Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Aconitum pendulum (Ranunculaceae), an endemic medicinal herb.

Aconitum pendulum is an endemic medicinal herb, which has effects of relieving pains and is widely used to treat frostbite, rheumatoid arthritis, and so on. In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast genome with Illumina sequencing technology. The complete chloroplast genome length is 155,597 bp, shows a typical tetrad structure, which manifests as one large and one small single copy (LSC and SSC) regions of 86,336 and 16,961 bp, isolated by two inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 26,150 bp. This study annotated altogether 131 unique genes, consisting of 86 protein-encoding genes, 8 rRNA, and 37 tRNA. According to the maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree based on 20 complete chloroplast genomes, A. pendulum shows close association with additional Aconitum subgenus. The chloroplast genome-wide for A. pendulum would help to conserving the precious natural populations.

The complete chloroplast genome of Polygonatum odoratum (Liliaceae), an endemic medicinal herb.

In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of Polygonatum odoratum with Illumina sequencing technology. The complete chloroplast genome length is 156,082bp, shows a typical tetrad structure, which manifests as one large and one small single copy (LSC and SSC) regions of 85,009 and 18,513bp, isolated by two inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 26,280bp. This study annotated altogether 131 unique genes, consisting of 86 protein-encoding genes, 8 rRNA and 38tRNA. According to the maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree based on 8 complete chloroplast genomes, P. odoratum shows close association with additional Maianthemum genus. The chloroplast genome-wide for P. odoratum would help to conserving the precious natural populations.

The complete chloroplast genome of Polygonatum odoratum (Liliaceae), an endemic medicinal herb.

In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of Polygonatum odoratum with Illumina sequencing technology. The complete chloroplast genome length is 156,082 bp shows a typical tetrad structure, which manifests as one large and one small single copy (LSC and SSC) regions of 85,009 and 18,513 bp, isolated by two inverted repeat regions (IRs) of 26,280 bp. This study annotated altogether 131 unique genes, consisting of 86 protein-encoding genes, 8 rRNA, and 38 tRNA. According to the maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree based on eight complete chloroplast genomes, P. odoratum shows a close association with additional Maianthemum genus. The chloroplast genome-wide for P. odoratum would help to conserve the precious natural populations.

Ethnobotanical study on medicinal plants from the Dragon Boat Festival herbal markets of Qianxinan, southwestern Guizhou, China.

Dragon Boat Festival herbal markets in the Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern Guizhou have a long well-conserved history. These markets, which are a feature of Buyi and Miao traditional medicines, contain a rich diversity of medicinal plants and traditional medical knowledge. Today, people in southwestern Guizhou still believe that using herbs during the Dragon Boat Festival prevents and can treat disease. In this study, we identified the fresh herbal plants sold at the herbal markets of Xingren City and Zhenfeng County in Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture and quantified their importance. We identified 141 plant species (belonging to 114 genera and 61 families). The plant family with the most species was Asteraceae (14 species). Informants reported that most medicinal plants are herbaceous, with 95.7% of plants used for decoction and 30.5% used for medicinal baths. Medicinal plants are most commonly used to treat rheumatism, injury, and abdominal diseases. The utilization frequency index and relative importance values indicated that Artemisia argyi and Acorus calamus are the most important plants sold at herbal markets during the Dragon Boat Festival. The price of medicinal materials sold in the market may serve as an indicator of the conservation status of species in the region. These findings indicate that the Dragon Boat Festival herbal markets in the Qianxinan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture fully embodies the characteristics of indigenous ethnomedicine and culture, and also exhibits the diversity of plant resources. We recommend that rare and endangered plants in this region be domesticated and protected.

Identification and characterization of the related immune-enhancing proteins in crab Scylla paramamosain stimulated with rhubarb polysaccharides.

Recently, considerable interest has been focused on immunostimulants to reduce diseases in crab aquaculture. However, information regarding to the related immune-enhancing proteins in crabs is not available yet. In this study, rhubarb polysaccharides were tested for enhancement of the immune activity in crab Scylla paramamosain. Compared with those in the control group, values of, phenoloxidase (PO), alkaline phosphatase (AKP) and alkaline phosphatasein (ACP) activity in the, experimental group were improved significantly 4 d after the treatment. Furthermore, 15 and 17 altered proteins from haemocytes and hepatopancreas, respectively, were found in rhubarb polysaccharide-treated crabs using 2-DE approach. Of these, hemocyanin, chymotrypsin, cryptocyanin, C-type lectin receptor, and ferritin protein were identified by mass spectrometry. In addition, RT-PCR, analysis showed that the mRNA levels of hemocyanin and chymotrypsin increased about 2.4- and 1.4-fold in the experiment group. Moreover, the hemocyanin gene in S. paramamosain (SpHMC) was, cloned and characterized. SpHMC contains one open reading frame of 2022 bp and encodes a polypeptide of 673 amino acids. It is clustered into one branch along with crab hemocyanin in a phylogenetic tree. The mRNA transcripts of SpHMC were detected mainly in the tissues of, hepatopancreas, hemocyte and intestines, and its levels were up-regulated significantly in hemocytes, of S. paramamosain treated with Vibrio parahemolyticus, Beta streptococcus or poly I:C for 6-48 h. Taken together, these studies found 5 related immune-enhancing proteins and a novel heomcyanin homologue with potential pathogen-resistant activities in crab.

Phylogeny of Pyroleae (Ericaceae): implications for character evolution.

Pyroleae (Ericaceae) consist of four genera, all of which are distributed widely in temperate coniferous or sometimes deciduous forests of the Northern Hemisphere. To investigate the phylogenetic relationships among these genera and to explore the evolution of the characteristics of the subfamily, we conducted maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses with nrDNA ITS and three cpDNA intergenic spacers (atpB-rbcL, trnS-trnG and trnL-trnF). The results from cpDNA and combined cpDNA + ITS data sets strongly support the monophyly of Pyroleae as well as a sister relationship between Pyrola and Moneses-Chimaphila, with Orthilia as the basal lineage. The sister-group relationship between Moneses and Chimaphila is supported by a set of synapomorphies, e.g., single flower, colpate pollen, five bundles in the style, straight fruiting pedicel orientation, complete capsule dehiscence, and the basic chromosome number, x = 13. The Moneses-Chimaphila-Pyrola clade is supported by at least one homologous character of pollen in tetrads. Conflicts associated with the phylogenetic position of Orthilia may imply a hybrid origin for it, and therefore further study is needed.