Camellia Seeds Research Articles

Comparison of Oil Content and Fatty Acid Profile of Ten New Camellia oleifera Cultivars.

The oil contents and fatty acid (FA) compositions of ten new and one wild Camellia oleifera varieties were investigated. Oil contents in camellia seeds from new C. oleifera varied with cultivars from 41.92% to 53.30% and were affected by cultivation place. Average oil content (47.83%) of dry seeds from all ten new cultivars was almost the same as that of wild common C. oleifera seeds (47.06%). New C. oleifera cultivars contained similar FA compositions which included palmitic acid (C16:0, PA), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), stearic acid (C18:0, SA), oleic acid (C18:1, OA), linoleic acid (C18:2, LA), linolenic acid (C18:3), eicosenoic acid (C20:1), and tetracosenoic acid (C24:1). Predominant FAs in mature seeds were OA (75.78%~81.39%), LA (4.85%~10.79%), PA (7.68%~10.01%), and SA (1.46%~2.97%) and OA had the least coefficient of variation among different new cultivars. Average ratio of single FA of ten artificial C. oleifera cultivars was consistent with that of wild common C. oleifera. All cultivars contained the same ratios of saturated FA (SFA) and unsaturated FA (USFA). Oil contents and FA profiles of new cultivars were not significantly affected by breeding and selection.

Determination of Tea Saponin in Camellia Seed Oil with UV and HPLC Analysis

A simple procedure is described for the HPLC and UV determination of tea saponin in tea seed oil. Determinate was accomplished with UV wavelength detection 550 nm for saponification sample, and HPLC was done under conditions: C18 analytical column of TC-C18, 4. 6 × 250 mm, column temperature at room temperature, injected sample volume was 10 μL, mobile phase’s methanol, flow-rate 0.8 ml/min and detection wavelength 280 nm.

Study on Solubility, Water-Holding Capacity and Stability of Polypeptide from Camellia Seed Meal

The influence of temperature and pH on solubility, water-holding capacity (WHC) and stability of polypeptide from camellia seed meal were studied. The polypeptide was extracted from camellia seed meal by trypsin after ultrasonic pretreatment, with a degree of hydrolysis (DH) of 21.69%. At this DH, the camellia seed meal polypeptide (CSMP) has better solubility and WHC with a proper higher temperature or when its pH deviates from the isoelectric point. Moreover, the CSMP would not agglutinate in alkaline range even though it is heated to 121°C, and after storing under the condition of -18°C for a month, it would not precipitate after thawing. The results show that the CSMP has great solubility and WHC in both acidic and alkaline conditions, as well as good thermal stability and freezing storage stability in alkaline range.

Identification and expression of fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase genes and their relations to oil content in developing seeds of tea oil tree (Camellia oleifera).

Tea oil tree (Camellia oleifera, Co) provides a fine edible oil source in China. Tea oil from the seeds is very beneficial to human health. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) hydrolyzes fructose-1,6-bisphosphate into dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, two critical metabolites for oil biosynthesis. The objectives of this study were to identify FBA genes and investigate the relationship between FBA gene expression and oil content in developing seeds of tea oil tree. In this paper, four developmentally up-regulated CoFBA genes were identified in Camellia oleifera seeds based on the transcriptome from two seed developmental stages corresponding to the initiation and peak stages of lipid biosynthesis. The expression of CoFBA genes, along with three key oil biosynthesis genes CoACP, CoFAD2 and CoSAD were analyzed in seeds from eight developmental stages by real-time quantitative PCR. The oil content and fatty acid composition were also analyzed. The results showed that CoFBA and CoSAD mRNA levels were well-correlated with oil content whereas CoFAD2 gene expression levels were correlated with fatty acid composition in Camellia seeds. We propose that CoFBA and CoSAD are two important factors for determining tea oil yield because CoFBA gene controls the flux of key intermediates for oil biosynthesis and CoSAD gene controls the synthesis of oleic acid, which accounts for 80% of fatty acids in tea oil. These findings suggest that tea oil yield could be improved by enhanced expression of CoFBA and CoSAD genes in transgenic plants.

Fractal Modeling Research in Permeability of Camellia and Bancoul Nut Cakes under Cold-Press

This study focuses on cold-pressed oil cakes of camellia and bancoul nut seeds, studying the fractal characteristics of pore microstructure of these two oilseed cakes. Combined with the fractal theory, the Darcy law and Hagen-Poiseuille formula were applied to establish a fractal permeability model of oil seed cakes. Cold press was used to determine permeability of oil cakes of camellia and bancoul nut seeds. The calculated values obtained through the model were compared to the experimental values. The relative average errors for camellia and bancoul nut oilseed cakes were 11.7% and 8.7%, respectively.

