Fritillaria Imperialis Research Articles

Predicting Current and Future Habitat Suitability of an Endemic Species Using Data-Fusion Approach: Responses to Climate Change

Fritillaria imperialis L., an indicator plant species in Iran, is facing threats and its population has declined in recent years. To provide insights into the drivers affecting its loss, this research aims to identify the effects of three groups of factors, including climate, soil, and physiographic variables, on the current and future spatial distributions of F. imperialis. For this purpose, we used five machine learning algorithms as well as an ensemble forecasting of species distribution approach to explain the geographical distributions of the species as a function of these factors. In addition, we used two shared socio-economic pathways scenarios – SSP 1-2.6 and SSP 5-8.5 – to project the future distributions of F. imperialis in 2030, 2050, 2070, and 2090. Based on evaluation indices, area under the ROC curve (AUC) and true skill statistic (TSS), the Random Forest (RF) model generated the strongest prediction of the distribution of F. imperialis (TSS>0.9 and AUC>0.9). No significant difference observed among the three datasets (climate-only variables, climate + physiography variables, and climate + physiography + soil variables) in terms of AUC values. In models using climate + physiography + soil datasets, soil electrical conductivity, clay, and pH emerged as the most important variables affecting the growth and development of F. imperialis while climate factors played a lesser role in its distribution. Future projections revealed different patterns when using the optimistic (SSP 1-2.6) and pessimistic (SSP 5-8.5) socio-economic pathway scenarios and either the climate only or climate + physiography models. The climate + physiography + soil model produced similar prediction patterns for the scenarios. The climate-only models predicted larger areas suitable for crown imperial in the future than did the climate + physiography + soil model. These results emphasize the consideration of factors beyond climate scenarios when modeling biological responses to global warming and regional climate change.

Anti-inflammatory activity of peiminine in acetic acid-induced ulcerative colitis model.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the intestinal mucosa and a prevalent gastrointestinal condition in developed countries. Peiminine, derived from the Fritillaria imperialis plant, exhibits remarkable anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. This study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of peiminine in an experimental model of ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis was induced intra-rectally in all groups, except the negative control, using 100 μl of 4% acetic acid. Peiminine treatment was initiated after ulcerative colitis induction and symptom manifestation. After the final injection, mice were sacrificed on day 15 for assessment. Various parameters were evaluated, including disease activity index, myeloperoxidase activity, nitric oxide levels, production and expression of IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α cytokines, and expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, iNOS, and COX2 genes. Microscopic pathological evaluation was performed on colon tissue. Peiminine treatment resulted in reduced levels of NO, MPO, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Furthermore, the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α genes, iNOS, and COX2 genes was decreased in response to peiminine treatment in these mice. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of peiminine in alleviating inflammatory manifestations and mitigating intestinal tissue damage in an experimental model of ulcerative colitis, probably by anti-inflammatory procedure. Peiminine holds potential as a therapeutic adjunct for the management of ulcerative colitis.

The Role of Chromatin Modifications in the Evolution of Giant Plant Genomes.

Angiosperm genome sizes (GS) range ~2400-fold and comprise genes and their regulatory regions, repeats, semi-degraded repeats, and 'dark matter'. The latter represents repeats so degraded that they can no longer be recognised as repetitive. In exploring whether the histone modifications associated with chromatin packaging of these contrasting genomic components are conserved across the diversity of GS in angiosperms, we compared immunocytochemistry data for two species whose GS differ ~286-fold. We compared published data for Arabidopsis thaliana with a small genome (GS = 157 Mbp/1C) with newly generated data from Fritillaria imperialis, which has a giant genome (GS = 45,000 Mbp/1C). We compared the distributions of the following histone marks: H3K4me1, H3K4me2, H3K9me1, H3K9me2, H3K9me3, H3K27me1, H3K27me2, and H3K27me3. Assuming these histone marks are associated with the same genomic features across all species, irrespective of GS, our comparative analysis enables us to suggest that while H3K4me1 and H3K4me2 methylation identifies genic DNA, H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 marks are associated with 'dark matter', H3K9me1 and H3K27me1 mark highly homogeneous repeats, and H3K9me2 and H3K27me2 mark semi-degraded repeats. The results have implications for our understanding of epigenetic profiles, chromatin packaging and the divergence of genomes, and highlight contrasting organizations of the chromatin within the nucleus depending on GS itself.

