Genetic Characterization of Some Saudi Arabia's Accessions from Commiphora gileadensis Using Physio-Biochemical Parameters, Molecular Markers, DNA Barcoding Analysis and Relative Gene Expression

Fatmah Ahmed Safhi; Salha Mesfer ALshamrani; Areej Saud Jalal; Diaa Abd El-Moneim; Amal A Alyamani; Amira A Ibrahim

doi:10.3390/genes13112099

Genetic Characterization of Some Saudi Arabia's Accessions from Commiphora gileadensis Using Physio-Biochemical Parameters, Molecular Markers, DNA Barcoding Analysis and Relative Gene Expression

Genes (Basel). 2022 Nov 11;13(11):2099. doi: 10.3390/genes13112099.

Authors

Fatmah Ahmed Safhi¹, Salha Mesfer ALshamrani², Areej Saud Jalal¹, Diaa Abd El-Moneim³, Amal A Alyamani⁴, Amira A Ibrahim⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 21959, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Plant Production(Genetic Branch), Faculty of Environmental and Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, El-Arish 45511, Egypt.
⁴ Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Taif 21974, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Arish University, El-Arish 45511, Egypt.

Abstract

Commiphora gileadensis L. is a medicinal plant, known as balsam, with pharmaceutical potential for its phytochemical activities and chemical constituents. Genetic diversity is a genetic tool used in medicinal plant evolution and conservation. Three accessions from C. gileadensis were collected from three localities in Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Jizan and Riyadh). Genetic characterization was carried out using physio-biochemical parameters, molecular markers (inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and start codon targeted (SCoT)), DNA barcoding (18 S rRNA and ITS rDNA regions), relative gene expressions (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase 1 (PAL1), defensin (PR-12)) and pathogenesis-related protein (AFPRT). The results of this study showed that C. gileadensis accession C3, collected from Riyadh, had the highest content from the physio-biochemical parameters perspective, with values of 92.54 mg/g and 77.13 mg/g for total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), respectively. Furthermore, the highest content of antioxidant enzyme activity was present in accession C3 with values of 16.87, 60.87, 35.76 and 27.98 U mg^-1 for superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) (mol/min/mg FW) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) (U mg^-1 protein), respectively. The highest total number of bands and number of unique bands were 138 and 59, respectively, for the SCoT marker. The SCoT marker was the most efficient for the genetic diversity of C. gileadensis by producing the highest polymorphism (75.63%). DNA barcoding using 18 S and ITS showed the nearby Commiphora genus and clustered C. gileadensis accessions from Jeddah and Jizan in one clade and the C. gileadensis accession from Ryiadh in a separate cluster. Moreover, relative gene expression of the PAL1, defensin (PR-12) and AFPRT (PR1) genes was upregulated in the C. gileadensis accession from Ryiadh. In conclusion, ecological and environmental conditions in each locality affect the genomic expression and genetic diversity, which can help the evolution of important medicinal plants and improve breeding and conservation systems.

Keywords: Commiphora gileadensis L.; DNA barcoding; ISSR; SCoT; gene expression; genetic diversity; physio-biochemical parameters.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Codon, Initiator
Commiphora* / genetics
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic*
Defensins / genetics
Gene Expression
Genetic Markers
Phylogeny
Plant Breeding
Saudi Arabia

Substances

Codon, Initiator
Genetic Markers
Defensins

Grants and funding

Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number (PNURSP2022R318), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.