DNA barcode and identification of the varieties and provenances of Taiwan’s domestic and imported made teas using ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 sequences

The major aim of made tea identification is to identify the variety and provenance of the tea plant. The present experiment used 113 tea plants [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] housed at the Tea Research and Extension Substation, from which 113 internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) fragments, 104 trnL intron, and 98 trnL-trnF intergenic sequence region DNA sequences were successfully sequenced. The similarity of the ITS2 nucleotide sequences between tea plants housed at the Tea Research and Extension Substation was 0.379–0.994. In this polymerase chain reaction-amplified noncoding region, no varieties possessed identical sequences. Compared with the trnL intron and trnL-trnF intergenic sequence fragments of chloroplast cpDNA, the proportion of ITS2 nucleotide sequence variation was large and is more suitable for establishing a DNA barcode database to identify tea plant varieties. After establishing the database, 30 imported teas and 35 domestic made teas were used in this model system to explore the feasibility of using ITS2 sequences to identify the varieties and provenances of made teas. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using ITS2 sequences with the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean, which indicated that the same variety of tea plant is likely to be successfully categorized into one cluster, but contamination from other tea plants was also detected. This result provides molecular evidence that the similarity between important tea varieties in Taiwan remains high. We suggest a direct, wide collection of made tea and original samples of tea plants to establish an ITS2 sequence molecular barcode identification database to identify the varieties and provenances of tea plants. The DNA barcode comparison method can satisfy the need for a rapid, low-cost, frontline differentiation of the large amount of made teas from Taiwan and abroad, and can provide molecular evidence of their varieties and provenances.     

Commercialized non-Camellia tea: traditional function and molecular identification

Non-Camellia tea is a part of the colorful Chinese tea culture, and is also widely used as beverage and medicine in folk for disease prevention and treatment. In this study, 37 samples were collected, including 33 kinds of non-Camellia teas and 4 kinds of teas (Camellia). Traditional functions of non-Camellia teas were investigated. Furthermore, non-Camellia teas of original plants were characterized and identified by molecular methods. Four candidate regions (rbcL, matK, ITS2, psbA-trnH) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction. In addition, DNA barcodes were used for the first time to discriminate the commercial non-Camellia tea and their adulterants, and to evaluate their safety. This study showed that BLASTN and the relevant phylogenetic tree are efficient tools for identification of the commercial non-Camellia tea and their adulterants. However, some sequences from original plants have not been found and there is a limitation of sequence number of original plants in GenBank. Submitting more original plant sequences to the GenBank will be helpful for evaluating the safety of non-Camellia teas.KEY WORDS: Non-Camellia tea, Traditional function, Molecular identification, BLASTN, Phylogenetic tree     

重楼属药用植物DNA条形码鉴定研究

为评价DNA条形码候选序列对重楼属药用植物的鉴定作用, 探讨重楼属药用植物鉴定新方法, 本研究对重楼属11个物种17份样品的psbA-trnH、rpoB、rpoC1、rbcL、matK和核ITS2序列进行PCR扩增和测序, 比较各序列扩增和测序效率、种内和种间变异, 进行barcoding gap分析, 采用BLAST1和Nearest Distance方法评价不同序列的鉴定能力。结果显示, ITS2序列在所研究的重楼属药用植物中的扩增和测序效率均为100%, 其种内种间变异、barcoding gap与其他DNA条形码候选序列相比具有明显的优势, ITS2序列在重楼属中的鉴定成功率达到100%, 而生物条形码协会 (CBOL) 植物工作组推荐的matK和rbcL序列的鉴定成功率分别为52.9% 和5.9%, 二者联合鉴定能力没有提高, 对于ITS2序列扩大至29个物种67份样品依然具有100%的鉴定成功率。实验结果表明, ITS2序列能够准确鉴定重楼属药用植物, 可以作为潜在的药用植物通用条形码序列。     

