Browsing by Author "Altunoglu Y.C."

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A broad-spectrum biological activities of Heracleum humile extracts: A first report of the antiviral, anti-cancer and chemical properties
(2024-12-01) Ocal M.; Duran Yelken S.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Baloglu M.C.; Soomro S.I.; Zengin G.; Angeloni S.; Mustafa A.M.; Caprioli G.; Paksoy M.Y.
A multidirectional perspective for novel functional products: In vitro pharmacological activities and in silico studies on Ononis natrix subsp. hispanica
(2017-09-01) Yerlikaya S.; Zengin G.; Mollica A.; Baloglu M.C.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Aktumsek A.
The genus Ononis has important value as traditional drugs and foods. In the present work, we aimed to assess the chemical profiles and biological effects of Ononis natrix subsp. hispanica extracts (ethyl acetate, methanol, and water). For chemical profile, total and individual phenolic components were detected. For biological effects, antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, FRAP, phosphomolybdenum, and metal chelating assays), enzyme inhibitory (against cholinesterase, tyrosinase, α-amylase and α-glucosidase), antimicrobial, DNA protection and cytotoxic abilities were tested. The predominant phenolics were apigenin, luteolin, and quercetin in the tested extracts. Generally, the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts were noted as the most active in the antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory assays. Water extract with different concentrations indicated high level of DNA protection activity. Methanol and ethyl acetate extracts showed antibacterial effect against to Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains. The cytotoxic effects of O. natrix subsp. hispanica extracts on the survival of HeLa and PC3 cells were determined by MTT cell viability assay. Water and methanol extracts caused initiation of apoptosis for PC3 cell line. Furthermore, molecular docking was performed to better understand interactions between dominant phenolic compounds and selected enzymes. Our results clearly indicate that O. natrix subsp. hispanica could be considered a potential candidate for designing novel pharmaceuticals, cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals.
Analysis of DNA protection, interaction and antimicrobial activity of isatin derivatives
(2019-02-01) Ganim M.A.; Baloglu M.C.; Aygun A.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Sayiner H.S.; Kandemirli F.; Sen F.
Isatin, thiosemicarbazone and their derivatives have been widely used in biological applications such as antimicrobial, antiviral and anticancer therapies. Herein, eight isatin and thiosemicarbazone derivative compounds were re-synthesized and evaluated for DNA binding analysis including DNA protection studies using plasmid DNA (pUC19) and DNA interaction experiments using calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA). All compounds were also utilized in vitro assay to assess the antimicrobial activity of compounds against different pathogenic bacterial strains. All isatin and thiosemicarbazone derivative compounds exhibited DNA protection activity which ranged from 23.5 to 59.5%. Among them, I3-(N-2-MP)-TSC had the greatest DNA protective activity. For DNA binding analysis, all compounds had the same constant concentration (40 μM), which interacts with CT-DNA. It was also observed that DNA interactions gave a high intrinsic binding constant (Kb = 1.72 × 104 M−1–9.73 × 105 M−1). Besides, several derivatives of isatin thiosemicarbazone exhibited significant and selective antibacterial activity with low concentration. These compounds primarily affected Gram-positive bacteria, but were not effective against P. vulgaris and E. coli. The Gram-positive methicillin-resistant S. aureus ATCC 43300 (MRSA) was the most influenced strain by these compounds. It was found that methyphenyl group at isatin was essential for its antibacterial activity for MRSA.
Anticancer and biological properties of leaf and flower extracts of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench
(2021-06-01) Mohamed Sharif K.O.; Tufekci E.F.; Ustaoglu B.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Zengin G.; Llorent-Martínez E.J.; Guney K.; Baloglu M.C.
Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench is an important medicinal herb; its roots, leaves and, flowers have been used by the food and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, DNA protection, antimicrobial, antioxidant-enzyme inhibition, and antiproliferative activities of water, methanol (MeOH), and ethyl acetate (EA) extracts of leaves and flowers of E. purpurea were evaluated. In addition, total phenolics and flavonoids, as well as individual compounds, were identified using colorimetric assays and HPLC-ion trap mass spectrometry, respectively. Chicoric acid and its isomer were the most abundant natural compounds, with concentrations similar to previous studies of E. purpurea. All extracts had antimicrobial activity against a broad range of bacteria, particularly Enterococcus faecalis. The antiproliferative activity of the extracts on the HeLa cells was shown. The lowest value of IC50 (73 μg/ml) came from the 24 h MeOH extract of flowers. The water extract of leaves showed strong antioxidant activity with the DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, and FRAP assays. EA and MeOH extracts of leaves showed a significant inhibition ability of cholinesterase and tyrosinase, respectively. The presented study suggested that E. purpurea extracts had promising therapeutic properties. Further investigation at the cellular level could be done to highlight the mechanism behind these biological activities.
Antiproliferative properties and structural analysis of newly synthesized Schiff bases bearing pyrazole derivatives and molecular docking studies
(2021-10-05) Şener N.; Özkinali S.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Yerlikaya S.; Gökçe H.; Zurnaci M.; Gür M.; Baloglu M.C.; Şener İ.
New pyrazole Schiff bases containing azo groups were synthesized using the condensation reaction between p-nitrobenzaldehyde and (E)-4-(phenyl)-1-H-pyrazole-3,5-diamine in the molar ratio of 1:2. Characterization of the compounds was performed by spectroscopic techniques, including IR, UV-Vis, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR. Biological activity of the compounds was evaluated by analyzing DNA protection, antimicrobial and anticancer properties. Compound 4 was effective for Salmonella typhimurium with the MIC concentration of 62.5 µg/mL. Moreover, this compound had the highest protection activity on DNA. Cytotoxic activity of compound 4 was determined on the HeLa cancer cell line with the IC50 concentration of 976.6 µM. The anti-cancer characteristic of compounds 4 and 5 for HeLa cancer was theoretically analyzed by molecular docking study as well. Among the tested compounds, compound 4 possessed significant results due to its in vitro cytotoxic properties. Therefore, it may be considered as a potential bioactive agent for cancer treatment studies. In addition, further in vivo analysis can be performed to indicate its anticancer property.
Antiproliferative-antimicrobial properties and structural analysis of newly synthesized Schiff bases derived from some 1,3,4-thiadiazole compounds
(2020-11-05) Gür M.; Yerlikaya S.; Şener N.; Özkınalı S.; Baloglu M.C.; Gökçe H.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Demir S.; Şener İ.
The 1,3,4-thiadiazole core has been mainly used as a pharmacological scaffold in medicinal chemistry. A series of Schiff bases derived from 5-substituted-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-amine were designed and synthesized to investigate their biological activities. Structures of compounds were clarified with FTIR, 1H NMR and elemental analysis. Due to the importance of this core in pharmacology, all these newly synthesized compounds were tested for different biological properties at the same time. Compound 3A ((E)-N-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)-5-(4-methoxyquinolin-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine) and compound 4A ((E)-N-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)-5-(3-methylbenzofuran-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine) possessed high DNA protective ability against oxidative Fenton mixture. Compound 1A ((E)-N-(2,5-dimethoxybenzylidene)-5-(benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amine) and compound 2B ((E)-2-((5-(1H-indol-2-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylimino)methyl)-6-methoxyphenol) showed strong antimicrobial activity against S. epidermidis. The most effective compound was detected as compound 3A which exhibited cytotoxicity on both PC-3 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. The IC50 of this compound was calculated as 370.7 μM and 505.1 μM for MDA-MB-231 and PC-3 cells, respectively. Molecular docking studies were also performed to examine the understanding of the mechanism behind the anti-cancer and anti-bacterial properties. For further study, compound 3A has the potential for utilization with chemotherapy drugs to establish a more efficient therapy strategy with minimum cytotoxicity against cancer cells.
Biogenic platinum nanoparticles using black cumin seed and their potential usage as antimicrobial and anticancer agent
(2020-02-05) Aygun A.; Gülbagca F.; Ozer L.Y.; Ustaoglu B.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Baloglu M.C.; Atalar M.N.; Alma M.H.; Sen F.
