scholarly journals Sterile spikelets assimilate carbon in sorghum and related grasses

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor AuBuchon-Elder ◽  
Viktoriya Coneva ◽  
David M. Goad ◽  
Doug K. Allen ◽  
Elizabeth A. Kellogg
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotopes ◽  
Related Species ◽  
The Other ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Sterile Spikelet ◽  
Cultivated Species

ABSTRACTSorghum and its relatives in the grass tribe Andropogoneae bear their flowers in pairs of spikelets, in which one spikelet (seed-bearing, or SS) of the pair produces a seed and the other is sterile or male (staminate). This division of function does not occur in other major cereals such as wheat or rice. Additionally, one bract of the seed-bearing spikelet often produces a long extension, the awn, which is in the same position as but independently derived from that of wheat and rice. The function of the sterile spikelet is unknown and that of the awn has not been tested in Andropogoneae. We used radioactive and stable isotopes of carbon, as well as RNA-seq of metabolically important enzymes to show that the sterile spikelet assimilates carbon, which is translocated to the largely heterotrophic SS, thereby functioning as a nurse tissue. The awn shows no evidence of photosynthesis. These results apply to distantly related species of Andropogoneae. Thus, the sterile spikelet, but not the awn, could affect yield in the cultivated species and fitness in the wild ones.

DNA Barcode Identification of Black Cohosh Herbal Dietary Supplements

2012 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 1023-1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A Baker ◽  
Dennis Wm Stevenson ◽  
Damon P LittLe
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Events ◽  
Dietary Supplements ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Plant Material ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
The Other ◽  
Black Cohosh ◽  
Test Plant ◽  
Actaea Racemosa ◽  
Validation Set

Abstract Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) herbal dietary supplements are commonly consumed to treat menopausal symptoms, but there are reports of adverse events and toxicities associated with their use. Accidental misidentification and/or deliberate adulteration results in harvesting other related species that are then marketed as black cohosh. Some of these species are known to be toxic to humans. We have identified two matK nucleotides that consistently distinguish black cohosh from related species. Using these nucleotides, an assay was able to correctly identify all of the black cohosh samples in the validation set. None of the other Actaea species in the validation set were falsely identified as black cohosh. Of 36 dietary supplements sequenced, 27 (75%) had a sequence that exactly matched black cohosh. The remaining nine samples (25%) had a sequence identical to that of three Asian Actaea species (A. cimicifuga, A. dahurica, and A. simplex). Manufacturers should routinely test plant material using a reliable assay to ensure accurate labeling.

Pimpinella ibradiensis (Apiaceae), an unusual new species from Turkey

Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 217 (2) ◽  
pp. 164 ◽  
Author(s):  
İlker Çinbilgel ◽  
özkan Eren ◽  
Hayri Duman ◽  
Mustafa Gökceoğlu
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Geographical Distribution ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Identification Key ◽  
The Other ◽  
Site Conditions ◽  
Closely Related Species

Pimpinella ibradiensis, an unusual new species found in the Toka Yayla (İbradı, Antalya) in southern Anatolia, is described and illustrated. Site conditions, synecology and conservation status of P. ibradiensis are considered. In light of the comparison with the other closely related four species, namely P. nephrophylla, P. flabellifolia, P. sintenisii and P. paucidentata, its similarity within the genus are discussed. P. ibradiensis is easly distinguished from its relatives by its white petals, presence of bracts and bracteoles, larger fruits (4–5.5 × 1–2 mm), and having serrulate basal leaves with 60–95 strongly cartilaginous teeth along margins. The geographical distribution of P. ibradiensis and closely related species are mapped and the identification key of those species is updated.

The Ecology of the Western Swamp Tortoise Pseudemydura Umbrina (Testudines: Chelidae).

