Rocío Juan

Genetic structure and phylogeography in Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa around the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of the Iberian Peninsula, based on AFLP and plastid markers

The Spanish populations of Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa are restricted to coastal dune habitats of the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Here, we investigate the genetic structure in this taxon and the possible existence of detailed phylogeographic structure associated with the Strait of Gibraltar using data from amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and plastid markers for 14 populations in three regions: Andalusia, the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands. Principal coordinate analysis (PCOA) data revealed a lack of clear genetic structure in J. oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa based on AFLP. The highest AFLP genetic diversity was found in Andalusia. Plastid markers revealed 14 haplotypes, only two of them were shared among the regions. Andalusian populations had the highest number of exclusive haplotypes. Our results support Andalusia as a reservoir of genetic diversity for J. oxycedrus subsp. macrocarpa, and, as for other gymnosperms, this area could be considered as a genetic refugium. The frequent presence of common and exclusive haplotypes in Andalusia might indicate the colonisation of the Spanish Mediterranean coast from the Atlantic populations. Colonisation of these new areas could be promoted by biological factors, such as the existence of long-lived individuals or potential for seed dispersal. Finally, the Strait of Gibraltar did not constitute a natural barrier to the expansion of this species along the coast, as identical haplotypes are found on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.

Nutritional characteristics of seed proteins in 28 Vicia species (Fabaceae) from Southern Spain.

The study of local plants could provide useful data for the possible development of future crops with good nutritional and functional properties. The nutritional characteristics of the seed proteins of 28 Vicia species (31 taxa) (Fabaceae) from Spain were studied. Protein contents in studied Vicia ranged from 20.1% in V. articulata to 32% in V. pyrenaica. V. altissima, which is only deficient in Trp, showed the most balanced amino acid composition, while the remaining taxa were limiting in Met, Cys, and Trp. In vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) ranged from 78% in V. incana to 86.3% in V. hirsuta. In addition to the amino acid composition and IVPD, other nutritional parameters, such as amino acid score, biological value, protein efficiency ratio, or protein digestibility corrected amino acid score, were studied. Results confirm the interest of studying wild populations of cultivated and non cultivated Vicia species as potentially interesting sources of seeds with good nutritional characteristics.

Systematic relevance of seed coat anatomy in the European heathers (Ericeae, Ericaceae)

The anatomy of the seed coat of the European species of tribe Ericeae (Calluna, Daboecia and Erica) of the Ericaceae family was studied, and the taxonomic importance of their characters was analyzed. The seed coat is mostly formed by a one-cell layer with thick, pitted inner walls and thin outer walls that collapse at maturity over the inner walls. The cell junctions are either raised with anticlinal walls up to four times the height of the periclinal walls or are not raised with similar values for the height of both the anticlinal and periclinal walls. Three main cell junction types were found and described. The thickness of the inner walls is variable, but there is a large overlap among the results for different species. Calluna vulgaris is the only species with no pits, and E. multiflora has a pitted pattern on its inner walls, which is distinctive from the rest of the species. Our main results agree with the external seed morphology, and valuable new data were obtained for certain groups such as the E. cinerea-E. terminalis or the E. scoparia complex. The similarities that are found in seed coat characters are not in accordance with the classical taxonomic delimitation of infrageneric groups within Erica.

Protein and amino acid composition of select wild legume species of tribe Fabeae

The nutritional characteristics of seed proteins of 50 Spanish wild taxa of Lathyrus, Lens, Pisum and Vicia have been compared. The highest average protein richness and the in vitro protein digestibility have been observed in the genus Vicia and Lens, respectively, whereas the genus Pisum showed the lowest protein-digestibility corrected amino acid score. Using the K-means algorithm three clearly distinguished groups of taxa have been established in relation to their essential amino acid contents, protein richness, digestibility and nutritional parameters. The most adequate protein profile was observed in the taxa of group 1. This group includes four taxa of genus Lathyrus and nine taxa of genus Vicia. It should be noted that seven of the thirteen taxa included in this group have never been used as crops.

Aportación a la morfología y anatomía de frutos y semillas del género Digitalis L. en el suroeste de España

Se ha realizado un estudio morfologico y anatomico de los frutos y semillas de los taxones del genero Digitalis L. del suroeste de Espana. Estas especies, D. obscura, D. purpurea y D. thapsi pueden diferenciarse por los caracteres de las capsulas, que atanen fundamentalmente a su consistencia, forma del apice y a la presencia o ausencia de pelos eglandulares. Con respecto a las semillas, todas tienen testa reticulada aunque las de D. obscura se diferencian de las del resto de los taxones por su tamano, coloracion y paredes radiales de las celulas epidermicas. El cambio de apariencia de las semillas, al pasar de un estaclo seco a hidratado, dundamentalmente en D. thapsi y D. purpurea , podria estar relacionado con el sistema de dispersion y con su germinacion.

