Botanical Studies最新文献

Background: Dolichandrone spathacea (D. spathacea) is a traditional medicine used to treat chronic bronchitis (CB) in Vietnam and India. However, phytochemicals and potential mechanisms of this species against CB have not been fully illuminated. Therefore, this study aimed to isolate and elucidate the phytochemicals of D. spathacea, clarify its potential molecular mechanisms and key therapeutic targets in treating CB through network pharmacology and validate these findings using molecular docking, and experimental approaches.

Results: Three compounds, beta-sitosterol, 6-O-trans-p-coumaroyl ajugol, 6-O-[(E)-4-methoxycinnamoyl] catalpol were isolated from the EtOAc fraction, with beta-sitosterol being reported for the first time of this species. After combining the phytochemicals of this species identified in this study with those reported in the literature references, 59 compounds were obtained, and 30 bioactive compounds were screened. Among these, luteolin was predicted to interact with the highest number of CB-related proteins. Using the GeneCards and DrugBank databases, 66 intersecting target genes were identified between D. spathacea and CB. The protein-protein interaction analysis identified core targets, including TNF, AKT1, SRC, EGFR, IL2, MMP-9, HSP90AA1, and PTGS2. The KEGG enrichment analyses suggested that this species exerts its therapeutic effects on CB by modulating various biological processes and pathways. Notably, the top three target genes-PTGS2, TNF, and MMP-9-were enriched in the TNF and IL-17 signaling pathways. The computational docking suggested that PTGS2, TNF, and MMP-9 could bind to all key bioactive compounds of D. spathacea. The experimental validation revealed that ethanol extract inhibited nitric oxide production induced by LPS, with an IC₅₀ value of 25.34 μg/mL. At the concentration of 100 μg/mL, the ethanol extract effectively inhibited the production of TNF-α, IL-1β cytokine, with inhibition rates of 71.67%, and 90.22%, respectively.

Conclusion: This study systematically investigated the phytoconstituents, core target genes, and key mechanisms of D. spathacea in the treatment of chronic bronchitis. It highlights the role of this species in modulating the TNF and IL-17 signaling pathways in CB therapy. The findings suggest that D. spathacea exhibits significant anti-inflammatory effects on CB, providing robust scientific evidence and novel insights for further research on chronic bronchitis.

Background: The purpose of our study was to arrange the monthly temperature and precipitation in order of importance for the growth of Scots pine young trees. Model 25-year-old 405 individuals were selected in 27 forested former agricultural lands. Annual tree height increment in 2009-2013, a period with contrasting amounts of summer precipitation, was measured.

Results: In all the trial plots, we found statistically significant synchronous dynamics between annual growth and monthly precipitation of the previous October and current March. Precipitation in August (significant correlation was in 96.3% of habitats), May (92.6%), July (81.5%), previous November (77.7%), and current June (74.1%) was also important for the increments. The temperature of April and September had a critical importance for plants in all habitats. Previous November and December (the correlation was significant at 81.5% of samples), March (77.8%) were also very important. Temperatures of all other months had a more site-specific effect on the growth of trees or did not affect it.

Conclusions: The results obtained made it possible to quantify monthly climate signals in the Pinus sylvestris growth and may be useful in predicting the impact of climate change on the species.

Background: Beetle rearing for food or feed is a growing area of agriculture that produces considerable wastes. This frass is a putative soil amendment anecdotally applied directly as fertilizer. To determine if beetle waste can be used as a soil amendment without pre-treatment, a series of chemical, physical, microbiological, and plant-growth assays were performed on waste from the coconut rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes rhinoceros (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), fed cocopeat. Beetle diet and frass NPK levels, C:N ratio, and particle size were measured. Microbiota was identified with metabarcoding, and functional profile analysis done to identify pathways associated with wood digestion or plant growth. Cultivation tests were done with Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicales: Brassicaceae) and frass incorporation into potting soil at 0, 20, or 40%, followed by elemental concentration measurement of the soil, frass, and plant matter.

Results: Digestion of plant polysaccharides in the gut, primarily by microbial depolymerizers, produces frass of uniform particle size and NPK 1.8-0.13-1.2 that can be used directly as a mature fertilizer without pre-composting, or even as a growth substrate. Plants with higher proportions of frass in the soil grew significantly faster and larger compared to a nutrient-rich potting soil. Frass is high in useful elements and has beneficial chitinolytic microbes.

Conclusions: Beetle frass can thus be used directly as a soil amendment without composting or pretreatment, with positive effects on plant growth even compared to rich soils. Valorizing frass in this way generates income for beetle farmers and recycles nutrients to soil as part of circular agriculture.

Background: Trechispora (Hydnodontaceae) comprises a diverse group of wood- and soil-inhabiting fungi, primarily functioning as saprotrophs, with some species forming symbiotic associations with plants and animals. Despite the recognition of over 100 species worldwide, its diversity in Taiwan remains understudied. This study presents the first comprehensive taxonomic revision of Trechispora in Taiwan, integrating morphological and phylogenetic analyses based on sequence data from the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS) region and the nuc 28S rDNA (28S).

Results: We describe four new species (Trechispora acerosa, T. floralis, T. formosana, and T. orchidophila) and report seven newly recorded species for Taiwan (T. crystallina, T. dentata, T. latehypha, T. mollusca, T. odontioidea, T. subsinensis, and T. wenshanensis). T. sinensis is synonymized under T. odontioidea. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses support their taxonomic placements, and an identification key to accepted Trechispora species in Taiwan is provided.

Conclusion: This study expands the known diversity of Trechispora in Taiwan to 17 species, highlighting their ecological significance and potential interactions with plants in Taiwan's forest ecosystems.

