从葫芦巴种子中提取薯蓣皂甙元方法的研究

为探明葫芦巴种子中药用活性成分薯蓣皂甙元提取的最佳方法,设置了不同的酸解液浓度及酸解时间以了解葫芦巴粉酸解的适宜条件;并在酸化工艺前将脱脂的葫芦巴粉进行自然发酵或接种曲霉发酵以提高薯蓣皂甙元的提取率。结果表明葫芦巴粉酸解液最佳浓度为15%的硫酸溶液,最适宜的酸解时间为6 h。在酸化工艺前增加发酵工艺,可以显著提高有效成份薯蓣皂甙元的提取率,接霉菌发酵比直接酸化提高62%,自然发酵比直接酸化提高48%。     

RP-HPLC法测定葫芦巴中葫芦巴皂苷B的含量

本文采用Kromasil C18(250×4.6 mm,5μm),乙腈-0.2%磷酸溶液(83:17)为流动相,流速1.0 mL/min,DAD检测器,检测波长203 nm,对葫芦巴中葫芦巴皂苷B含量进行测定,能将葫芦巴皂苷B与杂质分开,葫芦巴皂苷B在1.60~11.20μg范围内峰面积与其浓度线性关系良好(R=0.99996),样品的平均加样回收率为99.83%,RSD为1.47%(n=6)。该法测定样品快速准确,重现性好。     

多用途植物—葫芦巴

植物学特征葫芦巴(Trigonella focnum-graecum L.)又名芦巴子,苦豆、香豆、香草,属豆科(Leguminosae)葫芦巴属。原产于欧州南部及亚洲。我国东北、河南、河北、新     

两种影响因子对葫芦巴发根转化率的影响

葫芦巴（Trigonella foenum-graecum L.）是薯蓣皂素源植物之一,本文以来源于中国山西省的一年生草本植物葫芦巴为实验材料,研究发根农杆菌菌液浓度与超声波辅助处理两个因素对葫芦巴发根转化率的影响。结果显示,随着菌液浓度升高,发根数和发根转化率均逐渐升高,中浓度与低浓度菌液相比,发根数量和转化率分别升高了2.58和3.90倍;利用高浓度菌液侵染获得的发根数量和发根转化率最高,分别是低浓度菌液的7.33和4.32倍。在超声波处理实验中,超声（工作频率40 KHz,超声功率180 W）处理30 s与经未超声处理的对照组相比,发根数量及转化率略有下降;当超声处理60 s时,发根转化率明显上升,为对照组的2.48倍。葫芦巴发根体系的建立可为生产薯蓣皂素以及解析薯蓣皂素合成路径提供一个关键的技术平台。     

葫芦巴环阿屯醇合酶基因的分离及其对薯蓣皂素合成的影响

以薯蓣皂素合成植物葫芦巴(Trigonella foenum-graecum L.)为材料,从中分离了环阿屯醇合酶基因Tf CAS,并对其序列特征、基因的表达及其对葫芦巴薯蓣皂素生物合成的影响进行了分析。结果显示,该基因全长2271 bp,共编码756个氨基酸;其氨基酸序列与蒺藜苜蓿(Medicago truncatula Gaertn.)、豌豆(Pisum sativum L.)及百脉根(Lotus japonicus L.)环阿屯醇合酶氨基酸序列的同源性分别为94%、91%和89%。利用酵母表达系统对Tf CAS蛋白的生物化学功能进行了验证,结果表明该蛋白能够催化环阿屯醇的合成。进一步利用葫芦巴发根遗传转化体系在葫芦巴中过量表达Tf CAS基因,发现该基因的过量表达大幅提高了Tf CAS的表达,且促进了葫芦巴中β-谷甾醇和薯蓣皂素的生物合成,但与对照相比差异不显著。研究结果表明Tf CAS基因参与了葫芦巴薯蓣皂素的生物合成,但其并非为该合成途径中的限速酶。     

阶梯生物催化协同超声提取葫芦巴中薯蓣皂苷的工艺研究

研究响应面法优化阶梯生物催化协同超声提取葫芦巴中薯蓣皂苷的工艺。以葫芦巴中薯蓣皂苷提取量为考察指标,通过单因素试验及响应面试验设计,探讨依次加入纤维素酶和果胶酶复合酶制剂、糖化酶的使用量、酶解温度、pH值、酶解时间对薯蓣皂苷提取量的影响,优化阶梯生物催化协同超声提取葫芦巴中薯蓣皂苷的工艺条件。结果显示,薯蓣皂苷在最佳提取条件下的提取量为23.04 mg/g,比直接超声提取增加了33.88%,表明阶梯生物催化协同超声法是一种高效、简便的从葫芦巴中提取薯蓣皂苷的方法。     

