Phytochemical diversity of Origanum vulgare L. subsp. vulgare (Lamiaceae) from Austria

This investigation was aiming at the phytochemical characterisation of Origanum vulgare subsp. vulgare from Austria. To study the qualitative and quantitative composition of essential oil compounds 374 individual plants were analysed via GC. The volatiles of Austrian O. vulgare subsp. vulgare were found to be complex mixtures of 53 mono- and sesquiterpenes. Among the sesquiterpenes β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, E-E-α-farnesene, germacrene D-4-ol and caryophyllene oxide were frequently present in higher amounts. The monoterpenes were mainly made up of sabinyl-compounds [mainly sabinene (up to 48.4%) and cis-sabinene hydrate (up to 57.8%)] and/or cymyl-compounds [mainly p-cymene (up to 49.7%), γ-terpinene (up to 21.5%) and carvacrol (up to 32.9%)] that were accompanied by usually smaller amounts of bornyl-compounds and acyclic compounds. Some exceptional (in O. vulgare rare) chemotypes were detected. The essential oil content of Austrian O. vulgare subsp. vulgare ranged between 0.1 and 1.8%. The content of rosmarinic acid was analysed by HPLC and ranged from 0.6 mg/g dry mass up to 37.2 mg/g dry mass. No arbutin could be detected in the analysed populations.     

The inflorescence and leaf essential oils of Tanacetum vulgare L. var. vulgare growing wild in Lithuania

Forty samples of inflorescences and leaves of wild Tanacetum vulgare L. var. vulgare were collected in 20 habitats from Lithuania. The essential oils were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The 57 identified compounds in the oils made up 80.7–99.6%. According to the cluster analysis the volatile oils were divided into four groups with 1,8-cineole (23.6–46.3%, 11 oils), trans-thujone (35.7–78.4%, 6 samples), camphor (19.8–61.8%, 17 oils) and myrtenol (13.1–24.9%, 6 samples) as main constituents. The inflorescences and leaves of tansy plants formed the oils with the same dominating constituent in 15 of the 20 habitats investigated. The leaves in five localities produced oils of the 1,8-cineole chemotype, while the inflorescences biosynthesized oils of the camphor type in three habitats and of the myrtenol type in two habitats. Amounts of the 1,8-cineole in all leaf oils were greater than that in inflorescence oils of the plants from the same locality. An opposite correlation was determined for camphor, myrtenol, cis- and trans-thujone. The myrtenol chemotype was not noticed earlier in the essential oils of T. vulgare.     

Allelopathic effects of Sorghum vulgare Pers.

Summary Sorghum vulgare Pers. a tropical fodder crop significantly reduced the vertical growth and drymass of Sorghum vulgare, Pennisetum americanum, Zea mays and Setaria italica. Aqueous extracts of various plant parts, field soils and decaying mulch significantly reduced germination, radicle growth and water contents of all test species. The toxicity levels were depending upon the plant parts used in the biossay experiments and the sensitivity of the test species. It is suggested that the Sorghum fields be rotated with other crops to maximize the crop productivity.     

The essential oil of Origanum vulgare L. ssp. vulgare growing wild in vilnius district (Lithuania)

The plants of wild Origanum vulgare L. ssp. vulgare were collected in 10 localities of Vilnius district (Lithuania) in 1995-1999. The main constituents of the essential oils from 8 localities were beta-ocimene (14.9-21.6%), germacrene D (10.0-16.2), beta-caryophyllene (10.8- 15.7%) and sabinene (6.6- 4.2%). The essential oils from two localities contained only three above compounds as major components: germacrene D, beta-ocimene and sabinene or beta-caryophyllene, beta-ocimene and germacrene D. Three chemotypes of essential oils were identified. The main chemotype was beta-ocimene germacrene D-beta-caryophyllene. The terpenic hydrocarbons made up 52.8-80.6% of the essential oils. The 42 identified components made up 85.6-98.0% of the essential oil.     