Herein, the biogenic platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) were synthesized by using black cumin seed (Nigella sativa L.) extract as a reducing agent. The biogenic platinum nanoparticles synthesized by black cumin seed extract was characterized in detail by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), UV–vis spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). According to TEM analysis, Pt nanoparticles have spherical shapes and sizes between 1–6 nm. Moreover, the biogenic Pt NPs was assessed for its cytotoxicity effect on MDA-MB-231 breast and HeLa cervical cancer lines and their antibacterial effect against selected strains of gram-positive and negative bacteria. The cytotoxicity and bacterial tests showed the effectiveness of biogenic Pt nanoparticles. Dose-dependent toxicity effects were shown in the MDA-MB-231 breast and HeLa cervical cancer lines (IC50: 36.86 μg/mL and 19.83 μg/mL, respectively). In addition, Pt NPs showed high zone diameters against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria at concentrations of 100 and 500 μg/ml. These results contribute to the development of the pharmaceutical industry as a potential antibacterial and anticancer agent.
Bioinformatics and its utilization in green biotechnology
(2020-01-01) Altunoglu Y.C.; Ugurlu A.; Baloglu P.; Baloğlu M.C.
Bioinformatics use computer technology to manage and process those data from biological experiments. Many bioinformatics methods have been developed to compute those huge data by genomics. Collection, storage and application of bioinformatics methods of plant genetic resources can contribute to the production of plants with higher crop quality and resistant to abiotic stresses, diseases and insects. These approaches can lead to understanding of biological systems.
Biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Rheum ribes and evaluation of their anticarcinogenic and antimicrobial potential: A novel approach in phytonanotechnology
(2020-02-05) Aygün A.; Gülbağça F.; Nas M.S.; Alma M.H.; Çalımlı M.H.; Ustaoglu B.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Baloğlu M.C.; Cellat K.; Şen F.
This paper reports the anticarcinogenic and antimicrobial properties of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) obtained by green synthesis using the extract of Rheum ribes (R. ribes), a medicinal plant. For the synthesis of Ag NPs, the ethanolic extracts of R. ribes were used as a reducing as well as the stabilizing agent. For the characterization of Ag NPs, advanced analytical methods such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV–vis spectrophotometry were performed. The synthesized Ag NPs obtained from R. ribes were evaluated as a cytotoxic agent against MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cell line. The IC50 values of the nanoparticles were ranged from 165 to 99 μg/mL against MDA-MB 231 cell line for 24 h and 48 h, respectively. The results show that the use of Ag NPs at low concentrations show the toxic effect in the cancer cells. In addition, the results of experiments on gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis)) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli (E. coli)) bacteria showed that the Ag NPs had high antimicrobial activity. The results suggest that Ag NPs can be developed as potential anticancer and antibacterial agents.
Chemical characterization, computational analysis and biological views on Daphne gnidioides Jaub. & Spach extracts: Can a new raw material be provided for biopharmaceutical applications?
(2020-08-01) Can T.H.; Tufekci E.F.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Baloglu M.C.; Llorent-Martínez E.J.; Stefanucci A.; Mollica A.; Cichelli A.; Zengin G.
The scientific world tends to turn to natural products such as medicinal and aromatic plants because of the inadequacy of commercially available synthetic drugs as antibiotics or anticancer, and their adverse effects on healthy tissues. One of these plants is Daphne gnidioides Jaub. & Spach, which belongs to the Thymelaeaceae family, and there is no data in the literature on its biological activity. This study is aimed to elucidate the chemical profiles and in vitro anticancer, antibacterial and DNA protection and enzyme inhibitory properties of methanol extracts of root, stem, and leaf of D. gnidioides Jaub. & Spach. Polyphenolic components of the extracts were characterized by HPLC-MS/MS. The highest phenolic content was detected in the leaf extract (TIPC = 43.5 ± 0.5 mg/g DE), followed by stem (TIPC = 27.3 ± 0.7 mg/g DE) and root (TIPC = 18.3 ± 0.2 mg/g DE) extracts. Vicenin-2 and 3-O-p-coumaroyl-5-O-caffeoylquinic acid were the main identified compounds in leaf and both root and stem extracts, respectively. The extracts did not show any protective effect on DNA against experimental Fenton's reagent. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration values for the root and leaf extracts against tested bacterial strains ranged from 31.25 to 500 μg/mL. After 48 h interaction of the cancer cell lines with the extracts, only the stem extract had significant cytotoxicity on HeLa cells (IC50 = 86.16 μg/mL). No remarkable activity of the extracts, which was tested against MDA-MB-231, was detected (IC50 > 1000 μg/mL). These data showed that D. gnidioides Jaub. & Spach stem extract inhibited the survival of HeLa cells in a time-dependent manner. After the treatment of IC50 concentration of stem extract with HeLa cells, an increase in LC3-II autophagic gene expression was detected. Also, the extracts exhibited significant tyrosinase inhibitory effects which were confirmed by molecular docking. To sum up, the tested extracts could be used as a starting point for the development of new multifunctional drugs.
