Unlocking Amla's Genetic Secrets: In A First, IISER Bhopal Decodes Indian Gooseberry's Genome

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal (IISER Bhopal), have successfully decoded the draft genome of the Indian gooseberry plant, commonly known as Amla.

This breakthrough in understanding the genetic makeup of Amla can provide insights into its origins, evolution, and the production of valuable biochemical compounds with medicinal properties, as per an IISER Bhopal release.

The findings have been published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Plant Science.

Dr Vineet Sharma, an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, led the team of researchers from IISER Bhopal. The team consisted of Shruti Mahajan, Manohar Singh Bisht, and Abhisek Chakraborty, all from the same institute.

IISER Bhopal is the youngest of the first five IISERs established by the Indian government's Ministry of Education (then Ministry of Human Resource & Development) in 2008.

Amla, a well-known plant native to South Asian countries, has been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine for centuries.

The stone-fruit of the Amla tree is known for its high Vitamin C content and is a rich source of various phytochemicals, minerals, and amino acids.

Amla has been traditionally used to address health conditions such as high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, gum diseases, and knee osteoarthritis.

Despite its significant pharmaceutical and nutritional importance, the genetic composition of Amla has not been extensively studied until now.

Dr Sharma, the lead researcher, explained the technical approach employed by the IISER team: They analysed the genome and transcriptome of the Amla plant using leaves collected from their campus.

The researchers used advanced sequencing technologies, including 10x Genomics and Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) long-read sequencing, along with transcriptomic sequencing.

Apart from being the first to obtain the draft genome structure of the Amla, researchers also identified the genes responsible for vitamin C biosynthesis.

They compared these genes with those found in other plants that produce vitamin C-rich fruits.

The team discovered that the exceptional antioxidant power of Amla is due to the adaptive evolution of specific genes involved in the production of antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids.

With its high vitamin C content and the ability of each tree to yield up to 100 kg of fruits, Amla surpasses other vitamin C-rich fruits such as the West Indian cherry and the camu camu fruit.

This makes Amla an ideal choice for those looking to switch from synthetic to natural sources of Vitamin C.

The research team suggests that the adaptive evolution of Amla may be one of the key factors contributing to its ability to thrive in various climatic zones and environmental conditions.

Dr Sharma emphasises the significance of their study, stating, "The analysis of the whole genomic landscape of the Amla also helped us in understanding its evolutionary descent in comparison with 26 other plant species.

"It will also help in developing improved nutraceuticals, food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical products, and for further horticultural and genomic studies."