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Sample records for hamelia patens jacquin

  1. Toxicity and antinociceptive effects of Hamelia patens

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    Angel Josabad Alonso-Castro

    Full Text Available Abstract Many medicinal herbs are used in folk medicine without taking into account their toxicity. Hamelia patens Jacq. (Rubiaceae, a Mexican endemic species, is used for the empirical treatment of pain. The aim of this work was to evaluate the toxicity and antinociceptive effects of ethanolic extracts of H. patens leaves. The toxicity of H. patens leaves (500–5000 mg/kg was evaluated in acute (14 days and subacute (28 days assays. In the subacute assay, a blood analysis (both hematology and chemistry was carried out. The antinociceptive effects of H. patens leaves (50–200 mg/kg were evaluated using thermal-induced nociception (hot plate and the chemical-induced nociceptive tests (acid acetic and formalin. In the acute toxicity test, the LD50 estimated for H. patens leaves was 2964 mg/kg i.p. and >5000 mg/kg p.o., whereas in the subacute test HPE did not affect hematological or biochemical parameters. In chemical-induced nociception models, H. patens (100 and 200 mg/kg p.o. showed antinociceptive effects with similar activity than 100 mg/kg naproxen. In the hot plate test, HPE at 100 mg/kg (17% and 200 mg/kg (25% showed moderate antinociceptive effects. HPE could be a good source of antinociceptive agents because of its good activity and low toxicity.

  2. Deregulasi Perlindungan Hak Paten di Indonesia

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    Kanti Rahayu

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Sebagaimana diketahui di dalam Pasal 8 ayat 1 Undang-Undang Nomor 14 Tahun 2001 tentang Paten menyebutkan bahwa Paten diberikan untuk jangka waktu selama 20 (dua puluh tahun terhitung sejak Tanggal Penerimaan dan jangka waktu itu tidak dapat diperpanjang. Jangka waktu perlindungan paten yang berlaku selama 20 tahun tersebut, pada prinsipnya bertujuan agar setelah melebihi masa 20 tahun maka penemuan teknologi tersebut dapat dimiliki oleh masyarakat dengan di produksi secara masal sehingga hilanglah hak penemu untuk menikmati hasil temuannya secara ekonomi. Hal ini disebabkan karena pengakuan rezim HaKI terhadap hak paten khususnya, tidak lain adalah untuk menghargai kreatifitas ide intelektual Inventor dan tentunya untuk kepentingan umum demi kemajuan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi. Namun demikian, pada prakteknya perlindungan Hak Paten selama masa 20 tahun terlampau lama sehingga menimbulkan dampak penemuan teknologi tersebut tidak lagi dapat menjadi milik umum karena perkembangan teknologi masa kini tidak memerlukan waktu yang lama untuk melahirkan sebuah invensi baru. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa bentuk perlindungan hak paten di Indonesia saat ini masih mengacu pada ketentuan Pasal 8 ayat (1 dan Pasal 9 Undang-Undang Nomor 14 Tahun 2001 tentang Paten yaitu jangka waktu perlindungan hukum untuk paten biasa selama 20 (dua puluh tahun dan paten sederhana selama 10 (sepuluh tahun, dan pengaturan perlindungan hak paten di Indonesia perlu dilakukan deregulasi karena berdasarkan fakta di lapangan, jangka waktu perlindungan hukum sebagaimana Pasal 8 ayat (1 dan Pasal 9 Undang-Undang Nomor 14 Tahun 2001 tentang Paten terlalu lama sehingga tujuan perlindungan Paten agar teknologi dapat menjadi milik umum tidak tercapai. People participation in the generale election is a parameter of the democracy development. This research is intended to analyze the people participation in the 2014 election by taking case in the Godong subdistrict

  3. Physcomitrella patens Activates Defense Responses against the Pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

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    Guillermo Reboledo

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The moss Physcomitrella patens is a suitable model plant to analyze the activation of defense mechanisms after pathogen assault. In this study, we show that Colletotrichum gloeosporioides isolated from symptomatic citrus fruit infects P. patens and cause disease symptoms evidenced by browning and maceration of tissues. After C. gloeosporioides infection, P. patens reinforces the cell wall by the incorporation of phenolic compounds and induces the expression of a Dirigent-protein-like encoding gene that could lead to the formation of lignin-like polymers. C. gloeosporioides-inoculated protonemal cells show cytoplasmic collapse, browning of chloroplasts and modifications of the cell wall. Chloroplasts relocate in cells of infected tissues toward the initially infected C. gloeosporioides cells. P. patens also induces the expression of the defense genes PAL and CHS after fungal colonization. P. patens reporter lines harboring the auxin-inducible promoter from soybean (GmGH3 fused to β-glucuronidase revealed an auxin response in protonemal tissues, cauloids and leaves of C. gloeosporioides-infected moss tissues, indicating the activation of auxin signaling. Thus, P. patens is an interesting plant to gain insight into defense mechanisms that have evolved in primitive land plants to cope with microbial pathogens.

  4. SITUASI PATEN OBAT ANTI DIABETES, ANTI HIPERTENSI, ANTI MALARIA DAN ANTI TUBERKULOSIS DI INDONESIA

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    Basundari Sri Utami

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available AbstrakIndonesia merupakan negara berpenduduk keempat terbanyak setelah Cina, India dan Amerika. Indonesia sedang mengalami transisi epidemiologi, dimana terjadi peningkatan penyakit tidak menular (PTM, sementara penyakit menular (PM seperti malaria, tuberkulosis dan demam dengue prevalensinya masih tinggi. Tingginya morbiditas merupakan lahan yang bagus untuk melaksanakan obat anti PM dan anti PTM yang mendapat paten karena pangsa pasarnya yang sangat luas. Sayangnya potensi pasar yang masih luas ini hanya ditangkap oleh luar negeri. Data dari Direktorat Jendral Hak Kekayaan Intelektual (Ditjen HKI pada tahun 2010 menunjukkan pemohon paten dalam negeri yang mendapatkan persetujuan perlindungan paten (granted hanya 4,6% sedangkan dari luar negeri sebanyak 92,03%. Hal yang sangat ironis bagi Indonesia yang merupakan negara dengan potensi bahan dasar obat alam dan keanekaragaman hayati terbanyak ketiga setelah Brazil dan Cina. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengevaluasi situasi paten obat yang terdaftar di Direktorat Paten, Ditjen HKI, Kementerian Hukum dan Hak Asasi Manusia RI dalam 7 tahun terakhir (tahun 2005 sampai 2011 untuk PM (malaria dan tuberkulosis dan PTM (hipertensi dan diabetes. Metode observasional dengan penelusuran dokumen paten dari alamat web instansi terkait. Hasilnya Indonesia hanya mendaftarkan 4,9% dari seluruh paten yang didaftarkan di Dirjen HKI dari tahun 2005 sampai dengan 2011, sebagai berikut untuk obat anti-hipertensi 3,4% dari 89 paten, anti-diabetes hanya 4,8% dari 250 paten, anti malaria 21,1% dari 18 paten anti-tuberkulosis 7,1% dari 14 paten. Sebagian besar paten yang didaftarkan oleh pendaftar Indonesia merupakan paten obat ekstrak herbal atau komposisinya. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah paten obat untuk PTM dan PM di Indonesia masih didominasi paten luar negeri.Kata Kunci : Situasi paten, obat, Ditjen HKI, IndonesiaAbstractIndonesia is the fourth most populous country after China, India and America. There

  5. Hypergravity of 10 g Changes Plant Growth, Anatomy, Chloroplast Size, and Photosynthesis in the Moss Physcomitrella patens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takemura, Kaori; Watanabe, Rina; Kameishi, Ryuji; Sakaguchi, Naoya; Kamachi, Hiroyuki; Kume, Atsushi; Karahara, Ichirou; Hanba, Yuko T.; Fujita, Tomomichi

    2017-12-01

    The photosynthetic and anatomical responses of bryophytes to changes in gravity will provide crucial information for estimating how these plant traits evolved to adapt to changes in gravity in land plant history. We performed long-term hypergravity experiments at 10 g for 4 and 8 weeks using the moss Physcomitrella patens with two centrifuges equipped with lighting systems that enable long-term plant growth under hypergravity with irradiance. The aims of this study are (1) to quantify changes in the anatomy and morphology of P. patens, and (2) to analyze the post-effects of hypergravity on photosynthesis by P. patens in relation to these changes. We measured photosynthesis by P. patens for a population of gametophores (e.g., canopy) in Petri dishes and plant culture boxes. Gametophore numbers increased by 9% for a canopy of P. patens, with 24-27% increases in chloroplast sizes (diameter and thickness) in leaf cells. In a canopy of P. patens, the area-based photosynthesis rate ( A canopy) was increased by 57% at 10 g. The increase observed in A canopy was associated with greater plant numbers and chloroplast sizes, both of which involved enhanced CO2 diffusion from the atmosphere to chloroplasts in the canopies of P. patens. These results suggest that changes in gravity are important environmental stimuli to induce changes in plant growth and photosynthesis by P. patens, in which an alteration in chloroplast size is one of the key traits. We are now planning an ISS experiment to investigate the responses of P. patens to microgravity.

  6. Genetic transformation of Physcomitrella patens mediated by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A simple efficient protocol for introducing exogenous gene from Agrobacterium tumfaciens into Physcomitrella patens was established. When the gametophores of gametophytes about 12 leaves were inoculated into the wells of PP3 medium at 25°C under the continuous light energy of 30 mol m-2 s-1 from cool-white ...

  7. Morpho-anatomical and fingerprinting study of Vernonanthura patens (Kunth H. Rob.

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    Patricia I. Manzano

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Context: The specie Vernonanthura patens (Kunth H. Rob. (Asteraceae is a South American native wild bush that grows in various provinces of Ecuador and it has been used in traditional medicine for several diseases, highliting its use in treatment of leishmaniasis, a condition of high incidence in the country. Despite its medicinal use, there are few or none botanic, chemical nor biological studies for this species. Aims: In this paper it were comprised the morpho-anatomical characterization of leaves and stems and genetic identification of a DNA fraction of the leaves of V. patens, in order to provide the elements for proper characterization and contribute to the establishment of quality control. Methods: The macromorphological description was made in leaves and stems from the fresh plant. The micromorphological evaluation was performed by paraffin inclusion of the material with cross-section that were clarify in sodium hypochlorite for its posterior safranin and cresil’s blue stained and its glycerinated gel fixation respectively. On obtaining the DNA chloroplast it was followed the internal protocol established by Molecular Biology CIBE´s laboratory. In order to sequence isolated DNA fragments from leaves of V. patens, Macrogen Maryland, USA´S company services were hired. Results: Leaves and stems of the new specie’s micro morphological characteristics were described for the first time and new macro morphological characters were described too from stems particularly. Conclusions: Using molecular and macro-micromorphological assessments is corroborated the identity of the V. patens species growing in Ecuador coast.

  8. Variations in the Life Cycle of Anemone patens L. (Ranunculaceae in Wild Populations of Canada

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    Vladimir Kricsfalusy

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Based on a study of a perennial herb Anemone patens L. (Ranunculaceae in a variety of natural habitats in Saskatchewan, Canada, eight life stages (seed, seedling, juvenile, immature, vegetative, generative, subsenile, and senile are distinguished and characterized in detail. The species ontogenetic growth patterns are investigated. A. patens has a long life cycle that may last for several decades which leads to the formation of compact clumps. The distribution and age of clumps vary substantially in different environments with different levels of disturbance. The plant ontogeny includes the regular cycle with reproduction occurring through seeds. There is an optional subsenile vegetative disintegration at the end of the life span. The following variations in the life cycle of A. patens are identified: with slower development in young age, with an accelerated development, with omission of the generative stage, with retrogression to previous life stages in mature age, and with vegetative dormancy. The range of variations in the life cycle of A. patens may play an important role in maintaining population stability in different environmental conditions and management regimes.

  9. Analyse de la croissance chez Gymnogongrus patens (j

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    LBBM

    Variation saisonnière de la composition chimique de carraghénophyte,. Gymnogongrus patens (J. Agardh) de la côte atlantique marocaine. Fatah EL OMARI* et Aziza MOURADI. Laboratoire de Biochimie, Biotechnologies et Environnement, Département de Biologie,. Université Ibn Tofail, BP 133 - 14000 Kénitra, Maroc ...

  10. Unexpected complexity of the Aquaporin gene family in the moss Physcomitrella patens

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    Johanson Urban

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Aquaporins, also called major intrinsic proteins (MIPs, constitute an ancient superfamily of channel proteins that facilitate the transport of water and small solutes across cell membranes. MIPs are found in almost all living organisms and are particularly abundant in plants where they form a divergent group of proteins able to transport a wide selection of substrates. Results Analyses of the whole genome of Physcomitrella patens resulted in the identification of 23 MIPs, belonging to seven different subfamilies, of which only five have been previously described. Of the newly discovered subfamilies one was only identified in P. patens (Hybrid Intrinsic Protein, HIP whereas the other was found to be present in a wide variety of dicotyledonous plants and forms a major previously unrecognized MIP subfamily (X Intrinsic Proteins, XIPs. Surprisingly also some specific groups within subfamilies present in Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea mays could be identified in P. patens. Conclusion Our results suggest an early diversification of MIPs resulting in a large number of subfamilies already in primitive terrestrial plants. During the evolution of higher plants some of these subfamilies were subsequently lost while the remaining subfamilies expanded and in some cases diversified, resulting in the formation of more specialized groups within these subfamilies.

  11. Role of RNA interference (RNAi) in the moss Physcomitrella patens

    KAUST Repository

    Arif, Muhammad Asif; Frank, Wolfgang; Khraiwesh, Basel

    2013-01-01

    RNA interference (RNAi) is a mechanism that regulates genes by either transcriptional (TGS) or posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS), required for genome maintenance and proper development of an organism. Small non-coding RNAs are the key players in RNAi and have been intensively studied in eukaryotes. In plants, several classes of small RNAs with specific sizes and dedicated functions have evolved. The major classes of small RNAs include microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which differ in their biogenesis. miRNAs are synthesized from a short hairpin structure while siRNAs are derived from long double-stranded RNAs (dsRNA). Both miRNA and siRNAs control the expression of cognate target RNAs by binding to reverse complementary sequences mediating cleavage or translational inhibition of the target RNA. They also act on the DNA and cause epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. In the last years, the analysis of plant RNAi pathways was extended to the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens, a non-flowering, non-vascular ancient land plant that diverged from the lineage of seed plants approximately 450 million years ago. Based on a number of characteristic features and its phylogenetic key position in land plant evolution P. patens emerged as a plant model species to address basic as well as applied topics in plant biology. Here we summarize the current knowledge on the role of RNAi in P. patens that shows functional overlap with RNAi pathways from seed plants, and also unique features specific to this species. 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

  12. Role of RNA interference (RNAi) in the moss Physcomitrella patens

    KAUST Repository

    Arif, Muhammad Asif

    2013-01-14

    RNA interference (RNAi) is a mechanism that regulates genes by either transcriptional (TGS) or posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS), required for genome maintenance and proper development of an organism. Small non-coding RNAs are the key players in RNAi and have been intensively studied in eukaryotes. In plants, several classes of small RNAs with specific sizes and dedicated functions have evolved. The major classes of small RNAs include microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which differ in their biogenesis. miRNAs are synthesized from a short hairpin structure while siRNAs are derived from long double-stranded RNAs (dsRNA). Both miRNA and siRNAs control the expression of cognate target RNAs by binding to reverse complementary sequences mediating cleavage or translational inhibition of the target RNA. They also act on the DNA and cause epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. In the last years, the analysis of plant RNAi pathways was extended to the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens, a non-flowering, non-vascular ancient land plant that diverged from the lineage of seed plants approximately 450 million years ago. Based on a number of characteristic features and its phylogenetic key position in land plant evolution P. patens emerged as a plant model species to address basic as well as applied topics in plant biology. Here we summarize the current knowledge on the role of RNAi in P. patens that shows functional overlap with RNAi pathways from seed plants, and also unique features specific to this species. 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

  13. Genome-wide transcriptome analysis of gametophyte development in Physcomitrella patens

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    Xiao Lihong

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Regulation of gene expression plays a pivotal role in controlling the development of multicellular plants. To explore the molecular mechanism of plant developmental-stage transition and cell-fate determination, a genome-wide analysis was undertaken of sequential developmental time-points and individual tissue types in the model moss Physcomitrella patens because of the short life cycle and relative structural simplicity of this plant. Results Gene expression was analyzed by digital gene expression tag profiling of samples taken from P. patens protonema at 3, 14 and 24 days, and from leafy shoot tissues at 30 days, after protoplast isolation, and from 14-day-old caulonemal and chloronemal tissues. In total, 4333 genes were identified as differentially displayed. Among these genes, 4129 were developmental-stage specific and 423 were preferentially expressed in either chloronemal or caulonemal tissues. Most of the differentially displayed genes were assigned to functions in organic substance and energy metabolism or macromolecule biosynthetic and catabolic processes based on gene ontology descriptions. In addition, some regulatory genes identified as candidates might be involved in controlling the developmental-stage transition and cell differentiation, namely MYB-like, HB-8, AL3, zinc finger family proteins, bHLH superfamily, GATA superfamily, GATA and bZIP transcription factors, protein kinases, genes related to protein/amino acid methylation, and auxin, ethylene, and cytokinin signaling pathways. Conclusions These genes that show highly dynamic changes in expression during development in P. patens are potential targets for further functional characterization and evolutionary developmental biology studies.

  14. Identification and characterization of NAGNAG alternative splicing in the moss Physcomitrella patens

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    Bolte Kathrin

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Alternative splicing (AS involving tandem acceptors that are separated by three nucleotides (NAGNAG is an evolutionarily widespread class of AS, which is well studied in Homo sapiens (human and Mus musculus (mouse. It has also been shown to be common in the model seed plants Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa (rice. In one of the first studies involving sequence-based prediction of AS in plants, we performed a genome-wide identification and characterization of NAGNAG AS in the model plant Physcomitrella patens, a moss. Results Using Sanger data, we found 295 alternatively used NAGNAG acceptors in P. patens. Using 31 features and training and test datasets of constitutive and alternative NAGNAGs, we trained a classifier to predict the splicing outcome at NAGNAG tandem splice sites (alternative splicing, constitutive at the first acceptor, or constitutive at the second acceptor. Our classifier achieved a balanced specificity and sensitivity of ≥ 89%. Subsequently, a classifier trained exclusively on data well supported by transcript evidence was used to make genome-wide predictions of NAGNAG splicing outcomes. By generation of more transcript evidence from a next-generation sequencing platform (Roche 454, we found additional evidence for NAGNAG AS, with altogether 664 alternative NAGNAGs being detected in P. patens using all currently available transcript evidence. The 454 data also enabled us to validate the predictions of the classifier, with 64% (80/125 of the well-supported cases of AS being predicted correctly. Conclusion NAGNAG AS is just as common in the moss P. patens as it is in the seed plants A. thaliana and O. sativa (but not conserved on the level of orthologous introns, and can be predicted with high accuracy. The most informative features are the nucleotides in the NAGNAG and in its immediate vicinity, along with the splice sites scores, as found earlier for NAGNAG AS in animals. Our results suggest that the

  15. Gene function analysis by artificial microRNAs in Physcomitrella patens.

    KAUST Repository

    Khraiwesh, Basel

    2011-01-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ~21 nt long small RNAs transcribed from endogenous MIR genes which form precursor RNAs with a characteristic hairpin structure. miRNAs control the expression of cognate target genes by binding to reverse complementary sequences resulting in cleavage or translational inhibition of the target RNA. Artificial miRNAs (amiRNAs) can be generated by exchanging the miRNA/miRNA sequence of endogenous MIR precursor genes, while maintaining the general pattern of matches and mismatches in the foldback. Thus, for functional gene analysis amiRNAs can be designed to target any gene of interest. During the last decade the moss Physcomitrella patens emerged as a model plant for functional gene analysis based on its unique ability to integrate DNA into the nuclear genome by homologous recombination which allows for the generation of targeted gene knockout mutants. In addition to this, we developed a protocol to express amiRNAs in P. patens that has particular advantages over the generation of knockout mutants and might be used to speed up reverse genetics approaches in this model species.

  16. Analyse de la croissance de Gymnogongrus patens Agardh de la ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    AKA Boko

    Le suivi de la croissance in situ de cette espèce est indispensable pour son exploitation industrielle au Maroc. Dans le cadre d'un programme de recherche pour la valorisation des carraghénophytes marocains, notre travail a eu pour objectif d'étudier la biologie en milieu naturel de l'espèce Gymnogongrus patens.

  17. Stable production of the antimalarial drug artemisinin in the moss Physcomitrella patens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Binti Khairul Ikram, Nur Kusaira; Kashkooli, Arman Beyraghdar; Peramuna, Anantha Vithakshana

    2017-01-01

    study shows that P. patens can be a sustainable and efficient production platform of artemisinin that without further modifications allow for industrial scale production. A stable supply of artemisinin will lower the price of artemisinin-based treatments, hence become more affordable to the lower income...

  18. Moss Pathogenesis-Related-10 protein enhances resistance to Pythium irregulare in Physcomitrella patens and Arabidopsis thaliana

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    Alexandra eCastro

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Plants respond to pathogen infection by activating signaling pathways leading to the accumulation of proteins with diverse roles in defense. Here, we addressed the functional role of PpPR-10, a pathogenesis-related (PR-10 gene, of the moss Physcomitrella patens, in response to biotic stress. PpPR-10 belongs to a multigene family and encodes a protein twice the usual size of PR-10 proteins due to the presence of two Bet v1 domains. Moss PR-10 genes are differentially regulated during development and inoculation with the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Specifically, PpPR-10 transcript levels increase significantly by treatments with elicitors of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, spores of B. cinerea, and the defense hormone salicylic acid. To characterize the role of PpPR-10 in plant defense against pathogens, we conducted overexpression analysis in P. patens and in Arabidopsis thaliana. We demonstrate that constitutive expression of PpPR-10 in moss tissues increased resistance against the oomycete Pythium irregulare. PpPR-10 overexpressing moss plants developed less symptoms and decreased mycelium growth than wild type plants. In addition, PpPR-10 overexpressing plants constitutively produced cell wall depositions in protonemal tissue. Ectopic expression of PpPR-10 in Arabidopsis resulted in increased resistance against P. irregulare as well, evidenced by smaller lesions and less cellular damage compared to wild type plants. These results indicate that PpPR-10 is functionally active in the defense against the pathogen P. irregulare, in both P. patens and Arabidopsis, two evolutionary distant plants. Thus, P. patens can serve as an interesting source of genes to improve resistance against pathogen infection in flowering plants.

  19. In vitro and in vivo antifungal activity, liver profile test, and mutagenic activity of five plants used in traditional Mexican medicine

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    Jorge Cornejo-Garrido

    Full Text Available Berberis hartwegii Benth., Berberidaceae, Hamelia patens Jacq., Rubiaceae, Dendropanax arboreus (L. Decne & Planch., Araliaceae, Erythrina herbacea L., Fabaceae, and Zanthoxylum caribaeum Lam., Rutaceae, acetone extracts were selected on the basis of their use in traditional Mexican medicine to treat scabies or skin diseases. Anti-dermatophyte activity in vitro was evaluated using the agar dilution assay, and the therapeutic efficacy of B. hartwegii and Z. caribaeum were tested against experimental tinea pedis. The infected animals were treated intragastrically daily for seven days with 2.5 and 5 mg/kg of acetone extracts. The acetone extract of H. patens exhibited 100% growth inhibition against T. mentagrophytes and E. floccosum at 100.0 and 50.0 µg/ml, respectively, and B. hartwegii inhibited growth of M. canis and T. mentagrophytes at 100.0 µg/ml. Effective treatments with 2.5 mg/kg of Z. caribaeum and B. hartwegii extract were comparable with 1 mg/kg of clotrimazole in mice. Liver profile tests and histological analyses did not exhibit any signs of toxicity and the Ames test indicated that both extracts were safe when evaluated in strains TA98, TA100 and TA102. Our results suggest the potential for the future development of new antifungal drugs from B. hartwegii or Z. caribaeum.

  20. Genome-wide expression analysis offers new insights into the origin and evolution of Physcomitrella patens stress response

    KAUST Repository

    Khraiwesh, Basel

    2015-11-30

    Changes in the environment, such as those caused by climate change, can exert stress on plant growth, diversity and ultimately global food security. Thus, focused efforts to fully understand plant response to stress are urgently needed in order to develop strategies to cope with the effects of climate change. Because Physcomitrella patens holds a key evolutionary position bridging the gap between green algae and higher plants, and because it exhibits a well-developed stress tolerance, it is an excellent model for such exploration. Here, we have used Physcomitrella patens to study genome-wide responses to abiotic stress through transcriptomic analysis by a high-throughput sequencing platform. We report a comprehensive analysis of transcriptome dynamics, defining profiles of elicited gene regulation responses to abiotic stress-associated hormone Abscisic Acid (ABA), cold, drought, and salt treatments. We identified more than 20,000 genes expressed under each aforementioned stress treatments, of which 9,668 display differential expression in response to stress. The comparison of Physcomitrella patens stress regulated genes with unicellular algae, vascular and flowering plants revealed genomic delineation concomitant with the evolutionary movement to land, including a general gene family complexity and loss of genes associated with different functional groups.

  1. Ecogeomorphology of Spartina patens-dominated tidal marshes: Soil organic matter accumulation, marsh elevation dynamics, and disturbance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cahoon, D.R.; Ford, M.A.; Hensel, P.F.; Fagherazzi, Sergio; Marani, Marco; Blum, Linda K.

    2004-01-01

    Marsh soil development and vertical accretion in Spartina patens (Aiton) Muhl.-dominated tidal marshes is largely dependent on soil organic matter accumulation from root-rhizome production and litter deposition. Yet there are few quantitative data sets on belowground production and the relationship between soil organic matter accumulation and soil elevation dynamics for this marsh type. Spartina patens marshes are subject to numerous stressors, including sea-level rise, water level manipulations (i.e., flooding and draining) by impoundments, and prescribed burning. These stressors could influence long-term marsh sustainability by their effect on root production, soil organic matter accumulation, and soil elevation dynamics. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the interactions among vegetative production, soil organic matter accumulation and marsh elevation dynamics, or the ecogeomorphology, of Spartina patens-dominated tidal marshes. Additional studies are needed of belowground production/decomposition and soil elevation change (measured simultaneously) to better understand the links among soil organic matter accumulation, soil elevation change, and disturbance in this marsh type. From a management perspective, we need to better understand the impacts of disturbance stressors, both lethal and sub-lethal, and the interactive effect of multiple stressors on soil elevation dynamics in order to develop better management practices to safeguard marsh sustainability as sea level rises.

  2. Protein Kinase Signalling in the Moss Physcomitrella patens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Azevedo de Silva, Raquel

    Adaptation to environmental cues trigger a plethora of intracellular pathways capable of maintaining homeostasis. Receptors in the plasma membrane and in the cytosol recognize extracellular or intracellular signals initiating defense against pathogens or stress-adaptation. MAPK cascade are one...... of the pathways involved in stress signalling, phosphorylating several downstream substrates in order to produce appropriate responses. We report here that P. patens has a receptor-like kinase CERK1 responsible for chitin perception which can rescue Atcerk1 mutant. Activation of PpCERK1 triggers the activation...

  3. Combination of the Endogenous lhcsr1 Promoter and Codon Usage Optimization Boosts Protein Expression in the Moss Physcomitrella patens

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    Manuel Hiss

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The moss Physcomitrella patens is used both as an evo-devo model and biotechnological production system for metabolites and pharmaceuticals. Strong in vivo expression of genes of interest is important for production of recombinant proteins, e.g., selectable markers, fluorescent proteins, or enzymes. In this regard, the choice of the promoter sequence as well as codon usage optimization are two important inside factors to consider in order to obtain optimum protein accumulation level. To reliably quantify fluorescence, we transfected protoplasts with promoter:GFP fusion constructs and measured fluorescence intensity of living protoplasts in a plate reader system. We used the red fluorescent protein mCherry under 2x 35S promoter control as second reporter to normalize for different transfection efficiencies. We derived a novel endogenous promoter and compared deletion variants with exogenous promoters. We used different codon-adapted green fluorescent protein (GFP genes to evaluate the influence of promoter choice and codon optimization on protein accumulation in P. patens, and show that the promoter of the gene of P. patens chlorophyll a/b binding protein lhcsr1 drives expression of GFP in protoplasts significantly (more than twofold better than the commonly used 2x 35S promoter or the rice actin1 promoter. We identified a shortened 677 bp version of the lhcsr1 promoter that retains full activity in protoplasts. The codon optimized GFP yields significantly (more than twofold stronger fluorescence signals and thus demonstrates that adjusting codon usage in P. patens can increase expression strength. In combination, new promotor and codon optimized GFP conveyed sixfold increased fluorescence signal.

  4. EVALUACIÓN DE REQUERIMIENTOS NUTRICIONALES EN VIVERO DE ESPECIES TROPICALES EMPLEADAS EN SILVICULTURA URBANA

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    David Andrés Herrera Ramírez

    Full Text Available La fertilización es determinante del crecimiento y desarrollo de árboles urbanos. Por ello, estudiamos, mediante la técnica del elemento faltante, los requerimientos nutricionales de cinco especies tropicales usadas en silvicultura urbana (Tabebuia chrysantha, Margaritaria nobilis, Hamelia patens, Apeiba aspera, Cupania americana. Se encontró algunas especies sensibles a la deficiencia de nitrógeno y otras a la deficiencia de azufre. El grupo de T. chrysanta, M. nobilis y H. patens mostró alta sensibilidad a la deficiencia de nitrógeno, mientras que C. americana y A. aspera presentaron sensibilidad a la deficiencia de azufre, representada en menor crecimiento promedio para todas las variables evaluadas: altura, diámetro en el cuello de la raíz, materia seca radical y materia seca aérea. Las representaciones HJ-Biplot, utilizadas para caracterizar la respuesta por especie a cada tratamiento en todas las unidades experimentales, evidenciaron los bajos rendimientos en crecimiento para las deficiencias en nitrógeno y azufre. El desbalance de bases calcio/magnesio y magnesio/potasio afectó el crecimiento en altura de todas las especies, evidenciado en los altos crecimientos obtenidos para los tratamientos deficientes en calcio y magnesio. Debido a esto, las fórmulas nutricionales utilizadas en vivero deben reajustarse a las exigencias individuales de las especies, para producir mejores árboles para la ciudad.

  5. Heavy Metal Absorption Efficiency of two Species of Mosses (Physcomitrella patens and Funaria hygrometrica) Studied in Mercury Treated Culture under Laboratory Condition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pradhan, Abanti; Kumari, Sony; Dash, Saktisradha; Prasad Biswal, Durga; Kishore Dash, Aditya; Panigrahi, Kishore C. S.

    2017-08-01

    As an important component of ecosystems, mosses have a strong influence on the cycling of water, energy and nutrient. Given their sensitivity to environmental change, mosses can be used as bioindicators of water quality, air pollution, metal accumulation and climate change. In the present study, the growth, differentiation and heavy metal (Hg) absorption of two species of mosses like Physcomitrella patens and Funariahygrometrica were studied in solid cultures under laboratory conditions. It was observed that, the number of gametophores developed from single inoculated gametophores after 45 days of growth of F. hygrometrica was 11±2.0 in control where as it has decreased at higher concentrations, 4±1.5 in 1ppm of mercury treatment. P. patens also shows a similar trend. The heavy metal uptake of both the species of mosses was studied. It was observed that Hg content in pseudo leaves of P. patens ranged from 0.98 ppm to 2.76 ppm at different Hg treatment (0.1-1 ppm), whereas in F. hygrometrica it ranged from 0.78 ppm to 2.43 ppm under the same treatment condition. Comparing between the Hg content in pseudo-leaves and rhizoids of P. patens and F. hygrometrica, it was observed that the Hg content was elevated about 60-64% in rhizoids than that of pseudo-leaves at 0.1% treatment level, whereas it was increased almost up to 50% in other treatment level.

  6. Stable Production of the Antimalarial Drug Artemisinin in the Moss Physcomitrella patens

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    Nur Kusaira Binti Khairul Ikram

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Malaria is a real and constant danger to nearly half of the world’s population of 7.4 billion people. In 2015, 212 million cases were reported along with 429,000 estimated deaths. The World Health Organization recommends artemisinin-based combinatorial therapies, and the artemisinin for this purpose is mainly isolated from the plant Artemisia annua. However, the plant supply of artemisinin is irregular, leading to fluctuation in prices. Here, we report the development of a simple, sustainable, and scalable production platform of artemisinin. The five genes involved in artemisinin biosynthesis were engineered into the moss Physcomitrella patens via direct in vivo assembly of multiple DNA fragments. In vivo biosynthesis of artemisinin was obtained without further modifications. A high initial production of 0.21 mg/g dry weight artemisinin was observed after only 3 days of cultivation. Our study shows that P. patens can be a sustainable and efficient production platform of artemisinin that without further modifications allow for industrial-scale production. A stable supply of artemisinin will lower the price of artemisinin-based treatments, hence become more affordable to the lower income communities most affected by malaria; an important step toward containment of this deadly disease threatening millions every year.

  7. Metabolic engineering of the moss Physcomitrella patens to produce the sesquiterpenoids patchoulol and α/β-santalene

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    Xin eZhan

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The moss Physcomitrella patens, has been genetically engineered to produce patchoulol and β-santalene, two valuable sesquiterpenoid ingredients in the fragrance industry. The highest yield of patchoulol achieved was 1.34 mg/g dry weight. This was achieved by non-targeted transformation of the patchoulol synthase and either a yeast or P. patens HMGR gene under the control of a 35S promoter. Santalene synthase targeted to the plastids yielded 0.039 mg/g dry weight of α/β santalene; cytosolic santalene synthase and 35S controlled HMGR afforded 0.022 mg/g dry weight. It has been observed that the final yield of the fragrance molecules is dependent on the expression of the synthase. This is the first report of heterologous production of sesquiterpenes in moss and it opens up a promising source for light-driven production of valuable fragrance ingredients.

  8. Perbandingan Efektivitas Daya Hambat Kotrimoksazol Generik dan Paten terhadap Pertumbuhan Bakteri Escherichia coli sebagai Penyebab Infeksi Saluran Kemih secara In Vitro

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    Puti Anggun Sari

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available AbstrakInfeksi saluran kemih merupakan salah satu infeksi yang sering ditemukan setelah infeksi saluran napas. Penyebab terbanyak infeksi saluran kemih adalah Escherichia coli. Kotrimoksazol merupakan kombinasi dari dua obat yaitu trimetoprim dan sulfametoksazol serta salah satu contoh antibiotik yang merupakan first-line therapy untuk infeksi saluran kemih. Kotrimoksazol terbagi menjadi dua jenis obat yaitu obat generik dan paten. Akan tetapi, belakangan ini penggunaan obat generik mulai menurun di masyarakat dan masyarakat cenderung meragukan kualitasnya. Padahal masyarakat yang akan diuntungkan jika mengetahui mutu obat generik tidak kalah dengan obat paten. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk membandingkan efektivitas daya hambat kotrimoksazol generik dan paten terhadap pertumbuhan bakteri Escherichia coli sebagai penyebab infeksi saluran kemih secara in vitro. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian analitik eksperimental dengan desain cross-sectional study. Penelitian ini menggunakan 19 sampel isolat bakteri dari pasien infeksi saluran kemih yang disebabkan oleh Escherichia coli di RSUP Dr. M. Djamil yang ditentukan rumus minimal adequate sample size menggunakan metode difusi cakram dan dilihat perbandingan antara zona bebas kuman yang dibentuk oleh obat generik dan paten tersebut. Data yang diperoleh akan diolah secara statistik dengan uji hipotesis t-independent test. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pada 17 sampel tidak didapatkan zona bebas kuman baik pada kotrimoksazol generik atau paten. Sedangkan pada 2 sampel lainnya didapatkan zona bebas kuman pada kedua obat kotrimoksazol generik dan paten. Setelah dilakukan analisis statistik menggunakan SPSS dengan uji t-independent test didapatkan bahwa tidak terdapat perbedaan bermakna antara sensitivitas bakteri Escherichia coli penyebab infeksi saluran kemih terhadap kotrimoksazol generik dan paten. Sedangkan resistensi yang terjadi pada 17 sampel lain diduga disebabkan penggunaan

  9. Physcomitrella patens activates reinforcement of the cell wall, programmed cell death and accumulation of evolutionary conserved defence signals, such as salicylic acid and 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid, but not jasmonic acid, upon Botrytis cinerea infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ponce De León, Inés; Schmelz, Eric A; Gaggero, Carina; Castro, Alexandra; Álvarez, Alfonso; Montesano, Marcos

    2012-10-01

    The moss Physcomitrella patens is an evolutionarily basal model system suitable for the analysis of plant defence responses activated after pathogen assault. Upon infection with the necrotroph Botrytis cinerea, several defence mechanisms are induced in P. patens, including the fortification of the plant cell wall by the incorporation of phenolic compounds and the induced expression of related genes. Botrytis cinerea infection also activates the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and cell death with hallmarks of programmed cell death in moss tissues. Salicylic acid (SA) levels also increase after fungal infection, and treatment with SA enhances transcript accumulation of the defence gene phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) in P. patens colonies. The expression levels of the genes involved in 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) synthesis, including lipoxygenase (LOX) and allene oxide synthase (AOS), increase in P. patens gametophytes after pathogen assault, together with a rise in free linolenic acid and OPDA concentrations. However, jasmonic acid (JA) could not be detected in healthy or infected tissues of this plant. Our results suggest that, although conserved defence signals, such as SA and OPDA, are synthesized and are probably involved in the defence response of P. patens against B. cinerea infection, JA production appears to be missing. Interestingly, P. patens responds to OPDA and methyl jasmonate by reducing moss colony growth and rhizoid length, suggesting that jasmonate perception is present in mosses. Thus, P. patens can provide clues with regard to the evolution of different defence pathways in plants, including signalling and perception of OPDA and jasmonates in nonflowering and flowering plants. © 2012 THE AUTHORS. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY © 2012 BSPP AND BLACKWELL PUBLISHING LTD.

  10. Myosin VIII regulates protonemal patterning and developmental timing in the moss Physcomitrella patens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shu-Zon; Ritchie, Julie A; Pan, Ai-Hong; Quatrano, Ralph S; Bezanilla, Magdalena

    2011-09-01

    Plants have two classes of myosins. While recent work has focused on class XI myosins showing that myosin XI is responsible for organelle motility and cytoplasmic streaming, much less is known about the role of myosin VIII in plant growth and development. We have used a combination of RNAi and insertional knockouts to probe myosin VIII function in the moss Physcomitrella patens. We isolated Δmyo8ABCDE plants demonstrating that myosin VIII is not required for plant viability. However, myosin VIII mutants are smaller than wild-type plants in part due to a defect in cell size. Additionally, Δmyo8ABCDE plants produce more side branches and form gametophores much earlier than wild-type plants. In the absence of nutrient media, Δmyo8ABCDE plants exhibit significant protonemal patterning defects, including highly curved protonemal filaments, morphologically defective side branches, as well as an increase in the number of branches. Exogenous auxin partially rescues protonemal defects in Δmyo8ABCDE plants grown in the absence of nutrients. This result, together with defects in protonemal branching, smaller caulonemal cells, and accelerated development in the Δmyo8ABCDE plants, suggests that myosin VIII is involved in hormone homeostasis in P. patens.

  11. Interaction between the moss Physcomitrella patens and Phytophthora: a novel pathosystem for live-cell imaging of subcellular defence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Overdijk, Elysa J R; DE Keijzer, Jeroen; DE Groot, Deborah; Schoina, Charikleia; Bouwmeester, Klaas; Ketelaar, Tijs; Govers, Francine

    2016-08-01

    Live-cell imaging of plant-pathogen interactions is often hampered by the tissue complexity and multicell layered nature of the host. Here, we established a novel pathosystem with the moss Physcomitrella patens as host for Phytophthora. The tip-growing protonema cells of this moss are ideal for visualizing interactions with the pathogen over time using high-resolution microscopy. We tested four Phytophthora species for their ability to infect P. patens and showed that P. sojae and P. palmivora were only rarely capable to infect P. patens. In contrast, P. infestans and P. capsici frequently and successfully penetrated moss protonemal cells, showed intracellular hyphal growth and formed sporangia. Next to these successful invasions, many penetration attempts failed. Here the pathogen was blocked by a barrier of cell wall material deposited in papilla-like structures, a defence response that is common in higher plants. Another common response is the upregulation of defence-related genes upon infection and also in moss we observed this upregulation in tissues infected with Phytophthora. For more advanced analyses of the novel pathosystem we developed a special set-up that allowed live-cell imaging of subcellular defence processes by high-resolution microscopy. With this set-up, we revealed that Phytophthora infection of moss induces repositioning of the nucleus, accumulation of cytoplasm and rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton, but not of microtubules. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

  12. Imaging Mitosis in the Moss Physcomitrella patens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamada, Moé; Miki, Tomohiro; Goshima, Gohta

    2016-01-01

    At first glance, mitosis in plants looks quite different from that in animals. In fact, terrestrial plants have lost the centrosome during evolution, and the mitotic spindle is assembled independently of a strong microtubule organizing center. The phragmoplast is a plant-specific mitotic apparatus formed after anaphase, which expands centrifugally towards the cell cortex. However, the extent to which plant mitosis differs from that of animals at the level of the protein repertoire is uncertain, largely because of the difficulty in the identification and in vivo characterization of mitotic genes of plants. Here, we discuss protocols for mitosis imaging that can be combined with endogenous green fluorescent protein (GFP) tagging or conditional RNA interference (RNAi) in the moss Physcomitrella patens, which is an emergent model plant for cell and developmental biology. This system has potential for use in the high-throughput study of mitosis and other intracellular processes, as is being done with various animal cell lines.

  13. Comparison of the effectiveness of ISJ and SSR markers and detection of outlier loci in conservation genetics of Pulsatilla patens populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilska, Katarzyna; Szczecińska, Monika

    2016-01-01

    Research into the protection of rare and endangered plant species involves genetic analyses to determine their genetic variation and genetic structure. Various categories of genetic markers are used for this purpose. Microsatellites, also known as simple sequence repeats (SSR), are the most popular category of markers in population genetics research. In most cases, microsatellites account for a large part of the noncoding DNA and exert a neutral effect on the genome. Neutrality is a desirable feature in evaluations of genetic differences between populations, but it does not support analyses of a population's ability to adapt to a given environment or its evolutionary potential. Despite the numerous advantages of microsatellites, non-neutral markers may supply important information in conservation genetics research. They are used to evaluate adaptation to specific environmental conditions and a population's adaptive potential. The aim of this study was to compare the level of genetic variation in Pulsatilla patens populations revealed by neutral SSR markers and putatively adaptive ISJ markers (intron-exon splice junction). The experiment was conducted on 14 Polish populations of P. patens and three P. patens populations from the nearby region of Vitebsk in Belarus. A total of 345 individuals were examined. Analyses were performed with the use of eight SSR primers specific to P. patens and three ISJ primers. SSR markers revealed a higher level of genetic variation than ISJ markers ( H e = 0.609, H e = 0.145, respectively). An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that, the overall genetic diversity between the analyzed populations defined by parameters F ST and Φ PT for SSR (20%) and Φ PT for ISJ (21%) markers was similar. Analysis conducted in the Structure program divided analyzed populations into two groups (SSR loci) and three groups (ISJ markers). Mantel test revealed correlations between the geographic distance and genetic diversity of Polish

  14. Interaction between the moss Physcomitrella patens and Phytophthora : a novel pathosystem for live-cell imaging of subcellular defence

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Overdijk, Elysa J R; DE Keijzer, Jeroen; DE Groot, Deborah; Schoina, Charikleia; Bouwmeester, K.; Ketelaar, Tijs; Govers, Francine

    Live-cell imaging of plant-pathogen interactions is often hampered by the tissue complexity and multicell layered nature of the host. Here, we established a novel pathosystem with the moss Physcomitrella patens as host for Phytophthora. The tip-growing protonema cells of this moss are ideal for

  15. Network theory inspired analysis of time-resolved expression data reveals key players guiding P. patens stem cell development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Busch, Hauke; Boerries, Melanie; Bao, Jie; Hanke, Sebastian T; Hiss, Manuel; Tiko, Theodhor; Rensing, Stefan A

    2013-01-01

    Transcription factors (TFs) often trigger developmental decisions, yet, their transcripts are often only moderately regulated and thus not easily detected by conventional statistics on expression data. Here we present a method that allows to determine such genes based on trajectory analysis of time-resolved transcriptome data. As a proof of principle, we have analysed apical stem cells of filamentous moss (P. patens) protonemata that develop from leaflets upon their detachment from the plant. By our novel correlation analysis of the post detachment transcriptome kinetics we predict five out of 1,058 TFs to be involved in the signaling leading to the establishment of pluripotency. Among the predicted regulators is the basic helix loop helix TF PpRSL1, which we show to be involved in the establishment of apical stem cells in P. patens. Our methodology is expected to aid analysis of key players of developmental decisions in complex plant and animal systems.

