Stress induced carbazole phytoalexins in Glycosmis species.[Pubmed: 11524122]

Induced formation of a series of carbazole alkaloids was observed in leaves of Glycosmis parviflora and G. pentaphylla after wounding, UV-irradiation, and particularly after inoculation with the fungus Botrytis cinerea. Chemical variation between different provenances and even individuals of G. parviflora led to an accumulation of different derivatives from which three proved to be undescribed natural products. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods and named carbalexins A, B, and C. Bioautographic tests on TLC plates with Cladosporium herbarum exhibited strong antifungal activity for the new carbalexins as well as for the already known 2-hydroxy-3-methylcarbazole, but only weak effects for the pyranocarbazole glycoborinine. Detailed experiments with marked infection areas confirmed the restricted accumulation of carbazole derivatives which could not be detected in non-infected areas of the same leaf. Apart from carbazoles, in some individuals of G. parviflora an additional accumulation of the pyranoquinolones flindersine and methylflindersine was induced, which supports the already previously discussed biogenetic connections between carbazoles and prenylated quinolones.

Heterochromatin banding patterns in Rutaceae-Aurantioideae--a case of parallel chromosomal evolution.[Pubmed: 10811798]

The heterochromatin banding patterns in the karyotypes of 17 species belonging to 15 genera of Rutaceae subfamily Aurantioideae (= Citroideae) were analyzed with the fluorochromes chromomycin (CMA) and 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole-2HCl (DAPI). All species were diploids, except one tetraploid (Clausena excavata) and two hexaploids [Glycosmis parviflora agg. (aggregate) and G. pentaphylla agg.]. There are only CMA/DAPI bands, including those associated with the nucleolus. Using recent cpDNA (chloroplast DNA) sequence data as a phylogenetic background, it becomes evident that generally more basal genera with rather plesiomorphic traits in their morphology, anatomy, and phytochemistry exhibit very small amounts of heterochromatin (e.g., Glycosmis, Severinia, Swinglea), whereas relatively advanced genera from different clades with more apomorphic characters display numerous large CMA bands (e.g., Merrillia, Feroniella, Fortunella). Heterochromatin increase (from 0.7 to 13.7%) is interpreted as apomorphic. The bands are mostly located in the larger chromosomes and at telomeric regions of larger arms. However, one of the largest chromosome pair has been conserved throughout the subfamily with only very little heterochromatin. The heterochromatin-rich patterns observed in different clades of Aurantioideae appear quite similar, suggesting a kind of parallel chromosomal evolution. In respect to the current classification of the subfamily, it is proposed to divide Murraya s.l. (sensu lato) into Bergera and Murraya s.s. (sensu stricto) and to place the former near Clausena into Clauseneae s.s. and the latter together with Merrillia into Citreae s.l. The subtribes recognized within Clauseneae s.s. and Citreae s.l. appear heterogeneous and should be abandoned. On the other hand, the monophyletic nature of the core group of Citrinae, i.e., the Citrus clade with Eremocitrus, Microcitrus, Clymenia, Poncirus, Fortunella, and Citrus, is well supported.