Morphological variability of wild-growing crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis L.) germplasm in central region of Iran—implications for in-situ conservation initiatives

BackgroundCrown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis L.) is a threatened bulbous plant which has great ornamental and medicinal values and importance. In the present study, a total of 100 specimens of wild-growing F. imperialis from 10 natural areas of Markazi province, Iran, representing one of the main centers of genetic diversity of this species, were evaluated using 37 phenotypic attributes during April 2021.ResultsHigh level of genetic variation within populations (75%) and low levels of genetic variation among populations (25%) was revealed. The highest coefficient of variation (CV) was found in leaf trichome (82.00%) and then margin of crown leaves (80.44%). In addition, flower color (CV = 50.86%), flower number (CV = 44.61%), peduncle diameter (CV = 33.44%), and plant length (CV = 32.55%)—all important from an ornamental point of view- showed relatively high CV values. The CV was the lowest for flower shape, filament color, bulb shape, bulblet number, and floral scent. Ward cluster analysis identified two main clusters, containing 14 and 86 specimens, respectively. The first group consisted mainly of specimens from the adjacent Shahbaz and Rasvand populations. According to the principal component analysis (PCA), the first six components of data accounted for 88.36% of total variance. The Shahbaz-1, Shahbaz-2, Shahbaz-6, Shahbaz-7, Shahbaz-9, and Bolagh-8 specimens showed the highest variation and were separated from others, which they can be used further in breeding programs, while Sarchal-2, Bolagh-3, and Chepeqli-4 specimens showed the lowest variability. Moreover, the studied populations were clustered into four distinct groups, each including populations that were geographically close to one another.ConclusionsAlthough the examined specimens revealed high genetic diversity herein, the results indicated that wild-growing populations of F. imperialis are still at risk suffering from overcollection in the most of studied areas, especially in Deh-Sad and Tureh.

Developmental Morphology and Anatomy Shed Light on Both Parallel and Convergent Evolution of the Umbellate Inflorescence in Monocots, Underlain by a New Variant of Metatopy.

Inflorescence structure is very diverse and homoplasious, yet the developmental basis of their homoplasy is poorly understood. To gain an understanding of the degree of homology that these diverse structures share, we characterize the developmental morphology and anatomy of various umbellate inflorescences across the monocots and analyzed them in an evolutionary context. To characterize branching order, we characterized the developmental morphology of multiple inflorescences with epi-illumination, and vascular anatomy with Laser Ablation Tomography, a novel high-throughput method to reconstruct three-dimensional vasculature. We used these approaches to analyze the umbellate inflorescences in five instances of presumed homoplasy: in three members of the Amaryllidaceae; in three members of the Asparagaceae, including a putatively derived raceme in Dichelostemma congestum; in Butomus umbellatus (Alismataceae), in Tacca chantrieri (Dioscoreaceae), and in umbellate structure in Fritillaria imperialis (Liliaceae). We compare these with racemes found in three members of the subfamily Scilliioideae (Asparagaceae). We find there are three convergent developmental programs that generate umbellate inflorescences in the monocots, bostryx-derived, cincinnus-derived and raceme-derived. Additionally, among the bostryx-derived umbellate inflorescence, there are three instances of parallel evolution found in the Amaryllidaceae, in two members of Brodiaeoideae (Asparagaceae), and Butomus umbellatus, all of which share the same generative developmental program. We discuss the morphological modifications necessary to generate such complex and condensed structures and use these insights to describe a new variant of metatopy, termed horizontal concaulesence. We contextualize our findings within the broader literature of monocot inflorescence development, with a focus on synthesizing descriptive developmental morphological studies.

Identification and profiling of conserved microRNAs in different developmental stages of crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis L.) using high-throughput sequencing.

