Iris Lactea Research Articles

Synergistic effects of tree-herb intercropping on the phytoremediation efficiency of cadmium and lead contaminated soil

Tree-herb intercropping has emerged as an effective strategy for the remediation of soil contamination. In this study, the effects of intercropping willow with herbaceous plants Lolium perenne L., Iris lactea Pall. and Bidens pilosa L. were investigated on the phytoremediation of Cd- and Pb-contaminated soil. After a 90-day of cultivation, the results showed that intercropping stimulated the phytoremediation efficiency through increased metal accumulation in plants. Intercropping caused a significant (p < 0.05) increase in willow biomass ranging from 48.07 % to 95.58 % by promoting photosynthesis activities and antioxidant responses. Metal contents in willow leaves and roots were also observably (p < 0.05) enhanced, indicating a beneficial effect in tree-herb intercropping systems. The biomass and metal accumulation of I. lactea Pall. and B. pilosa L. decreased due to competitive interactions with willow in the intercropping treatments. However, intercropping with willow (p < 0.05) significantly increased the Pb contents of L. perenne L. Intercropping improved the absorption of bioavailable fractions of Cd and Pb by willow and herbs in comparison to the monoculture. The decrease in soil Cd contents was partly due to the chemical changes induced by root exudates, which enhanced the transfer of Cd from the soil to the plants. Willow showed a tendency for Cd accumulation, whereas herbs exhibited Pb accumulation, reflecting the complementarity of metal accumulation in tree-herb intercropping patterns. Intercropping willow with B. pilosa L. was found to be an effective method for the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil, whereas the combination of willow with L. perenne L. proved suitable for the Pb-contaminated soil. These findings might support the potential of tree-herb intercropping as an effective strategy for enhancing the phytoremediation of contaminated soils.

Rust Disease Changes the Abundance and Composition of Bacterial Community in Iris lactea Rhizosphere

The microbial community plays a vital role in root–environment interactions, which affect plant performance under biotic stress. Rust disease significantly affects plant growth, which may also affect rhizosphere microbial community. However, there is a scarcity of studies investigating the microbial community of rhizosphere under rust disease stress. Iris lactea is a widely utilized plant in gardening and landscaping due to its versatility and ornamental value, but it is often susceptible to rust disease in landscape settings. In this study, we compared the bacterial communities between bulk soil (non-cultivated control), rhizosphere soil of healthy Iris lactea plants, and rhizosphere soil of Iris lactea plants infected with rust disease (rhizosphere-R). Results revealed significant alterations in the abundance and composition of bacterial communities associated with rust disease infection. Specifically, the rhizosphere-R samples exhibited a decreased Shannon index at 1.9% compared to bulk soil and the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was increased at 31.65%. Moreover, distinct changes in β-diversity were shown between bulk soil and rhizosphere samples. Notably, potentially pathogenic bacteria increased in abundance under rust disease stress, while beneficial bacterial taxa decreased. Overall, our results show that rust disease affects the rhizosphere microbial community, which emphasizes the ecological implications of plant–microbe interactions under biotic stress and implications for developing targeted rhizobacterial-based biocontrol strategies.

Analysis and evaluation of the burning characteristics of six commonly used herbaceous species in Beijing.

