Papers by Jelena Samardzic
Ratarstvo i Povrtarstvo, 2022
Root-knot nematodes can cause significant losses in potato yield in warm and cool regions. Six Me... more Root-knot nematodes can cause significant losses in potato yield in warm and cool regions. Six Meloidogyne species can attack potato. Species Meloidogyne chitwoodi, M. fallax, M. hapla, are present in cool regions, while M. arenaria, M. incognita and M. javanica are common in warm regions and considered to belong to the Meloidogyne tropical group. Meloidogyne arenaria is present in regions with continental climate in glasshouses attacking a large number of host-plants. In October 2018, potato crop var. Balathon Rose with galls on 70% of all tubers was noticed during quarantine nematode species Meloidogyne chitwoodi and M. fallax survey in the locality Horgoš, municipality of Kanjiža, Vojvodina Province. Symptoms of stunted and wilted plants were detected as well. Females were used for morphological and molecular identification. Morphological identification of species based on females' perineal patterns indicated the sample as M. arenaria. Species identification was confirmed by molecular analyses using group-specific primers in the rDNA region and species-specific SCAR primers for M. arenaria species identification. To our knowledge, this is the first record of highly damaged potato crop caused by M. arenaria in the field in Serbia. The severity of the damage M. arenaria can cause to potato in the open field has not been observed in the part of Balkan peninsula with continental climate before. This tropical Meloidogyne species may become an emerging phytosanitary problem within Europe in the future due global warming and climate change.
Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Feb 1, 2004
We have isolated and characterized a full-length cDNA for legumin-like storage polypeptide from b... more We have isolated and characterized a full-length cDNA for legumin-like storage polypeptide from buckwheat seed (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and compared its deduced amino acid sequence with those from different representatives of dicots, monocots and gymnosperms. The cDNA sequence was reconstructed from two overlapping clones isolated from a cDNA library made on mRNA of buckwheat seed at the mid-maturation stage of
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Jan 26, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Jan 23, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Genetics & Applications
To improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlaying seed priming, RNA transcript... more To improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlaying seed priming, RNA transcriptome analysis was performed using primed and non-primed seeds of Silene sendtneri. Seed priming was performed by submergence in 1% silicic acid for 24h at 4°C, followed by rinsing with sterilised water and desiccation to original moisture content. Silene sendtneri is a species with no sequenced genome and annotation of de novo assembly of transcriptome was done against several species. Gene ontology (GO) analysis indicated that genes related to heavy metal transporters and heat shock proteins are differentially expressed after priming with silicic acid. Within these gene categories, genes such as heavy metal-associated isoprenylated plant protein 26-like (log2fold -8.79) were downregulated, while others such as heavy metal ATPase 5 (log2fold 6.46), heat shock factor protein HSF30-like isoform X1 (log2fold 5.98) were upregulated.