Novel strategies for improvement of ornamental plants and their properties relay on miRNA control of differential plant gene expression modulation. Still, in response to the same abiotic stresses, some conserved miRNA families show different expression patterns in different plant species. In parallel, the use of deep sequencing technologies reveals new levels of complexity of regulatory networks in plants through identification of new miRNAs. Fritillaria imperialis plants were collected from their natural habitats in Koohrang, Chaharmahalva Bakhtiari, Iran. Several tissues including stamen, pistil, petal, sepal, leaf, stem, bulb and fruit were collected during three developmental stages (stem elongation, flower development and seed head stages). Using RNAseq and qRT-PCR approach, this research revealed 21 conserved miRNAs, matching 15 miRNA families, in Fritilaria imperialis. The expression of seven conserved miRNAs (Fim-miR156b, Fim-miR159, Fim-miR166a-5p, Fim-miR169d-5p, Fim-miR171c, Fim-miR393 and Fim-miR396e-3p) was further investigated in different tissues and three developmental stages, suggesting different roles for these miRNAs during growth and development of crown imperial. Gained knowledge from this research can open the door to find efficient ways to secure crown imperial survival, preservation and utilization and if proven useful may be applied in other plant species as well.

Influence of Growing Media on Vegetative, Floral and Bulb Parameters of Crown Lily (Fritillaria Imperialis L.)

Influence of Growing Media on Vegetative, Floral and Bulb Parameters of Crown Lily (Fritillaria Imperialis L.)

Bio-inspired synthesis of palladium nanoparticles fabricated magnetic Fe3O4 nanocomposite over Fritillaria imperialis flower extract as an efficient recyclable catalyst for the reduction of nitroarenes

This current research is based on a bio-inspired procedure for the synthesis of biomolecule functionalized hybrid magnetic nanocomposite with the Fe3O4 NPs at core and Pd NPs at outer shell. The central idea was the initial modification of magnetic NP by the phytochemicals from Fritillaria imperialis flower extract, which was further exploited in the green reduction of Pd2+ ions into Pd NPs, in situ. The flower extract also acted as a capping agent for the obtained Pd/Fe3O4 composite without the need of additional toxic reagents. The as-synthesized Fe3O4@Fritillaria/Pd nanocomposite was methodically characterized over different physicochemical measures like FT-IR, ICP-AES, FESEM, EDX, TEM, XPS and VSM analysis. Thereafter, its catalytic potential was evaluated in the reduction of various nitrobenzenes to arylamines applying hydrazine hydrate as reductant in ethanol/water (1:2) medium under mild conditions. Furthermore, the nanocatalyst was retrieved using a bar magnet and recycled several times without considerable leaching or loss of activity. This green, bio-inspired ligand-free protocol has remarkable advantages like environmental friendliness, high yields, easy workup and reusability of the catalyst.

Investigation of the Anti-Diabetic Effects of Imperialine on Beta-TC6 Pancreatic and C2C12 Skeletal Muscle Cell Lines; A In Vitro Study

Introduction: Imperialine (Imp) is a steroidal alkaloid present as the main active constituent of medicinal herb, Fritillaria imperialis with many biological and therapeutic effects. However, it has not been investigated in vitro for hypoglycemic effects. Herein, the effects of Imp on cell survival, carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes (alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase), glucose uptake ability, insulin secretion levels, advanced glycation end product (AGEs) include pentosidine, methylglyoxal, and 3-deoxyglucosone levels and the activity of glyoxalase I as the main factor for degradation of AGEs are examined. Materials and Methods: C2C12 skeletal muscle and beta-TC6 pancreatic cells incubated with Imp at concentrations of 0, 25, 50, 75, and 10 µg/ml, and the cells evaluated separately. The biological evaluations were based on ultraviolet-visible (UV/VIS) spectrophotometric and/or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods. Results: Imperialine had considerable and dose-dependent effects on glucose uptake and insulin secretion (p <0.05). The highest levels of glucose uptake were achieved at a concentration of 100 µg/ml of Imp. Increased glycation index, cytotoxicity, and decreased glyoxalase I activity appeared mostly at the concentrations of 75 microgram/ml and higher. The studied alkaloid demonstrated a remarkable hypoglycemic effect by inhibition of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. Conclusions: Consequently, the results of the present study revealed possible hypoglycemic effects of Imp and it could be suggested for future studies in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Identification of Genetic Variations on Fritillaria imperialis L. Genotypes Collected from Van Lake Basin by iPBS-Retrotranspozon Markers

