Genus Alnus Research Articles

Plant-Based Products Originating from Serbia That Affect P-glycoprotein Activity.

Our review paper evaluates the impact of plant-based products, primarily derived from plants from Serbia, on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) activity and their potential in modulating drug resistance in cancer therapy. We focus on the role and regulation of P-gp in cellular physiology and its significance in addressing multidrug resistance in cancer therapy. Additionally, we discuss the modulation of P-gp activity by 55 natural product drugs, including derivatives for some of them, based on our team's research findings since 2011. Specifically, we prospect into sesquiterpenoids from the genera Artemisia, Curcuma, Ferula, Inula, Petasites, and Celastrus; diterpenoids from the genera Salvia and Euphorbia; chalcones from the genera Piper, Glycyrrhiza, Cullen, Artemisia, and Humulus; riccardins from the genera Lunularia, Monoclea, Dumortiera, Plagiochila, and Primula; and diarylheptanoids from the genera Alnus and Curcuma. Through comprehensive analysis, we aim to highlight the potential of natural products mainly identified in plants from Serbia in influencing P-gp activity and overcoming drug resistance in cancer therapy, while also providing insights into future perspectives in this field.

A Geometric Morphometrics Approach to the Study of Natural Variations and Hybrid Detection in Populations of Alnus incana (L.) Moench and Alnus rohlenae Vít, Douda and Mandák.

Landmark-based geometric morphometrics (GM) was used to examine, for the first time, spontaneous hybridization between Alnus incana (L.) Moench and Alnus rohlenae Vít, Douda and Mandák, and to assess inter- and intrapopulation variability in leaf shape, leaf size and venation in natural populations in Serbia (Western Balkans). Two geographically distant (30 km) and two close (1.2 km) populations were selected to examine hybridization. The variability in leaf shapes was assessed by canonical variate analysis and linear discriminant analysis performed on the symmetric component of variation. Covariation between the symmetric component of shape variation and the number of pairs of secondary leaf veins was investigated with partial least squares analysis. Static allometry was examined for the first time in the genus Alnus Mill. A higher proportion of A. incana leaves was classified as A. rohlenae in geographically close populations, which is in accordance with the hypothesis about spontaneous hybridization. No single leaf of A. rohlenae was classified as A. incana, indicating that putative hybrids can only be found in grey alder populations. This study demonstrates that GM is a powerful tool for species delimitation and hybrid detection in the genus Alnus and it can be used for preliminary screening in hybrid zones.

On foliar fungal pathogens at species of the genus Alnus Mill. in Siberia

The article determines the species composition of causative agents of plant leaf diseases of the genus Alnus Mill. for the Siberian region, that grow in the arboretum collections and urbanized environment. The author has identified four phytopathogens, their spread and harmfulness are specified; established the confinement of foliar fungal pathogens to the host plant species, its ontogeny phase, and abiotic environmental factors. It had been found a hyperparasite Ramularia uredinis (W. Voss) Sacc. on a causative agent of alder rust (Melampsoridium alni (Thum.) Dietel), for which this phytopathogen is a new host.

Genotypic Diversity and Host-Specificity of Frankia Bacteria Associated with Sympatric Populations of Alnus rubra and Alnus rhombifolia in Oregon

Biological nitrogen fixation is one of the most critical processes contributing to ecosystem productivity and stability on a global scale. In temperate climates of the northern hemisphere, plant-root associated bacteria of the genus Frankia are the major nitrogen fixers in forest environments. Trees belonging to the genus Alnus are the most widespread hosts of Frankia in the Pacific Northwest, and a myriad of biotic and abiotic factors can influence the robustness of this symbiosis. Host identity and bacterial strain are important features that can impact Alnus-Frankia association, but little is known about the interplay of intrageneric hosts that co-occur in natural settings. In this study we investigated the genetic diversity and host specificity of Frankia bacteria associated with sympatrically occurring populations of Alnus rubra (red alder) and Alnus rhombifolia (white alder) in Oregon. Based on sequence analysis of the nifH gene recovered from root nodules we found low overall bacterial diversity. One dominant Frankia genotype was associated with both host species, indicating a lack of strong host specificity in this system. Our results suggest that certain intrageneric plant hosts with overlapping distributions show cross-compatibility with symbiotic actinorhizal bacteria, and that low strain diversity of these bacteria can persist across mixed host populations.

