Integrative analysis of transcriptome and target metabolites uncovering flavonoid biosynthesis regulation of changing petal colors in Nymphaea 'Feitian 2'.

BACKGROUND: Nymphaea (waterlily) is known for its rich colors and role as an important aquatic ornamental plant globally. Nymphaea atrans and some hybrids, including N. 'Feitian 2,' are more appealing due to the gradual color change of their petals at different flower developmental stages. The petals of N. 'Feitian 2' gradually change color from light blue-purple to deep rose-red throughout flowering. The mechanism of the phenomenon remains unclear. RESULTS: In this work, flavonoids in the petals of N. 'Feitian 2' at six flowering stages were examined to identify the influence of flavonoid components on flower color changes. Additionally, six cDNA libraries of N. 'Feitian 2' over two blooming stages were developed, and the transcriptome was sequenced to identify the molecular mechanism governing petal color changes. As a result, 18 flavonoid metabolites were identified, including five anthocyanins and 13 flavonols. Anthocyanin accumulation during flower development is the primary driver of petal color change. A total of 12 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway were uncovered, and these DEGs were significantly positively correlated with anthocyanin accumulation. Six structural genes were ultimately focused on, as their expression levels varied significantly across different flowering stages. Moreover, 104 differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs) were uncovered, and three MYBs associated with flavonoid biosynthesis were screened. The RT-qPCR results were generally aligned with high-throughput sequencing results. CONCLUSIONS: This research offers a foundation to clarify the mechanisms underlying changes in the petal color of waterlilies.

Broad Chain-Length Specificity of the Alkane-Forming Enzymes NoCER1A and NoCER3A/B in Nymphaea odorata.

Many terrestrial plants produce large quantities of alkanes for use in epicuticular wax and the pollen coat. However, their carbon chains must be long to be useful as fuel or as a petrochemical feedstock. Here, we focus on Nymphaea odorata, which produces relatively short alkanes in its anthers. We identified orthologs of the Arabidopsis alkane biosynthesis genes AtCER1 and AtCER3 in N. odorata and designated them NoCER1A, NoCER3A and NoCER3B. Expression analysis of NoCER1A and NoCER3A/B in Arabidopsis cer mutants revealed that the N. odorata enzymes cooperated with the Arabidopsis enzymes and that the NoCER1A produced shorter alkanes than AtCER1, regardless of which CER3 protein it interacted with. These results indicate that AtCER1 frequently uses a C30 substrate, whereas NoCER1A, NoCER3A/B and AtCER3 react with a broad range of substrate chain lengths. The incorporation of shorter alkanes disturbed the formation of wax crystals required for water-repellent activity in stems, suggesting that chain-length specificity is important for surface cleaning. Moreover, cultured tobacco cells expressing NoCER1A and NoCER3A/B effectively produced C19-C23 alkanes, indicating that the introduction of the two enzymes is sufficient to produce alkanes. Taken together, our findings suggest that these N. odorata enzymes may be useful for the biological production of alkanes of specific lengths. 3D modeling revealed that CER1s and CER3s share a similar structure that consists of N- and C-terminal domains, in which their predicted active sites are respectively located. We predicted the complex structure of both enzymes and found a cavity that connects their active sites.

Metabolite profiling of Nymphaea rubra (Burm. f.) flower extracts using cyclic ion mobility-mass spectrometry and their associated biological activities.

Nymphaea rubra flowers (NRF) are widely used as a food and in folk medicine throughout the subtropical regions due to their health-promoting characteristics. This study characterized the phytochemical composition of various extracts/fractions of NRF by establishing a quadrupole-cyclic ion mobility-time-of-flight (Q-cIM-TOF) mass spectrometry method in both positive and negative electrospray ionization modes. Over 100 phytoconstituents were tentatively identified, among which 53 phytochemicals belonging to phenolic acids, tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, xanthones, and naphthopyrones have never been documented in NRF before. Moreover, the ethyl acetate fraction of NRF demonstrated strong antioxidant potential (IC50: 9.21 ± 0.47 µg/mL in DPPH assay and 13.65 ± 0.03 µg/mL in ABTS assay) and tyrosinase, α-glucosidase, and elastase inhibition (IC50: 10.58 ± 0.20, 2.48 ± 0.02, and 38.15 ± 0.25 µg/mL, respectively). The findings highlight the value of NRF as a source of functional components and broaden its potential applications in the food and nutraceutical industries.