Fritillaria imperialis L. (Terslale) Türkiye’de doğal olarak yetişen ve süs bitkisi olarak kullanılan bir türdür. Bu tür doğada morfolojik olarak yüksek bir genetik varyasyon göstermektedir. Van Gölü havzasından toplanan 74 F. imperialis genotipi arasındaki genetik çeşitliliği belirlemek amacıyla yürütülen bu çalışmada, 19 farklı iPBS-Retrotranspozon primeri kullanılmıştır. Kullanılan 19 primerin tamamı %100 oranında polimorfizm gösteren toplam 94 bant oluşturmuştur. Primer başına düşen ortalama bant sayısının 4.94, ortalama polimorfizm bilgi içeriğinin (PIC) ise 0.58 olduğu belirlenmiştir. En düşük bant veren primer 2 bant oluştururken, en yüksek bant veren primer 10 bant oluşturmuştur. Ortalama etkili allel sayısının 1.50, Shannon bilgi indeksinin 0.47, gen çeşitliliğinin ise 0.30 olduğu saptanmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlar, Van Gölü havzasından toplanan ters lale genotiplerindeki genetik farklılığın önemli düzeyde olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Terslale genotiplerinde ilk kez iPBS-Retrotranspozon markırları kullanılarak genetik çeşitliliğin belirlenmesine yönelik olarak yürütülen bu çalışma, iPBS-Retrotranspozon markır sisteminin bu türde başarılı bir şekilde uygulanabileceğini ortaya koymuştur. Elde edilen veriler, terslale üzerinde yürütülecek ıslah çalışmaları için ön bilgi oluşturacak niteliktedir.

Resistance of Fritillaria imperialis to freezing stress through gene expression, osmotic adjustment and antioxidants

Plant survival in response to freezing stress depends on the efficient activation of tolerance mechanisms. Fritillaria imperialis exposure to freezing stress enhanced signalling molecules Ca2+ and H2O2 along with overexpression of Ca2+ signalling proteins (Ca2+ dependent protein kinases, CPK), followed by upregulation of NHX1 (Na+/H+ antiporter), LEA (late embryogenesis abundant proteins) and P5CS (1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase). Overexpression of OsCNGC6 was responsible for high accumulation Ca2+, Na+ and K+. The NHX1 gene product transported Na+ to vacuoles and increased cytosolic K+ content to re-establish ionic homeostasis under stress conditions. The reduced water potential of leaves was due to high accumulation of osmolytes and ions. No changes were observed in relative water content of leaves, which might be correlated with overexpression of the LEA gene, which protects against dehydration. High accumulation of H2O2 under freezing stress was responsible for activation of antioxidant systems involving SOD, phenols, anthocyanins, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase. Photosynthesis, suppressed in freezing-stressed plants, returned to normal levels after termination of freezing stress. Taken together, our findings suggest that Fritillaria efficiently tolerated freezing stress through induction of signalling mechanisms and overexpression of cold stress-responsive genes, and prevention of cold-induced water stress, oxidative stress and photosynthetic damage.

Effects of 6-benzylaminopurine and Activated Carbon on Indirect Organogenesis of Fritillaria Imperialis

Fritillaria imperialis needs 2-3 years to regenerate from seeds, which makes its production quite challenging. In this study, effects of three concentrations of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0.00, 0.10 and 0.15 mg/L) and three different amounts (0.0, 3.0 and 3.5 g/L) of activated carbon (AC) on the growth of F. imperialis plantlets in vitro were determined. The auxins were at similar concentration (0.01 mg/L of NAA and 0.01 mg/L of IAA) for all treatments. It has been found that the size and number of bulblets, as well as root and shoot numbers in regenerated plantlets were increased significantly (p&amp;lt;0.05) by adding 3.5 g/L of AC in culture medium supplemented with 0.10 mg/L of BAP. Moreover, addition of AC significantly reduced the length of roots in all doses studied (p&amp;lt;0.05). The supreme concentration of BAP (0.15 mg/L) decreased the bulblet number in all treatments, however, when supplemented with 3.5 g/L of AC, it was found to raise all the values measured (p&amp;lt;0.05). Overall, the best growth of the plant parts from callus were achieved with the highest concentration of AC and 1.5 mg/L of BAP.

