Explore the vast range of titles available.

DNA methylation can cause heritable phenotypic modifications in the absence of changes in DNA sequence. Environmental stresses can trigger methylation changes and this may have evolutionary consequences, even in the absence of sequence variation. However, it remains largely unknown to what extent environmentally induced methylation changes are transmitted to offspring, and whether observed methylation variation is truly independent or a downstream consequence of genetic variation between individuals. Genetically identical apomictic dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) plants were exposed to different ecological stresses, and apomictic offspring were raised in a common unstressed environment. We used methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism markers to screen genome-wide methylation alterations triggered by stress treatments and to assess the heritability of induced changes. Various stresses, most notably chemical induction of herbivore and pathogen defenses, triggered considerable methylation variation throughout the genome. Many modifications were faithfully transmitted to offspring. Stresses caused some epigenetic divergence between treatment and controls, but also increased epigenetic variation among plants within treatments. These results show the following. First, stress-induced methylation changes are common and are mostly heritable. Second, sequence-independent, autonomous methylation variation is readily generated. This highlights the potential of epigenetic inheritance to play an independent role in evolutionary processes, which is superimposed on the system of genetic inheritance.

The study aims to achieve several objectives: determine background element concentrations in Taraxacum officinale F.H. Wigg-common dandelion roots, stems, and flowers; clarify T. officinale 's ability to accumulate trace elements (TEs) in plant parts; calculate accumulation and translocation factors to identify hyperaccumulator potential; and contribute to practical applications in geochemical prospecting, exploration geochemistry, phytomining, and environmental remediation. To accomplish this, 34 samples of T. officinale and associated soil samples were gathered from the plant's habitat along the roadside for trace element (TE) analysis. The elemental composition of both plants and soils underwent analysis using diverse statistical approaches, including factor analysis, ANOVA tests, and descriptive parameters. Plant element accumulation patterns and tendencies across various plant parts were explored through bioconcentration (BCFs) and translocation factors (TFs). Results showed that T. officinale accumulates some TEs in its roots, stems, and flowers, with the highest concentrations found in the roots. The factor analysis of plant element contents indicated a grouping tendency among elements. Specifically, Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn exhibited a tendency to co-occur, while Ba, Mo, and Sr formed a separate group. Furthermore, in the flowers of the plant, Al, Ba, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Sr showed a similar grouping, while Cu, Pb, and Zn formed a distinct cluster. ANOVA tests demonstrated significant variations in the accumulation of Al, Ba, Cr, Fe, and Sr among the roots, flowers, and stems of the plant. Additionally, Ni and Pb exhibited noteworthy differences in accumulation between these plant parts. Furthermore, Mn and Zn showed significant discrepancies in their accumulation capacities across all parts of the plant. T. officinale was identified as a lead hyperaccumulator by the study, with BCFs and concentrations exceeding 1000 mg kg −1 . These findings inform strategies for phytoremediation and enhance our understanding of the plant's potential role in exploration studies and environmental management in metal-rich regions.

Oxidative stress-mediated neuron damage is considered an important contributor to the pathogenesis and development of neurodegenerative diseases. Taraxacum officinale has been reported to possess antioxidant activities. However, whether it can protect neurons against oxidative damage and the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been fully determined. In the present study, we examined the neuroprotective effects of ethanol extracts of this plant (ETOW) on glutamate-induced oxidative stress in HT22 cells. Both cell viability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays showed that ETOW effectively attenuated glutamate-induced cytotoxicity and ROS generation. Furthermore, our results revealed that ETOW increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and promoted the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2). The inhibitory effects of ETOW on glutamate-stimulated cell toxicity and ROS production were partially reversed by tin protoporphyrin (SnPP), an HO activity inhibitor. Taken together, these results demonstrate that ETOW can protect HT22 cells against glutamate-induced oxidative damage by inducing the Nrf2/HO-1 pathways. Our study supports the idea that Taraxacum officinale Wigg. is a promising agent for preventing neurodegenerative diseases.

