Article
Forestry
Ana Rita Leal, Helena Sapeta, Tom Beeckman, Pedro M. Barros, M. Margarida Oliveira
Summary: This study reveals the potential of cork oak taproots as a model system for studying phellem development and suberization, and identifies the molecular regulation of secondary development and suberization in cork oak roots. The provided morphological characterization creates new opportunities for faster assessment of phellogen activity and addressing fundamental questions.
Article
Forestry
Vera Inacio, Carolina Lobato, Jose Graca, Leonor Morais-Cecilio
Summary: Vascular plants with secondary growth like cork oak develop thick periderms of dead cork cells, which are periodically debarked for industrial purposes. Studying the differentiation of the first periderm in young sprigs and traumatic periderm formation after debarking reveals differences in gene expression and metabolism, shedding light on the impact of wounding on phellogen activity.
Article
Forestry
Maria Socorro Serrano, Mario Gonzalez, Maria Angeles Romero, Monica R. Alconero, Maria Esperanza Sanchez
Summary: Phosphonate fungicides are effective chemicals for controlling oomycete root diseases in Mediterranean climate-type forests and natural ecosystems. This study developed a new formulation combining potassium phosphonate with mineral nutrients to improve its effectiveness against root rot in cork oak. The results showed that combining zinc and calcium with potassium phosphonate can enhance its control of root diseases and reduce the application rates.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joao Catalao, Ana Navarro, Joao Calvao
Summary: In the Mediterranean region, a study was conducted using high spatial resolution multispectral images to detect and map cork oak mortality, attributing the increase in tree mortality to temperature rise and prolonged drought periods. An approach based on change detection and unsupervised classification achieved accurate results with precision and recall values higher than 90%, providing valuable insights for understanding ecosystem change and implementing mitigation mechanisms for desertification processes.
Article
Forestry
Rita Simoes, Isabel Miranda, Helena Pereira
Summary: The cuticular wax content and chemical composition of Quercus suber L. leaves show seasonal variation, with an increase in wax content as the leaves mature. Triterpenoids are the dominant compound, particularly lupeol. The increase in cyclic-to-acyclic component ratio after summer indicates extensive deposition of intracuticular waxes, contributing to the mechanical and thermal stability and water barrier properties of the mature leaf cuticle.
Article
Forestry
F. Costa-e-Silva, A. C. Correia, C. A. Pinto, J. S. David, V. Hernandez-Santana, T. S. David
Summary: Cork is a high value forest product that ensures the sustainability of cork oak woodlands. Cork stripping affects water and carbon fluxes in trees, especially causing stomatal closure in dry years and reducing carbon ecosystem exchange.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Andre Guimaraes, Maria Valerio, Beatriz Fidalgo, Raul Salas-Gonzalez, Carlos Pereira, Mateus Mendes
Summary: This study aims to automate the calculation of trunk area of cork oak and estimate the volume of cork produced before the stripping process using deep neural network Mask R-CNN and machine learning algorithm. The results show good performance in target and trunk recognition, as well as accurate estimation of cork volume.
Article
Forestry
Jose Carlos Perez-Giron, Emilio Rafael Diaz-Varela, Pedro Alvarez-Alvarez
Summary: Cork oak agroforestry systems are influenced by climate variability, with relative humidity and water availability being the main drivers. Proximity to the coast proves beneficial for the survival of the ecosystem. Canopy density plays a key role in influencing climatic conditions, and water availability is the main driver of primary production.
Article
Environmental Studies
Andre Vizinho, Adriana Principe, Ana Catia Vasconcelos, Rui Rebelo, Cristina Branquinho, Gil Penha-Lopes
Summary: In Mediterranean climate regions, climate change is causing increased aridity and higher mortality rates for Quercus suber, affecting reforestation efforts. This study explores the use of microclimates, particularly by utilizing north-facing slopes and water lines for planting, and creating shelter with existing shrubs like Cistus ladanifer. Experiment 1 demonstrated higher survival rates for Q. suber planted on north-facing slopes and water lines compared to ridges, while Experiment 2 showed that planting in the shade of C. ladanifer rows significantly increased survival rates. These findings indicate the importance of considering microclimates in reforestation strategies for Q. suber.
