Structure of Ovarian Asterosaponin-1 in the Starfish Asterias amurensis

Cultured crown gall cells of Catharanthus roseus Don (Vinca rosea L.) was found to contain brassinosteroids. These were identified as brassinolide and castasterone by GC/MS. This is the first conclusive identification of endogenous brassinosteroids in cultured cells.     

Effect of an invasive ground cover plant on the abundance and diversity of a forest floor spider assemblage

Ground dwelling spiders are important predators in the detrital food web, which plays important roles in nutrient cycling and energy flow in forest ecosystems. The cursorial spider assemblage in a Beech-Maple forest in southwestern Michigan at sites where and invasive plant, Vinca minor, has invaded was compared to a native site within the same forest and to the forest prior to invasion by the plant. Pitfall traps were used to sample cursorial spiders over the course of a summer. Vinca minor substantially altered the forest floor spider assemblage. The invasive plant reduced the total activity-abundance of spiders by nearly 49% and depressed species diversity and evenness; in contrast, species richness was not affected. We found that V. minor changed the guild and family structure with wolf spiders being common at sites where the plant had invaded. Vinca minor reduced the abundance of vagrant web building and crab spiders. Similarity indices revealed that the spider communities between the two sites were quite dissimilar (Bray-Curtis = 0.506; Jaccard’s = 0.520). Importantly, comparison to a study conducted in the same forest 28 years earlier showed that the cursorial spider assemblage in the forest prior to Vinca invasion was very different than it was after Vinca invaded but was similar to the current native site in species and guild composition. We conclude that invasion by Vinca has caused the striking changes we observed in community organization of this important group of forest floor predators. We suggest that changes in the physical structure of the litter/soil microhabitat with the invasion of V. minor are likely the cause of the substantial impacts of the plant on the spider assemblage.     

Isolation and characterization of intergeneric somatic hybrids in the Apocynaceae family

Summary Protoplasts were isolated from callus cultures of Rauwolfia serpentina Benth., Rhazya stricta Decaisne, and Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don, or from leaves of Vinca minor L. Protoplast isolation, culture, and fusion techniques as well as hybrid screening systems were developed for these species, and hybrids were obtained. Hybrid combinations were Rauwolfia + Vinca, Rauwolfia + Catharanthus, Rauwolfia + Rhazya, and Catharanthus + Vinca. For hybrid isolation, the physiological complementation method was utilized. Analyses of the material obtained included a cytogenetic study of the chromosomes, a study of multiple molecular forms of transferases and esterases, and the blot hybridization of restricted nuclear DNA using ribosomal DNA as a probe. Hybrids were identified in all species' combinations tried. A ten-fold increase in the accumulation of raucaffricine (relative to the parental Rauwolfia strain) was observed in one cell line of the Rauwolfia + Vinca hybrid. Our studies indicated the genetic stability of the great majority of the hybrid cell lines over a period of more than 20 months of in vitro growth. No shoot morphogenesis has so far been observed in this material.     

Cytokinins in transfer RNA of normal and crown-gall tissue of Vinca rosea

cis-Zeatin riboside was identified in transfer-RNA hydrolysates from both normal and crown-gall tissue of Vinca rosea L. The trans-isomer was associated exclusively with the crowngall transfer-RNA. The importance of these observations is discussed in relation to biosynthesis of free cytokinins.Abbreviations GC-MS gas chromatography-mass spectrometry - HPLC high-performance liquid chromatography - TLC thin-layer chromatography - TMSi trimethylsilyl - tRNA transfer RNA - ZR zeatin riboside     

Stabilität des Phagen PS8 in Crown-Gall-Gewebekulturen von Vinca rosea L.