Analysis of chromosomal polymorphism in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. ssp. vulgare) and between H. vulgare and H. chilense using three-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)

The aim of the present work was to study chromosomal polymorphism within cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare) using three-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The physical distribution of the most frequently used, highly repetitive DNA sequences (GAA)₇ specific for pericentromeric heterochromatic regions, the ribosomal DNA clone pTa71, specific for the 45S rDNA, and the barley-specific telomere-associated sequence HvT01, was investigated to reveal genetic diversity in metaphase spreads of ten barley genotypes with diverse geographical origin, growth habit and row number. A wild relative of barley, Hordeum chilense was also studied in order to compare the polymorphism between and within Hordeum species. Significant differences in the hybridization patterns of all three DNA probes could be detected between the two related species, but only probes pTa71 and HvT01 showed variation in the intensity and/or position of hybridization sites among genotypes of H. vulgare ssp. vulgare. The extent of polymorphism was less than that earlier reported for molecular markers and was restricted to the long chromosome arms, with differences between the chromosomes. 1H and 3H proved to be the most variable chromosomes and 4H and 6H the most conserved.     

Development and characterization of recombinant chromosome substitution lines (RCSLs) using Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum as a source of donor alleles in a Hordeum vulgare subsp. vulgare background.

The ancestor of barley (Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum) may be a source of novel alleles for crop improvement. We developed a set of recombinant chromosome substitution lines (RCSLs) using an accession of H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum (Caesarea 26-24, from Israel) as the donor and Hordeum vulgare subsp. vulgare 'Harrington' (the North American malting quality standard) as the recurrent parent via two backcrosses to the recurrent parent, followed by six generations of selfing. Here we report (i) the genomic architecture of the RCSLs, as inferred by simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, and (ii) the effects of H. vulgare subsp. spontaneum genome segment introgressions in terms of three classes of phenotypes: inflorescence yield components, malting quality traits, and domestication traits. Significant differences among the RCSLs were detected for all phenotypes measured. The phenotypic effects of the introgressions were assessed using association analysis, and these were referenced to quantitative trait loci (QTL) reported in the literature. Hordeum vulgare subsp. spontaneum, despite its overall inferior phenotype, contributed some favorable alleles for agronomic and malting quality traits. In most cases, the introgression of the ancestral genome resulted in a loss of desirable phenotypes in the cultivated parent. Although disappointing from a plant breeding perspective, this finding may prove to be a useful tool for gene discovery.     

Zur Feinstruktur des Plastidenstromas vonHordeum vulgare L.

Zusammenfassung Nach Glutaraldehyd-Osmium-Fixierung lassen sich im Stroma von Etioplasten, ergrünenden Plastiden und Chloroplasten der Gerste bündelartige Einschlüsse nachweisen. Ein Bündel setzt sich aus einer variablen Zahl von Einzelsträngen (20 bis 60) zusammen. Im Querschnitt besteht ein Einzelstrang aus einem elektronendichten, röhrenartigen Zentralstück (Durchmesser 110 Å), das ein elektronentransparentes Lumen (30 Å) umschließt und von einer kontrastlosen, peripheren Hülle (Wandstärke 35 Å) umgeben ist. Die Einzelstränge sind im Bündel in hexagonal-dichtester Packung gelagert und haben im Querschnitt kristallinen Bau. Der Mittelpunktsabstand der Einzelstränge beträgt 170 bis 190 Å. Im Längsschnitt bestehen die Bündel aus parallel verlaufenden Schichten der kontrastreichen Zentralstränge und transparenten, peripheren Hüllen. Die genaue Länge der Einzelstränge und der Bündel ist unbekannt. In Plastidenteilungsstadien wurden Bündellängen bis zu 5 gefunden. Die Möglichkeit der Beteiligung dieses Stromabestandteiles an derde novo-Bildung der Thylakoide während der eigentlichen Ergrünungsphase der Chlorophyllsynthese oder (und) eine mögliche Funktion bei der Plastidenteilung wird diskutiert.

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The fine structure of plastid-stroma ofHordeum vulgare L.

