Genetic and morphological analysis of floral homeotic mutants tepal-like bract and fagopyrum apetala of Fagopyrum esculentum

Botany ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (4) ◽  
pp. 367-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria D. Logacheva ◽  
Ivan N. Fesenko ◽  
Aleksey N. Fesenko ◽  
Aleksey A. Penin

The studies on floral homeotic mutants of the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. and Antirrhinum majus L. have clarified many important aspects of the genetic control of flower development. However, the details of this process can vary in species representing different lineages of flowering plants. The studies on floral homeotic mutants of nonmodel plant species may significantly improve the understanding of the mechanisms of morphological evolution of flowers. We report here the results of the genetic and morphological analysis of two floral homeotic mutants of common buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.). The mutant, tepal-like bract (tlb), is characterized by the transformation of bracts into petaloid organs, whereas fagopyrum apetala (fap), has a carpelloid perianth. Both mutant phenotypes are caused by a single recessive nuclear mutation. The double mutant fap tlb combines the features of tlb and fap. Our results show that single gene mutations are sufficient to convert the buckwheat bract into a tepal and to confer carpel identity on first whorl organs. These results are consistent with the premise that variations on the ABC model can be used to explain a wide range of floral architectures.

2014 ◽  
Vol 56 ◽  
pp. 111-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian-Zhi Wang ◽  
Xinya Gao ◽  
Zhi-Hao Wang

Tau belongs to the family of microtubule-associated proteins predominantly expressed in neurons where they play an important role in promoting microtubule assembly and stabilizing microtubules. In addition, tau proteins interact with other cytoskeletal elements to allow spacing between microtubules. Recent studies have shown that tau is also actively involved in regulating cell viability and activity. Translated from a single gene located on chromosome 17q21, six isoforms of tau are produced by alternative splicing in adult human brain. Due to multiple post-translational modifications, heterogeneous tau species with a wide range of apparent molecular masses have been observed by denaturing polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. Since tau gene mutations and abnormal post-translational modifications have been detected in over 20 neurodegenerative disorders, namely the tauopathies, tau has gained widespread attention as a target protein in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. In the present chapter, research progress regarding physiology and pathology of tau is reviewed, particularly in terms of the role of post-translational modification.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 222-245
Author(s):  
Shiva P. Rijal ◽  
Resam B. Thapa ◽  
Moha D. Sharma ◽  
Shrawan K. Sah ◽  
Yubak Dhoj GC

Beekeeping is one of the promising enterprises for economically poor farmers in Nepal but beekeeping farmers lack flora calendar for pollination, bee foraging, and honey production. Therefore, a study was conducted visiting farmers’ fields every 15-20 days during 2012-2013 to monitor the common plant species visited by bees, which were considered as bee forage plants categorized as major, and minor sources of pollen and/or nectar.  Relevant information was also gathered through key informant interviews and group discussions. During the study period a total of 252 plant species were recorded and their floral calendar prepared. In the study area. The main species identified were: rice, Oryza sativa L.; maize, Zea mays L.; buckwheat, Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.; rapeseed, Brassica campestris L.; sesame, Sesamum   orientale L.; litchi, Litchi chinensis Sonner; and cucurbits (bottle gourd,  Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl; sponge gourd, Luffa cylindrica  (L.) Roem.; bitter gourd, Momordica charantia L.), Leucas (gumpate), Leucas lanata Benth.; Butternut (chiuri),  Bassia butyracea Roxb.; Pogostemon (rudilo), Pogostemon glaber Benth.; guava, Pisum sativum L;  Sisoo, Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.; Throughwort (Banmara), Eupatorium sp.; silk tree (Padke), Albizia julibrissin Durazz ; Terminalia (Saj) Terminalia bellirica (Geartn.) Roxb. and Murraya (kadipatta) Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng.  Species of Brassica, Pogestemon, Bassia, Citrus, and Artemisia, Pisum, Ipomoea and Eupatorium species were some of the important plants which bloomed during winter. And, Lagerstroemia sp., Impatiens sp, Sesamum indicum L., Zea mays L., Albizia sp. and many cucurbits bloomed during rainy season. Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, Brassica campestral L, Lagerstroemia indica L, Bombax ceiba L, Albizia julibrissin Durazz., Eugenia formosa Wall., Shorea robusta, Guartn. Upatorium grandulosum, Pogostemon glaber Benth. Terminalia alata Heyne ex.Roth, Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng Sesamum orientale L. Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. were the major bee flora both rich in nectar and pollen.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-169
Author(s):  
Neeraj Panihar ◽  
Neeru Vasudeva ◽  
Sunil Sharma ◽  
Babu Lal Jangir