Leaf cuticle and wax ultrastructure of genus Alnus Mill. in Hyrcanian forests of Iran

The genus Alnus had three taxa in the old floral resources of Iran. Recently, five new taxa were added to the flora based on morphological studies. Individual samples were collected from 25 sites throughout three provinces covering Hyrcanian forests of Iran and classified into the eight mentioned taxa and then prepared for micro-morphological studies. Four groups of taxa including A. subcordata var. subcordata, A. subcordata var. villosa, A. orientalis, and A. glutinosa subsp. antitaurica had a specific structure. Similar structure was also found between two new species of A. djavanshirii and A. dolichocarpa, which were distinguished from the other groups. Simple trichomes with variation in size and density were observed among the taxa. Alnus subcordata var. villosa and A. glutinosa subsp. antitaurica had the densest trichomes on dorsal and ventral leaf surfaces. The results of this study show the suitability of ultrastructure features as a micro-morphological marker for solving the taxonomical ambiguities of the genus Alnus in Hyrcanian forests.

The Genus Alnus, A Comprehensive Outline of Its Chemical Constituents and Biological Activities.

The genus Alnus (Betulaceae) is comprised of more than 40 species. Many species of this genus have a long history of use in folk medicines. Phytochemical investigations have revealed the presence of diarylheptanoids, polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenoids, steroids and other compounds. Diarylheptanoids, natural products with a 1,7-diphenylheptane structural skeleton, are the dominant constituents in the genus, whose anticancer effect has been brought into focus. Pure compounds and crude extracts from the genus exhibit a wide spectrum of pharmacological activities both in vitro and in vivo. This paper compiles 273 naturally occurring compounds from the genus Alnus along with their structures and pharmacological activities, as reported in 138 references.

Bioactive Pentacyclic Triterpene Ester Derivatives from Alnus viridis ssp. viridis Bark

Seven derivatives of pentacyclic triterpene acids (1-7) were isolated from the bark of Alnus viridis ssp. viridis using a combination of column chromatography and semipreparative HPLC. Compounds 1-3, 6, and 7 were determined to be new after spectroscopic data interpretation and were assigned as 27-hydroxyalphitolic acid derivatives (1-3), a 27-hydroxybetulinic acid derivative (6), and a 3-epi-maslinic acid derivative (7), respectively. Pentacyclic triterpenoids with a C-27 hydroxymethyl group have been found in species of the genus Alnus for the first time. These compounds were subjected to cytotoxicity testing against a number of cancer cell lines. Also, selected pentacyclic triterpenoids were selected as potential inhibitors of topoisomerases I and IIα for an in silico investigation.

A Study on Pollen-associated Food Allergy Syndrome with the Genus Alnus Antigen

A Study on Pollen-associated Food Allergy Syndrome with the Genus Alnus Antigen

ハンノキ属陽性例における食物アレルギーの検討

ハンノキ属陽性例における食物アレルギーの検討

Pollen Morphology of A. glutinosa (L.) Gaertner subsp. glutinosa (Betulaceae)

The Betulaceae family includes six genus and these genera are grown naturally in North Hemisphere. The taxa belong to this family are anemogame. For this reason they produce too much pollen and these pollens have allergic effects . Alnus glutinosa subsp. antitaurica, A. glutinosa subsp. glutinosa , A. glutinosa subsp. barbata, A. orientalis var. orientalis, A. orientalis var. pubescens taxa that belong to the genus Alnus ,from the Betulaceae familya re grown naturally in Turkey. The plants of A. glutinosa are the elements of Euro-Sib. This taxon is distrubited naturally in Black Sea Region. The pollens of A. glutinosa can cause to the pollinosis and allergic symptoms. The determination of palynological features of this taxon will be helpful for aeropalynological, taxonomic and pharmaceutical researches

Proposal of a type strain for Frankia alni (Woronin 1866) Von Tubeuf 1895, emended description of Frankia alni, and recognition of Frankia casuarinae sp. nov. and Frankia elaeagni sp. nov.