An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants With Antianxiety and Antidepressant Effects in Shahrekord

Anxiety and depression are two highly prevalent disorders in all human communities. The purpose of the present study was to report medicinal plant species that local people, according to their ethnobotanical knowledge, in Shahrekord use as antianxiety and antidepressant agents. The present ethnobotanical study was carried out to report and collect indigenous knowledge in the studied region in 2017 via face-to-face interviews and by using a questionnaire distributed among 29 traditional therapists. To this end, interviewers referred to respondents in person to elicit their pharmacological and ethnobotanical knowledge, and then register their viewpoints related to herbal medicine. The data extracted from the questionnaires were appropriately and meticulously tabulated, and data analysis was done by the Excel software. In this study, the formula below was used to calculate the frequency of plant use. Medicinal plants that are used as antianxiety and antidepressant drugs according to the ethnobotanical knowledge in Shahrekord include Fritillaria imperialis L., Ducrosia anethifolia L., Anchusa italyca Retz. (L.) DC., Dracocephalum multicaule, Stachys lavandulifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Tripleurospermum parviflorum L., Crataegus persica, Hypericum scabrum L., Valeriana officinalis, Centaurea cyanus, Rheum ribes L. and Melissa officinalis L are the most herbal plants effective on anxiety and depression on shahrekord ethno-botany.

Isolation and Molecular Docking Studies of Dihydroimperialine as Butyrylcholinesterase Inhibitor from the Bulbs of Fritillaria Imperialis

Acetylcholinesterase is an enzyme whose primary function is to breakdown of acetylcholine into choline and Acetyl-CoA, which effects on the memory loss and other intellectual properties.

Cytotoxic effect of methanolic extracts of Fritillaria imperialis bulbs and Eryngium caucasicum leaves on hepatoma and colon cancer cells

Objective: To evaluate antitumor activities of Fritillaria imperialis and Eryngium caucasicum methanolic extracts on human hepatoma (HepG2) and colon cancer (HCT116) cell lines in comparison to human foreskin fibroblasts as the normal cells. Methods: Methanolic extracts of Fritillaria imperialis and Eryngium caucasicum were prepared by the maceration method. The effect of the extracts at various concentrations (100, 200, 400, 600, and 800 μg/mL) on cell survival was evaluated using the MTT method. Besides, fluorescence staining was used to evaluate death patterns of the cells. Results: MTT assay showed that Fritillaria imperialis significantly decreased the viability of all cell lines after 24 and 48 hours of treatments. However, Eryngium caucasicum extract did not show any significant cytotoxicity effect on the cell lines. Fluorescence staining revealed that Fritillaria imperialis induced apoptosis of HCT116 cells at 550 μg/mL. Conclusions: Fritillaria imperialis extract has antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects on HCT116 and HepG2 cancer cells and therefore, may serve as an anticancer agent.

Plant regeneration by organogenesis from bulbous explants in Fritillaria imperialis L., a wild rare ornamental species at the risk of extinction

Fritillaria imperialis L. (Liliaceae) is a rare and endangered ornamental plant grown in mountain regions and Zagros altitudes, Ilam province, Iran. This species is in danger of extinction due to invasive collection. Plant regeneration was done by organogenesis from bulb scales as explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media fortified with different concentrations of kinetin (KIN, 0.00, 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 mg l-1) and α_naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA, 0.00, 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 mg l-1), either individually or in combination. The largest number of leaf (3.80), root (5.86) and callus (8.16) per explant was regenerated on the medium containing 0.50 mg l-1 KIN and 1.00 mg l-1 NAA. Maximum viability percentage (96.66%) was obtained in medium supplemented with 1.00 mg l-1 KIN. In vitro regenerated plantlets were cultivated in plastic pots containing peat moss and perlite (1:1). The plantlets were successfully acclimatized in an adaptation greenhouse with a survival rate of 95% exhibiting normal developmental patterns.