Surface vegetations are one of the key factors affecting the spread of green space fires. To explore the combustibility of commonly used local surface layer herbaceous species in Beijing, and to provide a reference for the construction and management of urban green space, we comprehensively evaluated the combustibility of Carex giraldiana, Carex breviculis, Liriope spicata, Iris lactea, Iris tectorum, and Buffaloe dactyloides, with the entropy weight method and K-mean cluster analysis based on the principal component analysis method. We measured the combustion characteristics indicators (blade ignition point, combustion time and heat release rate), physical and chemical indicators (leaf moisture content and crude fat content), and biological characteristics indicators (blade thickness and unit load) during the key period of fire prevention. The results showed that blade thickness and ignition point got the highest weight and affected the overall combustibility most. Peak heat release rate and ignition time had the lowest weight and minimal impact on the overall combustibility. The combustibility of the six species followed an order of B. dactyloides > C. breviculmis > L. spicata > C. giraldiana > I. lactea > I. tectorum. Results of the clustering analysis showed that the combustion ability of B. dactyloides, C. breviculmis, and L. spicata were in class Ⅰ, with the strongest combustion ability; C. giraldiana was in class Ⅱ; I. lactea and I. tectorum were in class Ⅲ, with the lowest flammability. As widely used surface vegetations, critical attention should be paid on B. dactyloides, C. breviculmis and L. spicata for fire prevention in winter and spring.

First Report of Anthracnose Caused by Colletotrichum spaethianum on Iris lactea in Daqing, China.

Iris lactea Pall. has high ornamental value and strong drought resistance, which can be used as a useful sand-stabilization and ornamental plant. In September 2021, typical anthracnose symptoms on I. lactea were found in the campus of Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University (125°10'45.31"E, 46°35'36.88"N), Daqing, China. Disease incidence varied from 37 to 51% at four survey sites (~20 m2 per site) of approximately 1,000 plants. Initially brown lesions with a yellow halo, and gray in the center were observed on the leaves. As disease progressed, the lesions expanded rapidly, resulting in dieback. To identify the pathogen, symptomatic tissues were excised from four infected leaves of four individual plants, surface sterilized for 1 min in 75% ethanol, washed twice with sterile water, plated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) contain 0.5 g/L streptomycin sulfate, and incubated at 25℃ for 3 to 4 days under dark conditions. Four morphologically similar fungal isolates (Irs-1 to -4) were obtained by using a single-spore isolation. After growth on PDA for 17 days at 25℃, a circular like zonation colonies with a color of greyish to gray green were observed. On the reverse side, circular like with zig-zag zonation colonies light brown to light black from the margin to the center. Conidiophores were pale brown, septate. Conidia were hyaline, aseptate, curved or slightly curved, round, or somewhat acute apex, base truncate, unicellular, whose sizes ranged at 18.5 ± 2.3 × 4.6 ± 0.7 μm (n = 170), with length/width ratio 4.04. Appressoria were in oval, star, or irregular shape, with brown color with sizes approximately at 13.3 ± 2.1 × 10.4 ± 2.1 μm (n = 30). These morphological characteristics are consistent with Colletotrichum spaethianum with curved conidia (Damm et al. 2009). For molecular identification, primers ITS1/ITS4 (Schoch et al. 2012), GDF1/GDR1 (Guerber et al. 2003), ACT-512F/ACT-783R and CHS-354R/CHS-79F (Carbone and Kohn 1999) were used to amplify the partial region of rDNA-ITS, a 200-bp intron of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), a partial sequence of the actin (ACT), and chitin synthase 1 (CHS-1) from fresh mycelia of the four isolates (Irs-1 to -4), respectively. The sequences were submitted to GenBank (ITS: OM004553, OP804624, OR029392, and OR029391; GAPDH: OP883938, OP883939, OR060963, and OR060962; ACT: OP883940, OP883941, OR060965, and OR060964; CHS: OP868844, OP868845, OR046504, and OR046503). Phylogenetic analysis based on the ITS, GAPDH, ACT and CHS gene sequences indicated that isolates obtained in this study were all clustered with C. spaethianum. Pathogenicity test was conducted by inoculating mycelial plugs on the I. lactea seedlings (2 seedlings with 4 to 5 leaves per isolate). Two seedlings inoculated with sterilized PDA plugs were used as control. All inoculated plants were maintained in humid chamber at 25℃ under dark, and typical anthracnose symptoms were observed up to 6 days after inoculation, while the control leaves were asymptomatic. The same pathogen was successfully re-isolated and phenotypically identical to the original isolates to fulfill Koch's postulates. C. spaethianum has been described on Hemerocalis flava (Vieira and Michereff 2014) and Allium fistulosum (Santana et al. 2016) in Brazil, Polygonatum cyrtonema in China (Ma et al. 2020), Iris germanica in Japan (Sato et al. 2012). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. spaethianum causing anthracnose disease on I. lactea in Daqing, China.