Correlation between camellia seed aliphatic acid composition and hyperspectral reflectance

By testing the mount of oleic acid,linoleic acid,and palmitic acid of 30 samples of camellia seeds and their hyperspectral reflectance,this paper analyzed correlation between camellia aliphatic acid amount and their hyperspectral reflectance by means of quantitative analysis.The result showed that the hyperspectral bands that had a close connection with the correlation of aliphatic acid of camellia seed were particularly located in the 400–500 nm,600–630 nm,and 900 nm.In addition,in the sensitive hyperspectral bands,all the correlation coefficients between the hyperspectral reflectance and the aliphatic acid amount were more than 0.4.

Selection of reference genes for quantitative real-time PCR in six oil-tea camellia based on RNA-seq

qRT-PCR is becoming a routine tool in molecular biology to study gene expression. It is nec- essary to find stable reference genes when performing qRT-PCR. The expression of genes cloned in oil-tea camellia currently can't be accurately analyzed because of a lack of suitable reference genes. We collected different tissues (including roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds) from six oil-tea camellia species to determine stable reference genes. Five novel and ten traditional reference gene sequences were selected from the RNA-seq database of Camellia oleifera C. Abel seeds and specific PCR primers were designed for each. Cycle threshold (Ct) data were obtained from each reaction for all samples. Three different software tools, geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper were applied to calculate the expression stability of the candidate reference genes according to the Ct values. The results were similar between analyzed by the three software packages, and indicated that the traditional gene TUBa-3, AC17a and the novel gene CESA were relatively stable in all species and tissues. However, no genes were sufficiently stable across all species and tissues, thus the optimal number of reference genes required for accurate normalization varied from two to six. Finally, the relative expression ofsqualene synthase (SQS) and squalene epoxidase (SQE) genes related to important ingredients squalene and tea saponin in oil-tea camellia seeds were compared by using stable to less stable reference genes. The comparison results validated the selection of reference genes in the current study. In summary, different optimal numbers of suitable reference genes were found for the different tissues of six oil-tea camellia species.

Histopathological Changes in Tissues of Bithynia siamensis goniomphalos Incubated in Crude Extracts of Camellia Seed and Mangosteen Pericarp

The present study was performed to observe histopathological changes in tissues of Bithynia siamensis goniomphalos (Gastropoda, Bithyniidae) incubated in crude extract solutions of camellia (Camellia oleifera) seed and mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) pericarp, and furthermore to estimate the molluscicidal effects of 2 plant substances. Substantial numbers of bithyniid snails were incubated in various concentrations of 2 plant solution for 24 hr. As the positive control, snails incubated in various concentrations of niclosamide, a chemical molluscicide, were used. The histopathological findings were observed in sectioned snail specimens of each experimental and control groups. The results showed that both camellia and mangosteen extracts had molluscicidal effects at 24 hr with 50% lethal concentration (LC50) at concentrations of 0.003 and 0.002 g/ml, respectively, while niclosamide had LC50 at concentrations 0.599 ppm. B. siamensis goniomphalos snail tissues (foot, gill, and digestive system) showed disruption of columnar muscle fibers of the foot, reduction of the length and number of gill cilia, numerous mucous vacuoles, and irregularly shaped of epithelial cells. Irregular apical and calciferous cells, dilatation of the digestive gland tubule, and large hemolymphatic spaces, and irregular apical surfaces, detachment of cilia, and enlargement of lysosomal vacuoles of epidermis were also shown in all groups. By the present study, it is confirmed that 2 plants, camellia and mangosteen, are keeping some substance having molluscicidal effects, and histopathological findings obtained in this study will provide some clues in further studies on their action mechanisms to use them as natural molluscicides.

The Research of Impact Factor of Aflatoxins in Oil-Tea Camellia Seed and Oil-Tea Camellia Seed Cake

Through sampling from production enterprise, and testing methods design, the risk of aflatoxin contamination of Camellia oleifera seed was explored. It was proved that the chance of aflatoxin contamination is very small, for mainly processing happened in wintry and spring. After 7 days, 14 and 21 days artificial inoculation, the aflatoxin B1 in the cake was 1.7, 3.6 and 9.9 μg/kg, respectively, while the quality in camellia benevolence was 2.6, 1.8 μg/kg and below the detection limit 0.2 μg/kg. The results explained that Camellia oleifera seed can be untainted by aflatoxin in hot and humid climate conditions. The study answered the question whether the Camellia oleifera seed could be contaminated by aflatoxin, which wa an unresolved problem for a long-term. Also the conclusion was a warning for the safety of storage and production of Camellia oleifera seed in high temperature seasons.