[Relationship between epiphyllous bud of tropical waterlily (Brachyceras)umbilics and carbohydrate meta-bolism in different parts of leaves]. / ç¡èŽ²å¶è„ç€ç”ŸèƒŽèŠ½ä¸Žå¶ç‰‡ä¸åŒéƒ¨ä½ç¢³æ°´åŒ–åˆç‰©ä»£è°¢çš„å ³ç³».

To understand the development mechanism of the epiphyllous bud of waterlily, we examined the morphological anatomy of the leaf-navel epiphyllous bud by paraffin section technique at four stages, and compared the differences of carbohydrate metabolism between viviparous and non-viviparous waterlily leaves. Three tropical waterlily cultivars of Brachyceras were used, including two viviparous cultivars Nymphaea 'Margaret Mary', Nymphaea 'Ruby', and a non-viviparous cultivar Nymphaea 'Pink Star'. The results showed that parenchyma cells below the epidermis of leaf-navel divided and grew continuously after the leaf unfolded, forming a closely arranged cell cluster in viviparous waterlily and raised upward to a spherical shape. In contrast, no change was observed in leaf-navel of non-viviparous waterlily with the expansion of leaves. With the development of leaves, the contents of all physiological variables except sucrose and enzyme activities in the leaves of viviparous waterlily showed a first increase and then a decrease, which was significantly higher than those of non-viviparous waterlily. The carbohydrate contents in different parts showed the order of leaf > leaf-navel > petiole (except for starch content, which was highest in the leaf-navel). The activities of sucrose synthase (SS) and acid invertase (AI) were higher than those of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and neutral invertase (NI). The activities of SPS and NI in different tissues of viviparous waterlily were significantly higher than those in non-viviparous one, but SS and AI did not show pronounced cultivar advantage in viviparous cultivars. AI activity varied greatly among cultivars, whereas NI activity varied less and was at a low level in different tissues. The sucrose of Nymphaea 'Ruby' leaves was positively correlated with the SPS and AI, and significantly associated with NI. The accumulation of sucrose content increased the activities of SS and NI of waterlily leaves, which was conducive to promoting the formation of epiphyllous buds.

Role of Glycation in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Prevention through Nymphaea Species.

The dysregulation of glucose metabolism that includes the modification of biomolecules with the help of glycation reaction results in the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The formation of AGEs may activate receptors for advanced glycation end products which induce intracellular signaling, ultimately enhancing oxidative stress, a well-known contributor to type 2 diabetes mellitus. In addition, AGEs are possible therapeutic targets for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications. This review article highlights the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic properties of the Nymphaea species, and the screening of such aquatic plants for antiglycation activity may provide a safer alternative to the adverse effects related to glucotoxicity. Since oxidation and glycation are relatively similar to each other, therefore, there is a possibility that the Nymphaea species may also have antiglycating properties because of its powerful antioxidant properties. Herbal products and their derivatives are the preeminent resources showing prominent medicinal properties for most of the chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes mellitus. Among these, the Nymphaea species has also shown elevated activity in scavenging free radicals. This species has a load of phytochemical constituents which shows various therapeutic and nutritional value including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant profiles. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first article highlighting the possibility of an antiglycation value of the Nymphaea species by inhibiting AGEs in mediation of type 2 diabetes mellitus. We hope that in the next few years, the clinical and therapeutic potential may be explored and highlight a better perspective on the Nymphaea species in the inhibition of AGEs and its associated diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Metabolite analysis in Nymphaea 'Blue Bird' petals reveal the roles of flavonoids in color formation, stress amelioration, and bee orientation.