20种药用植物乙醇提取物对谷蠹的触杀和驱避活性

采用药膜法和滤纸药膜选择法,分别研究了20种药用植物乙醇提取物对谷蠹Rhizopertha dominica (Fab.)成虫的触杀和驱避活性。结果表明：触杀效果以葫芦巴Trigonelia foenum-graecum提取物的活性最强,蛇床子Cnidium monnieri和石菖蒲Acorus gramineus提取物次之。葫芦巴提取物0.39 mg/cm² 浓度处理48 h后对谷蠹的触杀死亡率为100%,处理72 h后对谷蠹的LD₅₀为19.94 μg/cm²。蛇床子和乌头Aconitum carmichaeli提取物对谷蠹成虫具有显著的驱避活性。蛇床子提取物同时具有较好的触杀和驱避活性。     

从富含淀粉的水稻胚乳组织中提取功能总RNA 和克隆wee1基因片段的方法研究

水稻胚乳中含有大量的淀粉等物质,用传统的方法提取总RNA难度很大．改良了一种SDS／苯酚法．可以从水稻胚乳中提取高质量的总RNA,解决了RNA易降解、易被污染以及由于总RNA与淀粉等物质共沉淀所造成的低产量等问题．通过分光光度计测量OD值以及变性胶电泳,可以检测出所提取的总RNA质量较高,从1.5g水稻胚乳中可提取到800μg左右的总RNA．提取的总RNA已成功用于RT-PCR克隆目的基因．     

乌桕不同组织DNA提取方法及其效果(简报)

以乌桕嫩叶和胚乳为材料,采用改良CTAB法和SDS法提取乌桕基因组DNA,研究提取条件对DNA提取效果的影响,确定β-ME用量、PVP用量、RnaseA酶用量。结果表明,用改良CTAB法提取乌桕叶片和种子时,DNA获取量和提取纯度明显优于SDS法。     

大豆和苜蓿种子中葫芦巴碱含量的测定

用高效液相色谱法测定大豆和苜蓿种子内葫芦巴碱的含量的结果表明：以氨基键合柱为固定相,乙腈和水为流动相,可快速而比较准确的测定种子中葫芦巴碱含量。大豆和苜蓿种子中葫芦巴碱的含量高于葫芦巴植物的,可作为提取葫芦巴碱的原料。     

Trigoxazonane, a monosubstituted trioxazonane from Trigonella foenum-graecum root exudate, inhibits Orobanche crenata seed germination

Orobanche crenata is a major threat to grain legume production. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is an annual legume that has been shown to effectively reduce O. crenata infection when intercropped with grain legumes. In this paper, we point that this can be attributed to allelopathy, through inhibition of the germination of O. crenata by fenugreek root exudates. The main inhibitory metabolite was isolated and characterized. Allelopathy was demonstrated in different bioassays, by inhibition of O. crenata seeds germination both by growing fenugreek and pea plants together (intercropped), and by application of fenugreek root exudates. Fenugreek root exudates were extracted with organic solvent and fractionated giving several fractions, two of which showed moderate (27%) and strong (54%) inhibition of O. crenata seed germination, respectively. The most active metabolite is a new monosubstituted trioxazonane, characterized by spectroscopic methods as the 2-butyl-[1,4,7,2]trioxazonane and named trigoxazonane.     

The emergence of embryos from hard seeds is related to the structure of the cell walls of the micropylar endosperm, and not to endo-beta-mannanase activity

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Seeds of carob, Chinese senna, date and fenugreek are hard due to thickened endosperm cell walls containing mannan polymers. How the radicle is able penetrate these thickened walls to complete seed germination is not clearly understood. The objective of this study was to determine if radicle emergence is related to the production of endo-beta-mannanase to weaken the mannan-rich cell walls of the surrounding endosperm region, and/or if the endosperm structure itself is such that it is weaker in the region through which the radicle must penetrate. METHODS: Activity of endo-beta-mannanase in the endosperm and embryo was measured using a gel assay during and following germination, and the structure of the endosperm in juxtaposition to the radicle, and surrounding the cotyledons was determined using fixation, sectioning and light microscopy. KEY RESULTS: The activity of endo-beta-mannanase, the major enzyme responsible for galactomannan cell wall weakening increased in activity only after emergence of the radicle from the seed. Thickened cell walls were present in the lateral endosperm in the hard-seeded species studied, but there was little to no thickening in the micropylar endosperm except in date seeds. In this species, a ring of thin cells was visible in the micropylar endosperm and surrounding an operculum which was pushed open by the expanding radicle to complete germination. CONCLUSIONS: The micropylar endosperm presents a lower physical constraint to the completion of germination than the lateral endosperm, and hence its structure is predisposed to permit radicle protrusion.     