Summary Glutaraldehyde-osmium fixed etioplasts, greening plastids and chloroplasts ofHordeum vulgare L. show fibrillar bundles of indefinite width and length. In cross section these bundles are cristalline in structure and composed of 20–60 fibrils. Each fibril is composed of an inner electron-dense core, 110 Å in diameter, and of an outer electron-transparent zone of 35 Å; the whole fibril thus measuring 180 Å. At higher magnification the central part of the inner electron-dense core is transparent and 30 Å in diameter. In longitudinal sections these bundles are composed of 0.1–5 long parallel fibrils. In most cases no direct connection between these fibrillar bundles and other plastid structures was found. However, in some cases, when plastids were in the phase of rapid greening, connection between the fibrillar bundles and thylakoids was seen. The bundles seem to terminate in the plastidenvelope. Inhibition of greening by X-rays (100–500 kr) did not affect these structures, but it reducedde novo synthesis of thylakoids in the greening phase. In dividing plastids the long fibrillar bundles can be seen in the constriction-zone. Two possible functions of the fibrillar bundles are discussed: they may take part inde novo synthesis of thylakoids during the process of rapid greening or (and) are of importance during plastid division.

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Für technische Assistenz danke ich Frau I.Krusche und Frau C.Labus.     

西藏青稞4个B组醇溶蛋白基因的克隆和特征

从两份西藏青稞材料中分离克隆出4个B组醇溶蛋白基因（BH1—BH4）,DNA测序结果表明：它们均包含完整的开放阅读框。推断的氨基酸序列与先前报道的大麦B组醇溶蛋白具有相同的蛋白质基本结构。系统分析表明：它们推断的氨基酸序列与栽培大麦中的B组醇溶蛋白具有较高的相关性,与野生大麦和山羊草属的醇溶谷蛋白相似性较低。并且,在4个基因BH1—BH4中,BH1与先前报道的B组醇溶蛋白基因有较低的序列相似性,因此我们对BH1基因进行了原核表达,含该基因的表达载体在大肠杆菌中表达出相对分子质量为28．15kDa并以包涵体形式存在的蛋白,进一步对其在青稞谷粒品质改良中的潜在价值进行了探讨。     

Comparisons of the hybrids Hordeum chilensexH. vulgare,H. chilensexH. bulbosum,H. chilensexSecale cereale and the amphidiploid of H. chilensexH. vulgare

Summary Diploid hybrids between Hordeum chilense and three other species, namely H. vulgare, H. bulbosum and Secale cereale, are described together with the amphidiploid of H. chilensexH. vulgare. Both the diploid hybrid and the amphidiploid of H. chilensexH. vulgare were chromosomally unstable, H. chilensexH. bulbosum was less so, while H. chilensexS. cereale was stable. Differential amphiplasty was found in all combinations. No homoeologous pairing was found in the Hordeum hybrids but in H. chilensexS. cereale there was chromosome pairing both within the two genomes and between the genomes.     

Production of gynogenic haploids of Hordeum vulgare L.

Haploid plants were regenerated from cultured unfertilized ovaries of Hordeum vulgare L. (barley). Optimal response was obtained by the addition of 0.6 M 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), 2.8 M indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 4.4 M 6-benzyladenine (BA) in the N₆ medium. Further increase in the rate of callus formation and the number of green plants produced was possible with the addition of 90 g/l sucrose and 100 g/l coconut water. The stage of development of the ovaries at the time of culture was critical; the largest number of plants being produced by ovaries from flowers at the trinucleate stage of pollen.Abbreviations (BA) 6-benzyladenine - (MCPA) 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyaceticacid - (2,4-D) 2,4-dichlorophenoxyaceticacid - (GA₃) gibberellic acid - (IAA) indole-3-acetic acid     

Substrate specificity of monoterpenol dehydrogenases from Foeniculum vulgare and Tanacetum vulgare

Soluble enzyme preparations from leaves of Foeniculum vulgare catalysed the pyridine nucleotide-dependent dehydrogenation of l-endo-fenchol to d-fenchone, while similar preparations from Tanacetum vulgare catalysed the pyridine nucleotide-dependent dehydrogenation of d-3-thujanol to d-3-thujone. The monoterpenol dehydrogenases were separated from alcohol (ethanol) dehydrogenase by gel-permeation chromatography, and the MW, pH optimum, cofactor preference and other general properties of these enzymes were examined. Specificity studies indicated that only a narrow range of monoterpenols, related to those structural classes produced in vivo, were oxidized by these dehydrogenases.     