Comparative bioinformatics analysis and abiotic stress responses of expansin proteins in Cucurbitaceae members: watermelon and melon
(2023-03-01) İncili Ç.Y.; Arslan B.; Çelik E.N.Y.; Ulu F.; Horuz E.; Baloglu M.C.; Çağlıyan E.; Burcu G.; Bayarslan A.U.; Altunoglu Y.C.
Watermelon and melon are members of the Cucurbitaceae family including economically significant crops in the world. The expansin protein family, which is one of the members of the cell wall, breaks down the non-covalent bonds between cell wall polysaccharides, causing pressure-dependent cell expansion. Comparative bioinformatics and molecular characterization analysis of the expansin protein family were carried out in the watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and melon (Cucumis melo) plants in the study. Gene expression levels of expansin family members were analyzed in leaf and root tissues of watermelon and melon under ABA, drought, heat, cold, and salt stress conditions by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. After comprehensive searches, 40 expansin proteins (22 ClaEXPA, 14 ClaEXPLA, and 4 ClaEXPB) in watermelon and 43 expansin proteins (19 CmEXPA, 15 CmEXPLA, 3 CmEXPB, and 6 CmEXPLB) in melon were identified. The greatest orthologous genes were identified with soybean expansin genes for watermelon and melon. However, the latest divergence time between orthologous genes was determined with poplar expansin genes for watermelon and melon expansin genes. ClaEXPA-04, ClaEXPA-09, ClaEXPB-01, ClaEXPB-03, and ClaEXPLA-13 genes in watermelon and CmEXPA-12, CmEXPA-10, and CmEXPLA-01 genes in melon can be involved in tissue development and abiotic stress response of the plant. The current study combining bioinformatics and experimental analysis can provide a detailed characterization of the expansin superfamily which has roles in growth and reaction to the stress of the plant. The study ensures detailed data for future studies examining gene functions including the roles in plant growth and stress conditions.
Comparative Content, Biological and Anticancer Activities of Heracleum humile Extracts Obtained by Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Method
(2022-07-01) Ocal M.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Angeloni S.; Mustafa A.M.; Caprioli G.; Zengin G.; Paksoy M.Y.; Baloglu M.C.
As the safety and effectiveness of synthetic drugs remain in doubt, researchers are trying to develop natural medicines from medicinal plants. Herein, ethyl acetate, methanol and water extracts from the Heracleum humile plant were obtained by an ultrasonic-assisted extraction process and the aim was to evaluate some biological effects of the extracts due to the limited data on the pharmacological properties of Heracleum humile in the literature. Weak antibacterial activity was observed on tested bacterial species. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration values ranged from 250 to 500 μg/mL. In addition, cytotoxic activity was determined using the MTT test. The strongest findings were determined for ethyl acetate extract on the MDA-MB-231 cell lines at the 48th hour (IC50:97.94 μg/mL), followed by the MCF-7 cell lines at the 24th hour (IC50:103.9 μg/mL). All extracts of Heracleum humile contained mainly flavonoids, phenolic acids and their derivatives, i. e., well-known compounds that possess numerous biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial etc. The study results could provide important information that Heracleum humile could be a potential candidate as a natural enzyme inhibitor. It can be concluded that these extracts could be useful in the elementary step of improving novel plant-derived multifunctional pharmaceuticals.
Comparative genomic analysis of expansin superfamily gene members in zucchini and cucumber and their expression profiles under different abiotic stresses
(2021-12-01) Arslan B.; İncili Ç.Y.; Ulu F.; Horuz E.; Bayarslan A.U.; Öçal M.; Kalyoncuoğlu E.; Baloglu M.C.; Altunoglu Y.C.
