(+)-Dehydrovomifoliol Alleviates Oleic Acid-Induced Lipid Accumulation in HepG2 Cells via the PPARα–FGF21 Pathway

An overload of hepatic fatty acids, such as oleic acid is a key trigger of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Here, we investigated whether Artemisia frigida, a valuable traditional medicine used to treat various diseases, could mitigate OA-induced lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells. Then, to identify the active substances in A. frigida, a phytochemistry investigation was conducted using a bioassay-guided isolation method. Consequently, one terpene (1) and one flavone (2) were identified. Compound 1 ((+)-dehydrovomifoliol) exhibited potent effects against lipid accumulation in OA-induced HepG2 cells, without causing cyto-toxicity. Notably, treatment with (+)-dehydrovomifoliol decreased the expression levels of three genes related to lipogenesis (SREBP1, ACC, and FASN) and increased those of three genes related to fatty acid oxidation (PPARα, ACOX1, and FGF21). In addition, similar results were observed for SREBP1, PPARα, and FGF21 protein levels. The effects of (+)-dehydrovomifoliol were partially reversed by treatment with the PPARα antagonist GW6471, indicating the important role of the PPARα–FGF21 axis in the effects of (+)-dehydrovomifoliol. Based on its effects on hepatic lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation signaling via the PPARα–FGF21 axis, (+)-dehydrovomifoliol isolated from A. frigida could be a useful early lead compound for developing new drugs for NAFLD prevention.

PRODUCTIVITY OF THE NATURAL STEPPE PASTURES IN THE HEREFORDS GRAZING AREAS IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF TYVA

Представлены результаты исследования травостоя степных пастбищ на местах выпаса породы герефордов в условиях Республики Тыва. Выявлен видовой состав трех растительных сообществ, определены продуктивность их надземной фитомассы, распределение растений по экологическим группам, и проанализирован спектр жизненных форм. Рассчитан коэффициент закустаренности и поедаемости на изучаемых пастбищах. Наибольшее значение коэффициента закустаренности на злаково-разнотравно-кустарниковом участке (№ 2) — 0,51; ковыльно-стоповидно-осоково-кустарниковом (№ 3) — 0,19; наименьшее — на разнотравно-стоповидно-осоковом с караганой карликовой (№ 1) — 0,08. Выявлено, что на всех участках травостой представлен травянистыми многолетниками, кустарниками и полукустарниками. Типичные ксерофиты (эуксерофиты), наиболее характерные для настоящих степей, составляют основу данных растительных сообществ. Доля ксерофитов, к которым относятся тонконог тонкий (Koeleria cristata), ковыль. (Stipa pennata), мятлик (Poa attenuate), типчак (Festuca valesiaca), осока твердоватая (Carex duriuscula), лапчатка бесстебельная (Potentilla acaulis) и вильчатая (Р. bifurca) карагана карликовая (Caragana pygmaea), полынь холодная (Artemisia frigidа), колеблется от 45,45% до 65%. Ксеромезофиты встречаются на всех трех площадках, доля их колеблется от 9,09% до 22,22%. Продуктивность надземной фитомассы на участках № 1 составила 6,88 ц/га, № 2 — 6,26 ц/га, № 3 — 6,15 ц/га. Масса подстилки — относительно высокая на всех участках, так как учет продуктивности проведен в начале июня, когда только заканчивается переход ветоши в подстилку. Основу травостоя составляют хорошо поедаемые злаки, осоки и полукустарники. В настоящее время состояние пастбищ вполне удовлетворительное, несмотря на невысокое видовое разнообразие. The results of the study of the steppe pastures grass stand in the Hereford breed grazing areas in the conditions of the Republic of Tyva are presented. The species composition of three plant communities was revealed, the productivity of their aboveground phytomass was determined, the distribution of plants by ecological groups and the spectrum of life forms was analyzed. The coefficient of overgrowth and palatability on the studied pastures is calculated. The highest value of the coefficient of overgrowth on the gramineous-forb-shrubby plot (No. 2) is 0.51; needlegrass-pediform-sedgy-shrubby plot (No. 3) is 0.19; the lowest is on the forb-pediform-sedgy plot with pygmy pea shrub (No. 1) is 0.08. It was revealed that in all plots the grass stand crop is represented with herbaceous plurannuals, shrubs and subshrubs. Typical xerophytes (euxerophytes), the most typical for these steppes, form the basis of these plant communities. The proportion of xerophytes, which include thin June grass (Koeleria cristata), needlegrass (Stipa pennata), bluegrass (Poa attenuate), sheep fescue (Festuca valesiaca), hard sedge (Carex duriuscula), acauline cinquefoil (Potentilla acaulis) and forcipate (R. bifurca), pygmy pea shrub (Caragana pygmaea), pasture sagebrush (Artemisia frigida), ranges from 45.45 to 65%. Xeromesophytes are found at all three plots, their share ranges from 9.09 to 22.22%. The productivity of aboveground phytomass in plots No. 1 was 6.88 c/ha, No. 2 — 6.26 c/ha, No. 3 — 6.15 c/ha. The mass of the bedding is relatively high in all plots, since the productivity was taken into account at the beginning of June, when the transition of rags to the bedding is just finishing. The basis of the grass stand is well-eaten cereals, sedges and subshrubs. Currently, the condition of the pastures is quite satisfactory, despite the low species diversity.

