Showing papers on "Gentiana published in 2016"

Out‐of‐Tibet: the spatio‐temporal evolution of Gentiana (Gentianaceae)

Abstract: Aim We investigated the historical biogeography and diversification of Gentiana L. (Gentianaceae). Our study depicts the origin and dispersal routes of this alpine genus, and the role of the uplift of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) and past climate changes as triggers for its diversification. Location Tibeto-Himalayan region and world-wide mountain habitats. Methods Our sampling represents more than 50% of the extant Gentiana species, including all sections across their entire geographical ranges. We investigated the evolutionary history of Gentiana using phylogenetic reconstructions (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) of ITS, atpB–rbcL and trnL–trnF sequences, as well as molecular dating with beast. We tested two approaches of ancestral area reconstructions (DEC, DIVA) in BioGeoBEARS and investigated diversification rates using BAMM. Results The common ancestor of Gentiana and subtribe Gentianinae lived in the QTP region at around 34 (25–45) million years ago (Ma), and 40 (29–52) Ma respectively. From the surroundings of the QTP, Gentiana lineages dispersed to eastern China, Taiwan, Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Guinea, from mid-Miocene onward (c. 15 Ma–present), with only one older dispersal event to Europe (c. 37–21 Ma). Diversification rates gradually increased over time, and two switches of diversification rates were identified in Gentianinae (c. 7 Ma, simultaneously in the Pneumonanthe/Cruciata lineage and in Tripterospermum). Main conclusions Gentiana existed in the QTP region throughout most of its uplift history following the India-Asia collision. This region acted as the primary source area for dispersals to many areas of the world. Because steady increase in diversification rates coincides with the extension of the QTP, we argue that the museum theory rather than the explosive radiation theory prevails for gentians in this region, although rare shifts of diversification rates are associated with niche shifts across the alpine/subalpine ecotone.

Site fidelity by bees drives pollination facilitation in sequentially blooming plant species.

Abstract: Plant species can influence the pollination and reproductive success of coflowering neighbors that share pollinators. Because some individual pollinators habitually forage in particular areas, it is also possible that plant species could influence the pollination of neighbors that bloom later. When flowers of a preferred forage plant decline in an area, site-fidelity may cause individual flower feeders to stay in an area and switch plant species rather than search for preferred plants in a new location. A newly blooming plant species may quickly inherit a set of visitors from a prior plant species, and therefore experience higher pollination success than it would in an area where the first species never bloomed. To test this, we manipulated the placement and timing of two plant species, Delphinium barbeyi and later-blooming Gentiana parryi. We recorded the responses of individually marked bumble bee pollinators. About 63% of marked individuals returned repeatedly to the same areas to forage on Delphinium. When Delphinium was experimentally taken out of bloom, most of those site-faithful individuals (78%) stayed and switched to Gentiana. Consequently, Gentiana flowers received more visits in areas where Delphinium had previously flowered, compared to areas where Delphinium was still flowering or never occurred. Gentiana stigmas received more pollen in areas where Delphinium disappeared than where it never bloomed, indicating that Delphinium increases the pollination of Gentiana when they are separated in time. Overall, we show that individual bumble bees are often site-faithful, causing one plant species to increase the pollination of another even when separated in time, which is a novel mechanism of pollination facilitation.

The Use of DNA Barcoding on Recently Diverged Species in the Genus Gentiana (Gentianaceae) in China.

