Nur Münevver Pinar

A one-year aeropalynological study at Ankara, Turkey

Atmospheric pollen was collected with a Burkard sporetrap in Ankara, Turkey from January 1993 to January1994. The sum of the annual totals of the dailyconcentration of pollen, belonging to 44 taxa, was57,735. A relatively high pollen concentration wasrecorded in June which could be caused by higher windspeed and lower rainfall. Pinaceae,Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Gramineae, Platanus, Populus,Moraceae, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae, Acer, Quercus,Betula, Salix, Rumex and Plantago are found tobe the dominant pollen types in the atmosphere inAnkara.

Fruit structure of 12 Turkish endemic Tripleurospermum Sch. Bip. (Asteraceae) taxa and its taxonomic implications

This study concerns the evaluation of micromorphological and anatomical characters of fruit (achene-cypsela) in 12 Turkish endemic Tripleurospermum taxa using multivariate analyses (cluster analysis, principal component analysis, one-way analysis of variance). Pericarp in all taxa examined is mainly composed of several layers of parenchymatous and sclerenchymatous cells with one vascular bundle in each rib. In the achene, the thickness and width of lateral and adaxial ribs with presence or absence of a slime envelope have high taxonomic value for Tripleurospermum at interspecific levels. The slime envelope formation is also correlated with ploidy levels and habitats of some taxa in Tripleurospermum.

Pollen morphology of Astragalus L. section Hololeuce Bunge (Fabaceae) in Turkey

Abstract Pollen morphology of 15 taxa belonging to the section Hololeuce Bunge of genus Astragalus L. species was investigated by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Pollen slides were prepared using a Wodehouse technique. Measurements were based on 20 or more pollen grains per specimen. For scanning electron microscopy studies, dried pollen grains were transferred on aluminium stubs and coated with gold for 4 min in a sputter-coater. The pollen grains of Hololeuce taxa are radially symmetric and isopolar. The pollen grains of the taxa are prolate–spheroidal, subprolate or prolate with the polar axes 21.42–32.93 μm and the equatorial axes 17.13–28.26 μm. The pollen grains are operculate and trizonocolporate. Syncolporate. Colpi were usually long and narrow (Clt: 4.13–6.68 μm, Clg: 16.56–26.52 μm), subterminal, membrane granulate or verrucate. Pores were found to be longate or circular (Plg: 5.01–7.82 μm, Plt: 5.31–8.69 μm). Operculum membrane ornamentation verrucate, granulate, rugulate and reticulate. Pollen grains show reticulate, perforate polar section and perforate, reticulate, microreticulate, perforate–granulate, microreticulate–perforate, microrugulate–perforate, microrugulate–microreticulate, granulate–perforate, microreticulate–granulate at meridional sections. Exine is subtectate and has a thickness of 1.08–1.30 μm. Ectexine is thicker than endexine. Intine has a thickness of 0.5–0.68 μm. As result of this study some pollen characteristic as pollen shape, aperture type and ornamentations are shown to vary within the section Hololeuce. Especially pollen surface ornamentation on polar section and meridional section has systematic value to distinguish taxa from each other.

Differences in structure, allergenic protein content and pectate lyase enzyme activity of some Cupressaceae pollen

Abstract Objective Cupressaceae pollen has commonly been reported to be an important aeroallergen and causal factor of spring, autumn and winter pollinosis in many countries. The aim of this study was to compare of the structure and allergenic protein content of Cupressus arizonica Greene., Cupressus sempervirens L. and Juniperus oxycedrus L. pollen in detail and contribute to Cupressaceae pollen allergen diagnosis and therapy studies in Turkey. Methods The pollen structure were examined by LM and SEM. Pollen protein content was investigated by Bradford protein assay, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Western blot analysis and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2DE PAGE), respectively. Pectate lyase (PL) enzyme activities were compared. Immunoblotting was carried out by using extracts of the three taxa pollen collected from Turkey. Results All three taxa was found very similar in terms of pollen morphology however, intine thickness was prominently different. Cupressus arizonica pollen extracts showed the lowest PL activity. Five sera specific IgE of all allergic subjects showed reaction with only C. arizonica pollen extracts. Conclusions As a conclusion, the pollen structure, protein function or protein structure and isoforms of allergens could affects allergenic properties of the pollen. This study also may help to improve the Cupressaceae pollen allergen diagnosis and therapy.

A new method to quantify atmospheric Poaceae pollen DNA based on the trnT-F cpDNA region

Abstract Background Pollen, mold spores, bacteria and viruses are the main biological substances in the atmosphere causing allergic symptoms and disease. Distinguishing pollen and spores is quite time consuming and requires a trained expert. There is a different approach to identification of these substances such as microscopic analysis. However, DNA based identification of these is becoming popular recently. Objective We evaluated the correlation between the quantity of DNA, which was amplified using trnT-F cpDNA specific primers in samples obtained from a high volume air sampler (HVAS), and concentration of Poaceae pollen collected with a Burkard trap. Materials and methods Here, we present a method for identifying and quantifying airborne Poaceae pollen using a single step polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Forty daily air samples were collected by HVAS. The method was optimised using two different methods (M1 and M2) and the trnT-F cpDNA region was amplified using a Poaceae specific primer pair. The correlation between the quantity of DNA and pollen concentration was tested using R statistical programming language. Results Although a significant correlation was obtained between the M1 and M2 methods (R2=0.655, p<0.01), the M2 method was more correlated with pollen concentration. The correlation between pollen and DNA content changed due to episodes that were observed during the pollen season. DNA concentrations from the PCR data were significantly correlated with pollen concentrations determined by light microscopy (R2=0.767, p<0.01) in episode II using the M2 method and during the entire season (R2=0.469, p<0.01) using M2. Conclusions The M2 method correctly identified Poaceae pollen in mixed air samples from Zonguldak Province. The non-coding trnT-F cpDNA region was used for the first time in aerobiological samples to identify Poaceae pollen. Use of this method that does not require DNA extraction may be a crucial step for real-time pollen monitoring devices to be developed in the future. The correlation strength between pollen and amplified DNA content could be improved using a sampler that has a lower absorption rate, and a more sensitive technique, such as qPCR.