Isolation and partial characterization of 3 nontoxic d‐galactose–specific isolectins from seeds of Momordica balsamina

Three isolectins denoted hereforth MBaL‐30, MBaL‐60, and MBaL‐80 were isolated from seeds extract of Momordica balsamina by 30%, 60%, and 80% ammonium sulfate saturations, respectively. The native molecular weights of these lectins, as judged by gel filtration, were 108, 56, and 160 kDa, respectively. On SDS‐PAGE, under reduced condition, 27 kDa band was obtained for all isolectins. The lectins hemagglutinating activities were variably inhibited by d ‐galactose (minimum inhibitory concentrations = 12.5mM, 50mM, and 0.391mM, respectively). MBaL‐30 and ‐60 could agglutinate all human blood types with slight preference for the A and O blood groups, whereas MBaL‐80 did not agglutinate B and AB blood types. The 3 isolectins were purified from crude seeds extract, collectively, in a single step on the affinity matrix Lactamyl‐Seralose 4B; this purified lectin fraction, which contains all isolectins, is termed MBaL. The N‐terminal of MBaL till the 25th amino acid was NLSLSELDFSADTYKSFIKNLRKQL, which shares 88% sequence identity with Momordica charantia lectin type‐2 ribosomal inactivating protein from Momordica charantia and 50% with momordin II from Momordica balsamina . MBaL retained 100% activity at up to 50°C for 30 minutes. MBaL‐30 and MBaL‐60 exhibited maximum activities in the pH range between 4 and 8, while MBaL‐80 was showing maximum activity in the pH range between 3 and 5. Treatment of MBaL‐30 and MBaL‐60 with EDTA completely abolished their hemagglutinating activities. Addition of Zn and Fe ions to the ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid–treated MBaL‐30 and MBaL‐60 lectins did not only regained the loss of activity but also resulted in 200% to 300% increase in activity, respectively. MBaL‐30 and ‐60 agglutinated gram positive Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus, whereas MBaL‐30 could merely agglutinate Escherichia coli . None of these lectins could arrest bacterial growth. Addition of MBaL to cancer cell lines (Gastric cancer cell line (AGS) and Gastric cencer cell line (MKN45), Glioblastoma (ECV‐304), and Human urinary bladder cancer cell line (U87‐MG)) at varying concentrations did not cause statistically significant changes on cell growth and viability.     

ENVIRONMENT-DEPENDENCE OF QUANTITATIVE GENETIC PARAMETERS IN IMPATIENS PALLIDA

Population response to selection depends on the presence of additive genetic variance for traits under selection. When a population enters an alien environment, environment-induced changes in the expression of genetic variance may occur. These could have large effects on the response to selection. To investigate the environment-dependence of genetic variance, we conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment between two ecotypically differentiated populations of Impatiens pallida using the progeny of a standard mating design. The floodplain site was characterized by high water availability, moderate temperatures, and continuous dense stands of Impatiens. The hillside site was drier, with larger temperature extremes and supported only scattered patches of Impatiens with significantly lower seed production and earlier mortality. Estimates of heritability were low for each of the 13 traits measured in each population and site (range from 0–28%). Additive genetic variance for life-history traits tended to be larger than for morphological traits, but genetic variance in fitness was estimated to be not significantly different from zero in all cases. Significant heritability was detected in both populations for one trait (date of first cleistogamous flower) known to be closely related to fitness on the hillside. In general, heritability was reduced for populations when grown in the hillside site relative to the floodplain site, suggesting that stress acts to reduce the expression of genetic variance and the potential to respond to selection there. Consistent reductions in heritability associated with more stressful environments suggest that populations invading such sites may undergo little adaptive differentiation and be more prone to local extinction.     

草酸钙结晶在几种凤仙花属植物中的特征及其分类学意义

首次研究了7种凤仙花属(ImpatiensL.)植物茎的解剖学及细胞组织中草酸钙结晶的特征.结果表明,7种凤仙花属植物茎的解剖学结构非常近似,而茎中草酸钙结晶特征则差异显著,7种凤仙花属植物茎中均有草酸钙针晶,根据草酸钙结晶形态特征的不同,将针晶分为3种类型,即针晶束、针晶簇和散针晶.其中,黄金凤、长角凤仙花、锐齿凤仙花和红纹凤仙花有针晶束分布,而湖北凤仙花、紫花黄金凤和窄萼凤仙花则无针晶束分布,只有针晶簇或散针晶分布;此外,针晶的形态、长度、排列方式及丰富程度等在不同的物种中亦有差异.草酸钙结晶特征对凤仙花属植物的分类具有一定的科学意义.     

