SmuMYB113 is the determinant of fruit color in pepino (Solanum muricatum).

Pepino (Solanum muricatum) is an herbaceous crop phylogenetically related to tomato and potato. Pepino fruit vary in color, size and shape, and are eaten fresh. In this study, we use pepino as a fruit model to understand the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms controlling fruit quality. To identify the key genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in pepino, two genotypes were studied that contrasted in foliar and fruit pigmentation. Anthocyanin profiles were analyzed, as well as the expression of genes that encode enzymes for anthocyanin biosynthesis and transcriptional regulators using both RNA-seq and quantitative PCR. The differential expression of the transcription factor genes R2R3 MYB SmuMYB113 and R3MYB SmuATV suggested their association with purple skin and foliage phenotype. Functional analysis of these genes in both tobacco and pepino showed that SmuMYB113 activates anthocyanins, while SmuATV suppresses anthocyanin accumulation. However, despite elevated expression in all tissues, SmuMYB113 does not significantly elevate flesh pigmentation, suggesting a strong repressive background in fruit flesh tissue. These results will aid understanding of the differential regulation controlling fruit quality aspects between skin and flesh in other fruiting species.

De novo assembly of the complete mitochondrial genome of pepino (Solanum muricatum) using PacBio HiFi sequencing: insights into structure, phylogenetic implications, and RNA editing.

BACKGROUND: Solanum muricatum is an emerging horticultural fruit crop with rich nutritional and antioxidant properties. Although the chromosome-scale genome of this species has been sequenced, its mitochondrial genome sequence has not been reported to date. RESULTS: PacBio HiFi sequencing was used to assemble the circular mitogenome of S. muricatum, which was 433,466 bp in length. In total, 38 protein-coding, 19 tRNA, and 3 rRNA genes were annotated. The reticulate mitochondrial conformations with multiple junctions were verified by polymerase chain reaction, and codon usage, sequence repeats, and gene migration from chloroplast to mitochondrial genome were determined. A collinearity analysis of eight Solanum mitogenomes revealed high structural variability. Overall, 585 RNA editing sites in protein coding genes were identified based on RNA-seq data. Among them, mttB was the most frequently edited (52 times), followed by ccmB (46 times). A phylogenetic analysis based on the S. muricatum mitogenome and those of 39 other taxa (including 25 Solanaceae species) revealed the evolutionary and taxonomic status of S. muricatum. CONCLUSIONS: We provide the first report of the assembled and annotated S. muricatum mitogenome. This information will help to lay the groundwork for future research on the evolutionary biology of Solanaceae species. Furthermore, the results will assist the development of molecular breeding strategies for S. muricatum based on the most beneficial agronomic traits of this species.

Antioxidant Activities of Stem, Leaves and Fruits Extracts of Pepino (Solanum muricatum Aiton).

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Pepino (<i>Solanum muricatum</i> Aiton), rich with vitamin C and flavonoids, constitutes an abundant source of potent antioxidants. This research was conducted to determine antioxidant activity from three different parts of pepino based on equivalence with ascorbic acid, to analyze the relationship between total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) on antioxidant activities and to determine flavonoid compounds. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Antioxidant activities were determined using 2,2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Cupric Ion Reducing Antioxidant Capacity (CUPRAC) methods. The TPC and TFC were determined by UV-visible spectrophotometry. The correlation between TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity was analyzed using Pearson's method. Flavonoid compound content was performed by HPLC. <b>Results:</b> The ethyl acetate pepino fruit extract expressed the highest antioxidant activity by DPPH and CUPRAC assays. The highest TPC was obtained from the ethyl acetate extract of pepino stem (18.493 g GAE/(100 g)), while the highest TFC was obtained from the hexane extract of pepino leaves (9.541 g QE/(100 g)). <b>Conclusion:</b> The DPPH and CUPRAC assays demonstrated that pepino exhibits potential as a source of natural antioxidants, especially in its fruit part.

