genotypes that could be utilized in current and future quinoa breeding programs

Characterization of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds in Seeds of Chilean Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) Germplasm

In recent years, quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), an ancient Andean region crop, has received increased research attention because it is an excellent source of nutrients and also of bioactive phenolic compounds, which are potentially beneficial for human health. However, variation in the content and type of these metabolites in quinoa genetic resources remains, to a large extent, unexplored. We evaluated the composition of free and bound phenolic forms in the seeds of 111 Chilean quinoa accessions by using LC-DAD-MS/MS. The relative phenolic content ranged from 35.51 mg/100 g to 93.23 mg/100 g of seed dry weight. The free phenolic fraction accounted for 72% of the total phenolic content, while the bound fraction represented the remaining 28% of the total phenolic content. Our study also revealed a significant degree of variation in terms of individual phenolic compounds such as rutin, vanillic acid, quercetin, and their derivatives, which can have important implications for quinoa’s nutritional and functional properties. We conclude that our data reveal a significant phenotypic variation of bioactive phenolic content in the examined germplasm, which could be exploited in current and future genetic improvement programs in quinoa

Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 transmission lineages in Ecuador

Characterisation of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) genetic diversity through space and time can reveal trends in virus importation and domestic circulation and permit the exploration of questions regarding the early transmission dynamics. Here, we present a detailed description of SARS-CoV-2 genomic epidemiology in Ecuador, one of the hardest hit countries during the early stages of the coronavirus-19 pandemic. We generated and analysed 160 whole genome sequences sampled from all provinces of Ecuador in 2020. Molecular clock and phylogeographic analysis of these sequences in the context of global SARS-CoV-2 diversity enable us to identify and characterise individual transmission lineages within Ecuador, explore their spatiotemporal distributions, and consider their introduction and domestic circulation. Our results reveal a pattern of multiple international importations across the country, with apparent differences between key provinces. Transmission lineages were mostly introduced before the implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions, with differential degrees of persistence and national dissemination.ISSN:2057-157

Analysis of Outcomes in Ischemic vs Nonischemic Cardiomyopathy in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation A Report From the GARFIELD-AF Registry

IMPORTANCE Congestive heart failure (CHF) is commonly associated with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF), and their combination may affect treatment strategies and outcomes