Vitisin A-13-O-β-D-glucoside and Vitisin A from Iris lactea inhibit lipogenesis and promote lipolysis via the PKA/HSL pathway during adipogenic transdifferentiation of C2C12 cells

Oligostilbenes are a group of natural products derived from the polymerization of stilbene monomers. Despite the demonstration of their activities in regulating lipid metabolism, the function of oligostilbenes in the adipogenic transdifferentiation of multipotent myoblast cells remains unknown. Hence, the five oligostilbenes from Iris lactea were tested for their regulatory effects on adipogenic transdifferentiation of C2C12 myoblast cells. As a result, it was shown that Vitisin A-13-O-β-D-glucoside (VitAOG), Vitisin A (VitA) and Hopeaphenol (Hop) can greatly inhibit the adipogenic transdifferentiation of C2C12 cells by reducing lipid accumulation and downregulating the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBPβ) and fatty acid binding proteins 4 (FABP4). In contrast, Vitisin D (VitD) and Isohopeaphenol (Isohop) promote adipogenic transdifferentiation of C2C12 cells by increasing lipid accumulation and upregulating the expression of adipogenesis and lipogenesis markers. Further research found that the lipolytic protein levels of adipocyte triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) were elevated by VitAOG and VitA. Additionally, VitAOG and VitA maintain lipid homeostasis by improving mitochondrial function. Taken together, our study reveals an effect of oligostilbenes on lipid metabolism in C2C12 cells, and VitAOG and VitA can be regarded as potential candidates for the treatment of obesity and other disorders of lipid metabolism.

Overexpression of IlHMA2, from Iris lactea, Improves the Accumulation of and Tolerance to Cadmium in Tobacco.

Long-distance transport cadmium (Cd) from roots to shoots is a key factor for Cd phytoremediation. Our previous study indicated that heavy metal P1B2-ATPases, IlHMA2, was involved in improving the accumulation of Cd via mediated long-distance transport Cd, contributing to the phytoremediation in Cd accumulator Iris lactea. However, whether the overexpression of IlHMA2 could enhance the accumulation and tolerance to Cd remains unclear in plants. Here, we generated transgenic tobacco overexpressing IlHMA2 and tested its effect on the translocation and accumulation of Cd and zinc (Zn), as well as the physio-biochemical characteristics under 50 mg/L Cd exposure. The overexpression of IlHMA2 significantly increased Cd concentrations in xylem saps, resulting in enhanced root-to-shoot Cd translocation compared with wild-type. Meanwhile, overexpressing IlHMA2 promoted Zn accumulations, accompanied by elevating proline contents and antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, POD, and CAT) to diminish the overproduction of ROS in transgenic tobacco. These pieces of evidence suggested that higher Zn concentrations and lower ROS levels could tremendously alleviate Cd toxicity for transgenic tobacco, thereby improving the growth and tolerance. Overall, the overexpression of IlHMA2 could facilitate Cd accumulation and enhance its tolerance in tobacco exposed to Cd contaminations. This would provide a valuable reference for improving Cd phytoremediation efficiency.

