Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Martin Lycka, Vratislav Peska, Martin Demko, Ioannis Spyroglou, Agata Kilar, Jiri Fajkus, Miloslava Fojtova
Summary: This study introduces a new online toolset called WALTER for the rapid, reproducible, and user-friendly analysis of telomere length data and statistical evaluation, representing a major upgrade in TRF scan image processing.
BMC BIOINFORMATICS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jenna T. B. Ekwealor, Simone D. Benjamin, Jordan Z. Jomsky, Matthew A. Bowker, Lloyd R. Stark, D. Nicholas McLetchie, Brent D. Mishler, Kirsten M. Fisher
Summary: This study presents a technique to determine the genotypic sex of S. caninervis moss and examines the genotypic and phenotypic sex ratios in a case study. The results show that the genotypic ratio of non-expressing shoots is female-biased and exceeds the phenotypic ratio. Additionally, the distribution of male and female genotypes is not predicted by sex expression patterns in different microhabitats.
APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Cheng-Hung Lai, Yu-Sin Lin, Chao-Min Wang, Poa-Chun Chang, Wei-Yau Shia
Summary: This study identified Capnocytophaga strains in the oral cavity of dogs using 16S rRNA and phylogenetic analysis. A novel 16S rRNA PCR-RFLP method was designed to accurately distinguish C. cynodegmi from C. canimorsus, improving detection accuracy. This method is important for the epidemiological study of Capnocytophaga and the rapid diagnosis of human C. canimorsus infections following exposure to small animals.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Warwick J. Allen, Lauren P. Waller, Barbara I. P. Barratt, Ian A. Dickie
Summary: Characterising plant-herbivore interactions is crucial for understanding community structure and ecosystem functioning. Non-destructive molecular approaches, such as environmental DNA analysis, are more accurate in inferring interactions compared to traditional methods. This study compared different sample types and found that multiple sample types are needed to fully characterise an invertebrate herbivore's diet.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Yusuke Sakai, Yuri Okabe, Gen Itai, Seiji Shiozawa
Summary: In this study, a system for determining genotypes at the mouse Tyr gene locus in genome editing was established. The system allows for easy determination of genotypes and evaluation of the effects of small-molecule compounds on genome editing efficiency.
EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Zhi-Chao Yan, Hai-Qing Hua, Guang-Yuan Qi, Yuan-Xi Li
Summary: We developed a method to detect and identify Trichogramma larvae in their host eggs and successfully differentiated eight Trichogramma species using a PCR-RFLP assay. This study provides a promising approach for conveniently identifying Trichogramma in insectaries and accurately evaluating parasitism rates in the field.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Harleen Kaur, Jhulia Gelain, Marcus Vinicius Marin, Natalia A. Peres, Guido Schnabel
Summary: A new Neopestalotiopsis sp. has been discovered in strawberry plants in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, causing severe leaf spot and fruit rot. This new species is more aggressive and destructive than other Pestalotiopsis pathogens, leading to significant yield losses for affected growers. The study developed a molecular method based on PCR/RFLP for accurate and fast identification of the new Neopestalotiopsis sp. variant from strawberry plants. This method utilizes PCR amplification of a beta-tubulin gene fragment and the restriction enzyme BsaWI to differentiate the new species from others.
Article
Plant Sciences
Elena Tello-Garcia, Edoardo Mandolini, Erich Tasser, Maraike Probst, Ursula Peintner, Ulrike Tappeiner, Georg Leitinger
Summary: The effects of plant-soil interactions on plant productivity and traits under drought conditions were investigated in this study. The reduction of soil microbial load by soil steam sterilization resulted in increased plant productivity under wet conditions and led to plant traits associated with fast-growing strategies. Drought in sterilized soil decreased productivity, promoted earlier wilting and resulted in the development of plant traits associated with a more slow-growing strategy.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Soon Jeong Lee, Sang-Rae Lee
Summary: This study developed a species-specific molecular marker for distinguishing between two red rot disease pathogens. Without sequencing, the polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism method was used to classify Pythium species at the species level. The developed molecular markers are effective for long-term monitoring of infection and distribution patterns in Pyropia aquaculture farms.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jerry H. Koko, Sean O. Swift, Nicole A. Hynson
Summary: The study found that 97% of surveyed native Hawaiian plant species showed evidence of mycorrhizal colonization, including endemic and indigenous species. Differences in colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were observed among sites, corresponding with variations in precipitation and temperature. These results suggest that islands like Hawaii may actually harbor more mycorrhizal hosts than continents, with potential important roles of AM fungi in future reintroduction projects.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Wioletta Izabela Wujcicka, Marian Kacerovsky, Michal Krekora, Piotr Kaczmarek, Mariusz Grzesiak
Summary: This study demonstrated that polymorphisms in CSF2, FLT1, TFPI, and TLR9 genes contribute to the risk of PROM. Certain genetic variants were associated with an increased risk of PROM, while others were linked to a reduced risk, showing the complex relationship between genetics and the development of PROM.
