The alpine plant Gentiana robusta is an endemic species to the Sino-Himalayan subregion. Also, it is one of the original plants used as traditional Tibetan medicine Jie-Ji. We sequence the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, matK, rbcL, rpoC1, trnL (UAA), psbA-trnH, atpB-rbcL, trnS( GCU)-trnG(UCC), rpl20-rps12, trnL(UAA)-trnF( GAA) fragments of cp DNA in both G. robusta and such relative species as G. straminea, G. crassicaulis and G. waltonii. With Halenia elliptica as the outgroup, molecular systematic analysis reveals that G. robusta is a natural hybrid. G. straminea is the mother of hybrids, but the father is not very clear. In addition, the molecular markers for distinguishing G. robusta from the parental species or closely related species are identified, respectively. Our studies may provide valuable reference for the species identifications of medicinal plants with complex genetic backgrounds.
DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; DNA, Plant ; genetics ; Gentiana ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics

Objective To identify the common Tibetan herb Dong-Na Duan-Chi by molecular pharmacognosy. Methods Ethnopharmacology investigation was carried out and local herbalists were visited to observe which plants were being used as Dong-Na Duan-Chi. Then, nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS sequences were amplified and sequenced for molecular identification. Results The botanic origins of Dong-Na Duan-Chi in Tibet Autonomous Region were authenticated as two species, i.e. Veronica eriogyne H.Winkl. and Veronica ciliata Fisch.. The sequences of ITS for Veronica eriogyne and Veronica ciliata are 551 bp and 552 bp in size. The results showed that nrDNA ITS sequences could be used to discriminate V.eriogyne and V.ciliata from closely related species. Conclusion nrDNA ITS sequences can be used as the molecular markers to identify the Tibetan herb Dong-Na Duan-Chi from other species of the same genus Veronica L.

The genetic diversity of three Tibetan herbs, i. e., Sang-Di, E-Dewa and Ye-Xingba (Tibetan names), was studied based on the field collection, specimen identification and DNA sequence analysis. Swertia hispidicalyx, Gentiana lhassica and Scrophularia dentata, as the original plants of the three Tibetan herbs, were collected and identified. The regions of ITS, matK, rbcL, rpoC1, trnL(UAA), psbA-trnH, atpB-rbcL, trnS (GCU)-trnG(UCC), rpl20-rps12, trnL(UAA)-trnF(GAA) and nadl 2nd intron were amplified and sequenced. The ITS regions of S. hispidicalyx and S. dentata were cloned and sequenced, and the sequences were classified into different genotypes. All the sequences were analyzed and compared with those of closely related species. Our studies may provide reference for the genetic diversity analysis and molecular identification of the three Tibetan herbs.
Genetic Variation ; Gentiana ; classification ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; Plant Proteins ; genetics ; Plants, Medicinal ; classification ; genetics ; Scrophularia ; classification ; genetics ; Swertia ; classification ; genetics ; Tibet

Jieji Nabao is a common Tibetan herb. According to our ethnobotanical studies, one of its original plants is identified as Gentiana crassicaulis Duthie ex Burk. (Gentianaceae). Endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, this medicinal alpine plant is a threatened species. In this study, 163 individuals from 20 populations of G. crassicaulis were collected throughout its geographical range and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was used to investigate genetic variation in this species. A cluster analysis was performed on the AFLP data with Halenia elliptica and Gentiana straminea as the outgroups. From 64 pairs of AFLP primer combinations, 12 pairs were selected for amplification and a total of 315 bands were amplified, of which 254 bands were polymorphic, accounting for 80.63%. High genetic differentiation was detected between populations (87%), and low within populations (13%). The UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means) tree was topologically consistent with the traditional taxonomic treatments at the species level, and the populations of G. crassicaulis were divided into two branches: one from Yunnan and Guizhou, the other from Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan and Gansu. PCA analysis and the Mantel test showed that there was a positive correlation between genetic distance and geographical distance. In addition, combined with SSR and SNP markers within cpDNA, the genetic differentiation within the Sichuan population S1 was validated.

Located in the transition zone between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Loess Plateau, Gansu province is one of the distribution centers of Sect. Cruciata, Gentiana (Gentianaceae) in China. Six species in the section, G. crassicaulis, G. straminea, G. siphonantha, G. officinalis, G. dahurica and G. macrophylla, are native to Gansu. In this paper, samples of 6 species and Halenia elliptica (outgroup) were collected. Nuclear DNA ITS, chloroplast DNA matK, rbcL, rpoC1, trnL (UAA) intron, psbA-trnH, atpB-rbcL, trnS (GCU)-trnG (UCC), rpl20-rps12 and trnL (UAA)-trnF (GAA) were sequenced from these samples. Based on the sequence analyses, high intragenomic polymorphisms were detected in ITS regions of G. crassicaulis, G. straminea, G. siphonantha, G. officinalis and G. dahurica, and they showed incomplete concerted evolution. A methodological study to identifying such close-related species as G. macrophylla, G. officinalis and G. dahurica was carried out based on the special genotypes. The results showed that 7 cp DNA sequence fragments could be used to identify G. crassicaulis, G. straminea and G. siphonantha. With nr ITS genotype II, III and IV of G. dahurica, the species can be distinguished from the close-related G. officinalis using 12 cloned sequences in a sample (with statistical significance). The cp DNA sequences of G. macrophylla were classified into two genotypes, and with genotype II, the species can be distinguished from the close-related G. officinalis and G. dahurica using 6 test samples each (with statistical significance). Furthermore, DNA barcode sequences were determined for all 6 species in Gansu. Also, the studies provide some basic data for analyses of genetic diversity and identification of Gentiana species.

