IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY
Year:2009 | Volume:22 | Issue:2|Papers Count:25

Iran is one of the most important centers of biodiversity in the old world. About 22% of the total 8000 plant species are endemic to Iran. Therefore, study of the flora and vegetation is important. The northern forests of Iran are diverse ecosystems of Euxine-Hyrcanian province in Euro-Siberian region and Holarctic kingdom. Floristic Study of a habitat is valuable for continuing ecological research, management and conservation of plants. Richness and diversity of plants and various forest types in Dodangeh, 80 km to south of Sari, make it a unique habitat to study floristically. The eastern forests of Dodangeh, with the area of about 8000 ha., is located in the latitude of 36o 07' to 36o 12' and longitude of 53o 20' to 53o 25'. The altitude is varied from 700 to 2010 m.a.s.l. The mean annual precipitation is 741 mm. Plant species collections were performed in May, June and November of 2006. The species were identified and their chorology and life form were determined. The results revealed the existence of 237 plant species, belonging to 10 families of Pteridophytes and 60 families of Angiosperms. Most of species belong to Asteraceae, Lamiaceae and Rosaceae, respectively. According to Raunkiaer’s classification of life forms, hemicryptophytes, geophytes, phanerophytes, therophytes and chamaephytes include 46%, 19%, 17%, 14% and 4% of the total species, respectively. Chorotypes, based on Zohary, showed that most of the species belong to province Hyrcanian and Euro-Siberian-Mediterranean-IranoTuranean regions.

Pollens have various proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals and their presentation in honey brings valuable properties for them. Recognize the kinds of pollen in honey are critical to determine its quality. It shows also the importance of plants used by honey bee. In this research 10 beehives were established in Sirachal Region, between Karaj-Chaloos road, 40 km after Karaj, with 1500 ha area and the altitudes between 1780 to 2910 m. Some of the beehives were equipped with pollen catcher traps and pollen loads were collected every three days. These pollens and the other ones which extracted from anthers were acetolyzed and mouted on microscopic slides. The comparisons were made on the base of pollen characteristics specialties such as: shape, size, number of pores and furrows on two polar and equator views as well as on surface view and optical section. Pollens were observed, photographed and analyzed by live 3000 software. They were studied with scanning electron microscope as well. Direct observsion of honey bee activities on the flowers were conducted and phenology of the plants was recorded. The results showed that 18 families and 85 species were used by honey bee from May to September. The colors of dominant pollens were respectively yellow, olivaceous, orange, dark brown, light brown, dirty cream, dark cream, lemon, white, red, gray and black, which indicated that the activity of honey bee is based on attractiveness of pollens. According to the color of weight dominant pollens were Berberis vulgaris (yellow, 47.6%), Acanthophyllum microcephalum (olivaceous, 23%), Crepis sancta (orange, 9.58%). The most abundant honey bee plants were belonged to Berberidacae, Caryophyllaceae, Asteraceae, Rosaceae and Plantaginaceae, resrectivlely. But Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, Brassicaceae and Apiaceae were the most various families.The size of them were most brought pollens to beehive small and very small, which indirects that pollinations would increase fertilization chance in these plants. Also, the sulcate, echinate and poly porate pollens were more abundant than other ones, because their transport are easier. The spheric and semispheric pollens (44.7%) were carried to beehives more then others.

As a result of human activities, heavy metal pollution has become one of the most serious environmental problems today. The present work was carried out to study oxidative changes, antioxidanic responses and metal accumulation in spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) at various concentrations of zinc. The plants remained in a controlled environment for 16 weeks in nutrient solutions contained different concentration of zinc. As most important responses of plants to environmental stresses, dry weight or biomass of treated plant with high concentration of zinc decreased significantly. Under Zn treatments, phenolic compounds such as flavonoids and anthocyanins were increased significantly in comparison with control plants. This study showed that Zn as heavy metal induced oxidative stress as evidenced by an increase in lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde and other aldehydes) and total ascorbate content. High levels of Zn decreased the shoot to root ratios and translocation of Zn and Fe, which caused accumulation of these metals in root. According to this investigation, it can be concluded that zinc started some toxic effects at high accumulation due to induce oxidative stress and disordered Fe functions in spearmint plant cells.

Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the tropical plants that are also cultivated in temperate regions. Because of the nutritional and medical importance of this crop and its sensitivity to growth medium temperature and vital role of impact biomembranes, the effect of low non-freezing temperature and plants response to it was investigated. Plants were exposed to 15°C (cold-acclimated) or 25oC (nonacclimated) for 24h, under 250 mmol m-2s-1 photo synthetically active radiations (PAR). Then all plants were exposed to 4oC (chilling temperature) for 24h and allowed to recover at 25oC for 24h. We analyzed the activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), electrolyte leakage in leaves and roots. Chilling sensitive soybean plants can be made tolerant to cold by cold acclimation via exposing the plants to nonfreezing low temperatures.

To improve agriculture and plant community, factors which influence plant growth especially those which increase resistance and adaptation to harsh environment such as water and nutrient insufficient is important. Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae is one of the most common symbiosis which increase the plant adaptation and is useful for adsorbing water and nutrient elements such as P, N, K, etc. This research has been done on 14 plants species in 11 station of Kerman province due to the importance of mycorrhizae and ecological parameters in the field. The concentration of copper and zinc in soil and root, soil texture and pH, biological factors includes colonization percentage, spore numbers in soil, identification of fungi and plants species has been studied. There was a significant difference between soil copper and root zinc in rhizosphere of 14 species. However no significant correlation between soil and root elements was observed but a significant correlation has been observed between colonization percentage and spore number, pH and soil zinc, pH and soil clay. These 14 plant species were belong to 9 different families and 10 plants species had mycorrhizal colonization, 7 fungi species belong to 3 genus has been identified. Further investigation is needed for using mycorrhizal in agriculture and on field where many environmental factors are involved.

Today over than 22000 strains of Salmonella were investigated. Species of medicine resistance were presented due to consuming of Antibiotic in Animals. Genus of Satureja with the Persian name of “Marzeh” consists of 15 species in Iran, 9 of them (S. bachtiarica, S. edmondi, S. sahendica, S. kallarica, S. rechingeri, S. intermedia, S. isophylla, S. atropatana, S. khuzistanica) are endemic. In this research anti-microbial effect and chemical composition of the essential oils of these plants were investigated. The aerial parts of S. bachtiarica, S. edmondi and S. mutica were collected at full flowering stage from habitats in Yazd, Khorassan and Kermanshah provinces, respectively. The plant materials were hydro-distilled in order to obtain their essential oils. The oils were analyzed by capillary GC and GC/MS. The results showed the oil yields of S. bachtiarica, S. edmondi and S. mutica were %2.15, %2.31 and %1/0, respectively. Carvacrol (%66.5) and p-cymene (%15.2) were characterized in the oil of S. bachtiarica samples. In the oil of S. Mutica, carvacrol (%30.9); thymol (%26.5), gamma-terpinene (%14.9) and p-cymene (%10.3) were the main constituents. In the oil of S. edmondi p-cymene (%61.1), gamma-terpinene (%9.6) and thymol (%5.0) were the main constituents. For study of anti-microbial effect of the oil samples, the oils was diluted by DMSO at %2.5 and %5 and tested against two kinds of Salmonella paratyphi (A and B) by disk diffusion method. The results of three replicate showed, the oil by concentration of %2.5 and %5 inhibited the growth of Salmonella paratyphi A at 8 & 11mm (S. bachtiarica), 8 & 10 mm (S. mutica) and 7 & 11 mm (S. edmondi) and inhibited the growth of Salmonella paratyphi B at (9 & 11)mm, (8 & 12)mm and (6 & 12)mm respectively. The results showed the high anti-microbial effect of these oils. It seems the presence of thymol, carvacrol, P-cymene and gamma-terpinene in these oils caused the strong anti microbial effect of them.

