Lipids in hairy roots and non-Agrobacterium induced roots of Crambe abyssinica

Hairy root cultures of Crambe abyssinica were obtained through infection of leaves with two wild-type agropine strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The efficiency of transformation was about 16 %. The presence of T-DNA from A. rhizogenes in the hairy roots genome was confirmed by PCR using specific primers for rolB and rolC genes. Selected clones of hairy roots and non-Agrobacterium induced roots from sterile cultures were used for analyses of acyl-lipids. The total amount of acyl-lipids per mg of dry weight was similar in both the non-Agrobacterium induced roots and the hairy roots in good physiological condition, and ranged from 38 to 53 nmol. However, in the clones which showed symptoms of ageing, the lipid content was severely reduced. Also the lipid composition of hairy roots appears to be similar to the composition of non-transformed roots. Polar lipids were the dominant class of lipids in both types of roots (about 75 %). Furthermore, we found diacylglycerols, free fatty acids (FFA), triacylglycerols, sterol esters, and an unidentified lipid class. The dominant fatty acids in the lipids of both types of roots were α-linolenic acid, palmitic acid, and linoleic acid (over 12 % of total FA). Among the lipids of both hairy roots and non-Agrobacterium induced roots of C. abyssinica, an unidentified FA was found (over 16 % of total FAs). The present study is the first example of establishment of hairy roots cultures of C. abyssinica. It also includes the first analysis of the lipids in hairy roots and non-Agrobacterium induced roots of this species.     

Lipids of the hexane extract from the roots of medicinal boraginaceous species

The chemical compositions of hexane extracts of the lipid fraction of the roots of the medicinal Boraginaceous species Alkanna tinctoria, Onosma heterophylla, Macrotomia densiflora and Onosma hispidium are presented and their phytochemical relevance evaluated. The predominating fatty acids in all of the root lipids were stearic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic and gamma-linolenic acids, while the latter and stearidonic acid predominated in the seeds and leaves of various Boraginaceous species. The indigenous presence of methyl, ethyl and isopropyl esters of fatty acids, reported for the first time in the roots of higher plants, is considered to be of particular importance in the biosynthesis of fatty substances. The results suggest the use of fatty acids as chemotaxonomic markers for Boraginaceous species and the utilisation of Boraginaceous species as new commercial sources for fatty acids with valuable medicinal and nutritional properties.     

Concurrent isolation of a Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor with antifungal activity and a novel lectin from Pseudostellaria heterophylla roots

A simple purification protocol, involving ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and CM-cellulose and fast protein liquid chromatography-gel filtration on Superdex 75, was employed to isolate a Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor with antifungal activity and a novel lectin from Pseudostellaria heterophylla roots. Both the trypsin inhibitor and the lectin were unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose and adsorbed on CM-cellulose. They could be separated from one another by gel filtration on Superdex 75 in which the 36-kDa lectin appeared as the first peak and the 20.5-kDa trypsin inhibitor as the second peak. P. heterophylla trypsin inhibitor exhibited a trypsin inhibitory potency similar to that of soybean trypsin inhibitor. It also demonstrated antifungal activity toward Fusarium oxysporum like aprotinin and Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors from soybeans and lima beans. P. heterophylla lectin was devoid of antifungal activity and exhibited low thermostability and also lability in the presence of acid and alkali. The novel aspects of the present report include demonstration of antifungal activity in Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors and isolation of a novel lectin as well as a trypsin inhibitor from roots.     

Phenolic compounds from Vepris heterophylla

From the leaves of Vepris heterophlylla, trans-sinapic acid methyl ester, 2″-O-glucosylisovitexin, 2″-O-glucosylvitexin, isovitexin     

Antibacterial activity directed isolation of compounds from Onosma hispidum

The chemical investigation of the ethanolic extract of the root bark of Onosma hispidum following antibacterial activity directed isolation led to the isolation of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy cinnamic acid (ferulic acid) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy benzoic acid (vanillic acid) which have been reported for the first time in this species. In addition to these compounds, the crude ethanolic extract and methanol fraction exhibited substantial bioactivity against species of corynebacteria, enterococci, staphylococci and streptococci. Ferulic acid was found more bioactive (being relatively more hydrophobic) compared to vanillic acid.     

