Evolution of reproductive traits and selfing syndrome in the sub-endemic Mediterranean genus Centaurium Hill (Gentianaceae)

2019 ◽  
Vol 191 (2) ◽  
pp. 216-235
Author(s):  
Vania Jiménez-Lobato ◽  
Marcial Escudero ◽  
Zoila Díaz Lifante ◽  
Cristina Andrés Camacho ◽  
Alejandra de Castro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
State Transitions ◽  
Evolutionary Transitions ◽  
Ploidy Levels ◽  
Anther Length ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Flower Traits ◽  
Selected Traits ◽  
Selfing Syndrome

Abstract In flowering plants, the shift from outcrossing to selfing is associated with a set of correlated changes in morphological and reproductive features known as the ‘selfing syndrome’. Species of the sub-endemic Mediterranean genus Centaurium Hill (Gentianaceae) exhibit a wide array of flower traits related to pollination biology and different ploidy levels. We explored if the evolutionary transitions of seven flower traits and life cycle, typically associated with the selfing syndrome, are related to polyploidy, diversification patterns, divergence times and the geological and climatic history of the Mediterranean Basin. Using 26 species of Centaurium we reconstructed a phylogenetic tree, inferred the ancestral states of the selected traits, estimated their phylogenetic signal and tested the correlative evolution among them. We found a significant increase in diversification rates during the Quaternary. Anther length, flower size, herkogamy and polyploidy undergo rapid state transitions without phylogenetic signal that could be the result of adaptation for selfing. Changes in character states do not show evidence of correlative evolution among them, as would be predicted during the evolution of selfing syndrome. The evolution of reproductive traits in Centaurium has probably relied on a more diverse array of drivers than just reproductive assurance or polyploidy events.

scholarly journals Much more than a clasp: evolutionary patterns of amplexus diversity in anurans

2020 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 652-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan D Carvajal-Castro ◽  
Yelenny López-Aguirre ◽  
Ana María Ospina-L ◽  
Juan C Santos ◽  
Bibiana Rojas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Sexual Size Dimorphism ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Evolutionary Relationships ◽  
Behavioural Ecology ◽  
Ancestral State ◽  
Evolutionary Patterns ◽  
Evolutionary Transitions ◽  
Size Dimorphism ◽  
Reproductive Modes

Abstract The evolution and diversification of animal reproductive modes have been pivotal questions in behavioural ecology. Amphibians present the highest diversity of reproductive modes among vertebrates, involving various behavioural, physiological and morphological traits. One such feature is the amplexus, which is the clasp or embrace of males on females during reproduction and is found almost universally in anurans. Hypotheses about the origin of amplexus are limited and have not been tested thoroughly, nor have they taken into account evolutionary relationships in most comparative studies. However, these considerations are crucial to an understanding of the evolution of reproductive modes. Here, using an evolutionary framework, we reconstruct the ancestral state of amplexus in 685 anuran species. We investigate whether the type of amplexus has a strong phylogenetic signal and test whether sexual size dimorphism could have influenced amplexus type or male performance while clasping females. Overall, we found evidence of ≥34 evolutionary transitions in amplexus type across anurans. We found that amplexus type exhibits a high phylogenetic signal and that amplexus type does not evolve in association with sexual size dimorphism. We discuss the implications of our findings for the diversity of amplexus types across anurans.

scholarly journals Development of a multi-locus sequence typing system helps reveal the evolution of Cardinium hertigii, a reproductive manipulator symbiont of insects

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinne M. Stouthamer ◽  
Suzanne E. Kelly ◽  
Evelyne Mann ◽  
Stephan Schmitz-Esser ◽  
Martha S. Hunter
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Multi Locus Sequence Typing ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Host Shifts ◽  
New Genes ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Evolutionary Context ◽  
Different Strains

