What Has Molecular Systematics Contributed to Our Knowledge of the Plant Family Proteaceae?

Molecular systematics demonstrate that carnivorous plants have evolved at least ten times independently, in five orders, 12 families, and 19 genera of angiosperms. Carnivory has arisen once in Nepenthales (a segregate of Caryophyllales), once in Oxalidales, twice in Ericales, and three times each in Lamiales and Poales. Estimated crown ages of these ten lineages range from 1.9 to 81 million years (Mya), with the youngest three lineages (1.9 – 2.6 Mya) being all single genera of Poales, and all involving one or two carnivorous species in an otherwise noncarnivorous group. We now understand the evolution of carnivorous plants based on knowing when and (often) where they diverged from specific noncarnivorous ancestors; inferring which traits were gained, which were retained, and which of the latter may have been crucial preadaptations for carnivory; and identifying the evolutionary drivers of carnivory by evaluating the ecological differences between carnivorous plants and their noncarnivorous relatives.

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Molecular systematics of plants II: DNA sequencing. (Ed. by DOUGLAS E. SOLTIS, PAMELA S. SOLTIS and JEFF J. DOYLE.) 26×18 cm. Pp. xiii+574 with 136 text-figures. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishing. Price h/b: ¥187.00. ISBN 0 412 11121 7.

New Phytologist ◽

10.1046/j.1469-8137.1999.00468-1.x ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 143 (3) ◽

pp. 457

Author(s):

Pete Hollingsworth

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Dna Sequencing ◽

Molecular Systematics ◽

Academic Publishing

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Molecular systematics and taxonomic overview of the bird’s nest fungi (Nidulariaceae)

Fungal Biology ◽

10.1016/j.funbio.2021.04.003 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Nattapol Kraisitudomsook ◽

Rosanne A. Healy ◽

Matthew E. Smith

Keyword(s):

Molecular Systematics

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Bryophylogeny 2004 — Second International Symposium on the Molecular Systematics of Bryophytes

Taxon ◽

10.2307/25065460 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 54 (2) ◽

pp. 291-292 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

S. Robbert Gradstein ◽

Jochen Heinrichs

Keyword(s):

International Symposium ◽

Molecular Systematics ◽

Second International

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Ligusticum sinense Nanoemulsion Gel as Potential Repellent against Aedes aegypti, Anopheles minimus, and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12070596 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (7) ◽

pp. 596

Author(s):

Anuluck Junkum ◽

Wanchai Maleewong ◽

Atiporn Saeung ◽

Danita Champakaew ◽

Arpaporn Chansang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aedes Aegypti ◽

Culex Quinquefasciatus ◽

Disease Transmission ◽

Skin Irritation ◽

Mosquito Vectors ◽

Plant Family ◽

Anopheles Minimus ◽

Human Volunteers ◽

Nanoemulsion Gel ◽

Fresh Preparation

Ligusticum sinense Oliv. cv. is a species of Umbelliferae (Apiaceae), a large plant family in the order Apiales. In this study, L. sinense hexane extract nanoemulsion gel (LHE-NEG) was investigated for mosquito repellency and compared to the standard chemical, N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET), with the goal of developing a natural alternative to synthetic repellents in protecting against mosquito vectors. The results demonstrated that LHE-NEG afforded remarkable repellency against Aedes aegypti, Anopheles minimus, and Culex quinquefasciatus, with median protection times (MPTs) of 5.5 (4.5–6.0), 11.5 (8.5–12.5), and 11.25 (8.5–12.5) h, respectively, which was comparable to those of DEET-nanoemulsion gel (DEET-NEG: 8.5 (7.0–9.0), 12.0 (10.0–12.5), and 12.5 (10.0–13.5) h, respectively). Evaluation of skin irritation in 30 human volunteers revealed no potential irritant from LHE-NEG. The physical and biological stability of LHE-NEG were determined after being kept under heating/cooling cycle conditions. The stored samples of LHE-NEG exhibited some changes in appearance and differing degrees of repellency between those kept for 3 and 6 heating/cooling cycles, thus providing slightly shorter MPTs of 4.25 (4.0–4.5) and 3.25 (2.5–3.5) h, respectively, when compared to those of 5.0 (4.5–6.0) h in fresh preparation. These findings encourage commercially developed LHE-based products as an alternative to conventional synthetic repellents in preventing mosquito bites and helping to interrupt mosquito-borne disease transmission.

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Cytotoxic Agents in the Minor Alkaloid Groups of the Amaryllidaceae

Planta Medica ◽

10.1055/a-1380-1888 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jerald J. Nair ◽

Johannes van Staden

Keyword(s):

Cancer Cells ◽

Cancer Cell Line ◽

Structural Features ◽

Biological Properties ◽

Cytotoxic Agents ◽

Plant Family ◽

Structure Activity ◽

Significant Interest ◽

Different Types ◽

Minor Alkaloid

AbstractOver 600 alkaloids have to date been identified in the plant family Amaryllidaceae. These have been arranged into as many as 15 different groups based on their characteristic structural features. The vast majority of studies on the biological properties of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids have probed their anticancer potential. While most efforts have focused on the major alkaloid groups, the volume and diversity afforded by the minor alkaloid groups have promoted their usefulness as targets for cancer cell line screening purposes. This survey is an in-depth review of such activities described for around 90 representatives from 10 minor alkaloid groups of the Amaryllidaceae. These have been evaluated against over 60 cell lines categorized into 18 different types of cancer. The montanine and cripowellin groups were identified as the most potent, with some in the latter demonstrating low nanomolar level antiproliferative activities. Despite their challenging molecular architectures, the minor alkaloid groups have allowed for facile adjustments to be made to their structures, thereby altering the size, geometry, and electronics of the targets available for structure-activity relationship studies. Nevertheless, it was seen with a regular frequency that the parent alkaloids were better cytotoxic agents than the corresponding semisynthetic derivatives. There has also been significant interest in how the minor alkaloid groups manifest their effects in cancer cells. Among the various targets and pathways in which they were seen to mediate, their ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells is most appealing.

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