Clavulanic acid (CA) is a useful antibiotic that is produced by Streptomyces clavuligerus, in conventional agitated and aerated fermenters­. This filamentous bacterium is strictly aerobic and very sensitive to shear force. Dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) level and mixing have remarkable effect on CA production. ­In the present study, the effect of various stirrer speeds and DOT concentrations on CA production by S. clavuligerus DSM738 was investigated. The results showed that the highest CA production (0.61g/l) was obtained when the DOT was controlled at 20% DOT. The highest CA production (0.85 g/l) was obtained when the agitation rate was controlled at 700 rpm. When stirrer speed was increased than 700 rpm, the CA production was decreased drastically. In the medium containing more than 20% DOT, more growth of the strain was seen, but the concentration of the antibiotic was decreased. In the media with 200 rpm and DOT 10%, the growth of the strain and CA production was decreased drastically.

As primitive culturing of variant cultivars of melon, there is probably valuable melon gene pool in Iran. the genetic diversity of fifty four Iranian melon (Cucumis melo L.) accessions which were collected from Yazd, Hamedan, Zanjan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Isfahan, Ardebil, Khorasan-e-Shomali, Khorasan-e-Jonobi and Khorasan-e-Razavi provinces, were analyzed using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. Collectively 11 primers which contained different simple sequence repeat (microsatellite) were used as single primer, and tested for PCR amplification. 63 polymorphic bands of 84 loci were scored. They were then used to estimate the genetic similarity among accessions using cluster analysis based on similarity coefficient matrix using Unweigthed Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean method (UPGMA). The results showed that among accessions mean genetic distances (Jaccard’s coefficient) and mean polymorphism information content (PIC) were 0.74 and 0.84, respective. The primer (AC)8G had the highest PIC (0.92). Cluster analysis indicated wide range of diversity across the genotypes used. The least of genetic distance was observed between Gorgab and Yazdi accessions revealing closer genetic relationship of two accessions with each other than with others. The highest genetic distance was observed between Birjand and Till-e-Zard. The results of this study revealed that ISSR markers could be efficiently used for genetic differentiation of the melon accessions. The primer (AC)8G with the higher PIC is recommended for further analysis.

In transgenic plants, the faithful inheritance and expression of transgenes are particularly important properties. In this study analyses were performed on seeds that produced by T0 glyphosate-tolerant rapeseed plants. The T0 generation plants contains a mutated EPSPS gene that has a highly linked with nptII gene. These seed screened on MS medium containing 15 mgL-1 kanamycin and explants with green leaves and expanded roots considered as tolerant plants. Results showed that mutated EPSPS gene expresses in T1 canola plants decrease the harmful consequences of glyphosate. The statistical c2 analysis (p-value 0.05) revealed that the segregation of the transgenes to T1 progeny suggested a Mendelian pattern as single dominant locus. In molecular analysis, the presence and transcription of EPSPS genes studied by PCR and RT-PCR, respectively. The T1 plants were fully fertile, with no apparent phenotypic abnormalities.

For study of olive plantlet response under osmotic stress condition, in the first step embryos of the olive cv. Zard were cultured on solid 1.2MS media, after one month, half of the green plantlets were transferred to the solid 1.2MS containing 170 mM Nacl, the plantlets were sub-cultured, after two weak, according to different components of olive plantlets, several methods used to extract total proteins from both plantlets under stress condition and non stress condition. Equal quantity of total protein from both two samples was subjected to 2DE and protein profile of stressed plantlets was compared to non-stressed plantlets. Up and down regulated of polypeptides were interpreted as response of plantlet to the induced stress and the difference in polypeptides profile of plantlet under stress versus control plantlet was also considered. Significant difference was up regulation of three polypeptides and down regulation of three polypeptides.

