THE STUDY OF CHROMOSOMES AND SOLUBLE PROTEINS IN FOUR SPECIES OF VINCA (V.ROSEA, V. MAJOR , V. MINOR, V.HERBACEA) GROWN IN IRAN

Indole ahloids of Vinca species are valued greatly in medical sciences, one reason being for their use as powerful anticancer agents. There are four species of Vinca in Iran: V. rosea, V. major, V. minor and V. herbacea. In previous investigations, we found that these plants have considerable alkaloid similarity (58.8- 75%). Therefore, chromosomic and electrophuretic studies followed after investigation. We tried to provide exact chromosome numbers and karyotypes of Vinca plants by using acetocarmine and Feulgen staining procedures. Diploid numbers of V. rosea,V. major, V. minor and V. herbacea were 16,64,46,46, respectively. The observed number for V. major, with one exception, was different fkom existing reports. In fact , we had a new cytotype of this species in Iran. Vinca plants were also compared with each other electrophoretically. The SDS-PAGE of total proteins was provided and their dendrogram was drawn. The results showed that V. rosea, V. herbacea and V minor resemble one another cbsely. In general, it can be concluded that V. major on the one hand and V. minor and V. herbacea on the other may have originated from V.rosea species.