Analysis of medicinal resources diversity of 33 pilots (districts) in Guizhou province / 中国中药杂志

This study is based on the data analysis of medicinal plant resources and diversity collected from the fourth Chinese traditional medicine resource survey( pilot). Through the analysis of relevant data from 33 census pioneer plots in Guizhou province( area),a total of 265 families,1 432 genera and 5 296 species of medicinal resources were reported,including algae,fungi,lichens,mosses,a total of 43 genera and 35 families,57,48 families,120 genera and 453 species of ferns,gymnosperms 11 families,22 genera and 61 species,167 families,1 243 genera and 4 721 species of angiosperms,4 genera and 4 families four medicinal animals.Compared with the data related to the third survey of traditional Chinese medicine resources,the number of ferns,gymnosperms and angiosperms in the fourth survey has increased far more than that of the third survey. From the regional distribution of medicinal resources,the composition of the genus,the type of life,and the location of the medicine,the richness of the medicinal plant resources in Guizhou province is not only reflected in many types,but also in the variety of medicinal resources. These studies provide a scientific basis for vigorously developing the Chinese herbal medicine industry and the sustainably using medicinal plant resources in Guizhou province.

Origination and selection of ABCDE and AGL6 subfamily MADS-box genes in gymnosperms and angiosperms

BACKGROUND: The morphological diversity of flower organs is closely related to functional divergence within the MADS-box gene family. Bryophytes and seedless vascular plants have MADS-box genes but do not have ABCDE or AGAMOUS-LIKE6 (AGL6) genes. ABCDE and AGL6 genes belong to the subgroup of MADS-box genes. Previous works suggest that the B gene was the first ABCDE and AGL6 genes to emerge in plant but there are no mentions about the probable origin time of ACDE and AGL6 genes. Here, we collected ABCDE and AGL6 gene 381 protein sequences and 361 coding sequences from gymnosperms and angiosperms and reconstructed a complete Bayesian phylogeny of these genes. In this study, we want to clarify the probable origin time of ABCDE and AGL6 genes is a great help for understanding the role of the formation of the flower, which can decipher the forming order of MADS-box genes in the future. RESULTS: These genes appeared to have been under purifying selection and their evolutionary rates are not significantly different from each other. Using the Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST) tool, we estimated that: the mutation rate of the ABCDE and AGL6 genes was 2.617 × 10-3 substitutions/site/million years, and that B genes originated 339 million years ago (MYA), CD genes originated 322 MYA, and A genes shared the most recent common ancestor with E/AGL6 296 MYA, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The phylogeny of ABCDE and AGL6 genes subfamilies differed. The APETALA1 (AP1 or A gene) subfamily clustered into one group. The APETALA3/PISTILLATA (AP3/PI or B genes) subfamily clustered into two groups: the AP3 and PI clades. The AGAMOUS/SHATTERPROOF/SEEDSTICK (AG/SHP/STK or CD genes) subfamily clustered into a single group. The SEPALLATA (SEP or E gene) subfamily in angiosperms clustered into two groups: the SEP1/2/4 and SEP3 clades. The AGL6 subfamily clustered into a single group. Moreover, ABCDE and AGL6 genes appeared in the following order: AP3/PI → AG/SHP/STK → AGL6/SEP/AP1. In this study, we collected candidate sequences from gymnosperms and angiosperms. This study highlights important events in the evolutionary history of the ABCDE and AGL6 gene families and clarifies their evolutionary path.

A phthalide derivative isolated from endophytic fungi Pestalotiopsis photiniae induces G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in human HeLa cells

MP [4-(3′,3′-dimethylallyloxy)-5-methyl-6-methoxyphthalide] was obtained from liquid culture of Pestalotiopsis photiniae isolated from the Chinese Podocarpaceae plant Podocarpus macrophyllus. MP significantly inhibited the proliferation of HeLa tumor cell lines. After treatment with MP, characteristic apoptotic features such as DNA fragmentation and chromatin condensation were observed in DAPI-stained HeLa cells. Flow cytometry showed that MP induced G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Western blotting and real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were used to investigate protein and mRNA expression. MP caused significant cell cycle arrest by upregulating the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27KIP1 protein and p21CIP1 mRNA levels in HeLa cells. The expression of p73 protein was increased after treatment with various MP concentrations. mRNA expression of the cell cycle-related genes, p21CIP1 , p16INK4a and Gadd45α, was significantly upregulated and mRNA levels demonstrated significantly increased translation of p73, JunB, FKHR, and Bim. The results indicate that MP may be a potential treatment for cervical cancer.

