Evaluation of glycosylation and malonylation patterns in flavonoid glycosides during LC/MS/MS metabolite profiling

Flavonoid conjugates constitute several classes of plant phenolic secondary metabolites including many isomeric compounds differing in the hydroxylation pattern and substitution of their rings with different groups such as alkyls, acyls or sugars. These compounds occur in plant tissues mainly as glycosides and in many cases it is necessary to have reliable and detailed information concerning the structure of these natural products. Our results were obtained using leaf extracts of Arabidopsis thaliana and Lupinus angustifolius in which different glycosides of flavones, flavonols and isoflavones are present. Analysis of collision-induced dissociation (CID)/MS/MS spectra of protonated [M + H](+), sodiated [M + Na](+) or deprotonated [M - H](-) molecules recorded during HPLC runs may bring needed information in this respect. However, registration of mass spectra of [M + Na](+) ions with a good efficiency is possible only after post-column addition of a sodium acetate solution to the LC column eluate. The retention of sodium cation on the saccharidic parts of the molecule is observed after the CID fragmentation. In many cases, the location of this cation on the glycan attached to C-3 hydroxyl group of flavonol led to assignment of its structure. Additionally, the determination of the structure of the aglycone and of the sequence of the glycan part was made possible through the CID data obtained from the [M + H](+) and [M - H](-) ions. CID spectra show a different order of sugar elimination from hydroxyl groups at C-3 and C-7 in flavonol glycosides isolated from A. thaliana leaves and give sufficient information to discriminate flavonoid O-diglycosides from flavonoid di-O-glycosides.     

Composition and Antifungal Activity of the Alkaloidal Fraction of Lupinus mirabilis Leaves: A Biochemometrics-Based Exploration

Lupinus plants are well-recognized due to their significant alkaloid content, which has made them the subject of several studies. However, the lack of chemical and biological information on the Colombian Lupinus species remains a fact. Therefore, the alkaloidal fractions from the leaves of L. mirabilis obtained by conventional solvent and ultrasound-assisted extraction (CSE and UAE, respectively) at different time frames were analyzed. Sparteine (2) was the main component in all cases; however, its relative abundance showed large variability, ranging from 64.7% to 80.6%. Minor constituents were also affected by the extraction conditions. In general, prolonged times gave a higher proportion of alkaloids under CSE, while only a slight decrease was observed under UAE. Both the method and extraction time appeared to equally affect the ratios of particular alkaloids, leading to variations in their effect on the mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum. Holistic analysis through multiple-covariate statistical methods as an approach to integrating chemical and bioactivity datasets allowed inferring the compounds most likely responsible for the changes in mycelial growth inhibition. 13α-Hydroxylupanine (12) might represent a promising compound to be included in further studies against this phytopathogen.     

Relationships between Nitrogen Translocation and Accumulation in Growing Plant Parts of Grain Legumes

Abstract

Grain legumes absorbed mineral ¹⁵N at every stage of development and transported it directedly (just as symbiotically fixed ¹⁵N₂) into the plant parts growing at the respective stage. The ¹⁵N accumulation in the grains after long-lasting ¹⁵N supply can be ascribed, for the major part, to a secondary ¹⁵N translocation after a temporary incorporation into older plant parts (leaves, stem). Inhibition experiments with antibiotics revealed no direct relation between the accumulation of amino acid ¹⁵N in growing pods and seeds and the protein synthesis in this target organs. It may include, however, processes of (active ?) uptake and transport with a possible contribution of carrier systems specific for distinct amino acids.     

Analysis of oxidised and reduced phytochelatins in pea and lupin plants using HPLC/MSn

Plants exposed to heavy metals activate a detoxification system capable of chelating and transporting these harmful ions to vacuoles. Phytochelatins–low molecular weight oligopeptides containing thiols such as glutathione and cystein–have been reported to play a very important role in this respect. High performance liquid chromatography coupled to the electospray ion trap mass spectrometer (HPLC-ESI-IT-MS) was used for identification of phytochelatins induced by Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ in roots, stems and leaves of pea (Pisum sativum L.) and yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.). This approach enabled unambiguous identification of phytochelatins in plant tissues and detection of phytochelatins and homophytochelatins in reduced as well as in oxidised form. Significant differences were detected in phytochelatin relative amounts and profiles in different parts of plants treated with heavy metals. Roots of both plant species contained mainly reduced phytochelatins, reduced and oxidised forms of these peptides were observed in stems in similar amounts, whereas only the oxidised phytochelatins were present in leaves.     

