Distribution and changes of reserve materials in cotyledon cells of Panax ginseng related to direct somatic embryogenesis and germination

Cotyledon explants from zygotic embryos of Panax ginseng produced somatic embryos on Murashige and Skoog basal medium without growth regulators. Somatic embryos developed directly from epidermal cells at the cotyledon base. Somatic embryos were always formed from the side of the cotyledon opposite to the one attached to the medium surface regardless of cotyledon orientation. The frequency of somatic embryo formation from the abaxial epidermis (66%) was much higher than that from the adaxial epidermis (12%). Differences in embryogenic response were likely related to cell structure. Abaxial epidermal cells were filled with reserve materials (lipid bodies), while adaxial epidermal cells were devoid of any prominent reserves. During germination, the reserve materials in the cells of the cotyledons disappeared rapidly. At the same time, the competency of somatic embryo formation from cotyledon explants declined rapidly to zero. Upon culture of the cotyledon explants (for somatic embryo induction), lipid bodies slowly disappeared, but starch grains accumulated prominently. Reserve materials disappeared after commencement of embryogenic cell division. During germination, lipid bodies rapidly disappeared, and chloroplasts developed instead of starch grains. Received: 29 January 1997 / Revised version received: 16 April 1997 / Accepted: 9 May 1997     

Pulse treatments of penicillin-G and streptomycin minimise internal infections and have post-treatment effects on the morphogenesis of ginseng root culture

This study was initiated to determine whether antibiotic pulse treatments (APT) could effectively eliminate internal infections of ginseng (Panax ginseng) root explants containing vascular tissue, and subsequently have post-treatment effects on changing explant behaviors in callus induction and organogenesis or somatic embryogenesis. For contamination control, a treatment of 40 min with an antibiotic solution consisting of 1000 mg/1 of penicillin-G and 1000 mg/1 of streptomycin immediately following Na-hypochlorite sterilisation significantly decreased contamination rate. Extending treatment time to 2–3 h further lowered the contamination rate to 30–40%. On the other hand, explants treated with antibiotics for 20 min or less were all contaminated. APT also had post-treatment effects; it delayed callus induction for 1–12 months depending on pulse duration and stimulated the generation of more hardand darker looking than fragile- and lighter looking callus. The induced callus proliferated at a depressed rate, increasing subculture intervals from 1 to several weeks, and not until after five subcultures did it fully recover. The regeneration ability of the recovered callus was also affected by APT: the regeneration of adventitious roots was promoted, whereas somatic embryos were not observed.Abbreviations APT Antibiotic pulse treatments - 2,4-D 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid     

Complete chloroplast genome sequences from Korean ginseng (Panax schinseng Nees) and comparative analysis of sequence evolution among 17 vascular plants.

The nucleotide sequence of Korean ginseng (Panax schinseng Nees) chloroplast genome has been completed (AY582139). The circular double-stranded DNA, which consists of 156,318 bp, contains a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRa and IRb) with 26,071 bp each, which are separated by small and large single copy regions of 86,106 bp and 18,070 bp, respectively. The inverted repeat region is further extended into a large single copy region which includes the 5' parts of the rpsl9 gene. Four short inversions associated with short palindromic sequences that form stem-loop structures were also observed in the chloroplast genome of P. schinseng compared to that of Nicotiana tabacum. The genome content and the relative positions of 114 genes (75 peptide-encoding genes, 30 tRNA genes, 4 rRNA genes, and 5 conserved open reading frames [ycfs]), however, are identical with the chloroplast DNA of N. tabacum. Sixteen genes contain one intron while two genes have two introns. Of these introns, only one (trnL-UAA) belongs to the self-splicing group I; all remaining introns have the characteristics of six domains belonging to group II. Eighteen simple sequence repeats have been identified from the chloroplast genome of Korean ginseng. Several of these SSR loci show infra-specific variations. A detailed comparison of 17 known completed chloroplast genomes from the vascular plants allowed the identification of evolutionary modes of coding segments and intron sequences, as well as the evaluation of the phylogenetic utilities of chloroplast genes. Furthermore, through the detailed comparisons of several chloroplast genomes, evolutionary hotspots predominated by the inversion end points, indel mutation events, and high frequencies of base substitutions were identified. Large-sized indels were often associated with direct repeats at the end of the sequences facilitating intra-molecular recombination.     

Neuroprotective effect of Korea Red Ginseng extract on 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium-induced apoptosis in PC12 Cells

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is a valuable herb in Asian countries that is used as a crude substance to inhibit inflammation and to enhance vitality, longevity and immunity. The protective effects of KRG against the toxicity of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) were investigated in vitro in the present study.