1981 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 203 ◽  
Author(s):  
AA Burbidge
Keyword(s):  
Water Temperature ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
The Other ◽  
Restricted Range ◽  
Monotypic Genus ◽  
Insect Larvae ◽  
Relict Species ◽  
Desiccation Rate ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Growth Activity

Western swamp tortoise (Pseudemydura umbrina) was rediscovered in Western Australia in 1954. It is a relict species of a monotypic genus, of very restricted range and specialized habitat. Population was estimated to be 13 to 45 and decreasing at 1 of its 2 native reserves and to be 10 to 45 and static at the other reserve. It does not use permanent water, but lives and feeds in ephemeral winter swamps and spends the other 6 to 9 months of the year in refuges in leaf litter, under fallen branches or in holes in the ground, in contact with the soil. The tortoise is carnivorous and in the wild takes only live aquatic organisms. Captive adults will not take meat until they have starved for many months. Stomach of 1 female (Edward, pers. commun.) had aquatic crustaceans, chiefly Eulimnadia sp., with insects and insect larvae, mainly Coleoptera and Diptera. Study of faeces confirmed that observation had shown that small tadpoles and an aquatic earthworm (Eodrilus cornigravei) were eaten also. Reproduction, growth, activity relative to body and water temperature, and desiccation rate, were noted. One adult female tortoise was eaten by a fox. Foxes and bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus) eat eggs of other tortoises and would eat those of P. umbrina. Hatchlings may be eaten by large wading birds such as straw-necked ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis) and white-faced heron (Notophoyx novaehollandiae).

scholarly journals Repeated evolution of asymmetric genitalia and right-sided mating behavior in theDrosophila nannopteraspecies group

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Acurio ◽  
Flor T. Rhebergen ◽  
Sarah Paulus ◽  
Virginie Courtier-Orgogozo ◽  
Michael Lang
Keyword(s):  
Related Species ◽  
Current Data ◽  
The Other ◽  
Genital Morphology ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Outgroup Species ◽  
Repeated Evolution ◽  
Drosophila Pachea ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Group Species

AbstractBackgroundMale genitals have repeatedly evolved left-right asymmetries, and the causes of such evolution remain unclear. TheDrosophila nannopteragroup contains four species, among which three exhibit left-right asymmetries of distinct genital organs. In the most studied species,Drosophila pachea, males display asymmetric genital lobes and they mate right-sided on top of the female. Copulation position of the other species is unknown.ResultsTo assess whether the evolution of genital asymmetry could be linked to the evolution of one-sided mating, we examined phallus morphology and copulation position inD. pacheaand closely related species. The phallus was found to be symmetric in all investigated species exceptD. pachea, which display an asymmetric phallus with a right-sided gonopore, andD. acanthoptera, which harbor an asymmetrically bent phallus. In all examined species, males were found to position themselves symmetrically on top of the female, except inD. pacheaandD. nannoptera, where males mated right-sided, in distinctive, species-specific positions. In addition, the copulation duration was found to be increased innannopteragroup species compared to closely related outgroup species.ConclusionOur study shows that gains, and possibly losses, of asymmetry in genital morphology and mating position have evolved repeatedly in thenannopteragroup. Current data does not allow us to conclude whether genital asymmetry has evolved in response to changes in mating position, or vice versa.

Evolutionary pattern of the presence and absence genes in Fragaria species

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Zhong ◽  
Ping Wang ◽  
Qinglong Shi ◽  
Zong-Ming Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Evolutionary Pattern ◽  
Ppr Protein ◽  
Ef Hand ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Wild Strawberry ◽  
Cultivated Species ◽  
Presence And Absence ◽  
Genome Level ◽  
Tandem Duplications

Presence and absence polymorphisms (PAPs) exist extensively and have been investigated in different organisms. However, PAPs have rarely been detected between strawberry species at the genome level. This study identified the presence and absence genes (P/A genes) between wild strawberry species (Fragaria vesca) and octoploid cultivated species (F. × ananassa) under a relatively strict criterion. In total, 333 P/A genes present in the wild strawberry but absent in the cultivated strawberry were detected. Of the P/A genes, 91.89% (306/333) were single genes, and only 8.11% were confirmed as multi-genes. The majority of the identified P/A genes in Fragaria were generated by tandem duplications. The P/A genes were unevenly distributed on the seven chromosomes of woodland strawberry, and they clustered preferentially near the telomeric regions of the chromosomes. The P/A genes tended to encode proteins with domains closely associated with responses to varying ecological factors, such as PPR, Protein kinases (PKs), NB-ARC, F-box and EF-hand domains. This indicated that the P/A genes were associated with coping with biotic and abiotic stresses to improve the adaptability of plants to changing environments.