  16. Arbuscular and Ectomycorrhizal Fungi Associated with the Invasive Brazilian Pepper Tree (Schinus terebinthifolius) and Two Native Plants in South Florida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawkins, Karim; Esiobu, Nwadiuto

    2017-01-01

    The potential role of soil fungi in the invasion of the Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius—BP) in Florida is not known; although the low biotic resistance of Florida soils is often invoked to explain the prevalence of many invasive species. To gain an initial insight into BP's mycorrhizal associations, this study examined the rhizobiome of BP and two native plants (Hamelia patens and Bidens alba) across six locations. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associated with the roots of the target plants and bulk soil was characterized by spore morphotyping. Sequence analysis of metagenomic DNA from lateral roots/rhizosphere of BP (n = 52) and a native shrub H. patens (n = 37) on the same parcel yielded other fungal associates. Overall, the total population of AMF associated with BP was about two folds greater than that of the two native plants (p = 0.0001) growing on the same site. The dominant AMF under Schinus were members of the common Glomus and Rhizophagus spp. By contrast, the most prevalent AMF in the bulk soil and rhizosphere of the two Florida native plants, Acaulospora spp (29%) was sharply diminished (9%) under BP rhizosphere. Analysis of the ITS2 sequences also showed that Schinus rhizosphere had a high relative abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungi (76.5%) compared to the native H. patens (2.6%), with the species Lactifluus hygrophoroides (Basidiomycota) being the most prevalent at 61.5% (p < 0.05). Unlike the native plants where pathogenic fungi like Phyllosticta sp., Phoma sp., and Neofusicoccum andium were present (8.1% for H. patens), only one potentially pathogenic fungal taxon was detected (3.9%) under BP. The striking disparity in the relative abundance of AMF and other fungal types between BP and the native species is quite significant. Fungal symbionts could aide plant invasion via resource-use efficiency and other poorly defined mechanisms of protection from pathogens in their invaded range. This report exposes a potentially

  17. The first record of Molineus patens (Dujardin, 1845) (Nematoda, Molineidae) in the ermine (Mustela erminea L.) in Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popiołek, Marcin; Jarnecki, Hubert; Łuczyński, Tomasz

    2009-01-01

    A single specimen of the nematode Molineus patens (Dujardin, 1845) was isolated from the intestine of the ermine (Mustela erminea L.) found dead on a road in Lubuskie voivodeship (Western Poland) in July 2008. Since this is the first record of the parasite in the ermine from Poland, description, biometrical data and figures are given.

  18. Generation of Electricity Using Spartina Patens with Stainless Steel Current Collectors in a Plant-Microbial Fuel Cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narula, Deep

    At present, the global energy infrastructure is highly dependent on (i) non-renewable fossil fuels with significant emissions of greenhouse gasses (ii) green fuels such as bioethanol and biodiesel with impact on current agricultural practices competing with food production for arable lands, fertilizers, also requiring additional energy input. Plant-based microbial fuel cell (PMFC) technology can be found as a promising alternative to produce electricity without any side effects with an advantage of using sunlight as an energy source. In the present study, we developed PMFCs using Spartina patens, a marshland grass, abundantly available in the coastal regions of the USA. Figure 1 is a schematic for a PMFC with the anode and cathode compartments where others have used carbon-based electrodes for current collection. In contrast, we attempted to utilize stainless steel wires with more surface area to enhance the current collection in the anode compartment as well as to increase the rate of reduction in the cathode chamber and thereby increase the amount of electricity produced. The study will give results on the periodic use of Spartina patens in PMFC along with the porous stainless steel electrodes which have never been employed in PMFCs before.

  19. Screening of Venezuelan medicinal plant extracts for cytostatic and cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Peter; Arsenak, Miriam; Abad, María Jesús; Fernández, Angel; Milano, Balentina; Gonto, Reina; Ruiz, Marie-Christine; Fraile, Silvia; Taylor, Sofía; Estrada, Omar; Michelangeli, Fabian

    2013-04-01

    There are estimated to be more than 20,000 species of plants in Venezuela, of which more than 1500 are used for medicinal purposes by indigenous and local communities. Only a relatively small proportion of these have been evaluated in terms of their potential as antitumor agents. In this study, we screened 308 extracts from 102 species for cytostatic and cytotoxic activity against a panel of six tumor cell lines using a 24-h sulphorhodamine B assay. Extracts from Clavija lancifolia, Hamelia patens, Piper san-vicentense, Physalis cordata, Jacaranda copaia, Heliotropium indicum, and Annona squamosa were the most cytotoxic, whereas other extracts from Calotropis gigantea, Hyptis dilatata, Chromolaena odorata, Siparuna guianensis, Jacaranda obtusifolia, Tapirira guianensis, Xylopia aromatica, Protium heptaphyllum, and Piper arboreum showed the greatest cytostatic activity. These results confirm previous reports on the cytotoxic activities of the above-mentioned plants as well as prompting further studies on others such as C. lancifolia and H. dilatata that have not been so extensively studied. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Immuno and affinity cytochemical analysis of cell wall composition in the moss Physcomitrella patens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth A. Berry

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In contrast to homeohydric vascular plants, mosses employ a poikilohydric strategy for surviving in the dry aerial environment. A detailed understanding of the structure, composition, and development of moss cell walls can contribute to our understanding of not only the evolution of overall cell wall complexity, but also the differences that have evolved in response to selection for different survival strategies. The model moss species Physcomitrella patens has a predominantly haploid lifecycle consisting of protonemal filaments that regenerate from protoplasts and enlarge by tip growth, and leafy gametophores composed of cells that enlarge by diffuse growth and differentiate into several different types. Advantages for genetic studies include methods for efficient targeted gene modification and extensive genomic resources. Immuno and affinity cytochemical labeling were used to examine the distribution of polysaccharides and proteins in regenerated protoplasts, protonemal filaments, rhizoids, and sectioned gametophores of P. patens. The cell wall composition of regenerated protoplasts was also characterized by flow cytometry. Crystalline cellulose was abundant in the cell walls of regenerating protoplasts and protonemal cells that developed on media of high osmolarity, whereas homogalacturonan was detected in the walls of protonemal cells that developed on low osmolarity media and not in regenerating protoplasts. Mannan was the major hemicellulose detected in all tissues tested. Arabinogalactan proteins were detected in different cell types by different probes, consistent with structural heterogeneity. The results reveal developmental and cell type specific differences in cell wall composition and provide a basis for analyzing cell wall phenotypes in knockout mutants.

  1. Digital gene expression profiling by 5'-end sequencing of cDNAs during reprogramming in the moss Physcomitrella patens.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomoaki Nishiyama

    Full Text Available Stem cells self-renew and repeatedly produce differentiated cells during development and growth. The differentiated cells can be converted into stem cells in some metazoans and land plants with appropriate treatments. After leaves of the moss Physcomitrella patens are excised, leaf cells reenter the cell cycle and commence tip growth, which is characteristic of stem cells called chloronema apical cells. To understand the underlying molecular mechanisms, a digital gene expression profiling method using mRNA 5'-end tags (5'-DGE was established. The 5'-DGE method produced reproducible data with a dynamic range of four orders that correlated well with qRT-PCR measurements. After the excision of leaves, the expression levels of 11% of the transcripts changed significantly within 6 h. Genes involved in stress responses and proteolysis were induced and those involved in metabolism, including photosynthesis, were reduced. The later processes of reprogramming involved photosynthesis recovery and higher macromolecule biosynthesis, including of RNA and proteins. Auxin and cytokinin signaling pathways, which are activated during stem cell formation via callus in flowering plants, are also activated during reprogramming in P. patens, although no exogenous phytohormone is applied in the moss system, suggesting that an intrinsic phytohormone regulatory system may be used in the moss.

  2. Conservation between higher plants and the moss Physcomitrella patens in response to the phytohormone abscisic acid: a proteomics analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Xiaoqin

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA is ubiquitous among land plants where it plays an important role in plant growth and development. In seeds, ABA induces embryogenesis and seed maturation as well as seed dormancy and germination. In vegetative tissues, ABA is a necessary mediator in the triggering of many of the physiological and molecular adaptive responses of the plant to adverse environmental conditions, such as desiccation, salt and cold. Results In this study, we investigated the influence of abscisic acid (ABA on Physcomitrella patens at the level of the proteome using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS. Sixty-five protein spots showed changes in response to ABA treatment. Among them, thirteen protein spots were down-regulated; fifty-two protein spots were up-regulated including four protein spots which were newly induced. These proteins were involved in various functions, including material and energy metabolism, defense, protein destination and storage, transcription, signal transduction, cell growth/division, transport, and cytoskeleton. Specifically, most of the up-regulated proteins functioned as molecular chaperones, transcriptional regulators, and defense proteins. Detailed analysis of these up-regulated proteins showed that ABA could trigger stress and defense responses and protect plants from oxidative damage. Otherwise, three protein kinases involved in signal pathways were up-regulated suggesting that P. patens is sensitive to exogenous ABA. The down-regulated of the Rubisco small subunit, photosystem II oxygen-evolving complex proteins and photosystem assembly protein ycf3 indicated that photosynthesis of P. patens was inhibited by ABA treatment. Conclusion Proteome analysis techniques have been applied as a direct, effective, and reliable tool in differential protein expressions. Sixty-five protein spots showed differences in

  3. Genome analysis methods: Physcomitrella patens [PGDBj Registered plant list, Marker list, QTL list, Plant DB link and Genome analysis methods[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Physcomitrella patens Finished n=27 511 Mb 2008 Sanger (WGS) ... 480 Mb 8.6x release ...2.9.3 of Jazz 1,985 (v1.6) ... BLAST, Genewise, Fgenesh+ 32,272 (v1.6) JGI; http://www.phytozome.net/physcomitrella v1.1 v1.6 10.1126/science.1150646 18079367 10.1186/1471-2164-14-498 ...

  4. Direct observation of the effects of cellulose synthesis inhibitors using live cell imaging of Cellulose Synthase (CESA) in Physcomitrella patens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, Mai L; McCarthy, Thomas W; Sun, Hao; Wu, Shu-Zon; Norris, Joanna H; Bezanilla, Magdalena; Vidali, Luis; Anderson, Charles T; Roberts, Alison W

    2018-01-15

    Results from live cell imaging of fluorescently tagged Cellulose Synthase (CESA) proteins in Cellulose Synthesis Complexes (CSCs) have enhanced our understanding of cellulose biosynthesis, including the mechanisms of action of cellulose synthesis inhibitors. However, this method has been applied only in Arabidopsis thaliana and Brachypodium distachyon thus far. Results from freeze fracture electron microscopy of protonemal filaments of the moss Funaria hygrometrica indicate that a cellulose synthesis inhibitor, 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (DCB), fragments CSCs and clears them from the plasma membrane. This differs from Arabidopsis, in which DCB causes CSC accumulation in the plasma membrane and a different cellulose synthesis inhibitor, isoxaben, clears CSCs from the plasma membrane. In this study, live cell imaging of the moss Physcomitrella patens indicated that DCB and isoxaben have little effect on protonemal growth rates, and that only DCB causes tip rupture. Live cell imaging of mEGFP-PpCESA5 and mEGFP-PpCESA8 showed that DCB and isoxaben substantially reduced CSC movement, but had no measureable effect on CSC density in the plasma membrane. These results suggest that DCB and isoxaben have similar effects on CSC movement in P. patens and Arabidopsis, but have different effects on CSC intracellular trafficking, cell growth and cell integrity in these divergent plant lineages.

  5. Medicinal plants used to treat snakebite in Central America: Review and assessment of scientific evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giovannini, Peter; Howes, Melanie-Jayne R

    2017-03-06

    Every year between 1.2 and 5.5 million people worldwide are victims of snakebites, with about 400,000 left permanently injured. In Central America an estimated 5500 snakebite cases are reported by health centres, but this is likely to be an underestimate due to unreported cases in rural regions. The aim of this study is to review the medicinal plants used traditionally to treat snakebites in seven Central American countries: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. A literature search was performed on published primary data on medicinal plants of Central America and those specifically pertaining to use against snakebites. Plant use reports for traditional snakebite remedies identified in primary sources were extracted and entered in a database, with data analysed in terms of the most frequent numbers of use reports. The scientific evidence that might support the local uses of the most frequently reported species was also examined. A total of 260 independent plant use reports were recorded in the 34 sources included in this review, encompassing 208 species used to treat snakebite in Central America. Only nine species were reported in at least three studies: Cissampelos pareira L., Piper amalago L., Aristolochia trilobata L., Sansevieria hyacinthoides (L.) Druce, Strychnos panamensis Seem., Dorstenia contrajerva L., Scoparia dulcis L., Hamelia patens Jacq., and Simaba cedron Planch. Genera with the highest number of species used to treat snakebite were Piper, Aristolochia, Hamelia, Ipomoea, Passiflora and Peperomia. The extent of the scientific evidence available to understand any pharmacological basis for their use against snakebites varied between different plant species. At least 208 plant species are traditionally used to treat snakebite in Central America but there is a lack of clinical research to evaluate their efficacy and safety. Available pharmacological data suggest different plant species may target different symptoms of

  6. The Invasive Brazilian Pepper Tree (Schinus terebinthifolius) Is Colonized by a Root Microbiome Enriched With Alphaproteobacteria and Unclassified Spartobacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawkins, Karim; Esiobu, Nwadiuto

    2018-01-01

    Little is known about the rhizosphere microbiome of the Brazilian pepper tree (BP) - a noxious category 1 invasive plant inducing an enormous economic and ecological toll in Florida. Some invasive plants have been shown to drastically change the soil microbiome compared to other native plants. The rhizobacteria community structure of BP, two Florida native plants ( Hamelia patens and Bidens alba ) and bulk soils were characterized across six geographical sites. Although all 19 well-known and 10 poorly described phyla were observed in all plant rhizospheres, BP contained the least total bacterial abundance (OTUs) with a distinct bacteria community structure and clustering patterns differing significantly (pCOA and PERMANOVA) from the natives and bulk soil. The BP rhizosphere community contained the highest overall Proteobacteria diversity (Shannon's diversity 3.25) in spite of a twofold reduction in richness of the Gammaproteobacteria. Remarkably, the invasive BP rhizosphere was highly enriched with Alphaproteobacteria, dominated by Rhizobiales, including Rhodoplanes and Bradyrhizobiaceae. Also, the relative abundance of Spartobacteria under BP rhizosphere was more than twice that of native plants and bulk soil; featuring unique members of the family Chthoniobacteraceae (DA101 genus). The trend was different for the family Pedosphaerae in the phylum Verrucomicrobia where the abundance declined under BP (26%) compared to (33-66%) for the H. patens native plant and bulk soil. BP shared the lowest number of unique phylotypes with bulk soil (146) compared to the other native plants with bulk soil ( B. alba - 222, H. patens - 520) suggestive of its capacity to overcome biotic resistance. Although there were no specific biomarkers found, taken together, our data suggests that the occurrence of key bacteria groups across multiple taxonomic ranks provides a somewhat consistent profile of the invasive BP rhizo-community. Furthermore, based on the observed prevalence of a

  7. The Invasive Brazilian Pepper Tree (Schinus terebinthifolius Is Colonized by a Root Microbiome Enriched With Alphaproteobacteria and Unclassified Spartobacteria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karim Dawkins

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Little is known about the rhizosphere microbiome of the Brazilian pepper tree (BP – a noxious category 1 invasive plant inducing an enormous economic and ecological toll in Florida. Some invasive plants have been shown to drastically change the soil microbiome compared to other native plants. The rhizobacteria community structure of BP, two Florida native plants (Hamelia patens and Bidens alba and bulk soils were characterized across six geographical sites. Although all 19 well-known and 10 poorly described phyla were observed in all plant rhizospheres, BP contained the least total bacterial abundance (OTUs with a distinct bacteria community structure and clustering patterns differing significantly (pCOA and PERMANOVA from the natives and bulk soil. The BP rhizosphere community contained the highest overall Proteobacteria diversity (Shannon’s diversity 3.25 in spite of a twofold reduction in richness of the Gammaproteobacteria. Remarkably, the invasive BP rhizosphere was highly enriched with Alphaproteobacteria, dominated by Rhizobiales, including Rhodoplanes and Bradyrhizobiaceae. Also, the relative abundance of Spartobacteria under BP rhizosphere was more than twice that of native plants and bulk soil; featuring unique members of the family Chthoniobacteraceae (DA101 genus. The trend was different for the family Pedosphaerae in the phylum Verrucomicrobia where the abundance declined under BP (26% compared to (33–66% for the H. patens native plant and bulk soil. BP shared the lowest number of unique phylotypes with bulk soil (146 compared to the other native plants with bulk soil (B. alba – 222, H. patens – 520 suggestive of its capacity to overcome biotic resistance. Although there were no specific biomarkers found, taken together, our data suggests that the occurrence of key bacteria groups across multiple taxonomic ranks provides a somewhat consistent profile of the invasive BP rhizo-community. Furthermore, based on the observed

  8. Recovery from heat, salt and osmotic stress in Physcomitrella patens requires a functional small heat shock protein PpHsp16.4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruibal, Cecilia; Castro, Alexandra; Carballo, Valentina; Szabados, László; Vidal, Sabina

    2013-11-05

    Plant small heat shock proteins (sHsps) accumulate in response to various environmental stresses, including heat, drought, salt and oxidative stress. Numerous studies suggest a role for these proteins in stress tolerance by preventing stress-induced protein aggregation as well as by facilitating protein refolding by other chaperones. However, in vivo evidence for the involvement of sHsps in tolerance to different stress factors is still missing, mainly due to the lack of appropriate mutants in specific sHsp genes. In this study we characterized the function of a sHsp in abiotic stress tolerance in the moss Physcomitrella patens, a model for primitive land plants. Using suppression subtractive hybridization, we isolated an abscisic acid-upregulated gene from P. patens encoding a 16.4 kDa cytosolic class II sHsp. PpHsp16.4 was also induced by salicylic acid, dithiothreitol (DTT) and by exposure to various stimuli, including osmotic and salt stress, but not by oxidative stress-inducing compounds. Expression of the gene was maintained upon stress relief, suggesting a role for this protein in the recovery stage. PpHsp16.4 is encoded by two identical genes arranged in tandem in the genome. Targeted disruption of both genes resulted in the inability of plants to recover from heat, salt and osmotic stress. In vivo localization studies revealed that PpHsp16.4 localized in cytosolic granules in the vicinity of chloroplasts under non stress conditions, suggesting possible distinct roles for this protein under stress and optimal growth. We identified a member of the class II sHsp family that showed hormonal and abiotic stress gene regulation. Induction of the gene by DTT treatment suggests that damaged proteins may act as signals for the stress-induction of PpHsp16.4. The product of this gene was shown to localize in cytosolic granules near the chloroplasts, suggesting a role for the protein in association with these organelles. Our study provides the first direct genetic

  9. Defining restoration targets for water depth and salinity in wind-dominated Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl. coastal marshes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyman, J.A.; LaPeyre, Megan K.; Caldwell, Andral W.; Piazza, Sarai C.; Thom, C.; Winslow, C.

    2009-01-01

    Coastal wetlands provide valued ecosystem functions but the sustainability of those functions often is threatened by artificial hydrologic conditions. It is widely recognized that increased flooding and salinity can stress emergent plants, but there are few measurements to guide restoration, management, and mitigation. Marsh flooding can be estimated over large areas with few data where winds have little effect on water levels, but quantifying flooding requires hourly measurements over long time periods where tides are wind-dominated such as the northern Gulf of Mexico. Estimating salinity of flood water requires direct daily measurements because coastal marshes are characterized by dynamic salinity gradients. We analyzed 399,772 hourly observations of water depth and 521,561 hourly observations of water salinity from 14 sites in Louisiana coastal marshes dominated by Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl. Unlike predicted water levels, observed water levels varied monthly and annually. We attributed those observed variations to variations in river runoff and winds. In stable marshes with slow wetland loss rates, we found that marsh elevation averaged 1 cm above mean high water, 15 cm above mean water, and 32 cm above mean low water levels. Water salinity averaged 3.7 ppt during April, May, and June, and 5.4 ppt during July, August, and September. The daily, seasonal, and annual variation in water levels and salinity that were evident would support the contention that such variation be retained when designing and operating coastal wetland management and restoration projects. Our findings might be of interest to scientists, engineers, and managers involved in restoration, management, and restoration in other regions where S. patens or similar species are common but local data are unavailable.

  10. Nectar Meals of a Mosquito-Specialist Spider

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Josiah O. Kuja

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Evarcha culicivora, an East African jumping spider, is known for feeding indirectly on vertebrate blood by actively choosing blood-carrying mosquitoes as prey. Using cold-anthrone tests to detect fructose, we demonstrate that E. culicivora also feeds on nectar. Field-collected individuals, found on the plant Lantana camara, tested positive for plant sugar (fructose. In the laboratory, E. culicivora tested positive for fructose after being kept with L. camara or one of another ten plant species (Aloe vera, Clerodendron magnifica, Hamelia patens, Lantana montevideo, Leonotis nepetaefolia, Parthenium hysterophorus, Ricinus communis, Senna didymobotrya, Striga asiatica, and Verbena trivernia. Our findings demonstrate that E. culicivora acquires fructose from its natural diet and can ingest fructose directly from plant nectaries. However, experiments in the laboratory also show that E. culicivora can obtain fructose indirectly by feeding on prey that have fed on fructose, implying a need to consider this possibility when field-collected spiders test positive for fructose. In laboratory tests, 53.5% of 1,215 small juveniles, but only 3.4% of 622 adult E. culicivora, left with plants for 24 hours, were positive for fructose. These findings, along with the field data, suggest that fructose is especially important for early-instar juveniles of E. culicivora.

  11. The Physcomitrella patens exocyst subunit EXO70.3d has distinct roles in growth and development, and is essential for completion of the moss life cycle

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Rawat, Anamika; Brejšková, Lucie; Hála, Michal; Cvrčková, F.; Žárský, Viktor

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 216, č. 2 (2017), s. 438-454 ISSN 0028-646X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA15-14886S Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) LO1417 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : auxin * cytokinesis * egg cell development * exo70 * exocyst * phylogeny * Physcomitrella patens * secretory pathway Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 7.330, year: 2016

  12. Lichen secondary metabolites affect growth of Physcomitrella patens by allelopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goga, Michal; Antreich, Sebastian J; Bačkor, Martin; Weckwerth, Wolfram; Lang, Ingeborg

    2017-05-01

    Lichen secondary metabolites can function as allelochemicals and affect the development and growth of neighboring bryophytes, fungi, vascular plants, microorganisms, and even other lichens. Lichen overgrowth on bryophytes is frequently observed in nature even though mosses grow faster than lichens, but there is still little information on the interactions between lichens and bryophytes.In the present study, we used extracts from six lichen thalli containing secondary metabolites like usnic acid, protocetraric acid, atranorin, lecanoric acid, nortistic acid, and thamnolic acid. To observe the influence of these metabolites on bryophytes, the moss Physcomitrella patens was cultivated for 5 weeks under laboratory conditions and treated with lichen extracts. Toxicity of natural mixtures of secondary metabolites was tested at three selected doses (0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 %). When the mixture contained substantial amounts of usnic acid, we observed growth inhibition of protonemata and reduced development of gametophores. Significant differences in cell lengths and widths were also noticed. Furthermore, usnic acid had a strong effect on cell division in protonemata suggesting a strong impact on the early stages of bryophyte development by allelochemicals contained in the lichen secondary metabolites.Biological activities of lichen secondary metabolites were confirmed in several studies such as antiviral, antibacterial, antitumor, antiherbivore, antioxidant, antipyretic, and analgetic action or photoprotection. This work aimed to expand the knowledge on allelopathic effects on bryophyte growth.

  13. Proteome analysis of Physcomitrella patens exposed to progressive dehydration and rehydration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Suxia; Hu, Jia; Guo, Shilei; Wang, Jie; Cheng, Yali; Dang, Xinxing; Wu, Lili; He, Yikun

    2012-01-01

    Physcomitrella patens is an extremely dehydration-tolerant moss. However, the molecular basis of its responses to loss of cellular water remains unclear. A comprehensive proteomic analysis of dehydration- and rehydration-responsive proteins has been conducted using quantitative two-dimensional difference in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE), and traditional 2-D gel electrophoresis (2-DE) combined with MALDI TOF/TOF MS. Of the 216 differentially-expressed protein spots, 112 and 104 were dehydration- and rehydration-responsive proteins, respectively. The functional categories of the most differentially-expressed proteins were seed maturation, defence, protein synthesis and quality control, and energy production. Strikingly, most of the late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins were expressed at a basal level under control conditions and their synthesis was strongly enhanced by dehydration, a pattern that was confirmed by RT-PCR. Actinoporins, phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein, arabinogalactan protein, and phospholipase are the likely dominant players in the defence system. In addition, 24 proteins of unknown function were identified as novel dehydration- or rehydration-responsive proteins. Our data indicate that Physcomitrella adopts a rapid protein response mechanism to cope with dehydration in its leafy-shoot and basal expression levels of desiccation-tolerant proteins are rapidly upgraded at high levels under stress. This mechanism appears similar to that seen in angiosperm seeds. PMID:21994173

  14. Estudio químico de los compuestos lipídicos de las hojas, tallos y flores de Vernonanthura patens (Kunth) H. Rob. (Asteraceae)

    OpenAIRE

    Manzano Santana, Patricia; Miranda Martínez, Migdalia; Montes de Oca Porto, Rodney; Orellana León, Tulio; Abreu Payrol, Juan; Peralta García, Esther L

    2013-01-01

    Introducción: Vernonanthura patens (Kunth) H. Rob. es una especie que crece silvestre en el Ecuador, para la cual existen escasos antecedentes de estudios químicos y biológicos, y en ninguno de estos se aborda el estudio de fracciones lipídicas. Objetivos: estudiar las fracciones de compuestos lipídicos presentes en las hojas, tallos y flores de la especie. Métodos: la planta se recolectó en estado adulto, en época de floración, los órganos vegetales fueron secados en estufa por separado, se ...

  15. Taxonomy Icon Data: moss [Taxonomy Icon

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available moss Physcomitrella patens subsp. patens. Physcomitrella_patens_subsp_patens_L.png Physcomitrella_patens..._subsp_patens_NL.png Physcomitrella_patens_subsp_patens_S.png Physcomitrella_patens_subsp_patens..._NS.png http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Physcomitrella+patens+subsp%2e+patens%2e&t...=L http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Physcomitrella+patens+subsp%2e+patens...%2e&t=NL http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Physcomitrella+patens+subsp%2e+patens%2e&t

  16. Effect of pest controlling neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) and mata-raton (Gliricidia sepium Jacquin) leaf extracts on emission of green house gases and inorganic-N content in urea-amended soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Méndez-Bautista, Joaquín; Fernández-Luqueño, Fabián; López-Valdez, Fernando; Mendoza-Cristino, Reyna; Montes-Molina, Joaquín A; Gutierrez-Miceli, F A; Dendooven, L

    2009-07-01

    Extracts of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) and Gliricidia sepium Jacquin, locally known as 'mata-raton', are used to control pests of maize. Their application, however, is known to affect soil microorganisms. We investigated if these extracts affected emissions of methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O), important greenhouse gases, and dynamics of soil inorganic N. Soil was treated with extracts of neem, mata-raton or lambda-cyhalothrin, used as chemical control. The soil was amended with or without urea and incubated at 40% and 100% water holding capacity (WHC). Concentrations of ammonium (NH4+), nitrite (NO2(-)) and nitrate (NO3(-)) and emissions of CH4, CO2 and N2O were monitored for 7d. Treating urea-amended soil with extracts of neem, mata-raton or lambda-cyhalothrin reduced the emission of CO2 significantly compared to the untreated soil with the largest decrease found in the latter. Oxidation of CH4 was inhibited by extracts of neem in the unamended soil, and by neem, mata-raton and lambda-cyhalothrin in the urea-amended soil compared to the untreated soil. Neem, mata-raton and lambda-cyhalothrin reduced the N2O emission from the unamended soil incubated at 40%WHC compared to the untreated soil. Extracts of neem, mata-raton and lambda-cyhalothrin had no significant effect on dynamics of NH4(+), NO2(-) and NO(3)(-). It was found that emission of CO2 and oxidation of CH4 was inhibited in the urea-amended soil treated with extracts of neem, mata-raton and lambda-cyhalothrin, but ammonification, N2O emission and nitrification were not affected.

  17. An ancestral stomatal patterning module revealed in the non-vascular land plant Physcomitrella patens

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chater, Caspar C.; Kamisugi, Yasuko

    2016-01-01

    The patterning of stomata plays a vital role in plant development and has emerged as a paradigm for the role of peptide signals in the spatial control of cellular differentiation. Research in Arabidopsis has identified a series of epidermal patterning factors (EPFs), which interact with an array of membrane-localised receptors and associated proteins (encoded by ERECTA and TMM genes) to control stomatal density and distribution. However, although it is well-established that stomata arose very early in the evolution of land plants, until now it has been unclear whether the established angiosperm stomatal patterning system represented by the EPF/TMM/ERECTA module reflects a conserved, universal mechanism in the plant kingdom. Here, we use molecular genetics to show that the moss Physcomitrella patens has conserved homologues of angiosperm EPF, TMM and at least one ERECTA gene that function together to permit the correct patterning of stomata and that, moreover, elements of the module retain function when transferred to Arabidopsis. Our data characterise the stomatal patterning system in an evolutionarily distinct branch of plants and support the hypothesis that the EPF/TMM/ERECTA module represents an ancient patterning system. PMID:27407102

  18. Cytoplasmic Nucleation and Atypical Branching Nucleation Generate Endoplasmic Microtubules in Physcomitrella patens[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakaoka, Yuki; Kimura, Akatsuki; Tani, Tomomi; Goshima, Gohta

    2015-01-01

    The mechanism underlying microtubule (MT) generation in plants has been primarily studied using the cortical MT array, in which fixed-angled branching nucleation and katanin-dependent MT severing predominate. However, little is known about MT generation in the endoplasm. Here, we explored the mechanism of endoplasmic MT generation in protonemal cells of Physcomitrella patens. We developed an assay that utilizes flow cell and oblique illumination fluorescence microscopy, which allowed visualization and quantification of individual MT dynamics. MT severing was infrequently observed, and disruption of katanin did not severely affect MT generation. Branching nucleation was observed, but it showed markedly variable branch angles and was occasionally accompanied by the transport of nucleated MTs. Cytoplasmic nucleation at seemingly random locations was most frequently observed and predominated when depolymerized MTs were regrown. The MT nucleator γ-tubulin was detected at the majority of the nucleation sites, at which a single MT was generated in random directions. When γ-tubulin was knocked down, MT generation was significantly delayed in the regrowth assay. However, nucleation occurred at a normal frequency in steady state, suggesting the presence of a γ-tubulin-independent backup mechanism. Thus, endoplasmic MTs in this cell type are generated in a less ordered manner, showing a broader spectrum of nucleation mechanisms in plants. PMID:25616870

  19. Biofabrication of broad range antibacterial and antibiofilm silver nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qayyum, Shariq; Khan, Asad Ullah

    2016-10-01

    Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesized via a green route using ten different plants extracts (GNP1- Caryota urens , GNP2- Pongamia glabra , GNP3- Hamelia patens , GNP4- Thevetia peruviana , GNP5- Calendula officinalis , GNP6- Tectona grandis , GNP7- Ficus petiolaris , GNP8- Ficus busking , GNP9- Juniper communis, GNP10- Bauhinia purpurea ). AgNPs were tested against drug resistant microbes and their biofilms. These nanoparticles (NPs) were characterised using UV-vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Image J software. Most of the AgNPs were distributed over a range of 1 of 60 nm size. The results indicated that AgNPs were antibacterial in nature without differentiating between resistant or susceptible strains. Moreover, the effect was more prominent on Gram negative bacteria then Gram positive bacteria and fungus. AgNPs inhibited various classes of microbes with different concentration. It was also evident from the results that the origin or nature of extract did not affect the activity of the NPs. Protein and carbohydrate leakage assays confirmed that the cells lysis is one of the main mechanisms for the killing of microbes by green AgNPs. This study suggests that the action of AgNPs on microbial cells resulted into cell lysis and DNA damage. Excellent microbial biofilm inhibition was also seen by these green AgNPs. AgNPs have proved their candidature as a potential antibacterial and antibiofilm agent against MDR microbes.

  20. Large-scale proteome analysis of abscisic acid and ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3-dependent proteins related to desiccation tolerance in Physcomitrella patens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yotsui, Izumi; Serada, Satoshi; Naka, Tetsuji; Saruhashi, Masashi; Taji, Teruaki; Hayashi, Takahisa; Quatrano, Ralph S; Sakata, Yoichi

    2016-03-18

    Desiccation tolerance is an ancestral feature of land plants and is still retained in non-vascular plants such as bryophytes and some vascular plants. However, except for seeds and spores, this trait is absent in vegetative tissues of vascular plants. Although many studies have focused on understanding the molecular basis underlying desiccation tolerance using transcriptome and proteome approaches, the critical molecular differences between desiccation tolerant plants and non-desiccation plants are still not clear. The moss Physcomitrella patens cannot survive rapid desiccation under laboratory conditions, but if cells of the protonemata are treated by the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) prior to desiccation, it can survive 24 h exposure to desiccation and regrow after rehydration. The desiccation tolerance induced by ABA (AiDT) is specific to this hormone, but also depends on a plant transcription factor ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3). Here we report the comparative proteomic analysis of AiDT between wild type and ABI3 deleted mutant (Δabi3) of P. patens using iTRAQ (Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification). From a total of 1980 unique proteins that we identified, only 16 proteins are significantly altered in Δabi3 compared to wild type after desiccation following ABA treatment. Among this group, three of the four proteins that were severely affected in Δabi3 tissue were Arabidopsis orthologous genes, which were expressed in maturing seeds under the regulation of ABI3. These included a Group 1 late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein, a short-chain dehydrogenase, and a desiccation-related protein. Our results suggest that at least three of these proteins expressed in desiccation tolerant cells of both Arabidopsis and the moss are very likely to play important roles in acquisition of desiccation tolerance in land plants. Furthermore, our results suggest that the regulatory machinery of ABA- and ABI3-mediated gene expression for desiccation

  1. Zeaxanthin binds to light-harvesting complex stress-related protein to enhance nonphotochemical quenching in Physcomitrella patens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinnola, Alberta; Dall'Osto, Luca; Gerotto, Caterina; Morosinotto, Tomas; Bassi, Roberto; Alboresi, Alessandro

    2013-09-01

    Nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) dissipates excess energy to protect the photosynthetic apparatus from excess light. The moss Physcomitrella patens exhibits strong NPQ by both algal-type light-harvesting complex stress-related (LHCSR)-dependent and plant-type S subunit of Photosystem II (PSBS)-dependent mechanisms. In this work, we studied the dependence of NPQ reactions on zeaxanthin, which is synthesized under light stress by violaxanthin deepoxidase (VDE) from preexisting violaxanthin. We produced vde knockout (KO) plants and showed they underwent a dramatic reduction in thermal dissipation ability and enhanced photoinhibition in excess light conditions. Multiple mutants (vde lhcsr KO and vde psbs KO) showed that zeaxanthin had a major influence on LHCSR-dependent NPQ, in contrast with previous reports in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The PSBS-dependent component of quenching was less dependent on zeaxanthin, despite the near-complete violaxanthin to zeaxanthin exchange in LHC proteins. Consistent with this, we provide biochemical evidence that native LHCSR protein binds zeaxanthin upon excess light stress. These findings suggest that zeaxanthin played an important role in the adaptation of modern plants to the enhanced levels of oxygen and excess light intensity of land environments.

  2. Zeaxanthin Binds to Light-Harvesting Complex Stress-Related Protein to Enhance Nonphotochemical Quenching in Physcomitrella patens[W

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinnola, Alberta; Dall’Osto, Luca; Gerotto, Caterina; Morosinotto, Tomas; Bassi, Roberto; Alboresi, Alessandro

    2013-01-01

    Nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) dissipates excess energy to protect the photosynthetic apparatus from excess light. The moss Physcomitrella patens exhibits strong NPQ by both algal-type light-harvesting complex stress-related (LHCSR)–dependent and plant-type S subunit of Photosystem II (PSBS)-dependent mechanisms. In this work, we studied the dependence of NPQ reactions on zeaxanthin, which is synthesized under light stress by violaxanthin deepoxidase (VDE) from preexisting violaxanthin. We produced vde knockout (KO) plants and showed they underwent a dramatic reduction in thermal dissipation ability and enhanced photoinhibition in excess light conditions. Multiple mutants (vde lhcsr KO and vde psbs KO) showed that zeaxanthin had a major influence on LHCSR-dependent NPQ, in contrast with previous reports in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The PSBS-dependent component of quenching was less dependent on zeaxanthin, despite the near-complete violaxanthin to zeaxanthin exchange in LHC proteins. Consistent with this, we provide biochemical evidence that native LHCSR protein binds zeaxanthin upon excess light stress. These findings suggest that zeaxanthin played an important role in the adaptation of modern plants to the enhanced levels of oxygen and excess light intensity of land environments. PMID:24014548

  3. Simple and Efficient Targeting of Multiple Genes Through CRISPR-Cas9 in Physcomitrella patens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mauricio Lopez-Obando

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Powerful genome editing technologies are needed for efficient gene function analysis. The CRISPR-Cas9 system has been adapted as an efficient gene-knock-out technology in a variety of species. However, in a number of situations, knocking out or modifying a single gene is not sufficient; this is particularly true for genes belonging to a common family, or for genes showing redundant functions. Like many plants, the model organism Physcomitrella patens has experienced multiple events of polyploidization during evolution that has resulted in a number of families of duplicated genes. Here, we report a robust CRISPR-Cas9 system, based on the codelivery of a CAS9 expressing cassette, multiple sgRNA vectors, and a cassette for transient transformation selection, for gene knock-out in multiple gene families. We demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas9-mediated targeting of five different genes allows the selection of a quintuple mutant, and all possible subcombinations of mutants, in one experiment, with no mutations detected in potential off-target sequences. Furthermore, we confirmed the observation that the presence of repeats in the vicinity of the cutting region favors deletion due to the alternative end joining pathway, for which induced frameshift mutations can be potentially predicted. Because the number of multiple gene families in Physcomitrella is substantial, this tool opens new perspectives to study the role of expanded gene families in the colonization of land by plants.

  4. Intercropping with shrub species that display a 'steady-state' flowering phenology as a strategy for biodiversity conservation in tropical agroecosystems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Valerie E

    2014-01-01

    Animal species in the Neotropics have evolved under a lower spatiotemporal patchiness of food resources compared to the other tropical regions. Although plant species with a steady-state flowering/fruiting phenology are rare, they provide predictable food resources and therefore may play a pivotal role in animal community structure and diversity. I experimentally planted a supplemental patch of a shrub species with a steady-state flowering/fruiting phenology, Hamelia patens Jacq., into coffee agroforests to evaluate the contribution of this unique phenology to the structure and diversity of the flower-visiting community. After accounting for the higher abundance of captured animals in the coffee agroforests with the supplemental floral resources, species richness was 21% higher overall in the flower-visiting community in these agroforests compared to control agroforests. Coffee agroforests with the steady-state supplemental floral patch also had 31% more butterfly species, 29% more hummingbird species, 65% more wasps and 85% more bees than control coffee agroforests. The experimental treatment, together with elevation, explained 57% of the variation in community structure of the flower-visiting community. The identification of plant species that can support a high number of animal species, including important ecosystem service providers, is becoming increasingly important for restoration and conservation applications. Throughout the Neotropics plant species with a steady-state flowering/fruiting phenology can be found in all aseasonal forests and thus could be widely tested and suitable species used throughout the tropics to manage for biodiversity and potentially ecosystem services involving beneficial arthropods.

  5. Intercropping with shrub species that display a 'steady-state' flowering phenology as a strategy for biodiversity conservation in tropical agroecosystems.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valerie E Peters

    Full Text Available Animal species in the Neotropics have evolved under a lower spatiotemporal patchiness of food resources compared to the other tropical regions. Although plant species with a steady-state flowering/fruiting phenology are rare, they provide predictable food resources and therefore may play a pivotal role in animal community structure and diversity. I experimentally planted a supplemental patch of a shrub species with a steady-state flowering/fruiting phenology, Hamelia patens Jacq., into coffee agroforests to evaluate the contribution of this unique phenology to the structure and diversity of the flower-visiting community. After accounting for the higher abundance of captured animals in the coffee agroforests with the supplemental floral resources, species richness was 21% higher overall in the flower-visiting community in these agroforests compared to control agroforests. Coffee agroforests with the steady-state supplemental floral patch also had 31% more butterfly species, 29% more hummingbird species, 65% more wasps and 85% more bees than control coffee agroforests. The experimental treatment, together with elevation, explained 57% of the variation in community structure of the flower-visiting community. The identification of plant species that can support a high number of animal species, including important ecosystem service providers, is becoming increasingly important for restoration and conservation applications. Throughout the Neotropics plant species with a steady-state flowering/fruiting phenology can be found in all aseasonal forests and thus could be widely tested and suitable species used throughout the tropics to manage for biodiversity and potentially ecosystem services involving beneficial arthropods.

  6. Neutralizing activities of ethanolic extracts of six plants traditionally used in Guatemala as antidotes for the envenomation caused by the snake Bothrops asper

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia Saravia-Otten

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Many plants are reported to be used in Guatemalan traditional medicine as antidotes against various effects of the snakebite; however, very few attempts have been made to evaluate their neutralizing capacity in controlled experiments. Six plants (Acacia hindsii, Cissampelos pareira; Hamelia patens, Piper peltatum, Sansevieria hyacinthoides and Aristolochia maxima were evaluated in vitro for their ability to neutralize phospholipase A2(PLA2 and proteolytic effects of the venom of Bothrops asper, the snake responsible for approximately half of the snakebite envenomations in Central America. These effects are indicatives of the ability of B. asper venom to produce myotoxicity, hemorrhage and inflammation. Plants were collected, dried and extracted by maceration with ethanol. After pre-incubation of several amounts of each extract with a challenge dose of venom, S. hyacinthoides demonstrated a low neutralizing capacity (< DE 50 of the PLA2 effect (13.90 ± 6.41%; C. pareira (32.98 ± 5.51% and P. peltatum (24.52 ± 7.45% neutralized less than 50% of the proteolytic effect. The results suggest that neither of the tested plants should be used individually to treat the main effects of B. asper envenomation. However, the three low-active extracts might be potentiated when used in mixtures composed of several plants, as prepared by traditional healers. Given the complexity of the venom components and the multiple pathologic effects produced by B. asper envenomation, more tests are required to fully investigate the ability of this plants to neutralize the coagulant, fibrin(ogenolytic, edematizing and myotoxic effects of the venom.

