Prior selfing occur in larger flowers in a mixed mating species with delayed selfing

Theory predicts that prior self-pollination (prior selfing) should not evolve in mixed mating species that enable delayed selfing. In this study, we test the hypotheais that prior selfing has evolved under severe pollinator limitation in the mixed mating species Commelina communis which can reproduce via delayed selfing. The hypothesis predicts that prior selfing occurs more frequently in populations with very low pollinator availability and/or in smaller flowers which receive infrequent visitations. We tested the predictions by comparing the degree of prior selfing among ten populations experiencing various levels of pollinator limitation and by examining a relationship between individual flower size and the occurrence of prior selfing. Populations with higher pollinator availability had higher prior selfing rate. Moreover, prior selfing occurs more frequently in larger flowers. These findings were totally opposite patterns of the predictions and the previous findings. We proposed new hypotheses that prior selfing has been maintained by the presence of reproductive interference from the congener and/or propotency in C. communis to explain our unexpected findings. We should verify potential effects of reproductive interference and propotency in future to elucidate the mystery of prior selfing in this mixed mating species with delayed selfing.

High Antioxidant Ability Confer Resistance to Atrazine in Commelina communis L.

Asiatic dayflower (Commelina communis L.) is a detrimental weed that mainly infests corn and soybean fields in China. Recently, some C. communis populations have exhibited resistance to atrazine, intensifying the difficulties in controlling the weed. However, little is known on the mechanism underlying C. communis resistance to atrazine. Therefore, two populations collected from Jilin (JL-1) and Jiangsu (JS-10) provinces of China were used to evaluate their growth responses to atrazine. The results showed that the JL-1 population displayed a low level of resistance to atrazine compared with JS-10 population, with the resistant index (RI) value of 2.9. To determine if a mutation in the psbA gene was the basis for varied resistance to this herbicide, the full-length gene encoding 353 amino acids with no intron was sequenced by using genome-walking techniques. No mutation known to confer resistance to atrazine was observed in either JL-1 or JS-10 populations. The malondialdehyde (MDA) contents relative to the control group were significantly higher in JS-10 population than in JL-1 population at 7 days after treatment with atrazine, suggesting that atrazine induced severer oxidant damage on JS-10 population. Additionally, significantly enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), were detected in the JL-1 population, which was most likely to confer resistance to atrazine. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first investigation into the potential genetic and enzymatic differences contributing to atrazine resistance in this population.

Deciphering the Endophytic and Rhizospheric Microbial Communities of a Metallophyte Commelina communis in Different Cu-Polluted Soils

Metallophytes microbiota play a key role in plant growth and resistance to heavy metal stress. Comparing to the well-studied single or some specific plant growth-promoting (PGP) bacterial strains, our current understanding of the structural and functional variations of microbiome of metallophytes is still limited. Here, we systematically investigated the endophytic and rhizosphere bacterial community profiles of a metallophyte Commelina communis growing in different Cu-polluted soils by high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that the rhizosphere communities of C. communis exhibited a much higher level of diversity and richness than the endosphere communities. Meanwhile, shifts in the bacterial community composition were observed between the rhizosphere and endosphere of C. communis, indicating plant compartment was a strong driver for the divergence between rhizosphere and endosphere community. Among the environmental factors, soil Cu content, followed by OM, TP and TN, played major roles in shaping the bacterial community structure of C. communis. At the highly Cu-contaminated site, Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas were the predominant genera in the endophytic and rhizospheric bacterial communities, respectively, which might enhance copper tolerance as PGP bacteria. In summary, our findings will be useful to better understand metallophyte–microbe interactions and select suitable bacterial taxa when facilitating phytoremediation.

Evolution of Flavylium-Based Color Systems in Plants: What Physical Chemistry Can Tell Us

Anthocyanins are the basis of the color of angiosperms, 3-deoxyanthocyanins and sphagnorubin play the same role in mosses and ferns, and auronidins are responsible for the color in liverworts. In this study, the color system of cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (kuromanin) as a representative compound of simpler anthocyanins was fully characterized by stopped flow. This type of anthocyanin cannot confer significant color to plants without intra- or intermolecular interactions, complexation with metals or supramolecular structures as in Commelina communis. The anthocyanin’s color system was compared with those of 3-deoxyanthocyanins and riccionidin A, the aglycone of auronidins. The three systems follow the same sequence of chemical reactions, but the respective thermodynamics and kinetics are dramatically different.

ECOLOGICAL NICHE OF COMMELINA COMMUNIS (COMMELINACEAE) IN THE PRIMORYE TERRITORY (THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST)

On the example of Commelina communis L. (Commelinaceae), the typical weed in the south of the Russian Far East, it has been demonstrated that the invasive activity of species significantly increases in conditions of the Pacific monsoon climate. The range of the most important ecological factors (humidity, richness and salinity of soil, the soil texture as well as soil moisture variability) in the Pacific coast is wider than in continental areas. It is quite possible that in the south of Primorye Territory we have the northern part of the Commelina communis natural area of distribution.

