IISER Bhopal conduct first-ever genome-sequencing of Jamun to explain its medicinal value

Mumbai: In a significant development, the Bhopal-based Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER Bhopal) have completed the first-ever genome sequencing of the Jamun tree (Syzygium cumini), an evergreen tree popular in India for its medicinal properties, fruits, and ornamental value.

This attempt by IISER Bhopal is the first time that the plant has been examined and decoded so closely.

To understand the genomic and evolutionary basis of the tree’s medicinal values, the research team sequenced the S.cumini genome from the world’s largest tree genus Syzygium using Oxford Nanopore and 10x Genomics sequencing technologies. Jamun is the largest genome to be sequenced from the world’s largest tree genus, Syzygium.

The team, led by Dr Vineet K Sharma, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, includes Abhisek Chakraborty, Shruti Mahajan, and Manohar Singh Bisht from IISER Bhopal.

Their findings have been published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Plant Science, according to a press statement.

Jamun’s therapeutic properties are widely celebrated in India. Specifically, the fruit seed extracts of Jamun have well-known anti-diabetic properties. It is also highly recommended in Ayurveda to treat a variety of health ailments such as stomach discomfort, arthritis, cardiac problems, flatulence, asthma, diarrhea, and stomach spasms. The black plum can be eaten fresh or made into juice.

Not just Ayurveda but multiple clinical studies in the past have also shown the health benefits of Jamun due to it being an excellent source of bioactive components such as flavonoids, polyphenols, antioxidants, iron, and vitamin C.

“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 Dr Sharma.

To fully explain the anti-diabetic properties of this plant, the researchers discovered the presence of glucosides, another class of metabolites that prevent the conversion of starch into sugar, and explain how the plant possesses anti-diabetic value. Previous clinical assessments have shown that Jamun has a low glycemic index and alleviates diabetic symptoms such as excessive urination.