Abstract: DNA barcoding of plants poses particular challenges, especially in differentiating, recently diverged taxa. The genus Gentiana (Gentianaceae) is a species-rich plant group which rapidly radiated in the Himalaya-Hengduan Mountains in China. In this study, we tested the core plant barcode (rbcL + matK) and three promising complementary barcodes (trnH-psbA, ITS and ITS2) in 30 Gentiana species across 6 sections using three methods (the genetic distance-based method, Best Close Match and tree-based method). rbcL had the highest PCR efficiency and sequencing success (100%), while the lowest sequence recoverability was from ITS (68.35%). The presence of indels and inversions in trnH-psbA in Gentiana led to difficulties in sequence alignment. When using a single region for analysis, ITS exhibited the highest discriminatory power (60%-74.42%). Of the combinations, matK + ITS provided the highest discrimination success (71.43%-88.24%) and is recommended as the DNA barcode for the genus Gentiana. DNA barcoding proved effective in assigning most species to sections, though it performed poorly in some closely related species in sect. Cruciata because of hybridization events. Our analysis suggests that the status of G. pseudosquarrosa needs to be studied further. The utility of DNA barcoding was also verified in authenticating ‘Qin-Jiao’ Gentiana medicinal plants (G. macrophylla, G. crassicaulis, G. straminea, and G. dahurica), which can help ensure safe and correct usage of these well-known Chinese traditional medicinal herbs.

Apple latent spherical virus vector-induced flowering for shortening the juvenile phase in Japanese gentian and lisianthus plants.

Abstract: Infection by apple latent spherical virus (ALSV) vectors that promote the expression of Arabidopsis thaliana FLOWERING LOCUS T ( AtFT ) or Gentiana triflora GtFT s accelerates flowering in gentian and lisianthus plants. Apple latent spherical virus (ALSV) has isometric virus particles (25 nm in diameter) that contain two ssRNA species (RNA1 and RNA2) and three capsid proteins (Vp25, Vp20, and Vp24). ALSV vectors are used for foreign gene expression and virus-induced gene silencing in a broad range of plant species. Here, we report the infection by ALSV vectors that express FLOWERING LOCUS T (AtFT) from Arabidopsis thaliana or its homolog GtFT1 from Gentiana triflora in three gentian cultivars (‘Iwate Yume Aoi’ [early flowering], ‘Iwate’ [medium flowering], and ‘Alta’ [late flowering]), and two lisianthus cultivars (‘Newlination Pink ver. 2’ and ‘Torukogikyou daburu mikkusu’) promotes flowering within 90 days post-inoculation using particle bombardment. Additionally, seedlings from the progeny of the early-flowering plants were tested by tissue blot hybridization, and the results showed that ALSV was not transmitted to the next generation. The promotion of flowering in the family Gentianaceae by ALSV vectors shortened the juvenile phase from 1–3 years to 3–5 months, and thus, it could be considered as a new plant breeding technique in ornamental gentian and lisianthus plants.

Biosystematic studies on the mountain plant Gentiana lutea L. reveal variability in reproductive traits among subspecies

Abstract: Background: Taxonomic analysis provides a basic understanding for taxon identification and contributes to preliminary information for several branches of applied biology, while studies on reproductive strategies and plant fitness are essential to interpret population status and dynamics.Aims: We tested the reliability of diagnostic characters for identification and to characterise sexual resource allocation, the breeding system and seed predation among subspecies of Gentiana lutea.Methods: We analysed morphological characters in 70 herbarium specimens. In five natural populations we counted pollen and ovule numbers, assessed reproductive output after pollination treatments and evaluated pre-dispersal predation.Results: Taxonomic traits previously indicated as diagnostic were not sufficient to discriminate among subspecies. The pollen number and pollen:ovule (P:O) ratio varied strongly among subspecies; self-pollinated flowers produced a significantly lower number of seeds than open-pollinated flowers. Ret...

Chemical and Genetic Comparative Analysis of Gentiana crassicaulis and Gentiana macrophylla.

Abstract: Gentiana crassicaulis Duthie ex Burk. and Gentiana macrophylla Pall. are two main sources of Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae (Qinjiao) available in markets, which has a wide range of anti-inflammatory effects and has been extensively used for fighting rheumatoid arthritis. However, they vary in terms of chemical compositions, pharmacological activities, and biomass. In this study, a combined chemical and genetic (HPLC and DNA barcoding) approach was used to compare these two plants. Four predominant bioactive compounds, namely, gentiopicroside, loganic acid, swertiamarin, and sweroside, were used to assess the chemical variations. Based on chemical variations, 15 samples were clustered into two groups through PCA analyses. DNA barcoding utilizing the variable nuclear ITS2 regions were sequenced, aligned, and compared. Together with 61 sequences collected from GenBank, 76 batches of Qinjiao were clustered in two groups according to species origin. The genetic relationships indicated by the ITS2-based NJ tree were consistent with the chemical variations. Thus, the chemical profiles determined by HPLC and DNA profiles obtained from ITS2 region could be applied for the quality control of Qinjiao.