A Reliable LC-MS/MS Method for the Quantification of Two Pairs of Isomeric Flavonoids from Commelina Communis Linn in Rat Plasma: Validation and Pharmacokinetic Applications

Background: Commelina communis Linn (Commelinae Herba) is a traditional Chinese medicine that can be used both as food and as medicine. It has been used to treat a variety of disorders, including a cold, high fever, sore throat, edema and oliguria for many years. Two pairs of isomeric flavonoid glycosides are the main active components in Commelina communis Linn, and they have a high content. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacodynamic and pharmacological effects of Commelina communis Linn. Method: A sensitive, efficient, and rapid LC-MS/MS method was developed to simultaneously identify two pairs of isomeric flavonoid glycosides in rats. Chromatographic separation was carried out on a Wonda Cract ODS-2 C18 column (150 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 μm) using a mobile phase composed of 0.1% formic acid (aqueous solution) and methanol at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. The detection of the four analytes and the internal standard (IS) sulfamethoxazole was performed with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in negative electrospray ionization mode. All the analytes were eluted within 20 min. Results: This method was successfully applied for simultaneous identification of the concentrations of the four compounds in the plasma after the oral administration of 10 mL/kg Commelina communis Linn extract to rats. The pharmacokinetic study indicated that analytes reached their Cmax in approximately 15 min and could be detected until 12 h. Conclusion: The method complies with the State Food and Drug Administration guidelines for selectivity, sensitivity, accuracy, precision, matrix effect, extraction recovery and stability. This is the first report on the pharmacokinetics of Commelina communis Linn. The information gained from this research may be valuable for the preclinical and clinical applications of Commelina communis Linn.

Az Oenothera pycnocarpa Atk. & Bartl. Magyarországon, és kiegészítések néhány idegenhonos faj hazai elterjedéséhez

A tanulmány 19 neofita faj 153 új elterjedési adatát tartalmazza Magyarország területéről az elmúlt néhány évből. Először sikerült kimutatni Magyarországról az Oenothera pycnocarpa-t, mely Tápiószecső határában, ugaron telepedett meg. Megadjuk a talált növények részletes morfológiai leírását, fotókkal illusztrálva. Európai példák alapján lassú terjedése várható, mely nem fenyegeti a természetes élőhelyeket átalakítással. Bemutatunk 3 átalakító fajt, melyek közül a Sporobolus cryptandrus homoki gyepeket veszélyeztet a Kiskunságban, a Prunus serotina a Bakonyalján tölgyes felújítások során jelent fokozódó problémát, míg a Panicum dichotomiflorum (elsősorban az Északi-középhegységben) gyorsuló ütemben alakítja át a mezőgazdasági területek gyomvegetációját és a mezsgyék, útszélek növényzetét. Részben átalakító fajok közül kettőt ismertetünk. Az Alföld kivételével, az ország nagy részén már igen elterjedt Impatiens parviflora alföldperemi, szigetszerű erdőfoltban való megjelenéséről számolunk be, valamint számos helyről mutatjuk ki az alulkutatott Oenothera depressa-t, mely az egyik leggyakoribb ligetszépe taxon a Kiskunságban, és főleg homoki parlagokon, meddőhányókon és törmelékdombokon, esetenként homoki gyepekben és kultúrerdők nyílt homokfelszínein él. Az Oenothera pycnocarpa-n kívül 10 további terjedő, de (még) nem átalakító fajról is közlünk adatokat. A Commelina communis jellegzetes városi előfordulásai mellett vasúti sínek között és erdei szemétkupacon is megjelent. A Cymbalaria muralis nagyobb városokon kívül már kisebb falvak kőfalain is megtalálható. Az Euphorbia maculata, E. prostrata és az Eleusine indica jellemző városi populációin kívül ma már falvakban és műutak, földutak településektől távoli pontjain is élnek. Az Iva xanthiifolia trágyadombon, szántóparlagon és vadszórókon került elő, lassan terjedő faj. A Lepidium densiflorum megjelenése földutakon és vasútállomásokon jellegzetes. A dísznövényként ültetett Oenothera glazioviana szubspontán állományai elsősorban faluszéli árokpartokon, szemétdombokon, ritkábban homoki parlagokon bukkannak fel és élnek túl. A Phytolacca esculenta gyorsuló invázióját zöldhulladék-dombi, árokparti és városi parki adatokkal dokumentáljuk. A Trigonella caerulea egykori takarmánynövény, mely homoki szántóparlagokon önfenntartó állományokat hozott létre Fülöpszállás határában. Végül bemutatunk 3 alkalmi kivadulót. Az Euphorbia lathyris és az Impatiens balfourii terjesztésében nagy szerepet játszanak az illegális zöldhulladék-dombok, a lerakott nyesedék. A világszerte is csak ritkán kivaduló Goniolimon tataricum szubspontán előfordulását a Balaton-felvidéken útrézsűkön, Kunszentmiklóson temetőben figyeltük meg.