Gymnosperm Orthologues of Class B Floral Homeotic Genes and Their Impact on Understanding Flower Origin

Class B floral homeotic genes play a key role in specifying the identity of male reproductive organs (stamens) and petals during the development of flowers. Recently, close relatives (orthologues) of these genes have been found in diverse gymnosperms, the sister group of the flowering plants (angiosperms). The fact that such genes have not been found so far, despite considerable efforts, in mosses, ferns or algae, has been taken as evidence to suggest that B genes originated 300–400 million years ago in a lineage that led to extant seed plants. Gymnosperms do not develop petals, and their male reproductive organs deviate considerably from angiosperm stamens. So what is the function of gymnosperm B genes? Recent experiments revealed that B genes from diverse extant gymnosperms are exclusively expressed in male reproductive organs (microsporophylls). At least for some of these genes it has been shown that they can partially substitute for the Arabidopsis B genes AP3 and PI in ectopic expression experiments, or even partially substitute these genes in different class B floral organ identity gene mutants. This functional complementation, however, is restricted to male organ development. These findings strongly suggest that gymnosperm and angiosperm B genes have highly related interaction partners and equivalent functions in the male organs of their different host species. It seems likely that in extant gymnosperms B genes have a function in specifying male reproductive organs. This function was probably established already in the most recent common ancestor of extant gymnosperms and angiosperms (seed plants) 300 million years ago and thus represents the ancestral function of seed plant B genes, from which other functions (e.g., in specifying petal identity) might have been derived. This suggests that the B gene function is part of an ancestral sex determination system in which B gene expression specifies male reproductive organ development, while the absence of B gene expression leads to the formation of female reproductive organs. Such a simple switch mechanism suggests that B genes might have played a central role during the origin of flowers. In the out-of-male and out-of-female hypotheses changes in B gene expression led to the origin of hermaphroditic flower precursors out of male or female gymnosperm reproductive cones, respectively. We compare these hypotheses with other recent molecular hypotheses on the origin of flowers, in which C/D and FLORICAULA/LEAFY-like genes is given a more prominent role, and we suggest how these hypotheses might be tested in the future.     

高黎贡山花卉资源与赏花旅游初探

高黎贡山有完整的生物气候垂直带谱自然景观,多种植被类型和丰富的植物资源,目前已知有种子植物2门210科1086属4303种及变种,其中有较高观赏价值的花卉达62科320属1053种,是我国花卉资源最丰富的地区之一。高黎贡山花卉资源具有种类丰富,名花众多;珍稀,濒危植物多;植物区系成分复杂,起源古老,特有植物多;垂直分布明显,四季花卉不断;形态各异,色彩绚丽等特点,是开展赏花旅游的理想地方,笔者设计3条赏花旅游线中;（1）百花岭景区;（2）大蒿坪景区;（3）大塘大树杜鹃景区。为高黎贡山开展赏花旅游提供思路。     

Analysis of amino acids in nectar from Silene colorata Poiret (Caryophyllaceae)

Nectar samples were collected from Silene colorata Poiret (Caryophyllaceae), in three different populations from south-western Spain: Zahara de la Sierra (Cádiz), Bornos (Cádiz) and Bormujos (Seville). Samples were analysed for amino acids by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with precolumn phenylisotiocyanate (PITC) derivatization. The method has the advantage of being highly sensitive, capable of detecting nanogram (ng) quantities of amino acids. Eighteen amino acids were identified and quantified. The mean number of amino acids in a nectar sample was 14 (SD = 2.8). Six amino acids (threonine, alanine, arginine, proline, tyrosine and methionine) were detected in all samples, accounting for 83% of the total amino acids content; proline and arginine were the most abundant amino acids, accounting for 40% and 20% of the total amino acids, respectively. The mean amounts of amino acids in nectar samples per population were 824, 782 and 356 µ m in Zahara de la Sierra, Bornos and Bormujos, respectively. Environmental variations such as temperature and sunlight are factors influencing the metabolic processes of nectar production. Our results may contradict the theory that the chemical constituents of floral nectar vary according to the kinds of pollinators.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 49–56.     