First Report of Alternaria linariae Causing Postharvest Fruit Rot of Pepino (Solanum muricatum) in China.

Pepino (Solanum muricatum L.) is a popular solanaceous crop that is native to South America and is commercially grown in many countries including China for its attractive, sweet and flavorful fruits. In September 2023, a postharvest fruit rot was observed at an incidence of 7% to 10% on pepino at supermarket in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China (28.69°N, 115.81°E). Symptoms on fruits initially appeared as small black spots that later enlarged and became necrotic. To isolate the pathogen, symptomatic tissues were surface-sterilized using 75% ethanol for 15 s, then 1% sodium hypochlorite for 30 s, rinsed three times in sterile water, air dried, finally placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates and incubated at 25℃ for 4 days. Ten strains (about 83% isolation frequency  from symptomatic pepino fruits) with similar morphological characteristics were isolated. The colonies on PDA were initially white, gradually turning gray and eventually becoming black, and had abundant aerial mycelia. Conidia were fusiform to linetype, dark brown, measuring 50 to 100 × 10 to 28 µm (n = 30) with 5 to 10 transverse septa and 0 to 3 longitudinal septa. Based on the morphological characteristics, the pathogen was identified as Alternaria sp. (Ma et al. 2021). To further confirm species, two representative isolates (JXAL-1 and JXAL-2) were selected for molecular identification. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1), Alternaria major allergen gene (Alt a 1) and DNA-directed RNA polymerase II core subunit (RPB2) were amplified and sequenced by using primers ITS5/ITS4, gpd1/gpd2, Alt-for/Alt-rev, EF1-728F/EF1-986R and fRPB2-5F2/fRPB2-7cR (Woudenberg et al. 2013; Woudenberg et al. 2014), respectively. These sequences were deposited into GenBank with accession number PP231808-PP231809 (ITS), PP238480-PP238481 (GAPDH), PP238482-PP238483 (Alt a 1), PP238484-PP238485 (TEF1) and PP238486-PP238487 (RPB2). A BLASTn homology search for these nucleotides showed 100% identity to ITS (KJ718182, 525 nt/525 nt), GAPDH (KJ718026, 579 nt/579 nt), Alt a 1 (KJ718694, 472 nt/472 nt), TEF1 (KJ718530, 334 nt/334 nt) and RPB2 (KJ718355, 772 nt/772 nt) sequences of Alternaria linariae CBS 107.61. The maximum likelihood analyses were performed for the combined ITS, GAPDH, Alt a 1, TEF1 and RPB2 using the IQtree web server (Trifinopoulos et al. 2016). In the phylogenetic tree, the isolates and isolates of A. linariae clustered together with 100% bootstrap support. Therefore, the fungus was identified as A. linariae. To evaluate pathogenicity, five healthy fruits of pepino were surface-sterilized with 75% ethanol, then wounded and a 5 mm diameter agar with isolate JXAL-1 was put on the wound. Another five fruits was inoculated with sterile agar plugs as control. All treated fruits were incubated at 25 ℃ with 80% humidity , and repeated twice. Five days later, all the wounded fruits inoculated with A. linariae showed similar symptoms and A. linariae was reisolated, while the control fruits remained healthy and no pathogen was isolated, fulfilling Koch's postulates. A. linariae is known as an important pathogen causing early blight of tomato and potato(Adhikari et al. 2020). To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. linariae causing postharvest fruit rot on S. muricatum in China, which expands the natural host range of A. linariae and will be helpful to develop efficient management strategies on pepino.

Anti-Hypertensive Effect of Solanum muricatum Aiton Leaf Extract In Vivo and In Vitro.