  7. Large-scale proteome analysis of abscisic acid and ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3-dependent proteins related to desiccation tolerance in Physcomitrella patens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yotsui, Izumi; Serada, Satoshi; Naka, Tetsuji; Saruhashi, Masashi; Taji, Teruaki; Hayashi, Takahisa; Quatrano, Ralph S.; Sakata, Yoichi

    2016-01-01

    Desiccation tolerance is an ancestral feature of land plants and is still retained in non-vascular plants such as bryophytes and some vascular plants. However, except for seeds and spores, this trait is absent in vegetative tissues of vascular plants. Although many studies have focused on understanding the molecular basis underlying desiccation tolerance using transcriptome and proteome approaches, the critical molecular differences between desiccation tolerant plants and non-desiccation plants are still not clear. The moss Physcomitrella patens cannot survive rapid desiccation under laboratory conditions, but if cells of the protonemata are treated by the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) prior to desiccation, it can survive 24 h exposure to desiccation and regrow after rehydration. The desiccation tolerance induced by ABA (AiDT) is specific to this hormone, but also depends on a plant transcription factor ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3). Here we report the comparative proteomic analysis of AiDT between wild type and ABI3 deleted mutant (Δabi3) of P. patens using iTRAQ (Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification). From a total of 1980 unique proteins that we identified, only 16 proteins are significantly altered in Δabi3 compared to wild type after desiccation following ABA treatment. Among this group, three of the four proteins that were severely affected in Δabi3 tissue were Arabidopsis orthologous genes, which were expressed in maturing seeds under the regulation of ABI3. These included a Group 1 late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein, a short-chain dehydrogenase, and a desiccation-related protein. Our results suggest that at least three of these proteins expressed in desiccation tolerant cells of both Arabidopsis and the moss are very likely to play important roles in acquisition of desiccation tolerance in land plants. Furthermore, our results suggest that the regulatory machinery of ABA- and ABI3-mediated gene expression for desiccation

  8. Large-scale proteome analysis of abscisic acid and ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3-dependent proteins related to desiccation tolerance in Physcomitrella patens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yotsui, Izumi, E-mail: izumi.yotsui@riken.jp [Department of BioScience, Tokyo University of Agriculture 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagayaku, Tokyo, 156-8502 (Japan); Serada, Satoshi, E-mail: serada@nibiohn.go.jp [Laboratory of Immune Signal, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0085 (Japan); Naka, Tetsuji, E-mail: tnaka@nibiohn.go.jp [Laboratory of Immune Signal, National Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka, 567-0085 (Japan); Saruhashi, Masashi, E-mail: s13db001@mail.saitama-u.ac.jp [Department of BioScience, Tokyo University of Agriculture 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagayaku, Tokyo, 156-8502 (Japan); Taji, Teruaki, E-mail: t3teruak@nodai.ac.jp [Department of BioScience, Tokyo University of Agriculture 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagayaku, Tokyo, 156-8502 (Japan); Hayashi, Takahisa, E-mail: t4hayash@nodai.ac.jp [Department of BioScience, Tokyo University of Agriculture 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagayaku, Tokyo, 156-8502 (Japan); Quatrano, Ralph S., E-mail: rsq@wustl.edu [Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130-4899 (United States); Sakata, Yoichi, E-mail: sakata@nodai.ac.jp [Department of BioScience, Tokyo University of Agriculture 1-1-1 Sakuragaoka, Setagayaku, Tokyo, 156-8502 (Japan)

    2016-03-18

    Desiccation tolerance is an ancestral feature of land plants and is still retained in non-vascular plants such as bryophytes and some vascular plants. However, except for seeds and spores, this trait is absent in vegetative tissues of vascular plants. Although many studies have focused on understanding the molecular basis underlying desiccation tolerance using transcriptome and proteome approaches, the critical molecular differences between desiccation tolerant plants and non-desiccation plants are still not clear. The moss Physcomitrella patens cannot survive rapid desiccation under laboratory conditions, but if cells of the protonemata are treated by the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) prior to desiccation, it can survive 24 h exposure to desiccation and regrow after rehydration. The desiccation tolerance induced by ABA (AiDT) is specific to this hormone, but also depends on a plant transcription factor ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3). Here we report the comparative proteomic analysis of AiDT between wild type and ABI3 deleted mutant (Δabi3) of P. patens using iTRAQ (Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification). From a total of 1980 unique proteins that we identified, only 16 proteins are significantly altered in Δabi3 compared to wild type after desiccation following ABA treatment. Among this group, three of the four proteins that were severely affected in Δabi3 tissue were Arabidopsis orthologous genes, which were expressed in maturing seeds under the regulation of ABI3. These included a Group 1 late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein, a short-chain dehydrogenase, and a desiccation-related protein. Our results suggest that at least three of these proteins expressed in desiccation tolerant cells of both Arabidopsis and the moss are very likely to play important roles in acquisition of desiccation tolerance in land plants. Furthermore, our results suggest that the regulatory machinery of ABA- and ABI3-mediated gene expression for desiccation

  9. Towards mastering CRISPR-induced gene knock-in in plants: Survey of key features and focus on the model Physcomitrella patens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collonnier, Cécile; Guyon-Debast, Anouchka; Maclot, François; Mara, Kostlend; Charlot, Florence; Nogué, Fabien

    2017-05-15

    Beyond its predominant role in human and animal therapy, the CRISPR-Cas9 system has also become an essential tool for plant research and plant breeding. Agronomic applications rely on the mastery of gene inactivation and gene modification. However, if the knock-out of genes by non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ)-mediated repair of the targeted double-strand breaks (DSBs) induced by the CRISPR-Cas9 system is rather well mastered, the knock-in of genes by homology-driven repair or end-joining remains difficult to perform efficiently in higher plants. In this review, we describe the different approaches that can be tested to improve the efficiency of CRISPR-induced gene modification in plants, which include the use of optimal transformation and regeneration protocols, the design of appropriate guide RNAs and donor templates and the choice of nucleases and means of delivery. We also present what can be done to orient DNA repair pathways in the target cells, and we show how the moss Physcomitrella patens can be used as a model plant to better understand what DNA repair mechanisms are involved, and how this knowledge could eventually be used to define more performant strategies of CRISPR-induced gene knock-in. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Aislamiento y caracterización de la fracción hexánica de las hojas de Vernonanthura patens (Kunth H. Rob. con actividad antifúngica Isolation and characterization of hexane fraction from Vernonanthura patens (Kunth H. Rob leaves with antifungal action

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia Manzano Santana

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Introducción: la medicina folclórica ecuatoriana, utiliza las cocciones de las hojas de Vernonanthura pathens (Kunth H. Rob, para combatir entre otras, paludismo, dolores pre y posparto, estomacales, erupciones de piel, diarreas y parásitos. Objetivos: examinar la presencia de actividad antifúngica en fracciones obtenidas de un extracto metanólico de las hojas de V. patens. Métodos: el extracto metanólico de hojas se fraccionó por columna cromatográfica empleando los siguientes sistemas de disolventes: hexano, hexano/acetato de etilo, acetato de etilo y acetato de etilo/metanol. La actividad antifúngica se midió mediante la técnica de difusión en agar con medio (potato dextrosa agar PDA, en pocillos de 5 mm de diámetro, adicionando 20 µL de las fracciones en concentraciones de 100 y 200 µg/mL disueltas en dimetilsulfóxido. La fracción activa fue analizada para su identificación estructural por cromatografía gaseosa-espectrometría de masas. Resultados: de las fracciones obtenidas solo presentó actividad antifúngica la fracción de hexano al 100 %, con porcentajes de inhibición del 57,6 y 80,2 % frente a Penicillium notatum, y 64,8 y 81,5 % frente a Fusaryum oxysporum, a los quince días de incubación. Se propusieron las estructuras de 29 compuestos como constituyentes de la fracción hexánica, los que en su mayoría, son hidrocarburos. Conclusiones: se comprobó la presencia de actividad antifúngica en la fracción de hexano al 100 %, lo que puede incrementar el arsenal de usos medicinales de la planta estudiada y enriquecer la medicina folclórica ecuatoriana.Introduction: the Ecuadorian folk medicine uses the coction from Vernonanthura pathens (Rob H. Kunth leaves to treat, malaria, pain before and after childbirth, stomachache, skin rashes, diarrheas and parasitism. Objectives: to examine the presence of antifungal activity in fractions obtained from a methanol extract from V. patens leaves. Methods: the methanol

  11. Protein (Viridiplantae): 168014222 [PGDBj - Ortholog DB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available omitrella patens subsp. patens MALCFDNGRCPWLSCSLVEAGSAGEASSLNGISAVSAHGNSKSLQPDEDVTCLLQADALAGIKGATSAYPKSKRSNRSVARVPVSLNCKSPSCVLGTGTATPDRVFPMSDFARDILHGFGENDTPAVREFSARVCKLITTHLPASL ...

  12. Erwinia carotovora elicitors and Botrytis cinerea activate defense responses in Physcomitrella patens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bentancor Marcel

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Vascular plants respond to pathogens by activating a diverse array of defense mechanisms. Studies with these plants have provided a wealth of information on pathogen recognition, signal transduction and the activation of defense responses. However, very little is known about the infection and defense responses of the bryophyte, Physcomitrella patens, to well-studied phytopathogens. The purpose of this study was to determine: i whether two representative broad host range pathogens, Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora (E.c. carotovora and Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea, could infect Physcomitrella, and ii whether B. cinerea, elicitors of a harpin (HrpN producing E.c. carotovora strain (SCC1 or a HrpN-negative strain (SCC3193, could cause disease symptoms and induce defense responses in Physcomitrella. Results B. cinerea and E.c. carotovora were found to readily infect Physcomitrella gametophytic tissues and cause disease symptoms. Treatments with B. cinerea spores or cell-free culture filtrates from E.c. carotovoraSCC1 (CF(SCC1, resulted in disease development with severe maceration of Physcomitrella tissues, while CF(SCC3193 produced only mild maceration. Although increased cell death was observed with either the CFs or B. cinerea, the occurrence of cytoplasmic shrinkage was only visible in Evans blue stained protonemal cells treated with CF(SCC1 or inoculated with B. cinerea. Most cells showing cytoplasmic shrinkage accumulated autofluorescent compounds and brown chloroplasts were evident in a high proportion of these cells. CF treatments and B. cinerea inoculation induced the expression of the defense-related genes: PR-1, PAL, CHS and LOX. Conclusion B. cinerea and E.c. carotovora elicitors induce a defense response in Physcomitrella, as evidenced by enhanced expression of conserved plant defense-related genes. Since cytoplasmic shrinkage is the most common morphological change observed in plant PCD, and that harpins and B

  13. Indigenous fungal entomopathogens associated with the oil palm ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SARAH

    2014-11-30

    Nov 30, 2014 ... is the most devastating insect pest of the African oil palm Elaeis guineensis Jacquin. Like most insect ... (Carrere, 2006). Malaysia and Indonesia, the world's ... environment, and residues in the fruits produced, it has become ...

  14. Strigolactone biosynthesis is evolutionarily conserved, regulated by phosphate starvation and contributes to resistance against phytopathogenic fungi in a moss, Physcomitrella patens

    KAUST Repository

    Decker, Eva L.

    2017-03-06

    In seed plants, strigolactones (SLs) regulate architecture and induce mycorrhizal symbiosis in response to environmental cues. SLs are formed by combined activity of the carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCDs) 7 and 8 from 9-cis-β-carotene, leading to carlactone that is converted by cytochromes P450 (clade 711; MAX1 in Arabidopsis) into various SLs. As Physcomitrella patens possesses CCD7 and CCD8 homologs but lacks MAX1, we investigated if PpCCD7 together with PpCCD8 form carlactone and how deletion of these enzymes influences growth and interactions with the environment. We investigated the enzymatic activity of PpCCD7 and PpCCD8 in vitro, identified the formed products by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and LC-MS, and generated and analysed ΔCCD7 and ΔCCD8 mutants. We defined enzymatic activity of PpCCD7 as a stereospecific 9-cis-CCD and PpCCD8 as a carlactone synthase. ΔCCD7 and ΔCCD8 lines showed enhanced caulonema growth, which was revertible by adding the SL analogue GR24 or carlactone. Wild-type (WT) exudates induced seed germination in Orobanche ramosa. This activity was increased upon phosphate starvation and abolished in exudates of both mutants. Furthermore, both mutants showed increased susceptibility to phytopathogenic fungi. Our study reveals the deep evolutionary conservation of SL biosynthesis, SL function, and its regulation by biotic and abiotic cues.

  15. Distribution and origins of members of the Family Portulacaceae ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The present day distribution of members of the family Portulacaceae shows that whilst some genera such as Portulaca L., and to some extent Montia L. and Talinum Adanson are cosmopolitan in distribution, others such as Ceraria Pearson and Stephens, Lyallia Hooker fil., Portulacaria Jacquin, Silvaea Philippi and ...

  16. Dicty_cDB: Contig-U03381-1 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available patens subsp. p... 270 2e-68 1 ( CN203973 ) Tor4275 Gametophyte rehydration Library Syntrichi... 192 3e-68 ...trella patens subsp. p... 258 7e-65 1 ( CN201615 ) Tor1678 Gametophyte rehydration Library Syntrichi... 200 ...1e-64 2 ( CN207613 ) Tor8031 Gametophyte rehydration Library Syntrichi... 200 1e-64 2 ( DC922888 ) Physcomit.... patens cDNA clone:pp... 254 1e-63 1 ( CN206832 ) Tor7256 Gametophyte rehydration Library Syntrichi... 200

  17. ‘Joined together there is power, sister’: Re-viewing feminist work from the London Film-makers’ Co-operative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sophie Mayer

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The 'From Reel to Real' season of programmes, the first retrospective of women filmmakers' work from the London Film-makers' Co-operative, curated by Maud Jacquin with Tate Modern and LUX, bring together three generations of filmmakers, and highlight the transmission of a political aesthetics that is both theoretically-informed and embodied.

  18. Genetic transformation of moss plant | Jing | African Journal of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Thus, in recent times mosses such as Physcomitrella patens, Funaria hygrometrica, Ceratodon purpureus, and Tortula ruralis are being developed for genetic engineering studies. Recently, the finding of efficient homologous recombination of P. patens and yeast and murine cells could be comparable. So, the moss, P.

  19. Dicty_cDB: AFH680 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available dration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 78 2e-10 1 BM398179 |BM398179....hyscomitrella patens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehy

  20. Dicty_cDB: AFK581 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available dration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 78 3e-10 1 BM398179 |BM398179....hyscomitrella patens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehy

  1. Dicty_cDB: AFK831 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 78 2e-10 1 BM398179 |BM398179...Physcomitrella patens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte reh

  2. Effect of In Vitro Digestion on the Total Antioxidant Capacity and Phenolic Content of 3 Species of Oregano (Hedeoma patens, Lippia graveolens, Lippia palmeri).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutiérrez-Grijalva, Erick Paul; Angulo-Escalante, Miguel Angel; León-Félix, Josefina; Heredia, J Basilio

    2017-12-01

    Oregano phenolic compounds have been studied for their anti-inflammatory properties. Nonetheless, after ingestion, the gastrointestinal environment can affect their antioxidant stability and thus their bioactive properties. To evaluate the effect of in vitro gastrointestinal (GI) digestion on the phenolic compounds of 3 species of oregano (Hedeoma patens, Lippia graveolens, and Lippia palmeri), the total reducing capacity, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant capacity were evaluated before and after in vitro GI digestion. In addition, the phenolic compounds of the 3 oregano species were identified and quantified by UPLC-PDA before and after in vitro GI digestion. It was shown that the reducing capacity, flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity were affected by the GI digestion process. Moreover, the phenolic compounds identified were apigenin-7-glucoside, scutellarein, luteolin, luteolin-7-glucoside, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid, and their levels were affected by the in vitro GI process. Our results showed that the phenolic compounds from these 3 species of oregano are affected by the in vitro digestion process, and this effect is largely attributable to pH changes. These changes can modify the bioavailability and further anti-inflammatory activity of oregano phenolics, and thus, further research is needed. Oregano is a rich source of polyphenols that have shown bioactive properties like anti-inflammatory potential. However, little is known of the gastrointestinal fate of oregano polyphenols which is imperative to fully understand its bioaccessibility. Our results are important to develop new administration strategies which could help protect the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential and bioaccessibility of such compounds. © 2017 Institute of Food Technologists®.

  3. Dicty_cDB: AFK427 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available mitrella patens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydrati...on Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 78 2e-10 1 BM398179 |BM398179.1 500

  4. Dicty_cDB: AFI447 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available mitrella patens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydrati...on Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 78 2e-10 1 BM398179 |BM398179.1 500

  5. Dicty_cDB: AFH744 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available scomitrella patens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydr...ation Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 78 4e-10 1 BM398179 |BM398179.1

  6. Dicty_cDB: Contig-U13534-1 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available AB241248_1( AB241248 |pid:none) Symbiotic protist of Reticuliterme... 99 7e-20 AJ...494... 98 2e-19 AB379972_1( AB379972 |pid:none) Physcomitrella patens subsp. paten... 98 2e-19 AB241247_1( AB241247 |pid:none) Symbio...tic protist of Reticuliterme... 98 2e-19 ( P31582 ) RecName: Full=Ras-related prote

  7. Ein unbekanntes Meisterwerk altdeutscher Glaskunst: Hans Wertingers gläserne Hostienschale von 1498

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koreny, Fritz

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available This hitherto unknown glass paten with églomisé painting, dated 1498 and measuring 36 cm in diameter, depicts the meeting of Abraham and Melchisedek. The painting can be attributed to Hans Wertinger, an artist from Landshut, who is well known for his paintings and stained glass. The recently discovered paten is executed in a refined églomisé technique with painting, scratching-out and with underlayers of gold and silver leaf, making it one of the earliest and finest examples of this technique, not only for Bavarian early Renaissance art but worldwide. The paten thus sheds fresh light on Wertinger as it shows him as an highly trained artist who worked also with bravura in the art of verre églomisé.

  8. Ethnopharmacological field study of the plants used to treat type 2 diabetes among the Cakchiquels in Guatemala.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Elda Carola; Andrade-Cetto, Adolfo

    2015-01-15

    Type 2 diabetes is characterized by tissue resistance to the action of insulin, combined with a relative deficiency in insulin secretion. In Guatemala, type 2 diabetes results in significant mortality rates. The low incomes of the indigenous population results in the use of alternative therapies such as medicinal plants to treat the illness. We could not find any previous study related to the use of medicinal plants to treat diabetes in Guatemala. The aim of this work is to determine the most effective plant species used in traditional medicine to treat type 2 diabetes. We performed an ethnopharmacological field study among the Cakchiquels of Chimaltenango to select the most prominent plants used to treat the disease. Type 2 diabetic patients from their community health centers were interviewed using structured questionnaires. Two mathematical tools were used to identify potential plant species: the Disease Consensus Index and the Use Value. International databases, including SCOPUS, PubMed, and Google Scholar, were used to identify whether the plants with the highest scores were known to elicit hypoglycemic effects. After analyzing the data, we can propose the following plants as the most prominent among the Cakchiquels of Chimaltenango to treat type 2 diabetes: Hamelia patens Jacq., Neurolaena lobata (L.) R.Br.ex Cass., Solanum americanum Mill., Croton guatemalensis Lotsy, and Quercus peduncularis Née. The Cakchiquel patients interviewed did not understand type 2 diabetes; however, they associated the onset of their disease with a negative emotion, such as shock, sadness or anger. Despite changes in lifestyle, influences of advertising, the availability of innovative treatments and the use of oral hypoglycemic treatments provided by health facilities serving indigenous communities, the Cakchiquel continue to use medicinal plants as adjunctive treatment. While they are unaware whether the plants can cause additional harm, they consider their consumption

  9. Dicty_cDB: Contig-U07450-1 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ration Library Syntrich... 208 3e-52 2 ( CN205665 ) Tor6072 Gametophyte rehydration... Library Syntrichi... 208 3e-52 2 ( CN202424 ) Tor2583 Gametophyte rehydration Li...brary Syntrichi... 208 3e-52 2 ( CN207120 ) Tor7541 Gametophyte rehydration Library Syntrichi... 208 3e-52 2...... 224 1e-54 1 ( BJ958614 ) Physcomitrella patens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pp... 216 3e-52 1 ( CN200625 ) Tor10291 Gametophyte rehyd

  10. Protein (Viridiplantae): 653340 [PGDBj - Ortholog DB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available otein, partial Physcomitrella patens PKPKTGGDCEGCADTSELKPPKPDVLGALDTPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAP...NAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPNAGVLEAPK

  11. Medicinal plants used in the traditional management of diabetes and its sequelae in Central America: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giovannini, Peter; Howes, Melanie-Jayne R; Edwards, Sarah E

    2016-05-26

    Globally 387 million people currently have diabetes and it is projected that this condition will be the 7th leading cause of death worldwide by 2030. As of 2012, its total prevalence in Central America (8.5%) was greater than the prevalence in most Latin American countries and the population of this region widely use herbal medicine. The aim of this study is to review the medicinal plants used to treat diabetes and its sequelae in seven Central American countries: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. We conducted a literature review and extracted from primary sources the plant use reports in traditional remedies that matched one of the following disease categories: diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, urinary problems, skin diseases and infections, cardiovascular disease, sexual dysfunctions, visual loss, and nerve damage. Use reports were entered in a database and data were analysed in terms of the highest number of use reports for diabetes management and for the different sequelae. We also examined the scientific evidence that might support the local uses of the most reported species. Out of 535 identified species used to manage diabetes and its sequelae, 104 species are used to manage diabetes and we found in vitro and in vivo preclinical experimental evidence of hypoglycaemic effect for 16 of the 20 species reported by at least two sources. However, only seven of these species are reported in more than 3 studies: Momordica charantia L., Neurolaena lobata (L.) R. Br. ex Cass., Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth, Persea americana Mill., Psidium guajava L., Anacardium occidentale L. and Hamelia patens Jacq. Several of the species that are used to manage diabetes in Central America are also used to treat conditions that may arise as its consequence such as kidney disease, urinary problems and skin conditions. This review provides an overview of the medicinal plants used to manage diabetes and its sequelae in Central America and of

  12. Karşıyaka Prevalance and Awareness of Hypertension Study (KARHIP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nihat Pekel

    2016-01-01

    Conclusions: Hypertension prevalances in our study were similar to the PatenT 2 trial prevalances, which were 46 % for the middle age group and 78% for the geriatric age group. Compared to PatenT 2 data, the rate of hypertension awareness (54.7% vs 72.3% and the rate of being under treatment (47.5% vs 69.4% were higher. The rate of controlled hypertension was a little bit higher (28.7 % vs 34.7% in our group, whereas control rates in aware and treated groups were similar (53.9 % and 50.1 % in both studies.

  13. Una nueva Caparidácea (Steriphoma de Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dugand Armando

    1944-12-01

    Full Text Available La planta colombiana que describo arriba había sido anteriormente identificada con el S. paradoxum (Jacq. EndI. por Triana & Planchon y otros autores. Al principio creí que estuvieran en lo cierto pero, comparándola con las descripciones originales de Capparis paradoxa Jacq. y de su sinónimo Stephania cleomoides Willd. (ambas descritas de los alrededores de Caracas, Venezuela, nuestra planta . tiene los pedicelos florales y el cáliz algo más largos, los pétalos obtusos, los filamentos estaminales casi el doble de largos y los racimos florales desprovistos de hojas coetáneas con las flores como aparecen en el dibujo de Jacquin (Hort. Schoenbr. 1: tab. 111. 1797. EI senor Tobías Lasser, del Servicio Botánico de Venezuela, a quien envié. un duplicado de la planta de Tocaima para que me hiciera el favor de compararlo con los ejemplares de Steriphoma existentes en el Herbario de aquel país, diligentemente me informó que es distinto a todos los que tienen allá, representativos de S. paradoxum (Jacq. Endl, y de S. venezuelanum. Briq. Por otra parte, el Dr. Ellsworth P. Killip, quien llevó consigo a Washington varios duplicados de nuestras recientes colecciones, me avisa que no son comparables ni a la especie de Jacquin ni a Ios ejemplares de S. ellipticum Spreng., S. peruvianum Spruce ex Eichl. y S. venezuelanum Briq. del Herbario Nacional de los Estados Unidos.

  14. Tidal marsh plant responses to elevated CO2 , nitrogen fertilization, and sea level rise.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam Langley, J; Mozdzer, Thomas J; Shepard, Katherine A; Hagerty, Shannon B; Patrick Megonigal, J

    2013-05-01

    Elevated CO2 and nitrogen (N) addition directly affect plant productivity and the mechanisms that allow tidal marshes to maintain a constant elevation relative to sea level, but it remains unknown how these global change drivers modify marsh plant response to sea level rise. Here we manipulated factorial combinations of CO2 concentration (two levels), N availability (two levels) and relative sea level (six levels) using in situ mesocosms containing a tidal marsh community composed of a sedge, Schoenoplectus americanus, and a grass, Spartina patens. Our objective is to determine, if elevated CO2 and N alter the growth and persistence of these plants in coastal ecosystems facing rising sea levels. After two growing seasons, we found that N addition enhanced plant growth particularly at sea levels where plants were most stressed by flooding (114% stimulation in the + 10 cm treatment), and N effects were generally larger in combination with elevated CO2 (288% stimulation). N fertilization shifted the optimal productivity of S. patens to a higher sea level, but did not confer S. patens an enhanced ability to tolerate sea level rise. S. americanus responded strongly to N only in the higher sea level treatments that excluded S. patens. Interestingly, addition of N, which has been suggested to accelerate marsh loss, may afford some marsh plants, such as the widespread sedge, S. americanus, the enhanced ability to tolerate inundation. However, if chronic N pollution reduces the availability of propagules of S. americanus or other flood-tolerant species on the landscape scale, this shift in species dominance could render tidal marshes more susceptible to marsh collapse. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  15. The identity of Albuca caudata Jacq. (Hyacinthaceae and a description of a new related species: A. bakeri

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mario Martínez-Azorín

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available The name Albuca caudata Jacq. has been widely misunderstood or even ignored since its description in 1791. After studying herbarium specimens and living populations in South Africa, plants fitting Jacquin´s concept of that species are found to be widely distributed in the Eastern Cape, mainly in the Albany centre of Endemism. Furthermore, some divergent specimens matching Baker´s concept of A. caudata are described as a new related species: A. bakeri. Data on typification, morphology, ecology, and distribution are reported for both taxa. Affinities and divergences with other close allies are also discussed.

  16. [Morphologic and AFLP analysis of relationships between tulip species Tulipa biebersteiniana (Liliaceae)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kutlunina, N A; Polezhaeva, M A; Permiakova, M V

    2013-04-01

    In populations of four species of tulips, (Tulipa biebersteiniana, T. patens, T. scytica and T. riparia) from the Volgograd, Kurgansk, Orenburg, and Chelyabinsk regions and the Republic of Bashkortostan, genetic diversity was studied by means of morphological and AFLP analysis. A morphological analysis of seven quantitative and two qualitative criteria was carried out. Three selective EcoRI/MseI primer pairs allowed one to genotype 81 individuals from 13 tulip populations with 87 loci. The low level of variability by AFLP loci were revealed in all species, including T. biebersteiniana (P = 20.41%, UH(e) = 0.075), T. patens (26.97%, 0.082), T. scytica (27.53%, 0.086), and T. riparia (27.72%, 0.096). According to the AMOVA results, the variability proportion that characterizes the differences between the four Tulip species was lower (F(CT) = 0.235) than between populations within species (F(ST) = 0.439). Tulipa patens is well differentiated by means of Nei's distances, coordination, and analysis in the STRUCTURE program. An analysis in the STRUCTURE revealed four genetic groups of tulips that are not completely in accordance with the analyzed species. This acknowledges the presence of complicated genetic process in the tulip population.

  17. The effects of crude oil and the effectiveness of cleaner application following oiling on US Gulf of Mexico coastal marsh plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pezeshki, S R; DeLaune, R D; Jugsujinda, A

    2001-01-01

    Field studies were conducted in two different marsh habitats in Louisiana coastal wetlands to evaluate the effects of oiling (using South Louisiana Crude oil, SLC) and the effectiveness of a shoreline cleaner (COREXIT 9580) in removing oil from plant canopies. The study sites represented two major marsh habitats; the brackish marsh site was covered by Spartina patens and the freshwater marsh was covered by Sagittaria lancifolia. Field studies were conducted in each habitat using replicated 5.8 m2 plots that were subjected to three treatments; oiled only, oiled + cleaner (cleaner was used 2 days after oiling), and a control. Plant gas exchange responses, survival, growth, and biomass accumulation were measured. Results indicated that oiling led to rapid reductions in leaf gas exchange rates in both species. However, both species in 'oiled + cleaned' plots displayed improved leaf conductance and CO2 fixation rates. Twelve weeks after treatment initiation, photosynthetic carbon fixation in both species had recovered to normal levels. Over the short-term, S. patens showed more sensitivity to oiling with SLC than S. lancifolia as was evident from the data of the number of live shoots and above-ground biomass. Above-ground biomass remained significantly lower than control in S. patens under 'oiled' and 'oiled + cleaned' treatments while it was comparable to controls in S. lancifolia. These studies indicated that the cleaner removed oil from marsh grasses and alleviated the short-term impact of oil on gas exchange function of the study plants. However, use of cleaner had no detectable effects on above-ground biomass production or regeneration at the end of the first growing season in S. patens. Similarly, no beneficial effects of cleaner on carbon fixation and number of live shoots were apparent beyond 12 weeks in S. lancifolia.

  18. Antimycobacterial potency and cytotoxicity study of three medicinal plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsouh Fokou, Patrick Valere; Appiah-Opong, Regina; Yeboah-Manu, Dorothy; Kissi-Twum, Abena Adomah; Yamthe, Lauve Rachel Tchokouaha; Mokale Kognou, Aristide Laurel; Addo, Phyllis; Boyom, Fabrice Fekam; Nyarko, Alexander Kwadwo

    2016-12-01

    Mycobacterial infections including tuberculosis, leprosy, and buruli ulcer are among the most prevalent, debilitating, and deadly tropical diseases, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. The development of drug resistance to the currently available drugs and the poor compliance emphasize the need for new chemotherapeutic agents. This study was designed to evaluate the in vitro activity of Cleistopholis patens, Annona reticulata, and Greenwayodendron suaveolens against Mycobacterium smegmatis. The safety on normal liver cells was also assessed. The crude extracts, fractions, and subfractions were tested against M. smegmatis and for cell cytotoxicity on WRL-68, normal human hepatocyte using microdilution resazurin-based assays. The phytochemical screening was performed using standard methods. Most of the extracts, fractions, and subfractions inhibited the growth of M. smegmatis with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 6.25μg/mL to 125μg/mL. The subfractions P12 and P29 from G. suaveolens twig were more potent with MIC values of 6.25μg/mL and 25μg/mL, respectively. Fruit crude extract and root CH 2 Cl 2 fraction from A. reticulata also showed activity with MIC values of 50μg/mL and 25μg/mL, respectively. Crude extracts from the twig and stem bark of C. patens displayed inhibition at MIC values of 125μg/mL and 100μg/mL, respectively. Majority of active extracts showed no cell cytotoxicity, except the extract from C. patens with IC 50 ranging from 41.40μg/mL to 93.78μg/mL. The chemical investigation of the promising extracts revealed the presence of phenols, alkaloids, glycosides, triterpenes, and acetogenins. The results achieved from this preliminary antimycobacterial drug discovery study supported the traditional claims of C. patens, A. reticulata, and G. suaveolens in the treatment of mycobacterial infections. Meanwhile, further fractionation is required to characterize the active ingredients. Copyright © 2016.

  19. Archboldia, a new Verbenaceous genus from New Guinea

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beer, Eva; Lam, H.J.

    1936-01-01

    Archboldia, nov. gen. — Frutices; folia opposita; inflorescentiae terminales, paniculato-corymbosae, e cymis compositae; calyx plus minusve patens, infundibuliformis, 5-lobatus; corolla exserta, ventricoso-cylindrica, utrinque glabra, aetinomorpha, breviter 5-lobata; stamina 4 alternipetalia,

  20. The combined effects of phytoremediation and biostimulation in enhancing habitat restoration and oil degradation of petroleum contaminated wetlands

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Qianxin; Mendelssohn, Irving A [Wetland Biogeochemistry Institute, Center for Coastal, Energy, and Environmental Resources, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 (United States)

    1998-06-30

    The combined effects of biostimulation and phytoremediation as a means of post-oil spill habitat restoration and enhancement of oil degradation in the soil were evaluated. Marsh sods of Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens were dosed with 0, 4, 8, 16 and 24 l m{sup -2} of south Louisiana crude oil in the greenhouse. Plants were killed at oil dosages of 8 l m{sup -2} in the growing season following oil application. Two years after application of the oil, S. alterniflora and S. patens individuals were transplanted into the oiled and unoiled sods. Fertilizer was applied 1 and 7 months after transplantation. Application of the fertilizer significantly increased biomass of the transplants within 6 months and regrowth biomass of the transplants 1 year after transplantation for both plant species. The residual oil in the soil did not significantly affect the biomass of the S. patens transplants compared with that in the no oil treatment, except at the highest oil level. However, regrowth biomass of the S. alterniflora transplants treated with fertilizer was significantly higher at all oil levels up to 250 mg g{sup -1} than in the unoiled treatment, with or without fertilizer. The oil degradation rate in the soil was significantly enhanced by the application of fertilizer in conjunction with the presence of transplants. These results suggest that vegetative transplantation, when implemented with fertilization, can simultaneously restore oil contaminated wetlands and accelerate oil degradation in the soil

  1. Estimating the Nucleotide Diversity in Ceratodon purpureus (Ditrichaceae from 218 Conserved Exon-Primed, Intron-Spanning Nuclear Loci

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stuart F. McDaniel

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Premise of the study: We developed and tested primers for 218 nuclear loci for studying population genetics, phylogeography, and genome evolution in bryophytes. Methods and Results: We aligned expressed sequence tags (ESTs from Ceratodon purpureus to the Physcomitrella patens genome sequence, and designed primers that are homologous to conserved exons but span introns in the P. patens genome. We tested these primers on four isolates from New York, USA; Otavalo, Ecuador; and two laboratory isolates from Austria (WT4 and GG1. The median genome-wide nucleotide diversity was 0.008 substitutions/site, but the range was large (0–0.14, illustrating the among-locus heterogeneity in the species. Conclusions: These loci provide a valuable resource for finely resolved, genome-wide population genetic and species-level phylogenetic analyses of C. purpureus and its relatives.

  2. Antimycobacterial potency and cytotoxicity study of three medicinal plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick Valere Tsouh Fokou

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion: The results achieved from this preliminary antimycobacterial drug discovery study supported the traditional claims of C. patens, A. reticulata, and G. suaveolens in the treatment of mycobacterial infections. Meanwhile, further fractionation is required to characterize the active ingredients.

  3. Growth and photosynthesis responses of two co-occurring marsh grasses to inundation and varied nutrients

    Science.gov (United States)

    For southern New England tidal marshes, the late twentieth century decline of Spartina patens has been attributed to increased flooding associated with accelerated sea level rise and nitrogen over-enrichment from cultural eutrophication, either singly or in combination. The obje...

  4. Changes in hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control rates in Turkey from 2003 to 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sengul, Sule; Akpolat, Tekin; Erdem, Yunus; Derici, Ulver; Arici, Mustafa; Sindel, Sukru; Karatan, Oktay; Turgan, Cetin; Hasanoglu, Enver; Caglar, Sali; Erturk, Sehsuvar

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: The study aimed to assess the current epidemiology of hypertension, including its prevalence, the awareness of the condition and its treatment and control, in Turkey to evaluate changes in these factors over the last 10 years by comparing the results with the prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension in Turkey (PatenT) study data (2003), as well as to assess parameters affecting awareness and the control of hypertension. Methods: The PatenT 2 study was conducted on a representative sample of the Turkish adult population (n = 5437) in 2012. Specifically trained staff performed the data collection. Hypertension was defined as mean SBP or DBP at least 140/90 mmHg, previously diagnosed disease or the use of antihypertensive medication. Awareness and treatment were assessed by self-reporting, and control was defined as SBP/DBP less than 140/90 mmHg. Results: Although the prevalence of hypertension in the PatenT and PatenT 2 surveys was stable at approximately 30%, hypertension awareness, treatment, and control rates have improved in Turkey. Overall, 54.7% of hypertensive patients were aware of their diagnosis in 2012 compared with 40.7% in 2003. The hypertension treatment rate increased from 31.1% in 2003 to 47.4% in 2012, and the control rate in hypertensives increased from 8.1% in 2003 to 28.7% in 2012. The rate of hypertension control in treated patients improved between 2003 (20.7%) and 2012 (53.9%). Awareness of hypertension was positively associated with older age, being a woman, residing in an urban area, a history of parental hypertension, being a nonsmoker, admittance by a physician, presence of diabetes mellitus, and being obese or overweight; it was inversely associated with a higher amount of daily bread consumption. Factors associated with better control of hypertension were younger age, female sex, residing in an urban area, and higher education level in Turkey. Conclusion: Although some progress has been made in

  5. Alkaloid analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography-solid phase extraction-nuclear magnetic resonance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Johansen, Kenneth; Ebild, S.J.; Christensen, S.B.

    2012-01-01

    %) as methanol-d containing 5% aqueous NHOH (30%) as eluents were successful, even though elution of alkaloids with pK of the corresponding acid above 10 proved difficult. Alkaloid extracts of Huperzia selago containing complex aliphatic alkaloids and Triclisia patens containing bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids...

  6. Proton Gradient Regulation5-Like1-Mediated Cyclic Electron Flow Is Crucial for Acclimation to Anoxia and Complementary to Nonphotochemical Quenching in Stress Adaptation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kukuczka, Bernadeta; Magneschi, Leonardo; Petroutsos, Dimitris

    2014-01-01

    To investigate the functional importance of Proton Gradient Regulation5-Like1 (PGRL1) for photosynthetic performances in the moss Physcomitrella patens, we generated a pgrl1 knockout mutant. Functional analysis revealed diminished nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) as well as decreased capacity for...

  7. Immunity in the moss Physcomitrella patens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bressendorff, Simon

    model system, we identify and create targeted knock out of nine Physcomitrella homologs of defense related Arabidopsis genes. The knock-out lines are assessed for altered immune responses to a range of different pathogens. We find that at least one Physcomitrella mitogen activated protein kinase (MPK...... molecular patterns (MAMPs) including fungal chitin and bacterial MAMPs. The knock out of PpMPK4A renders the moss more susceptible to the pathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria brassicicola and fails to accumulate several defense related transcripts and ROS production upon treatment with fungal...... to MAMP-triggered immunity, and the moss may use other signaling components to respond to abiotic stresses. In addition, a Physcomitrella knock-out of a homolog of the autophagy related gene ATG5 provides the first analysis of autophagy in non-vascular plants. PpATG5 knock-out mutants show clear signs...

  8. Dicty_cDB: AFI417 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available tens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydration...08 1 CN206834 |CN206834.1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula ruralis

  9. Dicty_cDB: AFH766 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available atens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydration...-08 1 CN206834 |CN206834.1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula rurali

  10. Dicty_cDB: AFJ364 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 78 2e-10 1 BM398179 |BM398179.... patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte reh

  11. Dicty_cDB: AFL268 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available dration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 78 4e-10 1 BM398179 |BM398179.... patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehy

  12. Karyotype studies in some species of the family annonaceae ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A pair of satellited chromosomes was observed in the genome of Greenwayodendron suaveolens and Cleistopholis patens. The centromeric positions in the species of ... The karyotypic patterns suggest that there is no evidence of chromosome rearrangement in their evolution. IFE Journal of Science Vol. 9 (2) 2007 pp.

  13. Environmental requirements of selected estuarine ciliated Protozoa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borror, A.C.

    1975-05-01

    This report addresses species composition and microdistribution of ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora) of a tidal marsh at Adams Pt., Great Bay, New Hampshire (1970, 1971) in relationship to temperature, salinity, pH, concentration of oxygen, H 2 S, and bacteria, and occurrence of micrometazoa. Accurate counting and precise identification allowed measurement of tidal effects on ciliate abundance and diversity, and the relationship of ciliates to micrometazoa and bacteria. During 1970, we identified 79 species in 175 collections; during 1971, 83 species in 102 collections. Although in general ciliate distribution was not correlated with temperature, salinity, pH, or oxygen concentration, some species were tolerant of anoxic environments. Ciliates differed in distribution between the upper (Spartina patens) and the lower (S. alterniflora) marsh. We measured responses of bacteria and ciliates to the physical and biological changes in a patens-panne pond caused by tidal flushing, and to the flushing of a channel in the lower marsh by several different tidal cycles. (U.S.)

  14. Good Crab, Bad Crab

    Science.gov (United States)

    Are crabs friends or foes of marsh grass, benefit or detriment to the salt marsh system? We examined Uca pugilator (sand fiddler) and Sesarma reticulatum (purple marsh crab) with Spartina patens (salt marsh hay) at two elevations (10 cm below MHW and 10 cm above MHW) in mesocosms...

  15. Overwash Processes and Foredune Ecology, Nauset Spit, Massachusetts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1984-12-01

    played a major role in the infilling of Laguna Madre behind Padre Island, Texas. Washover deposits were subsequently reworked by the wind, which...flowering grass that establishes mats of vegetation in the high marsh. Spa-tin patens var. monogyna is erect, somewhat taller , later flowering, and grows in

  16. Variation saisonnière de la composition chimique de ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The chimical composition of Gymnogongrus patens J. Agardh (Rhodophyta, Phyllophoracea) has been analyzed on samples collected monthly on a one year cycle from April 2002 to March 2003 on Méhdia beach (North west Atlantic caost of Morocco). The analysis of chemical composition of thallus shows that the content ...

  17. Dicty_cDB: AFL429 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydration... sequence. 70 5e-08 1 CN206834 |CN206834.1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRN

  18. Dicty_cDB: AFN505 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available s subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 593 e-165 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydration...equence. 70 5e-08 1 CN206834 |CN206834.1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA

  19. Dicty_cDB: AFH576 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available tens subsp. patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehydration...A sequence. 70 4e-08 1 CN206834 |CN206834.1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehydration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mR

  20. How search in science impacts on the value of inventions at early and late stages in the R&D cycle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beukel, Karin; Valentin, Finn; Lund Jensen, Rasmus

    . The patents filed on these inventions offer, through their citations to prior art, a fine-grained view of the role of science along the R&D cycle. Applying a unique text-mining algorithm we categorize a set of 1,058 patens from Scandinavian drug discovery firms into six types of drug-related inventions. Tests...

  1. Evaluation of synthetic promoters in Physcomitrella patens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Peramuna, Anantha; Bae, Hansol; Rasmussen, Erling Koch

    2018-01-01

    Securing a molecular toolbox including diverse promoters is essential for genome engineering. However, native promoters have limitations such as the available number or the length of the promoter. In this work, three short synthetic promoters were characterized by using the yellow fluorescent...

  2. Genetic transformation of Physcomitrella patens mediated by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    USER

    2010-06-21

    Jun 21, 2010 ... plants could be obtained after 4 generations of selective culture. PCR analysis showed that gene ... 5'-triphosphate; SDS, sodium dodecyl sulfate; YFP, your favorite protein. ..... affected the transformation rate mediated by Agro- bacterium, this was confirmed and the result showed only the gametophores ...

  3. Akibat Hukum Pemutusan Perjanjian Franchise Secara Sepihak Oleh Franchisor Sebelum Berakhirnya Kontrak

    OpenAIRE

    Lannemey, Lannemey

    2015-01-01

    Bisnis franchise merupakan suatu sistem di mana pihak franchisor memberikan lisensi menggunakan hak kekayaan intelektual seperti hak cipta, merek, paten serta rahasia dagang kepada franchisee. Sebaliknya pihak franchisee berkewajiban untuk membayar royalty fee. Perjanjian franchise merupakan hubungan hukum antara franchisor dan franchisee yang memuat hak dan kewajiban yang menimbulkan akibat hukum bagi para pihak. Dalam pelaksanaan perjanjian franchise sangat rentan terjadi permasalahan sepe...