The dry one-seeded fruits (cypselae) of the Asteraceae are often crowned with a pappus, an appendage of hairs or scales that assists in dispersal. It is generally assumed, but little investigated, that the pappus represents the outer floral whorl where the sepals are usually located. We analysed pappus–sepal homology in dandelions using micromorphological and floral gene expression analyses. We show that the pappus initiates from a ring primordium at the base of the corolla, heterochronic to the petals. Pappus parts form from this ring, with those in the alternipetalaous position usually being ahead in growth, referring to sepal identity. Tof-APETALLA1 expression increased during floret development and was highest in mature pappus. Tof-PISTILLATA expression was high and confined to the floral tissues containing the petals and stamens, consistent with expectations for sepals. Apart from the pappus, the dispersal structure of dandelion consists of the upper part of the fruit, the beak, which originates from the inner floral whorl. Thus, our results support the homology of the pappus with the sepals, but show that it is highly derived. Together with our floral stage definitions and verified qPCR reference genes, they provide a basis for evolution and development studies in dandelions and possibly other Asteraceae.

Parental environments can influence offspring traits. However, the magnitude of the impact of parental environments on offspring molecular phenotypes is poorly understood. Here, we test the direct effects and intergenerational effects of jasmonic acid (JA) treatment, which is involved in herbivory-induced defense signaling, on transcriptomes and metabolomes in apomictic common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). In a full factorial crossed design with parental and offspring JA and control treatments, we performed leaf RNA-seq gene expression analysis, LC-MS metabolomics and total phenolics assays in offspring plants. Expression analysis, leveraged by a de novo assembled transcriptome, revealed an induced response to JA exposure that is consistent with known JA effects. The intergenerational effect of treatment was considerable: 307 of 858 detected JA-responsive transcripts were affected by parental JA treatment. In terms of the numbers of metabolites affected, the magnitude of the chemical response to parental JA exposure was c. 10% of the direct JA treatment response. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses both identified the phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway as a target of intergenerational JA effects. Our results highlight that parental environments can have substantial effects in offspring generations. Transcriptome and metabolome assays provide a basis for zooming in on the potential mechanisms of inherited JA effects.

To address the role of insect herbivores in adaptation of plant populations and the persistence of selection through succession, we manipulated herbivory in a long-term field experiment. We suppressed insects in half of 16 plots over nine years and examined the genotypic structure and chemical defense of common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), a naturally colonizing perennial apomictic plant. Insect suppression doubled dandelion abundance in the first few years, but had negligible effects thereafter. Using microsatellite DNA markers, we genotyped > 2500 plants and demonstrate that insect suppression altered the genotypic composition of plots in both sampling years. Phenotypic and genotypic estimates of defensive terpenes and phenolics from the field plots allowed us to infer phenotypic plasticity and the response of dandelion populations to insect-mediated natural selection. The effects of insect suppression on plant chemistry were, indeed, driven both by plasticity and plant genotypic identity. In particular, di-phenolic inositol esters were more abundant in plots exposed to herbivory (due to the genotypic composition of the plots) and were also induced in response to herbivory. This field experiment thus demonstrates evolutionary sorting of plant genotypes in response to insect herbivores that was in same direction as the plastic defensive response within genotypes.

Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) and Radix Astragali are traditional medicinal and edible plants with high nutritional value. In this study, the synergistic hypoglycemic effect of DRE and Radix Astragali extract (RAE) was evaluated. Our results showed that water extract of dandelion (DRE‐w), mainly containing polysaccharides (63.92 ± 1.82 mg/g), total flavonoid (2.57 ± 0.06 mg/g), total phenolic compounds (8.93 ± 0.34 mg/g), and saponins (0.54 ± 0.05 mg/g), exhibited significantly inhibitory effect on α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase. DRE‐w and RAE had synergistic hypoglycemic effect; we found that DRE‐w and its combination with RAE could relieve the state of insulin resistance in IR‐HepG2 cells. The combination could more significantly increase the glucose consumption and intracellular glycogen content, and improve the activity of hexokinase and pyruvate kinase in IR‐HepG2 cells. In summary, DRE and its combination with RAE can be developed as the drugs or functional foods for diabetes prevention and treatment. In this study, the effect of dandelion root extracts (DREs) on the hypoglycemic effect and analysis of active compounds were investigated. We found that DRE and RAE had synergistic hypoglycemic effect. We believe that the results of this research are significant to the development of functional foods and healthcare drugs with hypoglycemic effects.

