scholarly journals Unexpected cryptic species among streptophyte algae most distant to land plants

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1963) ◽  
Author(s):  
Iker Irisarri ◽  
Tatyana Darienko ◽  
Thomas Pröschold ◽  
Janine M. R. Fürst-Jansen ◽  
Mahwash Jamy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Plants ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Genomic Studies ◽  
Plant Form ◽  
Phylogenomic Analyses ◽  
And Function ◽  
Shed Light ◽  
Green Lineage

Streptophytes are one of the major groups of the green lineage (Chloroplastida or Viridiplantae). During one billion years of evolution, streptophytes have radiated into an astounding diversity of uni- and multicellular green algae as well as land plants. Most divergent from land plants is a clade formed by Mesostigmatophyceae, Spirotaenia spp. and Chlorokybophyceae. All three lineages are species-poor and the Chlorokybophyceae consist of a single described species, Chlorokybus atmophyticus. In this study, we used phylogenomic analyses to shed light into the diversity within Chlorokybus using a sampling of isolates across its known distribution. We uncovered a consistent deep genetic structure within the Chlorokybus isolates, which prompted us to formally extend the Chlorokybophyceae by describing four new species. Gene expression differences among Chlorokybus species suggest certain constitutive variability that might influence their response to environmental factors. Failure to account for this diversity can hamper comparative genomic studies aiming to understand the evolution of stress response across streptophytes. Our data highlight that future studies on the evolution of plant form and function can tap into an unknown diversity at key deep branches of the streptophytes.

Tropical Alpine Environments: Plant Form and Function.

1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 592
Author(s):  
Henrik Balslev ◽  
Philip W. Rundel ◽  
Alan P. Smith ◽  
F. C. Meinzer
Keyword(s):  
Form And Function ◽  
Tropical Alpine ◽  
Plant Form ◽  
And Function ◽  
Alpine Environments

scholarly journals PhenoSpace: A Shiny application to visualize trait data in the phenotypic space of the global spectrum of plant form and function

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1526-1534
Author(s):  
Jules Segrestin ◽  
Kevin Sartori ◽  
Marie‐Laure Navas ◽  
Jens Kattge ◽  
Sandra Díaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Form And Function ◽  
Plant Form ◽  
And Function ◽  
Shiny Application

Environmental–biomechanical reciprocity and the evolution of plant material properties

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl J Niklas ◽  
Frank W Telewski
Keyword(s):  
Physical Environment ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Biotic Interactions ◽  
Cellular Solids ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Evolutionary Innovation ◽  
Plant Form ◽  
And Function ◽  
Abiotic Environmental Factors

Abstract Abiotic–biotic interactions have shaped organic evolution since life first began. Abiotic factors influence growth, survival, and reproductive success, whereas biotic responses to abiotic factors have changed the physical environment (and indeed created new environments). This reciprocity is well illustrated by land plants who begin and end their existence in the same location while growing in size over the course of years or even millennia, during which environment factors change over many orders of magnitude. A biomechanical, ecological, and evolutionary perspective reveals that plants are (i) composed of materials (cells and tissues) that function as cellular solids (i.e. materials composed of one or more solid and fluid phases); (ii) that have evolved greater rigidity (as a consequence of chemical and structural changes in their solid phases); (iii) allowing for increases in body size and (iv) permitting acclimation to more physiologically and ecologically diverse and challenging habitats; which (v) have profoundly altered biotic as well as abiotic environmental factors (e.g. the creation of soils, carbon sequestration, and water cycles). A critical component of this evolutionary innovation is the extent to which mechanical perturbations have shaped plant form and function and how form and function have shaped ecological dynamics over the course of evolution.