Contrasting effects of local environment and grazing pressure on the genetic diversity and structure of Artemisia frigida

Drylands count among the most globally extensive biomes, and while many desert and dry rangeland ecosystems are under threat, genetic structures of dryland species are still rarely studied. Artemisia frigida is one of the most widely distributed plant species in the temperate rangelands of Eurasia and North America, and it also dominates in many habitats of Mongolia due to its tolerance to low temperatures, drought and disturbance. Local environmental conditions and grazing pressure can influence species performance and affect spatial patterns of genetic diversity in contrasting ways, and our study set out to evaluate such effects on the genetic diversity and structure of A. frigida. We first developed new species-specific Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs) markers using whole genome sequencing. We then analysed 11 populations of A. frigida that had been sampled along a large climatic gradient in Mongolia, which were sub-structured according to three levels of grazing intensity. Estimates of genetic diversity at the population level were high (HO = 0.56, HE = 0.73) and tended to increase with higher precipitation and soil nutrient availability. Grazing had no effect on genetic diversity, however, a high number of grazing-specific indicator alleles was found at grazed sites. Genetic differentiation among populations was extremely low (global GST = 0.034). Analysis of Molecular Variance revealed 5% variance between populations along the climatic gradient, with 3% of the variance being partitioned among different grazing intensity levels. We found no relationship between geographic and genetic distances, and thus no isolation by distance in this widely distributed species. The relatively low genetic structuring suggests that considerable gene flow exists among A. frigida populations across the rangelands of Mongolia, in spite of the pervasive grazing in the region.

The Effects of Vegetation Type on Oedaleus decorus asiaticus (Orthoptera: Acrididae) Oviposition and Hatching Success

Oedaleus decorus asiaticus (Bei-Bienko, 1941) has been regarded as one of the most dominant locusts in the northern grassland, the adjacent area of agriculture and animal farmland, in China. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of vegetation type on the oviposition behavior of this pest in an open field and the hatching success of the offspring in the following year. The results showed that vegetation type did have a significant effect on whether any egg pods were laid by O. d. asiaticus. Once the females laid eggs, vegetation type and cage number had a significant effect on the number of egg pods laid. The highest number of egg pods was found in the Cleistogenes squarrosa treatment, followed by Stipa krylovii and then Leymus chinensis, while the Artemisia frigida treatment contained the lowest number of egg pods. The O. d. asiaticus eggs laid in S. krylovii and C. squarrosa treatments had a significantly higher hatching success rate (over 53%) than the other two grasses (below 40%). In short, habitats with C. squarrosa and S. krylovii grasses are likely to be preferred by ovipositing females, thus population monitoring efforts of O. d. asiaticus should focus on these habitats.

