Comparative evolution of vegetative branching in sorghum

Tillering and secondary branching are two plastic traits with high agronomic importance, especially in terms of the ability of plants to adapt to changing environments. We describe a quantitative trait analysis of tillering and secondary branching in two novel BC1F2 populations totaling 246 genotypes derived from backcrossing two Sorghum bicolor x S. halepense F1 plants to a tetraploidized S. bicolor. A two-year, two-environment phenotypic evaluation in Bogart, GA and Salina, KS permitted us to identify major effect and environment specific QTLs. Significant correlation between tillering and secondary branching followed by discovery of overlapping sets of QTLs continue to support the developmental relationship between these two organs and suggest the possibility of pleiotropy. Comparisons with two other populations sharing S. bicolor BTx623 as a common parent but sampling the breadth of the Sorghum genus, increase confidence in QTL detected for these two plastic traits and provide insight into the evolution of morphological diversity in the Eusorghum clade. Correspondence between flowering time and vegetative branching supports other evidence in suggesting a pleiotropic effect of flowering genes. We propose a model to predict biomass weight from plant architecture related traits, quantifying contribution of each trait to biomass and providing guidance for future breeding experiments.

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Exquisitely Preserved Fossil Snakes of Messel: Insight into the Evolution, Biogeography, Habitat Preferences and Sensory Ecology of Early Boas

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d12030100 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 100 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Agustín Scanferla ◽

Krister T. Smith

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

New World ◽

Middle Eocene ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Sensory Ecology ◽

Morphological Diversity ◽

Predator Prey ◽

Upper Jaw ◽

Spectrum Evaluation ◽

Insight Into

Our knowledge of early evolution of snakes is improving, but all that we can infer about the evolution of modern clades of snakes such as boas (Booidea) is still based on isolated bones. Here, we resolve the phylogenetic relationships of Eoconstrictor fischeri comb. nov. and other booids from the early-middle Eocene of Messel (Germany), the best-known fossil snake assemblage yet discovered. Our combined analyses demonstrate an affinity of Eoconstrictor with Neotropical boas, thus entailing a South America-to-Europe dispersal event. Other booid species from Messel are related to different New World clades, reinforcing the cosmopolitan nature of the Messel booid fauna. Our analyses indicate that Eoconstrictor was a terrestrial, medium- to large-bodied snake that bore labial pit organs in the upper jaw, the earliest evidence that the visual system in snakes incorporated the infrared spectrum. Evaluation of the known palaeobiology of Eoconstrictor provides no evidence that pit organs played a role in the predator–prey relations of this stem boid. At the same time, the morphological diversity of Messel booids reflects the occupation of several terrestrial macrohabitats, and even in the earliest booid community the relation between pit organs and body size is similar to that seen in booids today.

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Transcriptional Controls for Early Bolting and Flowering in Angelica sinensis

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10091931 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1931

Author(s):

Mengfei Li ◽

Jie Li ◽

Jianhe Wei ◽

Paul W. Paré

Keyword(s):

Developmental Pathways ◽

Western China ◽

Perennial Herb ◽

Angelica Sinensis ◽

Chinese Medicines ◽

Flowering Genes ◽

Transcript Profiles ◽

Molecular Signals ◽

Insight Into ◽

Bolting And Flowering

The root of the perennial herb Angelica sinensis is a widely used source for traditional Chinese medicines. While the plant thrives in cool-moist regions of western China, early bolting and flowering (EBF) for young plants significantly reduces root quality and yield. Approaches to inhibit EBF by changes in physiology during the vernalization process have been investigated; however, the mechanism for activating EBF is still limited. Here, transcript profiles for bolted and unbolted plants (BP and UBP, respectively) were compared by transcriptomic analysis, expression levels of candidate genes were validated by qRT-PCR, and the accumulations of gibberellins (GA1, GA4, GA8, GA9 and GA20) were also monitored by HPLC-MS/MS. A total of over 72,000 unigenes were detected with ca. 2600 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) observed in the BP compared with UBP. While various signaling pathways participate in flower induction, it is genes associated with floral development and the sucrose pathway that are observed to be coordinated in EBF plants, coherently up- and down-regulating flowering genes that activate and inhibit flowering, respectively. The signature transcripts pattern for the developmental pathways that drive flowering provides insight into the molecular signals that activate plant EBF.

