The Multipartite Mitochondrial Genome of Marama (Tylosema esculentum)

Tylosema esculentum (marama bean), a wild legume from tropical Africa, has long been considered as a potential crop for local farmers due to its rich nutritional value. Genomics research of marama is indispensable for the domestication and varietal improvement of the bean. The chloroplast genome of marama has been sequenced and assembled previously using a hybrid approach based on both Illumina and PacBio data. In this study, a similar method was used to assemble the mitochondrial genome of marama. The mitochondrial genome of the experimental individual has been confirmed to have two large circles OK638188 and OK638189, which do not recombine according to the data. However, they may be able to restructure into five smaller circles through recombination on the 4 pairs of long repeats (>1 kb). The total length of marama mitogenome is 399,572 bp. A 9,798 bp DNA fragment has been found that is homologous to the chloroplast genome of marama, accounting for 2.5% of the mitogenome. In the Fabaceae family, the mitogenome of Millettia pinnata is highly similar to marama, including for both the genes present and the total size. Some genes including cox2, rpl10, rps1, and sdh4 have been lost during the evolution of angiosperms and are absent in the mitogenomes of some legumes. However, these remain intact and functional in marama. Another set of genes, rpl2, rps2, rps7, rps11, rps13, and rps19 are either absent, or present as pseudogenes, in the mitogenome of marama.

Effect of Mucuna pruriens and Millettia pinnata (Fabaceae) minerals on some isolated organs of envenomated and treated Oryctolagus cuniculus

The general objective of this study was to evaluate the antivenom effect of minerals from two plants on some vital organs (heart, liver, kidneys and lungs) of rabbits. It was carried out with 36 rabbits (19 males and 17 females) divided into portions E1, E2 and E3. E1 consisted of 2 control lots (3 males and 3 females), and 1 experimental lot (2 males and 1 female). E2 comprised 7 batches of rabbits (2 males and 1 female). E3 consisted of 2 batches of 3 females. Naja nigricollis venom was injected for approximately 20-30 minutes to the animals in the experimental batch of E1, and to those in E2 and E3. Then, E2 and E3 were treated preventively and curatively with minerals, respectively. After the determination of their biochemical and hematological parameters, they were necropsied separately and then their organs were removed, weighed and their appearance was studied. The study revealed that the venom of Naja nigricollis was the cause of death of all the animals of the experimental batch of E1. On the other hand, the use of P2 and P3 as a preventive measure was able to save 1 out of 3 and 3 individuals respectively from the venom. As for P3 as a curative measure, it kept alive 2 out of 3 individuals against the venom. Thus, for the development of anti-venomous phytomedicine, it would be advisable to use the minerals from P3 (ash of Millettia pinnata). Keywords: Antivenomous, minerals, Millettia pinnata, Naja nigricollis, phytomedicine

A C2H2-Type Zinc-Finger Protein from Millettia pinnata, MpZFP1, Enhances Salt Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis

C2H2 zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) play important roles in plant development and response to abiotic stresses, and have been studied extensively. However, there are few studies on ZFPs in mangroves and mangrove associates, which represent a unique plant community with robust stress tolerance. MpZFP1, which is highly induced by salt stress in the mangrove associate Millettia pinnata, was cloned and functionally characterized in this study. MpZFP1 protein contains two zinc finger domains with conserved QALGGH motifs and targets to the nucleus. The heterologous expression of MpZFP1 in Arabidopsis increased the seeds’ germination rate, seedling survival rate, and biomass accumulation under salt stress. The transgenic plants also increased the expression of stress-responsive genes, including RD22 and RD29A, and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These results indicate that MpZFP1 is a positive regulator of plant responses to salt stress due to its activation of gene expression and efficient scavenging of ROS.

