OBJECTIVETo establish a method for isolation of the total RNA from Fagopyrum cymosum callus.

METHODThe improved method combining that of CTAB extraction with the LiCl precipitation was used to isolate the total RNA from the four F. cymosum callus. The quality of the RNA was detected by UV spectrophotometric analysis, 0.8% non-denaturing agarose gel electrophoresis and RNA reverse transcription.

RESULTThe bands of 28S and 18S could be seen clearly by agarose gel electrophoresis, and the value of A260/A280 was between 1.9 and 2.0. The cDNA which was reverse-transcribed by the total RNA showed a wide length rage of 500 bp-5 kb.

CONCLUSIONThe RNA extracted by this method meets the requirement of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), construction of cDNA libraries, et al. This improved method can be used to isolate the total RNA from F. cymosum callus with the advantage of simpleness, efficiency and low cost.

Fagopyrum ; genetics ; growth & development ; RNA, Plant ; analysis ; isolation & purification

In order to enrich the transcriptome data of Fagopyrum dibotrys plants, analyze the genes encoding key enzyme involved in flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, and mine their functional genes, in this study, we performed RNA sequencing analysis for the rhizomes, roots, flowers, leaves and stems of F. dibotrys on the BGISEQ-500 sequencing platform. After de novo assembly of transcripts, a total of 205 619 unigenes were generated and 132 372 unigenes were obtained and annotated into seven public databases, of which, 81 327 unigenes were mapped to the GO database and most of the unigenes were annotated in cellular process, biological regulation, binding and catalytic activity. Besides, 86 922 unigenes were enriched in 136 pathways using KEGG database' and we identified 82 unigenes that encodes key enzymes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. Comparing rhizome with root, flower, leaf or stem in F. dibotrys, 27 962 co-expressed differentially expressed genes(DEGs) were obtained. Among them, 23 515 DEGs of rhizome tissue-specific were enriched into 132 pathways and 13 unigenes were significantly enriched in biosynthesis of flavone and flavonol. In addition, we also identified 3 427 unigenes encoding 60 transcription factor(TFs) families as well as four unigenes encoding bHLH TFs were enriched in flavonoid biosynthesis. Our results greatly enriched the transcriptome database of plants, provided a reference for the analysis of key enzymes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis in plants, and will facilitate the study of the functions and regulatory mechanisms of key enzymes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis in F. dibotrys at the genetic level.
Biosynthetic Pathways/genetics* ; Fagopyrum ; Flavonoids ; Flowers ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Humans ; Transcriptome/genetics*

OBJECTIVETo study the genetic diversity of Fagopyrum cymosum.

METHODThe genetic diversity of 87 individuals from 10 populations was analyzed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD).

RESULTTwelve primers were selected to produce highly reproducible RAPD bands. Among 85 amplified bands, seventy-five showed polymorphism, the percentage of polymorphic bands reached to 88.24%. Nei's gene diversity index (H) was 0. 3103, Shannon information index (I) was 0.5632, Gst was 0.1924. The genetic similarity coefficient and the genetic distance were 0.6720-0.9678 and 0.0328-0.3975, respectively.

CONCLUSIONF. cymosum shows high genetic diversity and the majority of genetic variation occurs in populations. By cluster analysis, the geographical distribution is very obvious. The RAPD marker can be used for the analysis of the genetic diversity and genetic variation of F. cymosum.

Cluster Analysis ; Fagopyrum ; genetics ; Genetic Variation ; Phylogeny ; Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique

Using RACE with a Fagopyrum dibotrys callus cDNA library, one clone, named FdMYBP1, encoding a putative R2R3 MYB protein was identified. FdMYBP1 appeared to be a full-length cDNA of 1159 bp encoding a protein of 265 amino acids. Through structure and property analysis of FdMYBPI with bioinformational methods, it was found that the amino acid sequence of FdMYBP1 showed great homology to other MYBP with the R2R3 repeat region in the N-terminus. Southern blot analysis indicated that FdMYBP1 belongs to a single copy gene in F. dibotrys genomes. The FdMYBP1 gene has the same classic characters with other MYBP and probably involved in the pathway of flavonoid metabolisms.
Cloning, Molecular ; Fagopyrum ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myb ; genetics ; metabolism