Florística vascular da Floresta Ombrófila Densa Altomontana de quatro serras no Paraná / Floristic composition of four tropical upper montane rain forests in Southern Brazil

A Floresta Ombrófila Densa Altomontana é uma formação responsável por importantes funções ambientais, entre elas a proteção e manutenção dos fluxos hídricos de cabeceiras de bacias hidrográficas, o estoque de carbono na sua biomassa e na do solo, além da sua biodiversidade e seu elevado endemismo. Apesar de ainda existirem remanescentes primários significativos dessas florestas, apenas alguns estudos descreveram sua estrutura arbórea. O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de listar e comparar a florística vascular de quatro serras representativas da Floresta Ombrófila Densa Altomontana no Paraná e de comparar a florística arbórea das florestas do presente estudo com a de outras florestas semelhantes nas regiões sul e sudeste do Brasil. Foram detectadas 346 espécies vegetais vasculares, pertencentes a 176 gêneros e a 87 famílias, sendo 72 angiospermas (288 espécies), 14 pteridófitas (57 espécies) e 1 gimnosperma. A família com maior riqueza específica foi Myrtaceae, com 34 espécies (10 por cento do total), seguida por Asteraceae (30; 9 por cento), Orchidaceae (29; 8 por cento), Rubiaceae (17; 5 por cento), Melastomataceae (16; 5 por cento), Poaceae (12; 3 por cento) e Bromeliaceae (11; 3 por cento). A composição florística arbórea das florestas altomontanas da Serra do Mar paranaense apresentou a menor similaridade entre as três grandes serras comparadas, com índices um pouco maiores com as florestas altomontanas da região de Aparados da Serra Geral (SC) e menores com a Serra da Mantiqueira, sudeste do Brasil (SP, RJ e MG). Além de diferenças geológicas, geomorfológicas, pedológicas e fitofisionômicas, as diferenças florísticas encontradas nas florestas altomontanas da Serra do Mar do Paraná em relação às demais serras comparadas pode também ser explicada pela melhor conservação dos trechos amostrados e pela baixa influência de elementos de outros tipos vegetacionais próximos (Floresta Ombrófila Mista, Floresta Ombrófila Densa Montana e vegetação ...

The Cloud Forests have very important environmental functions, among them, the maintenance and protection of the origin of the watersheds and the carbon stocks in its biomass and into the soil, besides its biodiversity and endemism. Despite still exist considerable remnants of primary cloud forests there are few studies that listed species that occur in these ecosystems. The aim of this study was to characterize the floristic composition of four areas of the Upper Montane Rain Forest of the "Serra do Mar" in the state of Paraná and to compare it with other cloud forests in southern and southeastern Brazil. A total of 346 vascular species were detected. They comprised 87 families including 72 angiosperms (288 species), 14 pteridophytes (57 species) and one gymnosperm. The species richest families were Myrtaceae (34 species; 10 percent of total), Asteraceae (30; 9 percent), Orchidaceae (29; 8 percent), Rubiaceae (17; 5 percent), Melastomataceae (16; 5 percent), Poaceae (12; 3 percent) and Bromeliaceae (11; 3 percent). The Serra do Ibitiraquire presented the largest area of cloud forests and the highest species richness (231 species). Of the 346 species found in typical cloud forests, 231 species were classified as typical, 41 as transitionals from high altitude grasslands and 68 as transitionals from lower montane forests. Similarities between the studied areas and other Brazilian cloud forests were low (cluster analyses and Sõrensen indexes). Besides the geological, geomorphological, pedological and forest structural differences, the conservation status, the lower influence of "Mixed Ombrophyllous forests" (Araucaria Moist forests) species, pioneer and lower montane species, justify this lower similarity.

Flora arbustivo-arbórea do Parque Estadual do Jaraguá, São Paulo - SP / Floristic composition of tree and shrub species of the Jaraguá State Park, São Paulo - SP, Brazil