Background: Galls are abnormal plant tissues that result from the interaction between the defense responses of plants and the activities of galling herbivores. During infection, secondary metabolites are synthesized to mitigate the oxidative stress whereas growth and cellular processes in infected tissues are reprogrammed. Although the regulatory networks of growth-related phytohormones are recognized as the main component in gall formation, other factors like oxidative stress might also being critical in gall development. In this study, we focused on the spherical psyllid galls found in the leaves of Machilus japonica var. kusanoi to analyze the differences in transcript, protein content, and several metabolites between galls and leaves.

Results: Early gall tissues were enriched in cell cycle regulation and organization genes, suggesting processes, such as mitosis, meiosis, and microtubule-based movement. Proteins such as CAM7, LSH6, and eIF2β, associated with seed development, were highly expressed in early gall tissues. We demonstrated a significant role for ROS-related stress responses in early gall development. Higher amount of polyphenols, which are well-known antioxidants, was found in gall tissue as well.

Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying gall development and enhances our understanding of this complex process. Future research should explore the impact of ROS modulation on gall tissue development and assess phytohormone content at various psyllid larval and gall stages to elucidate the regulatory network involved in gall morphogenesis.

Background: Scrophularia oxyrhyncha (Scrophulariaceae), endemic to southwest Spain, is one of the species of the genus whose distribution across the Iberian Peninsula is most limited. In this study, we analyzed its reproductive system by evaluating its fruit and seed set after different treatments, floral phenology, reproductive success, and the predation level of two populations in the Extremadura region (Spain), inhabiting different substrates (quartzitic in the San Serván population, granitic in the Cornalvo population) between 2019 and 2022.

Results: Scrophularia oxyrhyncha presents protogyny, it is self-compatible but requires the presence of pollinators to produce offspring which, in quite a high percentage, would result from geitonogamous pollinations. The two populations did not differ significantly in their reproductive behaviour throughout the years studied, and both presented a spring synchronous pattern, somewhat longer in the San Serván population; this was probably due to the existence of two short second flowering periods caused by sheep predation suffered by individuals. The main threat to the populations was cattle grazing and, to a lesser extent, caterpillars.

Conclusions: Cattle grazing decreased reproductive success and altered the floral display in such a way that there was a flowering time-pollinator activity mismatch. The decline in reproductive success due to vertebrate predation depended on the time at which such predation occurred, with the most severe being late predation, that is, after peak flowering. Finally, we recommend that the pertinent authorities adopt measures to ensure the conservation and survival of the populations of this endemic species in Extremadura.

Background: The section Synstylae of the genus Rosa (Rosaceae) is predominantly distributed across the Eastern Asiatic Floristic Region and is characterized by increased species diversity and natural hybrids. These characteristics render species within this section exemplary for studying phenotypic variability and easy crossbreeding, which hold potential for advancements in the rose-breeding industry. However, genetic introgression and hybridization have posed challenges to our understanding of their phylogenetic relationships. Despite recurrent interspecific introgression, chloroplast DNA can still aid in phylogenetic inference within the section Synstylae due to its uniparental inheritance and high conservation.

Results: Phylogenetic inferences and haplotype network analysis identified seven distinct chloroplast haplotype groups within the East Asian Synstylae. Clear differentiation was observed between the chloroplast haplotypes of the Sino-Himalayan series Brunonianae and Sino-Japanese series Multiflorae lineages. The chloroplast haplotypes within each lineage aligned more closely with geographic gradients than with species boundaries. Consequently, various chloroplast haplotypes were shared among Sino-Japanese Synstylae species with broader distributions, whereas unique haplotypes were found in the species with restricted distribution ranges. Similarly, geographically specific haplotype groups were identified in the Japanese Archipelago, Taiwan, and Eastern China of the Sino-Japanese Subregion, respectively.

Conclusions: The chloroplast genomes of Sino-Japanese Synstylae species may have diverged along geographic gradients, influenced by the geographical and ecological complexity of East Asia and the climate oscillations during the Pleistocene. The recurring cycles of fragmentation and rejoining in Sino-Japanese Synstylae populations have allowed founder effects and genetic drift to drive divergence and diversification of their chloroplast genomes along these geographic gradients. The substantial incongruence between the chloroplast and nuclear phylogenies evidenced the prevalent genetic introgression within the Sino-Japanese Synstylae lineage. Additionally, two putative hybrid speciation events highlighted the role of genetic introgression in species diversification of the East Asian Synstylae lineage. This study substantiates the value of chloroplast genomes in elucidating genetic introgression and the unique evolutionary history of recently diverged and closely related East Asian Synstylae species.

Background: The genus Gagea is one of the largest and most complex members of the family Liliaceae, and comprises more than 320 species. Gagea is taxonomically challenging because of its morphological variations, polyploidization, hybridization and potential to inhabit ecologically diverse environments. In this study, we investigated the taxonomy, morphology, conservation, distribution and phylogeny, of Gagea alberti across within its natural range.

Results: Gagea alberti iswidely distributed in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, southern Russia, western China, and Mongolia. This species exhibited high ecological plasticity and phenotypic variability. Based on extensive morphological and phylogenetic analyses, we treated G. altaica and G. sarysuensis as synonyms of G. alberti. The conservation status of this species was assessed as least concern (LC) at a global level. We provide detailed analytical and morphological illustrations of the ontogeny of G. alberti. Furthermore, we provide a checklist of section Plecostigma, including G. alberti, along with a brief morphological description of the section.

Conclusions: This study provided new insights into the morphology, phylogeny, and distribution of G. alberti, a species characterized by high ecological plasticity and phenotypic variability. The high ecological plasticity and phenotypic variability of G. alberti are the results of a long-term evolutionary process that enabled the species to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions.