Project description:Microbial endophytes are microorganisms that live inside plants, and some of them play important yet understudied roles in plant health, growth, and adaptation to environmental conditions. Their diversity within plants has traditionally been underestimated due to the limitations of culture-dependent techniques. Metagenomic profiling provides a culture-independent approach to characterize entire microbial communities. The argan tree (Argania spinosa) is ecologically and economically important in Morocco, yet its seed endophyte microbiome remains unexplored. This study aimed to compare the bacterial and fungal endophyte communities associated with argan seeds collected from six sites across Morocco using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and ITS regions, respectively. Bacterial DNA was extracted from surface-sterilized seeds and amplified using universal primers, while fungal DNA was isolated directly from seeds. Bioinformatics analysis of sequencing data identified taxonomic profiles at the phylum to genus levels. The results indicated that bacterial communities were dominated by the genus Rhodoligotrophos, while fungal communities exhibited varying degrees of dominance between Ascomycota and Basidiomycota depending on site, with Penicillium being the most abundant overall. Distinct site-specific profiles were observed, with Pseudomonas, Bacillus, and Aspergillus present across multiple locations. Alpha diversity indices revealed variation in endophyte richness between seed sources. In conclusion, this first exploration of the argan seed endophyte microbiome demonstrated environmental influence on community structure. While facing limitations due to small sample sizes and lack of ecological metadata, it provides a foundation for future mechanistic investigations into how specific endophyte-host interactions shape argan adaptation across Morocco's diverse landscapes.
Project description:We have previously reported that argan oil and argan press-cake from the kernels of Argania spinosa have an anti-melanogenesis effect. Here, the effect of argan fruit shell ethanol extract (AFSEE) on melanogenesis in B16F10 cells was determined, and the mechanism underlying its effect was elucidated. The proliferation of AFSEE-treated B16F10 cells was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, while the melanin content was quantified using a spectrophotometric method. The expression of melanogenesis-related proteins was determined by Western blot and real-time PCR, while global gene expression was determined using a DNA microarray. In vitro analysis results showed that the melanin content of B16F10 cells was significantly increased by AFSEE, without cytotoxicity, by increasing the melanogenic enzyme tyrosinase (TRY), tyrosinase related-protein 1 (TRP1), and dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) protein and mRNA expression, as well as upregulating microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) expression through mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38, and the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway, as indicated by the microarray analysis results. AFSEE's melanogenesis promotion effect is primarily attributed to its polyphenolic components. In conclusion, AFSEE promotes melanogenesis in B16F10 cells by upregulating the expression of the melanogenic enzymes through the cAMP-MITF signaling pathway.AFSEE may be used as a cosmetics product component to promote melanogenesis, or as a therapeutic against hypopigmentation disorders.
Project description:Background: The Argane tree ( Argania spinosa L. Skeels) is an endemic tree of mid-western Morocco that plays an important socioeconomic and ecologic role for a dense human population in an arid zone. Several studies confirmed the importance of this species as a food and feed source and as a resource for both pharmaceutical and cosmetic compounds. Unfortunately, the argane tree ecosystem is facing significant threats from environmental changes (global warming, over-population) and over-exploitation. Limited research has been conducted, however, on argane tree genetics and genomics, which hinders its conservation and genetic improvement. Methods: Here, we present a draft genome assembly of A. spinosa. A reliable reference genome of A. spinosa was created using a hybrid de novo assembly approach combining short and long sequencing reads. Results: In total, 144 Gb Illumina HiSeq reads and 7.6 Gb PacBio reads were produced and assembled. The final draft genome comprises 75 327 scaffolds totaling 671 Mb with an N50 of 49 916 kb. The draft assembly is close to the genome size estimated by k-mers distribution and covers 89% of complete and 4.3 % of partial Arabidopsis orthologous groups in BUSCO. Conclusion: The A. spinosa genome will be useful for assessing biodiversity leading to efficient conservation of this endangered endemic tree. Furthermore, the genome may enable genome-assisted cultivar breeding, and provide a better understanding of important metabolic pathways and their underlying genes for both cosmetic and pharmacological.
Project description:Argan trees are normally endemic to Morocco and Algeria, but hundreds of argan trees exist in Tunisia, some introduced from Morocco and some from unknown origins. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the genetic, morphological, and biochemical diversity of the argan trees in Tunisia. In this study, we used morphometric data collected from vegetative tissue, as well as pomological characteristics related to fruits, stones, and kernels. Genetic variation in 60 trees of Tunisian Argania spinosa L. was estimated using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs). Mutation screening and genotyping by high-resolution melting (HRM) was performed to detect delta-6-desaturase (D6D) variants in the tested individuals, and finally fatty acid analysis of argan leaves with gas chromatography (GC) was performed. The plant materials used in this study originated from four different sites in Tunisia. Analysis of morphological characteristics showed large variability both within and between the studied collections. The analysis of ISSR polymorphisms gave information about the diversity within and between populations. HRM analysis showed that all 60 argan individuals were grouped into 10 different categories. The results of the gas chromatography analysis showed that the presence of omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA was noticeable in some argan leaves.