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Characterising scale-breakdown mechanisms during high-temperature oxidation using EM

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100177520 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 878-879

Author(s):

P .N. Rowley ◽

R. Brydson ◽

J. A. Little ◽

S. R. J. Saunders

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

High Temperature Oxidation ◽

Rapid Development ◽

Major Effect ◽

Oxidation Behaviour ◽

Metal Interface ◽

Temperature Oxidation ◽

High Temperature Steam ◽

Fissure Formation ◽

Insight Into

The microstructure and chemical composition of oxide films formed during the initial stages of high temperature oxidation have long been recognised as having a major effect on subsequent scaling behaviour. For example, the development of thick (>lμm) duplex scales on Fe-Cr alloys is assumed to occur via a mechanism of pore and fissure formation in the initial oxide (Atkinson, Tomlinson and Cory.) However, this process has rarely been observed using electron microscopy.The investigation of the oxidation behaviour of Fe-9Cr alloys in high temperature steam gives an insight into these scale breakdown processes. Within 3 minutes of the onset of oxidation, significant breakdown of the initially formed thin film occurs due to the development of readily visible fissures and pores at oxide grain boundaries (figure 1). This leads to the ready ingress of oxidant and the rapid development of a thick duplex Fe3O4/(Fe,Cr)3O4 oxide with a thin outer layer of α-Fe2O3 (figure 2). The extremely porous nature of this scale allows further inward diffusion of molecular oxidant, thereby instituting the continued growth of (Fe,Cr)3O4 at the scale/metal interface.

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Erratum: The Cardamine hirsuta genome offers insight into the evolution of morphological diversity

Nature Plants ◽

10.1038/nplants.2016.189 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (12) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Xiangchao Gan ◽

Angela Hay ◽

Michiel Kwantes ◽

Georg Haberer ◽

Asis Hallab ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Morphological Diversity ◽

Insight Into

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Twins Eye Study in Tasmania (TEST): Rationale and Methodology to Recruit and Examine Twins

Twin Research and Human Genetics ◽

10.1375/twin.12.5.441 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 441-454 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

David A. Mackey ◽

Jane R. MacKinnon ◽

Shayne A. Brown ◽

Lisa S. Kearns ◽

Jonathan B. Ruddle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Poor Quality ◽

Participation Rates ◽

Research Groups ◽

Ocular Biometry ◽

Quantitative Trait Analysis ◽

Twin Registry ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Local Media ◽

Insight Into

AbstractVisual impairment is a leading cause of morbidity and poor quality of life in our community. Unravelling the mechanisms underpinning important blinding diseases could allow preventative or curative steps to be implemented. Twin siblings provide a unique opportunity in biology to discover genes associated with numerous eye diseases and ocular biometry. Twins are particularly useful for quantitative trait analysis through genome-wide association and linkage studies. Although many studies involving twins rely on twin registries, we present our approach to the Twins Eye Study in Tasmania to provide insight into possible recruitment strategies, expected participation rates and potential examination strategies that can be considered by other researchers for similar studies. Five separate avenues for cohort recruitment were adopted: (1) piggy-backing existing studies where twins had been recruited, (2) utilizing the national twin registry, (3) word-of-mouth and local media publicity, (4) directly approaching schools, and finally (5) collaborating with other research groups studying twins.