Hypertension is a global health problem and leads to cardiovascular disease and renal injury. Solanum muricatum Aiton leaf extract, rich in flavonoids, is known for its antioxidant capacity. However, the effects of Solanum muricatum Aiton leaf extract on hypertension combined with inflammatory complications were unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impact of Solanum muricatum Aiton leaf extract on hypertension in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, Solanum muricatum Aiton leaf extract led to decrease high blood pressure, improve heart, aorta, and kidney pathology, and enhance the antioxidative activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Our study demonstrated Solanum muricatum Aiton leaf extract inhibited angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), epithelial sodium channel (ENaC), sodium glucose co-transporters-1 (SGLT-1), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). In vitro, Solanum muricatum Aiton leaf extract improved the angiotensin II-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane depolarization in NRK-52E cells. Besides, Solanum muricatum Aiton leaf extract could also decrease the expressions of ENaC, SGLT-1, and NF-κB in angiotensin II-treated NRK-52E cells. Solanum muricatum Aiton leaf can be suggested as a novel antihypertensive agent ameliorating hypertension via ACE inhibition, inflammation reduction, and ROS. PLE is a novel anti-hypertensive agent to ameliorate hypertension and its complications, including inflammation.

Metabolomics analysis of quality components metabolism during the growth process of pepino (Solanum muricatum) fruit.

Pepino (Solanum muricatum), a horticultural crop that has experienced significant growth in the highlands of China over the past two decades, is widely embraced by consumers due to its distinctive taste and nutritional advantages. This study focused on the cultivar 'Qingcanxiang' of pepino grown on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was analyzed using UPLC-QTOF-MS and RNA-seq transcriptome sequencing. Fruit samples were collected at three distinct stages of development, and the results of the metabolomics and transcriptomics were compared and correlated. The study's findings indicate that the 'Qingcanxiang' fruit contained a total of 187 metabolites, comprising 12 distinct categories of compounds, including amino acids and their derivatives, organic acids, sugars and alcohols, phenols and phenolic acids. Of these metabolites, 94 were identified as differential. Significant variations in nutrient composition were observed across the three growth stages of the fruit. Specifically, the stage spanning from the growth to the maturation was identified as the critical stages for nutrient accumulation and flavor development. Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed a set of highly associated genes between aspartate and quinic acid, namely SIR2, IRAK4, RP-L29, and CCNH. These genes are potentially involved in the regulation of both amino acid and phenolic acid synthesis. Through the application of metabolomics and transcriptomics, this investigation elucidates the alterations in metabolites and the underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms of pepino fruits during three growth stages. The findings furnish a theoretical foundation for the evaluation of nutritional quality and the enhancement of breeding strategies for pepino.

Evaluation of the Attractant Effect of Solanum muricatum (Solanales: Solanaceae) on Gravid Female Adults of Zeugodacus tau (Diptera: Tephritidae) and Screening of Attractant Volatiles.

Zeugodacus tau (Walker) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a pest seriously harmful to Solanaceae crops and was found to oviposit on the pepino melon Solanum muricatum (Aiton). To date, the differences in the ability of the fruits of S. muricatum and other Solanaceae crops to attract gravid Z. tau females have seldom been reported. Oviposition and trapping bioassays were performed to clarify whether such differences existed. A combination of GC-MS and the Y-tube olfactometer system was used to identify and determine the compounds inducing behavioral responses in gravid Z. tau females to the volatile odors of S. muricatum. The results show that S. muricatum odors play a role in attracting gravid Z. tau females. The odors of Solanaceae crops influence their ability to attract these organisms. The nine compounds from the volatiles of S. muricatum induce tendency or repellency responses in gravid Z. tau females. Hexyl acetate, butyl acetate, amyl actate, and isoamyl acetate caused tendency behavior in gravid Z. tau females, while hexyl hexanoate, butyl isovalerate, butyl valerate, and isoamyl hexanoate caused repellency behavior. Heptyl acetate caused repellency behavior in gravid Z. tau females at higher concentrations (5 mg/mL) but caused tendency behavior at a low concentration (0.5 mg/mL). These results suggest that vigilance against the harm caused by Z. tau is required during the cultivation of S. muricatum. The nine compounds of the volatile odors of S. muricatum could help to develop attractants and repellents for gravid Z. tau females. These results are beneficial for preventing Z. tau females from harming S. muricatum, developing attractants and repellents for Z. tau females, and establishing a system of ecological control for Z. tau females.