A strategy for identifying six species of Sect.Cruciata(Gentiana) in Gansu using DNA barcode sequences

Abstract: Located in the transition zone between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Loess Plateau, Gansu province is one of the distribution centers of Sect. Cruciata, Gentiana (Gentianaceae) in China. Six species in the section, G. crassicaulis, G. straminea, G. siphonantha, G. officinalis, G. dahurica and G . macrophylla, are native to Gansu. In this paper, samples of 6 species and Halenia elliptica (outgroup) were collected. Nuclear DNA ITS, chloroplast DNA matK, rbcL, rpoC1, trnL (UAA) intron, psbA-trnH, atpB-rbcL, trnS (GCU)-trnG (UCC), rpl20-rps12 and trnL (UAA)-trnF (GAA) were sequenced from these samples. Based on the sequence analyses, high intragenomic polymorphisms were detected in ITS regions of G. crassicaulis, G. straminea, G. siphonantha, G. officinalis and G. dahurica, and they showed incomplete concerted evolution. A methodological study to identifying such close-related species as G. macrophylla, G. officinalis and G. dahurica was carried out based on the special genotypes. The results showed that 7 cp DNA sequence fragments could be used to identify G. crassicaulis, G. straminea and G. siphonantha. With nr ITS genotype II,III and IV of G. dahurica, the species can be distinguished from the close-related G. officinalis using 12 cloned sequences in a sample (with statistical significance).The cp DNA sequences of G. macrophylla were classified into two genotypes, and with genotype II, the species can be distinguished from the close-related G. officinalis and G. dahurica using 6 test samples each(with statistical significance). Furthermore, DNA barcode sequences were determined for all 6 species in Gansu. Also, the studies provide some basic data for analyses of genetic diversity and identification of Gentiana species.

Chemical Constituents from Roots of Gentiana straminea of Tibetan Medicine

Abstract: Objective To investigate the chemical constituent from the roots of Gentiana straminea. Methods The constituents were separated by microporous resin,silica gel,Sephadex LH-20 and preparative column chromatography and their structures were elucidated by NMR and MS spectral methods. Results Twelve chemical constituents were isolated from the roots of Gentiana straminea and their structures were identified as daucosterol( 1),β-sitosterol( 2),ursolic acid( 3),sweroside( 4),swertiamarin( 5),gentiopicroside( 6),6’-O-acetyl-gentiopicroside( 7),6’-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-sweroside( 8),protocatech uic aldehyde( 9),protocatechuic acid( 10),methyl gallate( 11) and dibutyl phthalate( 12). Conclusion The compounds 8,9,10,11 and 12 are obtained from this plant for the first time.

The Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis of Trace Elements in Gentian

Abstract: In this paper, using principal component analysis and cluster analysis method, combining with the statistics software MATLAB The Qingyuan rough gentian, Zuojia rough gentian, Zuojia leaf gentiana system clustering analysis of experimental data Main ingredients swertia glycosides, Swertia bitter glycosides, gentian bitter glycosides and oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, etc Cluster analysis results showed that the three principal component contribution rate of the Qingyuan rough gentian is 8924%, the three principal component contribution rate of the Zuojia rough gentian is 8985%, the three principal component contribution rate of the Zuojia leaf gentian is 9356% By cluster analysis to Qingyuan rough gentian, Zuojia rough gentian, Zuojia leaf gentiana aristata 3 groups of data were divided into 6, 5, 4 classes, and determine the appearance characteristics of the high quality gentian, provide the basis for breeding to select high quality gentian