Search Results (3)

Basil (Ocimum basilicum Linn. var. pilosum (Willd.) Benth.) is an aromatic plant with high nutritional and economic value, and the synthesis and regulation of its active ingredients have been studied in prior research. However, the mechanisms by which red and blue light—the most effective absorption spectra for photosynthesis—regulate the growth and metabolism of basil remain elusive. This study investigated the changes in phenotype, transcriptome, and metabolome in basil under red and blue light. The photosynthetic efficiency and biomass of basil under blue light (B) treatment were higher than those under white light (W), while red light (R) decreased photosynthesis and biomass. Metabolomic analysis showed that 491 significantly differentially accumulated metabolites were identified between the W and B groups, while 630 differentially accumulated metabolites were identified between the W and R groups. The DAMs were mainly enriched in pathways such as biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, monoterpenoid biosynthesis, limonene and pinene degradation, etc. In addition, transcriptomic analysis revealed that 34,760 and 29,802 differentially expressed genes were detected in the W vs. B pair and the W vs. R pair, respectively, while differentially expressed genes were divided into different unique subclasses, suggesting that they respond to light quality in specific ways. Overall, this work will not only enrich knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of light spectra’s regulation of plant metabolism, but also provide a theoretical basis and guidance for the molecular improvement and quality cultivation of basil. Full article

As a medicinal and edible plant, basil (Ocimum basilicum Linn. var. pilosum (Willd.) Benth.) has rich nutrition and significant economic value. The increase in heat stress caused by global warming adversely affects the growth and yield of plants. However, the response mechanism of basil to heat stress is poorly understood. This work investigated the changes in phenotype, metabolome, and transcriptome in basil under heat stress. The results showed that heat stress triggered severe oxidative damage and photosynthesis inhibition in basil. Metabonomic analysis showed that, compared to the control group, 29 significantly differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified after 1 d of heat treatment, and 37 DAMs after the treatment of 3 d. The DAMs were significantly enriched by several pathways such as glycolysis or gluconeogenesis; aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis; and alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. In addition, transcriptomic analysis revealed that 15,066 and 15,445 genes were differentially expressed after 1 d and 3 d of heat treatment, respectively. Among them, 11,183 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were common response genes under 1 d and 3 d heat treatment, including 5437 down-regulated DEGs and 6746 up-regulated DEGs. All DEGs were significantly enriched in various KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) pathways, most dominated by glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, followed by starch and sucrose metabolism, and by the biosynthesis and metabolism of other secondary metabolites. Overall, all the above results provided some valuable insights into the molecular mechanism of basil in response to heat stress. Full article

The essential oils of the aerial parts of Ocimum basilicum Linn.var. pilosum (Willd.) Benth., an endemic medicinal plant growing in China, was obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by GC-MS. Fifteen compounds, representing 74.19% of the total oil were identified. The main components were as follows: linalool (29.68%), (Z)-cinnamic acid methyl ester (21.49%), cyclohexene (4.41%), α- cadinol (3.99%), 2,4-diisopropenyl-1-methyl-1-vinylcyclohexane (2.27%), 3,5-pyridine-dicarboxylic acid, 2,6-dimethyl-diethyl ester (2.01%), β-cubebene (1.97%), guaia-1(10),11-diene (1.58%), cadinene (1.41%) (E)-cinnamic acid methyl ester (1.36%) and β-guaiene (1.30%). The essential oils showed significant antifungal activity against some plant pathogenic fungi. Full article