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Paeonia ostii is an authorized novel vegetable oil crop due to its seeds rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) especially α-linolenic acid (ALA), which overweight the current available edible oil. However, little is known on the regulation mechanism of UFAs biosynthesis during its seed development. Here, we used transcriptome and proteome data combining phytochemistry means to uncover the relationship between abscisic acid (ABA) signaling and UFAs biosynthesis during P. ostii seed development. Based on transcriptome and proteome analysis, two desaturases of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acid, named as PoFAD2 and PoFAD3 responsible for ALA biosynthesis were identified. Then, an ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE 5 (ABI5) proteins was identified as an upstream transcriptional factor, which activated the expression of PoFAD3 instead of PoFAD2. Moreover, silencing of PoABI5 repressed the response of PoFAD3 to ABA. This study provides the first view on the connection between the function of ABA signaling factors and ALA biosynthesis in the P. ostii seed, which lays the foundation for studies on the regulatory mechanism of ABA signaling involved in the UFAs synthesis during seeds development, meanwhile, it will shed light on manipulation of ALA content for satisfying human demands on high quality of edible oil or healthy supplement.

In this study, oil-in-water microemulsions (MEs) were developed and used as a stable carrier for delivery of Paeonia ostii seed oil (PSO), a fatty acid mixture (FAM), and α-linolenic acid (ALA). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to measure the particle size and polydispersity index (PDI) of the ME. The effects of temperature, exposure to light, and the addition of antioxidants on the peroxide values of the loads were investigated. The MEs were composed of droplets with diameters between 15 and 35 nm and PDIs lower than 0.5, and the addition of antioxidants had no significant effect on the particle size and dispersibility. Temperature, more than light, was the factor that most significantly promoted doxidation, and the influence of the addition of different antioxidants was higher by butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), followed by vitamin C and vitamin E. Viability and morphology of A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells treated with MEs were studied. The three evaluated MEs caused damage to cell membrane and inhibited the growth of cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Data on intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in cancer cells indicated that the treatment with MEs stimulated oxidative stress response and induced oxidative damage. These findings showed the latent capacity of MEs for protection of nutritional factors and for drug delivery.

The effects of multi-scale molecules on physical properties, antioxidant capacity and in vitro release kinetics in the α-linolenic acid-loaded water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) microemulsion were revealed in this work. The glucose and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC) solutions were selected as the internal aqueous phase (W1) of the microemulsion, respectively, while the multi-scale molecules, such as sodium chloride (NaCl), glycine (Gly), glucose (Glu), CMC, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and sodium caseinate (SC), were added in the external aqueous phase (W2) to balance the osmotic pressure and meanwhile their effects on the fluorescence property, antioxidant capacity and release kinetics were probed. Among these, the CMCW1-NaClW2 and GluW1-CMCW2 microemulsion within the appropriate concentration range could dramatically increase the storage stability and antioxidant capacity by inhibiting the aggregation of droplets or Ostwald ripening, while the addition of Gly and SC had the negative effect on the stability of microemulsion. Finally, the release kinetic dates were fitted and the Korsmeyer-Peppas equation was considered as the most suitable to explain the ALA release kinetics that were controlled by diffusion and erosion in the simulated gastric fluid (SGF, pH = 2.0) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH = 6.8). The application of release kinetic models in nutrient nano-delivery systems could facilitate the investigation on the release mechanism of nutritional components.

Sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers were used to assess the genetic diversity and population genetic structure in fourteen wild populations of Lycium ruthenicum from Northwestern China. Thirty-one selected primer combinations produced 468 discernible bands, with 398 (85.04%) being polymorphic, indicating relatively high genetic diversity at the species level. Analysis of molecular variance showed that the genetic variation was found mainly within populations (84.45%), but variance among populations was only 15.55%. And there was a moderate genetic differentiation (G(st) = 0.2155) among populations. Mantel test revealed a significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances (r = 0.303, P = 0.004), and the unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic average clustering and principal coordinates analysis demonstrated similar results. A total of nine significant (P < 0.05) correlations were detected between three indices of genetic diversity and seven ecogeographic factors. Also recommendations for conservation of the endangered species resources and breeding program are proposed. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bougainvillea spectabilis Willd. is of prime importance for horticulture, as well as potentially for pharmaceutical industries, agriculture and environmental industries. However, its floral development is not yet well understood. A detailed study on floral structure and floral organography in the species was first completed using microscopy of paraffin microtome sections of buds. The results were indicated as follows: first, the three trumped flowers in the cymose inflorescence develop asynchronously. Secondly, Varieties with multi-whorl bracts do not develop any sexual organs, i.e., perianth, pistil and stamens. Thirdly, the wall of the two-loculus anther consists of two kinds of cells: the inner wall, consisting of thick-cytoplasmed cells and the outer wall, consisting of fibrous cells. Fourthly, the pollen grains, with three germination colpi, vary substantially in the form and size in summer under the highest day temperature of 40 °C. Fifthly, the pistil is characterized with betalain-acumulating stylar brush. Followed the developmental course, only one basal ovule is developed in the superior ovary. Finally, organs of one flower develop consecutively from the outer to the inner, i.e., from bracts, to calyx, stamen, and carpel while the three flowers bloomed one by one in one cymose inflorescence. It almost takes 1 week from first bud to the third flower blooming. Our research showed a series of special characteristics of reproduction organography of B. spectabilis which can be useful for understanding its reproduction biology and its sterility.