Before the establishment of pure cultures, the species Frankia alni, 'Frankia casuarinae' and 'Frankia elaeagni' were proposed to encompass all causal agents of the nitrogen-fixing root nodules of dicotyledonous plants from the genera Alnus, Casuarina or Elaeagnus. The sole Frankia species with a validly published name, the type species F. alni, was described by Woronin (1866) as present in the root of alder. Until now no type strain has been designated for F. alni, even though the absence of a type strain has seriously inhibited the application of modern taxonomic methods to the genus Frankia. Thus, we propose that strain ACN14aT, isolated in pure culture from Alnus viridis ssp. crispa with morphological properties matching the original description of F. alni, be recognized as the type strain of this species according to Rule 18f of the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria. We compared ACN14aT to two strains, CcI3T and BMG5.12T, isolated from Casuarina cunninghamiana and Elaeagnus angustifolia, respectively, based on chemotaxonomy, phenotype microarray data and molecular data retrieved from genome sequences. All three tested strains grew as branched hyphae, produced vesicles and multilocular sporangia containing non-motile spores and metabolized short fatty acids, TCA-cycle intermediates and carbohydrates. Chemotaxonomically, the three strains were indistinguishable with respect to phospholipids (phosphatidylinositol, diphosphatidylglycerol, glycophospholipids and phosphatidylglycerol) and cell-sugar composition (glucose, mannose, ribose, rhamnose, galactose and xylose, with the latter two being diagnostic for the genus). The major fatty acids identified in all three strains were iso-C16 : 0, C17 : 1ω8c, C15 : 0, C17 : 0 and C16 : 0. ACN14aT and BMG5.12T also shared C15 : 1ω6c, while C18 : 1ω9c was found to be unique to BMG5.12T. The major menaquinones identified in all three novel type strains were MK-9(H8), MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H4). MK-9(H2) was shared by ACN14aT and BMG5.12T, while MK-10(H4) and MK-8(H4) were only found in BMG5.12T. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed 98.1-98.9 % identity between strains ACN14aT, CcI3T and BMG5.12T. Digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between the three type strains were well below 70 %. These results confirm the separation of the strains into three distinct species, Frankia alni, Frankia casuarinae sp. nov. and Frankia elaeagni sp. nov. Thus, we propose ACN14aT (=DSM 45986T=CECT 9034T), CcI3T (=DSM 45818T=CECT 9043T) and BMG5.12T (=DSM 46783T=CECT 9031T) as the respective type strains.

Increasing drought resistance of Alnus subcordata C.A. Mey. seeds using a nano priming technique with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

To evaluate the effects of nano priming on seed germination of Alnus subcordata (Caucasian alder) C.A. von Meyer under drought stress, the present research was conducted using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs; 0, 10, 30, 50, and 100 mg.l-1) at 6 levels of drought stress (0, -2, -4, -6, -8, and -10 bar) through a factorial experiment (5 priming levels with 4 replications). After priming, the seeds were placed into a germinator at 21°C. Results revealed that nano priming at the concentration of 100 mg.l-1 led to the highest germination rate and percentage at all levels of drought stress. Also, the highest values of seed vigour index and root and stem lengths and dry weights were observed at nano carbon treatment with 30 mg.l-1. Considering the obtained results, it was concluded that nano priming could result in boosted resistance of Caucasian alder seeds against drought stress, so that the seed tolerance increased from -4 bar (without nano priming treatment, i.e. reference sample) to -8 bar upon applying 100 mg.l-1 nanotubes. Based on the results of the present research, it is suggested that the seed nano priming technique with MWCNTs can be applied in order to increase the seed and seedling tolerance of other members of the genus Alnus Miller.

Missing checkerboards? An absence of competitive signal in Alnus-associated ectomycorrhizal fungal communities.

A number of recent studies suggest that interspecific competition plays a key role in determining the structure of ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities. Despite this growing consensus, there has been limited study of ECM fungal community dynamics in abiotically stressful environments, which are often dominated by positive rather than antagonistic interactions. In this study, we examined the ECM fungal communities associated with the host genus Alnus, which live in soils high in both nitrate and acidity. The nature of ECM fungal species interactions (i.e., antagonistic, neutral, or positive) was assessed using taxon co-occurrence and DNA sequence abundance correlational analyses. ECM fungal communities were sampled from root tips or mesh in-growth bags in three monodominant A. rubra plots at a site in Oregon, USA and identified using Illumina-based amplification of the ITS1 gene region. We found a total of 175 ECM fungal taxa; 16 of which were closely related to known Alnus-associated ECM fungi. Contrary to previous studies of ECM fungal communities, taxon co-occurrence analyses on both the total and Alnus-associated ECM datasets indicated that the ECM fungal communities in this system were not structured by interspecific competition. Instead, the co-occurrence patterns were consistent with either random assembly or significant positive interactions. Pair-wise correlational analyses were also more consistent with neutral or positive interactions. Taken together, our results suggest that interspecific competition does not appear to determine the structure of all ECM fungal communities and that abiotic conditions may be important in determining the specific type of interaction occurring among ECM fungi.