Background: Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. is a herb consumed as food and has medicinal value. It is a rich source of bioactive nutrients which cure and prevent many ailments. Traditionally, it is used to treat hypertension, diabetes, constipation, cancer etc. Methods and Objective: Present work illustrates morphological, microscopic and physicochemical parameters of Fagopyrum esculentum seeds as per WHO guidelines, in vitro antioxidant activity; assessed by DPPH scavenging method, hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay and β-carotene linoleic acid bleaching method and study of lipid lowering potential of the ethyl acetate and ethanol extract of seeds on normal diet fed Wistar rats. Results: Morphological studies delineated the triangular shape, dark brown colour, 8 mm length and 6 mm width of the seed. The microscopic examination of the transverse section of seed depicted features like testa or pericarp (seed coat), the endosperm, embryo and sclerenchyma cells. Study of physiochemical parameters exhibited 0.3±0.02% of foreign matter and 1.44±0.51% crude fibre content. Total ash, acid insoluble ash and water soluble ash value were 6.7±1.7%, 1.9±0.23% and 3.9± 0.31% respectively. Alcohol soluble and water soluble extractive value came out to be 65.02± 3.21 mg/g and 12.7±1.24 mg/g respectively. Foaming index was less than 100, swelling index was found to be 0.5±0.01 ml/g. Loss on drying was 4.02±1.27%. Phytochemical screening of ethyl acetate and ethanol extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, phytosterols and flavonoids. Trace amount of heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury) were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Pesticide residue analysis confirmed the presence of nontoxic pesticides like dimethipin, hymexazol, phenothrin-2, methoprene, triadimenol, prohydrojasmon- 1, jasmolin ii, triademinol, jasmolin i, prohydrojasmone i, cyromazine in both the extracts by gc-ms spectrometer. The ethyl acetate and ethanol extract has shown significant in-vitro antioxidant activities demonstrated by the DPPH method (IC50 = 94.37±2.51 and 216.04±4.39 μg/ml respectively), hydrogen peroxide scavenging assay (IC50 = 83.72±3.72 and 193.47±5.05 µg/ml respectively) and β-carotene bleaching method (IC50 = 100.67±4.01 and 205.39±2.89 µg/ml respectively). Lipid lowering study performed on Wistar rats demonstrated a significant (p<0.001) decrease in serum Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG) and increase in High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) level as compared to normal group. Both the extracts have shown a non significant difference in the level of TG as compared to standard drug atorvastatin, depicting that the efficacy of extracts is at par with that of standard drug atorvastatin. Conclusion: Pharmacognostical study of the plant can be a very good tool for identification as well as authentication of a herb. Moreover, these parameters may be helpful in the development of monograph of the plant. Pharmacological activity confirmed Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. seed to be a good antioxidant and have lipid lowering potential.


Author(s):  
Cristián Raziel Delgado-González ◽  
Alfredo Madariaga-Navarrete ◽  
José Miguel Fernández-Cortés ◽  
Margarita Islas-Pelcastre ◽  
Goldie Oza ◽  
...  

Potable and good-quality drinking water availability is a serious global concern, since several pollution sources significantly contribute to low water quality. Amongst these pollution sources, several are releasing an array of hazardous agents into various environmental and water matrices. Unfortunately, there are not very many ecologically friendly systems available to treat the contaminated environment exclusively. Consequently, heavy metal water contamination leads to many diseases in humans, such as cardiopulmonary diseases and cytotoxicity, among others. To solve this problem, there are a plethora of emerging technologies that play an important role in defining treatment strategies. Phytoremediation, the usage of plants to remove contaminants, is a technology that has been widely used to remediate pollution in soils, with particular reference to toxic elements. Thus, hydroponic systems coupled with bioremediation for the removal of water contaminants have shown great relevance. In this review, we addressed several studies that support the development of phytoremediation systems in water. We cover the importance of applied science and environmental engineering to generate sustainable strategies to improve water quality. In this context, the phytoremediation capabilities of different plant species and possible obstacles that phytoremediation systems may encounter are discussed with suitable examples by comparing different mechanistic processes. According to the presented data, there are a wide range of plant species with water phytoremediation potential that need to be studied from a multidisciplinary perspective to make water phytoremediation a viable method.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1769
Author(s):  
María Noelia Jiménez ◽  
Gianluigi Bacchetta ◽  
Francisco Bruno Navarro ◽  
Mauro Casti ◽  
Emilia Fernández-Ondoño

The use of plant species to stabilize and accumulate trace elements in contaminated soils is considered of great usefulness given the difficulty of decontaminating large areas subjected to mining for long periods. In this work, the bioaccumulation of trace elements is studied by relating the concentrations in leaves and roots of three plants of Mediterranean distribution (Dittrichia viscosa, Cistus salviifolius, Euphorbia pithyusa subsp. cupanii) with the concentrations of trace elements in contaminated and uncontaminated soils. Furthermore, in the case of D. viscosa, to know the concentration of each element by biomass, the pool of trace elements was determined both in the aerial part and in the roots. The bioaccumulation factor was not high enough in any of the species studied to be considered as phytoextractors. However, species like the ones studied in this work that live on soils with a wide range of concentration of trace elements and that develop a considerable biomass could be considered for stabilization of contaminated soils. The plant species studied in this work are good candidates for gentle-remediation options in the polluted Mediterranean.


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