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Insight into Effects of Different Drying Methods on Morphological Properties of Sodium Alginate-Chitosan Double Coacervation Hydrogel Beads

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.184-185.1025 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 184-185 ◽

pp. 1025-1029

Author(s):

Nan Xing ◽

Yu Kun Li ◽

Meng Su Li ◽

Feng Tian

Keyword(s):

Sodium Alginate ◽

Major Effect ◽

The Other ◽

Morphological Properties ◽

Drying Methods ◽

Hydrogel Beads ◽

Syringe Needle ◽

Different Diameters ◽

Insight Into

Hydrogel beads with different diameters were prepared by double coacervation method of alginate with CaCl2 followed by complexation between alginate and chitosan. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphological properties of beads under different conditions and prepared by different drying methods, which would have a major effect on the other characters and applications of beads. The results show that the beads can be manufactured with the control of concentrations of the two polymers and diameter of the syringe needle. Different drying methods can affect the morphological properties of the beads.

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Hierarchical Structure of Porosity in Cortical and Trabecular Bones

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/opl.2012.488 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 1420 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ekaterina Novitskaya ◽

Elham Hamed ◽

Jun Li ◽

Zherrina Manilay ◽

Iwona Jasiuk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hierarchical Structure ◽

Mechanical Response ◽

Bone Structure ◽

Major Effect ◽

Micro Computed Tomography ◽

Mineral Phases ◽

The Hierarchical Structure ◽

Trabecular Bones ◽

Main Components ◽

Insight Into

ABSTRACTIn this paper the amount and morphology of cortical and trabecular bone porosities were estimated using optical microscopy and micro-computed tomography technique. The hierarchical structure of porosity at different structural scales spanning from a single lacuna (sub-microscale) to trabecular or cortical bone levels (mesoscale) was characterized and described. This study was conducted by using samples of untreated, deproteinized and demineralized bones, to obtain better insight into the bone structure and porosities. The motivation of this work is that the porosity in bone has a major effect on its mechanical response, yet it is often neglected in bone models. Investigations of the mechanical properties of bone and its main components (collagen and mineral phases), complemented by modeling, are of importance in orthopedics.

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Morphological diversity of current melons (Cucumis melo) compared to a medieval type

Acta Agraria Debreceniensis ◽

10.34101/actaagrar/27/3108 ◽

2007 ◽

pp. 84-90

Author(s):

Lajos Horváth ◽

Gábor Gyulai ◽

Zoltán Szabó ◽

Richárd Lágler ◽

Zoltán Tóth ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cucumis Melo ◽

Genetic Similarity ◽

Germplasm Collection ◽

Morphological Diversity ◽

Fruit Morphology ◽

Morphological Reconstruction ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

15Th Century ◽

Quantitative And Qualitative Traits ◽

Insight Into

Morphological diversity of melon (Cucumis melo); phenotype reconstruction of a medieval sample. Morphological diversity among 47 melon (Cucumis melo) cultivars and landraces from Hungarian germplasm collection (ABI, Tápiószele) were analyzed with an ultimate aim to characterize morphologically cv. Hógolyó, which showed the closest genetic similarity to a medieval melon recovered from the 15th century. Cultivars based on fruit morphology were grouped into the three main types of melon as reticulatus, cantalupensis and inodorus. Cluster analysis (by SPSS-11) based on 23 morphological (quantitative and qualitative) traits recorded revealed an extreme diversity among accessions, nevertheless cultivars were clustered into main melon clusters with only two exceptions of inodorus type cv. Zimovka J. and Afghanistan. Cultivars Sweet ananas and Ezüst ananász; and two Hungarian landraces Kisteleki and Nagycserkeszi showed close similarity. Cultivars Hógolyó and Túrkeve of inodorus typewere also grouped in one cluster, which provide insight into the morphological reconstruction of the medieval melon recovered from the 15th century. These results also indicate that old Hungarian landraces could be re-introduced into breeding programs for broadening genetic base of melon.