A dual rôle for the endosperm and its galactomannan reserves in the germinative physiology of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.), an endospermic leguminous seed

Some 30% of the reserve material in the fenugreek seed is galactomannan localised in the endosperm; the remainder is mainly protein and lipid in the cotyledons of the embryo. The importance of galactomannan to the germinative physiology of fenugreek has been investigated by comparing intact and endosperm-free seeds. From a purely nutritional point of view the galactomannan's rôle is not qualitatively different from that of the food reserves in the embryo. Nevertheless, due to its spatial location and its hydrophilic properties, the galactomannan is the molecular basis of a mechanism whereby the endosperm imbibes a large quantity of water during seed hydration and is able to buffer the germinating embryo against desiccation during subsequent periods of drought-stress. The galactomannan is clearly a dual-purpose polysaccharide, regulating water-balance during germination and serving as a substrate reserve for the developing seedling following germination. The relative importance of these two rôles is discussed.     

Direct observation of cell wall structure in living plant tissues by solid-state C NMR spectroscopy

Solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of the following intact plant tissues were recorded by the crosspolarization magic-angle spinning technique: celery (Apium graveolens L.) collenchyma; carob bean (Ceratonia siliqua L.), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.), and nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.) endosperm; and lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl.) seed cotyledons. All these tissues had thickened cell walls which allowed them to withstand the centrifugal forces of magic angle spinning and which, except in the case of lupin seeds, dominated the NMR spectra. The celery collenchyma cell walls gave spectra typical of dicot primary cell walls. The carob bean and fenugreek seed spectra were dominated by resonances from galactomannans, which showed little sign of crystalline order. Resonances from β(1,4′)-d galactan were visible in the lupin seed spectrum, but there was much interference from protein. The nasturtium seed spectrum was largely derived from a xyloglucan, in which the conformation of the glucan core chain appeared to be intermediate between the solution form and solid forms of cellulose.     

Mobilisation of the major stored reserves in the embryo of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L., Leguminosae), and correlated enzyme activities

Changes in total nitrogen, soluble amino nitrogen, lipid and phytate contents, and in the activities of proteinase (pH 7.0), isocitrate lyase and phytase were followed in the endosperm, cotyledons, and axis during germination of fenugreek seeds and subsequent growth of the seedlings. The endosperm is comprised largely of cell-wall galactomannans: the majority of the seed total nitrogen, lipid and phytate (5%, 8%, 0.44% of seed dry weight respectively) is localised within the cotyledons as stored reserves. Germination is completed after 10–14 h from the start of imbibition, but the major reserves are not mobilised during the first 24 h. Then the total nitrogen content of the cotyledons starts to decrease and that of the axis increases; there is a concomitant accumulation of soluble amino nitrogen in both cotyledons and axis. An increase in proteinase activity in the cotyledons correlates well with the depletion of total nitrogen therein. Depletion of lipid and phytate reserves in the different seed tissues constitutes a late event, occurring after 50 h from the start of imbibition, and is coincident with the final disintegration of the endosperm tissue. The depletion of phytate and stored lipids is accompanied by an increase in phytase and isocitrate lyase activity. It appears that the products of lipid hydrolysis are converted by gluconeogenesis to serve as the major source of sugars for the growing axis after the endosperm galactomannan has been completely mobilised.     

Regulation of α-galactosidase activity and the hydrolysis of galactomannan in the endosperm of the fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed

When endosperms were isolated from fenugreek seeds 5 h after sowing and incubated in a small volume of water, the development of α-galactosidase activity and the breakdown of the galactomannan storage polysaccharide were both inhibited relative to control endosperms incubated in larger volumes. The inhibition could be relieved by pre-washing the endosperms, and reimposed by the wash-liquors. If the endosperms were isolated 24 h after sowing, no inhibition was observed. Removal of the embryonic axis from germinating fenugreek seeds and from germinated seedlings also inhibited the development of α-galactosidase activity and galactomannan breakdown in the endosperms; the inhibition was more pronounced the earlier the axis was removed. Axis excision 5 h after sowing caused a delay in the onset of galactomannan breakdown and of the appearance of α-galactosidase activity in the endosperms. It also led to a decrease in the rates of galactomannan breakdown and α-galactosidase production. Axis excision 24 h after sowing caused only a slowing of the rates of galactomannan breakdown and α-galactosidase increase. The inhibition caused by axis removal at 5 h could be relieved partially by gibberellin (10^-4 M), benzyladenine (10^-5 M), mixtures of these and by the herbicide SAN 9789 [4-chloro-5-(methylamine)-2-(α,α,α-trifluoro-m-tolyl)-3-(2H)-pyridazinone]. These substances had no effect on the inhibition caused by axis-removal at 24 h. Excision of the cotyledons at 5 h-leaving the separated axis and the endosperm-also caused inhibition of galactomannan breakdown and α-galactosidase development. The results are consistent with the presence in the fenugreek seed endosperm of diffusible inhibitors of galactomannan mobilisation which are removed or inactivated during normal germination and early seedling development. They are also consistent with a role for the seedling axis in the control of galactomannan breakdown in the endosperm. Initially the axis appears to have a regulatory function (via gibberellins and/or cytokinins?) in determining the onset of α-galactosidase production in the endosperm. Thereafter its continued presence is necessary to ensure maximal rates of α-galactosidase production and galactomannan hydrolysis. The role of the axis may be initially to counteract the endogenous inhibitors in the endosperm and then to act as a sink for the galactomannan breakdown products released in the endosperm and taken up by the cotyledons.     