  4. Dicty_cDB: AFI602 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available A, mRNA sequence. 74 3e-09 1 CN206834 |CN206834.1 Tor7258 Gametophyte rehydration...patens cDNA clone:pph30f12, 3' end,single read. 599 e-167 1 CN206669 |CN206669.1 Tor7097 Gametophyte rehyd...ration Library Tortula ruralis cDNA, mRNA sequence. 78 2e-10 1 CN591465 |CN591465.1

  5. Regulation of odd-numbered fatty acid content plays an important part in the metabolism of the hyperaccumulator Noccaea spp. adapted to oxidative stress

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pavlík, Milan; Zemanová, Veronika; Pavlíková, D.; Kyjaková, Pavlína; Hlavsa, T.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 208, JAN (2017), s. 94-101 ISSN 0176-1617 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 ; RVO:61388963 Keywords : membrane lipid-composition * amino-acids * gene-expression * salinity stress * leaf senescence * spartina-patens * low-temperature * cadmium stress * plants * tolerance * Environmental stress * Heavy metals * Phylogenetic profiling of fatty acids * Phytoremediation * Senescence * Thlaspi species Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 3.121, year: 2016

  6. Genes Sufficient for Synthesizing Peptidoglycan are Retained in Gymnosperm Genomes, and MurE from Larix gmelinii can Rescue the Albino Phenotype of Arabidopsis MurE Mutation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Xiaofei; Li, Ningning; Kudo, Hiromi; Zhang, Zhe; Li, Jinyu; Wang, Li; Zhang, Wenbo; Takechi, Katsuaki; Takano, Hiroyoshi

    2017-03-01

    The endosymbiotic theory states that plastids are derived from a single cyanobacterial ancestor that possessed a cell wall. Peptidoglycan (PG), the main component of the bacteria cell wall, gradually degraded during plastid evolution. PG-synthesizing Mur genes have been found to be retained in the genomes of basal streptophyte plants, although many of them have been lost from the genomes of angiosperms. The enzyme encoded by bacterial MurE genes catalyzes the formation of the UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid (UDP-MurNAc) tripeptide in bacterial PG biosynthesis. Knockout of the MurE gene in the moss Physcomitrella patens resulted in defects of chloroplast division, whereas T-DNA-tagged mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana for MurE revealed inhibition of chloroplast development but not of plastid division, suggesting that AtMurE is functionally divergent from the bacterial and moss MurE proteins. Here, we could identify 10 homologs of bacterial Mur genes, including MurE, in the recently sequenced genomes of Picea abies and Pinus taeda, suggesting the retention of the plastid PG system in gymnosperms. To investigate the function of gymnosperm MurE, we isolated an ortholog of MurE from the larch, Larix gmelinii (LgMurE) and confirmed its presence as a single copy per genome, as well as its abundant expression in the leaves of larch seedlings. Analysis with a fusion protein combining green fluorescent protein and LgMurE suggested that it localizes in chloroplasts. Cross-species complementation assay with MurE mutants of A. thaliana and P. patens showed that the expression of LgMurE cDNA completely rescued the albefaction defects in A. thaliana but did not rescue the macrochloroplast phenotype in P. patens. The evolution of plastid PG and the mechanism behind the functional divergence of MurE genes are discussed in the context of information about plant genomes at different evolutionary stages. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japanese Society of

  7. Efficient biolistic transformation of the moss Physcomitrella patens

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Šmídková, Markéta; Holá, M.; Angelis, Karel

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 54, č. 4 (2010), s. 777-780 ISSN 0006-3134 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA521/04/0971; GA AV ČR IBS5038304; GA MŠk 1M0505; GA MŠk(CZ) LC06004 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : Helios biolistic gun * moss protonemal tissue * particle size Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics Impact factor: 1.582, year: 2010

  8. Analyse de la croissance chez Gymnogongrus patens (j

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    LBBM

    échantillon mensuel pris au hasard dans le site de récolte durant la période ..... Les faibles teneurs en pigments hydrosolubles coïncident avec la meilleure période de ..... “A carotenoid characteristic of chlorophycean seaweeds living in deep.

  9. Plant Cytokinesis: Terminology for Structures and Processes

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Smertenko, A.; Assaad, F.F.; Baluška, F.; Bezanilla, M.; Buschmann, B.; Drakakaki, G.; Hauser, M.T.; Janson, M.; Mineyuki, Y.; Moore, I.; Mueller, S.; Murata, T.; Otegui, M.S.; Panteris, E.; Rasmussen, C.; Schmit, A. C.; Šamaj, J.; Samuels, L.; Staehelin, L. A.; Van Damme, D.; Wasteneys, G.; Žárský, Viktor

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 27, č. 12 (2017), s. 885-894 ISSN 0962-8924 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1204 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : cell plate formation * microtubule-associated protein * dividing root- cell s * preprophase-band formation * cortical division zone * trans-golgi network * physcomitrella-patens * arabidopsis-thaliana * somatic cytokinesis * tobacco by-2 Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 15.333, year: 2016

  10. Dicty_cDB: VHN758 [Dicty_cDB

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available t EP10746... 76 1e-12 BC114006_1( BC114006 |pid:none) Bos taurus L-pipecolic acid... CR457155_1( CR457155 |pid:none) Homo sapiens full open reading fra... 76 1e-12 AF134593_1( AF134593 |pid:none) Homo sapiens L-pipeco...lic acid oxid... 76 1e-12 AX882278_1( AX882278 |pid:none) Sequence 17183 from Paten

  11. Plant community structure in an oligohaline tidal marsh

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brewer, J.S.; Grace, J.B.

    1990-01-01

    An oligohaline tidal marsh on the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain, LA was characterized with respect to the distributions and abundances of plant species over spatial and temporal gradients using Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA). In addition, the species distributions were correlated to several physical environmental factors using Detrended Canonical Correspondence Analysis (DCCA). The distributions of species were best correlated with distance from Lake Pontchartrain, and to a lesser extent with elevation and substrate organic matter. They were least correlated with mean soil salinity (referred to here as background salinity). Of the three mid-seasonal dominant species, the perennial grass, Spartina patens, is the most salt tolerant and was found closest to the lake. Further inland the dominant perennial was Sagittaria lancifolia, which has a salt tolerance less than that of Spartina patens. The perennial sedge, Cladium jamaicense, which is the least salt tolerant of the three, was dominant furthest inland. Background salinity levels were generally low (interactions likely also play a role in structuring the plant community. The distributions of several annuals depended on the size and life history of the mid-seasonal dominant perennials. Most of the annuals frequently co-occurred with Sagittaria lancifolia, which was the shortest in stature and had the least persistent canopy of the three mid-seasonal dominant perennials.

  12. Nuevas citas de Asteraceae para la provincia de Catamarca (Argentina New records of Asteraceae for the province of Catamarca (Argentina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susana E. Freire

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Se mencionan los siguientes nuevos registros de Asteráceas para la provincia de Catamarca, Argentina: Baccharis acaulis, B. boliviensis var. latifolia, B. flexuosa, B. glutinosa var. angustissima, B. stenophylla (Tribu Astereae, Eupatorium patens var. tomentosum (Tribu Eupatorieae, Cosmos bipinnatus, C. peucedanifolius var. peucedanifolius, Helianthus annuus (Tribu Heliantheae, Gamochaeta erythractis, G. longipedicellata, Gnaphalium lacteum, Tessaria integrifolia var. integrifolia (Tribu Inuleae, Chuquiraga ruscifolia (Tribu Mutisieae, Senecio crepidifolius, S. subulatus var. subulatus, Xenophyllum incisum var. incisum (Tribu Senecioneae. Se citan además el hábitat de los taxones y las provincias fitogeográficas que integran. Se propone una nueva combinación, Baccharis glutinosa Pers. var. angustissima (DC. Giuliano.The following Asteraceae are mentioned for the province of Catamarca: Baccharis acaulis, B. boliviensis var. latifolia, B. flexuosa, B. glutinosa var. angustissima, B. stenophylla (Tribe Astereae, Eupatorium patens var. tomentosum (Tribe Eupatorieae, Cosmos bipinnatus, C. peucedanifolius var. peucedanifolius, Helianthus annuus (Tribe Heliantheae, Gamochaeta erythractis, G. longipedicellata, Gnaphalium lacteum, Tessaria integrifolia var. integrifolia (Tribe Inuleae, Chuquiraga ruscifolia (Tribe Mutisieae, Senecio crepidifolius, S. subulatus var. subulatus, Xenophyllum incisum var. incisum (Tribe Senecioneae. The habitat and phytogeographic provinces of the taxa are mentioned. The following new combination is proposed: Baccharis glutinosa Pers. var. angustissima (DC. Giuliano.

  13. Heterologous Expression of Moss Light-harvesting Complex Stress-related 1 (LHCSR1), the Chlorophyll a-Xanthophyll Pigment-protein Complex Catalyzing Non-photochemical Quenching, in Nicotiana sp.*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinnola, Alberta; Ghin, Leonardo; Gecchele, Elisa; Merlin, Matilde; Alboresi, Alessandro; Avesani, Linda; Pezzotti, Mario; Capaldi, Stefano; Cazzaniga, Stefano; Bassi, Roberto

    2015-01-01

    Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms evolved mechanisms for thermal dissipation of energy absorbed in excess to prevent formation of reactive oxygen species. The major and fastest component, called non-photochemical quenching, occurs within the photosystem II antenna system by the action of two essential light-harvesting complex (LHC)-like proteins, photosystem II subunit S (PSBS) in plants and light-harvesting complex stress-related (LHCSR) in green algae and diatoms. In the evolutionary intermediate Physcomitrella patens, a moss, both gene products are active. These proteins, which are present in low amounts, are difficult to purify, preventing structural and functional analysis. Here, we report on the overexpression of the LHCSR1 protein from P. patens in the heterologous systems Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana tabacum using transient and stable nuclear transformation. We show that the protein accumulated in both heterologous systems is in its mature form, localizes in the chloroplast thylakoid membranes, and is correctly folded with chlorophyll a and xanthophylls but without chlorophyll b, an essential chromophore for plants and algal LHC proteins. Finally, we show that recombinant LHCSR1 is active in quenching in vivo, implying that the recombinant protein obtained is a good material for future structural and functional studies. PMID:26260788

  14. Mortalidad y repelencia en Eupalamides cyparissias (Lepidoptera: Castniidae, plaga de la palma aceitera Elaeis guineensis, por efecto de diez extractos botánicos Mortality and repellence of Eupalamides cyparissias (Lepidoptera: Castniidae, pest of oil palm Elaeis guineensis, by effect of ten botanical extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana D. Pérez

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Las plantas con actividad insecticida constituyen un importante componente del manejo integrado de plagas. Bajo esta premisa, el objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la mortalidad y repelencia larval de Eupalamides cyparissias Fab. (Lepidoptera: Castniidae, plaga de la palma aceitera Elaeis guineensis Jacquin; empleando diez plantas con potencial insecticida: Ucullucuysacha (Heliotropium indicum L., Boraginaceae, Floripondio (Brugmansia x candida Pers., Solanaceae, Oreja de Tigre (Tradescantia zebrina Hort ex Bosse, Commelinaceae, Piñón Blanco (Jathropa curcas L., Euphorbiaceae, Sacha yoco (Paullinia clavigera Schltdl., Sapindaceae, Yuquilla (Euphorbia cotinifolia L., Euphorbiaceae, Achiote (Bixa orellana L., Bixaceae, Retama común (Cassia fistula L., Fabaceae, Huancahuisacha (Aristolochia pilosa Kunth, Aristolochiaceae y Curare (Chondrodendron tomentosum Ruiz & Pavon, Menispermaceae. Los bioensayos con E. cyparissias abarcaron entre 1 h y 24 h, bajo condiciones estandardizadas de laboratorio. A 24 h de exposición, los mayores porcentajes de mortalidad de E. cyparissias se presentaron en los tratamientos con Sacha yoco (63,3 %: corteza y hojas en decocción, Achiote (63,3 %: semillas en licuado y Yuquilla (48,3 %: hojas en licuado. En el caso de la repelencia, los mayores efectos se encontraron en los tratamientos con Achiote (83,30 %, Sacha yoco (75 % y Floripondio (66,7 %: hojas en licuado.The plants with insecticide activities constitute a main compound of integrated pest management. Under this premise, the aim of the current research was to evaluate mortality and repellence of Eupalamides cyparissias Fab. (Lepidoptera: Castniidae larvae, pest of oil palm Elaeis guineensis Jacquin, employing ten plants with insecticide potential: Indian heliotrope (Heliotropium indicum L., Boraginaceae, Angel´s trumpets (Brugmansia x candida Pers., Solanaceae, Wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina Hort ex Bosse, Commelinaceae, Nettles-purge (Jathropa

  15. AcEST: DK952008 [AcEST

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available me 1 OS=Physcomitrella patens GN=P... 236 6e-62 sp|P33529|PHY_MOUSC Phytochrome OS=Mougeotia scalaris GN=PHY...>sp|P33529|PHY_MOUSC Phytochrome OS=Mougeotia scalaris GN=PHY PE=2 SV=2 Length = 1124 Score = 216 bits (551)...t) OS=Pinus sylvest... 229 9e-59 tr|Q3V8G6|Q3V8G6_MOUSC Phytochrome OS=Mougeotia scala

  16. Reproductive output of mosses under experimental warming on Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, maritime Antarctica

    OpenAIRE

    Casanova-Katny, A.; Torres-Mellado, G. A.; Eppley, S. M.

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Mosses dominate much of the vegetation in the Antarctic, but the effect of climatic change on moss growth and sexual reproduction has scarcely been studied. In Antarctica, mosses infrequently produce sporophytes; whether this is due to physiological limitation or an adaptive response is unknown. We studied the effect of experimental warming (with Open Top Chambers, OTCs) on sporophyte production on Fildes Peninsula, King George Island for four moss species (Bartramia patens, Henne...

  17. Evolutionarily distant streptophyta respond differently to genotoxic stress

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Vágnerová, Radka; Lukešová, Alena; Lukeš, Martin; Rožnovská, Petra; Holá, Marcela; Fulnečková, Jana; Fajkus, J.; Angelis, Karel

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 11 (2017), č. článku 331. ISSN 2073-4425 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA16-01137S; GA MŠk(CZ) LQ1601; GA MŠk LTC17047 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 ; RVO:60077344 ; RVO:61388971 ; RVO:68081707 Keywords : Bleomycin * DNA damage and repair * Klebsormidium * Methyl methanesulfonate * Physcomitrella patens * Ultraviolet light * Zygnema Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 3.600, year: 2016

  18. Genotoxin Induced Mutagenesis in the Model Plant Physcomitrella patens

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Holá, Marcela; Kozák, Jaroslav; Vágnerová, Radka; Angelis, Karel

    -, ID 535049 (2013) ISSN 2314-6133 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-06595S; GA MŠk(CZ) LD13006 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 ; RVO:61388963 Keywords : DNA-DAMAGE * COMET ASSAY * ARABIDOPSIS-THALIANA Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology

  19. Inter-annual changes in detritus-based food chains can enhance plant growth response to elevated atmospheric CO2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hines, Jes; Eisenhauer, Nico; Drake, Bert G

    2015-12-01

    Elevated atmospheric CO2 generally enhances plant growth, but the magnitude of the effects depend, in part, on nutrient availability and plant photosynthetic pathway. Due to their pivotal role in nutrient cycling, changes in abundance of detritivores could influence the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on essential ecosystem processes, such as decomposition and primary production. We conducted a field survey and a microcosm experiment to test the influence of changes in detritus-based food chains on litter mass loss and plant growth response to elevated atmospheric CO2 using two wetland plants: a C3 sedge (Scirpus olneyi) and a C4 grass (Spartina patens). Our field study revealed that organism's sensitivity to climate increased with trophic level resulting in strong inter-annual variation in detritus-based food chain length. Our microcosm experiment demonstrated that increased detritivore abundance could not only enhance decomposition rates, but also enhance plant growth of S. olneyi in elevated atmospheric CO2 conditions. In contrast, we found no evidence that changes in the detritus-based food chains influenced the growth of S. patens. Considered together, these results emphasize the importance of approaches that unite traditionally subdivided food web compartments and plant physiological processes to understand inter-annual variation in plant production response to elevated atmospheric CO2. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Electrical output of bryophyte microbial fuel cell systems is sufficient to power a radio or an environmental sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bombelli, Paolo; Dennis, Ross J; Felder, Fabienne; Cooper, Matt B; Madras Rajaraman Iyer, Durgaprasad; Royles, Jessica; Harrison, Susan T L; Smith, Alison G; Harrison, C Jill; Howe, Christopher J

    2016-10-01

    Plant microbial fuel cells are a recently developed technology that exploits photosynthesis in vascular plants by harnessing solar energy and generating electrical power. In this study, the model moss species Physcomitrella patens , and other environmental samples of mosses, have been used to develop a non-vascular bryophyte microbial fuel cell (bryoMFC). A novel three-dimensional anodic matrix was successfully created and characterized and was further tested in a bryoMFC to determine the capacity of mosses to generate electrical power. The importance of anodophilic microorganisms in the bryoMFC was also determined. It was found that the non-sterile bryoMFCs operated with P. patens delivered over an order of magnitude higher peak power output (2.6 ± 0.6 µW m -2 ) than bryoMFCs kept in near-sterile conditions (0.2 ± 0.1 µW m -2 ). These results confirm the importance of the microbial populations for delivering electrons to the anode in a bryoMFC. When the bryoMFCs were operated with environmental samples of moss (non-sterile) the peak power output reached 6.7 ± 0.6 mW m -2 . The bryoMFCs operated with environmental samples of moss were able to power a commercial radio receiver or an environmental sensor (LCD desktop weather station).

  1. Wood Anatomy in Several Genera of Nigerian Annonaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olatunji Olusanya OLATUNJI

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The anatomical characteristic of the wood of Annona muricata, A. senegalensis, Xylopia aethiopica, A. glauca, A. squamosa, Cleistopholis patens, Monodora tenuifolia and Greenwayodendron suaviolis were investigated in search of their stable taxonomic attribute. Thirty-two wood samples were collected from eight species of Annonnaceae (four specimens each. Fixation of the most healthy and fresh wood of each species was done using 500 ml of FAA (Formalin Acetic Acid and dehydrated in a series of ethanol while infiltration was done using tertiary-butyl-alcohol prepared in accordance with Johansen’s method. The sectioning was carried out with a rotary microtome and the slide containing the wood samples were examined using power shots s70 camera attached to computer. The results revealed several interesting wood anatomical features such as the presence of numerous fibre, ray cells, vessels, absence of axial parenchyma in some species, growth ring ranges from distinct to indistinct. Rays are composed of upright cells in A. muricata, fibre tracheid are also uncommon in A. muricata but common in G. suaviolis. Axial parenchyma are common in A. glauca and A. squamosa but absent in other species. The wood structure of A. glauca and A. squamosa are similar to that of C. patens, but the absence of axial parenchyma distinguished it from them. The results are important in understanding the relationships between and within the species.

  2. The KAC family of kinesin-like proteins is essential for the association of chloroplasts with the plasma membrane in land plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suetsugu, Noriyuki; Sato, Yoshikatsu; Tsuboi, Hidenori; Kasahara, Masahiro; Imaizumi, Takato; Kagawa, Takatoshi; Hiwatashi, Yuji; Hasebe, Mitsuyasu; Wada, Masamitsu

    2012-11-01

    Chloroplasts require association with the plasma membrane for movement in response to light and for appropriate positioning within the cell to capture photosynthetic light efficiently. In Arabidopsis, CHLOROPLAST UNUSUAL POSITIONING 1 (CHUP1), KINESIN-LIKE PROTEIN FOR ACTIN-BASED CHLOROPLAST MOVEMENT 1 (KAC1) and KAC2 are required for both the proper movement of chloroplasts and the association of chloroplasts with the plasma membrane, through the reorganization of short actin filaments located on the periphery of the chloroplasts. Here, we show that KAC and CHUP1 orthologs (AcKAC1, AcCHUP1A and AcCHUP1B, and PpKAC1 and PpKAC2) play important roles in chloroplast positioning in the fern Adiantum capillus-veneris and the moss Physcomitrella patens. The knockdown of AcKAC1 and two AcCHUP1 genes induced the aggregation of chloroplasts around the nucleus. Analyses of A. capillus-veneris mutants containing perinuclear-aggregated chloroplasts confirmed that AcKAC1 is required for chloroplast-plasma membrane association. In addition, P. patens lines in which two KAC genes had been knocked out showed an aggregated chloroplast phenotype similar to that of the fern kac1 mutants. These results indicate that chloroplast positioning and movement are mediated through the activities of KAC and CHUP1 proteins, which are conserved in land plants.

  3. Capparidaceae: Stuebelia Pax, sinónimo de Belencita Karsten

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dugand Armando

    1944-03-01

    Full Text Available El estudio de algunas Caparidáceas de Colombia me incito recientemente a examinar críticamente el género Relencita Karsten, descrito con una sola especie (B. Hagenii Karst. que crece en la costa del Mar Caribe, tanto en Venezuela como en Colombia. En la última recensión de las Caparidáceas, Pax y Hoffmann (en EngI. Pflanzenf. ed. 2, 17-b: 165 y 184. 1936 separan este género de Stuebelia Pax suponiendo que Stuebelia tiene ovario unilocular y Belencita bilocular.  Con todo, ladescripción original de Belencita Haqenii y del género Belencita así como la excelente ilustración que de esta planta ofrece Karsten, me han convencido de que se trata de la misma planta descrita en 1763 por Jacquin con el nombre Capparis nemorosa y que yo transferí en 1935 al género stuebelia. Por lo tanto se necesita hacer un cambio nomenclatural adscribiendo el epíteto nemorosa (1760-1763 al género Belencita (1857 descrito antes que Stuebelia (1887-1888.

  4. Vitellointestinal Duct Anomalies in Infancy

    OpenAIRE

    Kadian, Yogender Singh; Verma, Anjali; Rattan, Kamal Nain; Kajal, Pardeep

    2016-01-01

    Background: Vitellointestinal duct (VID) or omphalomesenteric duct anomalies are secondary to the persistence of the embryonic vitelline duct, which normally obliterates by weeks 5–9 of intrauterine life. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of a total of 16 patients of symptomatic remnants of vitellointestinal duct from period of Jan 2009 to May 2013. Results: Male to female ratio (M:F) was 4.3:1 and mean age of presentation was 2 months and their mode of presentation was: paten...

  5. Environmental conditions in the Namskaket Marsh Area, Orleans, Massachusetts: A summary of studies by the U.S. Geological Survey, 1989–2011

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiskel, Peter K.; Barbaro, Jeffrey R.; DeSimone, Leslie A.

    2016-09-23

    Namskaket Marsh and its tidal creek system are potential receptors for a treated wastewater plume originating from a septage treatment facility in the northwest part of Orleans, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. From 1989 to 2011, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with State and local partners, conducted a series of studies in the Namskaket Marsh area to characterize the potential effects of the plume on the marsh and its tidal creek system. Studies included characterizing the baseline vegetation and salinity distribution in the marsh, monitoring the movement of the wastewater plume downgradient of the septage treatment facility, and sampling nutrient concentrations in the tidal creek system during a baseline period prior to the arrival of the plume at the marsh boundary. The Inner Namskaket Marsh baseline vegetation survey in 1995 found it to be dominated by Phragmites australis (common reed, 44 percent of vegetative cover), Spartina patens (salt marsh hay, 17 percent), and Spartina alterniflora (cordgrass, 9 percent). Phragmites occurrence was correlated with shallow pore-water salinity in the marsh peat and was largely confined to areas with salinities less than 4 parts per thousand. Baseline, ebb-tide nutrient concentrations at the tidal creek sampling stations during 1994–96 showed strong seasonal variations for ammonium, likely associated with the seasonal cycle of growth and senescence for the dominant salt marsh grasses (S. alterniflora and S. patens). The seasonal cycle for nitrate was generally less pronounced.

  6. Growth Responses of Three Dominant Wetland Plant Species to Various Flooding and Nutrient Levels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrett, S.; Shaffer, G. P.

    2017-12-01

    Coastal Louisiana is experiencing a greater rate of wetland loss than any other wetland system in the United States. This is primarily due to anthropogenic stressors such as flood control levees, backfilling and development of wetlands, and other hydrologic modifications. Methods employed to mitigate wetland loss include the construction of river diversions and assimilation wetlands, which can provide consistent sources of freshwater influx and nutrients to impounded swamps and marshes. It is well known that prolonged flooding causes strain on wetland plant communities and facilitates or exacerbates wetland degradation. However, because river diversions and assimilation wetlands bring high nutrient loads along with freshwater, there is debate over whether prolonged flooding or high influx of nutrients is the primary cause of stress in river diversion and assimilation wetland discharge areas. This mesocosm experiment addresses this question by isolating the effects of flooding and nutrients on the biomass of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum), maidencane (Panicum hemitomon), and cordgrass (Spartina patens) over the course of a growing season. The results of this study provide clarity as to whether flooding stress, high nutrient loads, or both cause a reduction in wetland plant productivity. By evaluating the growth responses of T. distichum, P. hemitomon, and S. patens at varying nutrient regimes, we gain insight on how these more dominant species will react to high nutrient discharges from large river diversions, such as those proposed in Louisiana's 2017 Master Plan.

  7. Evolutionary conservation of plant gibberellin signalling pathway components

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reski Ralf

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Gibberellins (GA are plant hormones that can regulate germination, elongation growth, and sex determination. They ubiquitously occur in seed plants. The discovery of gibberellin receptors, together with advances in understanding the function of key components of GA signalling in Arabidopsis and rice, reveal a fairly short GA signal transduction route. The pathway essentially consists of GID1 gibberellin receptors that interact with F-box proteins, which in turn regulate degradation of downstream DELLA proteins, suppressors of GA-controlled responses. Results: Arabidopsis sequences of the gibberellin signalling compounds were used to screen databases from a variety of plants, including protists, for homologues, providing indications for the degree of conservation of the pathway. The pathway as such appears completely absent in protists, the moss Physcomitrella patens shares only a limited homology with the Arabidopsis proteins, thus lacking essential characteristics of the classical GA signalling pathway, while the lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii contains a possible ortholog for each component. The occurrence of classical GA responses can as yet not be linked with the presence of homologues of the signalling pathway. Alignments and display in neighbour joining trees of the GA signalling components confirm the close relationship of gymnosperms, monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, as suggested from previous studies. Conclusion: Homologues of the GA-signalling pathway were mainly found in vascular plants. The GA signalling system may have its evolutionary molecular onset in Physcomitrella patens, where GAs at higher concentrations affect gravitropism and elongation growth.

  8. Analyse de la croissance de Gymnogongrus patens Agardh de la ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Rhodophyta, Phyllophoraceae) a été analysée sur des échantillons d'algues récoltés mensuellement pendant un cycle annuel, d'avril 2002 à mars 2003, sur la plage de Méhdia (Nord ouest de la côte atlantique marocaine). L'analyse des paramètres de ...

  9. Gene function analysis by artificial microRNAs in Physcomitrella patens.

    KAUST Repository

    Khraiwesh, Basel; Fattash, Isam; Arif, Muhammad Asif; Frank, Wolfgang

    2011-01-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ~21 nt long small RNAs transcribed from endogenous MIR genes which form precursor RNAs with a characteristic hairpin structure. miRNAs control the expression of cognate target genes by binding to reverse complementary

  10. High-throughput mapping of cell-wall polymers within and between plants using novel microarrays

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moller, Isabel Eva; Sørensen, Iben; Bernal Giraldo, Adriana Jimena

    2007-01-01

    We describe here a methodology that enables the occurrence of cell-wall glycans to be systematically mapped throughout plants in a semi-quantitative high-throughput fashion. The technique (comprehensive microarray polymer profiling, or CoMPP) integrates the sequential extraction of glycans from...... analysis of mutant and wild-type plants, as demonstrated here for the Arabidopsis thaliana mutants fra8, mur1 and mur3. CoMPP was also applied to Physcomitrella patens cell walls and was validated by carbohydrate linkage analysis. These data provide new insights into the structure and functions of plant...

  11. Profiling Abscisic Acid-Induced Changes in Fatty Acid Composition in Mosses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shinde, Suhas; Devaiah, Shivakumar; Kilaru, Aruna

    2017-01-01

    In plants, change in lipid composition is a common response to various abiotic stresses. Lipid constituents of bryophytes are of particular interest as they differ from that of flowering plants. Unlike higher plants, mosses have high content of very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Such lipids are considered to be important for survival of nonvascular plants. Here, using abscisic acid (ABA )-induced changes in lipid composition in Physcomitrella patens as an example, a protocol for total lipid extraction and quantification by gas chromatography (GC) coupled with flame ionization detector (FID) is described.

  12. Nutritive value of Tanzania grass for dairy cows under rotational grazing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto Magno Fernandes

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available A nutritional analysis of Tanzania grass (Megathyrsus maximus Jacquin cv. Tanzânia was conducted. Pasture was managed in a rotational grazing system with a 30-day resting period, three days of paddock occupation and two grazing cycles. Ten Holstein × Zebu crossbred cows were kept within a 2-ha area divided into 11 paddocks ha-1. Cows were fed 2 kg of corn meal daily and performance was evaluated by weighing the animals every 14 days and by recording milk production twice a day. Nutritional composition of the Tanzania grass was determined from forage (extrusa samples collected by esophageal fistulae from two animals. The nutritive value of Tanzania grass was estimated according to a modification of the CNCPS evaluation model. Tanzania grass supplemented with 2 kg of corn meal supplied 33.2% more net energy for lactation than required by the animals to produce 13.7 kg of milk day-1. Nevertheless, the amount of metabolizable protein met the daily protein requirement of the animals. Although the model used in the study requires adjustments, Tanzania grass has the potential to produce milk in a rotational grazing system.

  13. Evolution Analysis of the Aux/IAA Gene Family in Plants Shows Dual Origins and Variable Nuclear Localization Signals

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    Wentao Wu

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The plant hormone auxin plays pivotal roles in many aspects of plant growth and development. The auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA gene family encodes short-lived nuclear proteins acting on auxin perception and signaling, but the evolutionary history of this gene family remains to be elucidated. In this study, the Aux/IAA gene family in 17 plant species covering all major lineages of plants is identified and analyzed by using multiple bioinformatics methods. A total of 434 Aux/IAA genes was found among these plant species, and the gene copy number ranges from three (Physcomitrella patens to 63 (Glycine max. The phylogenetic analysis shows that the canonical Aux/IAA proteins can be generally divided into five major clades, and the origin of Aux/IAA proteins could be traced back to the common ancestor of land plants and green algae. Many truncated Aux/IAA proteins were found, and some of these truncated Aux/IAA proteins may be generated from the C-terminal truncation of auxin response factor (ARF proteins. Our results indicate that tandem and segmental duplications play dominant roles for the expansion of the Aux/IAA gene family mainly under purifying selection. The putative nuclear localization signals (NLSs in Aux/IAA proteins are conservative, and two kinds of new primordial bipartite NLSs in P. patens and Selaginella moellendorffii were discovered. Our findings not only give insights into the origin and expansion of the Aux/IAA gene family, but also provide a basis for understanding their functions during the course of evolution.

  14. Evolution Analysis of the Aux/IAA Gene Family in Plants Shows Dual Origins and Variable Nuclear Localization Signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wentao; Liu, Yaxue; Wang, Yuqian; Li, Huimin; Liu, Jiaxi; Tan, Jiaxin; He, Jiadai; Bai, Jingwen; Ma, Haoli

    2017-10-08

    The plant hormone auxin plays pivotal roles in many aspects of plant growth and development. The auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) gene family encodes short-lived nuclear proteins acting on auxin perception and signaling, but the evolutionary history of this gene family remains to be elucidated. In this study, the Aux/IAA gene family in 17 plant species covering all major lineages of plants is identified and analyzed by using multiple bioinformatics methods. A total of 434 Aux/IAA genes was found among these plant species, and the gene copy number ranges from three ( Physcomitrella patens ) to 63 ( Glycine max ). The phylogenetic analysis shows that the canonical Aux/IAA proteins can be generally divided into five major clades, and the origin of Aux/IAA proteins could be traced back to the common ancestor of land plants and green algae. Many truncated Aux/IAA proteins were found, and some of these truncated Aux/IAA proteins may be generated from the C-terminal truncation of auxin response factor (ARF) proteins. Our results indicate that tandem and segmental duplications play dominant roles for the expansion of the Aux/IAA gene family mainly under purifying selection. The putative nuclear localization signals (NLSs) in Aux/IAA proteins are conservative, and two kinds of new primordial bipartite NLSs in P. patens and Selaginella moellendorffii were discovered. Our findings not only give insights into the origin and expansion of the Aux/IAA gene family, but also provide a basis for understanding their functions during the course of evolution.

  15. Ecological-photosynthetic system for the treatment of swine wastewater in farm; Proceso ecologico-fotosintetico para la depuracion de purines en grajas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duran Barrantes, M. M.; Alvarez Mateos, P.; Carta Escobar, F.; Romero guzman, F. [Universidad de Sevilla (Spain); Fiestas Ros de Ursinos, J. A. [Instituto de la Grasa. Sevilla (Spain)

    2000-07-01

    The Ecological-Photosynthetic System (Paten n. 8901368, C.S.I.C.) is a low cost process of operational simplicity; his only energetic source is solar radiation. It is based on the ecological development of different communities of microorganisms in order to avoid negative interactions between them, immobilized on clayey support. The present work went in pursuit of the study of an integral biological plant in a piggery farm, from October of 1993 to June of 1995. Its high purification performance and nil running costs make it ideal for treating waste water from small farms. (Author) 13 refs.

  16. Elucidating the roles of MAP kinases in the moss Physcomitrella patens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stanimirovic, Sabrina

    changes of plant immunity required for the conquest of land by plants. I describe the role of MPKs (MPK3, MPK5, RAK1 & double knockout RAK1/RAK2) upon abiotic stress by characterizing the phenotypes and morphological changes there may be during stress treatments. I characterized the mutant phenotypes...... during treatment with phytohormones and osmotic and light stress. This thesis contains of a general introduction to plant immunity and the role of MPKs in signaling processes related to immunity, abiotic stress, and plant development in both vascular and non-vascular plants. The focus in this thesis......-Acetyltransferase-Kinase). This thesis and work on these MPK mutants gives the laboratory a great start on several future publications, since many of the mutant lines have interesting phenotypes with and without exposure to abiotic stresses...

  17. CHANGES AND MODIFICATIONS OF THE TROUSERS PATENS FOR NON-STANDARD FIGURES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SUDACEVSCHI SVETLANA

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Among the problems faced by the constructors of clothing goods are the non-standard figures of the human body. The present article examines the possibilities of modifying the curve of women’s trousers. The author proposes methods of chang­ing the basic drawing of the women’s trousers for figures with non-standard figures and to use these methods in the process of training in specialized educational institutions.

  18. Mortalidad y repelencia en Eupalamides cyparissias (Lepidoptera: Castniidae, plaga de la palma aceitera Elaeis guineensis, por efecto de diez extractos botánicos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana D. PÉREZ

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Las plantas con actividad insecticida constituyen un importante componente del manejo integrado de plagas. Bajo esta premisa, el objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la mortalidad y repelencia larval de Eupalamides cyparissias Fab. (Lepidoptera: Castniidae, plaga de la palma aceitera Elaeis guineensis Jacquin; empleando diez plantas con potencial insecticida: Ucullucuysacha ( Heliotropium indicum L., Boraginaceae, Floripondio ( Brugmansia x candida Pers., Solanaceae, Oreja de Tigre ( Tradescantia zebrina Hort ex Bosse, Commelinaceae, Piñón Blanco ( Jathropa curcas L., Euphorbiaceae, Sacha yoco ( Paullinia clavigera Schltdl., Sapindaceae, Yuquilla ( Euphorbia cotinifolia L., Euphorbiaceae, Achiote ( Bixa orellana L., Bixaceae, Retama común ( Cassia fistula L., Fabaceae, Huancahuisacha ( Aristolochia pilosa Kunth, Aristolochiaceae y Curare ( Chondrodendron tomentosum Ruiz & Pavon, Menispermaceae. Los bioensayos con E. cyparissias abarcaron entre 1 h y 24 h, bajo condiciones estandardizadas de laboratorio. A 24 h de exposición, los mayores porcentajes de mortalidad de E. cyparissias se presentaron en los tratamientos con Sacha yoco (63,3 %: corteza y hojas en decocción, Achiote (63,3 %: semillas en licuado y Yuquilla (48,3 %: hojas en licuado. En el caso de la repelencia, los mayores efectos se encontraron en los tratamientos con Achiote (83,30 %, Sacha yoco (75 % y Floripondio (66,7 %: hojas en licuado.

  19. Revaluación de Philodendron hederaceum Schott (1829 como transferencia de Arum hederaceum Jacq

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dugand Armando

    1945-12-01

    Full Text Available La combinación Philodendron hederaceum: Schott, publicada en 1829 fide Endlicher y Schlechtendal 1831, se considera aquí como transferencia implícita pero válida de Arum hederaceum Jacq. (1760-1763. Los conceptos citados por algunos autores como "Arum hederaceum L." y "Arum hederaceum Willd." representan el mismo Arum hederaceum de Jacquin. "Ph. hederaceum Kunth 1841", excluyendo la referencia a "Martinica", también es el mismo Arum hetieraceum. Jacq. En cuanto a Ph. Jacquinii Schott 1856 es nombre superfluo y sinónimo de Philodendron hederaceum (Jacq, Schott, nombre este que se adopta aquí para la planta típica de Cartagena. EI nombre "Philodendron hederaceum Schott" de 1856, basado en una planta de la Martinica, representa un concepto distinto al de 1829 del mismo autor y por lo tanto se trata aquí como homónimo posterior ilegitimo.   Varios autores han considerado al Arum hetieraceum. Jacq. como especie dudosa, referible al Philodendron Hoftmannii Schott (1858 de Costa Rica. Por falta de material apropiado de aquel país no se puede resolver la cuestión por ahora. Ejemplares topotípicos, recientemente obtenidos no lejos de Cartagena, localidad clásica de Arum hederaceum. Jacq., han servido para esta revaluación.

  20. Protocorms of an epiphytic orchid (Epidendrum amphistomum A. Richard recovered in situ, and subsequent identification of associated mycorrhizal fungi using molecular markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lawrence W. Zettler

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Epiphytic orchids have received considerable study, yet little has been published on their germination requirements in situ involving mycorrhizal fungi. Such research has been hampered by the small, dust-like size of seeds and leafless seedlings (protocorms which are difficult to pinpoint on natural substrates, especially those on arboreal substrates (tree limbs. We report a novel seed sowing and retrieval method, modified from one applied to terrestrial orchids, used in the acquisition of epiphytic orchid protocorms from the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. Seeds from two epiphytic orchid species (Epidendrum amphistomum A. Richard, E. nocturnum Jacquin were placed in separate nylon mesh packets secured within 35 mm plastic slide mounts, and affixed to tree bark using gutter mesh and a staple gun. To confirm that the embryos were viable, some seeds were also sown on asymbiotic media in the laboratory which subsequently germinated after 52 days incubation. Of 60 packets distributed among 18 tree limb sites, one packet – harboring seeds of E. amphistomum affixed to pop ash (Fraxinus caroliniana Mill. on a moss substrate – harbored protocorms after 267 days. Using molecular markers, a fungus assignable to the Ceratobasidiaceae, appears to be the mycorrhizal associate of these protocorms suggesting that this fungus may be associated with the germination process in situ.

  1. Comparison of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae in plants from disturbed and adjacent undisturbed regions of a coastal salt marsh in Clinton, Connecticut, USA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooke, John C.; Lefor, Michael W.

    1990-01-01

    Roots of salt marsh plant species Spartina alterniflora, S. patens, Distichlis spicata, and others were examined for the presence of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi. Samples were taken from introduced planted material in a salt marsh restoration project and from native material in adjacent marsh areas along the Indian River, Clinton, Connecticut, USA. After ten years the replanted area still has sites devoid of vegetation. The salt marsh plants introduced there were devoid of VAM fungi, while high marsh species from the adjacent undisturbed region showed consistent infection, leading the authors to suggest that VAM fungal infection of planting stocks may be a factor in the success of marsh restoration.

  2. A primary survey on bryophyte species reveals two novel classes of nucleotide-binding site (NBS genes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jia-Yu Xue

    Full Text Available Due to their potential roles in pathogen defense, genes encoding nucleotide-binding site (NBS domain have been particularly surveyed in many angiosperm genomes. Two typical classes were found: one is the TIR-NBS-LRR (TNL class and the other is the CC-NBS-LRR (CNL class. It is seldom known, however, what kind of NBS-encoding genes are mainly present in other plant groups, especially the most ancient groups of land plants, that is, bryophytes. To fill this gap of knowledge, in this study, we mainly focused on two bryophyte species: the moss Physcomitrella patens and the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, to survey their NBS-encoding genes. Surprisingly, two novel classes of NBS-encoding genes were discovered. The first novel class is identified from the P. patens genome and a typical member of this class has a protein kinase (PK domain at the N-terminus and a LRR domain at the C-terminus, forming a complete structure of PK-NBS-LRR (PNL, reminiscent of TNL and CNL classes in angiosperms. The second class is found from the liverwort genome and a typical member of this class possesses an α/β-hydrolase domain at the N-terminus and also a LRR domain at the C-terminus (Hydrolase-NBS-LRR, HNL. Analysis on intron positions and phases also confirmed the novelty of HNL and PNL classes, as reflected by their specific intron locations or phase characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis covering all four classes of NBS-encoding genes revealed a closer relationship among the HNL, PNL and TNL classes, suggesting the CNL class having a more divergent status from the others. The presence of specific introns highlights the chimerical structures of HNL, PNL and TNL genes, and implies their possible origin via exon-shuffling during the quick lineage separation processes of early land plants.

  3. The American mink (Neovison vison) is a competent host for native European parasites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Rondán, F J; Ruiz de Ybáñez, M R; Tizzani, P; López-Beceiro, A M; Fidalgo, L E; Martínez-Carrasco, C

    2017-11-30

    The American mink (Neovison vison) is a mustelid native to North America that was introduced in Europe and the former USSR for fur farming. Throughout the last century, accidental or deliberate escapes of mink from farms caused the establishment of stable feral populations. In fact, the American mink is considered an invasive alien species in 28 European countries. The present study evaluates the gastrointestinal and cardiopulmonary helminth fauna of the American mink in Galicia (NW Spain) to understand its role as a potential reservoir for parasites affecting other autochthonous mustelids. In the period 2008-2014, fifty American mink (35 males and 15 females) of different ages (22 immature and 28 adults) from the provinces of Lugo, Ourense and Pontevedra were captured and sacrificed. Eight parasite species were found (6 nematodes and 2 trematodes) with the following prevalences: Molineus patens (68%), Aonchotheca putorii (54%), Crenosoma melesi (10%), Aonchotheca annulosa (8%), Angiostrongylus daskalovi (6%), Aelurostrongylus spp. (2%), Troglotrema acutum (2%) and an unidentified trematode (2%). Eighty-two per cent of the mink harboured helminths, including 15 animals (30%) infected by only one parasite species, 19 (38%) by two species, 5 (10%) by three species and 2 mink (4%) by four species. All helminth species identified are native to European mustelids. Statistical models were used to evaluate if animal characteristics (age, sex and weight), date and capture area influenced the prevalence, intensity or parasite richness. Statistical differences were detected only in models for intensity of M. patens, A. putorii and C. melesi. This is the first report of Angiostrongylus daskalovi, a cardiopulmonary nematode, and A. annulosa, a gastrointestinal nematode specific of rodents, in American mink. Moreover, although the fluke T. acutum has already been cited in American mink, to our knowledge, the present study represents the first report of this trematode in the

  4. Post-translational control of nitrate reductase activity responding to light and photosynthesis evolved already in the early vascular plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nemie-Feyissa, Dugassa; Królicka, Adriana; Førland, Nina; Hansen, Margarita; Heidari, Behzad; Lillo, Cathrine

    2013-05-01

    Regulation of nitrate reductase (NR) by reversible phosphorylation at a conserved motif is well established in higher plants, and enables regulation of NR in response to rapid fluctuations in light intensity. This regulation is not conserved in algae NR, and we wished to test the evolutionary origin of the regulatory mechanism by physiological examination of ancient land plants. Especially a member of the lycophytes is of interest since their NR is candidate for regulation by reversible phosphorylation based on sequence analysis. We compared Selaginella kraussiana, a member of the lycophytes and earliest vascular plants, with the angiosperm Arabidopsis thaliana, and also tested the moss Physcomitrella patens. Interestingly, optimization of assay conditions revealed that S. kraussiana NR used NADH as an electron donor like A. thaliana, whereas P. patens NR activity depended on NADPH. Examination of light/darkness effects showed that S. kraussiana NR was rapidly regulated similar to A. thaliana NR when a differential (Mg(2+) contra EDTA) assay was used to reveal activity state of NR. This implies that already existing NR enzyme was post-translationally activated by light in both species. Light had a positive effect also on de novo synthesis of NR in S. kraussiana, which could be shown after the plants had been exposed to a prolonged dark period (7 days). Daily variations in NR activity were mainly caused by post-translational modifications. As for angiosperms, the post-translational light activation of NR in S. kraussiana was inhibited by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1*1-dimethylurea (DCMU), an inhibitor of photosynthesis and stomata opening. Evolutionary, a post-translational control mechanism for NR have occurred before or in parallel with development of vascular tissue in land plants, and appears to be part of a complex mechanisms for coordination of CO2 and nitrogen metabolism in these plants. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  5. RECG maintains plastid and mitochondrial genome stability by suppressing extensive recombination between short dispersed repeats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masaki Odahara

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Maintenance of plastid and mitochondrial genome stability is crucial for photosynthesis and respiration, respectively. Recently, we have reported that RECA1 maintains mitochondrial genome stability by suppressing gross rearrangements induced by aberrant recombination between short dispersed repeats in the moss Physcomitrella patens. In this study, we studied a newly identified P. patens homolog of bacterial RecG helicase, RECG, some of which is localized in both plastid and mitochondrial nucleoids. RECG partially complements recG deficiency in Escherichia coli cells. A knockout (KO mutation of RECG caused characteristic phenotypes including growth delay and developmental and mitochondrial defects, which are similar to those of the RECA1 KO mutant. The RECG KO cells showed heterogeneity in these phenotypes. Analyses of RECG KO plants showed that mitochondrial genome was destabilized due to a recombination between 8-79 bp repeats and the pattern of the recombination partly differed from that observed in the RECA1 KO mutants. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA instability was greater in severe phenotypic RECG KO cells than that in mild phenotypic ones. This result suggests that mitochondrial genomic instability is responsible for the defective phenotypes of RECG KO plants. Some of the induced recombination caused efficient genomic rearrangements in RECG KO mitochondria. Such loci were sometimes associated with a decrease in the levels of normal mtDNA and significant decrease in the number of transcripts derived from the loci. In addition, the RECG KO mutation caused remarkable plastid abnormalities and induced recombination between short repeats (12-63 bp in the plastid DNA. These results suggest that RECG plays a role in the maintenance of both plastid and mitochondrial genome stability by suppressing aberrant recombination between dispersed short repeats; this role is crucial for plastid and mitochondrial functions.