Zusammenfassung Aus einem A. tumefaciens, B6, infizierten Sproß von Vinca rosea wurde eine Tumorgewebekultur hergestellt, die in 2 verschiedenen Tests bakterienfrei war. Beim Plattieren von Homogenaten dieser Kultur gegen den phagensensitiven Stamm B6-806 von A. tumefaciens wurden keine Phagen gefunden. Auch Hitzeschock, Bestrahlung mit UV oder Behandlung mit Mitomycin induzierten keinen Phagen. Das Homogenat selbst inaktiviert zugefügten Phagen PS8 nicht.Bei 26° C verliert PS8 seine Aktivität in 13 Wochen (von 10⁷PS8/ml auf 0). Wenn PS8 einer wachsenden Tumor-Gewebekultur zugefügt wird, verliert er rascher an Aktivität. Dies ist z. T. Folge der Verdünnung des Phagen durch die wachsende Gewebekultur, z. T. Folge einer Wechselwirkung zwischen Phage und Gewebe. In der Tumorkultur wurde keine Vermehrung des Phagen PS8 beobachtet.Die Ergebnisse werden im Hinblick auf tumorigene Eigenschaften von PS8 diskutiert.

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Stability of phage PS8 in crown-gall tissue cultures of Vinca rosea L.

From Vinca rosea shoots a tumor tissue culture (Agrobacterium tumefaciens B6) was prepared which was bacteria-free in 2 experimental tests. This culture did not contain any phages when homogenates of the tissue were plated against the phage-sensitive strain B6-806 of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Also heat shock, UV irradiation or treatment with mitomycin C did not induce any phage.The homogenate itself did not interfere with the activity of added phage PS8. At room temperature the bacteriophage PS8 looses activity within 13 weeks (10⁷ PS8/ml to 0).If PS8 is added to a growing tumor tissue culture the loss of activity is more rapid, partly because the phage is diluted by the growing culture, partly because some interaction between tissue culture and phage activity. No propagation of PS8 in the tumor tissue culture was observed.These results are discussed in relation to the hypothesis of PS8 as the tumor inducing principle.

     

Bud formation in Funaria hygrometrica: A comparison of the activities of three cytokinins with their ribosides

Summary The activities of the cytokinins benzyladenine (BA), 6-(3-methylbut-2-enylamino)purine (IPA) and zeatin in promoting bud formation in protonemata of Funaria hygrometrica (L.) Sibth. were compared to the biological activities of the corresponding ribosides. Cytokinins were found to have considerably higher hormonal activity as free bases than as ribosides. This observation will be discussed in relation to the chemical identity of the celldivision factor (CDF) isolated from crown gall tumors of Vinca rosea L.     

Cryopreservation of hairy root cultures of Vinca minor (L.) by encapsulation-dehydration

Hairy root cultures of Vinca minor and Ajuga reptans var. atropurpurea could be cryopreserved when the roots were precultured and encapsulated in 2% (w/v) alginate beads with 0.3 M sucrose and 0.5 M glycerol and dehydrated until the bead weight reached 25% of the initial weight before cooling in liquid nitrogen. Preculture and encapsulation of the roots with abscisic acid was effective in increasing the survival rates. For V. minor root tips moreover a sufficiently high survival rate of more than 70% was attained by eliminating glycerol from the preculture medium and dehydration of beads until 23% of the initial weight was reached instead of 25%.     

Indole alkaloid biosynthesis : An investigation into leucine as a possible precursor of the monoterpene portion of vindoline

Because of the nonspecific incorporation of acetate into the monoterpenoid portion of the indole alkaloids, the amino acid leucine has been investigated as an alternative precursor. Incorporations of leucine into the alkaloids vindoline and catharanthine in Vinca rosea are found to be 0.07 and 0.02%, respectively, levels comparable with those of acetate. An equation is developed to calculate the quantity of [¹³C]leucine needed to be fed in order to obtain alkaloids with sufficient ¹³C enrichment to be analysed by ¹³C nmr spectroscopy. This equation assumes that percentage incorporations do not decrease with increasing quantities of leucine fed, an assumption found to be true. [2-¹³C]Leucine was synthesized from [2-¹³C]acetic acid in an eight-step procedure in 11.5% overall yield, and fed to Vinca rosea plants. Incorporations into vindoline obtained using both ¹⁴C and ¹³C were in reasonable agreement, and the activity was found to be spread over seven carbon atoms, none of which corresponded to the two atoms at which activity was expected. It is concluded that the leucine → mevalonate → monoterpene route does not operate in indole alkaloid biosynthesis, leaving open the question of the origin of the monoterpene portion of the alkaloids. An attempt to confirm these results by degradation of ¹⁴C-labelled alkaloids was unsuccessful, vindoline proving to be unexpectedly resistant to oxidation.     