Zucchini and cucumber belong to the Cucurbitaceae family, a group of economical and nutritious food plants that is consumed worldwide. Expansin superfamily proteins are generally localized in the cell wall of plants and are known to possess an effect on cell wall modification by causing the expansion of this region. Although the whole genome sequences of cucumber and zucchini plants have been resolved, the determination and characterization of expansin superfamily members in these plants using whole genomic data have not been implemented yet. In the current study, a genome-wide analysis of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) genomes was performed to determine the expansin superfamily genes. In total, 49 and 41 expansin genes were identified in zucchini and cucumber genomes, respectively. All expansin superfamily members were subjected to further bioinformatics analysis including gene and protein structure, ontology of the proteins, phylogenetic relations and conserved motifs, orthologous relations with other plants, targeting miRNAs of those genes and in silico gene expression profiles. In addition, various abiotic stress responses of zucchini and cucumber expansin genes were examined to determine their roles in stress tolerance. CsEXPB-04 and CsEXPA-11 from cucumber and CpEXPA-20 and CpEXPLA-14 from zucchini can be candidate genes for abiotic stress response and tolerance in addition to their roles in the normal developmental processes, which are supported by the gene expression analysis. This work can provide new perspectives for the roles of expansin superfamily genes and offers comprehensive knowledge for future studies investigating the modes of action of expansin proteins.
Evaluation of biological activity of 5-fluoro-isatin thiosemicarbazone derivatives
(2020-06-01) Ramadan M.A.G.; Baloglu M.C.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Kandemirli F.; Burhan H.; Aygün A.; Sayiner H.S.; Ozyigit F.; Şen F.
Isatin based materials can exhibit a wide range of biological activities including antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, anthelmintic, antitumor, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, antioxidant, anticonvulsant, antitubercular, analgesic, and central nervous system depressant activities. In this study, four compounds containing 5-Fluoro-isatin thiosemicarbazone with methoxyphenyl or methoxyphenyl in different positions and zinc complexes were evaluated based on their biological activities. Compound 2 was the strongest compound affecting gramnegative bacteria compared to the other compounds. Also, this compound indicated better antimicrobial activity than positive control antibiotics. Besides, compound 3 was the only compound that inhibited the growth of Salmonella spp. such as Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076 and Salmonella typhimurium NRRLE 4463. 5-Fluoro-Isatin thiosemicarbazone and its derivatives also showed DNA protection property from moderate to good protections. Among them, compound 4 displayed the highest DNA binding affinity. These compounds possessed a capacity for utilization as drugs or drug additives based on their effects on bacteria strains and DNA binding affinity.
Exploring of Coronilla varia L. extracts as a source of high-value natural agents: Chemical profiles and biological connections
(2021-12-01) Yerlikaya S.; Baloglu M.C.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Diuzheva A.; Jekő J.; Cziáky Z.; Zengin G.
Pharmacological studies have indicated that flavonoids are crucial compounds to eliminate drug resistance. In this report, the activity of ethyl acetate (EAE), methanol (ME) and water (WE) extracts of Coronilla varia L. on antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities, DNA protective effects, antiproliferative activities, apoptotic; autophagic and telomerase gene activity analysis in breast cancer cells and inhibitory effects on cell migration ability of malignant breast cancer cells were examined. In addition, HPLC-MS-MS was used for detection of chemical profiles of all extracts. Results showed that the highest concentration of the bioactive components was detected in EAE (50.86 mg GAE/g for phenolics and 25.66 mg RE/g for flavonoid). Also, EAE displayed significant antioxidant properties in radical scavenging and reducing power assays. Regarding enzyme inhibitory effects, EAE and ME were more active than WE. Some significant compounds such as, vitamin B5, riboflavin, citric acid, and isoflavonoid derivate – medicarpin, noscapine were detected only in WE. Apigenin was determined in all extracts. WE indicated the most shield effect on pDNA against oxidative damage. Half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of extracts on breast cancer cells were calculated with MTT cell viability test. Bax gene was up-regulated and anti-apoptotic gene known as Bcl-2 was down-regulated on MDA-MB-231 cells after treated with WE. TERT-1 gene was down-regulated after treated with EAE and ME for MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells, respectively. Cell migration ability of both MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells was prevented with EAE and ME. A more effective treatment strategy can be applied by combining these extracts with commercial chemotherapy drugs which cause apoptosis and cell migration inhibition in vitro.