IlNRAMP5 is required for cadmium accumulation and the growth in Iris lactea under cadmium exposures

Iris lactea is potentially applied for remediating Cd-contaminated soils due to the strong ability of Cd uptake and accumulation. However, its molecular mechanism underlying Cd uptake pathway remains unknown. Here, we report a member of NRAMP (Natural Resistance-Associated Macrophage Protein) family, IlNRAMP5, is involved in Cd/Mn uptake and the growth in I. lactea response to Cd. IlNRAMP5 was localized onto the plasma membrane, and was induced by Cd. It was expressed in the root cortex rather than the central vasculature, and in leaf vascular bundle and mesophyll cells. Heterologous expression in yeast showed that IlNRAMP5 could transport Cd and Mn, but not Fe. Knockdown of IlNRAMP5 triggered a significant reduction in Cd uptake, further diminishing the accumulation of Cd. In addition, silencing IlNRAMP5 disrupted Mn homeostasis by lowering Mn uptake and Mn allocation, accompanied by remarkably inhibiting photosynthesis under Cd conditions. Overall, the findings suggest that IlNRAMP5 plays versatile roles in Cd accumulation by mediating Cd uptake, and contributes to maintain the growth via modulating Mn homeostasis in I. lactea under Cd exposures. This would provide a mechanistic understanding Cd phytoremediation efficiency in planta.

Evaluation of seed oil quality in Iris lactea by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics

Iris lactea Pall. var. chinensis (Fisch.) Koidz. Seed oil has high medicinal value, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and prevention and treatment effects on hypertension. In this study, the oil from nine different geographical locations of I. lactea seeds was extracted, and then the total polyphenol content, the ratio of major unsaturated and saturated fatty acids, and the antioxidant capacity of the oil were examined separately. Combining attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and chemometric methods, analysis models of the total polyphenol content, the ratio of major unsaturated fatty acids and saturated fatty acids, and the antioxidant capacity of I. lactea seeds oil were developed. The results showed that the total polyphenol content of I. lactea seeds oil ranged from 14.46 to 104.91 mg/kg gallic acid equivalents, the ratios of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids were between 5.00 and 12.50, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration of scavenging 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radicals was between 3.53 and 7.23 mg/mL. The proposed model for the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids showed good robustness with the root mean square error being adequate for the intended demand (<1), the correlation coefficients greater than 0.95, and the ratio of prediction to deviation greater than 3. The correlation coefficient of the total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity models were greater than 0.9 and the ratio of prediction to deviation was both greater than 2, showing a good correlation. In conclusion, all results indicated that I. lactea seeds oil was a healthy oil with development value, and attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was a simple and reliable method to evaluate the quality of I. lactea seeds oil as an alternative to wet chemical methods.

Identification of characteristic aroma compounds for spicy in Iris lactea var. chinensis.

Iris lactea var. chinensis (Fisch.) Koidz has a unique floral fragrance that differs from that of other Iris spp.; however, its characteristic aroma composition remains unknown. This study aimed to identify the floral fragrance components of I. lactea var. chinensis during different flowering stages using headspace solid-phase microextraction in conjunction with gas chromatography mass spectrometry, electronic nose, and sensory evaluation. During the three flowering phases (bud stage, bloom stage, and decay stage), 70 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including 13 aldehydes, 13 esters, 11 alcohols, 10 alkanes, 8 ketones, 7 terpenes, 7 benzenoids, and 1 nitrogenous compound, were identified. According to principal component analysis, the primary VOCs were (-)-pinene, β-irone, methyl heptenone, phenylethanol, hexanol, and 2-pinene. A comparison of the differential VOCs across the different flowering stages using orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis revealed that 3-carene appeared only in the bud stage, whereas hexanol, ethyl caprate, ethyl caproate, linalool, (-)-pinene, and 2-pinene appeared or were present at significantly increased levels during the bloom stage. The phenylethanol, methyl heptenone, 3-methylheptane, and β-irone reached a peak in the decay stage. The odor activity value and sensory evaluation suggested that "spicy" is the most typical odor of I. lactea var. chinensis, mainly due to 2-methoxy-3-sec-butylpyrazine, which is rare in floral fragrances.