Distribution of Externally Applied 15NH4 + or 15NO3 − in White Lupins at Different Developmental Stages

White lupins (Lupinus albus L., var. Kievsky mutant) were grown in Mitscherlich pots. ¹⁵NH₄NO₃ or NH₄ ¹⁵NO₃ (10 or 95 at% ¹⁵N exc.) was applied at the late vegetative stage (14–16 leaves) or at the generative stage (end of bloom), respectively. Dry weight increase (ΔDW) of the plants as well as the ¹⁵N distribution in different organs and N fractions (NO_{3 ?}-N, NH₂-N, protein N) were investigated after 5 days and 50 days (maturity). The following results were obtained:

1. In comparison with the ¹⁵N derived from NO₃ ^?, the ¹⁵N derived from NH₄ ⁺ was more strongly retained in the roots. When transported into the shoot, it was more strongly translocated into the tip.

2. More ¹⁵N derived from NH⁴ ₊ was incorporated into proteins and reduced soluble N compounds than ¹⁵N derived from NO₄ ^?. Even in the above-ground plant tissues, a considerable proportion of the latter was found as NO₃ ^?.

3. In the long-term experiment (harvest at maturity 50 days after application), no difference in translocation and incorporation could be found between the two offered ¹⁵N sources.     

Untargeted Phytochemical Profile,Antioxidant Capacity and Enzyme Inhibitory Activity of Cultivated and Wild Lupin Seeds from Tunisia

Lupin seeds can represent a valuable source of phenolics and other antioxidant compounds. In this work, a comprehensive analysis of the phytochemical profile was performed on seeds from three Lupinus species, including one cultivar (Lupinus albus) and two wild accessions (Lupinus cossentinii and Lupinus luteus), collected from the northern region of Tunisia. Untargeted metabolomic profiling allowed to identify 249 compounds, with a great abundance of phenolics and alkaloids. In this regard, the species L. cossentinii showed the highest phenolic content, being 6.54 mg/g DW, followed by L. luteus (1.60 mg/g DW) and L. albus (1.14 mg/g DW). The in vitro antioxidant capacity measured by the ABTS assay on seed extracts ranged from 4.67 to 17.58 mg trolox equivalents (TE)/g, recording the highest values for L. albus and the lowest for L. luteus. The DPPH radical scavenging activity ranged from 0.39 to 3.50 mg TE/g. FRAP values varied between 4.11 and 5.75 mg TE/g. CUPRAC values for lupin seeds ranged from 7.20 to 8.95 mg TE/g, recording the highest for L. cossentinii. The results of phosphomolybdenum assay and metal chelation showed similarity between the three species of Lupinus. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition activity was detected in each methanolic extract analyzed with similar results. Regarding the butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzyme, it was weakly inhibited by the Lupinus extracts; in particular, the highest activity values were recorded for L. albus (1.74 mg GALAE/g). Overall, our results showed that L. cossentinii was the most abundant source of polyphenols, consisting mainly in tyrosol equivalents (5.82 mg/g DW). Finally, significant correlations were outlined between the phenolic compounds and the in vitro biological activity measured, particularly when considering flavones, phenolic acids and lower-molecular-weight phenolics.     

Quinolizidine-Based Variations and Antifungal Activity of Eight Lupinus Species Grown under Greenhouse Conditions

Fusarium oxysporum is an aggressive phytopathogen that affects various plant species, resulting in extensive local and global economic losses. Therefore, the search for competent alternatives is a constant pursuit. Quinolizidine alkaloids (QA) are naturally occurring compounds with diverse biological activities. The structural diversity of quinolizidines is mainly contributed by species of the family Fabaceae, particularly the genus Lupinus. This quinolizidine-based chemo diversity can be explored to find antifungals and even mixtures to address concomitant effects on F. oxysporum. Thus, the antifungal activity of quinolizidine-rich extracts (QREs) from the leaves of eight greenhouse-propagated Lupinus species was evaluated to outline promising QA mixtures against F. oxysporum. Thirteen main compounds were identified and quantified using an external standard. Quantitative analysis revealed different contents per quinolizidine depending on the Lupinus plant, ranging from 0.003 to 32.8 mg/g fresh leaves. Bioautography showed that all extracts were active at the maximum concentration (5 µg/µL). They also exhibited >50% mycelium growth inhibition. All QREs were fungistatic except for the fungicidal QRE of L. polyphyllus Lindl. Angustifoline, matrine, 13α-hydroxylupanine, and 17-oxolupanine were ranked to act jointly against the phytopathogen. Our findings constitute reference information to better understand the antifungal activity of naturally afforded QA mixtures from these globally important plants.     

Isolation, chemical composition, and structural features of polysaccharides fromLupinus species

Polysaccharides ofLupinus angustifolius (Bryansk 123 and Krystall varieties) andLupinus luteus (SG-91 variety) are extracted and hydrolyzed. Their chemical composition and structural features are studied. Optimal conditions for extraction, hydrolysis, and purification of the lupine polysaccharides are found. Structural features of the isolated pectins are determined based on¹³C NMR and IR spectroscopy.Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 32–34, January–February, 2000.