Food Chemistry, May 1, 2015
Background: Blue corn is a cereal rich in phenolic compounds used to make blue tortillas. Tortill... more Background: Blue corn is a cereal rich in phenolic compounds used to make blue tortillas. Tortillas are an important part of the Mexican diet. Blue corn and tortilla represent an important source of the natural antioxidants anthocyanins. However, studies on their biological activity on cancer cell lines are limited. The goal of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of blue corn and tortilla on different cancer cell lines. Methods: Total polyphenol content, monomeric anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity by the DPPH and TBARS methods of blue corn and tortilla were determined. The anthocyanin profile of tortilla was obtained by means of HPLC-ESI-MS. The antiproliferative activity of blue corn and tortilla extract on HepG2, H-460, Hela, MCF-7 and PC-3 was evaluated by the MTT assay. Results: Blue corn had higher content of total polyphenols and monomeric anthocyanins as well as lower percentage of polymeric color than tortilla; however, both showed similar antioxidant activity by DPPH. In addition, although a higher degradation of anthocyanins was observed on tortilla extract, both extracts inhibited lipid peroxidation (IC50) at a similar concentration. The anthocyanin profile showed 28 compounds which are primarily derived from cyanidin, including acylated anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins. Blue corn and tortilla extracts showed antiproliferative effects against HepG2, H-460, MCF-7 and PC-3 cells at 1000 μg/mL, however Hela cells were more sensitive at this concentration. Conclusion: This is the first report to demonstrate anticancer properties in vitro of tortilla derived from blue corn, suggesting that this product has beneficial health effects. In addition, blue corn could be a potential source of nutraceuticals with anticancer activity.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
The photosynthetically active green leaf (GL) and non-active white leaf (WL) tissues of variegate... more The photosynthetically active green leaf (GL) and non-active white leaf (WL) tissues of variegated Pelargonium zonale provide an excellent model system for studying processes associated with photosynthesis and sink-source interactions, enabling the same microenvironmental conditions. By combining differential transcriptomics and metabolomics, we identified the main differences between these two metabolically contrasting tissues. Genes related to photosynthesis and associated pigments, the Calvin–Benson cycle, fermentation, and glycolysis were strongly repressed in WL. On the other hand, genes related to nitrogen and protein metabolism, defence, cytoskeletal components (motor proteins), cell division, DNA replication, repair and recombination, chromatin remodelling, and histone modifications were upregulated in WL. A content of soluble sugars, TCA intermediates, ascorbate, and hydroxybenzoic acids was lower, while the concentration of free amino acids (AAs), hydroxycinnamic acids, an...
Frontiers in Plant Science, Feb 3, 2023
Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 2021
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2021
Changes in the environment as a result of industrialisation and urbanisation impact negatively on... more Changes in the environment as a result of industrialisation and urbanisation impact negatively on plant growth and crop production. Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most dangerous metals that enters the food chain, with toxic effects on plants and human health. This study evaluated the potential of Silene sendtneri as a novel hyperaccumulator and the role of seed priming in tolerance and accumulation rate of Cd. The effect of different priming agents on germination performance, root growth, seedling development, metal uptake and accumulation, antioxidant defences including enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants has been assessed. Seed priming using silicic acid, proline alone or in combination with salicylic acid- enhanced germination, seedling development, and root growth under Cd stress. The same priming treatments induced an increase of water content in shoots and roots when plants were exposed to Cd. The enzymatic antioxidant response was specific for the priming agent used. An increase in ferulic acid and rutin in shoots was related to the increase of Cd concentration in the medium. The concentration of malic and oxalic acid increased significantly in shoots of plants grown on high Cd concentrations compared to low Cd concentrations. Silene sendtneri can accumulate significant levels of Cd with enhanced accumulation rate and tolerance when seeds are primed. The best results are obtained by seed priming using 1% silicic acid, proline and salicylic acid.
Plants, 2019
Copper (Cu) toxicity in plants may lead to iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) deficiencies. ... more Copper (Cu) toxicity in plants may lead to iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) deficiencies. Here, we investigated the effect of Si and Fe supply on the concentrations of micronutrients and metal-chelating amino acids nicotianamine (NA) and histidine (His) in leaves of cucumber plants exposed to Cu in excess. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) was treated with 10 µM Cu, and additional 100 µM Fe or/and 1.5 mM Si for five days. High Cu and decreased Zn, Fe and Mn concentrations were found in Cu treatment. Additional Fe supply had a more pronounced effect in decreasing Cu accumulation and improving the molar ratio between micronutrients as compared to the Si supply. However, the simultaneous supply of Fe and Si was the most effective treatment in alleviation of Cu-induced deficiency of Fe, Zn and Mn. Additional Fe supply increased the His but not NA concentration, while Si supply significantly increased both NA and His whereby the NA:Cu and His:Cu molar ratios exceeded the control value...