Identification of the key metabolites and related genes network modules highly associated with the nutrients and taste components among different Pepino (Solanum muricatum) cultivars.

There is considerable knowledge about plant compounds that produce flavor, scent, and aroma. Aside from the similarities, however, groups of plant-produced nutrients and taste components have little in common with each other. Network analysis holds promise for metabolic gene discovery, which is especially important in plant systems where metabolic networks are not yet fully resolved. To bridge this gap, we propose a joint model of gene regulation and metabolic reactions in two different pepino varieties. Differential metabolomics analysis is carried out for detection of eventual interaction of compound. We adopted a multi-omics approach to profile the transcriptome and metabolome analyze differences in phenolic acids, flavonoids, organic acids, lipids, alkaloids, and sugars between LOF and SRF. The two most predominant classes of metabolites are phenolic acids and lipids in pepino. Overall results show enrichment in most DEGs was carbohydrate and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites pathway. Results of DEMs predominantly comprised N-p-coumaroyl agmatine and tryptamine, and significant differences were observed in their expression between LOF and SRF. Integrated DEMs and DEGs specific networks were constructed by combining two types of networks: transcriptional regulatory networks composed of interactions between DEMs and the regulated genes, and pepino metabolite-metabolite interaction networks. Newly discovered features, such as DEGs (USPA, UBE2 and DELLA) involved in the production of secondary metabolites are found in coregulated gene clusters. Moreover, lipid metabolites were most involved in DEMs correlations by OPLS-DA while identifying a significant number of DEGs co-regulated by SENP1, HMGCS et al. These results further that the metabolite discrepancies result from characterized the nutrients and taste components between two pepino genotype. Among the possible causes of the differences between species in pepino metabolite concentrations is co-regulated by these DEGs, continue to suggest that novel features of metabolite biosynthetic pathway remain to be uncovered. Finally, the integrated metabolome and transcriptome analyses have revealed that many important metabolic pathways are regulated at the transcriptional level. The metabolites content differences observed among varieties of the same species mainly originates from different regulated genes and enzymes expression. Overall, this study provides new insights into the underlying causes of differences in the plant metabolites and suggests that genetic data can be used to improve its nutrients and taste components.

Review on the ecophysiology of important Andean fruits: Solanaceae / Revisión de la ecofisiología de frutos andinos importantes: Solanaceae

ABSTRACT The high Andean areas present ecophysiological conditions suitable for the cultivation of many fruit species, especially of the Solanaceae family. The objective of this review is to present important ecophysiological information on four fruit trees grown in cold climates: Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.), tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.), lulo (Solanum quitoense Lam.), and sweet cucumber o pear melon (Solanum muricatum Aiton). The cape gooseberry is a species well adapted to cold tropical climate, it is grown between 1,800 and 2,700m a.s.l., with temperatures of 13 to 16°C. It is highly adapted to high solar radiation and to the abrupt changes between the day and night temperatures. It requires a precipitation of 1,000 to 1,800mm year-1 uniformly distributed throughout the year, and is sensitive to water deficit but also to waterlogging and strong winds. The tree tomato, in Colombia, produces better from 1,800 to 2,600m a.s.l., with temperatures between 13 and 20°C, annual rainfall between 1,500 and 2,000mm, relative humidity around 80%, and solar brightness of 1,800 to 2,300 hours/year; it does not resist strong winds, water deficit or waterlogging. The lulo requires environments with high precipitation (1,000 to 2,800mm) and penumbra because it loses a lot of water through transpiration but waterlogging also affects it; it grows well in areas between 1,600 to 2,400m a.s.l. and 16 to 24°C, with photosynthesis rates up to of 34.03µmol CO2 m-2 s-1. The sweet cucumber is of growing interest in many exotic fruit markets, it grows at 900-2,800m a.s.l. with temperatures <25°C and responds well to air enrichment with CO2.