In this study, metabolome of open petals (OP) and closed petals (CP) from Nymphaea 'Blue Bird' was firstly investigated. A total of 455 metabolites was identified in Nymphaea 'Blue Bird' petals, which was mainly composed of 100 flavonoids, 83 phenolic acids, 64 amino acids and derivatives, 60 lipids, 32 alkaloids, 32 organic acids, 24 nucleotides and derivatives, and 12 lignans and coumarins. By differential analysis, 192 metabolites were identified with variable importance in project ≥ 1, among which 83 and 109 metabolites were up- and down-regulated in OP group, respectively. Further analysis (Log2 fold change ≥ 1) identified 26 and 7 metabolites exhibited significantly lower and higher contents in CP group, relative to OP group. Importantly, KEGG analysis indicated that flavonoid biosynthesis exhibited the most significant enrichment. qRT-PCR analysis indicated that the PAL, CHS, and HCDBR genes showed a significantly higher expression in OP group than in CP group. These data explain the increase of naringenin chalcone and phloretin in OP. However, there was no significant difference of total flavonoids between OP and CP groups. Considering the increase of H2O2 content and ultraviolet (UV) absorption peak in OP, our results implied that diurnal stressful conditions induced the degradation of flavonoids, which contributed to environmental stress amelioration. Moreover, a higher absorption peak of 360-380 nm UV was observed in the extract liquor of OP. The sensitivity maximum of the UV-photoreceptor of bees is situated around 340-380 nm UV. This suggested, as noted for the maximum absorption of dihydrokaempferol in 340-370 nm, rhythmic accumulation and loss of these differential flavonoids in Nymphaea 'Blue Bird' petals might enhance UV pattern to some degree, influencing pollinator attraction.

Organelle Genomes and Transcriptomes of Nymphaea Reveal the Interplay between Intron Splicing and RNA Editing.

Posttranscriptional modifications, including intron splicing and RNA editing, are common processes during regulation of gene expression in plant organelle genomes. However, the intermediate products of intron-splicing, and the interplay between intron-splicing and RNA-editing were not well studied. Most organelle transcriptome analyses were based on the Illumina short reads which were unable to capture the full spectrum of transcript intermediates within an organelle. To fully investigate the intermediates during intron splicing and the underlying relationships with RNA editing, we used PacBio DNA-seq and Iso-seq, together with Illumina short reads genome and transcriptome sequencing data to assemble the chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes of Nymphaea 'Joey Tomocik' and analyze their posttranscriptional features. With the direct evidence from Iso-seq, multiple intermediates partially or fully intron-spliced were observed, and we also found that both cis- and trans-splicing introns were spliced randomly. Moreover, by using rRNA-depleted and non-Oligo(dT)-enrichment strand-specific RNA-seq data and combining direct SNP-calling and transcript-mapping methods, we identified 98 and 865 RNA-editing sites in the plastome and mitogenome of N. 'Joey Tomocik', respectively. The target codon preference, the tendency of increasing protein hydrophobicity, and the bias distribution of editing sites are similar in both organelles, suggesting their common evolutionary origin and shared editing machinery. The distribution of RNA editing sites also implies that the RNA editing sites in the intron and exon regions may splice synchronously, except those exonic sites adjacent to intron which could only be edited after being intron-spliced. Our study provides solid evidence for the multiple intermediates co-existing during intron-splicing and their interplay with RNA editing in organelle genomes of a basal angiosperm.

Phytometabolomic analysis of boiled rhizome of Nymphaea nouchali (Burm. f.) using UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE, LC-QqQ-MS & GC-MS and evaluation of antihyperglycemic and antioxidant activities.

Phytometabolomic analysis of Nymphaea nouchali (Burm. F.) boiled rhizome was carried out utilizing UPLC-Q-TOF-MSE, LC-QqQ-MS and GC-MS techniques and evaluated for antihyperglycemic and antioxidative stress potentials. Metabolomic analysis revealed presence of multiple antidiabetic and antioxidant compounds. Boiled rhizome powder exhibited potent antihyperglycemic activity against sugar-induced postprandial hyperglycemia in rats plausibly due to the presence of intestinal α-glucosidase inhibitory and augmenting cellular glucose uptake activities. It also prevented hyperglycemia-induced hemoglobin and insulin glycation. Rhizome displayed potent reducing power, effectively scavenged various reactive oxygen species. It displayed antioxidative stress potential in assuaging H2O2 induced erythrocyte hemolysis and antioxidant activity by inhibiting membrane lipid peroxidation. Boiled rhizome was also found to preserve the loss of cellular antioxidants under H2O2 induced oxidative stress and disturbances caused to mitochondrial membrane potential. This is the first research reporting boiled N. nouchali rhizome as an ideal food material to manage the cause of hyperglycemia and resultant oxidative stress.