Lipids in grape roots in relation to chloride transport

A comparison was made between the lipids of the roots of 5 grape rootstocks which differ markedly in the extent to which they permit chloride accumulation in leaves. Monogalactose diglyceride concentration was directly related to chloride accumulation in the leaves of the 5 rootstocks. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were inversely related to chloride accumulation. The variety with the highest chloride accumulation contained an unusually small amount of sterols. A striking negative correlation between content of lignoceric acid and chloride accumulation was observed. The lignoceric acid concentration ranged from 11.9% in the rootstock with the lowest chloride accumulation to 0.8% in the rootstock with the highest chloride accumulation. This fatty acid was found mainly in the phosphatidylcholine and the phosphatidylethanolamine lipid fractions.     

Lipids, carbohydrates and amino acids exuded from the axenic roots of rape seedlings exposed to water-deficit stress

Abstract. Rape ( Brassica napus [L.]) plants were cultivated for 25 d with axenic roots in a growth system with quartz sand and circulating nutrient solution. After a water stress period of 24h. fresh nutrient solution was added and root exudates were collected 3d later. The stress did not cause significant differences in the weights between the stressed and the control plants. The stressed plants tended to exude more soluble organic carbon than the control plants. This was not reflected in the amounts of low molecular weight carbohydrates exuded. A significantly lower proportion of the soluble organic carbon exuded by the stressed plants was made up of amino acids in comparison with the control plants, 7% and 28% respectively. Exuded hydrophobic substances could be recovered from the sand particles. The stressed plants exuded more sterols than the control plants, and an increased number of polar lipid types. The exudates of the stressed and control plants also differed regarding their fatty acid composition.     

不同种源太子参的RAPD分析

应用RAPD标记方法分析了15个太子参〔Pseudostellaria heterophylla(Miq.)Pax ex Pax et Hoffm.〕种源间的遗传多样性和亲缘关系。10条随机引物共扩增出65条带,其中多态性条带37条,多态性条带百分率达56.9%。用聚类分析方法可将15个太子参种源分为4类;地理分布越近,太子参种源间的遗传差异越小。来源于安徽宣城的太子参种源遗传变异明显,辽宁凤城的野生太子参与山东地区的太子参栽培种源间的亲缘关系较近,与江苏各地太子参种源的亲缘关系则较远,这些种源均可作为育种材料。自然环境,尤其是生态环境的变化,对太子参的遗传变异有一定的影响。     

Onosma maculata sp. nov. (Boraginaceae) from Iran

Onosma maculata Ranjbar & Almasi, a new Boraginaceae species endemic to Iran, is described and illustrated. The new species belongs to Onosma sect. Onosma subsect. Onosma. It is closely related to O. nervosa Riedl, but is easily distinguished by its spotted stem and peduncle (vs no spots), leaves 14–23 cm long (vs leaves 4–12 cm long), pedicel 5–15 mm long (vs pedicel 3–5 mm long), higher density of hairs, and glabrous nutlet (vs villous). Moreover, meiotic chromosome number and behavior were studied in two populations of the new species and it was found to be diploid with 2n = 2x = 16.     

Onosma lhokaensis (Boraginaceae), a new species from Xizang,China

A new species of Boraginaceae, Onosma lhokaensis, is described and illustrated from Xizang, China. The new species closely resembles O. waddellii and O. waltonii in having azure corollas, coherent anthers and glabrous filaments, but differs in having particularly bristly indumentum, observably narrow corolla, longer calyxes and anthers, and remarkable nutlets with stipitate cicatrix. An updated key to the species of Onosma known from Xizang is also provided.     