Unlocking environmental keys to host specificity: differential tolerance of acidity and nitrate by Alnus-associated ectomycorrhizal fungi

Abstract The ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungal communities associated with the host genus Alnus have been widely noted for their low richness and high proportion of host-specific species, but the processes underlying their atypical structure remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated whether the high acidity and nitrate concentrations characteristic of Alnus soils may act as important environmental filters that limit the membership in Alnus ECM fungal communities. Using a pure culture approach, we grew four species from two host groups ( Alnus and non- Alnus ) in liquid media containing different acidity and nitrate concentrations. We found that the growth of the Alnus -associated ECM fungi was not, on average, affected by high acidity, while the non- Alnus -associated ECM fungi had a significantly negative growth response under the same conditions. Similarly, when grown at high nitrate, the non- Alnus -associated ECM fungi also generally performed more poorly. Growth responses of the Alnus -associated ECM fungi in both the high acidity and high nitrate treatments indicated tolerance rather than preference for those chemical conditions. The mechanism underlying the differential acidity tolerance may involve active hyphal buffering of local acidity environments. Taken together, our results suggest that soil chemical conditions likely do act as significant environmental filters that, along with other ecological and evolutionary factors, drive the atypical specificity of Alnus ECM interactions.

MORPHOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION OF NOTHOSPECIES ALNUS X PUBESCENS TAUSCH. AND THEIR NEW LOCALITIES IN CENTRAL BOSNIA

UDK: 582.632.1:581.45(497.6)
 Natural interspecies hybrids of black (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn) and grey (A. incana (L.) Moench) alder are not frequent in nature but they are registered, and according to modern systematic nomenclature are classified within nothospecies A. × pubescens Tausch.. Since the presence of spontaneous intermediate forms of the genus Alnus in Bosnia and Herzegovina is insufficiently explored, the first results of comparative morphological analysis (seven leaf’s characters) of black and grey alder and their hybrids are given in this study. About 10% of hybrid individuals were present in the studied sympatric populations, and they had more heterogeneous leaves than parental species. Good diagnostic characters showed intermediate values in comparison to the parental species, which are: number of pairs of lateral veins, angle from the top of the leaflet to the top of the upper 3rd nerve, and distance from the top of the leaflet to the top of the upper 3rd vein. According to analyzed characters, hybrids either hold intermediate positions between the parental species or are closer to the maternal species (A. incana). Three new findings of nothospecies A. × pubescens for Flora B&H are rivers’ localities Drinjača near Kladanj, Turbe near Travnik, and Stavnja near Vareš. Due to the low frequency of observed individuals of A. x pubescens, they are vulnerable and require special measures of protection and biodiversity conservation activities of autochthonous gene pool, it is necessary to determine the actual state in all previously published hybrid complexes’ findings and expand researches in B&H in the coming period.

Uncommon ectomycorrhizal networks: richness and distribution of Alnus‐associating ectomycorrhizal fungal communities

Uncommon ectomycorrhizal networks: richness and distribution of <i>Alnus</i>‐associating ectomycorrhizal fungal communities

AN EVALUATION OF ALNUS (ALDER) GERMPLASM IN FIVE DIVERSE NONAGRICULTURAL ENVIRONMENTS IN MINNESOTA (USA)