基于DNA条形码技术鉴定蒙药材刺柏叶及其混淆品

目的：基于DNA条形码技术鉴别蒙药材刺柏叶及其混淆品。方法：采用国际通用的条形码序列 ITS2、psbA-trnH、matK和rbcL,对刺柏叶及其混淆品圆柏叶共计11份样品进行DNA提取、扩增,采用CodonCode Aligner进行序列拼接,并用MEGA软件对拼接序列进行变异位点分析、邻接(NJ)聚类分析,并计算其平均种内、种间遗传距离。结果：4对引物的PCR扩增产物测序成功率分别为ITS2 100%、 psbA-trnH 100%、rbcL 100%、matK 0%;ITS2序列和psbA-trnH序列均可通过变异位点比较区分刺柏叶及其混淆品;NJ聚类分析的结果显示,psbA-trnH序列的NJ聚类树中刺柏叶与圆柏叶均能分别聚为一支,且psbA-trnH序列的平均种间遗传距离明显大于平均种内遗传距离。结论：psbA-trnH序列能有效区分圆柏叶与刺柏叶,可作为鉴别刺柏叶及其混淆品圆柏叶的条形码序列,为蒙药材刺柏叶及其混淆品的鉴别提供支持。     

基于ITS2序列鉴别维吾尔药材薰衣草及其混伪品

建立了基于ITS2序列鉴别维吾尔药材薰衣草及其混伪品(全叶青兰和夏枯草)的方法.对维吾尔药材薰衣草及其混伪品的ITS2 序列进行PCR扩增和双向测序,使用CodonCode Aligner软件对测序峰图进行序列拼接,用MEGA 6.0 软件对拼接后的序列进行多重比对.并计算种内、种间遗传距离,构建NJ 系统聚类树,预测...     

基于ITS序列鉴别特色民族药材土牛膝及其混伪品的研究

目的:利用DNA条形码对特色民族药材土牛膝(粗毛牛膝、野生牛膝和柳叶牛膝)及其混伪品进行分子鉴定.方法:利用DNA条形码方法,分别对土牛膝及其混伪品的ITS和MatK基因片段进行扩增并双向测序,使用Codon?Code?Aligner软件对扩增序列进行拼接,用MEGA软件对数据比对分析,并基于K2P模型进行遗传距离分析...     

ITS2+psbA-trnH复合序列鉴定徐长卿、白薇和白前

目的：建立以ITS2+psbA-trnH复合序列鉴定徐长卿、白薇和白前及其同属近缘混伪品的DNA条形码鉴定方法。方法：搜集徐长卿、白薇、白前及其近源混伪品,采用改良的CTAB法提取DNA,通过实验分别获得ITS2和psbA-trnH序列,将同一样本的ITS2序列与psbA-trnH序列整合得到43条ITS2+psbA-trnH复合序列,从GenBank数据库中下载来源于同一样本的ITS2序列与psbA-trnH序列整合得到14条ITS2+psbA-trnH 网上复合序列,用MEGA 6.05软件分析徐长卿、白薇、白前及其近源混伪品的复合序列变异位点,计算种内、种间的K2P距离,并构建NJ系统聚类树。结果：徐长卿、白薇和白前药材ITS2+psbA-trnH复合序列比对后产生17个变异位点;徐长卿、白薇和白前基源物种种内最大K2P距离均小于其与混伪品的种间最小K2P距离;系统NJ树能准确将徐长卿白薇和白前及其近缘混伪品。结论：该研究建立了应用ITS2+psbA-trnH复合序列鉴定徐长卿、白薇、白前及其近缘混伪品的DNA条形码鉴定方法。     

基于GenBank核酸数据库ITS2序列鉴定一枝蒿与其混淆品种

目的:利用GenBank核酸数据库中ITS2序列鉴定维吾尔传统药材一枝蒿与其混淆品种。方法:提取一枝蒿药材基因组DNA、扩增ITS2序列并测序,采用CodonCode Aligner V3.0对测序峰图进行校对拼接,并提交至GenBank核酸数据库;运用分析相似性搜索法(BLASTI)进行序列鉴定,下载易混淆品种的ITS2序列,再应用MEGA5.0软件计算种内种间(K2P)遗传距离和构建邻接(NJ)系统聚类树。结果:一枝蒿与其混淆品种之间的K2P遗传距离分布于0.019⁰.254之间,远大于一枝蒿种内遗传距离(0.008);NJ系统聚类树结果表明能将一枝蒿与其混淆品种区分开来,单独聚为一类。结论:ITS2序列适用于维吾尔药材一枝蒿与其混淆品种的鉴别,可为一枝蒿的质量和用药安全提供鉴定依据。     