  6. Barrier island morphology and sediment characteristics affect the recovery of dune building grasses following storm-induced overwash.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brantley, Steven T; Bissett, Spencer N; Young, Donald R; Wolner, Catherine W V; Moore, Laura J

    2014-01-01

    Barrier islands are complex and dynamic systems that provide critical ecosystem services to coastal populations. Stability of these systems is threatened by rising sea level and the potential for coastal storms to increase in frequency and intensity. Recovery of dune-building grasses following storms is an important process that promotes topographic heterogeneity and long-term stability of barrier islands, yet factors that drive dune recovery are poorly understood. We examined vegetation recovery in overwash zones on two geomorphically distinct (undisturbed vs. frequently overwashed) barrier islands on the Virginia coast, USA. We hypothesized that vegetation recovery in overwash zones would be driven primarily by environmental characteristics, especially elevation and beach width. We sampled species composition and environmental characteristics along a continuum of disturbance from active overwash zones to relict overwash zones and in adjacent undisturbed environments. We compared species assemblages along the disturbance chronosequence and between islands and we analyzed species composition data and environmental measurements with Canonical Correspondence Analysis to link community composition with environmental characteristics. Recovering and geomorphically stable dunes were dominated by Ammophila breviligulata Fernaud (Poaceae) on both islands while active overwash zones were dominated by Spartina patens (Aiton) Muhl. (Poaceae) on the frequently disturbed island and bare sand on the less disturbed island. Species composition was associated with environmental characteristics only on the frequently disturbed island (p = 0.005) where A. breviligulata was associated with higher elevation and greater beach width. Spartina patens, the second most abundant species, was associated with larger sediment grain size and greater sediment size distribution. On the less frequently disturbed island, time since disturbance was the only factor that affected community

  7. Barrier island morphology and sediment characteristics affect the recovery of dune building grasses following storm-induced overwash.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steven T Brantley

    Full Text Available Barrier islands are complex and dynamic systems that provide critical ecosystem services to coastal populations. Stability of these systems is threatened by rising sea level and the potential for coastal storms to increase in frequency and intensity. Recovery of dune-building grasses following storms is an important process that promotes topographic heterogeneity and long-term stability of barrier islands, yet factors that drive dune recovery are poorly understood. We examined vegetation recovery in overwash zones on two geomorphically distinct (undisturbed vs. frequently overwashed barrier islands on the Virginia coast, USA. We hypothesized that vegetation recovery in overwash zones would be driven primarily by environmental characteristics, especially elevation and beach width. We sampled species composition and environmental characteristics along a continuum of disturbance from active overwash zones to relict overwash zones and in adjacent undisturbed environments. We compared species assemblages along the disturbance chronosequence and between islands and we analyzed species composition data and environmental measurements with Canonical Correspondence Analysis to link community composition with environmental characteristics. Recovering and geomorphically stable dunes were dominated by Ammophila breviligulata Fernaud (Poaceae on both islands while active overwash zones were dominated by Spartina patens (Aiton Muhl. (Poaceae on the frequently disturbed island and bare sand on the less disturbed island. Species composition was associated with environmental characteristics only on the frequently disturbed island (p = 0.005 where A. breviligulata was associated with higher elevation and greater beach width. Spartina patens, the second most abundant species, was associated with larger sediment grain size and greater sediment size distribution. On the less frequently disturbed island, time since disturbance was the only factor that affected

  8. How is the chlorophyll count affected by burned and unburned marsh areas?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kendrick, C.

    2017-12-01

    Does marsh burnings, either man made or natural, hinder or help Louisiana's vitally important coastal plant life? Does the carbon produced from the fires have a negative effect on the chlorophyll count of these precious living protective barriers? Or does it help contribute to raising the plants chlorophyll count? Along Louisiana's Gulf Coast, marsh burnings are conducted every 2-4 years to destroy some of the Spartina patens. Fires and smoke may have an effect on the chlorophyll count of the plants found in Louisiana's marshes. Peat burns, root burns, and cover burns are the three types of marsh fires. These burns can be either man made or started by natural causes. Peat burns occur when the soil is dry due to a drained marsh. Root burns occur when plant roots are burned without the soil being consumed. Cover burns occur when several centimeters of water covers the soil. Cover burns are often used by Wildlife and Fisheries personnel to promote preferred plant food growth like Scirpus olneyi rather than the dominant Spartina patens. Our project was conducted by testing marsh plants and obtaining chlorophyll count of both a burned (cover burn) and an unburned area. Approximately one year after the burn, in August 2015, we tested the burned area's site. We retested the same site in December 2016. The results from our testing showed that there was a slightly higher chlorophyll count in the burned area. The chlorophyll count average from the two testing days was 33.5 in the burned area and 30.15 in the unburned area. Our hypothesis was that the chlorophyll content of "controlled" burned wetland areas will have a higher amount than the "no" burn area. The experiment results supported this hypothesis by showing an increase of 3.35 average in the burned area.

  9. Evolution of plant cell wall: Arabinogalactan-proteins from three moss genera show structural differences compared to seed plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartels, Desirée; Baumann, Alexander; Maeder, Malte; Geske, Thomas; Heise, Esther Marie; von Schwartzenberg, Klaus; Classen, Birgit

    2017-05-01

    Arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) are important proteoglycans of plant cell walls. They seem to be present in most, if not all seed plants, but their occurrence and structure in bryophytes is widely unknown and actually the focus of AGP research. With regard to evolution of plant cell wall, we isolated AGPs from the three mosses Sphagnum sp., Physcomitrella patens and Polytrichastrum formosum. The moss AGPs show structural characteristics common for AGPs of seed plants, but also unique features, especially 3-O-methyl-rhamnose (trivial name acofriose) as terminal monosaccharide not found in arabinogalactan-proteins of angiosperms and 1,2,3-linked galactose as branching point never found in arabinogalactan-proteins before. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Genome-wide analysis of SINA family in plants and their phylogenetic relationships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Meng; Jin, Ying; Fu, Junjie; Zhu, Yun; Zheng, Jun; Hu, Jian; Wang, Guoying

    2008-06-01

    SINA genes in plants are part of a multigene family with 5 members in Arabidopsis thaliana, 10 members in Populus trichocarpa, 6 members in Oryza sativa, at least 6 members in Zea mays and at least 1 member in Physcomitrella patens. Six members in maize were confirmed by RT-PCR. All SINAs have one RING domain and one SINA domain. These two domains are highly conserved in plants. According to the motif organization and phylogenetic tree, SINA family members were divided into 2 groups. In addition, through semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of maize members and Digital Northern analysis of Arabidopsis and rice members, we found that the tissue expression patterns are more diverse in monocot than in Arabidopsis.

  11. Batrachedra nuciferae, an inflorescence-feeding moth associated with coconut, Cocos nucifera, and palmiste, Roystonea oleracea, in Trinidad, West Indies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cock, Matthew J W

    2013-01-01

    In 2006, Batrachedra nuciferae Hodges (Lepidoptera: Batrachedridae) was the first phytophagous insect to be reported from inflorescences of coconut, Cocos nucifera L. (Arecales: Arecaceae), in Trinidad, West Indies. At that time, it was suggested to be an introduced species contributing to decreasing coconut yields on the island and potentially a threat to other palms. In this preliminary study, inflorescences of coconut, seven indigenous palms, and six exotic ornamental palms were surveyed in several areas of Trinidad. Caterpillars of more than 10 species of Lepidoptera were found and reared through to the adult stage. Batrachedra nuciferae was positively identified. It was concluded that the caterpillars of B. nuciferae feed on pollen in the male flowers of coconut and palmiste or royal palm, Roystonea oleracea (Jacquin) O.F. Cook. There was no evidence that B. nuciferae bred on any of the other palms surveyed, but it is not conclusive that they do not do so. A parasitoid, Apanteles (sensu lato) sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), of B. nuciferae was reared. On available information, B. nuciferae is more likely to be an indigenous species that has hitherto been overlooked than an introduced species. In view of what is known about damage-yield relationships and biological control agents, B. nuciferae is unlikely to cause yield losses to coconut, so control measures are not justified.

  12. Microgravity is the experimentl basis for understanding of the peculiarities of plant morphogenesis in the gravitational field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demkiv, O. T.; Kordyum, Ye. L.; Khorkavtsiv, Ya. D.; Tairbekov, M. G.

    Spiral growth of the gravisensitive protonema of Ceratodon purpureus moss is revealed in real microgravity during space flight. Caulonema differentiation with oblique cell partitions and deviation of an apical cell growth zone from the growth horizontal axis were shown to precede the stolon spiralization. The slope of subapical cell walls enables an apical cell to revolve on its long axis, overcome the substrate and gravity resistance, and become twisted. Investigations of C. purpureus, Burbula unguiculata and Physcomitrella patens protonema growth in the conditions of 1g, real and simulated microgravity (clinorotation) in darkness and under different light intensity and nutrient medium composition show that protonema morphogenesis is above all regulated by endogenous signals, action of which is concealed by gravity or light on the Earth.

  13. AcEST: DK948281 [AcEST

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available r|A9TMK2|A9TMK2_PHYPA Predicted protein OS=Physcomitrella paten... 87 7e-16 tr|A9ZPL1|A9ZPL1_WHEAT Agmatin...e coumaroyltransferase (Fragment) ... 84 6e-15 tr|A9ZPJ9|A9ZPJ9_WHEAT Agmatine coum...aroyltransferase (Fragment) ... 84 6e-15 tr|A9ZPK0|A9ZPK0_WHEAT Agmatine coumaroyltransferase (Fragment) ...... 84 8e-15 tr|A9ZPK8|A9ZPK8_WHEAT Agmatine coumaroyltransferase (Fragment) ... 83 ...2e-14 tr|A9ZPL0|A9ZPL0_WHEAT Agmatine coumaroyltransferase (Fragment) ... 82 2e-14 tr|A9ZPK4|A9ZPK4_WHEAT Agmatine

  14. Metabolic engineering of the diterpenoid sclareol in the moss Physcomitrella patens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pan, Xiwu

    Plant terpenoids play indispensable roles in primary metabolism as the vital constituents in photosynthesis (chlorophylls, carotenoids and plastoquinones), respiration (ubiquinone) and development regulation (gibberellins, abscisic acid, cytokinin and brassinosteroids). They are also the membrane...

  15. Enzymatic Properties and Mutational Studies of Chalcone Synthase from Physcomitrella patens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahiran Basri

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available PpCHS is a member of the type III polyketide synthase family and catalyses the synthesis of the flavonoid precursor naringenin chalcone from p-coumaroyl-CoA. Recent research reports the production of pyrone derivatives using either hexanoyl-CoA or butyryl-CoA as starter molecule. The Cys-His-Asn catalytic triad found in other plant chalcone synthase predicted polypeptides is conserved in PpCHS. Site directed mutagenesis involving these amino acids residing in the active-site cavity revealed that the cavity volume of the active-site plays a significant role in the selection of starter molecules as well as product formation. Substitutions of Cys 170 with Arg and Ser amino acids decreased the ability of the PpCHS to utilize hexanoyl-CoA as a starter molecule, which directly effected the production of pyrone derivatives (products. These substitutions are believed to have a restricted number of elongations of the growing polypeptide chain due to the smaller cavity volume of the mutant’s active site.

  16. Species and tissue type regulate long-term decomposition of brackish marsh plants grown under elevated CO2 conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Joshua A; Cherry, Julia A; Mckee, Karen L.

    2016-01-01

    Organic matter accumulation, the net effect of plant production and decomposition, contributes to vertical soil accretion in coastal wetlands, thereby playing a key role in whether they keep pace with sea-level rise. Any factor that affects decomposition may affect wetland accretion, including atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Higher CO2 can influence decomposition rates by altering plant tissue chemistry or by causing shifts in plant species composition or biomass partitioning. A combined greenhouse-field experiment examined how elevated CO2 affected plant tissue chemistry and subsequent decomposition of above- and belowground tissues of two common brackish marsh species, Schoenoplectus americanus (C3) and Spartina patens (C4). Both species were grown in monoculture and in mixture under ambient (350-385 μL L-1) or elevated (ambient + 300 μL L-1) atmospheric CO2 conditions, with all other growth conditions held constant, for one growing season. Above- and belowground tissues produced under these treatments were decomposed under ambient field conditions in a brackish marsh in the Mississippi River Delta, USA. Elevated CO2 significantly reduced nitrogen content of S. americanus, but not sufficiently to affect subsequent decomposition. Instead, long-term decomposition (percent mass remaining after 280 d) was controlled by species composition and tissue type. Shoots of S. patens had more mass remaining (41 ± 2%) than those of S. americanus (12 ± 2 %). Belowground material decomposed more slowly than that placed aboveground (62 ± 1% vs. 23 ± 3% mass remaining), but rates belowground did not differ between species. Increases in atmospheric CO2concentration will likely have a greater effect on overall decomposition in this brackish marsh community through shifts in species dominance or biomass allocation than through effects on tissue chemistry. Consequent changes in organic matter accumulation may alter marsh capacity to accommodate sea-level rise

  17. Genes of the most conserved WOX clade in plants affect root and flower development in Arabidopsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moreau Hervé

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Wuschel related homeobox (WOX family proteins are key regulators implicated in the determination of cell fate in plants by preventing cell differentiation. A recent WOX phylogeny, based on WOX homeodomains, showed that all of the Physcomitrella patens and Selaginella moellendorffii WOX proteins clustered into a single orthologous group. We hypothesized that members of this group might preferentially share a significant part of their function in phylogenetically distant organisms. Hence, we first validated the limits of the WOX13 orthologous group (WOX13 OG using the occurrence of other clade specific signatures and conserved intron insertion sites. Secondly, a functional analysis using expression data and mutants was undertaken. Results The WOX13 OG contained the most conserved plant WOX proteins including the only WOX detected in the highly proliferating basal unicellular and photosynthetic organism Ostreococcus tauri. A large expansion of the WOX family was observed after the separation of mosses from other land plants and before monocots and dicots have arisen. In Arabidopsis thaliana, AtWOX13 was dynamically expressed during primary and lateral root initiation and development, in gynoecium and during embryo development. AtWOX13 appeared to affect the floral transition. An intriguing clade, represented by the functional AtWOX14 gene inside the WOX13 OG, was only found in the Brassicaceae. Compared to AtWOX13, the gene expression profile of AtWOX14 was restricted to the early stages of lateral root formation and specific to developing anthers. A mutational insertion upstream of the AtWOX14 homeodomain sequence led to abnormal root development, a delay in the floral transition and premature anther differentiation. Conclusion Our data provide evidence in favor of the WOX13 OG as the clade containing the most conserved WOX genes and established a functional link to organ initiation and development in Arabidopsis, most

  18. Tomato Cutin Deficient 1 (CD1) and putative orthologs comprise an ancient family of cutin synthase‐like (CUS) proteins that are conserved among land plants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yeats, Trevor H.; Huang, Wenlin; Chatterjee, Subhasish

    2014-01-01

    synthases within the large GDSL superfamily. We demonstrate that members of this ancient and conserved family of cutin synthase‐like (CUS) proteins act as polyester synthases with negligible hydrolytic activity. Moreover, solution‐state NMR analysis indicates that CD1 catalyzes the formation of primarily...... of hydroxyacylglycerol precursors, catalyzed by the GDSL‐motif lipase/hydrolase family protein (GDSL) Cutin Deficient 1 (CD1). Here, we present additional biochemical characterization of CD1 and putative orthologs from Arabidopsis thaliana and the moss Physcomitrella patens, which represent a distinct clade of cutin...... linear cutin oligomeric products in vitro. These results reveal a conserved mechanism of cutin polyester synthesis in land plants, and suggest that elaborations of the linear polymer, such as branching or cross‐linking, may require additional, as yet unknown, factors....

  19. Patent Assessment Quality

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Burke, Paul F.; Reitzig, Markus

    2006-01-01

    The increasing number of patent applications worldwide and the extension of patenting to the areas of software and business methods have triggered a debate on "patent quality". While patent quality may have various dimensions, this paper argues that consistency in the decision making on the side...... of the patent office is one important dimension, particularly in new patenting areas (emerging technologies). In order to understand whether patent offices appear capable of providing consistent assessments of a patent's technological quality in such novel industries from the beginning, we study the concordance...... of the European Patent Office's (EPO's) granting and opoposition decisions for individual patents. We use the historical example of biotech patens filed between 1978 until 1986, the early stage of the industry. Our results indicate that the EPO shows systematically different assessments of technological quality...

  20. The Physcomitrella genome reveals evolutionary insights into the conquest of land by plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rensing, Stefan A.; Lang, Daniel; Zimmer, Andreas D.; Terry, Astrid; Salamov, Asaf; Shapiro, Harris; Nishiyama, Tomaoki; Perroud, Pierre-Francois; Lindquist, Erika A.; Kamisugi, Yasuko; Tanahashi, Takako; Sakakibara, Keiko; Fujita, Tomomichi; Oishi, Kazuko; Shin, Tadasu; Kuroki, Yoko; Toyoda, Atsushi; Suzuki, Yutaka; Hashimoto, Shin-ichi; Yamaguchi, Kazuo; Sugano, Sumio; Kohara, Yuji; Fujiyama, Asao; Anterola, Aldwin; Aoki, Setsuyuki; Ashton, Neil; Barbazuk, W. Brad; Barker, Elizabeth; Bennetzen, Jeffrey L.; Blankenship, Robert; Cho, Sung Hyun; Dutcher, Susan K.; Estelle, Mark; Fawcett, Jeffrey A.; Gundlach, Heidrum; Hanada, Kousuke; Melkozernov, Alexander; Murata, Takashi; Nelson, David R.; Pils, Birgit; Prigge, Michael; Reiss, Bernd; Renner, Tanya; Rombauts, Stephane; Rushton, Paul J.; Sanderfoot, Anton; Schween, Gabriele; Shiu, Shin-Han; Stueber, Kurt; Theodoulou, Frederica L.; Tu, Hank; Van de Peer, Yves; Verrier, Paul J.; Waters, Elizabeth; Wood, Andrew; Yang, Lixing; Cove, David; Cuming, Andrew C.; Hasebe, Mitsayasu; Lucas, Susan; Mishler, Brent D.; Reski, Ralf; Grigoriev, Igor V.; Quatrano, Rakph S.; Boore, Jeffrey L.

    2007-09-18

    We report the draft genome sequence of the model moss Physcomitrella patens and compare its features with those of flowering plants, from which it is separated by more than 400 million years, and unicellular aquatic algae. This comparison reveals genomic changes concomitant with the evolutionary movement to land, including a general increase in gene family complexity; loss of genes associated with aquatic environments (e.g., flagellar arms); acquisition of genes for tolerating terrestrial stresses (e.g., variation in temperature and water availability); and the development of the auxin and abscisic acid signaling pathways for coordinating multicellular growth and dehydration response. The Physcomitrella genome provides a resource for phylogenetic inferences about gene function and for experimental analysis of plant processes through this plant's unique facility for reverse genetics.

  1. Heterologous stable expression of terpenoid biosynthetic genes using the moss Physcomitrella patens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bach, Søren Spanner; King, Brian Christopher; Zhan, Xin

    2014-01-01

    Heterologous and stable expression of genes encoding terpenoid biosynthetic enzymes in planta is an important tool for functional characterization and is an attractive alternative to expression in microbial hosts for biotechnological production. Despite improvements to the procedure, such as stre...

  2. Molecular evolution of glutamine synthetase II: Phylogenetic evidence of a non-endosymbiotic gene transfer event early in plant evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tartar Aurélien

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Glutamine synthetase (GS is essential for ammonium assimilation and the biosynthesis of glutamine. The three GS gene families (GSI, GSII, and GSIII are represented in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. In this study, we examined the evolutionary relationship of GSII from eubacterial and eukaryotic lineages and present robust phylogenetic evidence that GSII was transferred from γ-Proteobacteria (Eubacteria to the Chloroplastida. Results GSII sequences were isolated from four species of green algae (Trebouxiophyceae, and additional green algal (Chlorophyceae and Prasinophytae and streptophyte (Charales, Desmidiales, Bryophyta, Marchantiophyta, Lycopodiophyta and Tracheophyta sequences were obtained from public databases. In Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses, eubacterial (GSIIB and eukaryotic (GSIIE GSII sequences formed distinct clades. Both GSIIB and GSIIE were found in chlorophytes and early-diverging streptophytes. The GSIIB enzymes from these groups formed a well-supported sister clade with the γ-Proteobacteria, providing evidence that GSIIB in the Chloroplastida arose by horizontal gene transfer (HGT. Bayesian relaxed molecular clock analyses suggest that GSIIB and GSIIE coexisted for an extended period of time but it is unclear whether the proposed HGT happened prior to or after the divergence of the primary endosymbiotic lineages (the Archaeplastida. However, GSIIB genes have not been identified in glaucophytes or red algae, favoring the hypothesis that GSIIB was gained after the divergence of the primary endosymbiotic lineages. Duplicate copies of the GSIIB gene were present in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Volvox carteri f. nagariensis, and Physcomitrella patens. Both GSIIB proteins in C. reinhardtii and V. carteri f. nagariensis had N-terminal transit sequences, indicating they are targeted to the chloroplast or mitochondrion. In contrast, GSIIB proteins of P. patens lacked transit sequences, suggesting

  3. Insights into the evolution and diversification of the AT-hook Motif Nuclear Localized gene family in land plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Jianfei; Favero, David S; Qiu, Jiwen; Roalson, Eric H; Neff, Michael M

    2014-10-14

    Members of the ancient land-plant-specific transcription factor AT-Hook Motif Nuclear Localized (AHL) gene family regulate various biological processes. However, the relationships among the AHL genes, as well as their evolutionary history, still remain unexplored. We analyzed over 500 AHL genes from 19 land plant species, ranging from the early diverging Physcomitrella patens and Selaginella to a variety of monocot and dicot flowering plants. We classified the AHL proteins into three types (Type-I/-II/-III) based on the number and composition of their functional domains, the AT-hook motif(s) and PPC domain. We further inferred their phylogenies via Bayesian inference analysis and predicted gene gain/loss events throughout their diversification. Our analyses suggested that the AHL gene family emerged in embryophytes and further evolved into two distinct clades, with Type-I AHLs forming one clade (Clade-A), and the other two types together diversifying in another (Clade-B). The two AHL clades likely diverged before the separation of Physcomitrella patens from the vascular plant lineage. In angiosperms, Clade-A AHLs expanded into 5 subfamilies; while, the ones in Clade-B expanded into 4 subfamilies. Examination of their expression patterns suggests that the AHLs within each clade share similar expression patterns with each other; however, AHLs in one monophyletic clade exhibit distinct expression patterns from the ones in the other clade. Over-expression of a Glycine max AHL PPC domain in Arabidopsis thaliana recapitulates the phenotype observed when over-expressing its Arabidopsis thaliana counterpart. This result suggests that the AHL genes from different land plant species may share conserved functions in regulating plant growth and development. Our study further suggests that such functional conservation may be due to conserved physical interactions among the PPC domains of AHL proteins. Our analyses reveal a possible evolutionary scenario for the AHL gene family

  4. Estrategia e innovación en las Mipymes colombianas ganadoras del premio Innova 2010-2013

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edwin Tarapuez

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Esta investigación, de tipo exploratorio y descriptivo, tiene como objetivo indagar acerca de la asocia-ción entre algunas variables de estrategia y de innovación, en las Mipymes colombianas ganadoras delpremio Innova del Ministerio de Comercio, Industria y Turismo, en el periodo 2010-2013. El métodoutilizado fue análisis de correspondencias múltiples, mediante el cual se hallaron asociaciones entremodalidades. Los resultados más importantes de la investigación muestran que existe una marcada aso-ciación de las empresas que realizan un proceso integral de direccionamiento estratégico (formulación,implementación y seguimiento con los resultados positivos de la innovación (licenciamiento de paten-tes y generación de utilidades, con un estilo proactivo o preactivo en la gestión empresarial y con unaestructura organizacional flexible, entre otros aspectos

  5. Evidence for Importance of tRNA-dependent Cytokinin Biosynthetic Pathway in the Moss Physcomitrella patens

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Yevdakova, N.A.; Motyka, Václav; Malbeck, Jiří; Trávníčková, Alena; Novák, Ondřej; Strnad, Miroslav; von Schwartzenberg, K.

    2008-01-01

    Roč. 27, č. 3 (2008), s. 271-281 ISSN 0721-7595 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC06034; GA ČR GA206/05/0894; GA AV ČR IAA600380701 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : Physcomitrella * ove mutant * Cytokinin biosynthesis * tRNA-isopentenyl transferase Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 2.109, year: 2008

  6. Bubble Jet agent release cartridge for chemical single cell stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wangler, N; Welsche, M; Blazek, M; Blessing, M; Vervliet-Scheebaum, M; Reski, R; Müller, C; Reinecke, H; Steigert, J; Roth, G; Zengerle, R; Paust, N

    2013-02-01

    We present a new method for the distinct specific chemical stimulation of single cells and small cell clusters within their natural environment. By single-drop release of chemical agents with droplets in size of typical cell diameters (d agent release cartridge with integrated fluidic structures and integrated agent reservoirs are shown, tested, and compared in this publication. The single channel setup features a fluidic structure fabricated by anisotropic etching of silicon. To allow for simultaneous release of different agents even though maintaining the same device size, the second type comprises a double channel fluidic structure, fabricated by photolithographic patterning of TMMF. Dispensed droplet volumes are V = 15 pl and V = 10 pl for the silicon and the TMMF based setups, respectively. Utilizing the agent release cartridges, the application in biological assays was demonstrated by hormone-stimulated premature bud formation in Physcomitrella patens and the individual staining of one single L 929 cell within a confluent grown cell culture.

  7. Identification of cyclic nucleotide gated channels using regular expressions

    KAUST Repository

    Zelman, Alice K.

    2013-09-03

    Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (CNGCs) are nonselective cation channels found in plants, animals, and some bacteria. They have a six-transmembrane/one- pore structure, a cytosolic cyclic nucleotide-binding domain, and a cytosolic calmodulin-binding domain. Despite their functional similarities, the plant CNGC family members appear to have different conserved amino acid motifs within corresponding functional domains than animal and bacterial CNGCs do. Here we describe the development and application of methods employing plant CNGC-specific sequence motifs as diagnostic tools to identify novel candidate channels in different plants. These methods are used to evaluate the validity of annotations of putative orthologs of CNGCs from plant genomes. The methods detail how to employ regular expressions of conserved amino acids in functional domains of annotated CNGCs and together with Web tools such as PHI-BLAST and ScanProsite to identify novel candidate CNGCs in species including Physcomitrella patens. © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013.

  8. Effects of heat stress on the physiological parameters and productivity of hair sheep in tropical and coastal environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Gesualdi Júnior

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The experiment was carried out with sheep during the finishing phase in a partial confinement system to evaluate the following physiological parameters: rectal temperature (RT, respiratory rate (RR, heart rate (HR, productive performance and carcass characteristics. Fourteen uncastrated sheep with an average initial age of 90 days belonging to two genetic groups were used. There were seven Santa Inês animals, whose average initial live weight (ILW was 23.65 kg, and seven F1 Dorper × St. Inês animals, with an ILW of 20.02 kg. The treatments were the two genetic groups and two times for the collection of the physiological parameters, at 09.00 h and 15.00 h. Evaluation took place once a week, in a shared stall, always following a 20-min grazing activity. The animals had daily access to a Megathyrsus maximus(Jacquin pasture, cultivar Masai, from 08.00 h to 17.00 h and their feed was placed in a trough, at a forage:concentrate ratio of 51:49 in the total dry matter. The concentrate consisted of 900 g/kg of ground corn and 100 g/kg of soybean meal, and the roughage supplied was alfalfa hay. There was no interaction between treatments for the studied variables. The physiological parameters were affected only by the time of day. The variables RR and RT were higher at 15.00 h, while the highest HR values were observed at 09.00 h. Neither of the two genetic groups differed for performance and carcass characteristics. Hair sheep belonging to close genetic groups show no differences in performance, carcass characteristics and physiological responses when subjected to heat stress.

  9. Biotechnology for in vitro growing of edible and medicinal mushrooms on wood wastes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marian Petre

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work was focused on finding out the best way to convert the wood wastes into useful food supplements, such as mushroom fruit bodies, by using them as growing sources for the edible and medicinal mushrooms. According to this purpose, three fungal species from Basidiomycetes, namely Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.:Fr. P. Karst, Lentinus edodes (Berkeley Pegler and Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacquin ex Fries Kummer were tested to determine their biological potential to grow on substrates made of wood wastes (sawdusts as well as shavings which could be used in this way as main ingredients for preparation of natural culture composts.The experiments were achieved by in vitro growing of all these fungal species in special rooms, where the main culture parameters were kept at optimal levels in order to get the highest production of mushroom fruit bodies. The effects of culture compost composition (carbon, nitrogen and mineral sources as well as other physical and chemical factors (such as: temperature, inoculum amount, pH level and incubation time, etc. on mycelial net formation and especially on fruit body induction, were investigated. From all these fungal species tested in our experiments, P. ostreatus was registered as the fastest mushroom culture, then L. edodes and finally, G. lucidum asthe longest mushroom culture. During the experiments, different logs of the same species were used as control samples for each culture compost variants. Applying such biotechnology, the environmental problems generated by the plant wastes accumulation in wood industry could be solved only by using biological means for theirvalorising, simultaneously with food supplements producing having high nutritive values as well as healing effects by increasing the consumers` health.

  10. Biotechnology for in vitro growing of edible and medicinal mushrooms on wood wastes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marian Petre

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work was focused on finding out the best way to convert the wood wastes into useful food supplements, such as mushroom fruit bodies, by using them as growing sources for the edible and medicinal mushrooms. According to this purpose, three fungal species from Basidiomycetes, namely Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.:Fr. P. Karst, Lentinus edodes (Berkeley Pegler and Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacquin ex Fries Kummer were tested to determine their biological potential to grow on substrates made of wood wastes (sawdusts as well as shavings which could be used in this way as main ingredients for preparation of natural culture composts. The experiments were achieved by in vitro growing of all these fungal species in special rooms, where the main culture parameters were kept at optimal levels in order to get the highest production of mushroom fruit bodies. The effects of culture compost composition (carbon, nitrogen and mineral sources as well as other physical and chemical factors (such as: temperature, inoculum amount, pH level and incubation time, etc. on mycelial net formation and especially on fruit body induction, were investigated. From all these fungal species tested in our experiments, P. ostreatus was registered as the fastest mushroom culture, then L. edodes and finally, G. lucidum as the longest mushroom culture. During the experiments, different logs of the same species were used as control samples for each culture compost variants. Applying such biotechnology, the environmental problems generated by the plant wastes accumulation in wood industry could be solved only by using biological means for their valorising, simultaneously with food supplements producing having high nutritive values as well as healing effects by increasing the consumers` health.

  11. Polyphenol oxidases in Physcomitrella: functional PPO1 knockout modulates cytokinin-dependent developmentin the moss Physcomitrella patens

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Richter, H.; Lieberei, R.; Strnad, Miroslav; Novák, Ondřej; Grúz, Jiří; Rensing, S. A.; von Schwartzenberg, K.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 63, č. 14 (2012), s. 5121-5135 ISSN 0022-0957 Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) ED0007/01/01 Program:ED Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : Cytokinins * gene family * gene replacement Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.242, year: 2012

  12. Urgensi Pengaturan Disclosure Requirements sebagai Syarat Aplikasi Hak Paten dalam Pemanfaatan Sumber Daya Genetik di Indonesia

    OpenAIRE

    Cendhayanie, Rara Amalia

    2013-01-01

    Sumber daya genetik (SDG) merupakan salah satu bagian dari sumber daya hayati (biological resources) dimana SDG mempunyai peranan yang penting sebagai fondasi yang pada intinya untuk menjamin keberlangsungan hidup umat manusia. Keberadaan Negara berkembang salah satunya adalah Indonesia dengan berbagai kekayaan alam dan potensi lainnya seperti SDG menjadi salah satu perhatian penting di tingkat Internasional khususnya dalam hal ini pemanfaatan SDG untuk berbagai kepentingan, yang kian meningk...

  13. Saltmarsh plant responses to eutrophication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, David Samuel; Warren, R Scott; Deegan, Linda A; Mozdzer, Thomas J

    2016-12-01

    In saltmarsh plant communities, bottom-up pressure from nutrient enrichment is predicted to increase productivity, alter community structure, decrease biodiversity, and alter ecosystem functioning. Previous work supporting these predictions has been based largely on short-term, plot-level (e.g., 1-300 m 2 ) studies, which may miss landscape-level phenomena that drive ecosystem-level responses. We implemented an ecosystem-scale, nine-year nutrient experiment to examine how saltmarsh plants respond to simulated conditions of coastal eutrophication. Our study differed from previous saltmarsh enrichment studies in that we applied realistic concentrations of nitrate (70-100 μM NO 3 - ), the most common form of coastal nutrient enrichment, via tidal water at the ecosystem scale (~60,000 m 2 creeksheds). Our enrichments added a total of 1,700 kg N·creek -1 ·yr -1 , which increased N loading 10-fold vs. reference creeks (low-marsh, 171 g N·m -2 ·yr -1 ; high-marsh, 19 g N·m -2 ·yr -1 ). Nutrients increased the shoot mass and height of low marsh, tall Spartina alterniflora; however, declines in stem density resulted in no consistent increase in aboveground biomass. High-marsh plants S. patens and stunted S. alterniflora did not respond consistently to enrichment. Nutrient enrichment did not shift community structure, contrary to the prediction of nutrient-driven dominance of S. alterniflora and Distichlis spicata over S. patens. Our mild responses may differ from the results of previous studies for a number of reasons. First, the limited response of the high marsh may be explained by loading rates orders of magnitude lower than previous work. Low loading rates in the high marsh reflect infrequent inundation, arguing that inundation patterns must be considered when predicting responses to estuarine eutrophication. Additionally, we applied nitrate instead of the typically used ammonium, which is energetically favored over nitrate for plant uptake. Thus, the

  14. Studies of Physcomitrella patens reveal that ethylene-mediated submergence responses arose relatively early in land-plant evolution

    KAUST Repository

    Yasumura, Yuki; Pierik, Ronald; Fricker, Mark D.; Voesenek, Laurentius A. C. J.; Harberd, Nicholas P.

    2012-01-01

    in the evolution of land plants. We also show that a major component of the bryophyte submergence response is controlled by the phytohormone ethylene, using a perception mechanism that has subsequently been conserved throughout the evolution of land plants. Thus a

  15. Studies of Physcomitrella patens reveal that ethylene-mediated submergence responses arose relatively early in land-plant evolution

    KAUST Repository

    Yasumura, Yuki

    2012-10-18

    Colonization of the land by multicellular green plants was a fundamental step in the evolution of life on earth. Land plants evolved from fresh-water aquatic algae, and the transition to a terrestrial environment required the acquisition of developmental plasticity appropriate to the conditions of water availability, ranging from drought to flood. Here we show that extant bryophytes exhibit submergence-induced developmental plasticity, suggesting that submergence responses evolved relatively early in the evolution of land plants. We also show that a major component of the bryophyte submergence response is controlled by the phytohormone ethylene, using a perception mechanism that has subsequently been conserved throughout the evolution of land plants. Thus a plant environmental response mechanism with major ecological and agricultural importance probably had its origins in the very earliest stages of the colonization of the land. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Genome-wide expression analysis offers new insights into the origin and evolution of Physcomitrella patens stress response

    KAUST Repository

    Khraiwesh, Basel; Qudeimat, Enas; Thimma, Manjula; Chaiboonchoe, Amphun; Jijakli, Kenan; Alzahmi, Amnah; Arnoux, Marc; Salehi-Ashtiani, Kourosh

    2015-01-01

    Changes in the environment, such as those caused by climate change, can exert stress on plant growth, diversity and ultimately global food security. Thus, focused efforts to fully understand plant response to stress are urgently needed in order

  17. Electron transfer between carotenoid and chlorophyll contributes to quenching in the LHCSR1 protein from Physcomitrella patens

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pinnola, A.; Staleva-Musto, H.; Capaldi, S.; Ballottari, M.; Bassini, R.; Polívka, Tomáš

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 1857, č. 12 (2016), s. 1870-1878 ISSN 0005-2728 R&D Projects: GA ČR GBP501/12/G055 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Carotenoids * Femtosecond spectroscopy * LHCSR * Non-photochemical quenching Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 4.932, year: 2016

  18. CHASE domain-containing receptors play an essential role in the cytokinin response of the moss Physcomitrella patens

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    von Schwartzenberg, K.; Lindner, A.C.; Gruhn, N.; Šimura, Jan; Novák, Ondřej; Strnad, Miroslav; Gonneau, M.; Nogue, F.; Heyl, A.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 67, č. 3 (2016), s. 667-679 ISSN 0022-0957 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1204 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : cytokinin * Bryophyte * cytokinin receptor Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.830, year: 2016

  19. La bataille des mémoires. Herinneringen aan de Slag om Algiers in Historia Magazine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Désirée Schyns

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available  Entre 1971 et 1974 Yves Courrière, rédacteur en chef de l‟hebdomadaire Historia Magazine, fait paraître une série de numéros spéciaux sur la guerre d‟Algérie. La revue est un objet d‟études intéressant, parce qu‟elle ne donne pas une représentation historique („objective‟, mais plutôt mémorielle („subjective‟ de cette guerre de décolonisation. Elle donne la parole à des partisans de l‟Algérie française, mais aussi à ceux qui se sont battus pour une Algérie indépendante. Il est frappant que ce soient surtout des officiers français qui donnent leur vision sur le passé récent et douloureux. Des pages de la revue émane de temps en temps une idéologie coloniale qui n‟est pas mise en question. Ma contribution s‟insère dans le cadre plus large de l‟évolution de la mémoire de la guerre d‟Algérie et se concentre sur la bataille d‟Alger (1957 en particulier. En guise d‟exemple, j‟analyse un article du général Jacquin qui montre la vision de cet ancien militaire sur la bataille et qui met en question l‟usage de la torture par les Français. Je compare cet article au film La Bataille d'Alger (Gillo Pontecorvo, 1966, qui donne une toute autre représentation de cet épisode historique. L‟analyse et la comparaison démontrent que Historia Magazine se trouvait au coeur d‟une bataille des mémoires.

  20. Application of Lectin Array Technology for Biobetter Characterization: Its Correlation with FcγRIII Binding and ADCC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Markus Roucka

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Lectin microarray technology was applied to compare the glycosylation pattern of the monoclonal antibody MB311 expressed in SP2.0 cells to an antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxic effector function (ADCC-optimized variant (MB314. MB314 was generated by a plant expression system that uses genetically modified moss protoplasts (Physcomitrella patens to generate a de-fucosylated version of MB311. In contrast to MB311, no or very low interactions of MB314 with lectins Aspergillus oryzae l-fucose (AOL, Pisum sativum agglutinin (PSA, Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA, and Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL were observed. These lectins are specific for mono-/biantennary N-glycans containing a core fucose residue. Importantly, this fucose indicative lectin-binding pattern correlated with increased MB314 binding to CD16 (FcγRIII; receptor for the constant region of an antibody—whose affinity is mediated through core fucosylation—and stronger ADCC. In summary, these results demonstrate that lectin microarrays are useful orthogonal methods during antibody development and for characterization.

  1. In situ burning of oil in coastal marshes. 1. Vegetation recovery and soil temperature as a function of water depth, oil type, and marsh type.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Qianxin; Mendelssohn, Irving A; Bryner, Nelson P; Walton, William D

    2005-03-15

    In-situ burning of oiled wetlands potentially provides a cleanup technique that is generally consistent with present wetland management procedures. The effects of water depth (+10, +2, and -2 cm), oil type (crude and diesel), and oil penetration of sediment before the burn on the relationship between vegetation recovery and soil temperature for three coastal marsh types were investigated. The water depth over the soil surface during in-situ burning was a key factor controlling marsh plant recovery. Both the 10- and 2-cm water depths were sufficient to protect marsh vegetation from burning impacts, with surface soil temperatures of fire significantly impeded the post-burn recovery of Spartina alterniflora and Sagittaria lancifolia but did not detrimentally affect the recovery of Spartina patens and Distichlis spicata. Oil type (crude vs diesel) and oil applied to the marsh soil surface (0.5 L x m(-2)) before the burn did not significantly affect plant recovery. Thus, recovery is species-specific when no surface water exists. Even water at the soil surface will most likely protect wetland plants from burning impact.