In situ immobilized palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) on fritillaria imperialis flower extract-modified graphene and their catalytic activity for reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Abstract In this study, a complete green synthesis method to reduced graphene oxide-Pd nanoparticles hybrid by applying extract of Fritillaria imperialis flower as both stabilizing and reducing agent was reported. Fritillaria imperialis flower extract reduce graphene oxide and adsorb on the reduced graphene oxide surface. Moreover, the surface adsorbed Fritillaria imperialis flower extract can more in situ reduce Pd ions to Pd nanoparticles and stabilize them. The physicochemical and structure properties of the produced nanohybrid were examined in detail by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDX), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The obtained results showed that Pd nanoparticles uniformly distributed on the functionalized graphene surface. The catalytic efficiency of the resulting heterogeneous nanocatalyst (Pd NPs/FGO) was evaluated at room temperature for the 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) reduction in an environmental friendly medium. The enhanced catalytic activity observed with our nanocatalyst is attributed to the graphene surface's coated by biopolymers of Fritillaria imperialis flower extract which stabilizes and attracting the aryl nitro substrates adjacent to the catalytic sites which in turn facilitates the reduction of nitro groups. The catalyst was recycled by centrifugation and reapplied several times without any significant catalytic activity loss.

Dual Regulation of Cell Death and Cell Survival upon Induction of Cellular Stress by Isopimara-7,15-Dien-19-Oic Acid in Cervical Cancer, HeLa Cells In vitro.

The Fritillaria imperialis is an ornamental flower that can be found in various parts of the world including Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Himalayas. The use of this plant as traditional remedy is widely known. This study aims to unveil the anti-cancer potentials of Isopimara-7,15-Dien-19-Oic Acid, extracted from the bulbs of F. imperialis in cervical cancer cell line, HeLa cells. Flow cytometry analysis of cell death, gene expression analysis via cDNA microarray and protein array were performed. Based on the results, Isopimara-7,15-Dien-19-Oic acid simultaneously induced cell death and promoted cell survival. The execution of apoptosis was apparent based on the flow cytometry results and regulation of both pro and anti-apoptotic genes. Additionally, the regulation of anti-oxidant genes were up-regulated especially thioredoxin, glutathione and superoxide dismutase- related genes. Moreover, the treatment also induced the activation of pro-survival heat shock proteins. Collectively, Isopimara-7,15-Dien-19-Oic Acid managed to induce cellular stress in HeLa cells and activate several anti- and pro survival pathways.

Endogenous pararetrovirus sequences associated with 24 nt small RNAs at the centromeres of Fritillaria imperialis L. (Liliaceae), a species with a giant genome.

Endogenous pararetroviral sequences are the most commonly found virus sequences integrated into angiosperm genomes. We describe an endogenous pararetrovirus (EPRV) repeat in Fritillaria imperialis, a species that is under study as a result of its exceptionally large genome (1C = 42 096 Mbp, approximately 240 times bigger than Arabidopsis thaliana). The repeat (FriEPRV) was identified from Illumina reads using the RepeatExplorer pipeline, and exists in a complex genomic organization at the centromere of most, or all, chromosomes. The repeat was reconstructed into three consensus sequences that formed three interconnected loops, one of which carries sequence motifs expected of an EPRV (including the gag and pol domains). FriEPRV shows sequence similarity to members of the Caulimoviridae pararetrovirus family, with phylogenetic analysis indicating a close relationship to Petuvirus. It is possible that no complete EPRV sequence exists, although our data suggest an abundance that exceeds the genome size of Arabidopsis. Analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms revealed elevated levels of C→T and G→A transitions, consistent with deamination of methylated cytosine. Bisulphite sequencing revealed high levels of methylation at CG and CHG motifs (up to 100%), and 15-20% methylation, on average, at CHH motifs. FriEPRV's centromeric location may suggest targeted insertion, perhaps associated with meiotic drive. We observed an abundance of 24 nt small RNAs that specifically target FriEPRV, potentially providing a signature of RNA-dependent DNA methylation. Such signatures of epigenetic regulation suggest that the huge genome of F. imperialis has not arisen as a consequence of a catastrophic breakdown in the regulation of repeat amplification.

Bulblets regeneration from in vitro improved leaf of Fritillaria imperialis L. and F. persica L.

Bulblets regeneration from in vitro improved leaf of Fritillaria imperialis L. and F. persica L.