The water lily genome and the early evolution of flowering plants.

Water lilies belong to the angiosperm order Nymphaeales. Amborellales, Nymphaeales and Austrobaileyales together form the so-called ANA-grade of angiosperms, which are extant representatives of lineages that diverged the earliest from the lineage leading to the extant mesangiosperms1-3. Here we report the 409-megabase genome sequence of the blue-petal water lily (Nymphaea colorata). Our phylogenomic analyses support Amborellales and Nymphaeales as successive sister lineages to all other extant angiosperms. The N. colorata genome and 19 other water lily transcriptomes reveal a Nymphaealean whole-genome duplication event, which is shared by Nymphaeaceae and possibly Cabombaceae. Among the genes retained from this whole-genome duplication are homologues of genes that regulate flowering transition and flower development. The broad expression of homologues of floral ABCE genes in N. colorata might support a similarly broadly active ancestral ABCE model of floral organ determination in early angiosperms. Water lilies have evolved attractive floral scents and colours, which are features shared with mesangiosperms, and we identified their putative biosynthetic genes in N. colorata. The chemical compounds and biosynthetic genes behind floral scents suggest that they have evolved in parallel to those in mesangiosperms. Because of its unique phylogenetic position, the N. colorata genome sheds light on the early evolution of angiosperms.

Uptake of uranium from aqueous solution by Nymphaea tetragona Georgi: The effect of the accompanying heavy metals.

This study evaluated the application value of Nymphaea tetragona Georgi (N. tetragona) in the remediation of water co-contaminated with U and the U-accompanying heavy metals (UAHMs). Under greenhouse conditions, a 5-factor quadratic regression orthogonal rotation combination design (QRORCD) was employed to set up a hydroponic experiment to evaluate the effect of U and UAHMs on the enrichment of U from water in N. tetragona. The results showed that the coexisting U and UAHMs tend to inhibit the amount of U enriched in the whole plant. Under co-contaminated conditions, Mn and Hg can increase the enrichment of U from water in N. tetragona, while Pb and As usually inhibit it. The predicted amount of U enriched in the whole plant (UWP) was 57,131.32 µg (1938.66 mg•kg-1 D.W.), and the validation result of the optimization scheme was 53,285.88 µg. A single-factor effect analysis showed that the influence of the 5 types of contamination on the UWP was in the order of U > Hg > Pb > Mn > As. The interactive effects analysis showed that the concentrations of U and As, Mn and As, and Pb and Hg all had significant interactive effects on the UWP, and the change trend exhibited a basin or saddle shape.

Accumulation and effects of uranium on aquatic macrophyte Nymphaea tetragona Georgi: Potential application to phytoremediation and environmental monitoring.

This study analyzed the ability of Nymphaea tetragona Georgi (N. tetragona) to accumulate water-borne uranium and any effects this could exert on this plant species. In accumulation experiments, N. tetragona was exposed (21 d) to different concentrations of uranium (0-55 mg L-1) and the content of uranium was determined in water and plant tissues (leaves, submerged position and plant) to determine the translocation factor (TF) and bioconcentration factor (BCF). The content of uranium in the plant and plant tissues showed concentration-dependent uptake, leaves were the predominant tissue for uranium accumulation, and TF and BCF values were both affected by the concentration of uranium in the water. In this research, the uranium content and BCF value in the leaves of N. tetragona were upto 3446 ±â€¯155 mg kg-1 and 73 ±â€¯3, respectively. In physiological experiments, uranium treatment boosted the activity of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the leaves, and increasing uranium concentrations aggravated damage to the cell membrane system. Uranium contamination significantly inhibited the content of soluble protein, as well as chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and carotene in the leaves, indicating the structure and function of chloroplast were destroyed, reducing the photosynthetic performance of plants. These results indicate that the macrophyte N. tetragona can accumulate uranium while showing a stress response via metabolic mechanisms under uranium exposure, and it may be a suitable bioremediation candidate for aquatic marine contamination.

Transcriptome sequencing and metabolite analysis for revealing the blue flower formation in waterlily.