To reach the goal set by the United States Department of Energy to replace 30% of 2004 gasoline usage with biofuels by 2030, the U.S. will need to consider diverse biomass feedstock sources, such as the plant genus Alnus. This genus contains nitrogen-fixing species that grow in a wide variety of challenging conditions. This study focused on 13 species of Alnus and was designed to determine survival, and above ground biomass production in five diverse environments unsuitable for food production agriculture in Minnesota, USA. Additionally, seven Salix and four Populus selections, that have been tested in short rotation woody biomass systems, were included for comparative analysis. Ten of the 13 Alnus species died from winter injury at all locations or produced above ground biomass at levels well below individual site averages. These ten Alnus species are not well suited for the soils and climate in the upper Great Lakes region. However, three species, A. glutinosa, A. incana, and A. viridis exceeded 90% survival at all five sites and produced significantly more aboveground biomass than the other Alnus species. On a low-nitrogen site with coarse sandy soils, the three species produced an average of 5.35 megagrams per hectare of above ground biomass over a three year period. This exceeded the biomass production of all other materials in the trial including commercially available Populus and Salix selections confirming the a priori expectation that Alnus' potential symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria promotes increased growth on low fertility soils.

Bioactive constituents and medicinal importance of genus Alnus

The genus Alnus has been reviewed for its chemical constituents and biological activities including traditional importance of some common species. The plants of this genus contain terpenoids, flavonoids, diarylheptanoids, phenols, steroids, and tannins. Diarylheptanoids are the dominant constituents within the genus Alnus, few of them exhibited antioxidant effects and inhibitory activity against nuclear factor kappaB activation, nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-α production, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, farnesyl protein transferase, cell-mediated low-density lipoprotein oxidation, HIF-1 in AGS cells, and the HIV-1-induced cytopathic effect in MT-4 cells. Some ellagitannines showed hepatoprotective activity even in a dose of 1 mg/kg which is ten-fold smaller compared with the dose of traditional flavonoid-based drugs. The members of genus Alnus are well known for their traditional uses in the treatment of various diseases like cancer, hepatitis, inflammation of uterus, uterine cancer, rheumatism, dysentery, stomachache, diarrhea, fever, etc. The aim of the present review is to summarize the various researches related to the chemistry and pharmacology of genus Alnus.

Morphological measurements and ITS sequences show that the new alder rust in Europe is conspecific with Melampsoridium hiratsukanum in eastern Asia

Three species of Melampsoridium have been reported to infect hosts in genus Alnus. An epidemic of foliar rust affecting A. glutinosa and A. incana began in Europe in the mid-1990s, and the associated pathogen was identified as Melampsoridium hiratsukanum based on morphology. In this investigation we analyzed the morphology and genetic variation of alder rusts from Europe and Japan and the host specificity of the European epidemic rust. Our results showed that two rusts occur on the leaves of alders native to northern Europe; in Scotland an endemic rust indistinguishable from M. betulinum occurs, whereas alders in areas of Europe affected by the current epidemic were infected by M. hiratsukanum. M. hiratsukanum from naturally infected alder in Finland produced aecia on all Larix species tested but did not infect Betula leaves.

Revisiting ectomycorrhizal fungi of the genus Alnus: differential host specificity, diversity and determinants of the fungal community

Actinorhizal plants, including those of the genus Alnus (alders; Betulaceae), and their nitrogen-fixing bacterial symbionts rely on mycorrhizal fungi for phosphorus and other mineral nutrients. To date, alders are known to associate with only 20-30 species of ectomycorrhizal fungi which are highly host-specific. This study aimed to determine the species richness and the relative importance of host species, soil and site variables on the community composition of Alnus-associated ectomycorrhizal fungi on root tips. Using rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and large subunit (LSU) sequence analysis, 40 species of putatively ectomycorrhizal fungi were identified from seven sites dominated by Alnus incana or Alnus glutinosa. Alnicola spp. and Tomentella aff. sublilacina were most prevalent in all sites. Species of the /pseudotomentella, /inocybe, /peziza michelii-peziza succosa, /genea-humaria, /pachyphloeus-amylascus, /helvella-tuber and /tarzetta-geopyxis lineages were recorded as natural symbionts of alders for the first time. All basidiomycetes were specific to Alnus, whereas four out of seven Pezizales spp. (ascomycetes) were nonspecific. The complex of soil variables and geographical (site) effect drives the community composition of ectomycorrhizal fungi in alder forests. Alder-associated fungi have independently evolved and subsequently radiated in several ectomycorrhizal lineages, indicating frequent and persistent host shifts after the divergence of Alnus and Betula.