The study was purposed to investigate the apoptosis of HL-60 cells induced by recombinant common buckwheat trypsin inhibitor (rBTI) and its mechanism. The inhibition rate of rBTI on HL-60 cells was detected by MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide); the morphology of HL-60 nuclei was observed by fluorescence microscopy; the apoptosis cells of HL-60 detected by agarose gel electrophoresis and the changes of apoptosis rate was assayed by flow cytometry (FCM), when the HL-60 cells were treated with different concentration of rBTI for 24 hours. The results showed that the growth of HL-60 cells was inhibited evidently after treatment with rBTI in a dose-dependent manner, but there were minimal effects on normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs). The nuclei of HL-60 cells showed the characteristics of apoptosis, the analysis by flow cytometry indicated that the apoptosis rate of HL-60 cells was 52% after treatment with rBTI (100 microg/ml), DNA analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis showed "ladder" pattern. It is concluded that rBTI obviously inhibits growth of HL-60 and induces its apoptosis which provides a foundation for use of recombinant common buckwheat trypsin inhibitor to cure the acute myeloid leukemia.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Fagopyrum ; chemistry ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology ; Trypsin Inhibitors ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; pharmacology

Tartary buckwheat Fagopyrum tataricum is an important medicinal and functional herb due to its rich content of flavonoids in the seeds. F.tataricum exhibited good functions for free radicals scavenging， anti-oxidation， anti-aging activities. Although much genetic knowledge of the synthesis， regulation， accumulation of rutin， the genetic basis of proanthocyanidins(PAs) in tartary buckwheat and their related gene expression changes under different lights(blue， red， far red， ultraviolet light) remain largely unexplored. In this study， we cloned one anthocyanidin reductase gene(ANR) and two leucocyanidin reductase gene(LAR) named FtANR，FtLAR1，FtLAR3 involved in formation of(+)-catechin and(-)-epicatechin precusor proanthocyanidin by digging out F. tataricum seed transcriptome data. The expression data showed that the opposite influence of red light on these gene transcript level compared to others lights. The expression levels of FtANR and FtLAR1 decreased and FtLAR3 appeared increment after exposed in the red light， while the expression levels of those genes appeared opposite result after exposed in the blue and far red light.
Fagopyrum ; enzymology ; radiation effects ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; radiation effects ; Light ; NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Proanthocyanidins ; biosynthesis ; Seeds ; enzymology ; radiation effects

Lignans are important defensive compounds in plants and have good biological activities protecting human health. In order to study the medicinal secondary metabolism of Fagopyrum cymosum (Trev.) Meisn, a traditional Chinese medicine with anti-tumor effect, a novel isoflavone reductase-like gene, FcIRL, was cloned using RACE strategy from a cDNA library of high flavonoids-producing callus. The full-length cDNA of the FcIRL was 1 217 bp (accession no. EU116032), which contained a 942 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 313 amino acid protein. Two stop codons (TAG) and a putative polyadenylation signal ATAAA at 24 bp upstream from the polyadenylation site was found in 5' and 3' UTR, separately. And no intron was found in the genomic sequence yet. FcIRL contained a predicted N-terminal acetylation site (M1-K5) and a NADPH-binding motif (G10-G-T-G13-Y-I-G16) in the N-terminal region, a conserved NmrA (nitrogen metabolite repression regulator) domain (V6-N244), multi-phosphorylation sites and one conserved N-glycosylation site (N214). Sequence homology comparison, phylogenetic analysis and advanced structures prediction all suggested that FcIRL belonged to the class of pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase (PLR), which is a key enzyme in synthetic pathway of 8-8'-linked lignans, with function in catalyzing reduction of pinoresinol and lariciresinol into secoisolariciresinol, and medicinal secondary metabolism and resistance in F. cymosum.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Fagopyrum ; enzymology ; genetics ; Flavonoids ; genetics ; Lignans ; metabolism ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Oxidoreductases ; genetics ; Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors ; genetics ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

OBJECTIVETo clone and characterize the DNA and cDNA sequences of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase gene (PAL) from Fagopyrum dibotrys, and investigate the biological activity of the obtained PAL.

METHODUsing homology cloning and RT-PCR techniques, the DNA and full-length cDNA sequences of PAL gene were amplified from F. dibotrys. The obtained sequences were analyzed by bioinformatics software. The ORF of PAL gene was cloned into expression vector pET-30b(+) and transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) for expression the recombined protein. The catalytic activity of the recombined protein was determined by Spectrophotometer and thin layer chromatography (TLC) methods.

RESULTThe DNA sequence of PAL gene (designated as FdPAL, GenBank accession number: HM628904) was 2 583 bp in size, of which consisted two extrons and a single intron, and the full-length cDNA of FdPAL was 2 169 bp in size, which contained an ORF. The deduced protein of FdPAL contained 722 amino acids with calculated molecular weight (MW) of 78.31 kDa and an isoelectric point (pI) of 5.94. The SDS-PAGE results showed that the molecular weight of recombinant FdPAL protein was 75.37 kDa, which is consistent with the predictions. After 4 hours of induction, the enzymatic specific activity of FdPAL reached the summit, up to 4 386 nmol x g(-1) x min(-1). The reaction products were also identified by TLC, using L-Phe and trans-cinnamic acid as the internal standard.