BACKGROUND: Waterlily (Nymphaea spp.), a perennial herbaceous aquatic plant, is divided into two ecological groups: hardy waterlily and tropical waterlily. Although the hardy waterlily has no attractive blue flower cultivar, its adaptability is stronger than tropical waterlily because it can survive a cold winter. Thus, breeding hardy waterlily with real blue flowers has become an important target for breeders. Molecular breeding may be a useful way. However, molecular studies on waterlily are limited due to the lack of sequence data. RESULTS: In this study, six cDNA libraries generated from the petals of two different coloring stages of blue tropical waterlily cultivar Nymphaea 'King of Siam' were sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq™ 2500 platform. Each library produced no less than 5.65 Gb clean reads. Subsequently, de novo assembly generated 112,485 unigenes, including 26,206 unigenes annotated to seven public protein databases. Then, 127 unigenes could be identified as putative homologues of color-related genes in other species, including 28 up-regulated and 5 down-regulated unigenes. In petals, 16 flavonoids (4 anthocyanins and 12 flavonols) were detected in different contents during the color development due to the different expression levels of color-related genes, and four flavonols were detected in waterlily for the first time. Furthermore, UA3GTs were selected as the most important candidates involved in the flavonoid metabolic pathway, UA3GTs induced blue petal color formation in Nymphaea 'King of Siam'. CONCLUSIONS: This study will improve our understanding of the molecular mechanism of blue flowers in waterlily and provide the basis for molecular breeding of blue hardy waterlily cultivars.

[Water purification of four aquatic plant species with the presence of iron-carbon interior electrolytic substrates.] / 铁-ç¢³å† ç”µè§£è´¨ä¸‹4种水生植物的净水效果.

To compare water purification of common aquatic plants in wetland ecosystem, four common aquatic plant species (Eichhornia crassipes, Nymphaea tetragona, Acorus calamus and Phragmites australis) were used as study species. The effect of aquatic plants on the change of sewage ammonium nitrogen, COD, TP content during different experimental time (1-5 d) with the presence of iron-carbon interior electrolytic substrates were analyzed in small scale experimental apparatus. The results showed that single and combined aquatic plants could effectively remove ammonium nitrogen, COD, TP from the sewage compared with the no-plant control group, but the efficiencies were significantly different among the different species. Ammonium nitrogen removal up to 100% was achieved with E. crassipes in two days, and A. calamus in three days. Each plant combination performed well on ammonium nitrogen removal. Concentration of the sewage COD approached zero with E. crassipes in three days, A. calamus performed secondly. The concentration of COD in combination of E. crassipes and A. calamus water decreased by 85.1% to a minimum of 4.33 mg·L-1. The concentration of TP was the lowest with E. crassipes in four days, and second with P. australis. The lowest concentration of TP was found with the combination of E. crassipes and A. calamusin two days. The combination effect of interior electrolyte and plant was better than that of pure interior electrolyte on the purification of sewage. Plant configuration should be optimized according to the level of pollutants.

Antibacterial activity of Nymphaea nouchali (Burm. f) flower.

BACKGROUND: The present work aimed to find out the antibacterial activity of Nymphaea nouchali flower on human and plant pathogenic bacteria. METHODS: Antibacterial potency of methanol, acetone, ethyl acetate and petroleum spirit extracts of Nymphaea nouchali flower has been tested against four human pathogenic bacteria Bacillus subtilis (FO 3026) Escherichia coli (IFO 3007), Klebsiella pneumonia (ATTC 10031) and Sarcina lutea (IFO 3232) and one plant pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris (IAM 1671) by disc diffusion assay. Zone of inhibition produced by different extracts against the test bacteria was measured and compared with standard antibiotic disc. RESULTS: Methanol extract possessed better antibacterial activity against two pathogenic bacteria, B. subtilis (FO 3026) and S. lutea (IFO 3232) than commercial antibiotic nalidixic acid. Acetone extract showed moderate sensitivity whereas B. subtilis (FO 3026), S. lutea (IFO 3232) and X. campestris (IAM 1671) showed resistance to ethyl acetate and petroleum spirit extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of various extracts were ranged between 128-2048 µgml-1. CONCLUSIONS: Nymphaea nouchali flower could be a potential candidate for future development of novel broad spectrum antibacterial herbal formulation.