  2. Short-term nitrogen additions can shift a coastal wetland from a sink to a source of N2O

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moseman-Valtierra, Serena; Gonzalez, Rosalinda; Kroeger, Kevin D.; Tang, Jianwu; Chao, Wei Chun; Crusius, John; Bratton, John F.; Green, Adrian; Shelton, James

    2011-01-01

    Coastal salt marshes sequester carbon at high rates relative to other ecosystems and emit relatively little methane particularly compared to freshwater wetlands. However, fluxes of all major greenhouse gases (N2O, CH4, and CO2) need to be quantified for accurate assessment of the climatic roles of these ecosystems. Anthropogenic nitrogen inputs (via run-off, atmospheric deposition, and wastewater) impact coastal marshes. To test the hypothesis that a pulse of nitrogen loading may increase greenhouse gas emissions from salt marsh sediments, we compared N2O, CH4 and respiratory CO2fluxes from nitrate-enriched plots in a Spartina patens marsh (receiving single additions of NaNO3 equivalent to 1.4 g N m−2) to those from control plots (receiving only artificial seawater solutions) in three short-term experiments (July 2009, April 2010, and June 2010). In July 2009, we also compared N2O and CH4 fluxes in both opaque and transparent chambers to test the influence of light on gas flux measurements. Background fluxes of N2O in July 2009 averaged −33 μmol N2O m−2 day−1. However, within 1 h of nutrient additions, N2O fluxes were significantly greater in plots receiving nitrate additions relative to controls in July 2009. Respiratory rates and CH4 fluxes were not significantly affected. N2O fluxes were significantly higher in dark than in transparent chambers, averaging 108 and 42 μmol N2O m−2 day−1 respectively. After 2 days, when nutrient concentrations returned to background levels, none of the greenhouse gas fluxes differed from controls. In April 2010, N2O and CH4 fluxes were not significantly affected by nitrate, possibly due to higher nitrogen demands by growing S. patens plants, but in June 2010 trends of higher N2O fluxes were again found among nitrate-enriched plots, indicating that responses to nutrient pulses may be strongest during the summer. In terms of carbon equivalents, the highest average N2O and CH4 fluxes observed, exceeded half

  3. Intestinal parasites of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Slovenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vergles Rataj, Aleksandra; Posedi, Janez; Zele, Diana; Vengušt, Gorazd

    2013-12-01

    In the present study, 428 foxes were collected and examined for intestinal helminths using the washing-out method. Parasites were found in 93.2% of the examined animals. The most frequently identified nematodes were Uncinaria stenocephala (58.9%), Toxocara canis (38.3%) and Molineus patens (30.6%). Other nematodes found were Pterygodermatites affinis (4.2%), Capillaria sp. (2.8%), Crenosoma vulpis (2.8%), Toxascaris leonina (2.5%), Trichuris vulpis (0.7%) and Physaloptera sp. (0.2%). Mesocestoides sp. (27.6%) and Taenia crassiceps (22.2%) were the most prevalent cestodes, followed by T. polyacantha (6.5%), Hymenolepis nana (2.1%), T. pisiformis (2.1%) and Dipylidium caninum (1.4%). The study also revealed four trematode species: Rossicotrema donicum (1.6%), Heterophyes heterophyes (1.1%), Metagonimus yokogawai (1.1%), Prohemistomum appendiculatum (0.4%) and two protozoan species: oocysts of Sarcocystis (2.8%) and Isospora (0.4%). This is the first extensive study on the intestinal parasites of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Slovenia. The 2.6% prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in the same sample population as investigated herein has been reported previously (Vergles Rataj et al., 2010).

  4. Glyco-engineering for biopharmaceutical production in moss bioreactors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva L. Decker

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The production of recombinant biopharmaceuticals (pharmaceutical proteins is a strongly growing area in the pharmaceutical industry. While most products to date are produced in mammalian cell cultures, namely CHO cells, plant-based production systems gained increasing acceptance over the last years. Different plant systems have been established which are suitable for standardization and precise control of cultivation conditions, thus meeting the criteria for pharmaceutical production.The majority of biopharmaceuticals comprise glycoproteins. Therefore, differences in protein glycosylation between humans and plants have to be taken into account and plant-specific glycosylation has to be eliminated to avoid adverse effects on quality, safety and efficacy of the products.The basal land plant Physcomitrella patens (moss has been employed for the recombinant production of high-value therapeutic target proteins (e.g., Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Complement Factor H, monoclonal antibodies, Erythropoietin. Being genetically excellently characterized and exceptionally amenable for precise gene targeting via homologous recombination, essential steps for the optimization of moss as a bioreactor for the production of recombinant proteins have been undertaken.Here, we discuss the glyco-engineering approaches to avoid non-human N- and O-glycosylation on target proteins produced in moss bioreactors.

  5. Is there evidence of optimisation for carbon efficiency in plant proteomes?

    KAUST Repository

    Jankovic, Boris R.

    2011-07-25

    Flowering plants, angiosperms, can be divided into two major clades, monocots and dicots, and while differences in amino acid composition in different species from the two clades have been reported, a systematic analysis of amino acid content and distribution remains outstanding. Here, we show that monocot and dicot proteins have developed distinct amino acid content. In Arabidopsis thaliana and poplar, as in the ancestral moss Physcomitrella patens, the average mass per amino acid appears to be independent of protein length, while in the monocots rice, maize and sorghum, shorter proteins tend to be made of lighter amino acids. An examination of the elemental content of these proteomes reveals that the difference between monocot and dicot proteins can be largely attributed to their different carbon signatures. In monocots, the shorter proteins, which comprise the majority of all proteins, are made of amino acids with less carbon, while the nitrogen content is unchanged in both monocots and dicots. We hypothesise that this signature could be the result of carbon use and energy optimisation in fast-growing annual Poaceae (grasses). © 2011 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  6. MRE11 and RAD50, but not NBS1, are essential for gene targeting in the moss Physcomitrella patens

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kamisugi, Y.; Schaefer, D. G.; Kozák, Jaroslav; Charlot, F.; Vrielynck, N.; Holá, Marcela; Angelis, Karel; Cuming, A. C.; Nogué, F.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 40, č. 8 (2012), s. 3496-3510 ISSN 0305-1048 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC06004; GA MŠk 1M0505 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : DOUBLE-STRAND BREAKS * T-DNA INTEGRATION * HOMOLOGOUS RECOMBINATION Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 8.278, year: 2012

  7. Metabolic Engineering of the Moss Physcomitrella patens as a Green Cell Factory to Produce Terpenoids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhan, Xin

    ) from Nicotiana tabacum and germacrene A oxidase (GAO) from Lactuca sativa, were also tested, but they showed no catalytic activity towards β-santalene based on the preliminary HS-SPME-GCMS analysis and further investigations such as liquid extraction by ethyl acetate are needed to draw a solid...

  8. Noise reduction and functional maps image quality improvement in dynamic CT perfusion using a new k-means clustering guided bilateral filter (KMGB).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pisana, Francesco; Henzler, Thomas; Schönberg, Stefan; Klotz, Ernst; Schmidt, Bernhard; Kachelrieß, Marc

    2017-07-01

    Dynamic CT perfusion (CTP) consists in repeated acquisitions of the same volume in different time steps, slightly before, during and slightly afterwards the injection of contrast media. Important functional information can be derived for each voxel, which reflect the local hemodynamic properties and hence the metabolism of the tissue. Different approaches are being investigated to exploit data redundancy and prior knowledge for noise reduction of such datasets, ranging from iterative reconstruction schemes to high dimensional filters. We propose a new spatial bilateral filter which makes use of the k-means clustering algorithm and of an optimal calculated guiding image. We named the proposed filter as k-means clustering guided bilateral filter (KMGB). In this study, the KMGB filter is compared with the partial temporal non-local means filter (PATEN), with the time-intensity profile similarity (TIPS) filter, and with a new version derived from it, by introducing the guiding image (GB-TIPS). All the filters were tested on a digital in-house developed brain CTP phantom, were noise was added to simulate 80 kV and 200 mAs (default scanning parameters), 100 mAs and 30 mAs. Moreover, the filters performances were tested on 7 noisy clinical datasets with different pathologies in different body regions. The original contribution of our work is two-fold: first we propose an efficient algorithm to calculate a guiding image to improve the results of the TIPS filter, secondly we propose the introduction of the k-means clustering step and demonstrate how this can potentially replace the TIPS part of the filter obtaining better results at lower computational efforts. As expected, in the GB-TIPS, the introduction of the guiding image limits the over-smoothing of the TIPS filter, improving spatial resolution by more than 50%. Furthermore, replacing the time-intensity profile similarity calculation with a fuzzy k-means clustering strategy (KMGB) allows to control the edge preserving

  9. Effect of pest controlling neem and mata-raton leaf extracts on greenhouse gas emissions from urea-amended soil cultivated with beans: A greenhouse experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mendez-Bautista, Joaquin; Fernandez-Luqueno, Fabian; Lopez-Valdez, Fernando; Mendoza-Cristino, Reyna; Montes-Molina, Joaquin A.; Gutierrez-Miceli, Federico A.; Dendooven, L.

    2010-01-01

    In a previous laboratory experiment, extracts of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) and Gliricidia sepium Jacquin, locally known as mata-raton, used to control pests on crops, inhibited emissions of CO 2 from a urea-amended soil, but not nitrification and N 2 O emissions. We investigated if these extracts when applied to beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) affected their development, soil characteristics and emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) in a greenhouse environment. Untreated beans and beans planted with lambda-cyhalothrin, a commercial insecticide, served as controls. After 117 days, shoots of plants cultivated in soil amended with urea or treated with lambda-cyhalothrin, or extracts of neem or G. sepium were significantly higher than when cultivated in the unamended soil, while the roots were significantly longer when plants were amended with urea or treated with leaf extracts of neem or G. sepium than when treated with lambda-cyhalothrin. The number of pods, fresh and dry pod weight and seed yield was significantly higher when bean plants were treated with leaf extracts of neem or G. sepium treatments than when left untreated and unfertilized. The number of seeds was similar for the different treatments. The number of nodules was lower in plants fertilized with urea, treated with leaf extracts of neem or G. sepium, or with lambda-cyhalothrin compared to the unfertilized plants. The concentrations of NH 4 + , NO 2 - and NO 3 - decreased significantly over time with the lowest concentrations generally found at harvest. Treatment had no significant effect on the concentrations of NH 4 + and NO 2 - , but the concentration of NO 3 - was significantly lower in the unfertilized soil compared to the other treatments. It was found that applying extracts of neem or G. sepium leaves to beans favored their development when compared to untreated plants, but had no significant effect on nitrification in soil.

  10. Effect of pest controlling neem and mata-raton leaf extracts on greenhouse gas emissions from urea-amended soil cultivated with beans: A greenhouse experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mendez-Bautista, Joaquin [Laboratory of Soil Ecology, Cinvestav, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Fernandez-Luqueno, Fabian [Laboratory of Soil Ecology, Cinvestav, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Department of Electromechanics, Renewable Energy Engineering, UTTulancingo, Hidalgo (Mexico); Lopez-Valdez, Fernando [Laboratory of Soil Ecology, Cinvestav, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); C.I.B.A.-I.P.N., Tepetitla de Lardizabal, Tlaxcala (Mexico); Mendoza-Cristino, Reyna [Laboratory of Soil Ecology, Cinvestav, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Montes-Molina, Joaquin A.; Gutierrez-Miceli, Federico A. [Laboratorio de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Instituto Tecnologico de Tuxtla-Gutierrez, Tuxtla-Gutierrez (Mexico); Dendooven, L., E-mail: dendoove@cinvestav.mx [Laboratory of Soil Ecology, Cinvestav, Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

    2010-10-01

    In a previous laboratory experiment, extracts of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) and Gliricidia sepium Jacquin, locally known as mata-raton, used to control pests on crops, inhibited emissions of CO{sub 2} from a urea-amended soil, but not nitrification and N{sub 2}O emissions. We investigated if these extracts when applied to beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) affected their development, soil characteristics and emissions of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) and nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O) in a greenhouse environment. Untreated beans and beans planted with lambda-cyhalothrin, a commercial insecticide, served as controls. After 117 days, shoots of plants cultivated in soil amended with urea or treated with lambda-cyhalothrin, or extracts of neem or G. sepium were significantly higher than when cultivated in the unamended soil, while the roots were significantly longer when plants were amended with urea or treated with leaf extracts of neem or G. sepium than when treated with lambda-cyhalothrin. The number of pods, fresh and dry pod weight and seed yield was significantly higher when bean plants were treated with leaf extracts of neem or G. sepium treatments than when left untreated and unfertilized. The number of seeds was similar for the different treatments. The number of nodules was lower in plants fertilized with urea, treated with leaf extracts of neem or G. sepium, or with lambda-cyhalothrin compared to the unfertilized plants. The concentrations of NH{sub 4}{sup +}, NO{sub 2}{sup -} and NO{sub 3}{sup -} decreased significantly over time with the lowest concentrations generally found at harvest. Treatment had no significant effect on the concentrations of NH{sub 4}{sup +} and NO{sub 2}{sup -}, but the concentration of NO{sub 3}{sup -} was significantly lower in the unfertilized soil compared to the other treatments. It was found that applying extracts of neem or G. sepium leaves to beans favored their development when compared to untreated plants, but had no significant

  11. MORTALITY AMONG INFANTS AND PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. Ratna Budiarso

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Pencatatan dan pelaporan kematian telah dilakukan secara prospektif selama satu tahun, di Kabu­paten Sukabumi, pada tahun 1982 - 1983. Dalam kurun waktu tersebut tercatat angka kematian untuk semua golongan umur sebesar 10,7 %. , angka kematian Balita (0 - 4 tahun sebesar 31,7 %. dan angka kematian bayi 75 per 1000 kelahiran hidup. Penyebab kematian utama pada anak umur 1-4 tahun adalah pneumonia 415,2; diare 272,8; tifus perut 225,4; dan campak 83,0 per 100.000 anak. Kurang gizi merupakan pendamping dari penya­kit yang menyebabkan kematian. Pada bayi umur 1 - 11 bulan, penyebab kematian yang utama adalah pneumonia 1106,4; diare 510,6; campak 340,4; meningitis 340,4; batuk rejan 297,9 dan tetanus 212,8 per 100.000 bayi lahir hidup. Kurang gizi sering merupakan pendamping dari penyakit yang menyebabkan kematian. Kematian pada bayi umur kurang dari 1 bulan, umumnya disebabkan tetanus 1574,5; immatu-ritas 851,1; hypoxia atau asphyxia 425,5 per 100.000 bayi lahir hidup. Untuk menurunkan angka kematian bayi dan anak 1 - 4 tahun, cakupan immunisasi pada ibu hamil dan bayi serta anak 1 - 4 tahun perlu ditingkatkan; di samping mengadakan latihan tentang pera­watan tali pusat. Penyuluhan tentang hygiene dan sanitasi perlu ditingkatkan untuk mencegah timbulnya penyakit menular.

  12. Identification, expression, and taxonomic distribution of alternative oxidases in non-angiosperm plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neimanis, Karina; Staples, James F; Hüner, Norman P A; McDonald, Allison E

    2013-09-10

    Alternative oxidase (AOX) is a terminal ubiquinol oxidase present in the respiratory chain of all angiosperms investigated to date, but AOX distribution in other members of the Viridiplantae is less clear. We assessed the taxonomic distribution of AOX using bioinformatics. Multiple sequence alignments compared AOX proteins and examined amino acid residues involved in AOX catalytic function and post-translational regulation. Novel AOX sequences were found in both Chlorophytes and Streptophytes and we conclude that AOX is widespread in the Viridiplantae. AOX multigene families are common in non-angiosperm plants and the appearance of AOX1 and AOX2 subtypes pre-dates the divergence of the Coniferophyta and Magnoliophyta. Residues involved in AOX catalytic function are highly conserved between Chlorophytes and Streptophytes, while AOX post-translational regulation likely differs in these two lineages. We demonstrate experimentally that an AOX gene is present in the moss Physcomitrella patens and that the gene is transcribed. Our findings suggest that AOX will likely exert an influence on plant respiration and carbon metabolism in non-angiosperms such as green algae, bryophytes, liverworts, lycopods, ferns, gnetophytes, and gymnosperms and that further research in these systems is required. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. In Vitro Activity of Selected West African Medicinal Plants against Mycobacterium ulcerans Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsouh Fokou, Patrick Valere; Kissi-Twum, Abena Adomah; Yeboah-Manu, Dorothy; Appiah-Opong, Regina; Addo, Phyllis; Tchokouaha Yamthe, Lauve Rachel; Ngoutane Mfopa, Alvine; Fekam Boyom, Fabrice; Nyarko, Alexander Kwadwo

    2016-04-13

    Buruli ulcer (BU) is the third most prevalent mycobacteriosis, after tuberculosis and leprosy. The currently recommended combination of rifampicin-streptomycin suffers from side effects and poor compliance, which leads to reliance on local herbal remedies. The objective of this study was to investigate the antimycobacterial properties and toxicity of selected medicinal plants. Sixty-five extracts from 27 plant species were screened against Mycobacterium ulcerans and Mycobacterium smegmatis, using the Resazurin Microtiter Assay (REMA). The cytotoxicity of promising extracts was assayed on normal Chang liver cells by an MTT assay. Twenty five extracts showed activity with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 16 µg/mL to 250 µg/mL against M. smegmatis, while 17 showed activity against M. ulcerans with MIC values ranging from 125 µg/mL to 250 µg/mL. In most of the cases, plant extracts with antimycobacterial activity showed no cytotoxicity on normal human liver cells. Exception were Carica papaya, Cleistopholis patens, and Polyalthia suaveolens with 50% cell cytotoxic concentrations (CC50) ranging from 3.8 to 223 µg/mL. These preliminary results support the use of some West African plants in the treatment of Buruli ulcer. Meanwhile, further studies are required to isolate and characterize the active ingredients in the extracts.

  14. Comprehensive identification and clustering of CLV3/ESR-related (CLE) genes in plants finds groups with potentially shared function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goad, David M; Zhu, Chuanmei; Kellogg, Elizabeth A

    2017-10-01

    CLV3/ESR (CLE) proteins are important signaling peptides in plants. The short CLE peptide (12-13 amino acids) is cleaved from a larger pre-propeptide and functions as an extracellular ligand. The CLE family is large and has resisted attempts at classification because the CLE domain is too short for reliable phylogenetic analysis and the pre-propeptide is too variable. We used a model-based search for CLE domains from 57 plant genomes and used the entire pre-propeptide for comprehensive clustering analysis. In total, 1628 CLE genes were identified in land plants, with none recognizable from green algae. These CLEs form 12 groups within which CLE domains are largely conserved and pre-propeptides can be aligned. Most clusters contain sequences from monocots, eudicots and Amborella trichopoda, with sequences from Picea abies, Selaginella moellendorffii and Physcomitrella patens scattered in some clusters. We easily identified previously known clusters involved in vascular differentiation and nodulation. In addition, we found a number of discrete groups whose function remains poorly characterized. Available data indicate that CLE proteins within a cluster are likely to share function, whereas those from different clusters play at least partially different roles. Our analysis provides a foundation for future evolutionary and functional studies. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

  15. Anthropocene Survival of Southern New England's Salt ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    In southern New England, salt marshes are exceptionally vulnerable to the impacts of accelerated sea level rise. Regional rates of sea level rise have been as much as 50 % greater than the global average over past decades, a more than fourfold increase over late Holocene background values. In addition, coastal development blocks many potential marsh migration routes, and compensatory mechanisms relying on positive feedbacks between inundation and sediment deposition are insufficient to counter inundation increases in extreme low-turbidity tidal waters. Accordingly, multiple lines of evidence suggest that marsh submergence is occurring in southern New England. A combination of monitoring data, field re-surveys, radiometric dating, and analysis of peat composition have established that, beginning in the early and mid-twentieth century, the dominant low-marsh plant, Spartina alterniflora, has encroached upward in tidal marshes, and typical high-marsh plants, including Juncus gerardii and Spartina patens, have declined, providing strong evidence that vegetation changes are being driven, at least in part, by higher water levels. Additionally, aerial and satellite imagery show shoreline retreat, widening and headward extension of channels, and new and expanded interior depressions. Papers in this special section highlight changes in marsh-building processes, patterns of vegetation loss, and shifts in species composition. The final papers turn to strategies for minimiz

  16. In Vitro Activity of Selected West African Medicinal Plants against Mycobacterium ulcerans Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick Valere Tsouh Fokou

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Buruli ulcer (BU is the third most prevalent mycobacteriosis, after tuberculosis and leprosy. The currently recommended combination of rifampicin-streptomycin suffers from side effects and poor compliance, which leads to reliance on local herbal remedies. The objective of this study was to investigate the antimycobacterial properties and toxicity of selected medicinal plants. Sixty-five extracts from 27 plant species were screened against Mycobacterium ulcerans and Mycobacterium smegmatis, using the Resazurin Microtiter Assay (REMA. The cytotoxicity of promising extracts was assayed on normal Chang liver cells by an MTT assay. Twenty five extracts showed activity with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC values ranging from 16 µg/mL to 250 µg/mL against M. smegmatis, while 17 showed activity against M. ulcerans with MIC values ranging from 125 µg/mL to 250 µg/mL. In most of the cases, plant extracts with antimycobacterial activity showed no cytotoxicity on normal human liver cells. Exception were Carica papaya, Cleistopholis patens, and Polyalthia suaveolens with 50% cell cytotoxic concentrations (CC50 ranging from 3.8 to 223 µg/mL. These preliminary results support the use of some West African plants in the treatment of Buruli ulcer. Meanwhile, further studies are required to isolate and characterize the active ingredients in the extracts.

  17. Pipeline corridors through wetlands - impacts on plant communities: Bayou Pointe Aux Chenes, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Topical report, August 1991--April 1994

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Van Dyke, G.D.; Shem, L.M.; Zimmerman, R.E.

    1994-12-01

    The goal of the Gas Research Institute Wetland Corridors Program is to document impacts of existing pipelines on the wetlands they traverse. To accomplish this goal, 12 existing wetland crossings were surveyed. These sites varied in elapsed time since pipeline construction, wetland type, pipeline installation techniques, and night- of-way management practices. This report presents the results of a survey conducted on August 22, 1991, in an emergent intertidal estuarine wetland in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. The site includes three pipelines installed between 1958 and 1969. Vegetation within the site comprises three native tidal marsh grasses: Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, and Distichlis spicata. All three species occurred over the pipelines, within the right-of-way and in both natural areas. Vegetative differences attributable to the installation or presence of the pipelines were not obvious over the pipelines or in the habitat east of the pipelines. However, because of the presence of a canal west of the 1969 pipeline, vegetation was less abundant in that area, and D. spicata was absent from all but the most distant plots of the transacts. Data obtained in the study indicate that when rights-of-way through brackish marsh are restored to their original elevations, they are revegetated with native vegetation similar to that in surrounding areas.

  18. Evolution of plant P-type ATPases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian N.S. Pedersen

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Five organisms having completely sequenced genomes and belonging to all major branches of green plants (Viridiplantae were analyzed with respect to their content of P-type ATPases encoding genes. These were the chlorophytes Ostreococcus tauria and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and the streptophytes Physcomitrella patens (a moss, Selaginella moellendorffii (a primitive vascular plant, and Arabidopsis thaliana (a model flowering plant. Each organism contained sequences for all five subfamilies of P-type ATPases. Our analysis demonstrates when specific subgroups of P-type ATPases disappeared in the evolution of Angiosperms. Na/K-pump related P2C ATPases were lost with the evolution of streptophytes whereas Na+ or K+ pumping P2D ATPases and secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPases remained until mosses. An N-terminally located calmodulin binding domain in P2B ATPases can only be detected in pumps from Streptophytae, whereas, like in animals, a C-terminally localized calmodulin binding domain might be present in chlorophyte P2B Ca2+-ATPases. Chlorophyte genomes encode P3A ATPases resembling protist plasma membrane H+-ATPases and a C-terminal regulatory domain is missing. The complete inventory of P-type ATPases in the major branches of Viridiplantae is an important starting point for elucidating the evolution in plants of these important pumps.

  19. Ferns: the missing link in shoot evolution and development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Robert George Plackett

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Shoot development in land plants is a remarkably complex process that gives rise to an extreme diversity of forms. Our current understanding of shoot developmental mechanisms comes almost entirely from studies of angiosperms (flowering plants, the most recently diverged plant lineage. Shoot development in angiosperms is based around a layered multicellular apical meristem that produces lateral organs and/or secondary meristems from populations of founder cells at its periphery. In contrast, non-seed plant shoots develop from either single apical initials or from a small population of morphologically distinct apical cells. Although developmental and molecular information is becoming available for non-flowering plants, such as the model moss Physcomitrella patens, making valid comparisons between highly divergent lineages is extremely challenging. As sister group to the seed plants, the monilophytes (ferns and relatives represent an excellent phylogenetic midpoint of comparison for unlocking the evolution of shoot developmental mechanisms, and recent technical advances have finally made transgenic analysis possible in the emerging model fern Ceratopteris richardii. This review compares and contrasts our current understanding of shoot development in different land plant lineages with the aim of highlighting the potential role that the fern C. richardii could play in shedding light on the evolution of underlying genetic regulatory mechanisms.

  20. Assessing the recovery of coastal wetlands from oil spills

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mendelssohn, I.A.; Hester, M.W.; Hill, J.M.

    1993-01-01

    The impact of oil spills on coastal environments and the ability of these systems to exhibit long-term recovery has received increased attention in recent years. Although oil spills can have significant short-term impacts on coastal marshes, the long-term effects and eventual recovery are not well documented. Estuarine marshes have sometimes been reported to exhibit slow recovery after oil spills, whereas in other instances they appear to have great resiliency, with complete recovery after one or two years. To document and understand this phenomenon better, we have investigated the long-term recovery of a south Louisiana estuarine marsh exposed to an accidental spill of crude oil. Although a pipeline rupture releasing Louisiana crude oil caused the near complete mortality of a brackish marsh dominated by Spartina patens and S. alterniflora, this marsh completely recovered four years after the spill with no differences in plant species cover between oiled and reference marshes. Remotely sensed imagery of the study site confirmed the relatively rapid recovery demonstrated by the ground truth data. Louisiana's coastal marshes are naturally experiencing rapid rates of deterioration. Land loss rates, determined from aerial imagery, at the spill site and adjacent reference areas before and after the spill demonstrated that the long-term loss rates were not affected by the spill event

  1. Plant twitter: ligands under 140 amino acids enforcing stomatal patterning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rychel, Amanda L; Peterson, Kylee M; Torii, Keiko U

    2010-05-01

    Stomata are an essential land plant innovation whose patterning and density are under genetic and environmental control. Recently, several putative ligands have been discovered that influence stomatal density, and they all belong to the epidermal patterning factor-like family of secreted cysteine-rich peptides. Two of these putative ligands, EPF1 and EPF2, are expressed exclusively in the stomatal lineage cells and negatively regulate stomatal density. A third, EPFL6 or CHALLAH, is also a negative regulator of density, but is expressed subepidermally in the hypocotyl. A fourth, EPFL9 or STOMAGEN, is expressed in the mesophyll tissues and is a positive regulator of density. Genetic evidence suggests that these ligands may compete for the same receptor complex. Proper stomatal patterning is likely to be an intricate process involving ligand competition, regional specificity, and communication between tissue layers. EPFL-family genes exist in the moss Physcomitrella patens, the lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii, and rice, Oryza sativa, and their sequence analysis yields several genes some of which are related to EPF1, EPF2, EPFL6, and EPFL9. Presence of these EPFL family members in the basal land plants suggests an exciting hypothesis that the genetic components for stomatal patterning originated early in land plant evolution.

  2. Structure and Function of Nucleoside Hydrolases from Physcomitrella patens and Maize Catalyzing the Hydrolysis of Purine, Pyrimidine, and Cytokinin Ribosides

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kopečná, M.; Blaschke, H.; Kopečný, D.; Vigouroux, A.; Končitíková, R.; Novák, Ondřej; Kotland, Ondřej; Strnad, Miroslav; Moréra, S.; von Schwartzenberg, K.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 163, č. 4 (2013), s. 1568-1583 ISSN 0032-0889 Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) ED0007/01/01 Program:ED Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50380511 Keywords : LUPIN LUPINUS-LUTEUS * ADENOSINE NUCLEOSIDASE * CRITHIDIA-FASCICULATA Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 7.394, year: 2013

  3. Pelaksanaan Compulsory Licensing Paten Obat-obatan Bidang Farmasi di Indonesia Dikaitkan dengan Doha Declaration On The Trips Agreement And Public Health

    OpenAIRE

    Samariadi, Samariadi

    2016-01-01

    Purpose of this study is firstly to find out implementation of compulsory licensing patent medicines in Indonesia's pharmaceutical field linked Declaration DOHA, secondly to know resistance implementation of compulsory licensing to access drug in Indonesia, thirdly to know efforts should be done in implementation compulsory licensing as to support access public health. Author used legal research methods to get the result. Results of formulation problem, it can be concluded that, firstly imple...

  4. Strigolactone biosynthesis is evolutionarily conserved, regulated by phosphate starvation and contributes to resistance against phytopathogenic fungi in a moss, Physcomitrella patens

    KAUST Repository

    Decker, Eva L.; Alder, Adrian; Hunn, Stefan; Ferguson, Jenny; Lehtonen, Mikko T.; Scheler, Bjoern; Kerres, Klaus L.; Wiedemann, Gertrud; Safavi-Rizi, Vajiheh; Nordzieke, Steffen; Balakrishna, Aparna; Baz, Lina Abdulkareem Ali; Avalos, Javier; Valkonen, Jari P. T.; Reski, Ralf; Al-Babili, Salim

    2017-01-01

    . Wild-type (WT) exudates induced seed germination in Orobanche ramosa. This activity was increased upon phosphate starvation and abolished in exudates of both mutants. Furthermore, both mutants showed increased susceptibility to phytopathogenic fungi

  5. Phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of Physodactylinae (Coleoptera, Elateridae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone Policena Rosa

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A phylogeny based on male morphological characters and taxonomic revision of the Physodactylinae genera are presented. The phylogenetic analysis based on 66 male characters resulted in the polyphyly of Physodactylinae which comprises four independent lineages. Oligostethius and Idiotropia from Africa were found to be sister groups. Teslasena from Brazil was corroborated as belonging to Cardiophorinae clade. The South American genera Physodactylus and Dactylophysus were found to be sister groups and phylogenetically related to Heterocrepidius species. The Oriental Toxognathus resulted as sister group of that clade plus (Dicrepidius ramicornis (Lissomus sp, Physorhynus erythrocephalus. Taxonomic revisions include diagnoses and redescriptions of genera and distributional records and illustrations of species. Key to species of Teslasena, Toxognathus, Dactylophysus and Physodactylus are also provided. Teslasena lucasi is synonymized with T. femoralis. A new species of Dactylophysus is described, D. hirtus sp. nov., and lectotypes are designated to non-conspecific D. mendax sensu Fleutiaux and Heterocrepidius mendax Candèze. Physodactylus niger is removed from synonymy under P. oberthuri; P. carreti is synonymized with P. niger; P. obesus and P. testaceus are synonymized with P. sulcatus. Nine new species are described in Physodactylus: P. asper sp. nov., P. brunneus sp. nov., P. chassaini sp. nov., P. flavifrons sp. nov., P. girardi sp. nov., P. gounellei sp. nov., P. latithorax sp. nov., P. patens sp. nov. and P. tuberculatus sp. nov.

  6. Phylogenetics and evolution of Trx SET genes in fully sequenced land plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Xinyu; Chen, Caoyi; Wang, Baohua

    2012-04-01

    Plant Trx SET proteins are involved in H3K4 methylation and play a key role in plant floral development. Genes encoding Trx SET proteins constitute a multigene family in which the copy number varies among plant species and functional divergence appears to have occurred repeatedly. To investigate the evolutionary history of the Trx SET gene family, we made a comprehensive evolutionary analysis on this gene family from 13 major representatives of green plants. A novel clustering (here named as cpTrx clade), which included the III-1, III-2, and III-4 orthologous groups, previously resolved was identified. Our analysis showed that plant Trx proteins possessed a variety of domain organizations and gene structures among paralogs. Additional domains such as PHD, PWWP, and FYR were early integrated into primordial SET-PostSET domain organization of cpTrx clade. We suggested that the PostSET domain was lost in some members of III-4 orthologous group during the evolution of land plants. At least four classes of gene structures had been formed at the early evolutionary stage of land plants. Three intronless orphan Trx SET genes from the Physcomitrella patens (moss) were identified, and supposedly, their parental genes have been eliminated from the genome. The structural differences among evolutionary groups of plant Trx SET genes with different functions were described, contributing to the design of further experimental studies.

  7. Evidence against the energetic cost hypothesis for the short introns in highly expressed genes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Niu Deng-Ke

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In animals, the moss Physcomitrella patens and the pollen of Arabidopsis thaliana, highly expressed genes have shorter introns than weakly expressed genes. A popular explanation for this is selection for transcription efficiency, which includes two sub-hypotheses: to minimize the energetic cost or to minimize the time cost. Results In an individual human, different organs may differ up to hundreds of times in cell number (for example, a liver versus a hypothalamus. Considered at the individual level, a gene specifically expressed in a large organ is actually transcribed tens or hundreds of times more than a gene with a similar expression level (a measure of mRNA abundance per cell specifically expressed in a small organ. According to the energetic cost hypothesis, the former should have shorter introns than the latter. However, in humans and mice we have not found significant differences in intron length between large-tissue/organ-specific genes and small-tissue/organ-specific genes with similar expression levels. Qualitative estimation shows that the deleterious effect (that is, the energetic burden of long introns in highly expressed genes is too negligible to be efficiently selected against in mammals. Conclusion The short introns in highly expressed genes should not be attributed to energy constraint. We evaluated evidence for the time cost hypothesis and other alternatives.

  8. Diagnostic Challenge of Hepatopulmonary Syndrome in a Patient with Coexisting Structural Heart Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge M. Hurtado-Cordovi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS is a severe complication seen in advance liver disease. Its prevalence among cirrhotic patients varies from 4–47 percent. HPS exact pathogenesis remains unknown. Patient presents with signs/symptoms of chronic liver disease, and dypsnea of variable severity. Our patient is a 62 years old white male with a known history of chronic hepatitis C, cirrhosis, ascites, and hypothyroidism who presented to GI/liver clinic complaining of 1 episode BRBPR, and exacerbating dypsnea associated with nausea and few episodes of non-bloody vomit. Physical exam showed, icterus, jaundice, few small spider angiomas on the chest, decrease breath sounds bilateral right more than left, and mild tachycardic. Abdominal exam revealed mid-line scar, moderated size ventral hernia, distention, diffused tenderness, and dullness to percussion. Laboratory result: CBC 5.2/13.2/37.6/83, LFTs 83/217/125/5.2/4.7/7.4, Pt 22.6 INR 1.9 PTT35.4. CT scan showed liver cirrhosis, abdominal varices, and moderated ascites collection around ventral hernia. Calculated A-a gradient was 49.5. Echocardiography revealed patent foramen ovale (PFO with predominant left to right shunt. In our case, existence of paten foramen ovale (PFO and atelectasis precludes definitive diagnosis of HPS. Presence of cardiopulmonary shunt could be partially responsible for the patient’s dypsnea exacerbation.

  9. Conservation of AtTZF1, AtTZF2 and AtTZF3 homolog gene regulation by salt stress in evolutionarily distant plant species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabio eD'Orso

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Arginine-rich tandem zinc-finger proteins (RR-TZF participate in a wide range of plant developmental processes and adaptive responses to abiotic stress, such as cold, salt and drought. This study investigates the conservation of the genes AtTZF1-5 at the level of their sequences and expression across plant species. The genomic sequences of the two RR-TZF genes TdTZF1-A and TdTZF1-B were isolated in durum wheat and assigned to chromosomes 3A and 3B, respectively. Sequence comparisons revealed that they encode proteins that are highly homologous to AtTZF1, AtTZF2 and AtTZF3. The expression profiles of these RR-TZF durum wheat and Arabidopsis proteins support a common function in the regulation of seed germination and responses to abiotic stress. In particular, analysis of plants with attenuated and overexpressed AtTZF3 indicate that AtTZF3 is a negative regulator of seed germination under conditions of salt stress. Finally, comparative sequence analyses establish that the RR-TZF genes are encoded by lower plants, including the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens and the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The regulation of the Physcomitrella AtTZF1-2-3-like genes by salt stress strongly suggests that a subgroup of the RR-TZF proteins has a function that has been conserved throughout evolution.

  10. Prism Adaptation Alters Electrophysiological Markers of Attentional Processes in the Healthy Brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martín-Arévalo, Elisa; Laube, Inga; Koun, Eric; Farnè, Alessandro; Reilly, Karen T; Pisella, Laure

    2016-01-20

    Neglect patients typically show a rightward attentional orienting bias and a strong disengagement deficit, such that they are especially slow in responding to left-sided targets after right-sided cues (Posner et al., 1984). Prism adaptation (PA) can reduce diverse debilitating neglect symptoms and it has been hypothesized that PA's effects are so generalized that they might be mediated by attentional mechanisms (Pisella et al., 2006; Redding and Wallace, 2006). In neglect patients, performance on spatial attention tasks improves after rightward-deviating PA (Jacquin-Courtois et al., 2013). In contrast, in healthy subjects, although there is evidence that leftward-deviating PA induces neglect-like performance on some visuospatial tasks, behavioral studies of spatial attention tasks have mostly yielded negative results (Morris et al., 2004; Bultitude et al., 2013). We hypothesized that these negative behavioral findings might reflect the limitations of behavioral measures in healthy subjects. Here we exploited the sensitivity of event-related potentials to test the hypothesis that electrophysiological markers of attentional processes in the healthy human brain are affected by PA. Leftward-deviating PA generated asymmetries in attentional orienting (reflected in the cue-locked N1) and in attentional disengagement for invalidly cued left targets (reflected in the target-locked P1). This is the first electrophysiological demonstration that leftward-deviating PA in healthy subjects mimics attentional patterns typically seen in neglect patients. Significance statement: Prism adaptation (PA) is a promising tool for ameliorating many deficits in neglect patients and inducing neglect-like behavior in healthy subjects. The mechanisms underlying PA's effects are poorly understood but one hypothesis suggests that it acts by modulating attention. To date, however, there has been no successful demonstration of attentional modulation in healthy subjects. We provide the first

  11. Effects of elevated CO{sub 2} on Chesapeake Bay wetlands. [Progress report, 1988--1989

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drake, B.G.; Arp, W.J.; Balduman, L.

    1990-12-31

    Research during 1988--89 focused on several new aspects of the response of the salt marsh ecosystem to elevated CO{sub 2}. In previous years we gave highest priority to studies of the effect of CO{sub 2} on biomass production into above and below-ground tissues, nitrogen content, light response of photosynthesis of single leaves, leaf water potential and carbon dioxide and water vapor exchange between the plant canopy and the ambient air. Result from the work in 87 and 88 had shown that the C3 plant, Scirpus olneyi, responded vigorously to elevated CO{sub 2} but the two C4 species, Spartina patens and Distichlis spicata did not. The responses of photosynthesis were also reflected in the canopy and ecosystem processes. Thus our emphasis shifted from determining the growth responses to exploring photosynthesis in greater detail. The main questions were: does acclimation to high CO{sub 2} involve reduction of some aspect of photosynthesis either at the single leaf level or in canopy structure? How much more carbon will be accumulated in a high CO{sub 2} than under present CO{sub 2} concentration? Our results give us partial answers to these questions but since the long term aspect of CO{sub 2} stimulation remains the most important one, it is unlikely that we can do more than add some pieces of data to a continuing debate in the ecological community regarding the eventual effect of CO{sub 2} on ecosystems.

  12. Conservation state of populations of rare plant species in highly transformed meadow steppes of Southern Opillya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. I. Dmytrash-Vatseba

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Degradation of natural habitats causes rapid extinction of rare plant populations. The diversity of rare plant species in the meadow steppes of Southern Opillya (Western Ukraine depends strongly on patch area, pasture digression of vegetation and a variety of eco-coenotical conditions. The main threats for the rare components of the meadow steppe flora are reduction of habitat and overgrazing. Spatial connections between sites are unable to support a constant rare plant population. The analysis of the composition of rare plant meadow-steppe species indicated that habitats with similar rare species composition usually have similar parameters of area, stages of pasture digression and eco-coenotical conditions. Spatial connectivity of patches does not ensure species similarity of rare components of the flora. Rare plant species were grouped according to their preferences for habitat , area and condition. In small patches subject to any stage of pasture digression grow populations of Adonis vernalis L., Pulsatilla patens (L. Mill., P. grandis Wender., Stipa capillata L., S. рennata L., Chamaecytisus blockianus (Pawł. Klásková etc. On the contrary, populations of other species (Carlina onopordifolia Besser. ex Szafer., Kuecz. et Pawł., Adenophora liliifolia (L. Ledeb. ex A. DC., Crambe tataria Sebeók, Euphorbia volhynica Besser ex Racib., Stipa tirsa Stev. etc. prefer large habitats, not changed by pasture digression. Prevention of reduction of rare species diversity requires preservation (also extension of patch area and regulation of grazing intensity.

  13. List of scientific publications of the Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe of the year 1982

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-04-01

    The scientific and technical-scientific publications of the Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe are published as books, as original contributions in scientific or technical journals, as habilitation theses, doctoral theses, diploma theses, as patens, as KfK reports (KfK=Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe), and are held as lectures at scientific meetings. This report KfK 3425 contains the titles of the documents which are published in 1982. Lectures which have not been printed yet are listed separately from the literature. All patent rights issued or published in the yeaer 1982 are cited: patents,(Offenlegungsschriften) published patent applications examined only as to abvious defects but not as to patentability (DE-OS), (Auslegeschriften) printed specifications of patent applications after examination (DE-AS). The list of publications is arranged by institutes. Unter ''projects'' only the published project reports as well as publications of the members of the respective project staff are listed. The publications printed at the Kernforschungszentrum from the r and d project ''production engineering (PFT)'' performed by the Kernforschungszentrum as the responsible body in cooperation with firms and institutes, as well as the projects ''process control with data processing devices (PDV)'' and ''computer-aided development, construction and fabrication (CAD)'' have also been included in the list. Moreover, the list contains the publications of the Kernforschungszentrum branch of the Bundesforschungsanstalt fuer Ernaehrung. In the last chapter-publications on guest experiments at the Kernforschungszentrum have been compiled. (orig./GG) [de

  14. A census of nuclear cyanobacterial recruits in the plant kingdom.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szabolcs Makai

    Full Text Available The plastids and mitochondria of the eukaryotic cell are of endosymbiotic origin. These events occurred ~2 billion years ago and produced significant changes in the genomes of the host and the endosymbiont. Previous studies demonstrated that the invasion of land affected plastids and mitochondria differently and that the paths of mitochondrial integration differed between animals and plants. Other studies examined the reasons why a set of proteins remained encoded in the organelles and were not transferred to the nuclear genome. However, our understanding of the functional relations of the transferred genes is insufficient. In this paper, we report a high-throughput phylogenetic analysis to identify genes of cyanobacterial origin for plants of different levels of complexity: Arabidopsis thaliana, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Physcomitrella patens, Populus trichocarpa, Selaginella moellendorffii, Sorghum bicolor, Oryza sativa, and Ostreococcus tauri. Thus, a census of cyanobacterial gene recruits and a study of their function are presented to better understand the functional aspects of plastid symbiogenesis. From algae to angiosperms, the GO terms demonstrated a gradual expansion over functionally related genes in the nuclear genome, beginning with genes related to thylakoids and photosynthesis, followed by genes involved in metabolism, and finally with regulation-related genes, primarily in angiosperms. The results demonstrate that DNA is supplied to the nuclear genome on a permanent basis with no regard to function, and only what is needed is kept, which thereby expands on the GO space along the related genes.

  15. Ecology of tidal freshwater forests in coastal deltaic Louisiana and northeastern South Carolina: Chapter 9

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conner, William H.; Krauss, Ken W.; Doyle, Thomas W.

    2007-01-01

    were converted to tidal rice fields in the 1700s (Porcher 1995). Canopy members of the present day forests include baldcypress, water tupelo, swamp tupelo (N. biflora Walt.), red maple, and Carolina ash (Fraxinus caroliniana Miller). Subcanopy and shrub species include Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica L.), dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor (Jacquin) Pers.), coastal plain willow (Salix caroliniana Michx.), redbay, and water-elm (Planera aquatica Gmel.).

  16. Effects of disturbance associated with seismic exploration for oil and gas reserves in coastal marshes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard, Rebecca J.; Wells, Christopher J.; Michot, Thomas C.; Johnson, Darren J.

