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Life
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The Genomics of Medicinal Plants
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The Genomics of Medicinal Plants

A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 3124

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tao Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Pharmacy, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
Interests: genomics; transcriptomics; plastid genomics; evolutionary biology; population genomics
Dr. Xiao Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
Interests: genomics; plastid genomics; evolutionary biology; population genomics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Medicinal plants are important natural resources for the development of new drugs. Understanding the genetic background of medicinal plants will provide a broad prospect for the scientific development and efficient utilization of medicinal plant resources. The advent of sequencing technologies and bioinformatics tools has substantially increased our ability to obtain plant genomes and helped us to reveal the genetic composition of plant species with important medicinal value. Although there have been many studies on the genomes of medicinal plants, a large number of valuable medicinal plant genomic resources still require sorting, in order to protect human health and social development. The purpose of this Special Issue is to report on the genomics of medicinal plants. This includes, but is not limited to, genome sequencing, genome assembly, genome structure and organization, gene prediction, genetic and physical mapping, comparative genomics, evolutionary genomics, population genomics, gene editing, DNA resequencing, exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, expression profile, gene functions, epigenomics, SNP screening, genome-wide association studies, plastid genomics and genomic selection or prediction. Bioinformatics tools and databases that facilitate the analyses of the genomic data of medicinal plants are also welcome.

Dr. Tao Zhou
Dr. Xiao Zhang
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. Life is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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

  • medicinal plants
  • genomics
  • transcriptomics
  • plastid genomics

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1177 KiB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of OSC Gene Family in Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Cucurbitaceae)
by Xiao Zhang, Huan Yang, Xuan Wang, Xiaoting Wang and Chen Chen
Life 2024, 14(12), 1599; https://doi.org/10.3390/life14121599 - 4 Dec 2024
Viewed by 925
Abstract
Gynostemma pentaphyllum is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant of considerable application value and commercial potential, primarily due to its production of various bioactive compounds, particularly dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins that are structurally analogous to ginsenosides. Oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC), a pivotal enzyme in the biosynthesis [...] Read more.
Gynostemma pentaphyllum is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant of considerable application value and commercial potential, primarily due to its production of various bioactive compounds, particularly dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins that are structurally analogous to ginsenosides. Oxidosqualene cyclase (OSC), a pivotal enzyme in the biosynthesis of triterpenoid metabolites in plants, catalyzes the conversion of oxidosqualene into triterpenoid precursors, which are essential components of the secondary metabolites found in G. pentaphyllum. To elucidate the role of OSC gene family members in the synthesis of gypenosides within G. pentaphyllum, this study undertook a comprehensive genome-wide identification and characterization of OSC genes within G. pentaphyllum and compared their expression levels across populations distributed over different geographical regions by both transcriptome sequencing and qRT-PCR experimental validation. The results identified a total of 11 members of the OSC gene family within the genome of G. pentaphyllum. These genes encode proteins ranging from 356 to 767 amino acids, exhibiting minor variations in their physicochemical properties, and are localized in peroxisomes, cytoplasm, plasma membranes, and lysosomes. All GpOSCs contain highly conserved DCTAE and QW sequences that are characteristic of the OSC gene family. A phylogenetic analysis categorized the GpOSCs into four distinct subfamilies. A cis-element analysis of the GpOSC promoters revealed a substantial number of abiotic stress-related elements, indicating that these genes may respond to drought conditions, low temperatures, and anaerobic environments, thus potentially contributing to the stress resistance observed in G. pentaphyllum. Expression analyses across different G. pentaphyllum populations demonstrated significant variability in OSC gene expression among geographically diverse samples of G. pentaphyllum, likely attributable to genetic variation or external factors such as environmental conditions and soil composition. These differences may lead to the synthesis of various types of gypenosides within geographically distinct G. pentaphyllum populations. The findings from this study enhance our understanding of both the evolutionary history of the OSC gene family in G. pentaphyllum and the biosynthetic mechanisms underlying triterpenoid compounds. This knowledge is essential for investigating molecular mechanisms involved in forming dammarane-type triterpenoid saponins as well as comprehending geographical variations within G. pentaphyllum populations. Furthermore, this research lays a foundation for employing plant genetic engineering techniques aimed at increasing gypenoside content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Genomics of Medicinal Plants)
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13 pages, 1754 KiB  
Article
Integrating Full-Length and Second-Generation Transcriptomics to Reveal Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with the Development of Corydalis yanhusuo Tuber
by Xueyan Zhao, Li Wang, Yafu Zhou, Qing Wang, Fangyuan Wang and Yan Li
Life 2023, 13(11), 2207; https://doi.org/10.3390/life13112207 - 14 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1378
Abstract
Corydalis yanhusuo is a medicinal herb in China that has been widely used to treat various kinds of pain. The tuber is the main organ of C. yanhusuo used for medicinal purposes, but changes in related genes during the development of the tuber [...] Read more.
Corydalis yanhusuo is a medicinal herb in China that has been widely used to treat various kinds of pain. The tuber is the main organ of C. yanhusuo used for medicinal purposes, but changes in related genes during the development of the tuber have rarely been reported. To identify the differentially expressed genes during tuber development, C. yanhusuo full-length transcriptomic sequencing was performed using single-molecule real-time technology, and tubers at three development stages were selected for comparative transcriptome analysis. A total of 90,496 full-length non-chimeric transcripts were obtained, and 19,341 transcripts were annotated in at least one public database. A total of 9221 differentially expressed genes were identified during the swelling process of C. yanhusuo tuber. A Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes associated with a “starch and sucrose metabolism pathway”, “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway”, “isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis pathway”, “zeatin biosynthesis pathway”, and “brassinosteroid biosynthesis pathway” were predominantly enriched. In addition, the genes involved in cell wall metabolism were potentially associated with tuber swelling. These processes regulated and were involved in C. yanhusuo tuber development. The results provide a foundation for further research on tuber formation in medicinal plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Genomics of Medicinal Plants)
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