Carotenoid isomerase is key determinant of petal color of Calendula officinalis

Orange petals of calendula (Calendula officinalis) accumulate red carotenoids with the cis-configuration at the C-5 or C-5' position (5-cis-carotenoids). We speculated that the orange-flowered calendula is a carotenoid isomerase (crtiso) loss-of-function mutant that impairs the cis-to-trans conversion of 5-cis-carotenoids. We compared the sequences and enzyme activities of CRTISO from orange- and yellow-flowered calendulas. Four types of CRTISO were expressed in calendula petals. The deduced amino acid sequence of one of these genes (CoCRTISO1) was different between orange- and yellow-flowered calendulas, whereas the sequences of the other three CRTISOs were identical between these plants. Analysis of the enzymatic activities of the CoCRTISO homologs showed that CoCRTISO1-Y, which was expressed in yellow petals, converted carotenoids from the cis-to-trans-configuration, whereas both CoCRTISO1-ORa and 1-ORb, which were expressed in orange petals, showed no activity with any of the cis-carotenoids we tested. Moreover, the CoCRTISO1 genotypes of the F2 progeny obtained by crossing orange and yellow lines linked closely to petal color. These data indicate that CoCRTISO1 is a key regulator of the accumulation of 5-cis-carotenoids in calendula petals. Site-directed mutagenesis showed that the deletion of Cys-His-His at positions 462-464 in CoCRTISO1-ORa and a Gly-to-Glu amino acid substitution at position 450 in CoCRTISO1-ORb abolished enzyme activity completely, indicating that these amino acid residues are important for the enzymatic activity of CRTISO.     

非洲菊盘状花雄蕊发育与舌状花生长着色的对应关系

非洲菊(Gerbern hybrida)头状花序由外轮舌状花和内轮盘状花构成。通过观察内轮盘状花雄蕊花粉囊和花粉粒的形态结构与发育顺序,和测定外轮舌状花花瓣的长度、宽度、花色素苷含量等,对它们之间的对应关系进行了研究。花序外轮舌状花花瓣开始着色时为P3期,此时第1轮盘状花出现成熟花粉粒。研究明确了内轮盘状花花粉粒发育与外轮舌状花生长时期和花色素苷积累的对应关系。     

淫羊藿属(小檗科)花瓣的演化和地理分布格局的研究

淫羊藿属的种数与60年前大不相同,现在已知约有50种。该属种类间断地分布于日本至北非 的阿尔及利亚之间的广大地区,这一分布格局表明了该属的古老性质。它们在欧亚大陆的分布极不均 匀,约有80％的种类产于中国中部至东南部,而且根据花瓣的演化分析结果表明,只有中国的淫羊藿属 植物具有连续不断的演化过程。由此可见,中国中部至东南部成为北半球淫羊藿属植物的汇集中心是 有充分根据的。淫羊藿属种类基本上是林地草本植物,常生于水青冈林下,为林下草本层的优势种,而 且该属的分布格局与第三纪植物属——水青冈属在欧亚大陆的分布格局极为相似,说明淫羊藿属植物 在早第三纪时期已广泛分布于北半球。中新世时期由于中亚地区气候变干,加之印度板块向欧亚大陆 俯冲并引起喜马拉雅山脉隆起,致使中亚地区进一步干旱,水青冈属和淫羊霍属植物随之消失,进而导致其东亚—地中海、西亚间断分布格局的形成。     

Galactose metabolism in cell walls of opening and senescing petunia petals

Galactose was the major non-cellulosic neutral sugar present in the cell walls of ‘Mitchell’ petunia (Petunia axillaris × P. axillaris × P. hybrida) flower petals. Over the 24 h period associated with flower opening, there was a doubling of the galactose content of polymers strongly associated with cellulose and insoluble in strong alkali (‘residual’ fraction). By two days after flower opening, the galactose content of both the residual fraction and a Na₂CO₃-soluble pectin-rich cell wall fraction had sharply decreased, and continued to decline as flowers began to wilt. In contrast, amounts of other neutral sugars showed little change over this time, and depolymerisation of pectins and hemicelluloses was barely detectable throughout petal development. Size exclusion chromatography of Na₂CO₃-soluble pectins showed that there was a loss of neutral sugar relative to uronic acid content, consistent with a substantial loss of galactose from rhamnogalacturonan-I-type pectin. β-Galactosidase activity (EC 3.2.1.23) increased at bud opening, and remained high through to petal senescence. Two cDNAs encoding β-galactosidase were isolated from a mixed stage petal library. Both deduced proteins are β-galactosidases of Glycosyl Hydrolase Family 35, possessing lectin-like sugar-binding domains at their carboxyl terminus. PhBGAL1 was expressed at relatively high levels only during flower opening, while PhBGAL2 mRNA accumulation occurred at lower levels in mature and senescent petals. The data suggest that metabolism of cell wall-associated polymeric galactose is the major feature of both the opening and senescence of ‘Mitchell’ petunia flower petals.     

