Precious-metal free photocatalytic production of an NADH analogue using cobalt diimine-dioxime catalysts under both aqueous and organic conditions.

The photocatalytic generation of an NADH synthetic analogue, i.e. 1-benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide (1,4-BNAH), has been studied using the cobalt diimino-dioxime complexes and the BF2-bridged derivative as catalysts. 1,4-BNAH was produced in both aqueous and organic media at unprecedented turnover numbers with metal and organic photosensitizers, respectively.

[Factors influencing induction and in vitro culture of hairy roots in Phytolacca americana L.]

To use hairy roots for producing medicinal ingredients of Phytolacca americana L. we studied the factors influencing the induction and in vitro culture. Hairy roots could be incited from the veins of cut surface (morphological lower) of P. americana L. leaf explants around 18 days after infection with the strain of Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC15834. The highest rooting rate, 70%, was obtained when leaf explants were pre-cultured for 1 day, infected for 20 min, and co-cultured for 4 days. The transformation was confirmed by PCR amplification of rolC of Ri plasmid and silica gel thin-layer chromatography of opines from P. americana L. hairy roots. All the hairy root lines could grow rapidly on solid exogenous phytohormone-free MS medium. Among the 9 hairy root lines, the hairy root line 2 had most rapid growth, most branched lateral roots and most intensive root hair; the root surface of some hairy root lines seemed purple or red, while that of the other hairy root line appeared white. Among liquid media MS, 1/2MS, B5 and 6,7-V tested, the best growth for hairy root lines was attained in liquid exogenous phytohormone-free MS medium. Compared with exogenous phytohormone-free MS medium, 6,7-V medium was better for synthesis and accumulation of esculento side A in hairy roots. The established optimal conditions for induction and in vitro culture of P. americana hairy roots had laid an experimental and technological foundation for production of medicinal constituents esculento side A from large scale culture of hairy roots.

[Induction of polyploid in hairy roots of Nicotiana tabacum and its plant regeneration].

By genetic transformation with Agrobacterum rhizogenes and artificial chromosome doubling techniques, we studied the induction of hairy roots and their polyploidization, and subsequent plant regeneration and nicotine determination to enhance the content of nicotine in Nicotiana tabacum. The results show that hairy roots could be induced from the basal surface of leaf explants of N. tabacum 8 days after inoculation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes ATCC15834. The percentage of the rooting leaf explants was 100% 15 days after inoculation. The hairy roots could grow rapidly and autonomously on solid or liquid phytohormones-free MS medium. The transformation was confirmed by PCR amplification of rol gene of Ri plasmid and paper electrophoresis of opines from N. tabacum hairy roots. The highest rate of polyploidy induction, more than 64.71%, was obtained after treatment of hairy roots with 0.1% colchicine for 36 h. The optimum medium for plant regeneration from polyploid hairy roots was MS+2.0 mg/L 6-BA +0.2 mg/L NAA. Compared with the control diploid plants, the hairy roots-regenerated plants had weak apical dominance, more axillary buds and more narrow leaves; whereas the polyploid hairy root-regenerated plants had thicker stems, shorter internodes and the colour, width and thickness of leaves were significantly higher than that of the control. Observation of the number of chromosomes in their root tip cells reveals that the obtained polyploid regenerated plants were tetraploidy, with 96 (4n = 96) chromosomes. Pot-grown experiments showed compared to the control, the flowering was delayed by 21 days in diploid hairy roots-regenerated plants and polyploid hairy root-regenerated plants. GC-MS detection shows that the content of nicotine in polyploid plants was about 6.90 and 4.57 times the control and the diploid hairy roots-regenerated plants, respectively.

Effect of cadmium on cytogenetic toxicity in hairy roots of Wedelia trilobata L. and their alleviation by exogenous CaCl2.

Effects of cadmium (Cd) alone and in combination with calcium on mitosis and chromosomal aberration in the hairy root tips of Wedelia trilobata were investigated. The results showed that Cd concentrations below 50 µmol/L had a lesser or even a promoting effect on the mitotic index (MI) and the rate of chromosomal aberration in hairy root tips, while those higher than 100 µmol/L significantly decreased the MI and gradually stimulated the rate of chromosomal aberrations with prolonged time and increasing concentrations of Cd. Concentrations of 50 µmol/L Cd mainly induced C-mitosis, while more than 100 µmol/L Cd mainly caused chromosome breakage and chromosome adhesion in hairy root tip cells. When cultured with 300 µmol/L Cd, micronuclei were only observed in the interphase, middle, and late phase of hairy root tip cells. Compared with untreated controls, exogenous calcium had an alleviating effect on Cd-induced cytotoxicity by effectively enhancing the MI and reducing the rate of chromosomal aberration in root tip cells. The results presented here provide evidence that W. trilobata hairy roots with rapid autonomous growth could be used as a sensitive tool for monitoring and evaluation of Cd pollution in the environment.

Microsatellite primers for Halophila ovalis and cross-amplification in H. minor (Hydrocharitaceae).

UNLABELLED: • PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Polymorphic microsatellite primers were developed in the seagrass Halophila ovalis to investigate genetic variation. • METHODS AND RESULTS: Ten polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed in Halophila ovalis. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 12 across 80 H. ovalis individuals. These loci were successfully amplified in H. minor, and four were monomorphic across 30 individuals. • CONCLUSIONS: These results from four H. ovalis populations and one H. minor population show the broad utility of microsatellite loci in future studies of population genetics. Four distinct alleles were present in H. minor but absent in H. ovalis, indicating potential divergence between them.