Effect of Microwave Treatment on the Extraction Speed and Quality of Camellia Seed Oil

The effects of microwave treatment on the microstructure, oil yield of camellia seeds, and main physicochemical indexes, fatty acid composition of the oil were researched. The results showed that microwave treatment can improve the speed of extracting oil, and have a certain impact on the fatty acid composition and the quality of camellia seed oil.

Supercritical CO<sub>2</sub> Extraction of Tea Seed Oil from Camellia Seeds and Composition Analysis of Tea Seed Oil Extracts

The extraction of tea seed oil obtained from wild camellia seed using supercritical CO2 extraction has been investigated. The extraction was carried out under operation pressures of 20, 30, 35, 40 and 50 MPas at 45°C, with a supercritical fluid flow rate of 5mL•min-1. The collected extracts were analyzed and the relative compositions of the tea oil were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS). The purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of operation pressure on the extraction yield, extraction time, and extract composition. The results from supercritical CO2 fluid extraction (SFE) showed that the extraction pressure positively related to the extraction yield and negatively and linearly related to the extraction time. Only 5 constituents were found in the extract under the pressure of 20 MPa. However, about 20 constituents in the extract were obtained under the pressure of 35 MPa, approximately the same as those under 50 MPa. The curve of the extraction pressure versus the extraction yield demonstrated that the extractable constituents of wide camellia seeds have two states: a free state and a bound state. In the bound state, extractable constituents can only be extracted under an extraction pressure above the threshold. Taking into consideration of the extraction yield, equipment, and operation, the appropriate pressure of the SFE is between 36.4 MPa and 40 MPa.

東京都利島村におけるツバキ実生産による高齢者の生計維持

東京都利島村におけるツバキ実生産による高齢者の生計維持

Evaluation of Forestry Residue-Source Oil-Tea Cake as an Extender for Phenol-Formaldehyde Plywood Adhesive

Forestry residue-source oil-tea cake (consisting of plant protein, tannin, carbohydrate compounds, and tea saponin) is a major by-product from the pressing process of Camellia (Camellia oleifera Abel) seeds. In this study, we evaluated oil-tea cake as a potential extender to replace the current industry extender, wheat flour, for applications with phenol-formaldehyde (PF) plywood adhesives. We evaluated mixing properties, curing characteristics, and adhesion performance of the adhesive containing oil-tea cake as compared with those of the standard wheat flour–based adhesive. The oil-tea cake–based adhesive showed excellent mixing properties and working life, and its viscosity met the recommended value for the sprayline coater. The adhesive containing oil-tea cake was comparable in wet shear strength and wood failure values of plywood to the wheat flour–based adhesive. Thermal analysis showed that adhesives containing oil-tea cake had significant curing reactions because of the relatively large curing enthalpy (DH) value of oil-tea cake. These results indicate that oil-tea cake is suitable as a low-cost and effective plywood adhesive extender. Therefore, using oil-tea cake is economically beneficial because it not only makes use of what would otherwise be forestry residue, but it is cheaper to use as a plywood adhesive than wheat flour.

Natural selection drives the fine-scale divergence of a coevolutionary arms race involving a long-mouthed weevil and its obligate host plant

BackgroundOne of the major recent advances in evolutionary biology is the recognition that evolutionary interactions between species are substantially differentiated among geographic populations. To date, several authors have revealed natural selection pressures mediating the geographically-divergent processes of coevolution. How local, then, is the geographic structuring of natural selection in coevolutionary systems?ResultsI examined the spatial scale of a "geographic selection mosaic," focusing on a system involving a seed-predatory insect, the camellia weevil (Curculio camelliae), and its host plant, the Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica). In this system, female weevils excavate camellia fruits with their extremely-long mouthparts to lay eggs into seeds, while camellia seeds are protected by thick pericarps. Quantitative evaluation of natural selection demonstrated that thicker camellia pericarps are significantly favored in some, but not all, populations within a small island (Yakushima Island, Japan; diameter ca. 30 km). At the extreme, camellia populations separated by only several kilometers were subject to different selection pressures. Interestingly, in a population with the thickest pericarps, camellia individuals with intermediate pericarp thickness had relatively high fitness when the potential costs of producing thick pericarps were considered. Also importantly, some parameters of the weevil - camellia interaction such as the severity of seed infestation showed clines along temperature, suggesting the effects of climate on the fine-scale geographic differentiation of the coevolutionary processes.ConclusionThese results show that natural selection can drive the geographic differentiation of interspecific interactions at surprisingly small spatial scales. Future studies should reveal the evolutionary/ecological outcomes of the "fine scale geographic mosaics" in biological communities.