CONCLUSIONThe PAL gene (both DNA sequence and full-length cDNA sequence) was cloned from F. dibotrys, and it has the same classic characters as other PALs in plants. The recombinant FdPAL was efficiently expressed in E. coli and had the activity for catalyzing the conversion from L-phenylalanine to cinnamic acid.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Cloning, Molecular ; Escherichia coli ; genetics ; metabolism ; Fagopyrum ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyase ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism ; Phylogeny ; Protein Conformation ; Recombinant Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; metabolism

The Arabidopsis thaliana tonoplast Na+ /H+ antiporter gene, AtNHX1, was transferred into buckwheat by Agrobacterium-mediated method. Transgenic buckwheat plants were regenerated and selected on MS basal medium supplemented with 2.0mg/L 6-BA, 1.0mg/L KT, 0.lmg/L IAA, 50mg/L kanamycin and 500mg/L carbenicillin. 426 seedlings from 36 resistant calli originated from 864 explants (transformed about at 4.17 percentage) exhibited resistance to kanamycin. The transformants were confirmed by PCR, Southern blotting, RT-PCR and Northern blotting analysis. After stress treatment for 6 weeks with 200mmol/L NaCl, transgenic plants survived, while wild-type plants did not. After 3 days of stress treatment through different concentrations of NaCl, transgenic plants accumulated higher concentration of Na+ and proline than the control plants. However, the K+ concentration of transgenic plants declined in comparison with the control plants. Moreover, the rutin content of the roots, stems and leaves of transgenic buckwheat increased than those of the control plants. These results showed that it could be possible to improve the salt-tolerance of crops with genetic technology.
Adaptation, Physiological ; drug effects ; genetics ; physiology ; Arabidopsis Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Blotting, Northern ; Blotting, Southern ; Cation Transport Proteins ; genetics ; physiology ; Fagopyrum ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Plant Roots ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Plant Stems ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Plants, Genetically Modified ; genetics ; metabolism ; physiology ; Potassium ; metabolism ; Proline ; metabolism ; Regeneration ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rutin ; metabolism ; Sodium ; metabolism ; Sodium Chloride ; pharmacology ; Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers ; genetics ; physiology ; Transformation, Genetic

This paper aimed to investigate the effect of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf on myocardial cell apoptosis and Wnt/β-catenin/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ(PPARγ) pathway in arrhythmic rats. SD rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, a low-dose(20 mg·kg~(-1)) group of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf, a medium-dose(40 mg·kg~(-1)) group of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf, a high-dose(80 mg·kg~(-1)) group of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf, a propranolol hydrochloride(2 mg·kg~(-1)) group, with 12 rats in each group. Except the control group, rats in other groups were prepared as models of arrhythmia by sublingual injection of 1 mL·kg~(-1) of 0.002% aconitine. After grouping and intervention with drugs, the arrhythmia, myocardial cells apoptosis, myocardial tissue glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px), catalase(CAT), malondialdehyde(MDA), serum interleukin-6(IL-6), prostaglandin E2(PGE2) levels, myocardial tissue apoptosis, and Wnt/β-catenin/PPARγ pathway-related protein expression of rats in each group were measured. As compared with the control group, the arrhythmia score, the number of ventricular premature beats, ventricular fibrillation duration, myocardial cell apoptosis rate, MDA levels in myocardial tissues, serum IL-6 and PGE2 levels, Bax in myocardial tissues, and Wnt1 and β-catenin protein expression levels increased significantly in the model group, whereas the GSH-Px and CAT levels, and Bcl-2 and PPARγ protein expression levels in myocardial tissues reduced significantly. As compared with the model group, the arrhythmia score, the number of ventricular premature beats, ventricular fibrillation duration, myocardial cell apoptosis rate, MDA leve in myocardial tissues, serum IL-6 and PGE2 levels, Bax in myocardial tissues, and Wnt1 and β-catenin protein expression levels reduced in the drug intervention groups, whereas the GSH-Px and CAT levels and Bcl-2 and PPARγ protein expression levels in myocardial tissues increased. The groups of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf were in a dose-dependent manner. There was no significant difference in the levels of each index in rats between the propranolol hydrochloride group and the high-dose group of total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf. The total flavonoids of buckwheat flower and leaf inhibit the activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway, up-regulate the expression of PPARγ, reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory damage in myocardial tissues of arrhythmic rats, reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, and improve the symptoms of arrhythmia in rats.
Rats ; Animals ; PPAR gamma/metabolism* ; Fagopyrum/genetics* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein ; beta Catenin/metabolism* ; Interleukin-6 ; Flavonoids/pharmacology* ; Propranolol/pharmacology* ; Ventricular Fibrillation ; Dinoprostone ; Wnt Signaling Pathway ; Plant Leaves/metabolism* ; Flowers/metabolism* ; Apoptosis ; Cardiac Complexes, Premature