Article
Forestry
Federico Vessella, Bartolomeo Schirone
Summary: Designing a user-friendly and cost-effective method to summarize the main climatic factors that determine vegetation geographical ranges is a strategic solution for forest restoration actions and emergency response in the Mediterranean Basin. This study presents an updated version of the Emberger Index applied to the emblematic species of Quercus suber, utilizing the latest climatic data, distribution map, and modelling techniques. The results demonstrate the benefits of the updated process in understanding species' climatic requirements, including future projections and the identification of potential refugia.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mohamed Riadh Mahmoudi, Beya Bachtobji-Bouachir, Houcine Sebai, Mossadok Ben-Attia, Neziha Ghanem-Boughanmi
Summary: This study highlighted the importance of the shrub layer in Mediterranean forests, emphasizing the need to consider it in any disturbance assessment and management. Disturbance significantly reduced total litter fall in disturbed sites, with the increased shrub layer contribution not compensating for the decreased input by the tree layer. Leaf litter decomposition was negatively affected by disturbance, leading to differences in above ground soil organic matter and nutrient dynamics between disturbed and undisturbed sites.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Maria Teresa Martinez, Beatriz Cuenca, Fatima Mosteiro, Pablo Pineiro, Felipe Perez, Alejandro Solla, Elena Corredoira
Summary: The massive propagation of cork oak individuals tolerant to Phytophthora cinnamomi is a major challenge for cork production. In this study, resistance screening was conducted on seedlings obtained from a survived cork oak tree. The most vigorous seedlings were selected and successfully micropropagated using axillary budding. The optimized micropropagation method provides valuable insights for the propagation of this important tree species in forestry.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Rita Simoes, Isabel Miranda, Helena Pereira
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impact of different methanolysis conditions on the depolymerization and monomer release of cutin in cork oak leaves, in order to establish protocols for cutin content determination and composition profiling. Results showed that the reactivity of cutin ester bonds is not uniform and the composition of cutin extracts varies with depolymerization extent. The molar composition of cutin suggests a macromolecular assembly based on glycerol linked to lipid oligomeric chains with moderate cross-linking.
PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Elaine G. Mission, Maria Jose Cocero
Summary: This study presents a novel and scalable approach for accessing suberin from cork by proposing ultrafast supercritical hydrolysis. The study highlights the importance of obtaining high-quality and highly functionalized biopolymers as a source of new building blocks. The research contributes to the development of a sustainable process for extracting valuable molecules from cork.
Article
Agronomy
Islem Yangui, Mohamed Lahbib Ben Jamaa, Meriem Zouaoui Boutiti, Anna Maria Vettraino, Andrea Vannini, Chokri Messaoud
Summary: The study detected the presence of Biscogniauxia mediterranea in Tunisian forests and evaluated factors influencing its occurrence. The pathogen was found in all six investigated forests, with varying frequencies, and was related to the dendrometric structure of cork oak trees. The dispersal of B. mediterranea in other cork oak forests should be prevented to conserve valuable forest resources.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Natalia Pabon-Mora, Maria Helena S. Goldman, David R. Smyth, Jorge Muschietti, Maria Manuela R. Costa
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Nuno Mariz-Ponte, Sara Sario, Rafael J. Mendes, Marcio Couto, Emil Gimranov, Marino Santos, Cristiana V. Correia, Anicia Gomes, Paulo R. Oliveira-Pinto, Isabel Amorim, Maria Celeste Dias, Jose Miguel P. Ferreira de Oliveira, Conceicao Santos
Summary: This study compared the effects of two different formulations of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the photosynthesis of Lactuca sativa. The results showed that the rutile-anatase formulation had positive effects on photophosphorylation-related parameters, while the anatase formulation was more efficient in promoting gas exchange and nutrient absorption. Additionally, even at low doses, the rutile-anatase formulation significantly affected the key enzyme RuBisCO involved in photosynthesis.
Review
Plant Sciences
E. Moreira, S. Coimbra, P. Melo
Summary: Glutamine synthetase is an essential enzyme in plant metabolism, playing important roles in nitrogen assimilation and crop productivity. Different isoenzymes of GS have specific and non-redundant roles in plant physiology, but in species like A. thaliana, there is a redundancy in the gene family with a compensation mechanism.
Article
Plant Sciences
Dasmeet Kaur, Diana Moreira, Silvia Coimbra, Allan M. Showalter
Summary: The successful development and function of stamens, pollen grains, and pollen tubes are crucial for male reproductive function in flowering plants. Highly glycosylated arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) play important roles in male gamete formation, pollen grain, and pollen tube cell walls. The study on a quintuple Hyp-GALT mutant revealed the significant contributions of Hyp-arabinogalactans (Hyp-AGs) to the normal development and function of anthers and pollen.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sofia Alves, Angelo Braga, Denise Parreira, Ana Teresa Alhinho, Helena Silva, Miguel Jesus Nunes Ramos, Maria Manuela Ribeiro Costa, Leonor Morais-Cecilio
Summary: This study investigates the epigenetic regulators in the Fagaceae family, an important family of trees and shrubs in the northern hemisphere ecosystems. The researchers identified orthologs of DNA methyltransferases, demethylases, and histone modifiers involved in acetylation, deacetylation, methylation, and demethylation. They also analyzed the evolutionary history of these genes within Fagaceae and found duplication events and the involvement of transposable elements in gene duplication. This work provides valuable knowledge for future studies on epigenetic regulation in the economically important Fagaceae family.