Changes of Aboveground and Belowground Biomass Allocation in Four Dominant Grassland Species Across a Precipitation Gradient

Climate change is predicted to affect plant growth, but also the allocation of biomass to aboveground and belowground plant parts. To date, studies have mostly focused on aboveground biomass, while belowground biomass and allocation patterns have received less attention. We investigated changes in biomass allocation along a controlled gradient of precipitation in an experiment with four plant species (Leymus chinensis, Stipa grandis, Artemisia frigida, and Potentilla acaulis) dominant in Inner Mongolia steppe. Results showed that aboveground biomass, belowground biomass and total biomass all increased with increasing growing season precipitation, as expected in this water-limited ecosystem. Biomass allocation patterns also changed along the precipitation gradient, but significant variation between species was apparent. Specifically, the belowground biomass: aboveground biomass ratio (i.e., B:A ratio) of S. grandis was not impacted by precipitation amount, while B:A ratios of the other three species changed in different ways along the gradient. Some of these differences in allocation strategies may be related to morphological differences, specifically, the presence of rhizomes or stolons, though no consistent patterns emerged. Isometric partitioning, i.e., constant allocation of biomass aboveground and belowground, seemed to occur for one species (S. grandis), but not for the three rhizome or stolon-forming ones. Indeed, for these species, the slope of the allometric regression between log-transformed belowground biomass and log-transformed aboveground biomass significantly differed from 1.0 and B:A ratios changed along the precipitation gradient. As changes in biomass allocation can affect ecosystem functioning and services, our results can be used as a basis for further studies into allocation patterns, especially in a context of environmental change.

Long-term overgrazing restricted the proliferation of shrubs in a desert steppe

Maintenance of a desirable mixture of shrubs and grasses is a key issue in sustainable grazing management. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of long-term sheep grazing on desert steppe shrubs. Based on a long-term controlled sheep stocking rate experiment in a desert steppe of north China, combined with long-term random sampling monitoring of above-ground vegetation standing crop (14 years) and short-term systematic sampling monitoring of vegetation cover and individual characteristics of shrubs (3 years), we analyzed plant community changes, the current situation of shrubs and the response of individual shrub characteristics to stocking rate. We found that low stocking rates have increased the cumulative above-ground standing crop of shrubs and herbaceous plants, but the cumulative above-ground standing crop of shrubs under high grazing rates tends to be flat. The cover and height of four shrub species generally showed a decrease with increasing stocking rate, while the response of the four shrubs to the stocking rate gradient varied. Among four shrub species, Artemisia frigida was the most sensitive to stocking rate, followed by Ceratoides latens and Caragana microphylla, while Kochia prostrata was relatively insensitive to stocking rate. These results suggest that grassland managers can use an appropriate stocking rate to maintain desirable plant community composition and configuration in the temperate grassland.

THE CONTENT OF RUTIN, APIGENIN-7-O-GLUCOSIDE AND THE LEVEL OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC PIGMENTS OF ALYSSUM LENENSE ADAMS (BRASSICACEAE BURNETT) GROWING IN DIFFERENT PHYTOCENOTIC CONDI-TIONS OF CENTRAL YAKUTIA

The features of accumulation of rutin and apigenin-7-O-glucoside and their distribution in the aboveground organs of Alyssum lenense Adams (Brassicaceae Burnett) were revealed. The content of photosynthetic pigments was investigated depending on the phytocenotic conditions of plant growth in the territory of Central Yakutia. The data obtained on the content of flavonoids are characterized by an uneven distribution over organs with respect to different phytocenotic conditions of the growth of cenopopulations. A. lenense was collected during flowering period in 8 cenopopulations and in the collection of the Yakutsk Botanical Garden. The distribution of rutin content over the aboveground organs of A. lenense was directed: flowers → leaves → stem and depended on the altitude of the population growth, shading, and phytocenosis. The distribution pattern of apigenin-7-O-glucoside corresponded to the scheme: flowers / = leaves → stem and depended on phytocenotic growing conditions. It was revealed that rutin in flowers is higher than apigenin-7-O-glucoside under the conditions of introduction and in the Veronica incana-Festuca lenensis-Stipa capillata grass steppe; in the plants of the other studied cenopopulations, the ratio was inverse. The same amount of flavonoids in flowers was observed in A. lenense, growing in Pulsatilla flavescens steppe and Artemisia commutata steppe. In most of the studied cenopopulations, the content of apigenin-7-O-glucoside in leaves and stems was higher than rutin, with the exception of populations growing in a dry pine forest, at the edge of a pine forest, and in leaves - only in plants on an artificial slope at the initial stage overgrowth. Phytocenotic growing conditions affect the amount of pigments in the leaves of A. lenense: the largest amount was recorded in the population growing in a dry pine forest, and the smallest in Artemisia frigida steppe and Artemisia commutata steppe.