    2014-01-01

    Anthropogenic disturbances in wetland ecosystems can alter the composition and structure of plant assemblages and affect system functions. Extensive oil and gas extraction has occurred in wetland habitats along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast since the early 1900s. Activities involved with three-dimensional (3D) seismic exploration for these resources cause various disturbances to vegetation and soils. We documented the impact of a 3D seismic survey in coastal marshes in Louisiana, USA, along transects established before exploration began. Two semi-impounded marshes dominated by Spartina patens were in the area surveyed. Vegetation, soil, and water physicochemical data were collected before the survey, about 6 weeks following its completion, and every 3 months thereafter for 2 years. Soil cores for seed bank emergence experiments were also collected. Maximum vegetation height at impact sites was reduced in both marshes 6 weeks following the survey. In one marsh, total vegetation cover was also reduced, and dead vegetation cover increased, at impact sites 6 weeks after the survey. These effects, however, did not persist 3 months later. No effects on soil or water properties were identified. The total number of seeds that germinated during greenhouse studies increased at impact sites 5 months following the survey in both marshes. Although some seed bank effects persisted 1 year, these effects were not reflected in standing vegetation. The marshes studied were therefore resilient to the impacts resulting from 3D seismic exploration because vegetation responses were short term in that they could not be identified a few months following survey completion.

  17. Molecular cloning of RBCS genes in Selaginella and the evolution of the rbcS gene family

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Bo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Rubisco small subunits (RBCS are encoded by a nuclear rbcS multigene family in higher plants and green algae. However, owing to the lack of rbcS sequences in lycophytes, the characteristics of rbcS genes in lycophytes is unclear. Recently, the complete genome sequence of the lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii provided the first insight into the rbcS gene family in lycophytes. To understand further the characteristics of rbcS genes in other Selaginella, the full length of rbcS genes (rbcS1 and rbcS2 from two other Selaginella species were isolated. Both rbcS1 and rbcS2 genes shared more than 97% identity among three Selaginella species. RBCS proteins from Selaginella contained the Pfam RBCS domain F00101, which was a major domain of other plant RBCS proteins. To explore the evolution of the rbcS gene family across Selaginella and other plants, we identified and performed comparative analysis of the rbcS gene family among 16 model plants based on a genome-wide analysis. The results showed that (i two rbcS genes were obtained in Selaginella, which is the second fewest number of rbcS genes among the 16 representative plants; (ii an expansion of rbcS genes occurred in the moss Physcomitrella patens; (iii only RBCS proteins from angiosperms contained the Pfam PF12338 domains, and (iv a pattern of concerted evolution existed in the rbcS gene family. Our study provides new insights into the evolution of the rbcS gene family in Selaginella and other plants.

  18. Characterization and Functional Identification of a Novel Plant 4,5-Extradiol Dioxygenase Involved in Betalain Pigment Biosynthesis in Portulaca grandiflora

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christinet, Laurent; Burdet, Frédéric X.; Zaiko, Maïa; Hinz, Ursula; Zrÿd, Jean-Pierre

    2004-01-01

    Betalains are pigments that replace anthocyanins in the majority of families of the plant order Caryophyllales. Betalamic acid is the common chromophore of betalains. The key enzyme of the betalain biosynthetic pathway is an extradiol dioxygenase that opens the cyclic ring of dihydroxy-phenylalanine (DOPA) between carbons 4 and 5, thus producing an unstable seco-DOPA that rearranges nonenzymatically to betalamic acid. A gene for a 4,5-DOPA-dioxygenase has already been isolated from the fungus Amanita muscaria, but no homolog was ever found in plants. To identify the plant gene, we constructed subtractive libraries between different colored phenotypes of isogenic lines of Portulaca grandiflora (Portulacaceae) and between different stages of flower bud formation. Using in silico analysis of differentially expressed cDNAs, we identified a candidate showing strong homology at the level of translated protein with the LigB domain present in several bacterial extradiol 4,5-dioxygenases. The gene was expressed only in colored flower petals. The function of this gene in the betalain biosynthetic pathway was confirmed by biolistic genetic complementation in white petals of P. grandiflora genotypes lacking the gene for color formation. This gene named DODA is the first characterized member of a novel family of plant dioxygenases phylogenetically distinct from Amanita sp. DOPA-dioxygenase. Homologs of DODA are present not only in betalain-producing plants but also, albeit with some changes near the catalytic site, in other angiosperms and in the bryophyte Physcomitrella patens. These homologs are part of a novel conserved plant gene family probably involved in aromatic compound metabolism. PMID:14730069

  19. Comparative Genomics of NAC Transcriptional Factors in Angiosperms: Implications for the Adaptation and Diversification of Flowering Plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira-Santana, Alejandro; Alcaraz, Luis David; Castaño, Enrique; Sanchez-Calderon, Lenin; Sanchez-Teyer, Felipe; Rodriguez-Zapata, Luis

    2015-01-01

    NAC proteins constitute one of the largest groups of plant-specific transcription factors and are known to play essential roles in various developmental processes. They are also important in plant responses to stresses such as drought, soil salinity, cold, and heat, which adversely affect growth. The current knowledge regarding the distribution of NAC proteins in plant lineages comes from relatively small samplings from the available data. In the present study, we broadened the number of plant species containing the NAC family origin and evolution to shed new light on the evolutionary history of this family in angiosperms. A comparative genome analysis was performed on 24 land plant species, and NAC ortholog groups were identified by means of bidirectional BLAST hits. Large NAC gene families are found in those species that have experienced more whole-genome duplication events, pointing to an expansion of the NAC family with divergent functions in flowering plants. A total of 3,187 NAC transcription factors that clustered into six major groups were used in the phylogenetic analysis. Many orthologous groups were found in the monocot and eudicot lineages, but only five orthologous groups were found between P. patens and each representative taxa of flowering plants. These groups were called basal orthologous groups and likely expanded into more recent taxa to cope with their environmental needs. This analysis on the angiosperm NAC family represents an effort to grasp the evolutionary and functional diversity within this gene family while providing a basis for further functional research on vascular plant gene families. PMID:26569117

  20. Comparative Genomics of NAC Transcriptional Factors in Angiosperms: Implications for the Adaptation and Diversification of Flowering Plants.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro Pereira-Santana

    Full Text Available NAC proteins constitute one of the largest groups of plant-specific transcription factors and are known to play essential roles in various developmental processes. They are also important in plant responses to stresses such as drought, soil salinity, cold, and heat, which adversely affect growth. The current knowledge regarding the distribution of NAC proteins in plant lineages comes from relatively small samplings from the available data. In the present study, we broadened the number of plant species containing the NAC family origin and evolution to shed new light on the evolutionary history of this family in angiosperms. A comparative genome analysis was performed on 24 land plant species, and NAC ortholog groups were identified by means of bidirectional BLAST hits. Large NAC gene families are found in those species that have experienced more whole-genome duplication events, pointing to an expansion of the NAC family with divergent functions in flowering plants. A total of 3,187 NAC transcription factors that clustered into six major groups were used in the phylogenetic analysis. Many orthologous groups were found in the monocot and eudicot lineages, but only five orthologous groups were found between P. patens and each representative taxa of flowering plants. These groups were called basal orthologous groups and likely expanded into more recent taxa to cope with their environmental needs. This analysis on the angiosperm NAC family represents an effort to grasp the evolutionary and functional diversity within this gene family while providing a basis for further functional research on vascular plant gene families.

  1. Evolutionary Analysis of DELLA-Associated Transcriptional Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel A. Blázquez

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available DELLA proteins are transcriptional regulators present in all land plants which have been shown to modulate the activity of over 100 transcription factors in Arabidopsis, involved in multiple physiological and developmental processes. It has been proposed that DELLAs transduce environmental information to pre-wired transcriptional circuits because their stability is regulated by gibberellins (GAs, whose homeostasis largely depends on environmental signals. The ability of GAs to promote DELLA degradation coincides with the origin of vascular plants, but the presence of DELLAs in other land plants poses at least two questions: what regulatory properties have DELLAs provided to the behavior of transcriptional networks in land plants, and how has the recruitment of DELLAs by GA signaling affected this regulation. To address these issues, we have constructed gene co-expression networks of four different organisms within the green lineage with different properties regarding DELLAs: Arabidopsis thaliana and Solanum lycopersicum (both with GA-regulated DELLA proteins, Physcomitrella patens (with GA-independent DELLA proteins and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (a green alga without DELLA, and we have examined the relative evolution of the subnetworks containing the potential DELLA-dependent transcriptomes. Network analysis indicates a relative increase in parameters associated with the degree of interconnectivity in the DELLA-associated subnetworks of land plants, with a stronger effect in species with GA-regulated DELLA proteins. These results suggest that DELLAs may have played a role in the coordination of multiple transcriptional programs along evolution, and the function of DELLAs as regulatory ‘hubs’ became further consolidated after their recruitment by GA signaling in higher plants.

  2. Seed flotation and germination of salt marsh plants: The effects of stratification, salinity, and/or inundation regime

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elsey-Quirk, T.; Middleton, B.A.; Proffitt, C.E.

    2009-01-01

    We examined the effects of cold stratification and salinity on seed flotation of eight salt marsh species. Four of the eight species were tested for germination success under different stratification, salinity, and flooding conditions. Species were separated into two groups, four species received wet stratification and four dry stratification and fresh seeds of all species were tested for flotation and germination. Fresh seeds of seven out of eight species had flotation times independent of salinity, six of which had average flotation times of at least 50 d. Seeds of Spartina alterniflora and Spartina patens had the shortest flotation times, averaging 24 and 26 d, respectively. Following wet stratification, the flotation time of S. alterniflora seeds in higher salinity water (15 and 36 ppt) was reduced by over 75% and germination declined by more than 90%. Wet stratification reduced the flotation time of Distichlis spicata seeds in fresh water but increased seed germination from 2 to 16% in a fluctuating inundation regime. Fresh seeds of Iva frutescens and S. alternflora were capable of germination and therefore are non-dormant during dispersal. Fresh seeds of I. frutescens had similar germination to dry stratified seeds ranging 25-30%. Salinity reduced seed germination for all species except for S. alterniflora. A fluctuating inundation regime was important for seed germination of the low marsh species and for germination following cold stratification. The conditions that resulted in seeds sinking faster were similar to the conditions that resulted in higher germination for two of four species. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

  3. Characterization of UGT716A1 as a Multi-substrate UDP:Flavonoid Glucosyltransferase Gene in Ginkgo biloba

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaojia Su

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Ginkgo biloba L., a “living fossil” and medicinal plant, is a well-known rich source of bioactive flavonoids. The molecular mechanism underlying the biosynthesis of flavonoid glucosides, the predominant flavonoids in G. biloba, remains unclear. To better understand flavonoid glucosylation in G. biloba, we generated a transcriptomic dataset of G. biloba leaf tissue by high-throughput RNA sequencing. We identified 25 putative UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT unigenes that are potentially involved in the flavonoid glycosylation. Among them, we successfully isolated and expressed eight UGT genes in Escherichia coli, and found that recombinant UGT716A1 protein was active toward broad range of flavonoid/phenylpropanoid substrates. In particular, we discovered the first recombinant UGT protein, UGT716A1 from G. biloba, possessing unique activity toward flavanol gallates that have been extensively documented to have significant bioactivity relating to human health. UGT716A1 expression level paralleled the flavonoid distribution pattern in G. biloba. Ectopic over-expression of UGT716A1 in Arabidopsis thaliana led to increased accumulation of several flavonol glucosides. Identification and comparison of the in vitro enzymatic activity of UGT716A1 homologs revealed a UGT from the primitive land species Physcomitrella patens also showed broader substrate spectrum than those from higher plants A. thaliana, Vitis vinifera, and Medicago truncatula. The characterization of UGT716A1 from G. biloba bridges a gap in the evolutionary history of UGTs in gymnosperms. We also discuss the implication of UGT716A1 for biosynthesis, evolution, and bioengineering of diverse glucosylated flavonoids.

  4. Moss and liverwort xyloglucans contain galacturonic acid and are structurally distinct from the xyloglucans synthesized by hornworts and vascular plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peña, Maria J; Darvill, Alan G; Eberhard, Stefan; York, William S; O'Neill, Malcolm A

    2008-11-01

    Xyloglucan is a well-characterized hemicellulosic polysaccharide that is present in the cell walls of all seed-bearing plants. The cell walls of avascular and seedless vascular plants are also believed to contain xyloglucan. However, these xyloglucans have not been structurally characterized. This lack of information is an impediment to understanding changes in xyloglucan structure that occurred during land plant evolution. In this study, xyloglucans were isolated from the walls of avascular (liverworts, mosses, and hornworts) and seedless vascular plants (club and spike mosses and ferns and fern allies). Each xyloglucan was fragmented with a xyloglucan-specific endo-glucanase and the resulting oligosaccharides then structurally characterized using NMR spectroscopy, MALDI-TOF and electrospray mass spectrometry, and glycosyl-linkage and glycosyl residue composition analyses. Our data show that xyloglucan is present in the cell walls of all major divisions of land plants and that these xyloglucans have several common structural motifs. However, these polysaccharides are not identical because specific plant groups synthesize xyloglucans with unique structural motifs. For example, the moss Physcomitrella patens and the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha synthesize XXGGG- and XXGG-type xyloglucans, respectively, with sidechains that contain a beta-D-galactosyluronic acid and a branched xylosyl residue. By contrast, hornworts synthesize XXXG-type xyloglucans that are structurally homologous to the xyloglucans synthesized by many seed-bearing and seedless vascular plants. Our results increase our understanding of the evolution, diversity, and function of structural motifs in land-plant xyloglucans and provide support to the proposal that hornworts are sisters to the vascular plants.

  5. Effects of Disturbance Associated With Seismic Exploration for Oil and Gas Reserves in Coastal Marshes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard, Rebecca J.; Wells, Christopher J.; Michot, Thomas C.; Johnson, Darren J.

    2014-07-01

    Anthropogenic disturbances in wetland ecosystems can alter the composition and structure of plant assemblages and affect system functions. Extensive oil and gas extraction has occurred in wetland habitats along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast since the early 1900s. Activities involved with three-dimensional (3D) seismic exploration for these resources cause various disturbances to vegetation and soils. We documented the impact of a 3D seismic survey in coastal marshes in Louisiana, USA, along transects established before exploration began. Two semi-impounded marshes dominated by Spartina patens were in the area surveyed. Vegetation, soil, and water physicochemical data were collected before the survey, about 6 weeks following its completion, and every 3 months thereafter for 2 years. Soil cores for seed bank emergence experiments were also collected. Maximum vegetation height at impact sites was reduced in both marshes 6 weeks following the survey. In one marsh, total vegetation cover was also reduced, and dead vegetation cover increased, at impact sites 6 weeks after the survey. These effects, however, did not persist 3 months later. No effects on soil or water properties were identified. The total number of seeds that germinated during greenhouse studies increased at impact sites 5 months following the survey in both marshes. Although some seed bank effects persisted 1 year, these effects were not reflected in standing vegetation. The marshes studied were therefore resilient to the impacts resulting from 3D seismic exploration because vegetation responses were short term in that they could not be identified a few months following survey completion.

  6. Genome-wide analysis of the MYB gene family in physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Changpin; Chen, Yanbo; Wu, Zhenying; Lu, Wenjia; Han, Jinli; Wu, Pingzhi; Chen, Yaping; Li, Meiru; Jiang, Huawu; Wu, Guojiang

    2015-11-01

    The MYB proteins comprise one of the largest transcription factor families in plants, and play key roles in regulatory networks controlling development, metabolism, and stress responses. A total of 125 MYB genes (JcMYB) have been identified in the physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.) genome, including 120 2R-type MYB, 4 3R-MYB, and 1 4R-MYB genes. Based on exon-intron arrangement of MYBs from both lower (Physcomitrella patens) and higher (physic nut, Arabidopsis, and rice) plants, we can classify plant MYB genes into ten groups (MI-X), except for MIX genes which are nonexistent in higher plants. We also observed that MVIII genes may be one of the most ancient MYB types which consist of both R2R3- and 3R-MYB genes. Most MYB genes (76.8% in physic nut) belong to the MI group which can be divided into 34 subgroups. The JcMYB genes were nonrandomly distributed on its 11 linkage groups (LGs). The expansion of MYB genes across several subgroups was observed and resulted from genome triplication of ancient dicotyledons and from both ancient and recent tandem duplication events in the physic nut genome. The expression patterns of several MYB duplicates in the physic nut showed differences in four tissues (root, stem, leaf, and seed), and 34 MYB genes responded to at least one abiotic stressor (drought, salinity, phosphate starvation, and nitrogen starvation) in leaves and/or roots based on the data analysis of digital gene expression tags. Overexpression of the JcMYB001 gene in Arabidopsis increased its sensitivity to drought and salinity stresses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Synthesis and Self-Assembly of Cellulose Microfibrils from Reconstituted Cellulose Synthase1[OPEN

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purushotham, Pallinti; Fang, Chao; Maranas, Cassandra; Bulone, Vincent

    2017-01-01

    Cellulose, the major component of plant cell walls, can be converted to bioethanol and is thus highly studied. In plants, cellulose is produced by cellulose synthase, a processive family-2 glycosyltransferase. In plant cell walls, individual β-1,4-glucan chains polymerized by CesA are assembled into microfibrils that are frequently bundled into macrofibrils. An in vitro system in which cellulose is synthesized and assembled into fibrils would facilitate detailed study of this process. Here, we report the heterologous expression and partial purification of His-tagged CesA5 from Physcomitrella patens. Immunoblot analysis and mass spectrometry confirmed enrichment of PpCesA5. The recombinant protein was functional when reconstituted into liposomes made from yeast total lipid extract. The functional studies included incorporation of radiolabeled Glc, linkage analysis, and imaging of cellulose microfibril formation using transmission electron microscopy. Several microfibrils were observed either inside or on the outer surface of proteoliposomes, and strikingly, several thinner fibrils formed ordered bundles that either covered the surfaces of proteoliposomes or were spawned from liposome surfaces. We also report this arrangement of fibrils made by proteoliposomes bearing CesA8 from hybrid aspen. These observations describe minimal systems of membrane-reconstituted CesAs that polymerize β-1,4-glucan chains that coalesce to form microfibrils and higher-ordered macrofibrils. How these micro- and macrofibrils relate to those found in primary and secondary plant cell walls is uncertain, but their presence enables further study of the mechanisms that govern the formation and assembly of fibrillar cellulosic structures and cell wall composites during or after the polymerization process controlled by CesA proteins. PMID:28768815

  8. Synthesis and Self-Assembly of Cellulose Microfibrils from Reconstituted Cellulose Synthase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Sung Hyun; Purushotham, Pallinti; Fang, Chao; Maranas, Cassandra; Díaz-Moreno, Sara M; Bulone, Vincent; Zimmer, Jochen; Kumar, Manish; Nixon, B Tracy

    2017-09-01

    Cellulose, the major component of plant cell walls, can be converted to bioethanol and is thus highly studied. In plants, cellulose is produced by cellulose synthase, a processive family-2 glycosyltransferase. In plant cell walls, individual β-1,4-glucan chains polymerized by CesA are assembled into microfibrils that are frequently bundled into macrofibrils. An in vitro system in which cellulose is synthesized and assembled into fibrils would facilitate detailed study of this process. Here, we report the heterologous expression and partial purification of His-tagged CesA5 from Physcomitrella patens Immunoblot analysis and mass spectrometry confirmed enrichment of PpCesA5. The recombinant protein was functional when reconstituted into liposomes made from yeast total lipid extract. The functional studies included incorporation of radiolabeled Glc, linkage analysis, and imaging of cellulose microfibril formation using transmission electron microscopy. Several microfibrils were observed either inside or on the outer surface of proteoliposomes, and strikingly, several thinner fibrils formed ordered bundles that either covered the surfaces of proteoliposomes or were spawned from liposome surfaces. We also report this arrangement of fibrils made by proteoliposomes bearing CesA8 from hybrid aspen. These observations describe minimal systems of membrane-reconstituted CesAs that polymerize β-1,4-glucan chains that coalesce to form microfibrils and higher-ordered macrofibrils. How these micro- and macrofibrils relate to those found in primary and secondary plant cell walls is uncertain, but their presence enables further study of the mechanisms that govern the formation and assembly of fibrillar cellulosic structures and cell wall composites during or after the polymerization process controlled by CesA proteins. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

  9. Identification and Functional Characterization of Monofunctional ent-Copalyl Diphosphate and ent-Kaurene Synthases in White Spruce Reveal Different Patterns for Diterpene Synthase Evolution for Primary and Secondary Metabolism in Gymnosperms1[W][OA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keeling, Christopher I.; Dullat, Harpreet K.; Yuen, Mack; Ralph, Steven G.; Jancsik, Sharon; Bohlmann, Jörg

    2010-01-01

    The biosynthesis of the tetracyclic diterpene ent-kaurene is a critical step in the general (primary) metabolism of gibberellin hormones. ent-Kaurene is formed by a two-step cyclization of geranylgeranyl diphosphate via the intermediate ent-copalyl diphosphate. In a lower land plant, the moss Physcomitrella patens, a single bifunctional diterpene synthase (diTPS) catalyzes both steps. In contrast, in angiosperms, the two consecutive cyclizations are catalyzed by two distinct monofunctional enzymes, ent-copalyl diphosphate synthase (CPS) and ent-kaurene synthase (KS). The enzyme, or enzymes, responsible for ent-kaurene biosynthesis in gymnosperms has been elusive. However, several bifunctional diTPS of specialized (secondary) metabolism have previously been characterized in gymnosperms, and all known diTPSs for resin acid biosynthesis in conifers are bifunctional. To further understand the evolution of ent-kaurene biosynthesis as well as the evolution of general and specialized diterpenoid metabolisms in gymnosperms, we set out to determine whether conifers use a single bifunctional diTPS or two monofunctional diTPSs in the ent-kaurene pathway. Using a combination of expressed sequence tag, full-length cDNA, genomic DNA, and targeted bacterial artificial chromosome sequencing, we identified two candidate CPS and KS genes from white spruce (Picea glauca) and their orthologs in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis). Functional characterization of the recombinant enzymes established that ent-kaurene biosynthesis in white spruce is catalyzed by two monofunctional diTPSs, PgCPS and PgKS. Comparative analysis of gene structures and enzyme functions highlights the molecular evolution of these diTPSs as conserved between gymnosperms and angiosperms. In contrast, diTPSs for specialized metabolism have evolved differently in angiosperms and gymnosperms. PMID:20044448

  10. Global carbon sequestration in tidal, saline wetland soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chmura, G.L.; Anisfeld, S.C.; Cahoon, D.R.; Lynch, J.C.

    2003-01-01

    Wetlands represent the largest component of the terrestrial biological carbon pool and thus play an important role in global carbon cycles. Most global carbon budgets, however, have focused on dry land ecosystems that extend over large areas and have not accounted for the many small, scattered carbon-storing ecosystems such as tidal saline wetlands. We compiled data for 154 sites in mangroves and salt marshes from the western and eastern Atlantic and Pacific coasts, as well as the Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Ocean, and Gulf of Mexico. The set of sites spans a latitudinal range from 22.4??S in the Indian Ocean to 55.5??N in the northeastern Atlantic. The average soil carbon density of mangrove swamps (0.055 ?? 0.004 g cm-3) is significantly higher than the salt marsh average (0.039 ?? 0.003 g cm-3). Soil carbon density in mangrove swamps and Spartina patens marshes declines with increasing average annual temperature, probably due to increased decay rates at higher temperatures. In contrast, carbon sequestration rates were not significantly different between mangrove swamps and salt marshes. Variability in sediment accumulation rates within marshes is a major control of carbon sequestration rates masking any relationship with climatic parameters. Globally, these combined wetlands store at least 44.6 Tg C yr-1 and probably more, as detailed areal inventories are not available for salt marshes in China and South America. Much attention has been given to the role of freshwater wetlands, particularly northern peatlands, as carbon sinks. In contrast to peatlands, salt marshes and mangroves release negligible amounts of greenhouse gases and store more carbon per unit area. Copyright 2003 by the American Geophysical Union.

  11. Annotation of Selaginella moellendorffii major intrinsic proteins and the evolution of the protein family in terrestrial plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanna Isa Anderberg

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Major intrinsic proteins (MIPs also called aquaporins form pores in membranes to facilitate the permeation of water and certain small polar solutes across membranes. MIPs are present in virtually every organism but are uniquely abundant in land plants. To elucidate the evolution and function of MIPs in terrestrial plants, the MIPs encoded in the genome of the spikemoss Selaginella moellendorffii were identified and analyzed. In total 19 MIPs were found in S. moellendorffii belonging to six of the seven MIP subfamilies previously identified in the moss Physcomitrella patens. Only three of the MIPs were classified as members of the conserved water specific plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP subfamily whereas almost half were found to belong to the diverse NOD26-like intrinsic protein (NIP subfamily permeating various solutes. The small number of PIPs in S. moellendorffii is striking compared to all other land plants and no other species has more NIPs than PIPs. Similar to moss, S. moellendorffii only has one type of tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIP. Based on ESTs from non-angiosperms we conclude that the specialized groups of TIPs present in higher plants are not found in primitive vascular plants but evolved later in a common ancestor of seed plants. We also note that the silicic acid permeable NIP2 group that has been reported from angiosperms appears at the same time. We suggest that the expansion of the number MIP isoforms in higher plants is primarily associated with an increase in the different types of specialized tissues rather than the emergence of vascular tissue per se and that the loss of subfamilies has been possible due to a functional overlap between some subfamilies.

  12. Production of biologically active recombinant human factor H in Physcomitrella.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Büttner-Mainik, Annette; Parsons, Juliana; Jérôme, Hanna; Hartmann, Andrea; Lamer, Stephanie; Schaaf, Andreas; Schlosser, Andreas; Zipfel, Peter F; Reski, Ralf; Decker, Eva L

    2011-04-01

    The human complement regulatory serum protein factor H (FH) is a promising future biopharmaceutical. Defects in the gene encoding FH are associated with human diseases like severe kidney and retinal disorders in the form of atypical haemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis II (MPGN II) or age-related macular degeneration (AMD). There is a current need to apply intact full-length FH for the therapy of patients with congenital or acquired defects of this protein. Application of purified or recombinant FH (rFH) to these patients is an important and promising approach for the treatment of these diseases. However, neither protein purified from plasma of healthy individuals nor recombinant protein is currently available on the market. Here, we report the first stable expression of the full-length human FH cDNA and the subsequent production of this glycoprotein in a plant system. The moss Physcomitrella patens perfectly suits the requirements for the production of complex biopharmaceuticals as this eukaryotic system not only offers an outstanding genetical accessibility, but moreover, proteins can be produced safely in scalable photobioreactors without the need for animal-derived medium compounds. Transgenic moss lines were created, which express the human FH cDNA and target the recombinant protein to the culture supernatant via a moss-derived secretion signal. Correct processing of the signal peptide and integrity of the moss-produced rFH were verified via peptide mapping by mass spectrometry. Ultimately, we show that the rFH displays complement regulatory activity comparable to FH purified from plasma. © 2010 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2010 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  13. The valine and lysine residues in the conserved FxVTxK motif are important for the function of phylogenetically distant plant cellulose synthases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Slabaugh, Erin; Scavuzzo-Duggan, Tess; Chaves, Arielle; Wilson, Liza; Wilson, Carmen; Davis, Jonathan K.; Cosgrove, Daniel J.; Anderson, Charles T.; Roberts, Alison W.; Haigler, Candace H.

    2015-12-08

    Cellulose synthases (CESAs) synthesize the β-1,4-glucan chains that coalesce to form cellulose microfibrils in plant cell walls. In addition to a large cytosolic (catalytic) domain, CESAs have eight predicted transmembrane helices (TMHs). However, analogous to the structure of BcsA, a bacterial CESA, predicted TMH5 in CESA may instead be an interfacial helix. This would place the conserved FxVTxK motif in the plant cell cytosol where it could function as a substrate-gating loop as occurs in BcsA. To define the functional importance of the CESA region containing FxVTxK, we tested five parallel mutations in Arabidopsis thaliana CESA1 and Physcomitrella patens CESA5 in complementation assays of the relevant cesa mutants. In both organisms, the substitution of the valine or lysine residues in FxVTxK severely affected CESA function. In Arabidopsis roots, both changes were correlated with lower cellulose anisotropy, as revealed by Pontamine Fast Scarlet. Analysis of hypocotyl inner cell wall layers by atomic force microscopy showed that two altered versions of Atcesa1 could rescue cell wall phenotypes observed in the mutant background line. Overall, the data show that the FxVTxK motif is functionally important in two phylogenetically distant plant CESAs. The results show that Physcomitrella provides an efficient model for assessing the effects of engineered CESA mutations affecting primary cell wall synthesis and that diverse testing systems can lead to nuanced insights into CESA structure–function relationships. Although CESA membrane topology needs to be experimentally determined, the results support the possibility that the FxVTxK region functions similarly in CESA and BcsA.

  14. Effects of prescribed burning on marsh-elevation change and the risk of wetland loss

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKee, Karen L.; Grace, James B.

    2012-01-01

    Marsh-elevation change is the net effect of biophysical processes controlling inputs versus losses of soil volume. In many marshes, accumulation of organic matter is an important contributor to soil volume and vertical land building. In this study, we examined how prescribed burning, a common marsh-management practice, may affect elevation dynamics in the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, Texas by altering organic-matter accumulation. Experimental plots were established in a brackish marsh dominated by Spartina patens, a grass found throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic marshes. Experimental plots were subjected to burning and nutrient-addition treatments and monitored for 3.5 years (April 2005 – November 2008). Half of the plots were burned once in 2006; half of the plots were fertilized seasonally with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Before and after the burns, seasonal measurements were made of soil physicochemistry, vegetation structure, standing and fallen plant biomass, aboveground and belowground production, decomposition, and accretion and elevation change (measured with Surface Elevation Tables (SET)). Movements in different soil strata (surface, root zone, subroot zone) were evaluated to identify which processes were contributing to elevation change. Because several hurricanes occurred during the study period, we also assessed how these storms affected elevation change rates. The main findings of this study were as follows: 1. The main drivers of elevation change were accretion on the marsh surface and subsurface movement below the root zone, but the relative influence of these processes varied temporally. Prior to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike (September 2008), the main driver was subsurface movement; after the hurricane, both accretion and subsurface movement were important. 2. Prior to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, rates of elevation gain and accretion above a marker horizon were higher in burned plots compared to nonburned plots, whereas

  15. Genome-Wide Identification of the Alba Gene Family in Plants and Stress-Responsive Expression of the Rice Alba Genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Jitendra Kumar; Wardhan, Vijay; Singh, Deepali; Chakraborty, Subhra; Chakraborty, Niranjan

    2018-03-28

    Architectural proteins play key roles in genome construction and regulate the expression of many genes, albeit the modulation of genome plasticity by these proteins is largely unknown. A critical screening of the architectural proteins in five crop species, viz., Oryza sativa , Zea mays , Sorghum bicolor , Cicer arietinum , and Vitis vinifera , and in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana along with evolutionary relevant species such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii , Physcomitrella patens , and Amborella trichopoda , revealed 9, 20, 10, 7, 7, 6, 1, 4, and 4 Alba (acetylation lowers binding affinity) genes, respectively. A phylogenetic analysis of the genes and of their counterparts in other plant species indicated evolutionary conservation and diversification. In each group, the structural components of the genes and motifs showed significant conservation. The chromosomal location of the Alba genes of rice ( OsAlba ), showed an unequal distribution on 8 of its 12 chromosomes. The expression profiles of the OsAlba genes indicated a distinct tissue-specific expression in the seedling, vegetative, and reproductive stages. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of the OsAlba genes confirmed their stress-inducible expression under multivariate environmental conditions and phytohormone treatments. The evaluation of the regulatory elements in 68 Alba genes from the 9 species studied led to the identification of conserved motifs and overlapping microRNA (miRNA) target sites, suggesting the conservation of their function in related proteins and a divergence in their biological roles across species. The 3D structure and the prediction of putative ligands and their binding sites for OsAlba proteins offered a key insight into the structure-function relationship. These results provide a comprehensive overview of the subtle genetic diversification of the OsAlba genes, which will help in elucidating their functional role in plants.

  16. Export of Dissolved Lignin from Coastal Wetlands to the Louisiana Shelf

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianchi, T. S.; Dimarco, S. F.; Smith, R. W.; Schreiner, K. M.

    2008-12-01

    Here we report on spatial and temporal changes in the concentration and composition of dissolved lignin- phenols in surface and bottom waters off the Louisiana coast (USA). Samples were collected at 7 stations on 2 cruises (April, and July, 2008) along a transect that spanned from inside Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana (12 m water depth) to the outer-most station on the inner Louisiana shelf (21 m water depth). The highest average concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved lignin, during both cruises, occurred at the interface between Terrebonne Bay and the inner shelf. Average DOC and dissolved lignin concentrations were significantly higher in April than in July across most stations. Based on hydrologic data, these higher concentrations clearly reflect a combined mixing of DOM from plume waters to the west and local marsh inputs. The cinnamyl/vanillyl (C/V) and syringyl/vanillyl (S/V) ratios indicated that the predominant source of lignin was from non-woody angiosperms - likely the dominant species of wetland plants Spartina alterniflora and S. patens (Spartina spp.) that border the entire bay. The high vanillic acid to vanillin (Ad/Al)v ratios for all stations were typical of that found near estuarine boundaries, where biologically- and photochemically-mediated lignin decay processes are important. This preliminary data indicates that wetlands provide another source of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to the Louisiana shelf that likely contributes to microbial food resources and hence hypoxia, especially in the context of the instability and extensive erosion of these marshes over the past ca. 50 years. This has important implications for the current management plan to reduce hypoxia in the GOM, particularly in those regions that extend west of the nutrient-rich highly productive near-field zones of Atchafalaya-Mississippi river plumes.

  17. The function of the RNA-binding protein TEL1 in moss reveals ancient regulatory mechanisms of shoot development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivancos, Julien; Spinner, Lara; Mazubert, Christelle; Charlot, Florence; Paquet, Nicolas; Thareau, Vincent; Dron, Michel; Nogué, Fabien; Charon, Céline

    2012-03-01

    The shoot represents the basic body plan in land plants. It consists of a repeated structure composed of stems and leaves. Whereas vascular plants generate a shoot in their diploid phase, non-vascular plants such as mosses form a shoot (called the gametophore) in their haploid generation. The evolution of regulatory mechanisms or genetic networks used in the development of these two kinds of shoots is unclear. TERMINAL EAR1-like genes have been involved in diploid shoot development in vascular plants. Here, we show that disruption of PpTEL1 from the moss Physcomitrella patens, causes reduced protonema growth and gametophore initiation, as well as defects in gametophore development. Leafy shoots formed on ΔTEL1 mutants exhibit shorter stems with more leaves per shoot, suggesting an accelerated leaf initiation (shortened plastochron), a phenotype shared with the Poaceae vascular plants TE1 and PLA2/LHD2 mutants. Moreover, the positive correlation between plastochron length and leaf size observed in ΔTEL1 mutants suggests a conserved compensatory mechanism correlating leaf growth and leaf initiation rate that would minimize overall changes in plant biomass. The RNA-binding protein encoded by PpTEL1 contains two N-terminus RNA-recognition motifs, and a third C-terminus non-canonical RRM, specific to TEL proteins. Removal of the PpTEL1 C-terminus (including this third RRM) or only 16-18 amino acids within it seriously impairs PpTEL1 function, suggesting a critical role for this third RRM. These results show a conserved function of the RNA-binding PpTEL1 protein in the regulation of shoot development, from early ancestors to vascular plants, that depends on the third TEL-specific RRM.

  18. Evolution of allosteric regulation in chorismate mutases from early plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kroll, Kourtney; Holland, Cynthia K.; Starks, Courtney M.; Jez, Joseph M.

    2017-09-28

    Plants, fungi, and bacteria synthesize the aromatic amino acids: l-phenylalanine, l-tyrosine, and l-tryptophan. Chorismate mutase catalyzes the branch point reaction of phenylalanine and tyrosine biosynthesis to generate prephenate. In Arabidopsis thaliana, there are two plastid-localized chorismate mutases that are allosterically regulated (AtCM1 and AtCM3) and one cytosolic isoform (AtCM2) that is unregulated. Previous analysis of plant chorismate mutases suggested that the enzymes from early plants (i.e. bryophytes/moss, lycophytes, and basal angiosperms) formed a clade distinct from the isoforms found in flowering plants; however, no biochemical information on these enzymes is available. To understand the evolution of allosteric regulation in plant chorismate mutases, we analyzed a basal lineage of plant enzymes homologous to AtCM1 based on sequence similarity. The chorismate mutases from the moss/bryophyte Physcomitrella patens (PpCM1 and PpCM2), the lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii (SmCM), and the basal angiosperm Amborella trichopoda (AmtCM1 and AmtCM2) were characterized biochemically. Tryptophan was a positive effector for each of the five enzymes examined. Histidine was a weak positive effector for PpCM1 and AmtCM1. Neither tyrosine nor phenylalanine altered the activity of SmCM; however, tyrosine was a negative regulator of the other four enzymes. Phenylalanine down-regulates both moss enzymes and AmtCM2. The 2.0 Å X-ray crystal structure of PpCM1 in complex with the tryptophan identified the allosteric effector site and reveals structural differences between the R- (more active) and T-state (less active) forms of plant chorismate mutases. Molecular insight into the basal plant chorismate mutases guides our understanding of the evolution of allosteric regulation in these enzymes.

  19. The ALDH21 gene found in lower plants and some vascular plants codes for a NADP+ -dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kopečná, Martina; Vigouroux, Armelle; Vilím, Jan; Končitíková, Radka; Briozzo, Pierre; Hájková, Eva; Jašková, Lenka; von Schwartzenberg, Klaus; Šebela, Marek; Moréra, Solange; Kopečný, David

    2017-10-01

    Lower plant species including some green algae, non-vascular plants (bryophytes) as well as the oldest vascular plants (lycopods) and ferns (monilophytes) possess a unique aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) gene named ALDH21, which is upregulated during dehydration. However, the gene is absent in flowering plants. Here, we show that ALDH21 from the moss Physcomitrella patens codes for a tetrameric NADP + -dependent succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSALDH), which converts succinic semialdehyde, an intermediate of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) shunt pathway, into succinate in the cytosol. NAD + is a very poor coenzyme for ALDH21 unlike for mitochondrial SSALDHs (ALDH5), which are the closest related ALDH members. Structural comparison between the apoform and the coenzyme complex reveal that NADP + binding induces a conformational change of the loop carrying Arg-228, which seals the NADP + in the coenzyme cavity via its 2'-phosphate and α-phosphate groups. The crystal structure with the bound product succinate shows that its carboxylate group establishes salt bridges with both Arg-121 and Arg-457, and a hydrogen bond with Tyr-296. While both arginine residues are pre-formed for substrate/product binding, Tyr-296 moves by more than 1 Å. Both R121A and R457A variants are almost inactive, demonstrating a key role of each arginine in catalysis. Our study implies that bryophytes but presumably also some green algae, lycopods and ferns, which carry both ALDH21 and ALDH5 genes, can oxidize SSAL to succinate in both cytosol and mitochondria, indicating a more diverse GABA shunt pathway compared with higher plants carrying only the mitochondrial ALDH5. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Transcriptional Slippage and RNA Editing Increase the Diversity of Transcripts in Chloroplasts: Insight from Deep Sequencing of Vigna radiata Genome and Transcriptome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ching-Ping Lin

    Full Text Available We performed deep sequencing of the nuclear and organellar genomes of three mungbean genotypes: Vigna radiata ssp. sublobata TC1966, V. radiata var. radiata NM92 and the recombinant inbred line RIL59 derived from a cross between TC1966 and NM92. Moreover, we performed deep sequencing of the RIL59 transcriptome to investigate transcript variability. The mungbean chloroplast genome has a quadripartite structure including a pair of inverted repeats separated by two single copy regions. A total of 213 simple sequence repeats were identified in the chloroplast genomes of NM92 and RIL59; 78 single nucleotide variants and nine indels were discovered in comparing the chloroplast genomes of TC1966 and NM92. Analysis of the mungbean chloroplast transcriptome revealed mRNAs that were affected by transcriptional slippage and RNA editing. Transcriptional slippage frequency was positively correlated with the length of simple sequence repeats of the mungbean chloroplast genome (R2=0.9911. In total, 41 C-to-U editing sites were found in 23 chloroplast genes and in one intergenic spacer. No editing site that swapped U to C was found. A combination of bioinformatics and experimental methods revealed that the plastid-encoded RNA polymerase-transcribed genes psbF and ndhA are affected by transcriptional slippage in mungbean and in main lineages of land plants, including three dicots (Glycine max, Brassica rapa, and Nicotiana tabacum, two monocots (Oryza sativa and Zea mays, two gymnosperms (Pinus taeda and Ginkgo biloba and one moss (Physcomitrella patens. Transcript analysis of the rps2 gene showed that transcriptional slippage could affect transcripts at single sequence repeat regions with poly-A runs. It showed that transcriptional slippage together with incomplete RNA editing may cause sequence diversity of transcripts in chloroplasts of land plants.

  1. Facilitative and competitive interaction components among New England salt marsh plants

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    John F. Bruno

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Intra- and interspecific interactions can be broken down into facilitative and competitive components. The net interaction between two organisms is simply the sum of these counteracting elements. Disentangling the positive and negative components of species interactions is a critical step in advancing our understanding of how the interaction between organisms shift along physical and biotic gradients. We performed a manipulative field experiment to quantify the positive and negative components of the interactions between a perennial forb, Aster tenuifolius, and three dominant, matrix-forming grasses and rushes in a New England salt marsh. Specifically, we asked whether positive and negative interaction components: (1 are unique or redundant across three matrix-forming species (two grasses; Distichlis spicata and Spartina patens, and one rush; Juncus gerardi, and (2 change across Aster life stages (seedling, juvenile, and adult. For adult Aster the strength of the facilitative component of the matrix-forb interaction was stronger than the competitive component for two of the three matrix species, leading to net positive interactions. There was no statistically significant variation among matrix species in their net or component effects. We found little difference in the effects of J. gerardi on Aster at later life-history stages; interaction component strengths did not differ between juveniles and adults. However, mortality of seedlings in neighbor removal plots was 100%, indicating a particularly strong and critical facilitative effect of matrix species on this forb during the earliest life stages. Overall, our results indicate that matrix forming grasses and rushes have important, yet largely redundant, positive net effects on Aster performance across its life cycle. Studies that untangle various components of interactions and their contingencies are critical to both expanding our basic understanding of community organization, and predicting

  2. The Effect of Restoration on Soil Respiration in an Urban Tidal Wetland in the Meadowlands, New Jersey

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schafer, K. V.; Kurepa, S.; Duman, T.; Scott, M.; Pechmann, I.; Vanderklein, D. W.

    2017-12-01

    The effect of wetland restoration on soil respiration in tidal brackish marshes has not been comprehensively studied. In New Jersey, common mitigation efforts come in the form of the removal of an invasive haplotype of Phragmites australis and replanting of native species, resulting in significant habitat disturbance. This study investigated the differences in soil respiration within and between areas covered with P. australis, Spartina alterniflora, and Spartina patens. We performed static chamber measurements of soil respiration using an infrared gas analyzer to measure CO2 fluxes in a natural site and a mitigated site in the Meadowlands of New Jersey. Daytime measurements were performed in 10 random locations in areas populated with each of the vegetation types, to represent the spatial heterogeneity of the wetland area, during summer 2017. Due to the nature of the wetland, vegetation had to be removed to uncover the soil. Prior to measuring exposed soil respiration, we therefore measured CO2 flux including the vegetation within the chamber, which allowed us to additionally calculate the respiration including the vegetation. Furthermore, we assessed direct respiration of green leaves with leaf gas exchange measurements. Combining these different methodologies and scales allow us to estimate the function of different components that contribute to total respiration from the wetland, and how they change spatially and temporally. Initial results showed that soil respiration in P. australis patches was much higher than in both Spartina species, however average vegetation respiration per unit mass was similar across all three. Vegetation respiration and soil respiration are of the same order of magnitude in all three species as well. Also, when respiration with and without vegetation was combined, P. australis showed a considerably higher flux.