表油菜素内酯对月季切花保鲜作用的研究

本文初步探讨了表油菜素内酯（epiBR）对瓶插月季切花的保鲜作用。与对照（蒸馏水）和基本液（2％蔗糖＋500mgL-1柠檬酸＋250mgL-8-羟基喹啉＋25mgAgNO3）相比,经epiBR处理（基本液＋0．1mgL-1epiBR）的月季切花花枝坚挺,蓝变延迟,瓶插寿命延长1-1.5倍。测定有关生理指标表明,epiBR处理对月季切花瓶插花枝前期鲜重的增加及后期的保持有明显作用。并显著延缓花瓣和叶片质膜相对透性的增加,还能使瓶插前期花瓣还原糖含量增加。epiBR处理对花瓣蛋白质和叶片叶绿素含量变化无明显影响,而对花瓣花青素水平下降有轻微的促进作用。     

新疆郁金香一居群个体性别7年的动态变化

在雌雄同株植物中, 花性别被认为是两性资源分配对环境条件的响应, 了解个体性别随时间的变化对探讨植物性系统的变异有重要意义。早春短命植物新疆郁金香(Tulipa sinkiangensis)多为两性花居群, 前期调查显示一些居群由雄花和两性花构成。为了探讨新疆郁金香雄花的发生与变化, 我们连续7年对一个居群的花性别及其变化动态进行了跟踪。结果显示: (1)该居群主要是由一朵花植株和两朵花植株构成, 分别占居群植株总数的74.5%和23.0%。两种性别的花随机分布在不同类型的单株上, 形成了以两性花植株为主, 含有雄株、雄花与两性花同株(andromonoecy)的居群结构。(2)雄花相对较小, 子房退化, 无胚珠发育, 在植株或居群中花期较晚出现。与相同大小的两性花相比, 雄花在单花花粉量、花粉败育率、花粉粒大小及形态、雄性功能等方面没有差异。(3) 7年间, 雄花在居群中的比例经历了2011-2014年间的显著下降(23.4-3.1%)和2015-2017年间相对稳定的零星分布(1.5-1.0%)两个阶段。居群中一朵花植株数量和两朵花植株数量在年份间呈波动性变化。(4)雄花的出现可能是植株受自身资源状况及环境条件等因素的影响在花性别选择上作出的可塑性反应。     

金花茶茶花的营养成分分析

该研究采用氨基酸自动分析仪、分光光度法等对金花茶花蕾、开放花和初谢花的营养成分进行了比较分析。结果表明:金花茶茶花中主要营养成分是碳水化合物,含有丰富的水溶性糖和粗纤维。茶花中的脂肪、粗纤维和水溶性糖含量随花蕾至开放的形成过程呈增加趋势,谢花后其含量呈下降趋势。开放花中总黄酮、皂甙、儿茶素、VE含量比花蕾和谢花中含量高。金花茶花蕾、开放花和初谢花三个阶段中氨基酸总量分别是7.44、5.14、5.00 g·100 g~(-1)。金花茶茶花含有丰富的氨基酸,花蕾内氨基酸含量尤为丰富。综合表明,金花茶茶花具较高的开发利用价值。该研究结果为了解金花茶花朵不同采收期的营养组成以及金花茶花朵的开发及采收利用提供了科学依据。     

顶空固相微萃取/气相色谱/质谱法分析河南产紫丁香挥发性成分

采用顶空固相微萃取和气质联用技术（HS—SPME—GC—MS）,首次分析了河南产紫丁香花营和花的挥发性成分。从紫丁香花蕾和花中共鉴定了65种组分,其中17个成分是二者共有的;酯类化合物只存在于花蕾中,而酸类和醇类化合物在花中的含量较高。这表明酯类化合物在紫丁香花开放的过程中可能逐步被植物体内的水解酶水解成酸类和醇类化合物。