Exploring the nutraceutical potential of dried pepper capsicum annuum L. on market from altino in abruzzo region
(2020-05-01) Valle A.D.; Dimmito M.P.; Zengin G.; Pieretti S.; Mollica A.; Locatelli M.; Cichelli A.; Novellino E.; Ak G.; Yerlikaya S.; Baloglu M.C.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Stefanucci A.
Sweet pepper is a typical type of Capsicum annuum from Abruzzo region, recognized as a traditional and local product, traditionally cultivated in the town of Altino (Abruzzo region, Italy). The aim of this study is to compare the sweet type of peppers from Altino with the hot pepper cultivated in the same area, in order to delineate their different phytochemical and biological profiles in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we elucidated their phytochemical composition, fatty acids composition and phenolic/flavonoid contents in extracts. Then antioxidant and enzyme inhibition assays were performed to evaluate their biological properties, together with in vitro cell assay and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity. Microwave (1000 mg/mL) extract of hot pepper showed the best inhibition value on in vitro cell growth assay; in fact, the number of survived cells was about 20% and 40% for microwave and Soxhlet extracts, respectively. In vivo anti-inflammatory assay revealed good activity for both species, which, when associated with in vitro cell inhibition results, could explain the protective effect on human prostatic hyperplasia.
HSF and Hsp Gene Families in sunflower: a comprehensive genome-wide determination survey and expression patterns under abiotic stress conditions
(2023-01-01) Ceylan Y.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Horuz E.
Sunflowers belong to the Asteraceae family, which comprises nutrimental and economic oilseed plants. Heat shock proteins (Hsps) are protein families vital for all organisms’ growth and survival. Besides the ordinary conditions, the expression of these proteins ascends during abiotic stress factors such as high temperature, salinity, and drought. Using bioinformatics approaches, the current study identified and analyzed HSF and Hsp gene family members in the sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plant. HSF, sHsp, Hsp40, Hsp60, Hsp70, Hsp90, and Hsp100 domains were analyzed in the sunflower genome, and 88, 72, 192, 52, 85, 49, and 148 genes were identified, respectively. The motif structures of the proteins in the same phylogenetic tree were similar, and the α-helical form was dominant in all the protein families except for sHsp. The estimated three-dimensional structure of 28 sHsp proteins was determined as β-sheets. Considering protein-protein interactions, the Hsp60-09 protein (38 interactions) was found to be the most interacting protein. The most orthologous gene pairs (58 genes) were identified between Hsp70 genes and Arabidopsis genes. The expression analysis of selected genes was performed under high temperature, drought, and high temperature-drought combined stress conditions in two sunflower cultivars. In stress conditions, gene expressions were upregulated for almost all genes in the first half and first hours at large. The expressions of HanHSF-45 and HanHsp70-29 genes were raised in two cultivars under high temperature and high temperature-drought combined stress conditions. This study presents a blueprint for subsequent research and delivers comprehensive knowledge of this vital protein domain.
Identification, molecular characterization and expression analysis of RPL24 genes in three Cucurbitaceae family members: Cucumber, melon and watermelon
(2015-01-01) Baloglu M.C.; Ulu F.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Pekol S.; Alagoz G.; Ese O.
Ribosomal proteins are crucial for the proper growth and development of any organism, including plants. The ribosomal protein L24 (RPL24) is found in the large subunit of the ribosome and is responsible for the stabilization of the peptidyl transferase activity. Although RPL24 gene has been individually identified in different organisms, little is known about the genome-wide survey and expression patterns of R24 genes in Cucurbitaceae family members. We identified seven Cucurbitaceae RPL24 genes from cucumber, melon and watermelon. They were phylogenetically clustered into seven major groups. Gene structure and motif composition are relatively conserved in each group. Three-dimensional homology modelling of RPL24 proteins was performed with higher confidence level. CmRPL24-01 was isolated from melon and characterized at a molecular level. The regulation of ribosomal proteins in melon under drought stress conditions was also studied. The expression of CmRPL24-01 gene increased in melon leaf tissue at 3 h upon polyethylene glycol treatment and showed a gradual induction after 12 h. Our study provided a very useful reference for identification and functional analysis of RPL24 protein members in different plants. In addition, this research indicated a potential usage of ribosomal proteins in response to drought stress.