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ricardo Ferraz, Silvia Coimbra, Sandra Correia, Jorge Canhoto
Summary: The field of epitranscriptomics, specifically the understanding of RNA methylation, is rapidly expanding and becoming increasingly complex and challenging. Methyltransferases, demethylases, and RNA-binding proteins play crucial roles in adding, removing, and recognizing methyl groups on RNA. Plant methyltransferases have been identified and linked to stress and development processes, but the understanding of these enzymes, particularly those located in organelles, is still in its early stages. Comparative and evolutionary analyses have revealed the existence of multiple yet uncharacterized methyltransferases, and this review discusses the functions of nuclear and organellar RNA methyltransferases in plant development and stress responses, as well as the discoveries made across different kingdoms.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Diana Moreira, Ana Lucia Lopes, Jessy Silva, Maria Joao Ferreira, Sara Cristina Pinto, Sara Mendes, Luis Gustavo Pereira, Silvia Coimbra, Ana Marta Pereira
Summary: This study analyzed the expression patterns of six individual AGPs in Arabidopsis tissues, revealing their presence in both male and female reproductive organs and suggesting their potential roles in plant reproduction.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ana Lucia Lopes, Diana Moreira, Ana Marta Pereira, Ricardo Ferraz, Sara Mendes, Luis Gustavo Pereira, Lucia Colombo, Silvia Coimbra
Summary: This study explores the distribution patterns of arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) in Arabidopsis female reproductive tissues and compares them among different developmental mutants. The results highlight the importance of the immunofluorescence labelling technique in understanding the remodeling nature of the cell wall during development.
Article
Plant Sciences
Diana Moreira, Dasmeet Kaur, Ana Marta Pereira, Michael A. Held, Allan M. Showalter, Silvia Coimbra
Summary: This study found that plants with mutations in galt2galt5galt7galt8galt9 genes have very few seeded fruits, indicating a significant contribution of the female gametophyte to this mutant phenotype. Mutant ovules showed abnormal callose accumulation and integument defects, resulting in pollen tube reception disturbances. In addition, the mutant ovary AGPs had a reduction in the amount of glucuronic acid. The results demonstrate the functional importance of the carbohydrate moieties of AGPs in ovule development and pollen-pistil interactions.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Gianni Barcaccia, Andrea Mazzucato, Emidio Albertini, Sara Zenoni, Luciana Baldoni, Soraya Mousavi, Marta Adelina Mendes, Silvia Coimbra, Antonio Granell, Fulvio Pupilli
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Joao Ferreira, Jessy Silva, Sara Cristina Pinto, Silvia Coimbra
Summary: This study evaluated the expression stability of ten candidate reference genes in reproductive tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana. The results identified the optimal reference genes for gene expression studies in different flower developmental stages and mutant backgrounds. The findings provide a valuable resource for future gene expression studies in reproductive tissues of A. thaliana and emphasize the importance of clearly defining experimental conditions for qPCR analysis to improve reproducibility.
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Isber Ademaj, Hysni Jashari, Naser Gjonbalaj, Arta Syla
Summary: This article reports a very rare case of acquired intra-abdominal cryptorchidism due to adhesions after necrotizing enterocolitis. Newborns after NEC have a significant risk of developing intraperitoneal adhesions. The case described in this report involves a previously palpable neonatal testis in the inguinal canal that was pulled into the abdomen at seven months of age through adhesions between the testis and a segment of the sigmoid colon after NEC.
UROLOGY CASE REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Silvia Manrique, Alex Cavalleri, Andrea Guazzotti, Gonzalo H. Villarino, Sara Simonini, Aureliano Bombarely, Tetsuya Higashiyama, Ueli Grossniklaus, Chiara Mizzotti, Ana Marta Pereira, Silvia Coimbra, Subramanian Sankaranarayanan, Elisabetta Onelli, Simona Masiero, Robert G. Franks, Lucia Colombo
Summary: The gynoecium plays a critical role in the reproduction of flowering plants by containing ovules and tissues necessary for pollen germination and growth. Research has shown that HISTONE DEACETYLASE 19 (HDA19) is essential for the differentiation of ovules and the reproductive tract (ReT) by regulating the expression of SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM). This study provides valuable insights into plant organogenesis and tissue differentiation.
Meeting Abstract
Medicine, General & Internal
Ana Filipa Brandao, Sara Morais, Rita Bastos-Ferreira, Susana Sousa, Marina Magalhaes, Bastos Lima, Jose Alves Grilo Goncalves, Leonor Correia Guedes, Alexandre Mendes, Ana Graca Velon, Carlos Sanchez Bueno, Joao Proenca, Maria Manuela Costa, Ana Oliveira, Joaquim Ferreira, Mario Romero Blanco, Rui Araujo, Tania Lampreia, Joao Parente Freixo, Jorge Sequeiros, Jorge Oliveira
Meeting Abstract
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana Filipa Brandao, Sara Morais, Rita Bastos-Ferreira, Susana Sousa, Marina Magalhaes, Antonio Bastos Lima, Jose Alves Grilo Goncalves, Leonor Correia Guedes, Alexandre Mendes, Ana Graca Velon, Carlos Sanchez Bueno, Joao Proenca, Maria Manuela Manuela Costa, Ana Oliveira, Joaquim Ferreira, Mario Romero Blanco, Rui Araujo, Tania Lampreia, Joao Parente Freixo, Jorge Sequeiros, Jorge Oliveira
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2022)