Bio-efficacy of Millettia pinnata oil soap in the suppression of brinjal fruit and shoot borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee

A field experiment to evaluate the efficacy of pungam (Millettia/Pongamia) oil soap at four different concentrations against brinjal fruit and shoot borer (BFSB), Leucinodes orbonalis Guenee and its effect on spiders of brinjal field revealed that application of 3% pungam oil soap brought down fruit damage to minimum level (12.94% on 7 days after third spray) followed by chlorantraniliprole 18.5% SC (0.3 mL/L), 2, 1 and 0.6% pungam oil soap and neem oil soap 0.6%. Efficacy of chlorantraniliprole persisted up to 14th day of spray followed by pungam oil soap. None of the botanical or chemical pesticides found to influence the spider population until seven days. After 14 days of application soap solution either alone or with pungam oil increased spiders over the control whereas 14 DAS it was minimum in standard check.

Isolation and Functional Characterization of a Salt-Responsive Calmodulin-Like Gene MpCML40 from Semi-Mangrove Millettia pinnata

Salt stress is a major increasing threat to global agriculture. Pongamia (Millettia pinnata), a semi-mangrove, is a good model to study the molecular mechanism of plant adaptation to the saline environment. Calcium signaling pathways play critical roles in the model plants such as Arabidopsis in responding to salt stress, but little is known about their function in Pongamia. Here, we have isolated and characterized a salt-responsive MpCML40, a calmodulin-like (CML) gene from Pongamia. MpCML40 protein has 140 amino acids and is homologous with Arabidopsis AtCML40. MpCML40 contains four EF-hand motifs and a bipartite NLS (Nuclear Localization Signal) and localizes both at the plasma membrane and in the nucleus. MpCML40 was highly induced after salt treatment, especially in Pongamia roots. Heterologous expression of MpCML40 in yeast cells improved their salt tolerance. The 35S::MpCML40 transgenic Arabidopsis highly enhanced seed germination rate and root length under salt and osmotic stresses. The transgenic plants had a higher level of proline and a lower level of MDA (malondialdehyde) under normal and stress conditions, which suggested that heterologous expression of MpCML40 contributed to proline accumulation to improve salt tolerance and protect plants from the ROS (reactive oxygen species) destructive effects. Furthermore, we did not observe any measurable discrepancies in the development and growth between the transgenic plants and wild-type plants under normal growth conditions. Our results suggest that MpCML40 is an important positive regulator in response to salt stress and of potential application in producing salt-tolerant crops.

In vivo Action on the Hemogram of Oryctolagus cuniculus of Mucuna pruriens and Millettia pinnata (Fabaceae) Minerals

Aims: Evaluate the in vivo activity of minerals from two plants on hematological parameters. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry-Microbiology and at the laboratory of Daloa Hospital (Côte d'Ivoire), between December 2019 and April 2020. Methodology: During this study, twenty-seven rabbits, seventeen males and ten females were used. For its realization, two portions were carried out (experimental and control). The experimental portion consisted of seven batches of three rabbits (two males and one female), while the control portion consisted of two batches of three males and three females for each batch. Each rabbit of the two portions was collected separately in a purple tube (EDTA) with the only difference that for the experimental portion, a given rabbit was first scarified and then a previously prepared precise potion (P) was separately applied to the scarified area of the rabbit and blood was collected from day 4 onwards for analysis of hematological parameters. Results: This study reveals that: P1 (ashes of Mucuna pruriens, Millettia pinnata and viper skull) and P3 (ashes of Millettia pinnata) have a stimulating activity on hematopoiesis. P1, P3, P4 (ashes of viper skull), P6 (ashes of viper skull and Mucuna pruriens) and P7 (ashes of viper skull and Millettia pinnata) have a stimulating action on the synthesis of hemoglobin. P1, P2, P3, P5 (ashes of Mucuna pruriens and Millettia pinnata), P6 and P7 induce hyperlymphocytosis in some animals; whereas P1, P3 and P6 promote hyperleukocytosis in each female of lots 3; 5 and 8. P2 (Mucuna pruriens ash), P3, P5, P6 and P7 induce thrombocytosis in females of the various lots; while P1, P2, P4, P6 and P7 promote thrombocytopenia in some animals. Conclusion: Minerals from the two plants have different effects on rabbit hematological parameters.