Dispersal of Camellia japonica seeds by Apodemus speciosus revealed by maternity analysis of plants and behavioral observation of animal vectors

AbstractSeed dispersal determines a plant's reproductive success, range expansion, and population genetic structures. Camellia japonica, a common evergreen tree in Japan, has been the subject of recent genetic studies of population structure, but its mode of seed dispersal has been assumed, without detailed study, to be barochory. The morphological and physiological features of C. japonica seeds, which are large and nutritious, suggest zoochorous dispersal, however. We compared actual distances between mother trees and seedlings with distances attributable to gravity dispersion only, to test the zoochory hypothesis of C. japonica. The animals that transport the seeds for caching were identified experimentally. We also examined the extent to which seed dispersal is affected by the behavior of animal vectors. Seed dispersal by Apodemus speciosus was confirmed by taking photographs of animals that were consuming seeds experimentally deposited on the ground. Camellia seeds hoarded by the rodents under the litter or soil were protected from drying. On the basis of microsatellite analysis of maternal tissue from the seed coat, the mother trees of 28 seedlings were identified. Maternity analysis revealed the average seed‐dispersal distance from mother trees was 5.8 m±6.0 SD, a distance greater than initial dispersal by gravity alone. These results indicate that C. japonica is a zoochorous species dispersed by A. speciosus. Fifty percent of the seed dispersal occurred from mature evergreen forests to dwarf bamboo thickets. This directional seed dispersal would contribute to range expansion of C. japonica. Home range sizes of A. speciosus were 0.85 ha at most and covered with different types of vegetation, from evergreen forests to grassland. This low specificity of their microhabitat use might enhance seed dispersal to different types of vegetation.

Involvement of Acetaldehyde in Seed Deterioration of Some Recalcitrant Woody Species through the Acceleration of Aerobic Respiration

The rate of acetaldehyde (Ald) evolution in the deterioration of recalcitrant woody seeds was investigated. Four plant species, Ligustrum japonicum, Quercus serrata, Quercus myrsinaefolia and Camellia japonica, were used for the experiments. Similar to orthodox seeds, all of the recalcitrant seeds used contained Ald in addition to methanol and ethanol, although the amount of Ald in Camellia, a typical oil seed, was very small. These volatiles were accumulated in a container in which Ligustrum and Q. serrata seeds were stored for a short period. Moreover, all of the seeds that had been previously exposed to Ald for only 6 d at 3 or 13 degrees C lost their vigor rapidly in proportion to the concentration of Ald. The occasional removal by decompression of Ald accumulated in the container prolonged the life span of Q. serrata seeds from 4 to 6 months. These findings suggest that a short life span of the hydrated recalcitrant seeds may involve Ald synthesis as in the orthodox seeds. However, the action mechanism of Ald in Ligustrum and Quercus seeds in which storage substances were polysaccharides seems to differ slightly from that in orthodox seeds, because their aerobic respiration was significantly stimulated by exposure to exogenously applied Ald. It was, therefore, thought that the rapid deterioration of some recalcitrant seeds in woody species may result from a decline in vigor, not only due to the denaturation of functional proteins by Ald as in the orthodox seeds but also due to the rapid consumption of direct substrates for the Ald-stimulated aerobic respiration and related co-enzymes within seeds. In contrast, in the oil-bearing Camellia seeds, Ald was slightly produced and their aerobic respiration was not enhanced by Ald, although they were very sensitive to Ald. Desiccation storage of Camellia seeds caused the deterioration of their outer part, which was accelerated by exogenously applied Ald, which suggests that in Camellia Ald acts only to denature the functional proteins as in orthodox seeds. Thus, the short longevity of these woody recalcitrant seeds is discussed in relation to the actions of Ald produced endogenously.

The indole derivatives isolated from the oil cakes of camellia seeds. On the relation to the components of the fungus infecting the oil cakes (author's transl)

The indole derivatives isolated from the oil cakes of camellia seeds. On the relation to the components of the fungus infecting the oil cakes (author's transl)

The pigments isolated from the oil cakes of camellia seeds. On the relation to the components of the fungus infecting the oil cakes

The pigments isolated from the oil cakes of camellia seeds. On the relation to the components of the fungus infecting the oil cakes