Shikonin (b-alkannin) a red naphtoquinone pigment extracted from the groun rhizome of Arnebia euchroma (Boraginaceae) which has been used in East Asia for treating burns, has anti-inflammatory and antitumor effects both in vitro and in vivo. In this study we evaluated the effects of shikonin on activated microglia in vitro and analysis the changes of NO (Nitric oxide) level and percentage of apoptosis in the presence or absence of LPS (Lipopolysaccharide). Microglia, residential monocyte-lineaged cells in the central nervous system, can release a variety of factors including cytokines, chemokines, nitric oxide, etc. to regulate the communication among neuronal and other types of glial cells. When microglia are hyperactiveted due to a certain pathological imbalance, they may cause neuronal degeneration and inflammatory disease such as cerebral ischemia, Alzheimer' disease, prion disease, multiple sclerosis, parkinson' disease, AIDs dementia, trauma and others. Elevated level of NO produced with this cells in the CNS also are associated with the pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative human disease. The crude plant extract of Arnebia euchroma showed significant dose-dependent inhibition of NO production and apoptosis of treatrd cells. The results showed that shikonin at concentrations >&=10mg/ml induce apoptosis and at concentrations beetwen 0.1-5mg/ml induce significant reduction in NO level as measured by Acridine orange/Ethidium bromide staning and Griess reagent, respectively. Thus, shikonin may have clinical potential as anti-inflammatory therapeutics in neurodegenerative disease. 

Some biological aspects of semen were investigated in the Beluga, Huso huso, by determination of seminal plasma indices (ionic and organic composition), osmolality and their relationships with spermatozoa motility. The concentrations of Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), Calcium (Ca2+) and Magnesium (Mg2+) ions were 84.88±18.67, 3.33±0.31, 0.92±0.2 and 0.78±0.23 MmL-1 respectively. Seminal plasma contained 0.065±0.028 mg/dl protein, 26.40±7.85 mg/dl cholesterol and 20.61±7.04 mg/dl glucose. Semen spermatocriet was 2.39±0.42%, pH 7.75±0.49 and duration of spermatozoa movement 319.27±72.48 second. The Sodium/Potassium and Calcium/Potassium ratios were 25.48 and 0.27. The osmolality of seminal plasma ranged from 36 to 96 mOsmol Kg-1. The significant positive correlations were observed between some seminal plasma indices, Na+- spermatozoa motility (r=0.764, p<0.05), osmolality - Na+ (r=0.742, p<0.05) and protein- glucose (r=0.821, p<0.01). There were also significant negative correlations between Ca2+-K+ (r=-0.703, p<0.05), and pH- osmolality (r=-0.779, p<0.05). Consequently, variability in the ionic composition and osmolality of seminal plasma of fishes, mainly due to intra-specific differences in testicular secretions.Our data can be used to improve methods for short and long-term storage of Beloga semen.

Sainfoins (Onobrychis Adans., Fabaceae, Faboideae, Hedysareae) are Eurasian perennial herbs. This highly nutritious plant is an important forage crop with comprises approximately 342 species. The germplasm used in this study containing 19 populations from 5 species of Onobrychis genus considered by Karyotypic studies. In this study, the Video Analysis System was used for karyotype analysis. The basic chromosome number was x=7 in all of the populations but their chromosomal variations was very high. According to Stebbins' categories, the populations number O. sativa (2399) and O. sativa (182) classified to symmetric class of B and others stand to A. The highest VRC was obtained for 6012 and the lowest was obtained for O. viciaefolia (6014) populations. Based on inter chromosomal symmetric, O. viciaefolia (3026) had the most asymmetrical and evolutionary karyotypesis and O. sativa (3396) had the most symmetrical karyotypesis. Based on intrachromosomal symmetric, O. sativa (2399) had the most asymmetrical karyotypesis. The Results of analysis of variance based on unbalanced completely randomized design showed significant differences among the populations for all traits (P<%1). Using principal component analysis, the first two components justify %99 of total variance. In the first component, the total length of chromosome and the length of the long arm, which had the highest coefficients of Eigen vectors, also had the most significant role in total variance. In the second component the feature of the arm ratio, centromer index and length of short arm had the most important part in creating of total variance. By cutting dendrogram resulted from cluster analysis (UPGMA) with Cophenetic value equall to r=0.73 based on 5 parameters (TL, LA, SA, AR, CI,) in metric distance 2.43, the populations classified to three classes which certainly the first and the second components had the most significant role in separated classes. The highest distance was obtaind between O. altissima (2260) and O .major (242) that indicates the least affinity between them. The lowest metric distance value was obtained between two populations of O. sativa (2985) and (3002). The diagram of the populations dispersion, based on two first components, the populations were grouped in three separated groups, which agrees with the results of cluster analysis. By cutting dendrogram produced from cluster analysis (UPGMA) with the r=0.75 based on two parameters (A1 and A2) in metric distance 1.56, the populations classified to three classes. The highest distance was obtained between O. altissima (2260) and O. sativa (1586) which imply the least affinity between them. There was the lowest distance between O. sativa (1586) and O. sativa (3981).