Studies of endophytic fungi in some grassland plants

Most endophytes have beneficial properties for host plants, and some endophytic fungi are relatively harmless to plants, but some endophytic fungi can harm for animals. Thus, based on the study of edible plant of animals, we isolated from 2017 and 2018 years 71 pure cultures of endophytic fungi from the roots, stems and leaves of 6 plant species, such as Artemisia Frigida, Allium Bidentatum, Artenisia Adamsii, Kochia Prostrarta, Stipa Krylovii, Carex Duriuscula,. Based on the results we isolate seventy-one fungal strains from plant organs.The fungal strains identified based on their morphological characteristics such as Alternaria (16), Aspergillus (21), Fusarium (23), Pennicilium (6), Phoma (2), Trihoderma harzianum (2), Pestalotiopsis sp (1).Three classes, Dothiodeomycetes, Eurotiomycetes and Sordariomycetes have been identified in the DNA phylogenetic tree of the genomes of most edible plants of animal. According to the Statistical analysis of DCA process, Penicillium and Fusarium were found in 2017, and Aspegillus and Phoma were found in 2018. These differences suggest that different environmental parameters such as precipitation, temperature, humidity or seasonality play an important role in the distribution of endophytes. Бэлчээрийн зарим ургамлын эндофит мөөгөнцрийн судалгаа Ихэнх эндофитууд нь эзэн ургамалдаа ашигтай шинж чанар үзүүлдэг ба цөөхөн хэдэн эндофит мөөгөнцөр ургамлдаа өвчин үүсгэгч гэх үзүүлэх сөрөг нөлөө нь харьцангүй бага боловч мал гэмтээдэг болохыг тогтоосон байдаг. Иймд бид ургамлын идэмжийн судалгаанд тулгуурлан улирал тус бүрт мал сонгон идэж буй шивээт Хялгана, шүдлэг Сонгино, дэлхээ Тогторгоно, ширэг Улалж, агь Шарилж, адамсийн Шарилж зэрэг 6 зүйл ургамлын үндэс, иш, навчнаас эндофит мөөгөнцрийн 71 цэвэр өсгөвөр ялгасан. Ургамлын эрхтэн тус бүрээс цэвэр өсгөврийн төрлийн хамаарлыг морфологи шинж чанараар тодорхойлоход 7 төрөлд хамаарагдав. Үүнд: Ихэнх ургамлын өсгөвөрөөр Alternaria (16), Aspergillus (21), Fusarium (23), Pennicilium (6), Phoma (2), Trihoderma harzianum (2), Pestalotiopsis sp (1). Мал голлон иддэг ургамлын геномын ДНХ-н филогенетикийн мод хийхэд Dothiodeomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Sordariomycetes гэсэн гурван анги илэрсэн. Статистик боловсруулалтын төсөөний процетоор (DCA) тодорхойлход Penicillium, Fusarium мөөгөнцөр 2017 онд илэрч байсан бол, 2018 онд Aspegillus, Phoma төрлийн мөөгөнцөр илэрч байна. Эдгээр ялгаа нь эндофитын тархалтад хур тунадас, агаарын температур, чийгшил эсвэл улирлын байдал зэрэг орчны янз бүрийн параметрүүд чухал үүрэг гүйцэтгэдэг болохыг харуулж байна. Түлхүүр үг: Мөөгөнцөр, эндофит, цэвэр өсгөвөр, молекул биологи