RESUMEN Las zonas altoandinas presentan condiciones ecofisiológicas aptas para el cultivo de muchas especies frutales, especialmente, de la familia Solanaceae. El objetivo de este artículo de revisión de literatura fue reunir la información ecofisiológica importante sobre cuatro frutales, cultivados en clima frío: uchuva (Physalis peruviana L.), tomate de árbol (Solanum betaceum Cav.), lulo (Solanum quitoense Lam.) y pepino dulce (Solanum muricatum Aiton). La uchuva es una especie bien adaptada a clima frio, se cultiva entre los 1.800 y 2.700m s.n.m., con temperaturas de 13 a 16°C. Es altamente adaptada a una elevada radiación solar y al cambio brusco entre la temperatura del día y de la noche. Requiere una precipitación de 1.000 a 1.800mm año-1, distribuido uniformemente durante el año; es sensible al déficit hídrico, pero también al encharcamiento y a los fuertes vientos. El tomate de árbol, en Colombia, produce mejor de 1.800 a 2.600m s.n.m., con temperaturas entre 13 y 20°C, con una precipitación anual entre 1.500 y 2.000mm y humedad relativa alrededor del 80%, con un brillo solar de 1.800 a 2.300 horas/año; no resiste vientos fuertes, déficit hídrico, ni anegamiento. El lulo requiere ambientes con alta precipitación (1.000 a 2.800mm) y penumbra, porque pierde mucha agua por transpiración, pero el anegamiento también lo afecta; crece bien en zonas entre 1.600 a 2.400m s.n.m. y 16 a 24°C, con tasas de fotosíntesis hasta de 34,03µmol CO2 m-2 s-1. El pepino dulce está generando un creciente interés en muchos mercados de los frutos exóticos, crece en 900-2.800m s.n.m., con temperaturas <25°C y responde bien al enriquecimiento con CO2.

Transcriptome-wide and expression analysis of the NAC gene family in pepino (Solanum muricatum) during drought stress.

Solanum muricatum (Pepino) is an increasingly popular solanaceous crop and is tolerant of drought conditions. In this study, 71 NAC transcription factor family genes of S. muricatum were selected to provide a theoretical basis for subsequent in-depth study of their regulatory roles in the response to biological and abiotic stresses, and were subjected to whole-genome analysis. The NAC sequences obtained by transcriptome sequencing were subjected to bioinformatics prediction and analysis. Three concentration gradient drought stresses were applied to the plants, and the target gene sequences were analyzed by qPCR to determine their expression under drought stress. The results showed that the S. muricatum NAC family contains 71 genes, 47 of which have conserved domains. The protein sequence length, molecular weight, hydrophilicity, aliphatic index and isoelectric point of these transcription factors were predicted and analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the S. muricatum NAC gene family is divided into seven subfamilies. Some NAC genes of S. muricatum are closely related to the NAC genes of Solanaceae crops such as tomato, pepper and potato. The seedlings of S. muricatum were grown under different gradients of drought stress conditions and qPCR was used to analyze the NAC expression in roots, stems, leaves and flowers. The results showed that 13 genes did not respond to drought stress while 58 NAC genes of S. muricatum that responded to drought stress had obvious tissue expression specificity. The overall expression levels in the root were found to be high. The number of genes at extremely significant expression levels was very large, with significant polarization. Seven NAC genes with significant responses were selected to analyze their expression trend in the different drought stress gradients. It was found that genes with the same expression trend also had the same or part of the same conserved domain. Seven SmNACs that may play an important role in drought stress were selected for NAC amino acid sequence alignment of Solanaceae crops. Four had strong similarity to other Solanaceae NAC amino acid sequences, and SmNAC has high homology with the Solanum pennellii. The NAC transcription factor family genes of S. muricatum showed strong structural conservation. Under drought stress, the expression of NAC transcription factor family genes of S. muricatum changed significantly, which actively responded to and participated in the regulation process of drought stress, thereby laying foundations for subsequent in-depth research of the specific functions of NAC transcription factor family genes of S. muricatum.

