红宝石球花报春腋芽再生体系的建立

以红宝石球花报春(Primula denticulata)无菌苗腋芽为外植体, 通过对丛生芽诱导、增殖、生根、炼苗和移栽等技术进行研究, 筛选出各阶段的最佳培养基配方, 建立了红宝石球花报春的再生体系。结果表明, 适宜红宝石球花报春腋芽诱导不定芽的培养基为MS+1 mg·L^-1 NAA+0.1 mg·L^-1 6-BA, 诱导率达73.33%; 适宜丛生芽增殖的培养基为MS+1 mg·L^-1 NAA+0.5 mg·L^-1 6-BA, 增殖率达85.19%; 最佳生根培养基为1/2MS+0.2 mg·L^-1 NAA, 生根率达95.59%; 最佳移栽基质为草炭:珍珠岩=3:1 (v/v)的混合基质, 移栽成活率可达96.67%。     

巨伞钟报春繁殖策略随海拔梯度的变异

巨伞钟报春(Primula florindae)是报春花属(Primula)的一种二型花柱植物,为青藏高原地区特有种。该研究于巨伞钟报春自然种群在色季拉山的分布下限(3 100m)至上限(林线4 350m)沿海拔梯度设立5个远离人为活动干扰的样点,并选取开花物候、花部结构性状、传粉昆虫、性分配、自然结实5个繁殖表征性状,通过分析比较不同海拔梯度样点的繁殖表征性状之间的差异,明确巨伞钟报春繁殖性状对海拔变化的适应策略,并探讨未来气候变化对巨伞钟报春的分布格局可能产生的影响。研究发现:(1)巨伞钟报春始花时间最早为中海拔种群,其次是低海拔种群,最晚为高海拔种群,而且随海拔高度上升,巨伞钟报春两种表型的花寿命均显著延长;花部结构面积显著增大;访花昆虫种类减少;性分配倾向于偏雌分配,各性状对于不同海拔之间异质环境的适应可能是巨伞钟报春在各海拔繁殖策略上表现出差异的主要原因。(2)随着海拔的上升,巨伞钟报春的开花数显著减少,但虫食数与虫食率也显著降低,最终不同海拔有效座果数和结籽数均无显著差异,表明巨伞钟报春通过应对不同环境形成相应的繁殖策略,在不同海拔均能保证恒定的繁殖成功率,并维持种群的稳定。(3)气候变化将会对巨伞钟报春的分布产生深远影响,其分布下限可能发生上移,但更高海拔地区现有的砂壤环境不适于巨伞钟报春的生长,且传粉昆虫在气候变化综合作用下的时空变异尚不明确,致使其分布上限上移空间有限。研究推测,未来100年内,巨伞钟报春的分布下限可能上移至其现今分布格局的中海拔地区,造成其分布区域缩小。     

Presence of putative Cycas necrotic stunt virus RNAs in Japanese primrose (Primula sieboldii E. Morren)

The study screened the putative viral RNA sequences in the cDNA library of Japanese primrose, and conducted a molecular approach in determining its presence in selected Primula sieboldii accessions showing characteristic viral symptoms. Three putatively viral non-homologous sequence groups of RNA were identified; however, coding for different proteins representing a complete virus structure, it was determined to be singly originating from Cycas necrotic stunt virus (CNSV). Subsequently, sequence-specific primers were customised based from the non-homologous-sequence groups; however, amplification data showed no association between the presence of the putative viral RNA sequences and the identified characteristic virus symptoms. Despite this, amplification of the three non-homologous sequences is fully correlated. Thus, Japanese primrose was potentially identified as an alternate host of CNSV.     

Identification of Primula “front-end” desaturases with distinct n−6 or n−3 substrate preferences

cDNA clones encoding cytochrome b₅ fusion desaturases were isolated from Primula cortusoides L. and Primula luteola Ruprecht, species previously shown to preferentially accumulate either n−6 or n−3 Δ6-desaturated fatty acids, respectively. Functional characterisation of these desaturases in yeast revealed that the recombinant Primula enzymes displayed substrate preferences, resulting in the predominant synthesis of either γ-linolenic acid (n−6) or stearidonic acid (n−3). Independent expression of the two Primula desaturases in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana confirmed these results, with γ-linolenic acid and stearidonic acid accumulating in both leaf and seed tissues to different levels, depending on the substrate specificity of the desaturase. Targeted lipid analysis of transgenic Arabidopsis lines revealed the presence of Δ6-desaturated fatty acids in the acyl-CoA pools of leaf but not seed tissue. The implications for the transgenic synthesis of C₂₀ polyunsaturated fatty acids via the elongation of Δ6-desaturated fatty acids are discussed, as is the potential of using Primula desaturases in the synthesis of C₁₈ n−3 polyunsaturated fatty acids such as stearidonic acid.     