The roots and flowers of Gentiana waltonii and Gentiana robusta are used as Tibetan herb Jie-Ji in traditional Tibetan medicine, with iridoids as the main active ingredient and index components. To study the pathway of iridoid biosynthesis, roots, stems, leaves and flowers of G. waltonii and G. robusta were subjected to a high-throughput transcriptomic sequencing analysis by Illumina HiseqXTen. After removing insignificant reads and de novo splicing, 79 455 and 78 466 unigenes were obtained from G. waltonii and G. robusta respectively, with average length as 834 bp and 862 bp. The unigene GO functions could be divided into three categories of 65 branches. The unigenes were aligned in KOG database and were classified into 25 classes according to function. In KEGG database, 315 and 340 unigenes of G. waltonii and G. robusta were implicated in 20 standard secondary metabolic pathways, respectively. Furthermore, 80 and 57 unigenes of the two species were analyzed to encode 24 key enzymes in the pathway related to iridoid biosynthesis. There were differences in gene expression among different organs. Based on sequence data, significant amounts of SSRs, SNPs and InDels were detected in each dataset. This study provides a platform for further development of molecular markers, excavation of functional genes, and research into metabolic pathways and their regulatory mechanism within G. waltonii and G. robusta.

italic>Gentiana section Cruciata (Gentianaceae) is a medicinally important section of herbs, including Chinese traditional medicine Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix and Tibetan herb Jieji. Here, we assess the taxonomic significance using mtDNA nad1/b-c and nad5/d-e sequence data. A total of 144 nad1/b-c and nad5/d-e sequences from 11 species within Gentianaceae were obtained, including 138 sequences from 10 species within Gentiana section Cruciata and 6 sequences from Halenia elliptica (outgroup). The results showed that mtDNA nad1/b-c has species- level resolution within the section of Cruciata, i.e. the variable in the position 45 “C” could be used as a stable marker locus to distinguish G. robusta from other taxa; the variable in the position 352 and 353 “GA” could distinguish G. crassicaulis and G. tibetica from other taxa within the section. Intraspecies genotype variability was detected in nad1/b-c sequences of G. officinalis and G. siphonantha, respectively. These genotypes could be used as potential DNA barcode. In addition, intraspecies genotype variability was detected in nad5/d-e sequences of G. macrophylla, G. officinalis and G. siphonantha, respectively. Based on the stable marker locus, a species-specific PCR protocol was developed using the primer PF to identifying G. robusta in the section. This study could expand the understanding of the diversity of mtDNA nad1/b-c and nad5/d-e in the genus Gentiana, and provide the essence for the species identification within Gentiana section Cruciata.

As two original plants of Tibetan herb Jieji, Gentiana waltonii Burk. and Gentiana lhassica Burk. belong to Section Cruciata of Gentiana, Gentianaceae. Here, we report on whole chloroplast genome sequences in the alpine species, respectively, and the features of plastomes were investigated. The plastome of G. waltonii is 148 705 bp long (148 652 bp in G. lhassica) and encodes 112 genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA genes, and 4 ribosomal RNA genes. Two pseudogenes, namely ψrps16 and ψinfA, were found in plastomes. In addition, two novel loci were detected, and a species-specific polymerase chain reaction assay was developed for differentiating G. waltonii and G. lhassica from 10 alpine species in Section Cruciata. Gentiana. Our study provides basic data for identifying Tibetan herbs, alpine species conservation and molecular phylogenetic studies of Gentiana and Gentianaceae.

italic>Gentiana crassicaulis Duthie ex Burk. is one of the plant sources of Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix (QinJiao). Gentiana tibetica King ex Hook. f. and Gentiana robusta King ex Hook. f. are relative species of G. crassicaulis. Due to the large intraspecific morphological variation, G. crassicaulis showed high morphological similarity with G. tibetica and G. robusta. And the distribution area of the three species overlaps to some extent, which makes it difficult to identify them. On the basis of morphological identification, the method of molecular identification of the three species was constructed in this study based on chloroplast genomes. The chloroplast genome of Gentiana tibetica is 148 765bp long, with LSC, SSC and IR 81 163 bp, 17 070 bp and 25 266 bp, respectively. The structure of the three is consistent. The chloroplast genome sequences of G. tibetica and G. crassicaulis are highly similar, and the number of variable sites is 9 (149 267 bp in total). Diagnostic SNP that could effectively identify the three species was screened and verified, and a dual-peak SNP detection method was established for the effective identification of each species and mixed samples. Our study provides basic data for the molecular identification of G. crassicaulis and its related species, and the arrangement of related Tibetan medicine.

As a common Tibetan herb, Bawo Sebo was mainly used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and urarthritis in Traditional Tibetan medicine. Based on our ethnobotanical survey, the origin of the herb was determined as Swertia verticillifolia T. N. Ho et S. W. Liu (Gentianaceae), endemic to the region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The diagnostic characters:perennial; stem leaves in whorls; corolla campanulate, yellow-green, 4-lobed; nectary 1 per corolla lobe, naked. Also, its complete chloroplast (cp) genome was sequenced. It is 151 682 bp in length, including a large single copy (LSC) region of 82 623 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 18 335 bp and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25 362 bp. It contains 129 unique genes, including 84 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs and 8 rRNAs. This study provides information for understanding the diversity of Swertia cp genomes, and the alpine species identification, conservation and molecular phylogenetic researches of Swertia and Gentianaceae.