Structure characterization and immunomodulatory activity of a new neutral polysaccharide SMP-0b from Solanum muricatum.

In the present study, a novel neutral polysaccharide SMP-0b was extracted and purified from the pulp of Solanum muricatum. Monosaccharide composition analysis revealed that SMP-0b was mainly composed of l-arabinose, d-mannose, d-glucose and d-galactose with the molar ratio of 5.31:2.92:42.23:25.38. The weight-average molecular weight and number-average molecular weight of SMP-0b was calculated to be 13.51 kDa and 9.91 kDa respectively through high performance gel permeation chromatography. The structure of SMP-0b was characterized by methylation and NMR analysis. It showed that the backbone chain of SMP-0b was consisted of →4)-ß-d-Galp-(1→, →3,6)-ß-d-Manp-(1→ and →6)-α-d-Glcp-(1→, and the side chain was composed of α-l-Araf-(1→ and →4)-α-d-Glcp-(1→. In immunomodulation assays in vitro, SMP-0b exhibited good immunomodulatory activity and could significantly stimulate proliferation and NO production of RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The results suggested that the neutral polysaccharide from Solanum muricatum might have potential as an immunomodulator or supplement in functional food to enhance immunity.

Physicochemical Characterization and Immunomodulatory Activity of a Novel Acid Polysaccharide from Solanum muricatum.

To investigate the structure and immunomodulatory activity of polysaccharide from Solanum muricatum, a novel acid polysaccharide named SMP-3a was purified from Solanum muricatum pulp through DEAE-52 cellulose column and Sephadex G-200 chromatography. Monosaccharide composition analysis showed that SMP-3a was mainly composed of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, and galacturonic acid with the molar ratio of 1.09:2.64:1.54:1. The average molecular weight was found to be 227 kDa by high performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC). Thermal studies revealed the SMP-3a was a thermally stable polymer. Based on the results of methylation and NMR analysis, the backbone chain of SMP-3a was composed of →2)-α-l-Rhap-(1→, →4)-α-d-GalpA-(1→ and →4)-α-d-Galp-(1→. The side chain was consisted of α-l-Araf-(1→ and →5)-α-l-Araf-(1→. Immunomodulatory assay indicated that SMP-3a could significantly promote the proliferation of macrophages and stimulate the secretion of cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6. Our results suggested that SMP-3a could be used as a novel potential immunomodulatory agent in functional food.

Volatile Compound and Gene Expression Analyses Reveal Temporal and Spatial Production of LOX-Derived Volatiles in Pepino (Solanum muricatum Aiton) Fruit and LOX Specificity.

Lipoxygenase (LOX) is an important contributor to aroma compounds in most fresh produce; however, little is known about the LOX pathway in pepino (Solanum muricatum Aiton) fruit. We explored the LOX aroma compounds produced by the flesh and the peel and identified eight putative LOX genes expressed in both tissues during fruit growth and development during two consecutive seasons. This study shows that pepino produces C5, C6, and C9 LOX-derived compounds. Odorant C9 volatiles were produced during immature stages with a concomitant decrease when the fruit ripens, whereas C5 and C6 compounds were formed throughout ripening. trans-2-Hexenal and its alcohol were produced in the peel, but not detected in the flesh. The expression of three genes, SmLOXD (putative 13-LOX), SmLOXB, and SmLOX5-like1 (putative 9-LOXs), increased during fruit ripening. These genes may account for aroma volatiles in pepino. Here, we discuss the possible roles of individual LOX genes in pepino.