安徽羽叶报春和毛茛叶报春的微形态特征

在扫描电子显微镜和光学显微镜下,观察了安徽羽叶报春(Primula merrilliana Schltr.)与毛茛叶报春(Primula cicutariifolia Pax)的种子、花粉形态及表面纹饰与叶表皮形态结构.结果表明:2种类的种子都呈不规则七面体或多面体,多具五边形纹饰;安徽羽叶报春的种皮雕纹浅,网眼具许多小的乳头状突起;毛茛叶报春的种皮雕纹明显,网眼粗糙,具许多大的乳头状突起.2种类花粉均为球形,具散孔(孔数达10个以上),具网状雕纹.2种类的叶表皮细胞呈凹凸镶嵌状不规则排列,而在中脉处呈长方形或略带微波状长方形,上表皮细胞稍大;叶两面被腺毛,且顶端具水孔.气孔的分布属于偏叶下表面生长,在边缘处尤密,而在中脉处近无;相对而言,安徽羽叶报春的气孔略比毛茛叶报春的气孔小,且密度也低;电子显微镜下2种类的气孔外拱盖内缘光滑,保卫细胞外缘隆起明显,中间凹陷,其上着生的乳头状突起安徽羽叶报春不如毛茛叶报春明显.     

Species Biology of Primula sieboldii for the Conservation of its Lowland-habitat Population: I. Inter-clonal Variations in the Flowering Phenology, Pollen Load and Female Fertility Components

Abstract Intra-population variations of several characteristics related to fertility were assessed for a nature-reserve population of Primula sieboldii in the flood plain of the Arakawa River. Although there were large intra- and inter-clonal variations of fruit and seed sets as well as other female fertility components in the 13 clones examined, female fertility was generally low, except in a homomorph clone. Pollinator availability was assessed by continuous monitoring of insect visits with 8 mm film. No insect visits were recorded during the monitoring of total 68 flowers over 16 hours in the nature-reserve population. In contrast, a high pollinator visitation rate was recorded in a reference population of P. sieboldii on the flank of Mt. Yatugatake. Thus, the low rates of seed production in the nature reserve was due to a shortage of compatible pollens as a result of the limitation of pollinator availability. Stigmas of flowers in various clones occasionally were loaded with pollen grains whose sizes were not significantly different from those of anther pollens of the same flowers. However, pollen germination on stigmas was observed only in the flowers of a homo-morph clone whose flowers have pin-type stigmas and anthers with compatible thrum-type pollens at the same height. Exceptionally high fertility of the homo-morph clone would be associated with its inbreeding habit.     

Distribution range and ecological niche of Primula marginata Curtis (Primulaceae)

The distribution range of Primula marginata Curtis (Primulaceae) has never been fully characterized. In the present study, authors did a revision of the distribution range using herbaria material, database records and in situ populations' check-up. P. marginata was confirmed extending from Cottian to Maritime and Ligurian Alps, with few outlier occurrences in the northern Apennines. The localities previously reported from northern Piedmont (Val d'Ossola) were not confirmed. Maximum entropy model (Maxent) was used to simulate the potential distribution of P. marginata under current climate conditions. According to the distribution modelling performed, the species prefers rocky calcareous habitats mainly at high elevations, with abundant precipitation, but low moisture retention at soil level and marked temperature range between winter and summer seasons. The potential distribution area drawn by Maxent seemed to describe P. marginata at its maximum extension, and any future climate changes might cause limitations for the survival of the species.     

SMALL AND UGLY? PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSES OF THE “SELFING SYNDROME” REVEAL COMPLEX EVOLUTIONARY FATES OF MONOMORPHIC PRIMROSE FLOWERS

One of the most common trends in plant evolution, loss of self‐incompatibility and ensuing increases in selfing, is generally assumed to be associated with a suite of phenotypic changes, notably a reduction of floral size, termed the selfing syndrome. We investigate whether floral morphological traits indeed decrease in a deterministic fashion after losses of self‐incompatibility, as traditionally expected, using a phylogeny of 124 primrose species containing nine independent transitions from heterostyly (heteromorphic incompatibility) to homostyly (monomorphic self‐compatibility), a classic system for evolution of selfing. We find similar overall variability of homostylous and heterostylous species, except for diminished herkogamy in homostyles. Bayesian mixed models demonstrate differences between homostylous and heterostylous species in all traits, but net effects across species are small (except herkogamy) and directionality differs among traits. Strongly drift‐like evolutionary trajectories of corolla tube length and corolla diameter inferred by Ornstein–Uhlenbeck models contrast with expected deterministic trajectories toward small floral size. Lineage‐specific population genetic effects associated with evolution of selfing may explain that reductions of floral size represent one of several possible outcomes of floral evolution after loss of heterostyly in primroses. Contrary to the traditional paradigm, selfing syndromes may, but do not necessarily evolve in response to increased selfing.     

Highly differentiated populations of the narrow endemic and endangered species Primula cicutariifolia in China,revealed by ISSR and SSR

The perennial herb Primula cicutariifolia Pax is an endangered and endemic species with narrow distribution in eastern Anhui and Zhejiang provinces of China. In this study, the levels of genetic variation and the pattern of genetic structure in five natural populations of P. cicutariifolia were assessed by inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Both markers revealed that there was remarkably low genetic variation within populations (e.g., H_e = 0.19 and 0.18, for ISSR and SSR respectively) and high differentiation among populations (G_ST = 0.714 and 0.611; Φ_ST = 0.698 and 0.599, for ISSR and SSR respectively). The level of population genetic diversity was correlated to population size only detected by ISSR markers. The genetic structure of P. cicutariifolia may be explained by limited gene flow that was caused by habitat fragmentation and limited seeds and pollen dispersal ability, self breeding system and biennial life form. To protect and avoid disappearance of P. cicutariifolia, much more attentions should be paid to protect all the remnant populations and their habitats, and three management units, i.e. Tianmushan, Damodao, and Panan units, were proposed.