基于matK和ITS2及二级结构对药材香薷及其混伪品的鉴别研究

目的 快速、准确鉴别药材香薷及其混伪品，保障香薷的药材质量和用药安全。方法 收集石香薷、江香薷和香薷植物材料分别进行matK和ITS2序列的扩增与测序，测序结果经Codon Code Aligner软件校对，同时从GenBank下载石香薷、江香斋及其易混品种海州香薷、香薷、密花香薷、牛至等物种的matK和ITS序列。其中，ITS序列经隐马尔可夫模型去除两端的5.8S和28S序列，共得到16个物种的ITS2序列50条；经Clustal软件校对共获得9个物种的matK序列28条。通过Mega7.0软件分析matK和ITS2序列，计算所有物种种内和种间遗传距离，构建邻接法(neighbor joining，NJ)聚类树，通过ITS2 Database预测ITS2二级结构，采用4Sale软件比对二级结构，通过ProfDistS软件构建基于联合ITS2一级序列及其二级结构的剖面邻接(profile neighbor-joining，PNJ)系统发育树。结果 基于matK和ITS2序列的遗传距离均表明香薷正品与其各种混伪品之间存在明显barcoding gap。NJ和PNJ进化树的拓扑关系一致，可以区分药材香薷及其混伪品。香薷的ITS2二级结构与其各混伪品具有显著差异。结论 建议matK和ITS2序列均可以作为鉴别香薷与其混伪品的DNA条形码，ITS2二级结构信息的加入可丰富鉴定结果，为香薷药材的准确鉴别、香薷属与石荠苎属植物的科学分类提供参考。     

艾叶及其常见混伪品的分子鉴定

目的：对艾叶及其几种常见混伪品进行分子鉴定。方法：通过聚合酶链式反应（PCR）法直接测序,对艾及其8种混伪品进行核糖体DNA内转录间隔区片段2（ITS2）扩增并双向测序,所得序列经CodonCodeAligner拼接后,用系统发育软件MEGA4．0进行相关数据分析,同时利用邻接（NJ）法构建系统聚类树。结果：艾叶基原植物艾ITS2序列长度为225bp,种内平均Kimura．双参数（K2P）遗传距离（0．000）小于其与混伪品的种间平均K2P遗传距离（0．022）;由所构建的系统聚类树图可以看出,艾具有单系性,同时又与其他混伪品明显分开。结论：ITS2序列作为DNA条形码可以方便快捷地鉴别中药材艾叶及其混伪品,可为其质量评价及临床安全用药提供重要的分子鉴别依据。     

市售覆盆子药材DNA条形码鉴定研究

目的基于ITS2条形码序列检测市场销售覆盆子药材,为保证覆盆子药材使用的正确性和安全性提供一种新的鉴定手段。方法获取掌叶覆盆子及其5种常见同属易混种ITS2序列,以及GenBank上下载的共计48条序列。使用Gene Tool软件分析ITS2序列长度,GC含量和变异位点等情况,利用Clustal X和MEGA 7.0软件计算遗传距离和构建邻接系统发育聚类树。同时随机检测24份市售覆盆子药材,利用中药材DNA条形码鉴定系统和构建邻接系统发育聚类树确定物种,鉴别真伪。结果掌叶覆盆子基原植物可与其同属易混种进行明显区分;市售药材中正品22份,伪品1份,混合物1份。结论基于ITS2序列的DNA条形码技术能够成功鉴定市场销售的掌叶覆盆子及其混伪品。     

通关藤及其常见混伪品的ITS2条形码鉴别研究

目的:采用ITS2序列分析,对通关藤及其混淆品进行鉴别,确保用药安全。方法:从GenBank下载通关藤序列,使用MEGA5.0软件对测序序列及下载序列进行对比分析,统计变异位点、计算遗传距离、构建样品NJ树,运用NCBI Blast进行物种鉴定,并与性状鉴别结果进行核对。结果:ITS2序列分析与遗传距离计算结果显示各通关藤样品间有明显差异,NJ树聚类结果能明显区分通关藤正品与伪品。结论:ITS2可准确鉴别通关藤及其伪品,可用于中药材真伪的快速鉴别,应用前景广阔。     

Botanical origin of dietary supplements labeled as “Kwao Keur”, a folk medicine from Thailand

In the course of our study on the quality of dietary supplements in Japan, both the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence of nrDNA and the rps16 intron sequence of cpDNA of products labeled as “Kwao Keur” were investigated. As a result, the DNA sequence of Pueraria candollei var. mirifica, which is the source plant of Kwao Keur, was observed in only about half of the products. Inferred from the determined sequences, source plants in the other products included Medicago sativa, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Pachyrhizus erosus, and Ipomoea batatas, etc. These inferior products are estimated to lack the efficacy implied by their labeling. In order to guarantee the quality of dietary supplements, it is important to identify the source materials exactly; in addition, an infrastructure that can exclude these inferior products from the market is needed for the protection of consumers from potential damage to their health and finances. The DNA analysis performed in this study is useful for this purpose.     