Solanum Muricatum Promotes Osteogenic Differentiation of Rat Bone Marrow Stromal Cells.

Solanum muricatum (SM), also known as pepino, is known for its antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of SM extract in promoting osteogenic differentiation and regulating the Wnt and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathways. Ingredients of pepino were extracted and identified. SM extracts were used to treat rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), followed by evaluating alkaline phosphatase activities and mineralization levels. The mRNA levels of osteogenic biomarkers, including OPN and Collagen I, were also evaluated with real-time polymerase chain reaction. After treatment with SM extracts, the expressions of key proteins in the Wnt and BMP signaling pathways were assessed. DKK-1 and noggin, which are Wnt and BMP inhibitors, respectively, were added with SM extracts to investigate the role of Wnt and BMP pathways in the ameliorating effects of SM extract in osteogenesis. Treatment of BMSCs with SM extract promoted osteogenesis. Meanwhile, upregulations in the Wnt and BMP pathways were also observed. However, inhibiting both pathways compromised the effects of SM extract in promoting osteogenic differentiation. SM extract promotes osteogenic differentiation in BMSCs via promoting the Wnt and BMP signaling pathways.

The Effects of Syzygium samarangense, Passiflora edulis and Solanum muricatum on Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury.

Previous studies have shown that fruits have different effects on alcohol metabolism and alcohol-induced liver injury. The present work selected three fruits and aimed at studying the effects of Syzygium samarangense, Passiflora edulis and Solanum muricatum on alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. The animals were treated daily with alcohol and fruit juices for fifteen days. Chronic treatment with alcohol increased the levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), total bilirubin (TBIL), triglyceride (TG), malondialdehyde (MDA), and decreased total protein (TP). Histopathological evaluation also showed that ethanol induced extensive fat droplets in hepatocyte cytoplasm. Syzygium samarangense and Passiflora edulis normalized various biochemical parameters. Solanum muricatum increased the level of ALT and induced infiltration of inflammatory cells in the liver. These results strongly suggest that treatment with Syzygium samarangense and Passiflora edulis could protect liver from the injury of alcohol, while Solanum muricatum could aggravate the damage.

The first de novo transcriptome of pepino (Solanum muricatum): assembly, comprehensive analysis and comparison with the closely related species S. caripense, potato and tomato.

BACKGROUND: Solanum sect. Basarthrum is phylogenetically very close to potatoes (Solanum sect. Petota) and tomatoes (Solanum sect. Lycopersicon), two groups with great economic importance, and for which Solanum sect. Basarthrum represents a tertiary gene pool for breeding. This section includes the important regional cultigen, the pepino (Solanum muricatum), and several wild species. Among the wild species, S. caripense is prominent due to its major involvement in the origin of pepino and its wide geographical distribution. Despite the value of the pepino as an emerging crop, and the potential for gene transfer from both the pepino and S. caripense to potatoes and tomatoes, there has been virtually no genomic study of these species. RESULTS: Using Illumina HiSeq 2000, RNA-Seq was performed with a pool of three tissues (young leaf, flowers in pre-anthesis and mature fruits) from S. muricatum and S. caripense, generating almost 111,000,000 reads among the two species. A high quality de novo transcriptome was assembled from S. muricatum clean reads resulting in 75,832 unigenes with an average length of 704 bp. These unigenes were functionally annotated based on similarity of public databases. We used Blast2GO, to conduct an exhaustive study of the gene ontology, including GO terms, EC numbers and KEGG pathways. Pepino unigenes were compared to both potato and tomato genomes in order to determine their estimated relative position, and to infer gene prediction models. Candidate genes related to traits of interest in other Solanaceae were evaluated by presence or absence and compared with S. caripense transcripts. In addition, by studying five genes, the phylogeny of pepino and five other members of the family, Solanaceae, were studied. The comparison of S. caripense reads against S. muricatum assembled transcripts resulted in thousands of intra- and interspecific nucleotide-level variants. In addition, more than 1000 SSRs were identified in the pepino transcriptome. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the first genomic resource for the pepino. We suggest that the data will be useful not only for improvement of the pepino, but also for potato and tomato breeding and gene transfer. The high quality of the transcriptome presented here also facilitates comparative studies in the genus Solanum. The accurate transcript annotation will enable us to figure out the gene function of particular traits of interest. The high number of markers (SSR and nucleotide-level variants) obtained will be useful for breeding programs, as well as studies of synteny, diversity evolution, and phylogeny.

