Bar Codes for Prairie Plant Species

The DNA bar code sequences of the first prairie plant with anti-cancer properties will be available on 8 March 2015 in a scientific public data base.  You are likely familiar with the barcodes of items that we purchase, such as food, books, or clothing.  A DNA bar code is the name given to specific DNA sequences of the plant genome.  These sequences are conserved within a plant species and differ to sequences from the same genomic region from other species.  By acquiring the DNA sequences from these regions, one can later distinguish plants from one another by looking at this DNA sequence.  

   We sequenced two DNA barcode regions from the plant Thermopsis rhombifolia, locally known as the Buffalo bean.  The barcodes correspond to the ITS region, which includes the 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, and the psbA-trnH intergenic spacer, which includes the partial sequence of the tRNA for histidine.  These sequences are available in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Genbank database, and can be consulted for free by anyone with an internet access.  The accession numbers are KP861904 and KP861905.  

   In the future, these sequences can be compared to those of other plants, usually ones of the same genus, Thermopsis.  We are planning to expand our choice of barcode sequences from two to three to provide higher resolution of the genetic relationship between plant species.  We are also applying this approach to the other plant species that have anti-cancer properties in the prairie ecological zone.  In this way we will meet the goal of the Prairie to Pharmacy Program by identifying, characterizing, and sharing the scientific knowledge of the medical properties of plants from the prairies.  

This is the barcode for the book "Plants and the Blackfoot" by Alex Johnston. 

  

Our first paper in the new Prairie to Pharmacy Project

We have published our first paper on our research in the Prairie to Pharmacy Project.  In this project, we are investigating plants from the prairie region of Canada for bio-active compounds in cancer and infectious diseases (antibiotics).  There were a number of hurdles that had to be overcome to launch this project: a short growing season, re-organizing the laboratory, and finding like-minded colleagues. Fortunately with the help of excellent collaborators in Lethbridge and in France, we were able to organize the project and describe our first bio-active plant.  

The scientific name of the plant is Thermopsis rhombifolia; it is commonly known as the buffalo bean.  Our contribution includes providing new DNA sequence (a bar code) and describing its toxic properties at the cellular level.  We used "phenotypic assays", which are a powerful scientific method to find information that eventually leads to the precise biological mechanism of action.  Our next step is to work with expert chemistry partners, who are from France, to identify the active ingredients. The project is growing: there are more plants to investigate and questions to answer.  Thank you those who have helped us - much appreciated.  

If you would like a copy of the paper it will be published in Natural Product Research, or contact us directly.  

Jacques Cartier and the first ethnobiology event in Canada

Bust of Jacques Cartier, at Cartier Museum, St-Malo, France

Winter, in the year 1535 near what is now Quebec City (Canada).  Jacques Cartier and his men are gravely ill.  They are 5000 km from home, their boats are locked in ice in a unknown territory, with limited supplies, and no doctor. Jacques Cartier did not know that his men were dying of scurvy, a disease caused by the absence of vitamin C in the diet.  He did observe, however, that a local First Nations man named Agaya, once had similar symptoms, but was now apparently well and walking in front of Cartier's emergency winter shelter. With 25 of his crew already dead, 95% of the remaining members incapacitated and dying, Jacques Cartier decided to ask Agaya for the cure.

Jacques Cartier's former residence, near St-Malo, France.

The First Nations' people offered the needles and bark of the plant "annedda", from which an infusion was to be drunk every second day until cured.  It worked.  Like Agaya, Jacques Cartier's men were quickly restored, survived the remaining Canadian winter and returned to France. With the support of the French king Francois I, Jacques Cartier returned the resource-rich territory a third trip in 1541.

Jacques Cartier's tomb, Cathédrale St-Vincent in St-Malo

Jacques Cartier recorded the first exchange of information between European and Indigenous cultures in Canadian territory for the goal of medical benefit.  Today we call this exchange ethnobiology.  We visited Jacques Cartier's estate, near the port city of St Malo, France, from where he launched his expeditions that opened Canada to the world.  In the Cancer Cell Laboratory, we follow this 500 year old tradition of identifying and testing Canadian plants to find compounds for medicinal benefit.   Our work is focused on finding plants that have compounds with anti-cancer properties.   We have found two plants that show promise in preliminary laboratory tests, and we now are identifying the active ingredients within them.