Applications to Silicate, Carbonate, and Borate Minerals and Related Species

1992 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Tossell ◽  
David J. Vaughan
Keyword(s):  
Related Species ◽  
The Other ◽  
Quantum Mechanical ◽  
Quantum Mechanical Calculations ◽  
Solid Solution Series ◽  
Silicate Minerals ◽  
Borate Minerals ◽  
Cluster Unit ◽  
Silicate Carbonate

The most abundant materials making up the crust of the earth (i.e., the “rock-forming minerals”) can be regarded as dominated by oxyanion units; notably, the units that can be formally represented by SiO44- and AlO45- clusters of the silicate minerals, and the CO32- unit of the carbonates. less common, but geochemically interesting, oxyanion units include, for example, BO33-, BeO46- , and PO43-. in this chapter, applications of quantum-mechanical calculations and experimental techniques to such materials are considered. first, the silicates are discussed, commencing with the large amount of work undertaken on the olivines, before considering such work as has so far been done on the other silicate minerals and related materials. second, the most important of the nonsilicate rock-forming mineral groups, the carbonates, are discussed. finally, although of less petrological importance but interesting geochemically and in terms of contrast with the othergroups, the borates and related species are considered. in each case, geometric aspects of structure and the problems of calculating structural properties are considered before going on to consider electronic structures and the factors controlling stabilities and a wider range of physical properties. in all of these materials, there is considerable interest in the, bonding in the oxyanion unit and how this is affected by, and controls, the interaction with counterions or the polymeric units. the building up of the minerals by such interactions exerts the dominant control over their crystal chemistries and properties and thus forms a central theme of this chapter. the silicate minerals are, of course, characterized by the presence of the tetrahedral siO4 cluster unit and the crystal chemistry and classification of silicates dominated by the structures built up by the linking together (polymerization) of these units. in the “simplest” of the silicates, the island silicates such as the olivine minerals (dominated by the forsterite (Mg2 SiO4)-fayalite (Fe2SiO4) solid solution series), the sio4 units are isolated by counterions such as Mg2+, Fe2+, Ca2+.

scholarly journals Transcriptome Analysis of Testes and Uterus: Reproductive Dysfunction Induced by Toxoplasma gondii in Mice

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 1136
Author(s):  
Junjie Wang ◽  
Tanghui Liu ◽  
Yasser S. Mahmmod ◽  
Zipeng Yang ◽  
Jiexing Tan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Ontology ◽  
Toxoplasma Gondii ◽  
Acute Infection ◽  
The Other ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
Mice Model ◽  
Reproductive Disorders ◽  
Kegg Database ◽  
Disease Pathogenesis ◽  
Differently Expressed Genes

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection in female mammals during pregnancy can result in poor pregnancy. Similarly, it can result in male reproductive disorders in male mammals. Although the testes and uterus have very different biological makeup, they are still both attacked by T. gondii resulting in reproductive dysfunctions. We hypothesized that there are significant common genes in the testes and uterus that interact with T. gondii. Finding out and studying these genes is vital to understand the infection mechanism of T. gondii and the induced disease pathogenesis. To achieve this goal, we built a mice model of acute infection with T. gondii and the testes and uterus of the mice were sequenced by RNA-Seq. A total of 291 and 679 significantly differently expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained from the testes and the uterus, respectively. In the Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, part of the DEGs in the testes and uterus were related to 35 GO functions. When compared with the KEGG database, seven pathways affecting both the testes and uterus during the course of T. gondii infection were identified. In addition, Toxoplasmosis can significantly affect the expression of Nlrp5 and Insc leading to negative outcomes in the host. On the other hand, the host regulates Gbp7, Gbp2b, and Ifit3 to defend against T. gondii infection.