Abstract Background Cardinium is an intracellular bacterial symbiont in the phylum Bacteroidetes that is found in many different species of arthropods and some nematodes. This symbiont is known to be able to induce three reproductive manipulation phenotypes, including cytoplasmic incompatibility. Placing individual strains of Cardinium within a larger evolutionary context has been challenging because only two, relatively slowly evolving genes, 16S rRNA gene and Gyrase B, have been used to generate phylogenetic trees, and consequently, the relationship of different strains has been elucidated in only its roughest form. Results We developed a Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) system that provides researchers with three new genes in addition to Gyrase B for inferring phylogenies and delineating Cardinium strains. From our Cardinium phylogeny, we confirmed the presence of a new group D, a Cardinium clade that resides in the arachnid order harvestmen (Opiliones). Many Cardinium clades appear to display a high degree of host affinity, while some show evidence of host shifts to phylogenetically distant hosts, likely associated with ecological opportunity. Like the unrelated reproductive manipulator Wolbachia, the Cardinium phylogeny also shows no clear phylogenetic signal associated with particular reproductive manipulations. Conclusions The Cardinium phylogeny shows evidence of diversification within particular host lineages, and also of host shifts among trophic levels within parasitoid-host communities. Like Wolbachia, the relatedness of Cardinium strains does not necessarily predict their reproductive phenotypes. Lastly, the genetic tools proposed in this study may help future authors to characterize new strains and add to our understanding of Cardinium evolution.

scholarly journals Genetic relationship of lactation persistency with milk yield, somatic cell score, reproductive traits, and longevity in Slovak Holstein cattle

2016 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Strapáková ◽  
Juraj Candrák ◽  
Peter Strapák
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Somatic Cell Score ◽  
Calving Interval ◽  
Days Open ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Selected Traits ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract. The objective of this study was to estimate the breeding values (BVs) of lactation persistency, the test day of milk yield, the somatic cell score, reproductive traits (calving interval, days open), longevity in Slovak Holstein dairy cattle. BVs were used for the detection of relationships among the persistency of lactation and other selected traits. Data for the estimation of BVs of milk production and somatic cell score were collected from 855 240 cows. BVs for reproductive traits were estimated for 352 712 cows and for longevity for 528 362 cows. The highest correlations were confirmed between the BV of persistency and the BV of test day milk yield at 100, 200, and 305 days (−0.88, −0.65, and −0.61). Correlations between the BV of lactation persistency and the BV of somatic cell score at day 305 or the BV of somatic cell score persistency were favorable: −0.05 and −0.12, respectively. The relationship between the BV of persistency and the BV of the calving interval or the BV of days open was 0.11 and 0.10 respectively. The selection for the persistency of lactation may not improve longevity because there is no relation between the BV of persistency and the BV of longevity (rg = 0.06).

scholarly journals Nuclear genomic signals of the ‘microturbellarian’ roots of platyhelminth evolutionary innovation

eLife ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher E Laumer ◽  
Andreas Hejnol ◽  
Gonzalo Giribet
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Protein ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Evolutionary Relationships ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Evolutionary Transitions ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Protein Coding Genes ◽  
Evolutionary Innovation ◽  
Genomic Signals ◽  
Shed Light

Flatworms number among the most diverse invertebrate phyla and represent the most biomedically significant branch of the major bilaterian clade Spiralia, but to date, deep evolutionary relationships within this group have been studied using only a single locus (the rRNA operon), leaving the origins of many key clades unclear. In this study, using a survey of genomes and transcriptomes representing all free-living flatworm orders, we provide resolution of platyhelminth interrelationships based on hundreds of nuclear protein-coding genes, exploring phylogenetic signal through concatenation as well as recently developed consensus approaches. These analyses robustly support a modern hypothesis of flatworm phylogeny, one which emphasizes the primacy of the often-overlooked ‘microturbellarian’ groups in understanding the major evolutionary transitions within Platyhelminthes: perhaps most notably, we propose a novel scenario for the interrelationships between free-living and vertebrate-parasitic flatworms, providing new opportunities to shed light on the origins and biological consequences of parasitism in these iconic invertebrates.

scholarly journals Polymorphism of traits of flower and fruit of the Tsumi apple tree (Malus zumi (Matsum.) Rehder)

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (48) ◽  
pp. 21-21
Author(s):  
Vitaly Donskih ◽  
Tatiana Aniskina ◽  
Victоria Kryuchkova
Keyword(s):  
Apple Tree ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Botanical Garden ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Cultivated Plants ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Strong Positive Relationship ◽  
Coefficients Of Variation ◽  
Anther Length ◽  
Flower Traits