O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar a flora arbustivo-arbórea do Parque Estadual do Jaraguá (PEJ), a fim de contribuir para o conhecimento de sua diversidade. Foram feitas coletas mensais de material reprodutivo dos indivíduos arbustivos e arbóreos ao longo de três trilhas, durante um período de 12 meses. O levantamento resultou em uma lista florística contendo 262 espécies nativas, de 153 gêneros e 55 famílias. As famílias mais representativas foram Fabaceae, com 30 espécies, Myrtaceae (26), Asteraceae (24), Melastomataceae (20), Lauraceae (16) e Rubiaceae (15). Assim como relatado para outros remanescentes da região metropolitana de São Paulo e entorno, a vegetação do PEJ está situada em uma zona de transição, onde predomina a floresta ombrófila densa, com a presença de algumas espécies de floresta estacional semidecidual. Destaca-se ainda a existência de uma outra fitofisionomia em uma região de afloramentos de rocha e solo raso, onde ocorrem espécies de cerrado, e que merece estudos específicos. Nessa área, a vegetação é predominantemente herbácea, com árvores e arbustos esparsos, em geral de pequeno porte e com tronco suberoso. Especificamente nessa formação, foram registradas 55 espécies pertencentes a 41 gêneros e 18 famílias, das quais 22 não ocorreram nos outros locais amostrados. A família com maior riqueza foi Asteraceae (15 espécies), seguida por Myrtaceae (7), Fabaceae (5) e Melastomataceae (4). Em todo o levantamento, foram contabilizadas 20 espécies exóticas. Apesar de grande parte da vegetação do Parque ser secundária e estar exposta a fortes pressões antrópicas, foram encontradas 14 espécies presentes em alguma das categorias existentes nas listas oficiais de espécies ameaçadas, reforçando a importância do PEJ para a conservação da biodiversidade.

The objective of this study was to characterize the floristic composition of trees and shrubs of the Jaraguá State Park (PEJ), contributing to the knowledge of its biodiversity. Reproductive botanic material was collected along three trails during a 12-month period. The field survey resulted in a flora of 262 native species, 153 genera and 55 families. Fabaceae was the richest family (30 species), followed by Myrtaceae (26), Asteraceae (24), Melastomataceae (20), Lauraceae (16) and Rubiaceae (15). As mentioned for other forest remnants in São Paulo metropolitan region and surroundings, the PEJ vegetation is in a transition zone, where the main formation is the ombrophilous dense forest, but where species of seasonal semi-deciduous forest also occur. Besides that, there is a completely different phytophysiognomy occurring in a region with rocky outcrops and low depth soils, in which cerrado species were found, and that deserves more specific studies. In this site, the vegetation of grasses is the most abundant, and there are also shrubs and trees sparsely distributed, many of them with low height and suberous trunk. Most specifically in this area there were 55 species of 41 genera and 18 families, from which 22 did not occur in the other sites visited. Asteraceae was the family with the higher number of species (15), followed by Myrtaceae (7), Fabaceae (5) and Melastomataceae (4). Twenty exotic species were found along the trails. Despite the fact that PEJ has a big area of secondary vegetation and that it is exposed to strong anthropogenic pressures, there were 14 species belonging to some threat category defined at the official red lists, reinforcing the importance of the Park for biodiversity conservation.

Los métodos de análisis biogeográfico y su plicación a la distribución de las gimnospermas en México / Methods of biogeographic analysis and their appliction to the distribution of Mexican gymnosperm

La biogeografía es la disciplina de la biología comparada que estudia la distribución de los seres vivos; el análisis de los patrones de distribución de los organismos se lleva a cabo mediante diferentes métodos, dependiendo de la pregunta a responder. En el presente trabajo se exponen los principios y bondades de algunos de estos métodos aplicados a la distribución geográfica de las gimnospermas en México; asimismo, se discute la conveniencia y aplicabilidad de cada método en relación al intervalo del área de distribución geográfica de las especies. Para el caso particular de las gimnospermas mexicanas se considera que el análisis de parsimonia de endemismos y la panbiogeografía tienen el inconveniente de que no incluyen a aquéllas especies que tienen una distribución restringida, mientras que la biogeografía cladística solamente puede incluir aquéllos taxones que tengan información filogenética. En contraste, la areografía y las distribuciones potenciales toman en cuenta los datos de todas las especies, independientemente de la amplitud en su distribución. Se concluye que los diferentes métodos biogeográficos pueden ser utilizados bajo un mismo análisis, ya sea como partes complementarias, o bien como etapas, a pesar de que algunos de estos han sido considerados como programas de investigación en competencia. Este tipo de estudios genera información que permite ampliar el conocimiento de la historia de la biota mexicana y ahondar en la biogeografía de las gimnospermas mexicanas

Notas sobre las especies autóctonas de zamiaceae (Gimnospermas) de Venezuela / Notes about autochthonous species of zamiaceae (Gimnospermas) of Venezuela

Se suministra información sobre el conocimiento y distribución de especies autóctonas de la familia Zamiaceae de Venezuela: Zamia lecontei Ducke y Zamia muricata Willd. Zamia muricata Willd es una especie endémica de las selvas veraneras de los Estados Carabobo, Yaracuy y Falcón; mientras que, Zamia lecontei Ducke se ha reportado en el Estado Amazonas