Article
Mathematics
Yu-Huei Cheng, Li-Yeh Chuang, Cheng-Hong Yang
Summary: The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) experiment is a low-cost, rapid, simple, convenient, highly sensitive, and specific molecular biotechnology used in various SNPs genotyping works. However, many SNPs lack suitable restriction enzymes for distinguishing specific genotypes, rendering the PCR-RFLP assay unavailable, known as mismatch PCR-RFLP. In order to solve the problem of mismatch PCR-RFLP, a teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO) multi-point mutagenic primer design algorithm is proposed, combined with REHUNT, to provide a complete and specific solution for restriction enzyme mining. The method introduces several search strategies for multi-point mutagenic primers and enhances the reliability of mutagenic primer design, as well as providing specific solutions for SNP diversity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nada K. Sedky, Reem K. Arafa
Summary: Novel Biochemistry lab techniques are rapidly being introduced in scientific research, requiring the development of new labs for undergraduate Biochemistry courses. However, the time limit of Biochemistry labs for undergraduate students poses a major obstacle. This article presents a clear set of laboratory exercises designed to introduce students to the use of PCR-RFLP as a means of detection of genetic variants. Three consecutive lab sessions have been designed for the undergraduate students to learn and practice this technique.
BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Siyu Long, Ran Zhang, Qinni Yang, Yanyun Wang, Yaping Song, Bin Zhou, Lin Zhang
Summary: This study revealed for the first time that PFKM gene polymorphisms are associated with cryptorchidism in the Chinese Han population.
PEDIATRIC SURGERY INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Rajat Hegde, Smita Hegde, Suyamindra S. Kulkarni, Aditya Pandurangi, Kusal K. Das, Pramod B. Gai
Summary: This study investigated the distribution of C282Y and H63D polymorphisms of the HFE gene in autistic children. The results suggest that these polymorphisms are not associated with the risk of autism.
Article
Ecology
Craig R. Nitschke, Raphael Trouve, Linda F. Lumsden, Lauren T. Bennett, Melissa Fedrigo, Andrew P. Robinson, Patrick J. Baker
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alison C. Bennett, Trent D. Penman, Stefan K. Arndt, Stephen H. Roxburgh, Lauren T. Bennett
Article
Soil Science
Lauren T. Bennett, Nina Hinko-Najera, Cristina Aponte, Craig R. Nitschke, Thomas A. Fairman, Melissa Fedrigo, Sabine Kasel
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
S. B. Stewart, J. Elith, M. Fedrigo, S. Kasel, S. H. Roxburgh, L. T. Bennett, M. Chick, T. Fairman, S. Leonard, M. Kohout, J. K. Cripps, L. Durkin, C. R. Nitschke
Summary: Most studies have focused on responses to single or small number of extreme events, while long-term patterns in climate extremes have been rarely considered. Evaluating the response of 37 plant species to base climate, variability and extremes of varying return intervals showed that extremes provided significant additive improvements in model performance and were more consistent than variability across all species.