Interrelationships of petiolar air canal architecture, water depth, and convective air flow in Nymphaea odorata (Nymphaeaceae).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Nymphaea odorata grows in water up to 2 m deep, producing fewer larger leaves in deeper water. This species has a convective flow system that moves gases from younger leaves through submerged parts to older leaves, aerating submerged parts. Petiolar air canals are the convective flow pathways. This study describes the structure of these canals, how this structure varies with water depth, and models how convective flow varies with depth. • METHODS: Nymphaea odorata plants were grown at water depths from 30 to 90 cm. Lamina area, petiolar cross-sectional area, and number and area of air canals were measured. Field-collected leaves and leaves from juvenile plants were analyzed similarly. Using these data and data from the literature, we modeled how convective flow changes with water depth. • KEY RESULTS: Petioles of N. odorata produce two central pairs of air canals; additional pairs are added peripherally, and succeeding pairs are smaller. The first three pairs account for 96% of air canal area. Air canals form 24% of petiolar cross-sectional area. Petiolar and air canal cross-sectional areas increase with water depth. Petiolar area scales with lamina area, but the slope of this relationship is lower in 90 cm water than at shallower depths. In our model, the rate of convective flow varied with depth and with the balance of influx to efflux leaves. • CONCLUSIONS: Air canals in N. odorata petioles increase in size and number in deeper water but at a decreasing amount in relation to lamina area. Convective flow also depends on the number of influx to efflux laminae.

Relationship between the composition of flavonoids and flower colors variation in tropical water lily (Nymphaea) cultivars.

Water lily, the member of the Nymphaeaceae family, is the symbol of Buddhism and Brahmanism in India. Despite its limited researches on flower color variations and formation mechanism, water lily has background of blue flowers and displays an exceptionally wide diversity of flower colors from purple, red, blue to yellow, in nature. In this study, 34 flavonoids were identified among 35 tropical cultivars by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode array detection (DAD) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Among them, four anthocyanins: delphinidin 3-O-rhamnosyl-5-O-galactoside (Dp3Rh5Ga), delphinidin 3-O-(2"-O-galloyl-6"-O-oxalyl-rhamnoside) (Dp3galloyl-oxalylRh), delphinidin 3-O-(6"-O-acetyl-ß-glucopyranoside) (Dp3acetylG) and cyanidin 3- O-(2"-O-galloyl-galactopyranoside)-5-O-rhamnoside (Cy3galloylGa5Rh), one chalcone: chalcononaringenin 2'-O-galactoside (Chal2'Ga) and twelve flavonols: myricetin 7-O-rhamnosyl-(1 → 2)-rhamnoside (My7RhRh), quercetin 7-O-galactosyl-(1 → 2)-rhamnoside (Qu7GaRh), quercetin 7-O-galactoside (Qu7Ga), kaempferol 7-O-galactosyl-(1 → 2)-rhamnoside (Km7GaRh), myricetin 3-O-galactoside (My3Ga), kaempferol 7-O-galloylgalactosyl-(1 → 2)-rhamnoside (Km7galloylGaRh), myricetin 3-O-galloylrhamnoside (My3galloylRh), kaempferol 3-O-galactoside (Km3Ga), isorhamnetin 7-O-galactoside (Is7Ga), isorhamnetin 7-O-xyloside (Is7Xy), kaempferol 3-O-(3"-acetylrhamnoside) (Km3-3"acetylRh) and quercetin 3-O-acetylgalactoside (Qu3acetylGa) were identified in the petals of tropic water lily for the first time. Meanwhile a multivariate analysis was used to explore the relationship between pigments and flower color. By comparing, the cultivars which were detected delphinidin 3-galactoside (Dp3Ga) presented amaranth, and detected delphinidin 3'-galactoside (Dp3'Ga) presented blue. However, the derivatives of delphinidin and cyanidin were more complicated in red group. No anthocyanins were detected within white and yellow group. At the same time a possible flavonoid biosynthesis pathway of tropical water lily was presumed putatively. These studies will help to elucidate the evolution mechanism on the formation of flower colors and provide theoretical basis for outcross breeding and developing health care products from this plant.

Molecular identification and barcodes for the genus Nymphaea.