Genome relationships between Hordeum vulgare L. and H. bulbosum L.

Interrelationships between H. vulgare (2x=14) and H. bulbosum (2x=14; 4x=28) were estimated on the basis of the karyotypes and the pairing behaviour of the chromosomes in diploid, triploid and tetraploid hybrids obtained with the aid of embryo culture. — A comparison of the karyotypes of the two species revealed similarities as well as differences. It was concluded that at least 4 or more of the chromosomes were similar in morphology and probably closely related. — Diploid and tetraploid hybrids are rarely obtained and their chromosome numbers tend to be unstable whereas triploid hybrids (1 vulgare + 2 bulbosum genomes) were stable and relatively easy to produce. In the diploid hybrid only 40% of the meiotic cells contained 14 chromosomes while the numbers ranged from 7 to 16 in other cells. All hybrids exhibited pairing between the chromosomes of the two species. Diploid hybrids had a mean of 5.0 and a maximum of 7 bivalents per cell in those cells having 14 chromosomes. Triploid hybrids from crosses between 2x H. vulgare and 4x H. bulbosum exhibited a mean of 1.5 and a maximum of 5 trivalents per cell. In a hexaploid sector found following colchicine treatment of a triploid the mean frequencies of chromosome associations per cell were: 5.5_I+8.0_II+0.7_III+3.7_IV+0.3_V+0.4_VI. One unstable 27 chromosome hybrid obtained from crosses between the autotetraploid forms had a mean of 1.1 and a maximum of 4 quadrivalents per cell. The chromosome associations observed in these hybrids are consistent and are taken as evidence of homoeologous pairing between the chromosomes of the two species. Interspecific hybridization between these two species also reveals that chromosome stable hybrids are only obtained when the genomes are present in a ratio of 1 vulgare2 bulbosum. Based upon the results obtained, the possibility of transferring genetic characters from H. bulbosum into cultivated barley is discussed.     

Chromosome instability in Hordeum vulgare x H. bulbosum hybrids

Chromosome number in Hordeum vulgare x H. bulbosum hybrids ranged between the haploid and diploid number but with peaks in frequency occurring at the 14 and 7 chromosome level. This was reflected in a gradual change from hybrid morphology to that of haploid H. vulgare. The rate of chromosome elimination differed significantly between hybrids, while within each hybrid, differences in mean chromosome number were recorded between and within individual tillers. An increase in temperature from 25–30° C caused a significant increase in the rate of elimination of H. bulbosum chromosomes.     

Chromosome elimination in Hordeum vulgare x H. bulbosum hybrids

Summary The hybrid progeny from a stable amphidiploid of H. vulgare x H. bulbosum involving the cultivar Vada and an unstable amphidiploid involving the cultivar Emir were studied. The genotypes examined contained two genomes from Vada or one from Vada and one from Emir, with one or two genomes from H. bulbosum. Comparisons between the chromosome numbers in root-tips and anthers revealed that there was no chromosome elimination in most plants, whether there was one or two Vada genomes present. The one plant in which chromosome elimination was positively identified had Emir as opposed to Vada cytoplasm. It also had a high incidence of degraded or fragmented chromosomes in the PMCs. Differences in stability between a 27 chromosome plant and other hypotetraploids suggest that Vada contains both elimination genes and elimination suppressor genes. Upon selfing, again irrespective of the number of Vada genomes present, circa triploid hybrids gave rise to diploid H. vulgare offspring while hypotetraploids produced hybrid-like plants. These included diploids, triploids and tetraploids. There was evidence that suggested that H. vulgare as well as H. bulbosum chromosomes had been eliminated.