PORGUENIA PERUVIANA GEN. ET SP. NOV., A MARINE CENTRIC DIATOM WITH AN UNUSUAL OCELLUS1

A new diatom genus and species, Porguenia peruviana Sullivan, is described from an Eocene marine deposit from the Paracas Peninsula, Peru. The valve outline is circular and the areolation is best described as pseudoloculate; spines of any type are lacking. A ring of elongated, densely packed rimoportulae is situated on the secondary marginal ridge. Externally, each rimoportula consists of a long, flattened, fluted upper portion supported by a shorter cylindrical stalk. The processes are winged and exhibit various degrees of curvature of the major axis. Typically, six reniform ocelli of unusual structure are situated centrifugally to the ring of rimoportulae and interrupt the true marginal ridge. Because the perforation plate differs from that of all other ocellus-bearing diatoms, a new term has been introduced for this structure, the diaphoron. The placement and structure of this newly discovered “perforation plate” do not allow Porguenia to be placed in any circumscribed family, although the Triceratiaceae would appear at present to be the most closely related family.     

PORGUENIA PERUVIANA GEN. ET SP. NOV., A MARINE CENTRIC DIATOM WITH AN UNUSUAL OCELLUS1

A new diatom genus and species, Porguenia peruviana Sullivan, is described from an Eocene marine deposit from the Paracas Peninsula, Peru. The value outline is circular and the areolation is best described as pseudoloculate; spines of any type are lacking. A ring of elongated, densely packed rimoportulae is situated on the secondary marginal ridge. Externally, each rimoportula consists of a long, flattened, fluted upper portion supported by a shorter cylindrical stalk. The processes are winged and exhibit various degrees of curvature of the major axis. Typically, six reniform ocelli of unusual structure are situated centrifugally to the ring of rimoportulae and interrupt the true marginal ridge. Because the perforation plate differs from that of all other ocellus-bearing diatoms, a new term has been introduced for this structure, the diaphoron. The placement and structure of this newly discovered “perforation plate” do not allow Porguenia to be placed in any circumscribed family, although the Triceratiaceae would appear at present to be the most closely related family.     

黄花夹竹桃内生真菌抗病原细菌的初步研究

从植物黄花夹竹桃 (Thevetiaperuviana)的根、茎、叶、果实中分离出内生真菌 10 1株。以鼠伤寒沙门氏菌 (Salmonellatyphimurium)、肺炎链球菌 (Streptococcuspneumoniae)、乙型溶血链球菌 (Streptococcushemolyticus)、金黄色葡萄球菌 (Staphyllococcusaureus) 4种人类病原菌为指示菌 ,对其进行抑菌活性筛选 ,结果有 17株内生真菌对 1株或 1株以上人类病原菌有抑菌活性 ,其中平板抑菌圈直径大于 2 0mm的菌株有9株。具有抗菌活性的内生真菌分别来自木霉属 (Trichoderma)、曲霉属 (Aspergillus)等 9个属。     

三色(Bougainvillea peruviana‘Thimma’)在转录水平的甜菜色素和类黄酮积累比较

Bougainvillea peruviana‘Thimma’属于三角梅属,该属植物积累甜菜色素而不是像绝大多数高等植物一样积累花青素。该材料特征同株出现3种颜色：白色、洋红色和白/洋红相间。本研究首次使用3种花色特征的花序（红色Yp、混合色的Ym、白色Yw）作为研究材料进行高通量测序。并通过real-time PCR方法对探测到的花色代谢基因进行验证。共获得平均长度为616 bp的73 325条基因。3种材料的差异显示基因（DEGs）中有327个被注释到甜菜色素合成基因,308个被注释到类黄酮合成基因,466个被注释到花青素合成基因。我们选出8个基因：4个甜菜色素合成基因（PPO,CYP76AD1,cDOPA-5-GT,DODA）和4个花青素合成基因（FLS,DFR,LDOX,3-GT）进行验证。其中,4个甜菜色素合成基因在3种花色材料中的表达较好的正相关于甜菜色素含量。花青素合成途径末端的3个基因（DFR,LDOX,3-GT）在B.peruviana中首次被验证。real-time PCR的验证结果很好的吻合转录组测序的结果。同时,B.peruviana也提供了一个很好的三角梅属植物的生理、生化和分子生物学研究的工具,有效的摒除其他生物学干扰。     

Biological activity of roots and aerial parts of Zinnia peruviana on pathogenic micro-organisms in planktonic state and biofilm forming

Microbial resistance to antibiotics affects the control of clinical infections and is a growing concern in global public health. One important mechanism whereby micro-organisms acquire resistance is biofilm formation. This context has led to the investigation of new antimicrobial substances from plants popularly used in folk medicine. In this work, we studied the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of Zinnia peruviana roots, ziniolide (major root metabolite) and aerial parts against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. The minimum inhibitory and minimum microbicidal concentration and inhibition of biofilm production was determined. All Z. peruviana extracts showed antimicrobial activity, but that corresponding to the roots was the most active one. The best inhibitory and microbicidal activity was detected against Gram-positive bacteria (0·039–0·078 mg ml⁻¹). The acetonic extract from Z. peruviana leaves showed moderate activity against Gram-positive bacteria (0·625 mg ml⁻¹). Acetonic extract of Z. peruviana flowers showed weak activity (1·25–5 mg ml⁻¹). All the extracts tested showed inhibition of biofilm formation, as well as the ziniolide, however, roots and flowers extracts showed higher antibiofilm activity particularly against Staphylococcus, Listeria and Candida. The extracts tested may be a promising natural alternative for the control of microbial infections.     

Growth regulatory and growth inhibitory effects of Thevetia neriifolia stem extracts on Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

Helicoverpa armigera, a serious global destructive pest of agricultural crops, is on continuous rise despite several control measures undertaken. The detrimental effects of these measures have created a dire need to explore alternate eco-safe strategies. The present study investigates the growth-regulatory and growth-arrest potential of hexane and methanol extracts of Thevetia neriifolia stems against H. armigera. Investigations revealed that larval feeding and rearing on the extract-containing diet did not result in appreciable larval mortality but delayed the larval growth and development. Both the extracts demonstrated dose-dependent effects exhibiting negative correlation between the weights gained by developmental stages and the extract concentrations. Feeding with extracts also resulted in formation of few larval–pupal and pupal–adult intermediates and significantly reduced percent adult emergence of H. armigera. Current study, however, revealed higher growth inhibitory potential of methanol extracts as compared with hexane extracts. The study attempts to provide an eco-friendly approach for H. armigera management.