The insensitivity of Vinca rosea to vinblastine

Root tip mitosis in both Vinca rosea and the chosen control Lepidium sativum is susceptible to the effects of colchicine at and above 5×10^–4 M. — Root tip mitosis in L. sativum is susceptible to the effects of vinblastine at concentrations equal to and greater than 10^–4 M, while root tip mitosis in V. rosea, the plant which is the source of vinblastine, is unaffected by exogenously-applied VBL at concentrations up to and including 10^–2 M. — The possible mechanisms by which this resistance of V. rosea to vinblastine might be conferred are discussed.     

Mass spectrometric measurement of zeatin glycoside levels in Vinca rosea L. crown gall tissue

The range of zeatin glycosides found in crown gall tissue of Vinca rosea L. has been quantified using a mass spectrometric isotope dilution procedure. Problems in the quantitative analysis of cytokinins in plant extracts are discussed.Abbreviations GC/MS coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry - HPLC high-performance liquid chromatography - Me methyl - Z zeatin - Z9G zeatin 9-glucoside - ZOG zeatin O-glucoside - ZR zeatin 9-riboside - ZROG zeatin 9-riboside O-glucoside     

Composition of the cell wall formed by protoplasts isolated from cell suspension cultures of Vinca rosea

The biochemistry of cell-wall regeneration in protoplasts obtained from Vinca rosea L. (Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don) cells grown in suspension culture by isolating the regenerated wall and the extracellular polysaccharides of protoplasts cultured for various periods, and investigating their composition. Gas-liquid chromatography and tracer studies with D-[U-¹⁴C]glucose showed that the sugar composition of the extracellular polysaccharides was similar to that of the original cell culture, consisting mainly of polyuronide and 3,6-linked arabinogalactan. the regenerated cell wall was composed of non-cellulosic glucans having 1,3- and 1,4-linkages, while its content in pectic and hemicellulosic components was very low.     

The ultrastructure of inclusions inVinca nuclei

Summary An electron microscopic study of leaf and petal mesophyll tissue ofVinca rosea revealed the presence of nuclear inclusions. The inclusions were found to be tubular with an outside diameter of about 100 Å. The tubular inclusions inVinca appear to be similar to those that have been described in nuclei of other plants.     

Auxin Synthesis in Crown Gall Tumor Tissue: A Comparison of Three Putative Precursors

Axenic crown gall tumor callus (from Vinca rosea L.) which is known to synthesize its own auxin is able to convert exogenous ¹⁴C-indole or tryptamine to indoleacetic acid [5.4 and 10 × 10⁻⁶μmol × h⁻¹× (g fr wt)⁻¹ respectively], but little or no ³H-tryptophan is converted [less than 6.4 × 10⁻⁸×μmol × h⁻¹× (g fr wt)⁻¹].     

The biosynthesis of cytokinins in crown-gall tissue of Vinca rosea

The crown-gall tissue of Vinca rosea converts labelled adenine into cytokinins. The principal initial products appear to be ribosylzeatin phosphates; zeatin and ribosylzeatin are also produced in appreciable quantities. The efficiency of conversion of adenine into cytokinins suggests a pathway of synthesis independent of turnover of tRNA. Isopentenyl adenine or its derivatives do not appear to be intermediates in the conversion of adenine to zeatin compounds. Cytokinins in V. rosea turnover rapidly and further metabolism of zeatin derivatives seems to result in their conversion into glucosides which are the main cytokinin active compounds in the tissue.Abbreviations HPLC high performance liquid chromatography - AMP adenosine monophosphate - TLC thin-layer chromatography - GLC gas-liquid chromatography     

Roseoside-A C13 glycoside from Vinca Rosea

Roseoside, a C₁₃ glycoside isolated from Vinca rosea has been assigned the structure and stereochemistry (1).     