Fruit composition diversity in land races and modern pepino (Solanum muricatum) varieties and wild related species.

Pepino (Solanum muricatum) fruits from 15 accessions of cultivated pepino as well as six accessions from wild relatives were evaluated for contents in dry matter, protein, ß-carotene, chlorophylls and seven minerals. Several-fold differences among accessions were found for most traits. Average values obtained were similar to those of melon and cucumber, but the phenolic contents were much higher. Wild species had significantly higher average contents for all traits vs. the cultivated pepino accessions. And, the comparisons among the cultivated pepino varieties showed that the modern varieties were more uniform in composition, and they possessed significantly lower concentrations of protein, P, K, and Zn than local land races. Most of the significant correlations among composition traits were positive. Our studies show that regular consumption of pepino fruits could make a significant contribution to the recommended daily intake of P, K, Fe and Cu as well as to the average daily intake of phenolics. Furthermore, the higher values for most nutrients measured in the wild species and in the local land races indicate that new pepino varieties with improved fruit contents in nutrient and bioactive compounds can be developed.

Rapid Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Pepino (Solanum muricatum) Leaf Extract and Their Cytotoxicity on HeLa Cells.

Within nanotechnology, gold and silver nanostructures have unique physical, chemical, and electronic properties [1,2], which make them suitable for a number of applications. Moreover, biosynthetic methods are considered to be a safer alternative to conventional physicochemical procedures for both the environmental and biomedical applications, due to their eco-friendly nature and the avoidance of toxic chemicals in the synthesis. For this reason, employing bio routes in the synthesis of functionalized silver nanoparticles (FAgNP) have gained importance recently in this field. In the present study, we report the rapid synthesis of FAgNP through the extract of pepino (Solanum muricatum) leaves and employing microwave oven irradiation. The core-shell globular morphology and characterization of the different shaped and sized FAgNP, with a core of 20-50 nm of diameter is established using the UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Zeta potential and dynamic light scanning (DLS) studies. Moreover, cytotoxic studies employing HeLa (human cervix carcinoma) cells were undertaken to understand FAgNP interactions with cells. HeLa cells showed significant dose dependent antiproliferative activity in the presence of FAgNP at relatively low concentrations. The calculated IC50 value was 37.5 µg/mL, similar to others obtained for FAgNPs against HeLa cells.

Effects of ascorbic acid on some physiological changes of pepino (Solanum muricatum Ait.) under chilling stress.

In this study, the changes caused by chilling stress on some physiological parameters of pepino (Solanum muricatum Ait.) plant and the effects of ascorbic acid (100 mM) applied exogenously on these changes were examined. For this purpose, the photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophylls and carotenoids), ascorbic acid, total phenolic compounds, malondialdehyde and proline contents in leaves of pepino taken on 5th and 10th days were determined. As a result of chilling stress, it was found that while the photosynthetic pigments and proline contents decreased in pepino leaves, the ascorbic acid, total phenolic compounds and malondialdehyde contents increased. In plants which were subjected to pre-treatment of ascorbic acid on the 10th day of stress, ascorbic acid and proline contents increased while a decrease was observed in malondialdehyde content, compared to stress group without pre-treated. This study may be important for explaining resistance induced by treatment of exogenous ascorbic acid in pepino exposed to chilling stress.