The Tsumi apple tree is a valuable crop due to the presence of a gene for resistance to powdery mildew, abundant annual fruiting and a special decorative effect during flowering and fruiting. Its breeding potential has been little studied; therefore, it is necessary to study the morphometric characteristics of a flower and a fruit and establish connections between them. The collection of flowers and fruits of the Tsumi apple tree was carried out in the laboratory of cultivated plants of the Tsytsin Main Botanical Garden in 2021. The coefficients of variation and correlation according to Spearman were determined. It was found that the polymorphism of flower traits is at a very low level (from 4.4% to 14.2%). The number of flowers per inflorescence varies within 15.9%, which corresponds to the average level of polymorphism, as well as in the weight of the fruit (17.3%) and in the weight of seeds (19.5%). Variations in the length of the peduncle, the number of seeds, the length of the fruit, and the diameter of the fruit are at a very low level (6.9-13.6%). A significant number of reliable inverse (negative) correlations were found between signs of moderate strength (0.5 <r <0.6): a strong relationship between fruit weight and anther length (r = -0.73), fruit length and filament length (r = -0.71). A strong positive relationship was found between the following traits: fruit weight and fruit diameter (r = 0.79), seed weight. Keywords: POLYMORPHISM, FLOWER, CRABAPPLES, SORBOMALUS, MALUS ZUMI, TSUMI APPLE TREE, VARIABILITY, MORPHOLOGY

scholarly journals Geography and major host evolutionary transitions shape the resource use of plant parasites

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (35) ◽  
pp. 9840-9845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joaquín Calatayud ◽  
José Luis Hórreo ◽  
Jaime Madrigal-González ◽  
Alain Migeon ◽  
Miguel Á. Rodríguez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resource Use ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Host Use ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Evolutionary Transitions ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Parasite Communities ◽  
Plant Parasites ◽  
Theory Of Island Biogeography ◽  
Globally Distributed

The evolution of resource use in herbivores has been conceptualized as an analog of the theory of island biogeography, assuming that plant species are islands separated by phylogenetic distances. Despite its usefulness, this analogy has paradoxically led to neglecting real biogeographical processes in the study of macroevolutionary patterns of herbivore–plant interactions. Here we show that host use is mostly determined by the geographical cooccurrence of hosts and parasites in spider mites (Tetranychidae), a globally distributed group of plant parasites. Strikingly, geography accounts for most of the phylogenetic signal in host use by these parasites. Beyond geography, only evolutionary transitions among major plant lineages (i.e., gymnosperms, commelinids, and eudicots) shape resource use patterns in these herbivores. Still, even these barriers have been repeatedly overcome in evolutionary time, resulting in phylogenetically diverse parasite communities feeding on similar hosts. Therefore, our results imply that patterns of apparent evolutionary conservatism may largely be a byproduct of the geographic cooccurrence of hosts and parasites.

scholarly journals Compound Dynamics and Combinatorial Patterns of Amino Acid Repeats Encode a System of Evolutionary and Developmental Markers

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3159-3178
Author(s):  
Ilaria Pelassa ◽  
Marica Cibelli ◽  
Veronica Villeri ◽  
Elena Lilliu ◽  
Serena Vaglietti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Evolutionary Dynamics ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Regulatory System ◽  
Evolutionary Transitions ◽  
Quantitative Evidence ◽  
Amino Acid Repeats ◽  
Eukaryotic Proteomes ◽  
History Of