Methods: PC12 cells were pretreated with the water extract of KRG for 24?h, then incubated with MPP+ for 24?h. The growth of the cells was assessed using a live cell viability assay, the ratio of apoptotic cells was measured using flow cytometry and morphology of the apoptotic cells was detected using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The expressions of caspase-3 and -9 were measured by quantitative real-time PCR.

Results: Pretreatment of the KRG extract increased cell viability significantly when compared with that of only MPP+-treated cells (p?p?p?p?Conclusion: These results indicate that KRG treatment suppresses MPP+-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells by regulating caspase cascades, suggesting a possible role for KRG in the prevention and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.     

人参胚胎学研究

本文对人参(Panax ginseng C.A.Mey.)胚胎学进行较为系统的研究。主要结果如下:1.人参花药为四分孢子囊。小孢子母细胞减数分裂过程中,胞质分裂为同时型,四分孢子为四面体形。成熟花粉粒为3-细胞型。2.大孢子母细胞减数分裂形成四个线形或“T”形排列的大孢子,合点端大孢子具功能。雌配子体发育属蓼型。3.在同一朵花中,对雌蕊和雄蕊发育的相关性进行了观察,并将它们与外部形态相联系。4.双受精过程属有丝分裂前配子融合类型。授粉后7-10小时,大部分雌、雄性核发生融合。5.初生胚乳核在授粉后36小时内发生第一次有丝分裂;合子休眠期较长,大约15-20天。核型胚乳。胚乳具约300个游离核时,以自由生长的细胞壁的形式细胞化。     

三七细胞在气升式反应器中的扩大培养研究

三七细胞在5升外循环、内循环气升式反应器中能正常生长并累积三七皂甙及多糖。外循环反应器中三七总皂甙含量最高可达9.48%;内循环反应器中三七多糖含量则可高达24%。但三七细胞生长比较缓慢的问题有待进一步研究。     

三七.人参和西洋参细胞悬浮培养的比较研究

用薄层层析对三七、人参和西洋参愈伤组织进行的初步鉴定表明,三种愈伤组织都含有皂甙和主要皂甙成分Rb_1、Rg_1,三七愈伤组织还含有一种抗癌皂甙Rh_1。对愈伤组织的生长,三七低于人参高于西洋参;对愈伤组织中总皂甙含量,三七均高于人参和西洋参。三种植物细胞悬浮培养结果类似于他们的愈伤组织培养,但生长又进一步提高。三七细胞悬浮培养中皂甙产生的时间进程几乎与生长平行,合适的收获期为培养30天。寡糖素不仅增强三七培养细胞的皂甙形成而且促进细胞生长,较合适的浓度为1.25 ppm。通过以上研究,使三七悬浮培养细胞的生长(干重增加178毫克)为最初培养愈伤组织的4倍以上,总皂甙产率高达20.6毫克,为最初培养愈伤组织的8.5倍。     

三七愈伤组织的培养

在MS培养基中加入不同浓度的KT和2,4-D,综合考虑三七愈伤组织生长缓慢兼顾皂甙含量,较合适的KT浓度为0.7ppm,较合适的2,4-D浓度在2—3ppm之间。在培养基中补充各种添加剂,结果以椰子乳和水解乳蛋白较好。综合生长和皂甙含量以20％的椰子乳和0.7％的水解乳蛋白较合适。从21个三七愈伤组织无性繁殖系中筛选山了5个较优的无性系,特别是其中04号无性系更优,无论生长速率还是总皂甙含量都更高。通过以上研究,使三七愈伤组织的生长速率达220毫克/升/天,是原初培养愈伤组织(54.0mg干重/升/天)的4倍。愈伤组织中总皂甙含量高达13％,是原初培养愈伤组织(5.37％)的2.4倍,为原植物的3倍。从而证明了三七培养组织次级代谢的全能性是可调节的,为三七细胞工程的工业生产应用打下了初步基础。     

The Structure of a Novel Lignan,Phrymarolin-II from Phryma leptostachya L.

The ginsenosides in Panax ginseng have vast structural and pharmacological efficacies. We covalently conjugated polyethylene glycol on the surface of CK (PEG-CK) through an acid-labile ester-linkage that showed increased solubility of CK. HPLC analysis showed that the release of CK was enhanced at acidic pH 5, whereas it was dramatically decreased at physiological pH 7.4. This might enhance the efficacy of CK.