Herbaceous monocot plant form and function along a tropical rain-forest light gradient: a reversal of dicot strategy

2009 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan G. Swenson
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Plant Performance ◽  
Seed Plants ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Light Gradient ◽  
Whole Plant ◽  
Plant Form ◽  
And Function ◽  
High Degree

Whole plant form and function vary spectacularly across the seed plants. In recent years, plant evolutionary ecologists have begun to document this diversity on large geographic scales by analysing ‘functional traits’ that are indicative of whole plant performance across environmental gradients (Swenson & Enquist 2007, Wright et al. 2004). Despite the high degree of functional diversity in tropical forests, convergence in function does occur locally along successional or light gradients (Bazzaz & Pickett 1980, Swaine & Whitmore 1988).

scholarly journals The iron-responsive genome of the chiton Acanthopleura granulata

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Varney ◽  
Daniel I. Speiser ◽  
Carmel McDougall ◽  
Bernard M. Degnan ◽  
Kevin M. Kocot
Keyword(s):  
Iron Transport ◽  
West Indian ◽  
The Other ◽  
The West ◽  
Major Clade ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Genetic Mechanisms ◽  
Molluscan Evolution ◽  
And Function

ABSTRACTMolluscs biomineralize structures that vary in composition, form, and function, prompting questions about the genetic mechanisms responsible for their production and the evolution of these mechanisms. Chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) are a promising system for studies of biomineralization because they build a range of calcified structures including shell plates and spine- or scale-like sclerites. Chitons also harden the calcified teeth of their rasp-like radula with a coat of iron (as magnetite). Here we present the genome of the West Indian fuzzy chiton Acanthopleura granulata, the first from any aculiferan mollusc. The A. granulata genome contains homologs of many biomineralization genes identified previously in conchiferan molluscs. We expected chitons to lack genes previously identified from pathways conchiferans use to make biominerals like calcite and nacre because chitons do not use these materials in their shells. Surprisingly, the A. granulata genome has homologs of many of these genes, suggesting that the ancestral mollusc had a more diverse biomineralization toolkit than expected. The A. granulata genome has features that may be specialized for iron biomineralization, including a higher proportion of genes regulated directly by iron than other molluscs. A. granulata also produces two isoforms of soma-like ferritin: one is regulated by iron and similar in sequence to the soma-like ferritins of other molluscs, and the other is constitutively translated and is not found in other molluscs. The A. granulata genome is a resource for future studies of molluscan evolution and biomineralization.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTChitons are molluscs that make shell plates, spine- or scale-like sclerites, and iron-coated teeth. Currently, all molluscs with sequenced genomes lie within one major clade (Conchifera). Sequencing the genome of a representative from the other major clade (Aculifera) helps us learn about the origins and evolution of molluscan traits. The genome of the West Indian Fuzzy Chiton, Acanthopleura granulata, reveals chitons have homologs of many genes other molluscs use to make shells, suggesting all molluscs share some shell-making pathways. The genome of A. granulata has more genes that may be regulated directly by iron than other molluscs, and chitons produce a unique isoform of a major iron-transport protein (ferritin), suggesting that chitons have genomic specializations that contribute to their production of iron-coated teeth.

Tropical Alpine Environments: Plant Form and Function.

1995 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 555
Author(s):  
J. C. Lovett ◽  
P. W. Rundel ◽  
A. P. Smith ◽  
F. C. Meinzer
Keyword(s):  
Form And Function ◽  
Tropical Alpine ◽  
Plant Form ◽  
And Function ◽  
Alpine Environments

scholarly journals Signal transduction, cell division, differentiation and development: towards unifying mechanisms for pattern formation in plants

2003 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Carnier Dornelas
Keyword(s):  
Signal Transduction ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Pattern Formation ◽  
Cell Communication ◽  
Molecular Control ◽  
Form And Function ◽  
Plant Signal Transduction ◽  
Model Plant Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽  
Plant Form ◽  
And Function

The elaboration of plant form and function depends on the ability of a plant cell to divide and differentiate. The decisions of individual cells to enter the cell cycle, maintain proliferation competence, become quiescent, expand, differentiate, or die depend on cell-to-cell communication and on the perception of various signals. These signals can include hormones, nutrients, light, temperature, and internal positional and developmental cues. In recent years, progress has been made in understanding the molecular control of plant pattern formation, especially in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, specific genes have been found that are necessary for normal pattern formation and the control of the rates of cell division and differentiation. Cloning of these genes is revealing the molecular basis of plant pattern formation and the key players on plant signal transduction systems.

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