Medicinal plants traditionally used in the health care practices by the indigenous communities of the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, India

Ethnopharmacological relevanceLadakh, “the land of high-rising passes,” is a cold arid desert located in the India's northernmost part of the Trans-Himalayan region. Traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in this fragile ecosystem is an important part of the primary healthcare system, particularly in remote areas where modern medical facilities are not fully operational. There is a need to update the traditional information on medicinal plants from time to time to understand any addition of plants or uses to assist in developing new drugs through pharmacological and phytochemical studies. Aim of the studyThe study was conducted to document the traditional knowledge and current therapeutic practices of the indigenous communities of Ladakh. Besides, the study strives to evaluate previous studies from Ladakh to identify plants that have not been previously reported for medicinal use. Material and methodsEthnomedicinal information was collected from 350 local informants through open and semi-structured questionnaires and field surveys in 35 villages of 8 regions of Ladakh. The primary data were analyzed for use reports (UR) and the informant consensus factor (ICF). The reported diseases were classified according to the International Classification of Primary Care-2 (ICPC-2). New reported medicinal plants and unreported medicinal uses in this study were identified and compared to 36 prior studies conducted in Ladakh. ResultsIn the study, 176 medicinal plants belonging to 45 families and 131 genera were reported to treat 116 diseases of 16 (ICPC-2) groups with a total of 4841 use reports. Based on the highest use reports (UR), the most utilized species were Thymus linearis Benth. (134), followed by Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. (127) The highest informant consensus factor (ICF) was reported for Pregnancy, Childbearing, and Family Planning (ICF = 1) followed by respiratory (ICF = 0.91), and digestive (ICF = 0.90) disorders. Based on the comparative literature review, a total of 518 plant species (502 previously reported plus 16 newly cited) are being used in the Ladakh region. A total of 133 use reports for 16 newly cited plants using 30 diseases were recorded. The highest degree of overlapping of medicinal plants and uses for medicines was recorded in regions with comparable ethnicity, and shorter geographical distances. Based on the IUCN Red List, recorded medicinal plants include 7 critically endangered, 9 endangered, and 13 vulnerable species. ConclusionLadakh's indigenous populations use a diverse range of medicinal plants to treat a variety of illnesses. The introduction of species and medicinal uses not previously cited in the primary health care system demonstrates that shared knowledge of traditional medicine among Ladakhi is still rich. The medicinal value of preferred medicinal plants has already been validated, but some medicinal plants lack scientific validation. We recommend further scientific studies on Aconitum violaceum Jacquem. ex Stapf,Anaphalis nepalensis var. monocephala (DC.) Hand.-Mazz., Allardia nivea Hook. f. & Thomson ex C.B. Clarke, Atriplex hortensis L., Eriophyton tibeticum (Vatke) Ryding, Iris lactea Pall. and Rheum webbianum Royle.

The I1NF-YC6 transcription factor of Iris lactea var. chinensis (Fisch.) activates the llCDT1 gene and enhances tolerance to cadmium stress in Arabidopsis thaliana

Heavy metal pollution of soil has become a serious global concern in recent years. In particular, cadmium (Cd) contamination is a ubiquitous environmental problem among heavy metals. Iris lactea var. chinensis is a perennial herb with significant ecological and industrial value. It is known for its good cadmium tolerance and cadmium enrichment capabilities; thus, it is considered an important plant for the restoration of cadmium-contaminated soil. Previous studies have shown that the cysteine-rich gene, IlCDT1 isolated from I. lactea conferred tolerance to Cd stress in yeast and Arabidopsis thaliana. However, the molecular mechanism of its regulation is poorly understood to date. In the current study, we screened and identified the transcription factor IlNF-YC6 that regulates IlCDT1 using yeast one-hybrid assay (Y1H). Overexpression of IlNF-YC6 conferred a significant tolerance to Cd stress in A. thaliana. Furthermore, the detection of physiological markers and transcriptome analysis revealed that IlNF-YC6 might increase plant tolerance to Cd stress primarily by improving plant detoxification ability and antioxidant capacity. Overall, our study would provide a genetic resource for candidate gene selection that might enhance plant tolerance to Cd contamination in soil or groundwater and subsequently lowering Cd absorption in the future.