  3. Concerning the preliminary results of space experiment with the seeds of rare plants (on the boad of BION-M No.1)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gorelov, Yury; Kurganskaya, Lubov; Ilyin, Vyacheslav; Ruzaeva, Irina; Rozno, Svetlana; Kavelenova, Ludmila

    species of Samara region (Clematis integrifolia L.; Aster alpinus L.; Dianthus andrzejowskianus Kulcz.; Linum perenne L.; Polemonium caeruleum L.; Primula macrocalyx Bunge; Iris pumila L.; Lilium martagon L.; Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill., 8 from 9 are the plants of Samara Region Reed book) were packed into 3 marked plastic test tubes (Ø12/75, 4 ml). After the landing of “Bion-M” the seeds were sown on the experimental plot in the Botanical garden of Samara State University (25 July 2013). The sow time was near to the time of seeds ripening when they can fall on the ground in natural ecosystems. The abundant rains in the beginning of August 2013 made the beneficial conditions for sprouting and the first seedlings we found 10-15 days after sowing. The ground germination parameters varied from 3 to 78% for 6 different species (Clematis integrifolia L. 3%; Dianthus andrzejowskianus Kulcz. 8%; Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill 15%; .Linum perenne L. 67%; Polemonium caeruleum L. 75%; Iris pumila L. 78%), whereas 3 species did not sprout for that time (Lilium martagon L.; Aster alpinus L.; Primula macrocalyx Bunge). The most native flora species normally have no synchronic seed germination and many seeds each year are added in soil seed bank. Many ripe seeds are in dormancy that must be removed passing by autumn-winter period. That is a possible reason of seedlings absence in 3 of our species. We can mention the increase of ground germination parameters (comparing with their common germination levels) for Linum perenne L. and Iris pumila L. as a positive (stimulating) effect of space flight factors complex. These seeds normally never demonstrate germination on the level of 70-80%. Also we found the increase of plants diversity on their initial stage of development. Some more developed and big specimens appeared among the seedlings, what more clearly demonstrated Linum perenne L. and Iris pumila L.. Maybe such heterogeneity is connected with different seed mass and size what

  4. Chemical and structural characterization of copper adsorbed on mosses (Bryophyta)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    González, Aridane G., E-mail: aridaneglez@gmail.com [GET (Géosciences Environnement Toulouse) UMR 5563CNRS, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, F-31400 Toulouse (France); Jimenez-Villacorta, Felix [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales Madrid, CSIC, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid (Spain); Beike, Anna K. [Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schaenzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, 70191 Stuttgart (Germany); Reski, Ralf [Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schaenzlestrasse 1, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); BIOSS—Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); FRIAS—Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); Adamo, Paola [Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Naples (Italy); Pokrovsky, Oleg S. [GET (Géosciences Environnement Toulouse) UMR 5563CNRS, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, F-31400 Toulouse (France); BIO-GEO-CLIM Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Institute of Ecological Problems of the North, Russian Academy of Science, Arkhangelsk (Russian Federation)

    2016-05-05

    Highlights: • Cu{sup 2+} was adsorbed on four mosses used in moss-bag pollution monitoring technique. • Thermodynamic approach was used to model Cu speciation based on XAS results. • All studied mosses have ∼4.5 O/N atoms at ∼1.95 Å around Cu likely in a pseudo-square geometry. • Cu(II)-carboxylates and Cu(II)-phosphoryls are the main moss surface binding groups. • Moss growing in batch reactor yielded ∼20% of Cu(I) in the form of Cu–S(CN) complexes. - Abstract: The adsorption of copper on passive biomonitors (devitalized mosses Hypnum sp., Sphagnum denticulatum, Pseudoscleropodium purum and Brachythecium rutabulum) was studied under different experimental conditions such as a function of pH and Cu concentration in solution. Cu assimilation by living Physcomitrella patents was also investigated. Molecular structure of surface adsorbed and incorporated Cu was studied by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS). Devitalized mosses exhibited the universal adsorption pattern of Cu as a function of pH, with a total binding sites number 0.05–0.06 mmolg{sub dry}{sup −1} and a maximal adsorption capacity of 0.93–1.25 mmolg{sub dry}{sup −1} for these devitalized species. The Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) fit of the first neighbor demonstrated that for all studied mosses there are ∼4.5 O/N atoms around Cu at ∼1.95 Å likely in a pseudo-square geometry. The X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) analysis demonstrated that Cu(II)-cellulose (representing carboxylate groups) and Cu(II)-phosphate are the main moss surface binding moieties, and the percentage of these sites varies as a function of solution pH. P. patens exposed during one month to Cu{sup 2+} yielded ∼20% of Cu(I) in the form of Cu–S(CN) complexes, suggesting metabolically-controlled reduction of adsorbed and assimilated Cu{sup 2+}.

  5. The WRKY transcription factor family in Brachypodium distachyon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tripathi, Prateek; Rabara, Roel C; Langum, Tanner J; Boken, Ashley K; Rushton, Deena L; Boomsma, Darius D; Rinerson, Charles I; Rabara, Jennifer; Reese, R Neil; Chen, Xianfeng; Rohila, Jai S; Rushton, Paul J

    2012-06-22

    A complete assembled genome sequence of wheat is not yet available. Therefore, model plant systems for wheat are very valuable. Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) is such a system. The WRKY family of transcription factors is one of the most important families of plant transcriptional regulators with members regulating important agronomic traits. Studies of WRKY transcription factors in Brachypodium and wheat therefore promise to lead to new strategies for wheat improvement. We have identified and manually curated the WRKY transcription factor family from Brachypodium using a pipeline designed to identify all potential WRKY genes. 86 WRKY transcription factors were found, a total higher than all other current databases. We therefore propose that our numbering system (BdWRKY1-BdWRKY86) becomes the standard nomenclature. In the JGI v1.0 assembly of Brachypodium with the MIPS/JGI v1.0 annotation, nine of the transcription factors have no gene model and eleven gene models are probably incorrectly predicted. In total, twenty WRKY transcription factors (23.3%) do not appear to have accurate gene models. To facilitate use of our data, we have produced The Database of Brachypodium distachyon WRKY Transcription Factors. Each WRKY transcription factor has a gene page that includes predicted protein domains from MEME analyses. These conserved protein domains reflect possible input and output domains in signaling. The database also contains a BLAST search function where a large dataset of WRKY transcription factors, published genes, and an extensive set of wheat ESTs can be searched. We also produced a phylogram containing the WRKY transcription factor families from Brachypodium, rice, Arabidopsis, soybean, and Physcomitrella patens, together with published WRKY transcription factors from wheat. This phylogenetic tree provides evidence for orthologues, co-orthologues, and paralogues of Brachypodium WRKY transcription factors. The description of the WRKY transcription factor

  6. An unexpectedly large and loosely packed mitochondrial genome in the charophycean green alga Chlorokybus atmophyticus

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    Lemieux Claude

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Streptophyta comprises all land plants and six groups of charophycean green algae. The scaly biflagellate Mesostigma viride (Mesostigmatales and the sarcinoid Chlorokybus atmophyticus (Chlorokybales represent the earliest diverging lineages of this phylum. In trees based on chloroplast genome data, these two charophycean green algae are nested in the same clade. To validate this relationship and gain insight into the ancestral state of the mitochondrial genome in the Charophyceae, we sequenced the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA of Chlorokybus and compared this genome sequence with those of three other charophycean green algae and the bryophytes Marchantia polymorpha and Physcomitrella patens. Results The Chlorokybus genome differs radically from its 42,424-bp Mesostigma counterpart in size, gene order, intron content and density of repeated elements. At 201,763-bp, it is the largest mtDNA yet reported for a green alga. The 70 conserved genes represent 41.4% of the genome sequence and include nad10 and trnL(gag, two genes reported for the first time in a streptophyte mtDNA. At the gene order level, the Chlorokybus genome shares with its Chara, Chaetosphaeridium and bryophyte homologues eight to ten gene clusters including about 20 genes. Notably, some of these clusters exhibit gene linkages not previously found outside the Streptophyta, suggesting that they originated early during streptophyte evolution. In addition to six group I and 14 group II introns, short repeated sequences accounting for 7.5% of the genome were identified. Mitochondrial trees were unable to resolve the correct position of Mesostigma, due to analytical problems arising from accelerated sequence evolution in this lineage. Conclusion The Chlorokybus and Mesostigma mtDNAs exemplify the marked fluidity of the mitochondrial genome in charophycean green algae. The notion that the mitochondrial genome was constrained to remain compact during charophycean

  7. Role of Transthoracic Echocardiography in the Evaluation of Patients with Retinal Vein Occlusion

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    Afsoon Fazlinezhad

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Retinal vein occlusion  is a common vascular disorder disrupting vision. Two basic types of RVO are branch retinal vein occlusion and central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO.  Retinal vein occlusion is a multifactor process including systemic illness and local retinal factors.RVO may be associated with atherosclerotic risk factors. We analyzed the role of 2 dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (TTE for detecting the cardiac disease in patients with retinal veins occlusion. Materials and Methods:In this cross-sectional study 70 recently diagnosed patients with RVO enrolled in the study. The clinical diagnosis of retinal vein occlusion and its type was confirmed by a vitreoretinal specialist. The Patients were then referred for performing complete TTE. Results: The prevalence of RVO increased with age, but did not vary by sex. The most frequent cardiovascular risk factor was hypertension. The findings of our study revealed that a variety of echocardiographic abnormalities may be presented in patients with RVO. Diastolic dysfunction was the most frequent echocardiographic finding and we found positive correlation between diastolic dysfunction with increasing age and the presence of hypertension. Other findings included mitral regurgitation (52.9%, mitral stenosis (2.9%, mitral annulus calcification (1.4%, mitral valve prolapse (8.6%, aortic insufficiency (22.9%, sclerotic aortic valve (27.1%, tricuspid regurgitation (45.7%, pulmonary insufficiency (8.6%, mild pulmonary hypertension (8.6%, and moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension (4.3% Mild LVH (11.4%, Moderate LVH (8.6%. Abnormality on IAS was defined in these patients, including paten foramen ovale, lipomatosis IAS, exaggerated motion of IAS, and aneurysm of IAS. Conclusion: In our study, the most common echocardiographic finding was diastolic dysfunction which was compatible with the patients' age and the fact that the most prevalent risk factor was hypertension. Other

  8. Chemical and structural characterization of copper adsorbed on mosses (Bryophyta)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    González, Aridane G.; Jimenez-Villacorta, Felix; Beike, Anna K.; Reski, Ralf; Adamo, Paola; Pokrovsky, Oleg S.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Cu 2+ was adsorbed on four mosses used in moss-bag pollution monitoring technique. • Thermodynamic approach was used to model Cu speciation based on XAS results. • All studied mosses have ∼4.5 O/N atoms at ∼1.95 Å around Cu likely in a pseudo-square geometry. • Cu(II)-carboxylates and Cu(II)-phosphoryls are the main moss surface binding groups. • Moss growing in batch reactor yielded ∼20% of Cu(I) in the form of Cu–S(CN) complexes. - Abstract: The adsorption of copper on passive biomonitors (devitalized mosses Hypnum sp., Sphagnum denticulatum, Pseudoscleropodium purum and Brachythecium rutabulum) was studied under different experimental conditions such as a function of pH and Cu concentration in solution. Cu assimilation by living Physcomitrella patents was also investigated. Molecular structure of surface adsorbed and incorporated Cu was studied by X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS). Devitalized mosses exhibited the universal adsorption pattern of Cu as a function of pH, with a total binding sites number 0.05–0.06 mmolg dry −1 and a maximal adsorption capacity of 0.93–1.25 mmolg dry −1 for these devitalized species. The Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) fit of the first neighbor demonstrated that for all studied mosses there are ∼4.5 O/N atoms around Cu at ∼1.95 Å likely in a pseudo-square geometry. The X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) analysis demonstrated that Cu(II)-cellulose (representing carboxylate groups) and Cu(II)-phosphate are the main moss surface binding moieties, and the percentage of these sites varies as a function of solution pH. P. patens exposed during one month to Cu 2+ yielded ∼20% of Cu(I) in the form of Cu–S(CN) complexes, suggesting metabolically-controlled reduction of adsorbed and assimilated Cu 2+ .

  9. The polyphenol oxidase gene family in land plants: Lineage-specific duplication and expansion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tran Lan T

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Plant polyphenol oxidases (PPOs are enzymes that typically use molecular oxygen to oxidize ortho-diphenols to ortho-quinones. These commonly cause browning reactions following tissue damage, and may be important in plant defense. Some PPOs function as hydroxylases or in cross-linking reactions, but in most plants their physiological roles are not known. To better understand the importance of PPOs in the plant kingdom, we surveyed PPO gene families in 25 sequenced genomes from chlorophytes, bryophytes, lycophytes, and flowering plants. The PPO genes were then analyzed in silico for gene structure, phylogenetic relationships, and targeting signals. Results Many previously uncharacterized PPO genes were uncovered. The moss, Physcomitrella patens, contained 13 PPO genes and Selaginella moellendorffii (spike moss and Glycine max (soybean each had 11 genes. Populus trichocarpa (poplar contained a highly diversified gene family with 11 PPO genes, but several flowering plants had only a single PPO gene. By contrast, no PPO-like sequences were identified in several chlorophyte (green algae genomes or Arabidopsis (A. lyrata and A. thaliana. We found that many PPOs contained one or two introns often near the 3’ terminus. Furthermore, N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis using ChloroP and TargetP 1.1 predicted that several putative PPOs are synthesized via the secretory pathway, a unique finding as most PPOs are predicted to be chloroplast proteins. Phylogenetic reconstruction of these sequences revealed that large PPO gene repertoires in some species are mostly a consequence of independent bursts of gene duplication, while the lineage leading to Arabidopsis must have lost all PPO genes. Conclusion Our survey identified PPOs in gene families of varying sizes in all land plants except in the genus Arabidopsis. While we found variation in intron numbers and positions, overall PPO gene structure is congruent with the phylogenetic

  10. Genome-Wide Characterization of Major Intrinsic Proteins in Four Grass Plants and Their Non-Aqua Transport Selectivity Profiles with Comparative Perspective.

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    Abul Kalam Azad

    Full Text Available Major intrinsic proteins (MIPs, commonly known as aquaporins, transport not only water in plants but also other substrates of physiological significance and heavy metals. In most of the higher plants, MIPs are divided into five subfamilies (PIPs, TIPs, NIPs, SIPs and XIPs. Herein, we identified 68, 42, 38 and 28 full-length MIPs, respectively in the genomes of four monocot grass plants, specifically Panicum virgatum, Setaria italica, Sorghum bicolor and Brachypodium distachyon. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the grass plants had only four MIP subfamilies including PIPs, TIPs, NIPs and SIPs without XIPs. Based on structural analysis of the homology models and comparing the primary selectivity-related motifs [two NPA regions, aromatic/arginine (ar/R selectivity filter and Froger's positions (FPs] of all plant MIPs that have been experimentally proven to transport non-aqua substrates, we predicted the transport profiles of all MIPs in the four grass plants and also in eight other plants. Groups of MIP subfamilies based on ar/R selectivity filter and FPs were linked to the non-aqua transport profiles. We further deciphered the substrate selectivity profiles of the MIPs in the four grass plants and compared them with their counterparts in rice, maize, soybean, poplar, cotton, Arabidopsis thaliana, Physcomitrella patens and Selaginella moellendorffii. In addition to two NPA regions, ar/R filter and FPs, certain residues, especially in loops B and C, contribute to the functional distinctiveness of MIP groups. Expression analysis of transcripts in different organs indicated that non-aqua transport was related to expression of MIPs since most of the unexpressed MIPs were not predicted to facilitate the transport of non-aqua molecules. Among all MIPs in every plant, TIP (BdTIP1;1, SiTIP1;2, SbTIP2;1 and PvTIP1;2 had the overall highest mean expression. Our study generates significant information for understanding the diversity, evolution, non

  11. PERLINDUNGAN HUKUM TERHADAP PENGETAHUAN OBAT-OBATAN TRADISIONAL DALAM REZIM HAK KEKAYAAN INTELEKTUAL (HKI INDONESIA (Studi Pada Masyarakat Tradisional Sasak / LEGAL PROTECTION TOWARD TRADITIONAL MEDICINE KNOWLEDGE IN INDONESIA’S INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT REGIME (A Study in The Sasak Traditional Community

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dwi Martini

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Dalam konteks kekinian Pengetahuan Obat Tradisional (POT masyarakat adat Sasak merupakan aset ekonomi bernilai tinggi mengingat kegunaannya sebagai pengetahuan dasar (milestone dalam penemuan obat modern. Sebagai suatu wujud kemampuan intelektual manusia, POT diatur di bawah rezim HKI-TRIPs, padahal POT memiliki perbedaan karakter yang mencolok dengan HKI. Hal ini memunculkan persoalan dalam hal bentuk POT masyarakat adat Sasak, pengaturan perlindungannya dalam rezim HKI dan pranata hukum ideal untuk mewujudkan perlindungan hukum tersebut. POT Sasak mayoritas ditransmisikan secara lisan, sebagian kecil ada yang tercatat dalam babon (kitab tetamba/oat dan lontar usada. Dalam rezim HKI hanya terdapat pengaturan tidak langsung terhadap POT seperti termuat dalam Undang-Undang Paten dan Perlindungan Varietas Tanaman. Idealnya, terdapat suatu peraturan daerah yang mengatur secara khusus skema perlindungan POT Sasak demi mencegah tindakan misappropriation. Dengan demikian, masih terdapat kekosongan hukum karena belum ada peraturan perundang-undangan sui generis mengenai perlindungan POT. In the modern context, the Traditional Medicine Knowledge (TMK of Sasak community is a valuable economic asset considering its usage as a basic knowledge (milestone in the modern medicine discovery. As a form of human intellectual ability, TMK is regulated under the IPRs-TRIPs regime, whereas TMK have prominent opposite characters with IPRs. This fact raises particular issues in terms of: the form of Sasak community’s TMK, regulation of its protection under the IPRs regime and the ideal legal institution to realize the protection. The majority of Sasak’s TMK are transmitted verbally, a fraction of it was written in babon (book of tetamba/oat and lontar Usada. The IPRs-TRIPs regime only provides indirect regulation toward TMK, as contained in Patent and Plant Variety Protection Law. Ideally, there should be a local Law that particularly regulates protection on

  12. Genomic organization of plant aminopropyl transferases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Kessler, Margarita; Delgado-Sánchez, Pablo; Rodríguez-Kessler, Gabriela Theresia; Moriguchi, Takaya; Jiménez-Bremont, Juan Francisco

    2010-07-01

    Aminopropyl transferases like spermidine synthase (SPDS; EC 2.5.1.16), spermine synthase and thermospermine synthase (SPMS, tSPMS; EC 2.5.1.22) belong to a class of widely distributed enzymes that use decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine as an aminopropyl donor and putrescine or spermidine as an amino acceptor to form in that order spermidine, spermine or thermospermine. We describe the analysis of plant genomic sequences encoding SPDS, SPMS, tSPMS and PMT (putrescine N-methyltransferase; EC 2.1.1.53). Genome organization (including exon size, gain and loss, as well as intron number, size, loss, retention, placement and phase, and the presence of transposons) of plant aminopropyl transferase genes were compared between the genomic sequences of SPDS, SPMS and tSPMS from Zea mays, Oryza sativa, Malus x domestica, Populus trichocarpa, Arabidopsis thaliana and Physcomitrella patens. In addition, the genomic organization of plant PMT genes, proposed to be derived from SPDS during the evolution of alkaloid metabolism, is illustrated. Herein, a particular conservation and arrangement of exon and intron sequences between plant SPDS, SPMS and PMT genes that clearly differs with that of ACL5 genes, is shown. The possible acquisition of the plant SPMS exon II and, in particular exon XI in the monocot SPMS genes, is a remarkable feature that allows their differentiation from SPDS genes. In accordance with our in silico analysis, functional complementation experiments of the maize ZmSPMS1 enzyme (previously considered to be SPDS) in yeast demonstrated its spermine synthase activity. Another significant aspect is the conservation of intron sequences among SPDS and PMT paralogs. In addition the existence of microsynteny among some SPDS paralogs, especially in P. trichocarpa and A. thaliana, supports duplication events of plant SPDS genes. Based in our analysis, we hypothesize that SPMS genes appeared with the divergence of vascular plants by a processes of gene duplication and the

  13. Chemical characterization of soil organic matter in a Chesapeake Bay salt marsh: analyzing microbial and vegetation inputs to SOM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bye, E.; Schreiner, K. M.; Abdulla, H. A.; Minor, E. C.; Guntenspergen, G. R.

    2017-12-01

    Coastal wetlands play a critical role in the global carbon cycle. These ecosystems sequester and store carbon, known as "blue carbon," at a rate two or three orders of magnitude larger than other terrestrial ecosystems, such as temperate, tropical, and boreal forests. Anthropogenic changes to the climate are threatening blue carbon stores in coastal wetland ecosystems. To understand and predict how these important carbon stores will be affected by anthropogenic climate changes, it is necessary to understand the formation and preservation of soil organic matter (SOM) in these ecosystems. This study will present organic geochemical data from two sediment cores collected from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center site on a salt marsh in Maryland along the Chesapeake Bay. One core is from a location that recently transitioned from a C4 to C3 plant regime, currently dominated by the sedge Shoenplectis americanus. The second core is from a C4 plant (Spartina patens) dominated location in the marsh. The organic geochemistry of these 100 cm deep sediment cores was studied through multiple bulk analyses including stable isotopes, elemental ratios, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solid-state magic-angle-spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and compound specific lignin-phenol analysis. By using comprehensive chemical characterization techniques, this study aims to discern between vegetation- and microbially-derived inputs to SOM in blue carbon ecosystems. The results show a general increase in the aromatic content with a concomitant decrease of carbohydrates with depth in both cores. However, substantial differences between the two cores, indicates differing inputs and/or stabilization mechanisms within SOM formed from different vegetation regimes. Further compound specific work will help to elucidate the specific source of compounds within each compound class, in surface and deep SOM, and additionally can help provide evidence for different

  14. Divergence in function and expression of the NOD26-like intrinsic proteins in plants

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    Feng Ying

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background NOD26-like intrinsic proteins (NIPs that belong to the aquaporin superfamily are plant-specific and exhibit a similar three-dimensional structure. Experimental evidences however revealed that functional divergence should have extensively occurred among NIP genes. It is therefore intriguing to further investigate the evolutionary mechanisms being responsible for the functional diversification of the NIP genes. To better understand this process, a comprehensive analysis including the phylogenetic, positive selection, functional divergence, and transcriptional analysis was carried out. Results The origination of NIPs could be dated back to the primitive land plants, and their diversification would be no younger than the emergence time of the moss P. patens. The rapid proliferation of NIPs in plants may be primarily attributed to the segmental chromosome duplication produced by polyploidy and tandem duplications. The maximum likelihood analysis revealed that NIPs should have experienced strong selective pressure for adaptive evolution after gene duplication and/or speciation, prompting the formation of distinct NIP groups. Functional divergence analysis at the amino acid level has provided strong statistical evidence for shifted evolutionary rate and/or radical change of the physiochemical properties of amino acids after gene duplication, and DIVERGE2 has identified the critical amino acid sites that are thought to be responsible for the divergence for further investigation. The expression of plant NIPs displays a distinct tissue-, cell-type-, and developmental specific pattern, and their responses to various stress treatments are quite different also. The differences in organization of cis-acting regulatory elements in the promoter regions may partially explain their distinction in expression. Conclusion A number of analyses both at the DNA and amino acid sequence levels have provided strong evidences that plant NIPs have

  15. Dietary Sources of High Sodium Intake in Turkey: SALTURK II

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    Yunus Erdem

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Previous research has shown daily salt intakes in Turkey to be far above the recommended limits. Knowing the sources of dietary salt could form a basis for preventive strategies aimed towards salt reduction. This study aimed to investigate dietary sources of salt in Turkey. A sub-group (n = 657 was selected from the PatenT2 study population, which represented the urban and rural areas of 4 major cities (Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, and Konya. A questionnaire inquiring about sociodemographic characteristics, medical histories, detailed histories of diet, and salt consumption was completed. Participants were asked to collect a 24-h urine sample and to record their food intake (dietary recall on the same day. Of 925 participants selected, 657 (71% provided accurate 24-h urine collections, based on creatinine excretion data. The mean daily 24-h urinary sodium excretion was 252.0 ± 92.2 mmol/day, equal to daily salt intake of 14.8 ± 5.4 g. Of the 657 participants with accurate 24-h urine collections, 464 (70% provided fully completed dietary recalls. Among these 464 participants, there was a significant difference between the 24-h urinary sodium excretion-based salt intake estimation (14.5 ± 5.1 g/day and the dietary recall-based salt intake estimation (12.0 ± 7.0 g/day (p < 0.001. On the other hand, a positive correlation was obtained between the dietary recall-based daily salt intake and 24-h urinary sodium excretion-based daily salt intake (r = 0.277, p < 0.001. Bread was the main source of salt (34% followed by salt added during cooking and preparing food before serving (30%, salt from various processed foods (21%, and salt added at the table during food consumption (11%. Conclusively, this study confirmed a very high salt intake of the adult population in four major cities in Turkey. The present findings support the emerging salt reduction strategy in Turkey by promoting lower salt content in baked bread, and less salt use in habitual food

  16. Elevated CO2 enhances biological contributions to elevation change in coastal wetlands by offsetting stressors associated with sea-level rise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cherry, J.A.; McKee, K.L.; Grace, J.B.

    2009-01-01

    1. Sea-level rise, one indirect consequence of increasing atmospheric CO2, poses a major challenge to long-term stability of coastal wetlands. An important question is whether direct effects of elevated CO 2 on the capacity of marsh plants to accrete organic material and to maintain surface elevations outweigh indirect negative effects of stressors associated with sea-level rise (salinity and flooding). 2. In this study, we used a mesocosm approach to examine potential direct and indirect effects of atmospheric CO2 concentration, salinity and flooding on elevation change in a brackish marsh community dominated by a C3 species, Schoenoplectus americanus, and a C4 grass, Spartina patens. This experimental design permitted identification of mechanisms and their role in controlling elevation change, and the development of models that can be tested in the field. 3. To test hypotheses related to CO2 and sea-level rise, we used conventional anova procedures in conjunction with structural equation modelling (SEM). SEM explained 78% of the variability in elevation change and showed the direct, positive effect of S. americanus production on elevation. The SEM indicated that C3 plant response was influenced by interactive effects between CO2 and salinity on plant growth, not a direct CO2 fertilization effect. Elevated CO2 ameliorated negative effects of salinity on S. americanus and enhanced biomass contribution to elevation. 4. The positive relationship between S. americanus production and elevation change can be explained by shoot-base expansion under elevated CO 2 conditions, which led to vertical soil displacement. While the response of this species may differ under other environmental conditions, shoot-base expansion and the general contribution of C3 plant production to elevation change may be an important mechanism contributing to soil expansion and elevation gain in other coastal wetlands. 5. Synthesis. Our results revealed previously unrecognized interactions and

  17. KINERJA GURU SMK: ANALISIS BEBAN KERJA DAN KARAKTERISTIK PEMBELAJARAN

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    Waras Kamdi

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Perfomance of Vocational School Teachers: Analysis on Teaching Work­load and Teaching Characteristics. The present study aims at describing vocational school teachers’ workload as measured from time on task, and teaching characteristics. For the purpose, the present study employs a survey in which a number of 155 teachers of 15 sampled vocational schools from 6 regions in East Java were drawn as the sample utilizing multi-stage sampling. Several points as follows are observed. First, vocatio­nal school teachers’ workload is greater than that of national standard of civil servants’ workload with a total ratio of 56.02:40.00 hours per week. Next, the average of their weekly credit hour, figures at 24.74 hours, greater than 24 hours as the national stan­dard. Thirdly, learning resources at voca­tional schools are dominated by electronic textbooks 89.03%, several of which are teacher-made modules 34.84%, and teacher-made job sheets 98.06%. Finally, most teachers 81.29% are used to group work assignment; however, 91.62% of the teachers claimed that they could not deliver their instruction without having a conventional class.   Penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan beban kerja guru yang diukur ber­dasarkan time on task dan karakteristik pembelajaran. Responden berjumlah 155 guru, yang berasal dari 15 SMK Negeri dari 6 kota/ka­bu­paten di Jawa Timur yang diambil secara multi stage sampling. Data dikumpulkan dengan angket dan wawancara, dan dianalisis secara deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa: (1 rerata beban kerja guru SMK 56,02 jam per minggu lebih tinggi daripada yang ditetapkan pemerin­tah mak­si­mum 40 jam per minggu; (2 rerata jam pelajaran tatap muka guru SMK 24,74, sedikit lebih tinggi dibanding ketentuan pemerintah 24 jam pelajaran; (3 sumber belajar di SMK didominasi buku teks elektronik 89,03%, di antaranya dilengkapi modul buatan guru 34,84% dan 98,06% guru telah menggunakan job sheet; dan (4 se­banyak  81

  18. Genomic Resources of Three Pulsatilla Species Reveal Evolutionary Hotspots, Species-Specific Sites and Variable Plastid Structure in the Family Ranunculaceae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szczecińska, Monika; Sawicki, Jakub

    2015-09-15

    The European continent is presently colonized by nine species of the genus Pulsatilla, five of which are encountered only in mountainous regions of southwest and south-central Europe. The remaining four species inhabit lowlands in the north-central and eastern parts of the continent. Most plants of the genus Pulsatilla are rare and endangered, which is why most research efforts focused on their biology, ecology and hybridization. The objective of this study was to develop genomic resources, including complete plastid genomes and nuclear rRNA clusters, for three sympatric Pulsatilla species that are most commonly found in Central Europe. The results will supply valuable information about genetic variation, which can be used in the process of designing primers for population studies and conservation genetics research. The complete plastid genomes together with the nuclear rRNA cluster can serve as a useful tool in hybridization studies. Six complete plastid genomes and nuclear rRNA clusters were sequenced from three species of Pulsatilla using the Illumina sequencing technology. Four junctions between single copy regions and inverted repeats and junctions between the identified locally-collinear blocks (LCB) were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Pulsatilla genomes of 120 unique genes had a total length of approximately 161-162 kb, and 21 were duplicated in the inverted repeats (IR) region. Comparative plastid genomes of newly-sequenced Pulsatilla and the previously-identified plastomes of Aconitum and Ranunculus species belonging to the family Ranunculaceae revealed several variations in the structure of the genome, but the gene content remained constant. The nuclear rRNA cluster (18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-26S) of studied Pulsatilla species is 5795 bp long. Among five analyzed regions of the rRNA cluster, only Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) enabled the molecular delimitation of closely-related Pulsatilla patens and Pulsatilla vernalis. The determination of complete

  19. Evolution of the PWWP-domain encoding genes in the plant and animal lineages

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    Alvarez-Venegas Raúl

    2012-06-01

    status throughout evolution. In contrast, our data show that most of the multidomain PWWP combinations in extant multicellular organisms (humans or land plants are present in their unicellular ancestral relatives suggesting they have been transmitted through evolution as conserved linear arrangements (‘cassettes’. Among the most interesting biologically relevant results is the finding that the genes of the two plant Trithorax family subgroups (ATX1/2 and ATX3/4/5 have different phylogenetic origins. The two subgroups occur together in the earliest land plants Physcomitrella patens and Selaginella moellendorffii. Conclusion Gain/loss of a single PWWP domain is observed throughout evolution reflecting dynamic lineage- or species-specific events. In contrast, higher-level protein architectures involving the PWWP domain have survived as stable arrangements driven by evolutionary descent. The association of PWWP domains with the DNA methyltransferases in O. tauri and in the metazoan lineage seems to have occurred independently consistent with convergent evolution. Our results do not support models wherein more complex protein architectures involving the PWWP domain occur with the appearance of more evolutionarily advanced life forms.

  20. Genomic Resources of Three Pulsatilla Species Reveal Evolutionary Hotspots, Species-Specific Sites and Variable Plastid Structure in the Family Ranunculaceae

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    Monika Szczecińska

    2015-09-01

    patens and Pulsatilla vernalis. Conclusions/significance: The determination of complete plastid genome and nuclear rRNA cluster sequences in three species of the genus Pulsatilla is an important contribution to our knowledge of the evolution and phylogeography of those endangered taxa. The resulting data can be used to identify regions that are particularly useful for barcoding, phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies. The investigated taxa can be identified at each stage of development based on their species-specific SNPs. The nuclear and plastid genomic resources enable advanced studies on hybridization, including identification of parent species, including their roles in that process. The identified nonsynonymous mutations could play an important role in adaptations to changing environments. The results of the study will also provide valuable information about the evolution of the plastome structure in the family Ranunculaceae.

  1. Final report: Initial ecosystem response of salt marshes to ditch plugging and pool creation: Experiments at Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge (Maine)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamowicz, S.C.; Roman, C.T.

    2002-01-01

    This study evaluates the response of three salt marshes, associated with the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge (Maine), to the practice of ditch plugging. Drainage ditches, originally dug to drain the marsh for mosquito control or to facilitate salt hay farming, are plugged with marsh peat in an effort to impound water upstream of the plug, raise water table levels in the marsh, and increase surface water habitat. At two study sites, Moody Marsh and Granite Point Road Marsh, ditch plugs were installed in spring 2000. Monitoring of hydrology, vegetation, nekton and bird utilization, and marsh development processes was conducted in 1999, before ditch plugging, and then in 2000 and 2001 (all parameters except nekton), after ditch plugging. Each study site had a control marsh that was monitored simultaneously with the plugged marsh, and thus, we employed a BACI study design (before, after, control, impact). A third site, Marshall Point Road Marsh, was plugged in 1998. Monitoring of the plugged and control sites was conducted in 1999 and 2000, with limited monitoring in 2001, thus there was no ?before? plug monitoring. With ditch plugging, water table levels increased toward the marsh surface and the areal extent of standing water increased. Responding to a wetter substrate, a vegetation change from high marsh species (e.g., Spartina patens) to those more tolerant of flooded conditions (e.g., Spartina alterniflora) was noted at two of the three ditch plugged sites. Initial response of the nekton community (fishes and decapod crustaceans) was evaluated by monitoring utilization of salt marsh pools using a 1m2 enclosure trap. In general, nekton species richness, density, and community structure remained unchanged following ditch plugging at the Moody and Granite Point sites. At Marshall Point, species richness and density (number of individuals per m2) were significantly greater in the experimental plugged marsh than the control marsh (<2% of the control marsh was

  2. Basidiomicetes de Costa Rica: nuevas especies de Exobasidium (Exobasidiaceae y registros de Cryptobasidiales

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    Luis D. Gómez P

    1998-12-01

    Full Text Available Se describen seis nuevas especies (Exobasidiales, Exobasidiaceae: Exobasidium aequatorianum parásito de Vaccinium crenatum (Don Sleumer en los Andes ecuatorianos; Exobasidium jamaicense como parásito de Lyonia jamaicensis (Sw.D.Don de Jamaica, Exobasidium disterigmicola como parásito de Disterigma huboldtii (Klz. Nied., de Costa Rica y que forma distrofias del tipo escoba de bruja, Exobasidium sphyrospermii de Costa Rica, como parásito de Sphyrospermum cordifolium Bentham, Exobasidium poasanum, de Costa Rica y que forma gigantescas pseudoagallas en hojas y yemas de Cavendishia bracteata (R. & P. ex St.-Hil. Hoer., Exobasidium pernettyae, de Costa Rica y parásito foliar de Pernettya prostrata (Cav. DC. Es muy posible que esas especies de parásitos se extiendan en todo el ámbito geografico de las plantas que parasitan, como lo demuestra el hallazgo de Exobasidium escalloniae Gómez & Kisimova, descrito de Costa Rica, en Escallonia myrtilloides var. patens, en Ecuador de donde tambien se registra Exobasidium vaccinii (Fkl. Wor. Como parásito de las especies costarricenses de Arctostaphylos y Comarostaphylos, se registra, describe e lustra la especie Exobasidium arctostaphyli Hark., descrita de la coasta occidental de los E.E.U.U. lo que constituye un nuevo registro neotropical. La exploración en búsqueda de criptobasidiáceas eleva el número de Cryptobasidiales registrados en Costa Rica a tres: Clinoconidium bullatum Sydow, originalmente descrito de las inmediaciones de Grecia, Alajuela, ahora se conoce también de Monteverde, Puntarenas, como parásito de Cinnamomum spp., Clinoconidium farinosum (P.Henn. Pat., de la misma localidad y como parásito de Ocotea monteverdensis Burger. En la Cordillera de Talamanca, se localizó una población de Aiouea costaricensis (Mez Kosterm., con numerosas agallas foliares y caulinares causadas por Drepanoconis larviformis (Speg. Speg. Con excepción de C. bullatum, todos son nuevos registros

  3. Extending the Instrumental Record of Sea-Level Change: A 1300-Year Sea-Level Record From Eastern Connecticut

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    Donnelly, J. P.; Cleary, P.

    2002-12-01

    The instrumental record of sea-level change in the northeastern United States extends back to the early 20th century and at New York City (NYC) extends back to 1856. These tide gauge records indicate that sea level has risen at a rate of 2.5 to 4 mm/year over the last 100-150 years. Geologic evidence of sea-level change in the region over the last 2,000 years indicates rates of sea-level rise of about 1 mm/year or less. The discordance between the instrumental and geologic records is frequently cited as potentially providing evidence that anthropogenic warming of the climate system has resulted in an increase in the rate of sea-level rise. In order to begin to test the hypothesis that acceleration in the rate of sea-level rise has occurred in the last 150 years due to anthropogenic climate warming, accurate and precise information on the timing of the apparent acceleration in sea-level rise are needed. Here we construct a high-resolution relative sea-level record for the past 1350 years by dating basal salt marsh peat samples above a glacial erratic in a western Connecticut salt marsh. Preservation of marsh vegetation remains in the sediment record that has a narrow vertical habitat range at the upper end of the tidal range provides information on past sea levels. { \\it Spartina patens} (marsh hay) and { \\it Juncus gerardi} (black rush) dominate both the modern marsh and their remains are the major constituent of the marsh sediments and occur in the modern marsh between mean high water (MHW) and mean highest high water. We use the elevation distribution of modern plant communities to estimate the relationship of sediment samples to paleo-mean high water. The chronology is based on 15 radiocarbon ages, supplemented by age estimates derived from the horizons of industrial Pb pollution and pollen indicative of European land clearance. Thirteen of the radiocarbon ages and the Pb and pollen data come from samples taken along a contact between marsh peat and a glacial

  4. In silico Coding Sequence Analysis of Walnut GAI and PIP2 Genes and Comparison with Different Plant Species

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    Mahdi Mohseniazar

    2017-02-01

    done with MEGA from aligned sequences. The motifs of protein sequences were found using the program of T-COFEE at website (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/msa/tcoffee/. The Neighbor-Joining (NJ method was used to designing the phylogenetic tree. The predicted exons and introns in mRNA sequences were done by http://genes.mit.edu/GENSCAN.html website. The secondary structure of proteins was predicted by PSIORED online on http://bioinf.cs.ucl.ac.uk/psipred/. Prediction of 3D model of protein was performed using the 3D alignment of protein structure by BLASTp and PDB database as source. Also, targeting prediction of proteins was done online by TargetP at (http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/TargetP/ website. Results and discussion: In phylogenetic investigation among 17 different species, Walnut species evolutionary stand in dicotyledonous and woody plants by both of GAI and PIP2 genes and protein sequence clustering. By multiple alignments and investigation in conserved sequence of these genes in plant revealed that despite differences in cDNA length, there were very similarities in conserved region, secondary and tertiary structure. Protein analysis in the GAI gene family showed that the following domains including DELLA, TVHYNP, VHIID, RKVATYFGEALARR, AVNSVFELH, RVER, and SAW were conserved in this proteins. In secondary structure of protein, β-sheets and α-helixes specified by PSIPRED software for both of GAI and PIP2 proteins. GAI protein had 9 β-sheets and 15 α-helixes in its structure, also PIP2 protein had2 β-sheet (at 180-188 and 248-253 and 8 α-helixes. In comparison of 3D structure, walnut PIP2 protein was very similar to chain A of PIP2 protein of spinach (Spinacia oleracea and GAI protein of walnut was similar to B-subunit of Arabidopsis GAI protein with 48% similarity. The length of GAI protein was varied from 636 aa in Malus baccata var. xiaojinensis to 336 aa in Physcomitrella patens among species. In walnut, the length of GAI and PIP2 protein was 613 aa and

  5. In silico Coding Sequence Analysis of Walnut GAI and PIP2 Genes and Comparison with Different Plant Species

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    Mahdi Mohseniazar

    2017-09-01

    done with MEGA from aligned sequences. The motifs of protein sequences were found using the program of T-COFEE at website (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/msa/tcoffee/. The Neighbor-Joining (NJ method was used to designing the phylogenetic tree. The predicted exons and introns in mRNA sequences were done by http://genes.mit.edu/GENSCAN.html website. The secondary structure of proteins was predicted by PSIORED online on http://bioinf.cs.ucl.ac.uk/psipred/. Prediction of 3D model of protein was performed using the 3D alignment of protein structure by BLASTp and PDB database as source. Also, targeting prediction of proteins was done online by TargetP at (http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/TargetP/ website. Results and discussion: In phylogenetic investigation among 17 different species, Walnut species evolutionary stand in dicotyledonous and woody plants by both of GAI and PIP2 genes and protein sequence clustering. By multiple alignments and investigation in conserved sequence of these genes in plant revealed that despite differences in cDNA length, there were very similarities in conserved region, secondary and tertiary structure. Protein analysis in the GAI gene family showed that the following domains including DELLA, TVHYNP, VHIID, RKVATYFGEALARR, AVNSVFELH, RVER, and SAW were conserved in this proteins. In secondary structure of protein, β-sheets and α-helixes specified by PSIPRED software for both of GAI and PIP2 proteins. GAI protein had 9 β-sheets and 15 α-helixes in its structure, also PIP2 protein had2 β-sheet (at 180-188 and 248-253 and 8 α-helixes. In comparison of 3D structure, walnut PIP2 protein was very similar to chain A of PIP2 protein of spinach (Spinacia oleracea and GAI protein of walnut was similar to B-subunit of Arabidopsis GAI protein with 48% similarity. The length of GAI protein was varied from 636 aa in Malus baccata var. xiaojinensis to 336 aa in Physcomitrella patens among species. In walnut, the length of GAI and PIP2 protein was 613 aa and

  6. Final results on the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary in the Gresten Klippenbelt (Austria): Macro-, micro-, nannofossils, isotopes, geochemistry, susceptibility, gamma-log and palaeomagnetic data as environmental proxies of the early Penninic Ocean history

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lukeneder, A.; Halásová, E.; Kroh, A.; Mayrhofer, S.; Pruner, P.; Reháková, D.; Schnabl, P.; Sprovieri, M.

    2009-04-01

    radioactivity of the rock and represents a direct function of its clay-mineral content. Higher radioactivity reflects a higher clay content. The gamma-log curve supports the biostratigraphic data very well. The gamma response becomes gradually weaker in the upper, undisturbed part of the section (Nu10-Nu0, Berriasian). The lower part (Nu18-Nu10, Tithonian) of the section shows the highest gamma responses. The gamma curve pattern at Nutzhof therefore shows decreasing values what corresponds well with decreasing values of susceptibility as well with the contrastingly, increasing values in carbonate content (from 50 per cent up to 95 per cent CaCo3) and increasing grey scale values (up to 250). The above reported results strongly suggest that the section mirrors a change of the depositional position of the Nutzhof section from a shallower into a deeper region, and a more stable environment on the European Helvetic shelf to slope during the Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous time. References Hardenbol, J., Thierry, J., Farley, M. B., Jacquin, T., de Graciansky, P. C. & Vail, P. R. (1998): Mesozoic and Cenozoic sequence stratigraphy of European basins. - SEMP, Special Publications, 60, 1998. Tulsa. Henning, S., Weissert, H., Bulot, L. 1999. C-isotope stratigraphy, a calibration tool between ammonite- and magnethostratigraphy: the Valanginian-Hauterivian transition. Geologica Carpathica, 50 (1), 91-96. Kroh, A., Lukeneder, A. 2009. Crinoids from the Late Jurassic of the Nutzhof section (Lower Austria, Gresten Klippenbelt). - Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, Serie A, 110: 383-399. Lukeneder A. 2009. New biostratigraphic ammonite data from the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary at Nutzhof (Gresten Klippenbelt, Lower Austria) Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, Serie A, 110: 313-329. Pruner, P. Schnabl, P., Lukeneder A. 2009. Preliminary results of magnetostratigraphic investigations across the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary strata at Nutzhof, Austria. Annalen des