Hopp til hovedinnholdet

Publications

NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.

2009

Abstract

Abstract Germplasm characterization is an important component contributing to the effective management of plant genetic resources. The goal of this thesis was to study the genetic diversity of two models of vegetatively propagated plant species; roseroot (Rhodiola rosea L.) and sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam), based on germplasm collections. Roseroot was recently collected from natural habitats and then vegetatively propagated at the germplasm centre while sweet potato already has a long tradition as a vegetatively propagated food species. I. Roseroot (Rhodiola rosea) Roseroot, R. rosea, also commonly known as golden root or arctic root, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Crassulaceae family. R. rosea has its origin from the cold, humid regions of the northern hemisphere and grows mostly in the mountains near the snow border. R. rosea is widely distributed in Norway. As part of an effort to identify commercially valuable genotypes characterization of a germplasm collection from Norway was initiated. Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was used to estimate genetic diversity within the Norwegian R. rosea germplasm collection. AFLP analysis of 97 R. rosea clones using five primer combinations gave a total of 109 polymorphic bands. A large molecular marker variation was found among roseroot clones in Norway with an average percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB) of 82.3%. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed a significantly greater variation within regions (92.03%) than among regions (7.97%) demonstrating that there was no close genetic similarity among clones originating from the same county. A low level of genetic differentiation (FST = 0.043) was observed, indicating a high level of gene flow, which had a strong influence on the genetic structure in Norway. Our results indicate high gene flow among R. rosea clones that might be a result of seed dispersal rather than cross-pollination. Ninety five clones of the Norwegian roseroot germplasm collection were analysed and quantified for their content of the bioactive compounds rosavin, salidroside, rosin, cinnamyl alcohol and tyrosol using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis. All bioactive compounds were detected in all clones but in highly variable quantities. The frequency distribution of the chemical content of each clone was not correlated with geographic region of origin or gender of the plant. Significant correlations between the content of these bioactive compounds were observed within individual roseroot clones. Low and nonsignificant correlations were found between AFLP markers used to study genetic diversity of the roseroot clones and their content of chemical compounds. The maximum content of rosavin, rosin and salidroside observed were substantially higher than previously reported for roseroot plants, and the roseroot clones characterized in this study might therefore be of high pharmacological value. The large quantitative and qualitative variation of the chemical compounds observed in this study and the large genetic diversity observed in this germplasm constitute a firm basis for improving traits such as chemical composition in a breeding program for roseroot. This is the first report that combines the analysis of genetic diversity with information of the chemical composition of roseroot. Further studies of the roseroot populations from Norway as well as from other countries should be performed throughout the following years to identify clones with optimal chemical compositions and to maintain high genetic diversity of this species. II. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) Sweet potato has its origin in South America and is the 7th most important crop in the world. A Tanzanian sweet potato germplasm collection was characterized using molecular markers and morphological traits. The AFLP method was used to study the genetic diversity and relationships of sweet potato accessions in the germplasm collection ..

Abstract

A range of studies the last decade have shown that modified wood can provide excellent protection against a range of wood deteriorating organisms, including decay fungi. However, we still lack information about why the modified wood is protected from microbial attack. Several hypotheses have been put forward e.g. inhibition of action of specific enzymes, but they still need testing. An understanding of the mechanisms utilized by decay fungi when exposed to modified wood is important for further optimisation of new modified wood products. In this study gene expression of the brown rot fungus Postia placenta has been monitored after 2, 4 and 8 weeks of colonization in furfurylated Scots pine and control samples. Preliminary results are given. The main finding was that genes related to oxidative metabolic activity was higher in furfurylated wood compared to untreated Scots pine, and that carbohydrate metabolism related expression was lower in furfurylated wood compared to untreated control.

To document

Abstract

Six clones of Rhodiola rosea, obtained from plants originating from widely different areas in Norway, were investigated for their in vitro inhibitory potential on CYP3A4-mediated metabolism and P-gp efflux transport activity. Presumed active constituents in the ethanol extracts of the different clones were quantified. C-DNA baculovirus expressed CYP3A4 and Caco-2 cells were used for inhibitory assays, and as positive control inhibitors ketoconazole and verapamilwere applied, respectively. A validated HPLC methodology was used to quantify the formation of 6-β-OH-testosterone and scintillation counting was used to quantify the transport of 3H-digoxin in Caco-2 cells. All clones showed potent inhibition of CYP3A4 and P-gp activities, with IC50 values ranging from 1.7 to 3.1 μg/mL and from 16.7 to 51.7 μg/ mL, respectively, being below that reported for other herbs and some known classic drug inhibitors, such as St. John’s wort and fluoxetine. Rhodiola rosea might thus be a candidate for clinically relevant drug interactions. The concentration of presumed biologically active constituents in the different clones varied considerably, but this variationwas not related to the clones’ inhibitory potential on CYP3A4 or P-gp activities. Other constituents might thus be responsible for the observed inhibitory properties. The place of origin seemed to be of minor importance for CYP3A4 or P-gp inhibition.