IlAP2, an AP2/ERF Superfamily Gene, Mediates Cadmium Tolerance by Interacting with IlMT2a in Iris lactea var. chinensis

Cadmium (Cd) stress has a major impact on ecosystems, so it is important to find suitable Cd-tolerant plants while elucidating the responsible molecular mechanism for phytoremediation to manage Cd soil contamination. Iris lactea var. chinensis is an ornamental perennial groundcover plant with strong tolerance to Cd. Previous studies found that IlAP2, an AP2/ERF superfamily gene, may be an interacting partner of the metallothionein gene IlMT2a, which plays a key role in Cd tolerance. To study the role of IlAP2 in regulating Cd tolerance in I. lactea, we analyzed its regulation function and mechanism based on a yeast two-hybrid assay, a bimolecular fluorescence complementation test, quantitative real-time PCR, transgenics and transcriptome sequencing. The results showed that IlAP2 interacts with IlMT2a and may cooperate with other transcription factors to regulate genes involved in signal transduction and plant hormones, leading to reduced Cd toxicity by hindering Cd transport. These findings provide insights into the mechanism of IlAP2-mediated stress responses to Cd and important gene resources for improving plant stress tolerance in phytoremediation.

Iris lactea var. chinensis plant drought tolerance depends on the response of proline metabolism, transcription factors, transporters and the ROS-scavenging system

BackgroundIris lactea var. chinensis, a perennial herbaceous species, is widely distributed and has good drought tolerance traits. However, there is little information in public databases concerning this herb, so it is difficult to understand the mechanism underlying its drought tolerance.ResultsIn this study, we used Illumina sequencing technology to conduct an RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of I. lactea var. chinensis plants under water-stressed conditions and rehydration to explore the potential mechanisms involved in plant drought tolerance. The resulting de novo assembled transcriptome revealed 126,979 unigenes, of which 44,247 were successfully annotated. Among these, 1187 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from a comparison of the water-stressed treatment and the control (CK) treatment (T/CK); there were 481 upregulated genes and 706 downregulated genes. Additionally, 275 DEGs were identified in the comparison of the rehydration treatment and the water-stressed treatment (R/T). Based on Quantitative Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis, the expression levels of eight randomly selected unigenes were consistent with the transcriptomic data under water-stressed and rehydration treatment, as well as in the CK. According to Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, proline metabolism-related DEGs, including those involved in the ‘proline catabolic process’, the ‘proline metabolic process’, and ‘arginine and proline metabolism’, may play important roles in plant drought tolerance. Additionally, these DEGs encoded 43 transcription factors (TFs), 46 transporters, and 22 reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging system-related proteins. Biochemical analysis and histochemical detection showed that proline and ROS were accumulated under water-stressed conditions, which is consistent with the result of the transcriptomic analysis.ConclusionsIn summary, our transcriptomic data revealed that the drought tolerance of I. lactea var. chinensis depends on proline metabolism, the action of TFs and transporters, and a strong ROS-scavenging system. The related genes found in this study could help us understand the mechanisms underlying the drought tolerance of I. lactea var. chinensis.

Isolation and Characterization of a New Flavone C-glycoside Isoembinin from Iris lacteal along with its Effects on Platelet Activation.

