Researchers at the Centre of Agronomic and Agro-Industrial Biotechnology of Alentejo (CEBAL) in Beja identified, in a natural population of Cynara cardunculus, two allelic variants in GAS (Germacrene A Synthase) gene sequence with significant associations between the cynaropicrin content (a lactone sesquiterpene) and the antiproliferative activity of a breast cancer cell line (MDA-MD-231), in vitro.