Proliferative phase endosperm promoters from Arabidopsis thaliana

Endosperm accounts for a large proportion of human nutrition and is also a major determinant of seed viability and size, not only in cereals, but also in species with ephemeral endosperms, such as soybean and oilseed rape. The extent of endosperm proliferation early in seed development is a crucial component in setting seed size; therefore, a biotechnological approach for the modification of this trait requires promoters active in early endosperm. To find such promoters, we constructed an array based on cDNAs extracted from developing Arabidopsis seeds enriched for proliferating endosperm. Hybridization with RNA extracted from vegetative and reproductive tissues, including endosperm, and subsequent data filtering yielded sets of endosperm-expressed and endosperm-preferred genes, including many hundreds not previously identified in array experiments designed to detect genes expressed in Arabidopsis seeds. Of eight promoters selected for validation, seven were active in early endosperm, three with no detected activity elsewhere in the plant. Therefore, this strategy has yielded proliferative phase endosperm promoters which should be useful in altering seed size.     

Antidiabetic effects of subfractions from fenugreek seeds in diabetic dogs

We have previously shown that the antidiabetic property of fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum graecum L.) is associated with the defatted seed material which is rich in fibers, saponins, and proteins. In the present work this defatted preparation was divided into two subfractions: subfraction "a" which contains the testa and endosperm and is rich in fibers (79.6%); and subfraction "b" which contains the cotyledons and axes and is rich in saponins (7.2%) and proteins (52.8%). We investigated the effects of each subfraction on hyperglycemia and the levels of pancreatic hormones when chronically administered to alloxan-diabetic dogs. Each subfraction was studied separately and was given to the dogs per os (mixed with the two daily meals), in addition to the insulin treatment (which was kept the same throughout the experiment) for a period of 21 days. The addition of subfraction "a" to insulin treatment resulted in a clear decrease of hyperglycemia and glycosuria accompanied by a reduction of the high plasma glucagon and somatostatin levels in diabetic dogs. The treatment also decreased the hyperglycemic response to the oral glucose tolerance test. In contrast the chronic administration of subfraction "b" had no effect on hyperglycemia or on the levels of pancreatic hormones in diabetic dogs. Our results show that the antidiabetic properties of fenugreek seeds are contained in the testa and endosperm. Although this subfraction is rich in fibers (high viscosity; 115 cP), it is not possible to exclude the existence of one or more unknown active pharmacological compounds in this subfraction of the seed.     

A genome-wide survey of imprinted genes in rice seeds reveals imprinting primarily occurs in the endosperm

Genomic imprinting causes the expression of an allele depending on its parental origin. In plants, most imprinted genes have been identified in Arabidopsis endosperm, a transient structure consumed by the embryo during seed formation. We identified imprinted genes in rice seed where both the endosperm and embryo are present at seed maturity. RNA was extracted from embryos and endosperm of seeds obtained from reciprocal crosses between two subspecies Nipponbare (Japonica rice) and 93-11 (Indica rice). Sequenced reads from cDNA libraries were aligned to their respective parental genomes using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Reads across SNPs enabled derivation of parental expression bias ratios. A continuum of parental expression bias states was observed. Statistical analyses indicated 262 candidate imprinted loci in the endosperm and three in the embryo (168 genic and 97 non-genic). Fifty-six of the 67 loci investigated were confirmed to be imprinted in the seed. Imprinted loci are not clustered in the rice genome as found in mammals. All of these imprinted loci were expressed in the endosperm, and one of these was also imprinted in the embryo, confirming that in both rice and Arabidopsis imprinted expression is primarily confined to the endosperm. Some rice imprinted genes were also expressed in vegetative tissues, indicating that they have additional roles in plant growth. Comparison of candidate imprinted genes found in rice with imprinted candidate loci obtained from genome-wide surveys of imprinted genes in Arabidopsis to date shows a low degree of conservation, suggesting that imprinting has evolved independently in eudicots and monocots.