Innate immune and growth promoting responses to caper (Capparis spinosa) extract in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
(2016-10-01) Bilen S.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Ulu F.; Biswas G.
Cytokine responses, non-specific immune activity and growth promotion effect of dietary caper (Capparis spinosa) supplementation were examined in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Rainbow trout (12.04 ± 0.71 g) were fed diets containing three doses of caper methanolic extract [0 (Control), 0.1 and 0.5 g kg−1 of feed] for 30 days. At the end of the feeding trial, expression levels of cytokine genes that included IL-1β, IL-8, TGF-β, IL-12p40, TNF-α1 and IL-10 in head kidney was analyzed using qRT-PCR, and blood and serum were collected to determine superoxide anion production (SAP), phagocytic, lysozyme and myeloperoxidase activities. Expression levels of all cytokines, except TNF-α1 were elevated in the 0.1 g kg−1 caper extract fed fish group compared to other groups. In 0.5 g kg−1 caper extract treated fish, only IL-12p40 and IL-10 genes were up-regulated compared to control group fish. SAP was increased in both caper extract treated groups compared to the control, and the highest level was observed in the 0.1 g kg−1 group. Phagocytic activity in both the caper extract treated groups was increased compared to control with no differences observed between those groups. Lysozyme and myeloperoxidase activities were recorded to be the highest in the 0.1 g kg−1 fed fish group compared to other groups. Growth promotion was affected positively when caper doses were increased. Survival rate was significantly higher in 0.1 and 0.5 g kg−1 caper extract treated fish groups compared to control (P < 0.05) after challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila. These results indicate that caper extract stimulates innate immunity through cytokine-mediated responses and promote growth in rainbow trout.
Integration of in vitro and in silico approaches to assess three Astragalus species from Turkey flora: A novel spotlight from lab bench to functional applications
(2022-10-01) Zengin G.; Uba A.I.; Ocal M.; Sharifi-Rad M.; Caprioli G.; Angeloni S.; Altunoglu Y.C.; Baloglu M.C.; Yıldıztugay E.
Members of the genus Astragalus have a great interest as a source of natural bioactive compounds on a scientific platform. To provide multidirectional insights into three Astragalus species (A. setulosus, A. anthylloides, and A. ovalis), the current work focused on the chemical characterization and biological properties of their extracts (aerial parts and roots). The chemical characterization of the extracts was detected by HPLC-MS/MS analysis. The biological properties were evaluated by antioxidant, enzyme inhibitory, and cytotoxic parameters. Assays for radical quenching, reducing capacity, and metal chelation were also used to evaluate antioxidant properties. To test the enzyme inhibitory effects of the extracts, cholinesterases, tyrosinase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase were utilized as target enzymes. Two cancer cell lines, (MCF-7 (human breast cancer cell line) and HeLa (Human cervix cancer cell line), were selected to evaluate cytotoxic effects. Generally, 5- caffeoylquinic acid (2.43–283.92 μg/g extract), hyperoside (4.33–216.22 μg/g extract) and rutin (1.09–184.98 μg/g extract) were the main constituents. The extracts from aerial parts and roots of A. anthylloides showed stronger radical scavenging and reducing power abilities compared to A. setulosus and A. ovalis. The best AChE and BChE inhibitory effects were determined in the aerial parts of A. setulosus (2.18 mg GALAE/g) and roots of A. ovalis (4.76 mg GALAE/g), respectively. The extracts of A. ovalis had the highest tyrosinase inhibitory abilities. The extract from aerial parts of A. setulosus showed stronger cytotoxic effects compared to other extracts. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that the presence of some compounds (resveratrol, p-coumaric, 5-caffeoylquinic, and ferulic acids, etc) was linked to the observed biological activities. Molecular docking was also provided for the possible interaction of enzymes as well as protein targets of the tested cell lines. Our findings provide a scientific basis for the Astragalus species, which may serve as a source of naturally occurring bioactive compounds for health-promoting applications.