ZmMYB31 directly represses maize lignin genes and redirects the phenylpropanoid metabolic flux

Few regulators of phenylpropanoids have been identified in monocots having potential as biofuel crops. Here we demonstrate the role of the maize (Zea mays) R2R3-MYB factor ZmMYB31 in the control of the phenylpropanoid pathway. We determined its in vitro consensus DNA-binding sequence as ACC(T)/(A) ACC, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) established that it interacts with two lignin gene promoters in vivo. To explore the potential of ZmMYB31 as a regulator of phenylpropanoids in other plants, its role in the regulation of the phenylpropanoid pathway was further investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana. ZmMYB31 downregulates several genes involved in the synthesis of monolignols and transgenic plants are dwarf and show a significantly reduced lignin content with unaltered polymer composition. We demonstrate that these changes increase cell wall degradability of the transgenic plants. In addition, ZmMYB31 represses the synthesis of sinapoylmalate, resulting in plants that are more sensitive to UV irradiation, and induces several stress-related proteins. Our results suggest that, as an indirect effect of repression of lignin biosynthesis, transgenic plants redirect carbon flux towards the biosynthesis of anthocyanins. Thus, ZmMYB31 can be considered a good candidate for the manipulation of lignin biosynthesis in biotechnological applications.     

Simultaneous determination of vitexin-4″-O-glucoside,vitexin-2″-O-rhamnoside,rutin and vitexin from hawthorn leaves flavonoids in rat plasma by UPLC–ESI-MS/MS

A sensitive and accurate ultra-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–ESI-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of vitexin-4″-O-glucoside (VGL), vitexin-2″-O-rhamnoside (VRH), rutin (RUT) and vitexin (VIT) in rat plasma after intravenous administration of hawthorn leaves flavonoids (HLF). Following protein precipitation by methanol, the analytes were separated on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C₁₈ column packed with 1.7 μm particles by gradient elution using a mobile phase composed of acetonitrile and water (containing 0.1% formic acid) at a flow rate of 0.20 mL/min. The analytes and diphenhydramine (internal standard, IS) were detected in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode by means of an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface (m/z 292.96 for vitexin-4″-O-glucoside, m/z 293.10 for vitexin-2″-O-rhamnoside, m/z 299.92 for rutin, m/z 310.94 for vitexin and m/z 166.96 for IS). The calibration curve was linear over the range 10–40,000 ng/mL for vitexin-4″-O-glucoside, 10–50,000 ng/mL for vitexin-2″-O-rhamnoside, 8–1000 ng/mL for rutin and 16–2000 ng/mL for vitexin. The intra- and inter-run precisions (relative standard deviation, RSD) of these analytes were all within 15% and the accuracy (the relative error, RE) ranged from −10% to 10%. The stability experiment indicated that the four analytes in rat plasma samples and plasma extracts under anticipated conditions were stable. The developed method was applied for the first time to pharmacokinetic studies of the four bioactive compounds of hawthorn leaves flavonoids following a single intravenous administration of 20 mg/kg in rats.     

Enzyme activity of the phenylpropanoid pathway as a response to apple scab infection

The study was performed on apple trees, ‘Golden Delicious' cv., which is a scab-susceptible cultivar. The phenolic content of apple fruit was determined in different parts of the peel. The phenolic compounds were analysed in the scab spot, in the tissue around the spot and in the healthy tissue. We determined the concentration of various phenolic compounds and related enzyme activities. Infection with the Venturia inaequalis fungus enhanced the metabolism of phenolic compounds at the scab spot, around the spot and in healthy peel. Compared with the healthy tissue and the tissue around the spot, the scab spot showed higher enzyme activity for all tested enzymes, except for dihydrochalcone 2′-O-glucosyltransferase, which had lower activity in the scab spot. In comparison to the healthy peel, the scab spot showed up to 3.4 times more hydroxycinnamic acids, up to 1.1 times more dihydrochalcones and up to 1.4 times more flavan-3-ols. In contrast, the healthy peel showed up to 1.6 times more flavonols than the scab spot.     

