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Genetic diversity, phytochemical profiling, and antimicrobial activities of Mesembryanthemum forskalii from two regions of Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Mesembryanthemum forskahlii (Aizoaceae) is a medicinally important and ecologically adaptable species whose genetic and phytochemical diversity remains underexplored. In this study, two natural populations from Aljouf and Qassim (Saudi Arabia) were analyzed to assess genetic variation, genome size, phytochemical composition, and antimicrobial activity. Using 16 ISSR primers, 303 loci were scored, with 99.01% polymorphism, indicating high allelic richness; AMOVA revealed that 78% of genetic variation resided within populations, while Gst (0.1369) and Nm (3.15) indicated moderate differentiation and substantial gene flow. UPGMA and PCoA clustering confirmed partial overlap between populations, reflecting ongoing genetic exchange. Genome size estimation showed small but consistent differences (Aljouf: 0.845 pg; Qassim: 1.059 pg), both within the Aizoaceae range. GC–MS profiling revealed regional variation in secondary metabolites, with Aljouf extracts enriched in n-Hexadecanoic acid 9 14.96%) and Qassim extracts dominated by Lupeol (33.33%). Antibacterial assays demonstrated strong inhibition against Escherichia coli (70.28%) and Staphylococcus aureus (55.66%), with higher activity in Aljouf extracts, while antifungal effects were most pronounced against Alternaria alternata (95%), followed by Aspergillus terreus (71%) and Candida tropicalis (65%). These findings provide the first integrative evidence of high genetic diversity, conserved genome size, population-specific phytochemical variation, and potent antimicrobial activity in M. forskalii, highlighting its adaptive capacity, medicinal potential, and conservation value
