Cortical monoterpene variation in natural populations of Pinus sylvestris in Sweden

Cortical oleoresins were obtained from 10 natural populations of Pinus sylvestris L. from different geographical localities. Gas chromatography was used to determine quantities of individual monoterpenes. Considerable variation was found in monoterpene composition among different populations. High proportions of limonene occurred in greater percentages in trees of northern origins, while high sabinene was frequently found in southern trees. Mean proportions of limonene and sabinene in the populations were clinal with latitude. For some monoterpenes, variation coefficients as a measure of variability within populations appeared to be clinal with latitude. 85.4% of the variance in monoterpene composition was found within populations and 14.6 between populations. Discriminant analysis differentiates populations from different geographical localities into different groups. The differences in monoterpene patterns between adjacent populations were statistically nonsignificant. It is recommended that monoterpene composition be used for more general study of genetic variation, geographical distinction between different populations and seed certification purposes.     

New monoterpene glycosides from Paeonia lactiflora

Three new monoterpene glycosides named 4-O-methyl-paeoniflorin (1), isopaeoniflorin (2), and isobenzoylpaeoniflorin (3), together with two known monoterpene glycosides, paeoniflorin (4) and benzoylpaeoniflorin (5), were isolated from the roots of Paeonia lactiflora. Their structures were established on the basis of spectral and chemical evidence.     

湿地松针叶中的松脂含量及其单萜,倍半萜的组成与抗褐斑病的关系

 研究分析了湿地松20个抗病无性系和14个易感株针叶中的松脂含量,结果表明抗病湿地松针叶中的松脂含量为7.17%,明显比易感株含量5.46%高。顶冠针叶的松脂含量与侧枝针叶的含量基本相近。对9个抗病无性系和4个易感株针叶挥发油中的单萜和倍半萜研究表明,湿地松针叶中的单萜和倍半萜的种类较多,不同无性系(或单株)间高含量单萜和倍半萜种类较稳定,某些低含单萜组分与抗病性之间存在着一定的联系。抗病无性系针叶中都缺乏在感病针叶中普遍存在的异龙脑和香草醇。     

Monoterpenoid inhibitors of NO production from Paeonia suffruticosa

Three pairs of monoterpene glycosides (1–6), of which compounds 1, 3, and 4 as new compounds, together with one new monoterpene (7) were obtained from the ethanol extract of Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews. Their structures were determined on the basis of chemical methods and spectral data. On this basis, the spectral characteristics of three pairs of monoterpene glycosides were also discussed. The inhibitory effects of isolated compounds on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages were evaluated, and NO production was suppressed significantly by compounds 4–7.     

萜烯指数在茶品系间的表达

用气相色谱法研究了茶花精油中几种单萜烯醇及其比值(萜烯指数)的变化。结果表明,花器的各单萜烯醇含量随茶树花期(11月上旬至12月上旬)而变化,但萜烯指数不受花期影响。同一无性品系不同成熟度全花的萜烯指数值有变化,但雄蕊形成至成热则一直保持恒定。成熟花不同花器部分的萜烯指数值不同,其中雄蕊群的测定值与全花一致。11个无性品系成熟花的萜烯指数值表现出明显的品系间差异。无性系间杂交 F_1代的萜烯指数,变幅范围出现在双亲值之间;正、反交 F_1代表现出不同的萜烯指数值。     

百合单萜合成酶基因的克隆与序列分析

单萜化合物是‘西伯利亚’百合花香的主要成分,为了研究百合单萜化合物的合成与代谢机理,以百合的花瓣为材料,根据GenBank发表的单萜合成酶基因的保守区设计1对简并引物,通过RT-PCR与RACE相结合的方法,克隆得到一个单萜合成酶基因的cDNA序列,命名为Li-mTPS2。该基因全长为1 766bp,包含1 608bp的基因开放阅读框(ORF),45bp的5′UTR和113bp的3′UTR,编码535个氨基酸,含有萜烯合成酶(TPS)保守序列DDxxD以及TPSb亚家族共有的RRx8W基序。氨基酸同源性分析表明该基因所编码蛋白的氨基酸序列与小苍兰芳樟醇合成酶、姜花单萜合成酶、六出花月桂烯合成酶的同源性分别为55%,53%,51%。     

Biological roles of monoterpene volatiles derived from rough lemon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Citrus jambhiri</Emphasis> Lush) in citrus defense

Volatile compounds of plants, including monoterpenes, are a possible source of signal molecules that induce defense systems to protect plants from tissue damage. Volatile compounds from rough lemon leaves were trapped by solid-phase microextraction fibers in sealed vials, and subsequent gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and gas chromatography analyses identified the profile of the major components, mainly various monoterpenes. Among several monoterpenes examined, citral, citronellal, and linalool significantly inhibited the spore germination and hyphal growth of Alternaria alternata. The effect of linalool was fungistatic, while the effects of citral and citronellal were partially fungicidal. Wounding of rough lemon leaves induced a significant increase in release of monoterpenes. The release of linalool was the most abundant and was 14.5 times that of unwounded rough lemon leaves. Unlike the wounding treatment, microbe attack did not significantly change monoterpene releases, and there was statistically no difference found in the peak areas from microbe-treated and untreated leaves. Linalool, limonene, and β-pinene also had insect-repellant effects on wild-type Drosophila melanogaster. Expression patterns of defense-related genes in rough lemon and rice significantly changed after treatment with vapors of monoterpene volatiles. Taking these results together, monoterpene volatiles are likely to play roles in the defense of rough lemon against microbe and insect pathogens.     

Investigating the cytotoxic and apoptosis inducing effects of monoterpenoid stylosin in vitro

The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic and anticancer activities of stylosin, a monoterpene extracted from an edible plant, Ferula ovina, on 5637 and HFF3 cells using MTT and comet assays and DAPI staining.To assess stylosin effects, cells were cultured in the presence of various concentrations of stylosin during three days; the IC₅₀ of stylosin on cancerous 5637 cells was less than its value on HFF3 normal cells, indicating that it might have anticancer properties. Investigating the mechanism of stylosin action revealed that it quickly induced DNA lesions and increased the number of apoptotic cells.