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17q21.31 sub-haplotypes underlying H1-associated risk for Parkinson’s disease and progressive supranuclear palsy converge on altered glial regulation

10.1101/860668 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

KR Bowles ◽

DA Pugh ◽

K Farrell ◽

N Han ◽

J TCW ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy ◽

Cell Types ◽

Pleiotropic Effect ◽

Genomic Region ◽

Lewy Body Pathology ◽

Glial Function ◽

Functional Analyses ◽

Insight Into

AbstractParkinson’s disease (PD) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) are clinically similar neurodegenerative movement disorders that display unique neuropathological features (i.e. Lewy body pathology and Tau pathology, respectively). While each disorder has distinct clinical and genetic risk factors, both are associated with the MAPT 17q.21.31 locus H1 haplotype. This suggests a pleiotropic effect of this genomic region. To better understand the genetic contribution of this region to these diseases, we fine-mapped the apparent pleiotropy of this locus. Our study indicates that PD and PSP are associated with different sub-haplotypes of the H1 clade. PD-associated sub-haplotypes were associated with altered LRRC37A copy number and expression, which, like other PD risk-associated genes, we hypothesize to be most relevant to astroglial function. In contrast, PSP was associated with grossly altered LD structure across the 17q21.31 locus, and risk-associated variants were found to impact chromatin structure in both neurons and microglia. We conclude that the contribution of the 17q21.31 locus to multiple disorders is a result of its structural and haplotypic complexity, which in turn impacts the regulation of multiple genes and neural cell types. This raises the possibility of novel disease-specific pathogenic mechanisms driven by 17q21.31 structural variation and altered epigenetic regulation that appear to converge on glial function and gene expression. By fine-mapping the association of H1 with PD and PSP, we have begun to untangle the apparent pleiotropy of this locus, and gain better insight into the mechanism of each disease, which will guide future functional analyses and disease models for PD and PSP.

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The Architecture of Metabolism Maximizes Biosynthetic Diversity in the Largest Class of Fungi

Molecular Biology and Evolution ◽

10.1093/molbev/msaa122 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (10) ◽

pp. 2838-2856

Author(s):

Emile Gluck-Thaler ◽

Sajeet Haridas ◽

Manfred Binder ◽

Igor V Grigoriev ◽

Pedro W Crous ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Population Level ◽

Gene Clusters ◽

Fungal Species ◽

Structural Redundancy ◽

Biosynthetic Gene Clusters ◽

Taxonomic Class ◽

Overlapping Sets ◽

Identification And Characterization ◽

Insight Into

Abstract Ecological diversity in fungi is largely defined by metabolic traits, including the ability to produce secondary or “specialized” metabolites (SMs) that mediate interactions with other organisms. Fungal SM pathways are frequently encoded in biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), which facilitate the identification and characterization of metabolic pathways. Variation in BGC composition reflects the diversity of their SM products. Recent studies have documented surprising diversity of BGC repertoires among isolates of the same fungal species, yet little is known about how this population-level variation is inherited across macroevolutionary timescales. Here, we applied a novel linkage-based algorithm to reveal previously unexplored dimensions of diversity in BGC composition, distribution, and repertoire across 101 species of Dothideomycetes, which are considered the most phylogenetically diverse class of fungi and known to produce many SMs. We predicted both complementary and overlapping sets of clustered genes compared with existing methods and identified novel gene pairs that associate with known secondary metabolite genes. We found that variation among sets of BGCs in individual genomes is due to nonoverlapping BGC combinations and that several BGCs have biased ecological distributions, consistent with niche-specific selection. We observed that total BGC diversity scales linearly with increasing repertoire size, suggesting that secondary metabolites have little structural redundancy in individual fungi. We project that there is substantial unsampled BGC diversity across specific families of Dothideomycetes, which will provide a roadmap for future sampling efforts. Our approach and findings lend new insight into how BGC diversity is generated and maintained across an entire fungal taxonomic class.

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