Influence of different Inocula of Meloidogyne arenaria on plant growth parameters and nematode multiplication in balsam (Impatiens balsamina)

Pathogenic effect of root-knot nematode Meloidogyne arenaria was studied on balsam (Impatiens balsamina) by inoculating the different inoculum levels of root-knot nematode. It was observed that the inoculum levels up to 2000 J₂ of root-knot nematode did not show significant reduction in plant growth characters as compared to control. Although the significant reduction in plant growth characters was recorded at and above 3000 J₂ of root-knot nematode, progressive increase in the host infestation as indicated by the number of galls as well as the population of root-knot nematode was recorded with an increase in the level of inoculum. However, the rate of nematode multiplication was reduced with the increase in the inoculum density of M. arenaria. It can be concluded from these results that the damaging threshold level of M. arenaria on balsam was found to be as 3000 J₂/plant.     

Intron evolution in a phylogenetic perspective: Divergent trends in the two copies of the duplicated def gene in Impatiens L. (Balsaminaceae)

The history of MADS box genes is well-known in angiosperms. While duplication events and gene losses occur frequently, gene structure and intron positions are very conserved. We investigated all six introns in a duplicated MADS box gene (deficiens, def) in selected Impatiens taxa, thereby assessing intron features. For the first time, our study provides a comparison of molecular changes in all introns of a gene from a phylogenetic perspective. Interestingly, a uniform pattern of molecular evolution in the introns of each copy was not observed, but intron length increases, decreases, and size retention can be found in each copy. A tendency to accumulate long autapomorphic indels is also present, thus, a longer intron length does not reflect a higher number of parsimony-informative characters. Substitution rates vary between introns of each gene copy. While four of the six introns of def1 exhibit a change in their substitution rate, five of the six def2 introns maintain their rates throughout the genus albeit at different levels. In MADS box genes several regulatory sequences are found residing in introns. Thus, presence of putative regulatory motifs was investigated. Most of them are not conserved in position and usually present in only one of the gene copies. In addition, the potential for phylogenetic reconstruction of introns in both def copies is shortly discussed.     

海南凤仙花不同海拔种群的传粉生物学

凤仙花属(Impatiens)植物具有极为广泛的多样性和类型各异的特化传粉者, 被誉为“双子叶的兰花”, 受到众多传粉生物学家的关注。本文以海南特有种海南凤仙花(Impatiens hainanensis)为研究对象, 对3个不同海拔梯度的种群进行了开花生物学特性和开花物候、花器官结构、花粉活力和柱头活性、传粉者种类和访花行为及繁育系统的比较研究。结果表明: 单花花期4.10 ± 0.46 d, 雄性期和雌性期分别约为3.15 ± 0.24 d和0.95 ± 0.36 d; 种群开花峰期在8月初, 高海拔种群的花期高峰相对滞后。低、中海拔种群花粉活力呈现先升高后下降的趋势, 以开花第2 d花粉活力最高; 高海拔种群花粉活力随开花时间推移逐渐下降; 柱头活性随开花时间的推移而增强, 高海拔种群开花各天次均较低、中海拔种群低。主要传粉昆虫为黄黑无垫蜂(Amegilla leptocoma)和绿条无垫蜂(A. zonata), 低、中海拔种群以黄黑无垫蜂为主, 高海拔种群以绿条无垫蜂为主。未观察到自动自花授粉和无融合生殖现象, 人工授粉能明显增加坐果率(75-90%), 自然坐果率在高海拔种群相对较低(40-60%), 说明存在较强的传粉者限制。海南凤仙花的保护需要同时关注其有效传粉者的保护, 促进有效传粉昆虫在不同海拔种群之间的往来, 保证种群间的花粉流与种子流, 维持海南凤仙花的种群遗传多样性与有效种群大小。     