One new compound isoembinin 1 along with ten known compounds 2-11 were isolated from the terrestrial parts of Iris lactea Pall. All of the compound structures were determined through extensive 1D and 2D NMR experiments along with HR-ESIMS analysis and comparison with literature data. Because many flavonoids exert antiplatelet and antioxidant activity we tested the effects of the isolated flavone C-glycosides 1-9 on platelet activation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Platelet reactivity was assessed by activation of αIIbβ3 integrins activation and ROS production by DCF-DA fluorescence. For the analysis of whether protein kinase A or G are involved in the platelet inhibition, the activity of these kinases was analyzed by phosphorylation of their common substrate in platelets. In all experiments apigenin, which inhibit platelet activation was used as a positive control. All isolated flavone C-glycosides inhibited platelet αIIbβ3 integrins activation with IC50 in the µM range, however this inhibitory effect was found to not be mediated through the prevention of ROS formation or by the activation of cyclic nucleotide pathways. Structure-activity comparison between apigenin and compounds 1-9 shows that the presence of C-glycoside and O-glycoside residues on the aglycone apigenin diminish the degree of platelet inhibition.

Spatial Vegetation Patch Patterns and Their Relation to Environmental Factors in the Alpine Grasslands of the Qilian Mountains

Globally, grasslands are affected by climate change and unsustainable management practices which usually leads to transitions from stable, degraded and then to desertification. Spatial vegetation patch configurations are regarded as key indicators of such transitions. Understanding the relationships between this grass-land vegetation and its environment is key to vegetation restoration projects. Spatial vegetation patch patterns were chosen across different soil and topographic conditions. Patch numbers, perimeter, and cover of each patch were measured along transects of each patch type. Using field surveys and multivariate statistical analysis, we investigated the differences in vegetation biomass and distribution and soil properties of four typical alpine plant species patches along with a range of environmental and topographic conditions. It was found that topographic conditions and soil properties, particularly soil moisture explained most of the variation in spatial patch vegetation characteristics and thus control vegetation restoration in the alpine grassland. The Kobresia humilis, Blysmus sinocompressus and Iris lactea patches under the drylands recorded small patch sizes, large patch numbers, low connectivity, and large total perimeter per unit area. Generally, species within the high moisture sites recorded small patch numbers, a large fraction of vegetation cover and a small total perimeter per m2. Patches in limited soil moisture areas recorded patch configurations indicating they are unstable and undergoing degradation and therefore need urgent restoration attention to forestall their further degradation and its resultant effect of desertification. These results would provide quantitative easy-to-use indicators for vegetation degradation and help in vegetation restoration projects.

Isolation of oligostilbenes from Iris lactea Pall. var. chinensis (Fisch.) Koidz and their anti-inflammatory activities.

Iris lactea Pall. var. chinensis (Fisch.) Koidz (Iris lactea) is an herbaceous perennial widely distributed in China, India, and South Korea. Iris lactea has been extensively used in traditional Chinese medicine. The present study isolated a new oligostilbene (compound 1), together with three known oligostilbenes (compounds 2, 3 and 4) from the seeds of Iris lactea. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by HRESIMS, NMR, and chemical analyses. The network-based pharmacologic analysis platform was used to predict the target proteins related to inflammation of isolated compounds. Furthermore, the isolated compounds were tested for their anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. In this network, 138 candidate targets of compounds related to its therapeutic effect on inflammation were identified. In addition, compounds 1, 2, 3 and 4 significantly decreased NO content and the IL-6 levels as well as the expression of COX-2 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.

IRIS MILKY-WHITE (IRIS LACTEA PALL.) – A PROMISING SOURCE OF BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCES

Iris milky-white (Iris lactea Pall.) is a herbaceous perennial plant from the Iridaceae Juss. family. The geographic area in which the plant can be found covers regions of Eastern Siberia, Trans-Baikal, Japan, eastern Mongolia, north-eastern China, as well as the Korean peninsula. This review includes the plants botanical description, chemical composition, together with the description of biological and pharmacological activity of I. lactea. Phenolic compounds can be distinguished as the main secondary metabolites of Iris milky-white, among which the most characteristic are: flavonoids, namely, flavone C-glycosides (embinin and its derivatives), isoflavonoids (irison B, tectorigenin, etc.) and xanthones (mangiferin, bellidifolin, etc.). Among other compounds of polyphenolic nature, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, phenolcarboxylic acids, stilbenoids, benzophenones and quinones were identified in I. lactea. The use of I. lactea in both traditional and modern medicine is mainly based on the presence of isoflavones in its extracts, which have been identified as «phytoestrogens». It was also found that herbal extracts of I. lactea possess immunostimulating, anti-inflammatory, antihypoxant, cardiotonic, antioxidant, antiviral, cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities. Thus, we can conclude the Iris milky-white is a promising source of biologically active substances with a wide range of action and it is necessary to study the chemical diversity of its compounds as fully as possible.