Journal of Microencapsulation, 2019
Aim: Microencapsulation of chokeberry extracts was performed in order to improve functionality, s... more Aim: Microencapsulation of chokeberry extracts was performed in order to improve functionality, stability, and bioavailability of extracted polyphenols. Methods: Chokeberry fruits and juice by-product (waste) extracts were spray-dried by using two carriers, maltodextrin and skimmed milk. Morphological and physicochemical characteristics of the obtained powders were analysed. In vitro simulated digestion model was used as an indicator of polyphenolics bioavailability. Results: The moisture content varied between 3.39 and 4.61%, zeta potential had negative values (35-39 mV), maltodetrin powders were smaller (4.27-5.12 mm) compared to skimmed ones (8.50-11.01 mm). All microparticles exhibited high encapsulation efficiency of total polyphenols and anthocyanins (73-97% and 63-96%, respectively). For both extract types, maltodextrin powders released higher phenolics content compared to skimmed milk. During in vitro digestion, maltodextrin exhibited a higher protective effect on both active compounds. Conclusion: Taking into account the obtained results, chokeberry polyphenols stability might be improved using spray drying technique, and maltodextrin showed better properties.
Plant and Soil, 2019
Aims Although silicon (Si) is known to increase plant resistance to metal toxicity stress, the me... more Aims Although silicon (Si) is known to increase plant resistance to metal toxicity stress, the mechanisms responsible for alleviation of copper (Cu) toxicity are still insufficiently clear. We investigated the role of Si on Cubinding processes involved in buffering excessive Cu in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) tissues. Methods Cucumber plants were subjected to moderate Cu toxicity stress (10 μM Cu) without (−Si) or with (+Si) supply of 1.5 mM Si. We analyzed total and cell wall concentrations of Cu and Cu-binding compounds (organic acids and Cu-proteins) along with parameters of oxidative stress (e.g. lipid peroxidation and lignification). Results Supply of Si decreased total Cu concentration in both root and leaf tissues, but increased the root cell wall Cu fraction. Also, Si increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in 10 μM Cu-treated plants. Concomitantly, protein levels of Cu/Zn SOD isoforms (CSD1 and CSD2) in root tissues also increased in +Si plants. The leaf Cu-binding compounds, such as aconitate and plastocyanin (including the expression of CsPC gene) were higher in the +Si plants. Consequently, Si supply effectively lowered lipid peroxidation in both roots and leaves of Cu-stressed plants. Conclusions Supply of Si enhanced both the accumulation of Cu-binding molecules (Zn/Cu SOD in roots; aconitate and plastocyanin in leaves), and the Cubinding capacity of the root cell wall.
Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society, 2018
Decoctions obtained from dried apple and pear fruits were subjected to in vitro digestion in the ... more Decoctions obtained from dried apple and pear fruits were subjected to in vitro digestion in the presence of a food matrix in order to determine changes in the polyphenol content and antiproliferative activity. The total phenolic and total proanthocyanidins contents were determined using spectrophotometrical methods, and the phenolic compounds were analyzed by RP-HPLC/DAD before and after digestion. Chlorogenic acid and phlorizin dihydrate were the major identified compounds. The addition of a food matrix immediately decreased the contents of individual and total phenolics. After digestion, they were slightly elevated but still lower than in the initial samples. Antiproliferative activity was investigated on human epithelial carcinoma cell line (HeLa), human colon carcinoma (LS174) and human foetal lung fibroblast (MRC-5) cells. The exhibited growth inhibition was not correlated with the content of phenolics in the tested samples, indicating that it could not be explained solely by their content. With the exception of the apple decoction effect on HeLa cells, the digestion process resulted in significant increases in the antiproliferative activity.