Lipids and NADPH-dependent superoxide production in plasma membrane vesicles from roots of wheat grown under copper deficiency or excess

The effects of in vivo copper on the lipid composition of root plasma membrane and the activities of membrane-bound enzymes, such as NADPH-dependent oxidases and lipoxygenase, were studied. Plants were grown in hydroponic culture for 11 d without Cu supply or in the presence of 50 microM Cu. Control plants were supplied with 0.3 microM Cu. Growth of roots was severely affected in the 50 microM Cu-grown plants, whereas roots grown in Cu-deficient solution did not show any difference in comparison with the control. The 50 microM Cu concentration caused an increase in the leakage of K(+) ions as well. Excess metal supply resulted in a decrease in the total lipid content of plasma membrane, a higher phospholipid amount and a reduction of steryl lipids (free sterols, steryl glycosides and acylated steryl glycosides). Cu depletion in the growth solution had only a slight effect on the plasma membrane lipid composition. In comparison with the control, only the excess of Cu caused a decrease in the lipid to protein ratio as well as a change in the phospholipid composition, with a lower phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidylethanolamine ratio. The degree of unsaturation of root plasma membranes decreased following the 0 Cu treatment and even more after the 50 microM Cu supply. Plasma membranes of wheat grown under metal deficiency and excess showed increased NADPH-dependent superoxide-producing oxidase activities, whereas membrane-bound lipoxygenase was not increased or activated due to Cu treatments. The consequences of changes in plasma membrane lipid composition and activated oxygen production as a result of Cu treatments are discussed.     

Influence of sucrose concentration and phosphate source on biomass and metabolite accumulation in adventitious roots of Pseudostellaria heterophylla

In this study, we investigated the induction of Pseudostellaria heterophylla adventitious root and the effects of sucrose concentration and phosphate source on biomass increase and metabolites accumulation. These roots were initially cultured in Murashige and Skoog medium for 4 weeks. IBA 3.0 mg L^?1 proved to be the best auxin for inducing adventitious roots and the frequency of adventitious roots induced from roots (100 %) was higher than that from leaves (78 %) and stems (27 %). The medium with 4 % sucrose resulted in the optimum biomass i.e. 1.04 g/flask DW, and the content of saponin and polysaccharides reached the peak i.e. 0.676 and 24.4 %, respectively. With regards to phosphate source, 1.25 mM phosphate concentration was more favorable for biomass of roots (0.87 g/flask of DW), whereas the optimum saponin (0.74 %) and polysaccharides (22.09 %) were achieved with 2.5 mM phosphate. However, the saponin content at 2.5 mM phosphate did not show significant difference from the saponin content at 0.625 mM (0.69 %) or 3.75 mM phosphate (0.69 %).     

Schlosseria heterophylla Vukot

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Dihydroagarofuran alkaloid and triterpenes from Maytenus heterophylla and Maytenus arbutifolia

The antimicrobially active EtOH extracts of Maytenus heterophylla yielded a new dihydroagarofuran alkaloid,1beta-acetoxy-9alpha-benzoyloxy-2beta,6alpha-dinicotinoyloxy-beta-dihydroagarofuran, together with the known compounds beta-amyrin, maytenfolic acid, 3alpha-hydroxy-2-oxofriedelane-20alpha-carboxylic acid, lup-20(29)-ene-1beta,3beta-diol, (-)-4'-methylepigallocatechin, and (-)-epicatechin. In addition, beta-amyrin, (-)-epicatechin and (-)-4'-methylepigallocatechin were isolated from Maytenus arbutifolia. The structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was based primarily on 1D and 2D NMR analyses, including HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY correlations. Maytenfolic acid showed moderate antimicrobial activity by inhibiting the growth of Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.     

Lignans causing photodiscoloration of Tsuga heterophylla: 8-hydroxy-oxomatairesinol from sapwood

A lignan, (8S,8'S,)-(+)-8-hydroxy-oxomatairesinol, has been isolated from the sapwood of Tsuga heterophylla (western hemlock, Pinaceae). The known lignans matairesinol, lariciresinol and secoisolariciresinol were also obtained. The structure of the compound was established by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Results of the light-irradiation test of the lignans from T. heterophylla are also reported.     

香蜜儿叶香味成分分析

采用水蒸气蒸馏-乙醚萃取法对从新西兰引种栽培的香蜜儿叶中芳香性成分进行了提取,并用气相色谱-质谱联机技术对其中化学成分进行分析鉴定.共鉴定出51个芳香性有机成分,占香蜜儿叶挥发油提取物总含量的99.502 3%.通过对香蜜儿叶芳香性成分的分析,为香蜜儿香精香料的开发提供了依据.