紫苏属药用植物的rDNA ITS区SNP分子标记与位点特异性PCR鉴别

目的分析单种属——紫苏属各变种间rDNA ITS区的序列以及存在的单核苷酸多态性(SNP)现象，设计出位点特异性PCR引物，用于紫苏属各变种间的分子标记鉴别。方法对紫苏属各变种多个体的rDNA ITS区全序列进行了准确测定，运用Clustral X 1.8，MEGA 3.0进行排序并进行SNP分析，从而设计出鉴别各变种的等位基因位点特异性PCR鉴别引物。结果紫苏属各变种(紫苏、白苏、鸡冠苏和耳齿紫苏等)的rDNA ITS区全序列共有615～618 bp的长度，ITS1为233～235 bp，5.8S为179 bp，ITS2为203～204 bp，GC含量为61.5%～61.9%。从rDNA ITS区碱基变异的整体情况来看，紫苏属各变种间不仅在非编码的转录间隔区ITS1和ITS2内存在非编码区单核苷酸多态性(ncSNP)，而且在保守的5.8S编码区内也存在3个位点的单核苷酸多态性，即编码区SNP(cSNP)，所有的SNP均只具2等位多态性。5.8S区cSNP的出现与产生该变异的变种出现的显著形态差异关联。本文还利用这些SNP位点设计出了鉴别紫苏属各变种的位点特异性PCR引物，无需测序即可对紫苏属的原植物及“苏子”、“苏叶”等药材进行有效准确的分子鉴别。结论紫苏属药用植物rDNA ITS区存在的SNP可用作紫苏属各变种鉴别的分子标记。     

基于高通量测序技术的9种铁线莲属药材混合粉末分子鉴定

目的 建立基于高通量测序技术的9种铁线莲属混合粉末分子鉴定方法。方法 采用高通量测序技术,对9种铁线莲属药材混合粉末样品中的总DNA经提取,对ITS2片段进行PCR扩增,利用IlluminaMiSeq平台对DNA片段进行双端测序,最后采用 FLASH、QIIME、GraPhlAn及 MEGA 7.0 软件对序列进行整理并聚类分析,鉴定混合粉末中的物种。结果 混合粉末样品中得到高质量的ITS2序列共496条,铁线莲属物种含有序列72条,比对出棉团铁线莲、女萎铁线莲、短尾铁线莲、灌木铁线莲、单叶铁线莲、黄花铁线莲、粗齿铁线莲等7个物种,未能比对出东北铁线莲和芹叶铁线莲。结论 以ITS2 作为条形码,采用高通量测序技术,可以鉴定出铁线莲属药材混合样品中的 7个物种,为混合药材的鉴定提供依据。     

The distribution of minerals and flavonoids in the tea plant (Camellia sinensis)

Camellia sinensis is a plant growing in India, Sri Lanka, Java, Japan and its properties were known 4000 years ago. Since then, traditional Chinese medicine has recommended this plant for headaches, body aches and pains, digestion, depression, detoxification, as an energiser and, in general, to prolong life. Tea contains volatile oils, vitamins, minerals, purines, polyphenols, particularly carechins. We have analysed ten commercial teas from various countries to determine their mineral composition and we have analysed a green tea, an Oolong tea and a White tea to determine their polyphenols and flavonoids content. Our study shows that the variation of mineral composition, polyphenols and flavonoids are linked to different origins of the plant. For the determination of phenols compounds and flavonoids we used an HPLC apparatus and for mineral analysis an atomic absorption apparatus.     