黄芩愈伤组织培养条件的研究

在暗培养条件下,黄芩愈伤组织生长和次级代谢物合成的最佳培养条件:在基本培养基MS中氮源浓度为60mmol/L(NH4 ∶NO3-为1∶1),KH2PO41.5mmol/L,附加80g/L蔗糖,0.3mg/LIAA、2mg/L6-BA和200mg/L蛋白胨,(25±1)℃。培养40d后收获愈伤组织生物量达28.7g/L,总黄酮的含量为354.6mg/g,黄芩苷的含量为167.4mg/g。并发现蔗糖作为一种最佳碳源,在黄芩次级代谢物合成过程中起着至关重要的作用。     

葡萄叶中总黄酮的提取工艺研究

目的：从葡萄叶中提取总黄酮。方法：采用正交试验法研究葡萄叶总黄酮的最佳提取工艺条件,考察了乙醇浓度、回流温度、回流时间及料液比四因素对葡萄叶总黄酮提取率的影响。结果：确立了葡萄叶总黄酮最佳提取条件为：45％的乙醇为溶剂、液料比为1：40、提取温度为60％、提取时间2h,在最佳工艺条件下葡萄叶总黄酮含量为5．329mg／g。     

微波萃取苦荞壳中总黄酮工艺研究

本文在提取苦荞壳中总黄酮的工艺实验中,优化了提取溶剂的种类,水和乙醇,同时还使用了超声波和微波辅助提取,并分别将不同因素,如溶剂种类及浓度,提取时间,温度,pH,液固比等,对提取结果的影响作了比较,结果表明,当介质为乙醇时的微波萃取效果明显优于其他提取方法。     

橘皮中黄酮类化合物的研究进展

橘皮中含有丰富的黄酮类化合物,尤其是其中的黄酮和黄酮醇含量虽低,却表现出更强的生物活性。本文就近年来广大研究者对橘皮中黄酮类化合物的种类、生理活性及其制备和开发利用等方面的研究状况作一综述,旨在为发现结构新颖的橘皮黄酮类活性成分及其深度开发利用提供依据。     

毛药忍冬花蕾抗氧化活性部位化学成分研究

毛药忍冬(Lonicera serreana)为忍冬属(Lonicera)植物,其花和果实入药,具有清热解毒、凉散风热之功效,但至今缺乏系统化学成分及药理活性研究。为了寻找毛药忍冬中天然抗氧化活性成分,进一步开发利用忍冬属药用植物资源,该研究以DPPH自由基清除法为活性指导,首次对毛药忍冬干燥花蕾75%乙醇提取物的不同极性萃取部位进行抗氧化活性测试,结果发现乙酸乙酯萃取物表现出最强的抗氧化活性(平均清除率为89.45%)。进一步应用现代色谱手段(硅胶柱色谱、Sephadex LH-20凝胶柱色谱等),从毛药忍冬花蕾的乙酸乙酯萃取物中分离单体化合物,运用现代光谱分析技术(MS、1 H-NMR、13 C-NMR、COSY、HSQC、HMBC、ROESY),并结合文献数据鉴定化合物的化学结构。结果表明:从毛药忍冬干燥花蕾75%乙醇提取物中共分离得到9个化合物,分别鉴定为4个酚酸类化合物:绿原酸(1)、绿原酸甲酯(2)、绿原酸乙酯(3)、咖啡酸(4);4个黄酮类化合物:木犀草素(5)、木犀草素-7-O-β-D-葡萄糖苷(6)、槲皮素(7)、槲皮素-3-O-β-D-葡萄糖苷(8);1个甾醇类化合物:β-谷甾醇(9)。所有化合物均为从毛药忍冬花蕾中首次分离得到。研究结果可为抗氧化类相关产品的开发提供科学依据。