Nymphaea species, the most popular decorative plants, were collected for specificity of inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) analyses in species identification and differentiation of cultivars and natural populations. Dendrogram constructed from ISSR analyses separated out wild species, namely Nymphaea cyanea, N. nouchali, N. capensis, N. lotus and an outgroup N. mexicana, and cultivars. The dendrogram indicates that the cultivars should be differentiated from N. capensis, as they are sister individuals of N. capensis. The ISSR banding data and the dendrogram are concordantly concluded that wild N. capensis would be an effective type species for producing different cultivars. After plant identification by ISSR markers, DNA barcodes of all sample materials were done to provide species specific markers which can be used for rapid and accurate further plant identification without morphological characters. DNA barcoding sequence analysis indicates genetic distance values. All sequences were recorded in GenBank database.

[Inhibitory effects of liquor cultured with Nelumbo nucifera and Nymphaea tetragona on the growth of Microcystis aeruginosa].

The inhibitory effects of liquor cultured with Nelumbo nucifera and Nymphaea tetragona on the growth of Microcystis aeruginosa have been investigated by measuring the cell number and the chlorophyll a content of Microcystis aeruginosa of culture in the laboratory. The results showed that the inhibitory effects on the growth of Microcystis aeruginosa with different concentration of the liquor cultured with Nelumbo nucifera and Nymphaea tetragona were dissimilar, and an evident phenomenon appeared that low concentrations could promote the growth of Microcystis aeruginosa. However, the inhibitory effects on the growth of Microcystis aeruginosa with continuous liquor cultured with Nelumbo nucifera and Nymphaea tetragona were obvious, which made the algal cell almost lose the capability of photosynthesis, and the inhibitory effects of liquor cultured with Nymphaea tetragona were better than those of Nelumbo nucifera. The scale-up experiment demonstrated that the algal cell received menace and damage by measuring the activities of peroxidase (SOD) and the accumulated contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) of Microcystis aeruginosa in the co-culture. Sterilization methods influenced the algal growth inhibition experiment so that high temperature couldn't replace micropore filter, which explained that the matter excreted by Nelumbo nucifera and Nymphaea tetragona may contain thermally-instabe matter.

Accumulation of chromium (VI) from aqueous solutions using water lilies (Nymphaea spontanea).

This study describes an investigation using tropical water lilies (Nymphaea spontanea) to remove hexavalent chromium from aqueous solutions and electroplating waste. The results show that water lilies are capable of accumulating substantial amount of Cr(VI), up to 2.119 mg g(-1) from a 10 mg l(-1) solution. The roots of the plant accumulated the highest amount of Cr(VI) followed by leaves and petioles, indicating that roots play an important role in the bioremediation process. The maturity of the plant exerts a great effect on the removal and accumulation of Cr(VI). Plants of 9 weeks old accumulated the most Cr(VI) followed by those of 6 and 3 weeks old. The results also show that removal of Cr(VI) by water lilies is more efficient when the metal is present singly than in the presence of Cu(II) or in waste solution. This may be largely associated with more pronounced phytotoxicity effect on the biochemical changes in the plants and saturation of binding sites. Significant toxicity effect on the plant was evident as shown in the reduction of chlorophyll, protein and sugar contents in plants exposed to Cr(VI) in this investigation.

Inhibition of potassium bromate-induced renal oxidative stress and hyperproliferative response by Nymphaea alba in Wistar rats.

KBrO3-mediated renal injury and hyperproliferative response in Wistar rats. In this communication, we report the efficacy of Nymphaea alba on KBrO3 (125 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) caused reduction in renal glutathione content, renal antioxidant enzymes and phase-II metabolising enzymes with enhancement in xanthine oxidase, lipid peroxidation, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and hydrogen peroxide (H202). It also induced blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and tumor promotion markers, viz., ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity and DNA synthesis. Treatment of rats with Nymphaea alba (100 and 200 mg/kg body weight) one hour before KBrO3 (125 mg/kg body weight, i.p.) resulted in significant decreases in xanthine oxidase (P < 0.05), lipid peroxidation, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, H202 generation, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, renal ODC activity and DNA synthesis (P < 0.001). Renal glutathione content, glutathione metabolizing enzymes and antioxidant enzymes were also recovered to significant levels (P < 0.001). These results show that Nymphaea alba acts as chemopreventive agent against KBrO3-mediated renal injury and hyperproliferative response.