Article
Forestry
Jamie E. Burton, Lauren T. Bennett, Sabine Kasel, Craig R. Nitschke, Mihai A. Tanase, Thomas A. Fairman, Linda Parker, Melissa Fedrigo, Cristina Aponte
Summary: Live tree basal area and mean annual precipitation were found to be influential predictors of dead standing trees (DST) and coarse woody debris (CWD) biomass, with fire history also playing a significant role in predicting changes in dead wood abundance over time. The study suggests that forest productivity, fire history, drought, and wood density are important determinants of dead wood dynamics, and could potentially be influenced by altered fire regimes and changing climate.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah C. McColl-Gausden, Lauren T. Bennett, Dan A. Ababei, Hamish G. Clarke, Trent D. Penman
Summary: Predictions show significant shifts in fire regimes for alpine ash forests in the future, with increased intensity and frequency of wildfires. About 67% of current alpine ash distribution is expected to face immature risks over a 100-year period, particularly for patches on the outskirts of the current distribution, closer to roads, or surrounded by drier landscapes at lower elevations.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alison C. Bennett, Stefan K. Arndt, Lauren T. Bennett, Jurgen Knauer, Jason Beringer, Anne Griebel, Nina Hinko-Najera, Michael J. Liddell, Daniel Metzen, Elise Pendall, Richard P. Silberstein, Timothy J. Wardlaw, William Woodgate, Vanessa Haverd
Summary: The study found that the relationship between GPP and air temperature in Australian wooded ecosystems is a convex parabola, influenced by factors such as daytime temperature range, mean daytime temperature, and maximum GPP. The shape of the GPP-Ta curves is largely determined by these factors, with upslope influenced by Fsd and downslope influenced by VPD. There is a strong positive linear relationship between T-opt and MDTa, with T-opt exceeding MDTa in most ecosystems.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Thomas A. Fairman, Craig R. Nitschke, Lauren T. Bennett
Summary: The study found that both single and short-interval wildfires can significantly reduce the amount of carbon stored in fire-tolerant eucalypt forests, particularly affecting aboveground carbon stocks, while the reduction in soil carbon stocks could also delay post-fire productivity recovery.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
T. D. Penman, S. C. McColl-Gausden, B. A. Cirulis, D. Kultaev, D. A. Ababei, L. T. Bennett
Summary: The extent and impacts of wildfires are increasing worldwide. Fire management agencies use simulation models to understand fire behavior and reduce risks, with a major challenge being the accurate prediction of fuel variables across landscapes to improve the accuracy of fire behavior predictions.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Ella Plumanns-Pouton, Lauren T. Bennett, Julio C. Najera-Umana, Anne Griebel, Nina Hinko-Najera
Summary: Insights into the effects of tree species and competition on seasonal stem growth are crucial for understanding the impacts of changing climates on tree productivity, especially for eucalypt species that have narrow climatic niches and unreliable tree rings. This study examined the relative importance of species, competition, and climate on the seasonal stem growth of co-occurring temperate eucalypts in a mixed-species forest in Australia. The results show that seasonal stem growth varied with species and competition, with the strongest competition effects observed during favorable growth conditions and the least pronounced effects in summer.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Sarah C. McColl-Gausden, Lauren T. Bennett, Hamish G. Clarke, Dan A. Ababei, Trent D. Penman
Summary: This study quantifies the direct and indirect effects of climate on fire regime change in temperate forests in southeastern Australia. The results indicate that future climate change will intensify fire regimes by increasing wildfire extent and intensity and decreasing fire interval. The role of future fuel also interacts with climate change, either synergistically or antagonistically, depending on the landscape and fire regime attribute. These findings suggest that temperate ecosystems in southeastern Australia are likely to experience shifts in fire regimes in the coming decades.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lewis Walden, Oscar Serrano, Mingxi Zhang, Zefang Shen, James Z. Sippo, Lauren T. Bennett, Damien T. Maher, Catherine E. Lovelock, Peter I. Macreadie, Connor Gorham, Anna Lafratta, Paul S. Lavery, Luke Mosley, Gloria M. S. Reithmaier, Jeffrey J. Kelleway, Sabine Dittmann, Fernanda Adame, Carlos M. Duarte, John Barry Gallagher, Pawel Waryszak, Paul Carnell, Sabine Kasel, Nina Hinko-Najera, Rakib Hassan, Madeline Goddard, Alice R. Jones, Raphael A. Viscarra Rossel
Summary: Multi-scale spatial machine learning is used to analyze soil carbon stocks in Australia's ecosystems, revealing eight bio-regions and their subregional drivers. These findings can inform strategies for conservation and climate change mitigation.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Bianca J. Pickering, Lauren T. Bennett, Jane G. Cawson
Summary: This study evaluated the utility of integrating more comprehensive fuel measurement techniques into an existing visual fuel hazard assessment method. The results showed that the extended method provided a more methodical and consistent approach for assessing fuel hazard, but was more time-consuming than the existing method.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alison C. Bennett, Juergen Knauer, Lauren T. Bennett, Vanessa Haverd, Stefan K. Arndt
Summary: Climate change will have an impact on GPP, NPP, and carbon storage in Australian wooded ecosystems. The effects will be influenced by the thermal acclimation of photosynthesis, with varying effects across different ecosystems. Projected simulations show an increase in annual carbon uptake in most ecosystems, and thermal acclimation has a positive impact on tropical ecoregions. Mediterranean and temperate ecosystems are predicted to have minimal effects.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Yogendra K. Karna, Trent D. Penman, Cristina Aponte, Cordula Gutekunst, Lauren T. Bennett
Summary: The study demonstrates that high-severity forest fires can alter fuel structure, increase horizontal and vertical fuel connectivity, and enhance flammability. Additionally, wildfire severity, pre-fire values, and post-fire canopy cover are the main factors influencing understorey fuel metrics.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE
(2021)
