B. subtilis CNBG-PGPR-1 induces methionine to regulate ethylene pathway and ROS scavenging for improving salt tolerance of tomato.

Soil salinity severely threatens plant growth and crop yields. The utilization of PGPR is an effective strategy for enhancing plant salt tolerance, but the mechanisms involved in this process have rarely been reported. In this study, we investigated the effects of Bacillus subtilis CNBG-PGPR-1 on improving plant salt tolerance and elucidated the molecular pathways involved. The results showed that CNBG-PGPR-1 significantly improved the cellular homeostasis and photosynthetic efficiency of leaves and reduced ion toxicity and osmotic stress caused by salt in tomato. Transcriptome analysis uncovered that CNBG-PGPR-1 enhanced plant salt tolerance through the activation of complex molecular pathways, with plant hormone signal transduction playing an important role. Comparative analysis and pharmacological experiments confirmed that the ethylene pathway was closely related to the beneficial effect of CNBG-PGPR-1 on improving plant salt tolerance. Furthermore, we found that methionine, a precursor of ethylene synthesis, significantly accumulated in response to CNBG-PGPR-1 in tomato. Exogenous L-methionine largely mimicked the beneficial effects of CNBG-PGPR-1 and activated the expression of ethylene pathway-related genes, indicating CNBG-PGPR-1 induces methionine accumulation to regulate the ethylene pathway in tomato. Finally, CNBG-PGPR-1 reduced salt-induced ROS by activating ROS scavenger-encoding genes, mainly involved in GSH metabolism and POD-related genes, which were also closely linked to methionine metabolism. Overall, our studies demonstrate that CNBG-PGPR-1-induced methionine is a key regulator in enhancing plant salt tolerance through the ethylene pathway and ROS scavenging, providing a novel understanding of the mechanism by which beneficial microbes improve plant salt tolerance.

Pharmacokinetic Comparisons of Multiple Triterpenic Acids from Jujubae Fructus Extract Following Oral Delivery in Normal and Acute Liver Injury Rats.

Jujubae Fructus, the dried fruit of Ziziphus jujuba, has been used as Chinese medicine and food for centuries. Triterpenic acids have been found to be the major bioactive constituents in Jujubae Fructus responsible for their hepatoprotective activity in previous phytochemical and biological studies, while few pharmacokinetic studies have been conducted. To reveal the kinetics of the triterpenic acids under the pathological liver injury state, an established ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometry method was applied for the simultaneous quantitation of seven triterpenic acids (ceanothic acid, epiceanothic acid, pomonic acid, alphitolic acid, maslinic acid, betulinic acid, and betulonic acid) in plasma samples of normal and acute liver injury rats induced by CCl4. The results showed that there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the pharmacokinetic parameters of seven triterpenic acids between model and normal groups. The AUC0­t and AUC0­∞ of epiceanothic acid (5227 ± 334 µg⋅h/L vs. 1478 ± 255 µg ⋅ h/L and 6127 ± 423 µg ⋅ h/L vs. 1482 ± 255 µg ⋅ h/L, respectively) and pomonic acid (4654 ± 349 µg ⋅ h/L vs. 1834 ± 225 µg ⋅ h/L and 4776 ± 322 µg ⋅ h/L vs. 1859 ± 230 µg ⋅ h/L, respectively) in model rats were significantly higher than those in normal rats, and the CLz/F of them were significantly decreased (0.28 ± 0.02 L/h/kg vs. 1.36 ± 0.18 L/h/kg and 19.96 ± 1.30 L/h/kg vs. 53.15 ± 5.60 L/h/kg, respectively). In contrast, the above parameters for alphitolic acid, betulinic acid and betulonic acid exhibited the quite different trend. This pharmacokinetic research might provide useful information for the clinical usage of triterpenic acids from Jujubae Fructus.

[Suitable investigation method of exploration and suggestions for investigating Chinese materia medica resources from wetland and artificial water of Hongze Lake region].

According to the technology requirements of the fourth national survey of Chinese Materia Medica resources (pilot), suitable investigation method of exploration and suggestions for investigating Chinese Materia Medica resources was proposed based on the type of wetland and artificial water of Hongze Lake region. Environment of Hongze Lake and overview of wetland, present situation of ecology and vegetation and vegetation distribution were analyzed. Establishment of survey plan, selection of sample area and sample square and confirmation of representative water area survey plan were all suggested. The present study provide references for improving Chinese materia medica resources survey around Hongze Lake, and improving the technical specifications. It also provide references for investigating Chinese Materia Medica resources survey on similar ecological environment under the condition of artificial intervention.

[Comparative analysis on the configuration of vegetative organs of medicinal Chrysanthemum from different original locations and species].

OBJECTIVE: Compared the difference of the configuration of vegetative organs of medicinal Chrysanthemum in the same habitats but from various original locations and species, in order to provide scientific basis for the study of introduction, differentiation within the species, breeding and genetic diversity. METHODS: The experimental plot were divided into some groups randomly in design and the configuration of vegetative organs were observed, measureed and analysed. RESULTS: The differences of the type and shape of the leaves were obvious. All the Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Gongju' had deep notch long-leaves; Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Boju', Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Chuju', Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Hang bai ju' and Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Hang huang ju' had deep notch correctitude-leaves; Chrysanthemum nakingense and Chrysanthemum indicum had long-leaves; Chrysanthemum indicum had clump-leaves. All the 12 medicinal Dendranthema material had auricle except Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Boju' and Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Chuju'. The young leaves of Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Gongju', Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Gongju' and Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Hang bai ju' did not split and the rest were all splitting. CONCLUSION: The differences of the configuration of vegetative organs were obvious and the Key of Vegetative organs was built.

[Purification efficiency of several wetland macrophytes on COD and nitrogen removal from domestic sewage].

In order to investigate the role of wetland macrophytes in waster water purification and to select appropriate native filter plants in constructed wetland, three vertical-flow constructed wetlands were built with river sands as the substrates of Acorus gramineus, Juncus effusus and Iris japonica, and one without plant as the control. Investigation on the removal of COD and total nitrogen (TN) from domestic sewage showed that within lower concentrations of COD (<200 mg x L(-1)) and TN (<30 mg x L(-1)), more than 90% of COD and 80% of TN were removed from domestic sewage in all constructed wetlands. When the concentration of COD and TN increased, the purification efficiency of all constructed wetlands decreased to some extent. The constructed wetlands with macrophytes had a higher efficiency than control. Among the three constructed wetlands with macrophytes, the one with Acorus gramineus had an average purification efficiency of 80.46% for COD and 77.77% for TN, that with Juncus effusus was 75.53% for COD and 71.17% for TN, and the one with Iris japonica was 70.50% for COD and 66.38% for TN. The constructed wetland without vegetation had an average purification efficiency of 61.39% for COD and 55.81% for TN. Acorus gramineus was more capable of removing COD and TN than Juncus effusus and Iris japonica. Vegetation biomass was the main factor affecting the removal rate of COD and nitrogen, because it significantly correlated with the ability of absorbing organic substance and nitrogen, and with the nitrification and denitrification around roots.