In this study, the effects of hormonal GnRHa, HCG and pituitary extract injection on biochemical parameters of seminal plasma (Na+, K+, Ca+, Mg2+, total protein, cholesterol and glucose ) in goldfish (Carassius auratus) males were compared. Fish injected with hormonal GnRHa, HCG and pituitary extract with 10mg kg-1, 1500 IU/Kg-1, 3mg/Kg-1 respectively. There were a highly significant difference of seminal plasma Na+ among treatments (p<0.05), as the highest value of Na+ observed in GnRHa and HCG treatment (202.33±15.04, 195.66±10.69 mmol/l respectively). There was a highly significant difference in K+ among treatments (p<0.01) as the highest value of K+ observed in control group (31.40±1.24 mmol/l), but There were no significant difference in Ca+ and Mg2+ among treatments (p>0.05). There was a highly significant difference of seminal plasma total protein and glucose among treatments (p<0.05), as the highest value of total protein and glucose observed in HCG treatment (0.06±0.001 g/dl, 0.13±0.04 mg/dl respectively). Also There were a highly significant difference of seminal plasma cholesterol among treatments (p<0.01), as the highest value of cholesterol observed in HCG and pituitary extract treatment (0.018±0.001, 0.020±0.003 mg/dl respectively). The present study demonstrated that GnRHa, HCG and pituitary extract have different effects on biochemical parameters of seminal plasma in goldfish, and HCG have more effect on biochemical parameters of sperm than GnRHa and pituitary extract.

German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is a widespread universal pest that is found in residential houses, hospitals and commercial buildings. This insect is a carrier of different kinds of fungi, viruses and pathogen bacteria. Thus, regarding to public health, control of this insect is important. Due to increasing resistance to pesticides, high toxicity of these materials and environmental pollutions, one of the new methods for controlling this insect is application of juvenile hormone analogue, fenoxycarb. This juvenoid is a nonneurotoxic carbamate that regulates insect’s growth and reproduction. Fenoxycarb is degenerated in environment and has no poisonous property for human, so it is widely used for controlling insects. In this study, the contact effect of different concentration of fenoxycarb (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 ppm) has been investigated on late fifth nymphal instar of German cockroach. For each concentration, 20 individual were treated, each experiment was repeated for three times, and for each concentration a group of control was set up. The treatment time was continuing until insects emerged into adults. In this stage, each treated insect was kept separately with untreated opposite mate until the formation of the first egg capsule. The results showed that, juvenoid application was found to be effective in inducing deformation abnormalities, such as divergent, curly wing and giant nymphs. Furthermore, in all concentrations, the melanized individuals were observed and the length of sixth nymphal instar life time was increased with increasing the concentration of fenoxycarb. The effective dose (ED50) of fenoxycarb was 0.060 ppm and 0.034 ppm for male and female, respectively. Also, the sterility dose (SD50) of this juvenoid was calculated for male and female 0.011 ppm and 0.010 ppm, respectively. With increasing the concentration of fenoxycarb the percent of insects sterility was increased. So, as in 1 and 10 ppm concentration of juvenoid all of the insects were sterilized. The results showed that there is a straight relation between twisting wing and probability of sterility. But there were not any significant differences (p£0.05) in numbers of nymph produced by oothecaes of treated and untreated insects.