Consumption of common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.) can pose a risk when foraged in agroecosystems like vineyards where pesticides are frequently used. The aims of our study are to evaluate whether dandelion foraged in vineyards with different management practices (integrated pest management, organic, and biodynamic) in spring is suitable for consumption and to assess whether the contents of selected pesticide residues (PR) in integrated vineyards in dandelion vary throughout the seasons. Young dandelion leaves were sampled in spring, summer, and autumn in integrated vineyards, while in spring also in organic and biodynamic vineyards. The selected PR was analyzed using GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS, using extraction with acetonitrile. The method was validated on a dandelion matrix according to international guideline SANTE 11312/2021. Despite the use of many pesticides in integrated vineyards, only tebuconazole was detected in spring in one sample (0.005 mg/kg), while no PR was detected in dandelion from organic and biodynamic vineyards. However, at summer sampling seven different PR were detected, of which the kresoxim-methyl maximum residue limit was exceeded in five samples (0.012–0.029 mg/kg), while in autumn no PR was detected. Based on this study, it seems that dandelion leaves foraged in vineyards in spring could be unproblematic for consumption.

The herbicide 2,4-D is used in a variety of cropping systems, especially in grasses because it is a selective postemergence broadleaf herbicide. However, the most common formulation (2,4-D dimethylamine) is antagonized when mixed in hard water. The objective of this research was to determine which formulations of 2,4-D or premixes of various formulations of synthetic auxin herbicides are subject to hard water antagonism. Formulations surveyed for hard water antagonism in the first experiment included 2,4-D dimethylamine, 2,4-D diethanolamine, 2,4-D monomethylamine, 2,4-D isopropylamine salt, 2,4-D choline salt, 2,4-D isooctyl ester, and 2,4-D ethylhexyl ester. Synthetic auxin formulation types in the second experiment included water-soluble, emulsifiable concentrates and emulsion-in-water. All formulations were mixed with both soft and hard water (600 mg CaCO3 L-1) and applied to dandelions to determine whether antagonism occurred in hard water. Water-soluble (amine and choline) 2,4-D formulations were antagonized by hard water, but water-insoluble (ester) 2,4-D formulations were not antagonized. Similar results were found by formulation type with water-soluble synthetic auxin premixes antagonized but emulsifiable concentrates not antagonized. Furthermore, water-soluble salt formulations were not antagonized when formulated in premixes with other synthetic auxin herbicides as an emulsion-in-water. This research demonstrates that all 2,4-D water-soluble formulations and water-soluble premixes with phenoxycarboxylic acid herbicides are subject to hard water antagonism. Formulations of 2,4-D containing emulsifying agents protect against antagonism by the water-insoluble nature of ingredients in their formulation. Nomenclature: 2,4-D; dandelion; Taraxacum officinale G.H. Weber ex Wiggers; MCPP; MCPA

•Fermented Taraxacum extract provokes antitumorigenic effects on pediatric cancer cell lines.•Taraxacum extract induces apoptosis and inhibits migration as well as invasion in neuroblastoma cell lines.•Co-treatment with mistletoe extracts has synergistic inhibitory proliferative effects. While Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) extracts showed antitumor effects on adult cancer cells, effects on pediatric tumor cells as a single agent or in combination with mistletoe extracts are hitherto unknown. The anti-proliferative effects of an aqueous fermented Taraxacum officinale extract (Taraxacum) on a pediatric cancer cell line panel were assessed by cell viability assays (MTT). In two neuroblastoma cell lines, SH-SY5Y and Kelly, the effects on cell cycle distribution (PI staining), mitochondrial integrity (MitoTracker staining), invasion (Boyden chamber assay) and migration (Scratch-assay) as well as the synergistic effects of the co-treatment of Taraxacum and mistletoe preparations (Iscucin® Tiliae or Iscucin® Pini) were investigated. All tested cancer cell lines were more susceptible to Taraxacum than the normal human fibroblast cell line, NHDF-C. In neuroblastoma cell lines Taraxacum caused apoptosis and loss of mitochondrial integrity as well as an inhibition of invasion and migration. The simultaneous therapy of Taraxacum and the mistletoe extracts revealed synergistic effects. This preclinical data support the use of Taraxacum as a potential adjuvant application in pediatric oncology.