Influence of Invasive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plants Parthenocissus</Emphasis> vitacea and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vinca minor</Emphasis> on Biodiversity Indices of Forest Communities

The distribution and phytocenotic association of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor on the territory of the Bryansk oblast has been studied. An assessment of the distribution of invasive species is performed on a grid basis. Vinca minor is registered in 19 cells on the territory of the oblast, which is 4.9% of the total number of cells and 11.9% of the surveyed cells; Parthenocissus vitacea is registered in 50 cells, which is 12.8% of the total number of cells and 31.2% of the surveyed cells. The invasive status of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor is category 3: an adventive species whose invasions into natural and seminatural habitats in the region at the moment are rare and, as a rule, confined to the outskirts of populated areas, abandoned parks, and old plantings. The indices of successful invasion in forest communities is the formation of syntaxonomically valid variants of the communities of Corylo avellanae-Pinetum sylvestris Bulokhov et Solomeshch 2003 with depleted cenoflora. Invasive species change the phytosphere and reliably decrease the indices of α and β diversity, the structural indices of communities. The invasion of Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor is successful due to active vegetative reproduction, allelopathic effects on native species, and decreasing illumination of the ground cover. The introduction of invasive species into complex pine forests blocks demutational changes of endogenous succession during the restoration of broad-leaved forests: they simplify the structure of communities and reduce the intensity of the mosaic. Parthenocissus vitacea and Vinca minor can exhibit signs of an edificator, a community builder, and a violent and transformer type. There has been only one case of a radical transformation of the natural community, registered on the territory of the Lyubin Khutor nature monument (Novozybkovskii district, Bryansk oblast).     

Note critiche sulla Flora d'Italia. V. Nuovi appunti miscellanei

Abstract

Critical notes on the flora of Italy. V - Further miscellaneous remarks.—The present paper includes a number of changes of rank and nomenclatural transfers in the genera Salix, Dianthus, Papaver, Anthyllis, Vitaliana, Armeria, Gentianella, Vinca, Micromeria, Odontites, Pedicularis, Cephalaria, Phyteuma, Laurentia, Bellis, Oglifa, Senecio, Andryala, Rhaponticum, Tolpis, Tragopogon, Hieracium, Hordelymus, Bromus, Trisetum, Trisetaria, Lophochloa, Typhoides, Cymbopogon, some of them of others collaborators to the flora (F. Bianchini, E. Pignatti Wikus); the infraspecific variability of Laserpitium garganicum (Ten.) Bertol. and in the group of Acinos alpinus (L.) Moench are discussed in detail. The typus of Luzula italica Parl. is described and precised. Armeria majellensis Boiss, subsp. ausonia Bianchini and Phyteuma ovatum Honck. subsp. pseudospicatum Pign. are described as new subspecies.     

Production and characteristics of antisera to Spiroplasma citri and clover phyllody-associated antigens derived from plants

Antisera were produced to clover phyllody- and Spiroplasma citri-associated antigens partially purified from infected Vinca rosea plants. Separate antisera were made to ‘membrane fraction’ (MF) preparations comprising the resuspended pellet obtained by high speed centrifugation, and to ‘soluble fraction’ (SA) preparations, comprising the supernatant from high speed centrifugation concentrated by freeze-drying. All antisera showed considerable activity against normal plant antigens but after cross-absorption with extracts of healthy plants the MF antisera were used in F(ab')₂based ELISA tests to detect S. citri- or clover phyllody-associated antigens in infected plants. The ‘clover phyllody’ antiserum also reacted specifically with extracts of clover plants with phyllody, and with naturally-infected strawberry plants showing symptoms of green petal disease. Both the ‘clover phyllody’ and S. citri antisera were specific for their respective homologous antigens. No cross-reactions were observed in heterologous tests or between either antiserum and extracts of V. rosea infected with various MLOs obtained from different host plants.     

Cryptopolyploidy revisited: the case of Vinca (Apocynaceae)

This investigation presents a look back to ancient times of karyology with modern optical instruments. `Cryptopolyploidy', i.e. an intrinsically polyploid but numerically non-polyploid structure of chromosome complements, today is an obsolete concept of chromosome architecture and evolution, but was actively discussed up to the mid-seventies of the past century. We focus here at a hypothesis of cryptooctoploidy in Vinca difformis (2n = 46), which was based on a measured four-fold chromosome volume compared with V. minor (2n = 46), the proposed diploid. We used DNA flow cytometry and Feulgen densitometry to see, if the postulate of cryptooctoploidy in V. difformis in the retrospect could be justified. It was found not defendable, because V. difformis differed only about 1.55-fold in C-value from V. minor, which is far from a regular multiple and much less than the 4-fold. C-values are given also for V. major, V. herbacea and V. rosea.