华凤仙花部特征和传粉系统研究

研究了华凤仙（Impatiens chinensis L.）的花部特征和传粉系统,结果表明华凤仙单花期为2.3 d,雄性期是雌性期的6.8倍。花蜜量和花蜜可溶性糖含量分别为0.56 μL和28.2%。开花当天柱头即具有可授性,花粉活力在花朵刚开放时最高（95%）,至花朵凋谢之前仍保持较高的活力（55%）。花粉胚珠比（5 730.3±2 941.1）和套袋实验的结果表明华凤仙属于自交亲和但以异交为主的繁育系统,传粉过程需要传粉者。蜜蜂、熊蜂、蝶类和几种芦蜂是华凤仙的主要访花者,最有效的传粉者为三条熊蜂。考氏无垫蜂作为盗蜜者,可能是除正常访花者之外,对华凤仙的有性繁殖影响最大的生物因素。     

天竺桂凋落叶对凤仙花生长和光合特性的影响

采用盆栽实验,通过向土壤(每盆8kg)中添加0g·pot-1(CK)、20g·pot-1(L)、40g·pot-1(M)和80g·pot-1(H)天竺桂(Cinnamomum japonicum)凋落叶,模拟其自然分解对凤仙花(Impatiens balsamina)生长和光合特性的影响。结果显示:(1)添加天竺桂凋落叶M和H处理下,凤仙花生物量和地径均显著降低,而株高无明显变化;其叶绿素含量受到显著抑制,净光合速率(Pn)和水分利用效率(WUE)显著低于CK,而气孔导度(Gs)、胞间二氧化碳浓度(Ci)和蒸腾速率(Tr)3个气体交换参数显著高于CK。(2)Pn-PAR曲线和Pn-Ci曲线拟合表明,凤仙花在光饱和以及CO2饱和状态下的最大净光合速率(Pn max)、表观量子效率(AQY)、暗呼吸速率(Rd)、RuBP羧化效率(CE)和光呼吸速率(Rp)均随添加天竺桂凋落叶处理量的增加而呈下降趋势。(3)添加天竺桂凋落叶36d和67d时对凤仙花生长影响不明显,而处理58d时有明显抑制作用。研究表明,在模拟天竺桂凋落叶自然分解的土壤环境中,凤仙花的光合色素含量降低,抑制了其光合能力,对环境适应能力降低,导致凤仙花的生长受到抑制。     

天竺桂凋落叶添加对凤仙花生理特性的影响

采用盆栽试验,通过向土壤(每盆8kg)中添加0(CK)、20(L20)、40(L40)和80g·pot-1(L80)天竺桂(Cinnamomum japonicum)凋落叶,模拟其自然分解对凤仙花(Impatiens balsamina)生理特性的影响。结果显示:(1)天竺桂凋落叶处理显著增加了凤仙花现蕾前期和现蕾期叶片H2O2含量,同时显著抑制了凤仙花现蕾前期、现蕾期和盛花期超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性。(2)凋落叶添加处理显著增加了凤仙花现蕾前期抗坏血酸(ASA)含量,但现蕾期和盛花期ASA含量却显著下降。(3)添加凋落物处理显著降低了现蕾前凤仙花叶片MDA含量,但显著增加了现蕾期MDA含量,而盛花期MDA含量在L20、L80处理下显著降低,在L40处理下则显著增加。(4)天竺桂凋落叶添加对可溶性蛋白和可溶性糖两种渗透调节物质含量影响不显著。(5)凋落叶处理显著抑制了凤仙花地径生长和地上生物量积累。(6)天竺桂凋落叶中主要化感物质可能有香豆素、桉叶油醇、肉桂醛、反式石竹烯和松油醇等。研究认为,非酶促活性氧清除系统可能在凤仙花抵御化感物质氧化胁迫过程中发挥着比酶促系统更为重要的作用,其中的ASA在氧化胁迫的早期过程扮演着重要角色;天竺桂凋落叶添加处理所造成的氧化胁迫可能超过了两类活性氧清除系统的清除能力,对凤仙花膜系统造成明显伤害,导致其地径和生物量积累显著降低。