Journal of Functional Foods, 2017
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruit has been used in cuisine worldwide, while its leaves are rich in... more Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruit has been used in cuisine worldwide, while its leaves are rich in immunomodulatory compounds. Cucumber leaf extract (CLE) was characterized by the predominance of triterpenoids cucurbitacins and significant levels of phenolics. Effects of CLE on CD4 + T helper (Th) cells and macrophages, as the major encephalitogenic cells in the autoimmunity of the central nervous system were investigated in our study. CLE potently inhibited production of major pathogenic Th cytokines: interferon-gamma and interleukin-17, as well as of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species in macrophages. Antigen-presenting activity of macrophages and dendritic cells was also affected by CLE. The effects of CLE were co-incident with modulation of NFjB and p38 MAPK signaling. Concentrations of CLE used in vitro did not show toxic effects on zebrafish embryos. Moreover, CLE inhibited generation of encephalitogenic cells in vivo. These results demonstrate that CLE deserve further investigation on its anti-encephalitogenic therapeutic properties.
Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, 2017
Tick bites often go unnoticed, so specific reliable tests are needed to confirm them for prompt d... more Tick bites often go unnoticed, so specific reliable tests are needed to confirm them for prompt diagnosis and treatment of tick-borne diseases. One of the promising candidates for developing such a test is AV422, a tick saliva protein that has been conserved across tick genera. In this study, we demonstrate the potential of the AV422 homologue from Ixodes ricinus to be used for tick bite detection for both Prostriata and Metastriata. We expressed recombinant (r) I. ricinus (Ir) AV422 in E. coli and subjected it to Western blot analysis using rat antibodies to saliva proteins of both I. ricinus (Prostriata) and Dermacentor reticulatus (Metastriata) larvae. Our data demonstrate that rIrAV422 specifically bound to antibodies from sera of rats used for both I. ricinus and D. reticulatus larvae feeding, but not to antibodies from control serum, emphasizing its specificity since tick bites were the sole cause of sera reactivity.
Protoplasma, 2021
DSS1 is a small protein, highly conserved across different species. As a member of the intrinsica... more DSS1 is a small protein, highly conserved across different species. As a member of the intrinsically disordered protein family, DSS1 interacts with different protein partners, thus forming complexes involved in diverse biological mechanisms: DNA repair, regulation of protein homeostasis, mRNA export, etc. Additionally, DSS1 has a novel intriguing role in the post-translational protein modification named DSSylation. Oxidatively damaged proteins are targeted for removal with DSS1 and then degraded by proteasome. Yet, DSS1 involvement in the maintenance of genome integrity through homologous recombination is the only function well studied in Arabidopsis research. The fact that animal DSS1 shows wide multifunctionality imposes a need to investigate the additional roles of two Arabidopsis thaliana DSS1 homologs. Having in mind the universality of various biological processes, we considered the possibility of plant DSS1 involvement in cellular homeostasis maintenance during stress exposure. Using real-time PCR and immunoblot analysis, we investigated the profiles of DSS1 gene and protein expression under oxidative stress. We grew and selected the homozygous Arabidopsis mutant line, carrying the T-DNA intron insertion in the DSS1(V) gene. The mutant line was phenotypically described during plant development, and its sensitivity to oxidative stress was characterized. This is the first report which indicates that plant DSS1 gene expression has an altered profile under the influence of oxidative stress. dss1(V)-/- plants showed an increased sensitivity to oxidative stress, germinated faster than WT, but generally showed developmental delay in further stages. Our results indicate that the DSS1 protein could be a crucial player in the molecular mechanisms underlying plant abiotic stress responses.
Archives of Biological Sciences, 2010
Gene expression is mediated by DNA sequences directly upstream from the coding sequences, recruit... more Gene expression is mediated by DNA sequences directly upstream from the coding sequences, recruited transcription factors and RNA polymerase in a spatially-defined manner. Understanding promoter strength and regulation would enhance our understanding of gene expression. The goal of this study was to develop a fast, efficient and reliable method for testing basal promoter activity and identifying core sequences within its pollen specific elements. In this paper we examined the functionality of buckwheat metallothionein promoter by a histochemical GUS assay in two transient expression systems: BY2 cells and pollen grains. Strong promoter activity was observed in both systems.
Uploads
Papers by Jelena Samardzic