Bengaluru: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER)-Bhopal have performed the first complete genome sequencing of the jamun plant (Syzygium cumini), an evergreen native to the Indian subcontinent, with high cultural and ornamental significance.
The findings form a first layer of data for future studies on the value of the plant, its applications in pharmacology, and evaluation of the effectiveness of ayurvedic drugs based on it.
“The aim of this research was to gain new functional and evolutionary insights from the jamun genome, which could be responsible for the wide range of pharmacological properties of this species conferred by the bioactive compounds that act as nutraceutical agents in modern medicine,” said Vineet K. Sharma, who led the team of researchers.
The jamun tree belongs to the Syzygium genus, the world’s largest tree genus comprising the most number of species, at over 1,100. Its timber and fruits have been used through history, and the plant is also held to be medically useful in many parts of the country.
The genome (genes and genetic material) of the jamun plant is the largest to be sequenced from this genus.
The results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Plant Science this week.
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A kitchen therapeutic
In the subcontinent, the jamun tree and its fruit have traditionally been considered to hold anti-diabetic properties, as well as aid in gastric troubles and cardiac problems.
While there is a lack of established medical data and studies around the species, it is still believed to hold pharmacological properties and is widely used in home remedies in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The plant is thought to contain components rich in iron, vitamin C, and antioxidant properties.
The analysis of the sequenced genome, according to the IISER team, showed a high number of genes that code for gene duplication events — or the ability to copy genes during cell division. This allows for new ways to inherit more than two sets of complete chromosomes, as is the norm, in a process called neopolyploidy.
This is believed to allow jamun to more rapidly acquire novel genetic mutations that result in new biochemical functions.
The researchers also identified key genes involved in the rapid adaptive evolution of jamun. Fourteen genes were identified that aid in biosynthesis or the production of terpenoids, which act like the immune system for plants.
They also aid in the anti-inflammatory properties conferred by the plant’s products, the researchers said.
Jamun has also been traditionally considered a therapeutic in India for arthritis, and the researchers speculate that the alkaloids they identified in the plant could offer such properties.
They attribute its anti-diabetic properties to the presence of glucosides, a class of molecules that prevent the conversion of starch to sugar.
The findings form a kind of molecular analysis for potential therapeutics in the future, and add data to a wealth of studies that have explored pharmacological properties of the plant.
Apart from its exploratory medicinal molecules, the team also identified genes that make the plant more tolerant to stresses like droughts, floods, heat, and increased salinity. Genes that help improve the resilience of the tree and its tolerance to weeds and insects were identified as well.
(Edited by Sunanda Ranjan)
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