New Antibiotic Uperin Peptides From the Dorsal Glands of the Australian Toadlet Uperoleia mjobergii

1996 ◽  
Vol 49 (12) ◽  
pp. 1325 ◽  
Author(s):  
AM Bradford ◽  
JH Bowie ◽  
MJ Tyler ◽  
JC Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Antibiotic Activity ◽  
Amino Acid Sequences ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cationic Peptides ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Skin Glands ◽  
Edman Sequencing

The dorsal glandular extract of the toadlet Uperoleia mjobergii contains more than 20 peptides. We report the amino acid sequences of the seven major peptides: these were determined by a combination of mass spectrometry and automated Edman sequencing. Three of these peptides have 19 amino acid residues and belong to the uperin 2 group of peptides [e.g. uperin 2.6, Gly Ile Leu Asp Ile Ala Lys Lys Leu Val Gly Gly Ile Arg Asn Val Leu Gly Ile (OH)], while the other four have 17 residues and are classified as uperins 3 [e.g. Uperin 3.4, Gly Val Gly Asp Leu Ile Arg Lys Ala Val Ala Ala Ile Lys Asn Ile Val (NH2)]. Several of these cationic peptides have been synthesized in order for bioassays to be carried out: they show significant antibiotic activity against a range of Gram-positive microorganisms. A major skin peptide from the related species Uperoleia inundata is a powerful neuropeptide named uperin 1.1 ([Ala2] uperolein ): no corresponding neuropeptide is detected in the skin glands of Uperoleia mjobergii.

scholarly journals Living a dog’s life: a putative gray wolf in a feral dog group

Mammalia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-120
Author(s):  
Elitsa Popova ◽  
Diana Zlatanova
Keyword(s):  
Related Species ◽  
Ecological Impact ◽  
Complex Interaction ◽  
Domestic Dog ◽  
Hybrid Origin ◽  
Mountainous Area ◽  
Gray Wolf ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Feral Dogs ◽  
In The Wild

AbstractThe gray wolf and the domestic dog are closely related species that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. In settings where unrestrained dogs are present in the wild, hybridization can happen naturally. However, the behavior of the resulting hybrids and their ecological impact is largely understudied. In September–November 2018, a putative gray wolf was repeatedly camera-trapped in a group of 10 presumably feral dogs in a remote mountainous area (the Osogovo Mountain) along the border between Bulgaria and North Macedonia. The most feasible explanation for this individual’s atypical behavior is that it is of hybrid origin (assumption based on phenotype). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented observation of such a kind. A discussion of its recruitment and position in the group is presented, setting the basis for further investigation of the complex interaction between wolves, dogs and hybrids in the wild.

Kielmeyera ferruginosa (Calophyllaceae), a new species from the Atlantic Forest, southern Bahia, Brazil

Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 221 (3) ◽  
pp. 288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Pricilla Batista Santos ◽  
Rafaela Jorge Trad ◽  
Fabio Da Silva Do Espírito Santo ◽  
Maria do Carmo Estanislau Do Amaral ◽  
Alessandro Rapini
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Related Species ◽  
The State ◽  
The Other ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Abaxial Surface ◽  
Southern Bahia ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Flooded Areas

Kielmeyera ferruginosa, a new species of Calophyllaceae from the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia, is here described and illustrated. The species is critically endangered and can be easily distinguished from other Kielmeyera species by the rusty coloration of the trunk and branches, orange-colored latex, and the occurrence in flooded areas. It differs from the other species of the section Prolifera by the leaves with secondary veins relatively more distant from each other and prominent on the abaxial surface. Diagnostic characters and the state of conservation of the new species are discussed, and an identification key for K. ferruginosa and related species from series Rupestres and Neglectae is provided.

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