Cotinus coggygria Scop. (smoketree) and Fragaria × ananassa Duch. (strawberry) are two industrially important species due to their composition in bioactive compounds. In this study, we investigated the effects of acute low-dose gamma irradiation (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 Gy) on two red callus cultures established in smoketree and strawberry. The biomass production, dry weight, content of phenols, flavonoids, monomeric anthocyanins’, index of anthocyanins polymerization and antioxidant activity were evaluated. For the smoketree callus, a negative correlation between irradiation doses and callus biomass accumulation was observed. For the strawberry callus, irradiation did not significantly affect the accumulation of the biomass. An increased dry weight was observed in irradiated smoketree callus, while for treated strawberry callus, a decrease was recorded. Irradiation with 30 Gy was stimulative for polyphenols’ accumulation in both cultures; however, the increase was significant only in the strawberry callus. The flavonoids increased in the 30 Gy strawberry variants, while it significantly decreased in smoketree callus irradiated with 35 and 40 Gy. In irradiated strawberry callus, except for the 25 Gy variant (1.65 ± 0.4 mg C-3-GE/g DW), all treatments caused an increase in anthocyanins’ accumulation. In smoketree, except for the 15 Gy variant (2.14 ± 0.66 mg C-3-GE/g DW), the irradiation determined an increase in anthocyanins synthesis, with the highest value being seen in the 20 Gy variant (2.8 ± 0.94 mg C-3-GE/g DW). According to UPLC-HRMS investigations, an unidentified compound increased by 99% at the 30 Gy dose in strawberry callus, while in smoketree, maslinic acid increased by 51% after irradiation with 40 Gy. The results of this study showed, for the first time, the differential response of two performant callus cultures to low-dose gamma irradiation, a biotechnological method that can be used to stimulate the synthesis of important flavonoids and triterpenes.

Convolvulus persicus L. is an endangered narrow-range taxon, characteristic of the habitats along the coastal regions of the Caspian and the Black Seas. The aims of our research were to update the actual distribution area and the genetic evaluation of three representative populations from the western coastline of the Black Sea located in Sulina, Agigea, and Durankulak. ISSR amplifications were used to assess the genetic intrapopulation diversity and the genetic differentiation among populations. The average genetic polymorphism was 57.8 ± 16.03%. The intrapopulation genetic diversity parameters indicated that the Agigea population exhibits a higher genetic diversity, with this small population being part of the Agigea Marine Dunes Reserve. Although the interpopulation genetic distance was reduced (0.176–0.223) and the distribution of the total variation (AMOVA) was 57% within the population and 43% among the populations, the interpopulation genetic differentiation (PhiPT) was high (0.428, p < 0.001), probably due to the large geographical distances between the remaining populations. The populations’ genetic structures showed a lower genetic distance between the Agigea and Sulina samples. The clonability test supported the vegetative multiplication on the Durankulak and Sulina beaches. Our results showed that the genetic diversity and the distance among the populations in C. persicus were influenced by habitat conditions, destruction, and fragmentation, but also by conservation measures.

Conservation of endangered and endemic species of Dianhtus from Romania, requires the investigation of genetic polymorphism in the populations. Preliminary data were obtained by molecular characterization using RAPD markers. DNA amplification with the 9 RAPD primers of the individuals belonging to different populations of D. callizonus, D. giganteus ssp. banaticus, D. glacialis ssp. gelidus, D. henteri, D. nardiformis, D. pratensis ssp. racovitzae, D. spiculifolius and D. tenuifolius revealed low level of polymorphism within and between populations. Several polymorphic RAPD markers were identified being useful for investigation of genetic diversity. Out the 9 primers studied by us, only the primer OPB-07 ensured amplification in all species and primers OPA-13, OPE-04 and 1225 showed positive results in most of the species. The primers 4A-26 and 4A-27 ensured amplification only in D. spiculifolius and the primers 4A-23 and OPM-18 gave no results in none of the species. Butiuc-Keul et al (PDF)

The Leontopodium R.Br. ex Cass. taxa have been extensively phytochemically researched for their beneficial properties by the pharmaceuticals industry. These species have been used as remedies since ancient times, and their usage in traditional medicine has been a source of inspiration for current research. As a result, a comprehensive review study concerning the bioactivities of secondary metabolites belonging to Leontopodium species would be of great interest. Our research shows that the majority of studies addressed the anti-inflammatory activity, and the most studied compound was leoligin, a lignan with cardioprotective properties. The diverse range of bioactivities were intricately linked to the abundance of secondary metabolites, which conferred effective antimicrobial activity, antioxidant properties, the anti-neurodegenerative potential due to improvements in cholinergic transmission, the anti-tumour effects on various cancer cell lines, particularly breast and lung cancer, and the hypoglycaemic and hepatoprotective properties. All these important bioactivities also recommend Leontopodium taxa as a valuable source for the discovery of new drugs.