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A tryptophan-based peptide conjugate with a NO-release arm was designed, which self-assembles in solution to afford soft spherical structures. This conjugate releases NO in a controlled fashion in Neuro2a cell line, resulting in neurite outgrowth., Nitric oxide (NO), an endogenously produced free radical species, is an extremely important signalling molecule in several biochemical processes related to neurotransmission, neuronal communication, and vasodilation, to name a few. Other than relying on endogenous synthesis, intracellular NO delivery presents an interesting challenge to fully exploit the therapeutic potential of this gaseous molecule. We have applied a self-assembling peptide conjugate strategy to devise a construct carrying a NO-release arm, which can be activated under standard redox conditions. Consequently, a tryptophan-based peptide carrier was designed, which self-assembled in the solution phase to afford soft nanospherical structures, and released NO in Neuro2a cell line, resulting in neurite outgrowth.

In this report, we have investigated the influence of different light qualities on Digitalis purpurea under a controlled environment. For this purpose, red (R), blue (B), fluorescent lamp (FL, control), along with combined red and blue (R:B) LEDs were used. Interestingly, the plant growth parameters such as number of leaf, longest root, width of leaf, width of stomata, width of trichome, leaf area, leaf or root fresh weight (FW), weight (DW) as well as length of trichome were maximum under R:B (8:2), and significantly larger than control plants. The stomatal conductance or anthocyanin was maximum under B LED than those under FL, however the photosynthesis rate was greater under FL. RuBisCO activity was maximum under R:B (1:1) LEDs while the quantity of the UV absorbing substances was highest under R LED than under FL. The maximum amount of cardenolides were obtained from leaf tissue under R:B (2:8) LED than those under FL. The R:B LEDs light was suitable for Digitalis plant growth, development, micro- and macro-elements, as well as cardenolides accumulation in the plant factory system. The adaptation of the growth strategy developed in this study would be useful for the production of optimized secondary metabolites in Digitalis spp.

This study describes, for the first time, an in vitro protocol for the development of somatic embryos and shoots from a callus derived from cotyledonary leaf segments excised from 3-week-old in vitro-germinated seedlings of Digitalis lamarckii Ivan. (dwarf foxglove), an endemic medicinal species of Turkey. The embryogenic callus was induced on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.54 μM α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 2.22 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Somatic embryos developed readily when the embryogenic callus was transferred to MS medium containing BAP (4.44 or 8.87 μM) alone or BAP combined with NAA (1.34, 2.69, or 5.37 μM). The most effective hormonal combination for somatic embryogenesis was 1.34 μM NAA and 8.87 μM BAP, which produced a mean of 37.0 embryos per cotyledonary leaf explant. An organogenic callus was induced on MS medium containing 2.69 μM NAA and 2.22 μM BAP. Shoot development was observed when the organogenic callus was transferred to MS medium containing different concentrations of BAP alone (2.22, 4.44, or 8.87 μM) or BAP combined with NAA (1.34 or 2.69 μM). The highest mean number of shoots (5.67 shoots per explant) was obtained when the medium contained 8.87 μM BAP and 2.69 μM NAA. The regenerated shoots were readily rooted on MS medium containing 1.0, 2.5, or 5 μM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). Rooted regenerants were then transferred to the pots, where they grew well and attained maturity. Over 90% of the regenerants survived the hardening process. The protocol described could be useful for germplasm conservation, commercial cultivation, genetic improvement, and cardenolide production studies in D. lamarckii. Türkiye’nin endemik tıbbi türlerinden biri olan Digitalis lamarckii Ivan. (bodur yüksükotu)’nın in vitro koşullarda çimlendirilmiş üç haftalık fidelerinden izole edilen kotiledon yaprağı segmentlerinden elde edilen kallustan, in vitro somatik embriyo ve sürgün oluşumu protokolu ilk defa bu çalışmada tanımlanmıştır. Embriyonik kallus, 0,54 μM α-naftalen asetik asit (NAA) ile 2,22 μM 6-benzilaminopürin (BAP) içeren Murashige ve Skoog (MS) ortamında elde edilmiş, ve BAP’yi (4,44 veya 8,87 μM) tek başına veya NAA (1,34, 2,69 veya 5,37 μM) ile kombinasyon halinde içeren MS ortamında kültüre alındığında, somatik embriyolar kolaylıkla gelişmişlerdir. Embriyo rejenerasyonu için en etkili hormonal kombinasyon, 1,34 μM NAA ile 8,87 μM BAP olmuş ve kotiledon yaprak eksplantı başına ortalama 37,0 embriyo elde edilmiştir. Organogenik kallus, 2,69 μM NAA ve 2,22 μM BAP içeren MS ortamında elde edilmiş, ve BAP’yi (2,22, 4,44 veya 8,87 μM) tek başına veya NAA (1,34 veya 2,69 μM) ile kombinasyon halinde içeren MS ortamında kültüre alındığında, sürgün oluşumu gözlenmiştir. En yüksek ortalama sürgün verimi (eksplant başına 5,67 sürgün), 8,87 μM BAP ve 2,69 μM NAA içeren ortamda elde edilmiştir. Sürgünler, indol-3-asetik asit (IAA) veya NAA (1,0, 2,5 veya 5,0 μM) içeren MS ortamında kolaylıkla köklendirilmiştir. Rejenere edilen bitkiler, saksılara aktarılarak, büyümeye ve olgunlaşmaya bırakılmışlardır. Rejenere edilen bitkilerin tamamına yakını, dış koşullara alıştırma sürecini, canlılıklarını koruyarak tamamlamışlardır. Tanımlanan bu protocol, D. lamarckii’nin germplasm depolanması, ticari üretim, genetik iyileştirme ve kardenolit üretimi çalışmalarına katkı sağlayabilecektir.