Although Aeolesthes sarta Solsky is one of the most destructive pests of fruit trees, forest and ornamental plants in Iran and other countries، but artificial diet has not made yet for this pest. For the first time in the world، we tried to make artificial diet for this borer. In this regards, Elm's stem wood powder 16 gr.(unit), distilled water 70 cc (unit), acid benzoic 0.3 gr.(unit), hydroxy benzoate 0.4 gr.(unit), nipagin 0.3 gr.(unit), agar - agar 5 gr.(unit) and yeast extract 4 gr.(unit) were mixed together and distilled water was gradually added to get a paste. The paste was placed into the special bowels (Erlenmeyer 250 cc, 150 cc of paste into each bowel) and autoclaved. The hibernate and the first instar larvae of A. sarta were putted into the bowels in the laboratory conditions (25‏±1 C, 60-70% r.h. and no light). Rearing of hibernate larvae began in May and the larvae were pupated in September. After 2-3 months the pupae transformed to adults. The results obtained on laboratorial and field conditions were approximately similar. Also young larvae were reared on artificial diet successfully and molted for two or three times. They could complete their life cycle on artificial diet in 22 months.

The predation activity of larvae and adult of Oenopia conglobata (L.,1758) as a predator of aphids and psyllids of forest, fruit and crop plants has been reported from the most regions of Iran. In order to determine the biology of this lady beetle on ulmus aphid Tinocallis saltans Nevsky, 1929 in Laboratory conditions, different developmental stages from the first reared generations selected and were separately kept in Petri dishes. Egg incubation, larval, prepupa and pupa developmental periods and feeding rate were daily registered. Six pairs of lady beetle were selected for determining rate of egg oviposition, pattern of oviposition and adult feeding rate from this aphid. These insects reared in the growth chamber. All of the experiments were preformed under temperature 25, with RH 65±5, 14.10 h(L.D) periods with feeding upon ulmus aphid. The results of the experiment showed that mean of developmental periods from egg to adult emergence were 2.4±0.03, 2.13±0.02, 2.13±0.02, 1.93±0.01, 4.33±0.03, 1 & 4.33±0.03 days. Mean of dailly oviposition and total of egg laying female adult were 30.28±0.84 & 1854.17±92.31 numbers. Means of daily feeding for 1-4 larvae instars and female adults were 12.31±0.69, 24.46±0.41, 44.53±0.67, 62.02±0.8 and 40.16±0.4 number.

Cynara scolymus L. is a plant from the Compositae family which is used in herbal medicine. In this study, the effects of hydroalchoholic extract of Cynara scolymus, on the amount of glucose, lipids and lipoprotein in alloxan monohydrate diabeties rats were investigated, and compared with galibenglamid as antidiabetic drug. The pancreatic tissues were investigated. In order to perform this study, 20 adult male rats were used, and divided in 4 groups of each five rats. Group 1 served normal control and in each injection received only normal saline. The second group is treated with alloxan monohydrate at a dosis of 20mg/kg.bw. In the 3rd and 4th groups, in addition to alloxan, galibenglamid (0.5 mg/kg) and hydroalchoholic extract of Cynara scolymus (300mg/kg) were administered respectively. 48 hours after the last injection, blood sampling was performed by cardiac puncture to measure serum factors. The results have proves that the extract of cynara, the level of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerids, VLDL, and LDL, iv comparation with the diabetic groups, is significantly reduced but the level of HDL is increased(p<0.05). The effect of cynara on all studied factors is evident and is equal to the group of galibenglamid (p>0.05). The pathological results on damaged tissue shows that the pancreatic islets have grown significantly, the amount of cell proliferation the islets and the rate of cell growth is estimulated in compared with diabetic group. This research has shown that the hydroalchoholic extract of cynara has a reducing effect on glucose, lipids and lipoprotein in the serum of diabetic rats. This extract is very effective in the revitalization of damaged pancreatic tissues. Therefore extract of Cynara scolymus has antidiabetic effects.