香石竹花瓣中乙烯诱导合成的60kD蛋白功能的初步研究

越来越多的研究表明植物器官的衰老与蛋白质合成密切相关[1～3]。乙烯在许多花卉衰老和一些水果的成熟过程中起重要作用[1,3],实验结果显示花对乙烯的反应依赖于新的蛋白质合成[2～5]。深入研究那些与衰老相关的蛋白质,特别是乙烯诱导合成的蛋白质的生化功能,对于了解掌握...     

Relationship between petal abscission and programmed cell death in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus yedoensis</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Delphinium belladonna</Emphasis>

Depending on the species, the end of flower life span is characterized by petal wilting or by abscission of petals that are still fully turgid. Wilting at the end of petal life is due to programmed cell death (PCD). It is not known whether the abscission of turgid petals is preceded by PCD. We studied some parameters that indicate PCD: chromatin condensation, a decrease in nuclear diameter, DNA fragmentation, and DNA content per nucleus, using Prunus yedoensis and Delphinium belladonna which both show abscission of turgid petals at the end of floral life. No DNA degradation, no chromatin condensation, and no change in nuclear volume was observed in P. yedoensis petals, prior to abscission. In abscising D. belladonna petals, in contrast, considerable DNA degradation was found, chromatin was condensed and the nuclear volume considerably reduced. Following abscission, the nuclear area in both species drastically increased, and the chromatin became unevenly distributed. Similar chromatin changes were observed after dehydration (24 h at 60°C) of petals severed at the time of flower opening, and in dehydrated petals of Ipomoea nil and Petunia hybrida, severed at the time of flower opening. In these flowers the petal life span is terminated by wilting rather than abscission. It is concluded that the abscission of turgid petals in D. belladonna was preceded by a number of PCD indicators, whereas no such evidence for PCD was found at the time of P. yedoensis petal abscission. Dehydration of the petal cells, after abscission, was associated with a remarkable nuclear morphology which was also found in younger petals subjected to dehydration. This nuclear morphology has apparently not been described previously, for any organism.     

Nitric oxide effectively curtails neck bending and mitigates senescence in isolated flowers of Calendula officinalis L.

In recent years, there has been a considerable and renewed upsurge in research to ascertain the physiological and biochemical role of Nitric oxide (NO) in plants. The present investigation is focused to study the role of NO on neck bending associated with senescence and postharvest performance in isolated flowers of Calendula officinalis. The flower buds harvested at one day before anthesis stage were supplied with sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a source of NO at different concentrations viz., 50, 100, 150 and 200 µM. A distinct set of flowers held in distilled water designated the control. The investigation revealed that SNP delayed the senescence in flowers of C. officinalis significantly manifested by prolonged longevity. The maximum longevity of 12 days was recorded in flowers supplemented with 100 µM SNP. The flowers held in distilled water (control) displayed early senescence symptoms and lasted for 6 days only. Our research suggested that improved flower longevity by SNP was commensurate with delayed neck bending, inhibition of bacterial growth in the vase, increased solution uptake, high membrane stability, besides an up-regulated activities of antioxidant enzymes in the tissue samples. In addition, the treated flowers exhibited increased content of  sugar fractions, total phenols and soluble proteins in the petal tissues compared to control. Further, 100 µM SNP was observed as most effective treatment and increased the longevity of flowers by 6 days. The concentration above 150 µM provoked early senescence compared to control, whereas concentration lower than 100 µM was less efficacious in improving the postharvest life and longevity of cut Calendula flowers.     

赤芍和白芍新鲜花瓣正己烷提取成分GC-MS分析

目的:赤芍和白芍新鲜花瓣正己烷提取成分比较分析。方法:正己烷浸出法提取新鲜花瓣挥发性物质,GC-MS分析、鉴定其化学成分。结果:从赤芍新鲜花瓣挥发性物质中鉴定出33种化学成分;白芍新鲜花瓣挥发性物质中鉴定出35种化学成分。二者中的主要成分为棕榈酸,二十三烷,二十五烷,二十七烷,二十九烷等。赤芍花瓣含有更多小分子芳香类成分,如苯乙醇、法尼醇类等;白芍缺少这些成分,其芳香类成分有β-沉香醇、反式-橙花椒醇等。结论:赤芍(野生芍药)与白芍(栽培芍药)花瓣芳香气成分有差异。