Phytochemical characteristics of some plants of Northern Mongolia

The article presents the results of determining the content of pectin substances, organic acids and freesugars in 7 species (8 samples) of plants collected in the steppe regions of Northern Mongolia. These are: Armeniaca sibirica(L.) Lam. – siberian apricot, leaves; Artemisia adamsii Bess. – Adams wormwood, aboveground part; Betula fusca Pallasex Georgi - brown birch, leaves; Iris lactea Pallas, milky white iris, leaves; Polygonatum (Aconogonon) divaricatum L. –spreading knotweed (battering ram), leaves and flowers; Thermopsis dahurica Czefr. – Daurian thermopsis, abovegroundpart; Veronica incana L. – gray-haired Veronica, aboveground part. The studied species comprise a significant amountof pectin substances, citric, acetic, lactic and other organic acids, as well as free sugars: glucose, fructose, sucrose. Thequantitative content of these substances has been determined.

Impact of soil degradation on plant communities in an overgrazed Tibetan alpine meadow

Predicting the impact of overgrazing on soil properties, and thus on plant succession, in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is one of the primary technical bottlenecks in alpine meadow conservation. Four degradation intensities, namely D1: light degradation, D2: moderate degradation, D3: high degradation, and a non-degraded site as the control (CK), were identified. The soil properties and plant community data were analyzed. With the increase in degradation intensity, the soil pH, conductivity (EC), and bulk density (BD) values significantly increased, while the soil water content, total carbon, total nitrogen, and C/N ratio significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Plant aboveground biomass and Shannon diversity significantly decreased with the increase in degradation intensity (p < 0.05). The dominant species changed from Poa pratensis (CK) to Potentilla multifida (D1), to Iris lactea (D2), and finally to Achnatherum splendens (D3). Overgrazing can lead to changes in soil properties, and changes in soil pH and BD are the primary factors that control the changes in plant community structure and composition with grassland degradation. Soil degradation is conducive to the growth of individual species such as A. splendens, which are associated with a reduction in plant diversity in an alpine meadow of the northeastern QTP. Future research should pay more attention to the key species and soil properties in degraded grasslands.

Screening and Identification of Host Proteins Interacting with Iris lactea var. chinensis Metallothionein IlMT2a by Yeast Two-Hybrid Assay.

Iris lactea var. chinensis (Fisch.) (I. lactea var. chinensis) is a well-known cadmium (Cd)-tolerant plant and we have previously shown that the metallothionein gene, IlMT2a, of the plant may be playing a key role in conferring the Cd tolerance. In this study, we have identified several proteins interacting with the IlMT2a by screening yeast two-hybrid library constructed from cDNAs isolated from Cd-treated I. lacteal var. chinensis plants. Putative functions of these proteins include those involved in photosynthesis, ROS scavenge, nutrient transport, and transcriptional regulation, to name a few. In particular, another metallothionein, which we assigned the name of IlMT3, was identified as an interacting partner of the IlMT2a. Unlike IlMT2a, it did not provide any significant protection against Cd toxicity in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana L. (A. thaliana). To our knowledge, this is the first time ever reporting the interaction of two metallothionein proteins in plants. Learning the biological significance of the interaction between IlMT2a and IlMT3 would be the focus of future study and would be able to provide valuable insights into the understanding plant metallothionein’s diverse and complex roles in coordinating many important cellular physiologies including stress responses, gene regulations, and energy metabolisms.