Spirostanol saponins from the rhizomes of Tacca chantrieri and their cytotoxic activity

The rhizomes of Tacca chantrieri have been analysed for steroidal saponin constituents, resulting in the isolation of four new spirostanol saponins (1-4), along with one known saponin (5); their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 2D NMR, and the results of hydrolytic cleavage. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells.     

New glycosides of the campesterol derivative from the rhizomes of Tacca chantrieri

Seven new glycosides of the campesterol derivative (24R,25S)-ergost-5-ene-3beta,26-diol (1-7) were isolated from the rhizomes of Tacca chantrieri (Taccaceae). Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 2D NMR data, and a few chemical transformations.     

Photosynthesis of herbaceous plants from nutrient-poor tropical forests

Photosynthetic characteristics, specific leaf mass, chlorophyll and total leaf nitrogen concentrations of four herbaceous plants (Dicranopteris linearis, Hanguana malayana, Pentaphragma ellipticum, Tacca integrifolia) from nutrient-poor tropical forests showed that all these plants were well-adapted to their natural growth environments. No photoinhibition was observed even in the understorey plants. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

雅鲁藏布江河谷丝须蒟蒻薯遗传多样性的初步研究

分布于雅鲁藏布江河谷的丝须蒟蒻薯(Taccaintegrifolia)与其在东南亚的主要分布区具有明显的间断分布格局。为了探讨地理隔离对其居群遗传结构和遗传多样性的影响,我们应用ISSR分子标记方法对采自西藏墨脱的3个丝须蒟蒻薯居群共65个个体进行了遗传多样性和居群遗传结构分析,并与马来西亚Seremban的1个居群(19个个体)进行了比较。19个ISSR引物共扩增到165个位点,其中111个为多态位点,占67.68%。丝须蒟蒻薯在物种水平上的遗传多样性虽然不低(PPB=67.68%,HT=0.185,Hsp=0.292),但在居群内的遗传多样性却非常低(PPB=12.81%,HE=0.065,Hpop=0.044)。与马来西亚居群(Ma)(PPB=31.71%)相比,墨脱的3个居群遗传多样性极低(PPB分别为3.66%,8.54%,7.32%)。Ma居群与墨脱居群相隔2000km以上,两个地区间的遗传分化程度很大(GST=0.777,FST=0.9206),而墨脱的3个居群间(0.28%)及居群内(7.94%)的遗传分化却非常低(P<0.001)。居群间极其有限的基因流(Nm=0.1435)可能是由于该物种是以自交为主的种类、种子散布很困难、居群间的隔离、生境的破碎化等原因所致。总之,雅鲁藏布江河谷地区特殊的地形和地貌以及与其他热带地区的地理隔离是造成丝须蒟蒻薯在这一地区遗传多样性极低的可能原因。     

裂果薯的化学成分研究——皂甙甲和乙

从裂果薯(Tacca plantaginea Drenth)中分离到甲、乙、丙三个甾体化合物。化物合甲和乙,经光谱解析和化学分析鉴定为两个新甾体皂甙。其中裂果薯皂甙甲(Ⅱ)为一个糖连接方式上不常见的皂甙(约茂皂甙元-3-O-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖(1→2)[α-L-吡喃鼠李糖(1→3)][α-L-吡喃鼠李糖(1→4)]-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖甙);裂果薯皂甙乙(Ⅲ)(约茂皂甙元-3-O-α-L-吡喃鼠李糖(1—2)[α-L-吡喃鼠李糖(1→3)]-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖甙)。丙为豆甾醇甙。     

Taccalonolide microtubule stabilizers

This review focuses on a relatively new class of microtubule stabilizers, the taccalonolides. The taccalonolides are highly oxygenated pentacyclic steroids isolated from plants of the genus Tacca. Originally identified in a cell-based phenotypic screen, the taccalonolides have many properties similar to other microtubule stabilizers. They increase the density of interphase microtubules, causing microtubule bundling, and form abnormal multi-polar mitotic spindles leading to mitotic arrest and, ultimately, apoptosis. However, the taccalonolides differ from other microtubule stabilizers in that they retain efficacy in taxane resistant cell lines and in vivo models. Binding studies with the newly identified, potent taccalonolide AJ demonstrated covalent binding to β-tubulin at or near the luminal and/or pore taxane binding site(s) which stabilizes microtubule protofilaments in a unique manner as compared to other microtubule stabilizers. The isolation and semi-synthesis of 21 taccalonolides helped to identify key structure activity relationships and the importance of multiple regions across the taccalonolide skeleton for optimal biological potency.     

Genetic diversity and geographic differentiation in Tacca chantrieri (Taccaceae): an autonomous selfing plant with showy floral display

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite considerable investment in elaborate floral displays, Tacca chantrieri populations are predominantly selfing. It is hypothesized that this species might possess considerable spatial or temporal variation in outcrossing rates among populations. To test this hypothesis, genetic variability and genetic differentiation within and among T. chantrieri populations were investigated to find out if they are in agreement with expectations based on a predominantly inbred mating system. METHODS: Genetic diversity was quantified using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) in 303 individuals from 13 populations taken from known locations of T. chantrieri in China, and from one population in Thailand. KEY RESULTS: Of the 113 primers screened, 24 produced highly reproducible ISSR bands. Using these primers, 160 discernible DNA fragments were generated, of which 145 (90.62 %) were polymorphic. This indicated considerable genetic variation at the species level. However, there were relatively low levels of polymorphism at population levels, with percentages of polymorphic bands (PPB) ranging from 8.75 % to 55 %. A high level of genetic differentiation among populations was detected based on different measures (Nei's genetic diversity analysis: G(ST) = 0.5835; AMOVA analysis: F(ST) = 0.6989). Furthermore, based on levels of genetic differentiation, the 14 populations clustered into two distinct groups separated by the Tanaka Line. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of differentiation among populations and low levels of diversity within populations at large spatial scales are consistent with earlier small-scale studies of mating patterns detected by allozymes which showed that T. chantrieri populations are predominantly selfing. However, it appears that T. chantrieri has a mixed-mating system in which self-fertilization predominates, but there is occasional outcrossing. Significant genetic differences between the two distinct regions might be attributed to vicariance along the Tanaka Line. Finally, possible mechanisms of geographic patterns based on genetic differentiation of T. chantrieri are discussed.     

蒟蒻薯属 (薯蓣科) 植物DNA条形码研究

蒟蒻薯属（Tacca）植物种间在形态上差别不大,导致分类上存在一定的困难。DNA条形码是一种利用短的DNA标准片段来鉴别和发现物种的方法。本研究利用核基因ITS片段和叶绿体基因trnH psbA, rbcL, matK片段对蒟蒻薯属6个种的DNA条形码进行研究,对4个DNA片段可用性,种内种间变异,barcode gap进行了分析,采用Tree based和BBA两种方法比较不同序列的鉴定能力。结果显示：单片段ITS正确鉴定率最高,片段组合rbcL+matK正确鉴定率最高。支持CBOL植物工作组推荐的条码组合rbcL+matK可作为蒟蒻薯属物种鉴定的标准条码,建议ITS片段作为候选条码。丝须蒟蒻薯Tacca integrifolia采自西藏的居群与马来西亚居群形成了2个不同的遗传分支,且两者在形态上也存在一定的差异,很可能是一个新种。