Estudio de las núculas de Acinos Mill. y Micromeria Benth. (Lamiaceae) del SW de España

Se realiza un estudio micromorfologico y anatomico en nuculas de Acinos alpinus subsp. meridionalis y Micromeria graeca subsp. graeca, tanto al microscopio optico como al microscopio electronico de barrido. Acinos presenta nuculas lisas, con pericarpo grueso y capa en empalizada con cristales en el lumen de las esclereidas. Micromeria tiene nuculas ruguladas, con pericarpo mas delgado y capa en empalizada sin cristales. Por ultimo, se comentan brevemente los sistemas de dispersion mas frecuentes en estos generos.

Estudio de microcaracteres en frutos y semillas de Antirrhinum L. (Scrophulariaceae)

Summary Scanning electron microscope and light microscope examination of seed and fruit features of seven taxa of Antirrhinum from South-West Spain have been made. Morphological and anatomical studies have showed that this taxa can be differentiated on the basis of fruits features. A key to distinguish the different taxa is provided. Moreover, seeds showed a considerable uniformity. Some ecological aspects of epicuticular wax as well as dispersion system is discussed.

Quinolones Modulate Ghrelin Receptor Signaling: Potential for a Novel Small Molecule Scaffold in the Treatment of Cachexia

Cachexia is a metabolic wasting disorder characterized by progressive weight loss, muscle atrophy, fatigue, weakness, and appetite loss. Cachexia is associated with almost all major chronic illnesses including cancer, heart failure, obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease and significantly impedes treatment outcome and therapy tolerance, reducing physical function and increasing mortality. Current cachexia treatments are limited and new pharmacological strategies are needed. Agonists for the growth hormone secretagogue (GHS-R1a), or ghrelin receptor, prospectively regulate the central regulation of appetite and growth hormone secretion, and therefore have tremendous potential as cachexia therapeutics. Non-peptide GHS-R1a agonists are of particular interest, especially given the high gastrointestinal degradation of peptide-based structures, including that of the endogenous ligand, ghrelin, which has a half-life of only 30 min. However, few compounds have been reported in the literature as non-peptide GHS-R1a agonists. In this paper, we investigate the in vitro potential of quinolone compounds to modulate the GHS-R1a in both transfected human cells and mouse hypothalamic cells. These chemically synthesized compounds demonstrate a promising potential as GHS-R1a agonists, shown by an increased intracellular calcium influx. Further studies are now warranted to substantiate and exploit the potential of these novel quinolone-based compounds as orexigenic therapeutics in conditions of cachexia and other metabolic and eating disorders.

A Comprehensive Approach to Antioxidant Activity in the Seeds of Wild Legume Species of Tribe Fabeae

The benefits of polyphenols have been widely demonstrated in recent decades. In order to find new species with a high biological functionality, the antioxidant activity of the polyphenol extracts from seeds of 50 taxa of tribe Fabeae (Lathyrus, Lens, Pisum, and Vicia) from Spain has been studied. Considering the average concentration obtained from the data in the four genera of the Fabeae tribe, Pisum and Lathyrus show the highest average polyphenol concentration. The highest specific antioxidant activity as well as the antioxidant activity coefficient was observed in Pisum and Vicia. However, with respect to the total antioxidant activity, the highest average value was observed in Lathyrus and Pisum. The results obtained reveal that many of the wild taxa examined could be potential source of antioxidants.

Observaciones morfológicas y anatómicas de núculas de Ballota (Lamiaceae) en el suroeste de España

Se ha realizado un estudio morfo-anatomico de las nuculas de los taxones de Ballota presentes en el suroeste de Espana: B. hirsuta Benth. subsp. hirsuta y B. nigra L. subsp. foetida Hayek., usando tanto el microscopio optico como el electronico de barrido. Ambos taxones tienen diferencias morfologicas y anatomicas, como la ornamentacion, la simetria, el hilo, la quilla ventral, y anatomicas en el endocarpo, que han permitido su identificacion. Finalmente se comenta sobre de la dispersion balista pasiva de las nuculas.