Sufang An , Yongliang Yu , Zhengwei Tan , Chunming Li , Qing Yang , Hongqi Yang , Xiaoyu Su , Yao Sun , Huizhen Liang

Institute of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, 450002, Henan, China
Author    Correspondence author
Medicinal Plant Research, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 1   doi: 10.5376/mpr.2024.14.0003
Received: 03 Jan., 2024    Accepted: 07 Feb., 2024    Published: 18 Feb., 2024

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

An S.F., Yu Y.L., Tan Z.W., Li C.M., Yang Q., Yang H.Q., Su X.Y., Sun Y., and Liang H.Z., 2024, Genomic analysis of yam: understanding its adaptive evolution and medicinal properties, Medicinal Plant Research, 14(1): 31-44 (doi: 10.5376/mpr.2024.14.0003)

Yam, commonly known as Shuyu, Tushu, or Shuyao in Chinese, is a traditional Chinese medicinal and edible plant with nutritional and medicinal value. This study aims to elucidate the adaptive evolution and medicinal properties of yam through comprehensive genomic analysis. The study integrates findings from various research efforts, including transcriptome sequencing, chloroplast genome characterization, and metabolomic profiling. Transcriptome analysis has revealed key pathways and hormone activities involved in microtuber formation, highlighting the role of differentially expressed genes in the plant's development and stress responses. Chloroplast genome sequencing has provided insights into the phylogenetic relationships and potential molecular markers for species identification. Metabolomic studies have identified significant metabolites in different parts of the plant, contributing to its medicinal properties. Additionally, the structural characterization of polysaccharides and their bioactivity on gut microbiota underscores the plant's health benefits. The identification of endogenous gibberellins and α-glucosidase inhibitors further supports the plant's therapeutic potential. This study consolidates current genomic and biochemical data, offering a comprehensive understanding of yam's adaptive evolution and medicinal properties, thereby providing references for future research and potential biotechnological applications.

Yam; Genomic analysis; Adaptive evolution; Medicinal properties; Transcriptome