Abstract Homopolymeric amino acid repeats (AARs) like polyalanine (polyA) and polyglutamine (polyQ) in some developmental proteins (DPs) regulate certain aspects of organismal morphology and behavior, suggesting an evolutionary role for AARs as developmental “tuning knobs.” It is still unclear, however, whether these are occasional protein-specific phenomena or hints at the existence of a whole AAR-based regulatory system in DPs. Using novel approaches to trace their functional and evolutionary history, we find quantitative evidence supporting a generalized, combinatorial role of AARs in developmental processes with evolutionary implications. We observe nonrandom AAR distributions and combinations in HOX and other DPs, as well as in their interactomes, defining elements of a proteome-wide combinatorial functional code whereby different AARs and their combinations appear preferentially in proteins involved in the development of specific organs/systems. Such functional associations can be either static or display detectable evolutionary dynamics. These findings suggest that progressive changes in AAR occurrence/combination, by altering embryonic development, may have contributed to taxonomic divergence, leaving detectable traces in the evolutionary history of proteomes. Consistent with this hypothesis, we find that the evolutionary trajectories of the 20 AARs in eukaryotic proteomes are highly interrelated and their individual or compound dynamics can sharply mark taxonomic boundaries, or display clock-like trends, carrying overall a strong phylogenetic signal. These findings provide quantitative evidence and an interpretive framework outlining a combinatorial system of AARs whose compound dynamics mark at the same time DP functions and evolutionary transitions.

scholarly journals Inheritance of flower traits in ornamental pepper

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Angela Maria dos Santos Pessoa ◽  
Elizanilda Ramalho do Rêgo ◽  
Cristine Agrine Pereira dos Santos ◽  
Michelle Gonçalves de Carvalho ◽  
Júlio Carlos Polimeni de Mesquita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Analysis ◽  
Gene Action ◽  
Diallel Analysis ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Petal Length ◽  
Anther Length ◽  
Flower Traits ◽  
Flower Diameter ◽  
Selection Of

Diallel crosses provide estimates of useful parameters in the selection of parents for hybridization. They also help in understanding the gene action behind the determination of characters of interest. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic control of flower traits in ornamental pepper based on a complete diallel with parents F1’s and reciprocal crosses. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at Laboratório de Biotecnologia Vegetal, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal da Paraíba (CCA-UFPB). Seven accessions of ornamental pepper belonging to the CCA-UFPB Germplasm Bank UFPB001, UFPB004, UFPB77.3, UFPB099, UFPB134, UFPB137 and UFPB390 were used. The morphological analysis was performed on following quantitative Capsicum descriptors: days for flowering (DFL), flower diameter (FD), petal length (PL), number of petals (NP), number of stamens (NS), anther length (AL) and fillet length (FL). The data were previously submitted to analysis of variance and then to diallel analysis. All evaluated traits were adequate to the additive-dominant model. There are possibilities of genetic gains in breeding programs, for the NP, NS, AL and FL in ornamental peppers.

scholarly journals Stochastic character mapping of state-dependent diversification reveals the tempo of evolutionary decline in self-compatible Onagraceae lineages

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Freyman ◽  
Sebastian Höhna
Keyword(s):  
Time Lag ◽  
State Transitions ◽  
Character State ◽  
Self Incompatibility ◽  
Evolutionary Transitions ◽  
Diversification Rates ◽  
Extinction Rates ◽  
Loss Of Self ◽  
State Dependent ◽  
Character Mapping

AbstractA major goal of evolutionary biology is to identify key evolutionary transitions that correspond with shifts in speciation and extinction rates. Stochastic character mapping has become the primary method used to infer the timing, nature, and number of character state transitions along the branches of a phylogeny. The method is widely employed for standard substitution models of character evolution. However, current approaches cannot be used for models that specifically test the association of character state transitions with shifts in diversification rates such as state-dependent speciation and extinction (SSE) models. Here we introduce a new stochastic character mapping algorithm that overcomes these limitations, and apply it to study mating system evolution over a time-calibrated phylogeny of the plant family Onagraceae. Utilizing a hidden state SSE model we tested the association of the loss of self-incompatibility with shifts in diversification rates. We found that self-compatible lineages have higher extinction rates and lower net-diversification rates compared to self-incompatible lineages. Furthermore, these results provide empirical evidence for the “senescing” diversification rates predicted in highly selfing lineages: our mapped character histories show that the loss of self-incompatibility is followed by a short-term spike in speciation rates, which declines after a time lag of several million years resulting in negative net-diversification. Lineages that have long been self-compatible, such as Fuchsia and Clarkia, are in a previously unrecognized and ongoing evolutionary decline. Our results demonstrate that stochastic character mapping of SSE models is a powerful tool for examining the timing and nature of both character state transitions and shifts in diversification rates over the phylogeny.

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