Difference of ITS sequences of Akebia plants growing in various parts of Japan

The stem of the Akebia plant, “Mokutsu”, is a crude diuretic and antiphlogistic drug. Japanese products prepared from wild Akebia plants cover most of the Mokutsu market. Two Akebia plants, Akebia quinata Decaisne (Aq) and A. trifoliata Koidzumi (At) of Lardizabalaceae, are standardized as Mokutsu in Japanese pharmacopoeia. These two Akebia plants along with A. × pentaphylla Makino (Ap), which is considered a hybrid with the morphology of Aq and At, can be distinguished by DNA sequence analysis of internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 (ITS) of nuclear ribosome DNA. Here, we report the results of molecular genetic analysis of Akebia plants grown in various wild habitats in Japan. We found that each of three Akebia plants could be distinguished in terms of their locality according to their nucleotide sequence in ITS, specifically at positions 91, 128, 133, 134, and 221. Plants with a comparable habitat had similar nucleotide sequences at these five points. We also found Aq with ITS and nucleotide deletion at position 86 that was distributed only around Awajishima in Shikoku (A), Harimanada (B), and Kinki (C), including the chief production center of Akebia Caulis. The results of these ITS sequences enabled discrimination of plants originating from Akebia Caulis.     

Differentiation of Dendrobium species used as "Huangcao Shihu" by rDNA ITS sequence analysis

The genus Dendrobium Sw. is composed of 74 species and two varieties in China, and 32 species carry the name "Huangcao Shihu" on the herbal medicine market, making the identification of the origin of "Huangcao Shihu" difficult for consumers. Here, the ITS regions were sequenced and evaluated to differentiate the 18 Dendrobium species used as "Huangcao Shihu". Diversity in DNA sequences among various species was found with the inter-specific sequence divergence ranging from 3.2% to 37.9% in ITS1 and 5.0% to 26.6% in ITS2. Moreover, the variations within species were very low, ranging in sequence divergence from 0 to 3.0% in ITS1 and 0 to 4.0% in ITS2. Therefore, these species could be easily distinguished at the DNA level. Furthermore, based on the divergent ITS regions, five pairs of species-specific primers were designed and used for the rapid PCR identification of five Dendrobium species listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.     

Herbal remedies for dyspepsia: peppermint seems effective

(1) Functional dyspepsia is extremely common, yet few if any treatments have been shown to be effective. This review examines the potential benefits and risks of using herbal products in treating symptoms of dyspepsia. (2) About forty plants have been approved in France in the composition of products traditionally used for dyspepsia. (3) The clinical efficacy of most of these plants has not been assessed. Some essential oils can cause severe adverse effects, including seizures. Herbal teas appear to be safe when used appropriately. (4) A few randomised controlled clinical trials suggest that peppermint essential oil is effective in reducing abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhea in patients with "irritable bowel syndrome". Peppermint tea, containing essential oil, has no known adverse effects. (5) There is no sound reason to discourage patients from using herbal teas made from plants such as lemon balm, German chamomile or star anise.     

Culture-Independent Study of the Late-Stage of a Bloom of the Toxic Dinoflagellate Ostreopsis cf. ovata: Preliminary Findings Suggest Genetic Differences at the Sub-Species Level and Allow ITS2 Structure Characterization

Available genomic data for the toxic, bloom-forming, benthic Ostreopsis spp. are traditionally obtained from isolates rather than from individuals originally present in environmental samples. Samples from the final phase of the first reported Ostreopsis bloom in European North Atlantic waters (Algarve, south coast of Portugal) were studied and characterized, using a culture-independent approach. In the first instance, a microscopy-based analysis revealed the intricate complexity of the samples. Then, we evaluated the adequacy of commonly used molecular tools (i.e., primers and nuclear ribosomal markers) for the study of Ostreopsis diversity in natural samples. A PCR-based methodology previously developed to identify/detect common Ostreopsis species was tested, including one new combination of existing PCR primers. Two sets of environmental rRNA sequences were obtained, one of them (1052 bp) with the newly tested primer set. These latter sequences encompass both the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region and the D1/D2 domain of the LSU rRNA gene, leading us to an accurate identification of ITS2. In turn, this allowed us to predict and show for the first time the ITS2 secondary structure of Ostreopsis. With 92 bp in length and a two-helix structure, the ITS2 of this genus revealed to be unique among the dinoflagellates. Both the PCR approach as the phylogenetic analyses allowed to place the Ostreopsis cells observed in the samples within the O. cf. ovata phylospecies’ complex, discarding the presence of O. cf. siamensis. The (phylo)genetic results point out a certain level of nucleotide sequence divergence, but were inconclusive in relation to a possible geographic origin of the O. cf. ovata population from the Algarve’s bloom.