scholarly journals Nanocrystals as phenotypic expression of genotypes—An example in coralline red algae

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. eaay2126
Author(s):  
Gerald Auer ◽  
Werner E. Piller
Keyword(s):  
Red Algae ◽  
Cell Walls ◽  
Phenotypic Expression ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Coralline Red Algae ◽  
Marine Habitats ◽  
Modern Reef ◽  
Nanoscale Features ◽  
Globally Distributed ◽  
Sample Set

Coralline red algae (CRA) are important ecosystem engineers in the world’s oceans. They play key roles as primary food source and carbonate producers in marine habitats. CRA are also vital for modern reef systems where they act as substrate for coral growth and stabilizers of reef frameworks. However, morphotaxonomic identification of these important marine organisms is hampered by the fact that morphological concepts used for their classification do not correspond to molecular data. We present the first analysis of nanoscale features in calcified cell walls of CRA in a globally distributed sample set. We use new morphological traits based on these cell wall ultrastructures to construct an independent morphological phyletic tree that shows a promising congruency with existing CRA molecular phylogenies. Our results highlight cellular ultrastructures as a tool to define the phenotypic expression of genotypic information showing their potential to unify morphology with molecular phylogeny.

scholarly journals Visualising Silicon in Plants: Histochemistry, Silica Sculptures and Elemental Imaging

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gea Guerriero ◽  
Ian Stokes ◽  
Nathalie Valle ◽  
Jean-Francois Hausman ◽  
Christopher Exley
Keyword(s):  
Cell Walls ◽  
Mass Spectrometry Imaging ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Cannabis Sativa ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Plant Vigour ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Imaging Approach ◽  
General Improvement

Silicon is a non-essential element for plants and is available in biota as silicic acid. Its presence has been associated with a general improvement of plant vigour and response to exogenous stresses. Plants accumulate silicon in their tissues as amorphous silica and cell walls are preferential sites. While several papers have been published on the mitigatory effects that silicon has on plants under stress, there has been less research on imaging silicon in plant tissues. Imaging offers important complementary results to molecular data, since it provides spatial information. Herein, the focus is on histochemistry coupled to optical microscopy, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy of microwave acid extracted plant silica, techniques based on particle-induced X-ray emission, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and mass spectrometry imaging (NanoSIMS). Sample preparation procedures will not be discussed in detail, as several reviews have already treated this subject extensively. We focus instead on the information that each technique provides by offering, for each imaging approach, examples from both silicifiers (giant horsetail and rice) and non-accumulators (Cannabis sativa L.).

scholarly journals Single cell genomics reveals plastid-lacking Picozoa are close relatives of red algae

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Max E. Schön ◽  
Vasily V. Zlatogursky ◽  
Rohan P. Singh ◽  
Camille Poirier ◽  
Susanne Wilken ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Single Cell ◽  
Red Algae ◽  
Free Living ◽  
Plastid Evolution ◽  
Single Cell Genomics ◽  
Close Relatives ◽  
Globally Distributed ◽  
Eukaryotic Supergroup ◽  
Rare Group ◽  
Endosymbiotic Origin

AbstractThe endosymbiotic origin of plastids from cyanobacteria gave eukaryotes photosynthetic capabilities and launched the diversification of countless forms of algae. These primary plastids are found in members of the eukaryotic supergroup Archaeplastida. All known archaeplastids still retain some form of primary plastids, which are widely assumed to have a single origin. Here, we use single-cell genomics from natural samples combined with phylogenomics to infer the evolutionary origin of the phylum Picozoa, a globally distributed but seemingly rare group of marine microbial heterotrophic eukaryotes. Strikingly, the analysis of 43 single-cell genomes shows that Picozoa belong to Archaeplastida, specifically related to red algae and the phagotrophic rhodelphids. These picozoan genomes support the hypothesis that Picozoa lack a plastid, and further reveal no evidence of an early cryptic endosymbiosis with cyanobacteria. These findings change our understanding of plastid evolution as they either represent the first complete plastid loss in a free-living taxon, or indicate that red algae and rhodelphids obtained their plastids independently of other archaeplastids.

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