Article
Biology
Cheng Chen, Kaixuan Zhang, Fu Liu, Xia Wang, Yang Yao, Xiaolei Niu, Yuqi He, Jun Hong, Fang Liu, Qiu Gao, Yi Zhang, Yurong Li, Meijuan Wang, Jizhen Lin, Yu Fan, Kui Ren, Lunhao Shen, Bin Gao, Xue Ren, Weifei Yang, Milen I. I. Georgiev, Xinquan Zhang, Meiliang Zhou
Summary: In this study, a genomic variation map of 272 L. corniculatus accessions was created through genome resequencing. The analysis revealed high genetic diversity and the division of accessions into three subgroups, with the genetic diversity centers located in Transcaucasia. Candidate genes and SNP sites associated with CNglcs content and growth traits were identified. The study also provided insights into molecular studies and breeding of CNglcs and growth traits in L. corniculatus.
Article
Plant Sciences
Leiting Wang, Zhongling Jian, Puchang Wang, Lili Zhao, Keke Chen
Summary: Lotus corniculatus L. is a perennial legume forage species that is vulnerable to drought. This study investigated the drought response mechanism of L. corniculatus and identified several genes involved in drought resistance. These genes are mainly related to transcription, protein synthesis, material metabolism, catalytic reactions, sugar metabolism, and photosynthesis. The findings provide insights into the drought resistance mechanisms of L. corniculatus.
FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ping Zhou, Jingwen Li, Huiyan Jiang, Qijiang Jin, Yanjie Wang, Yingchun Xu
Summary: This study investigated the bZIP gene family in lotus, and found that the NnbZIP36 gene plays a crucial role in regulating anthocyanin synthesis. The study provides a foundation for further exploration into the mechanism by which the bZIP gene family regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in lotus.
Article
Horticulture
Ping Zhou, Huiyan Jiang, Jingwen Li, Qijiang Jin, Yanjie Wang, Yingchun Xu
Summary: The functional study of BZR transcription factors in lotuses is reported for the first time in this study. Gene structure and promoter cis-acting element analysis indicated that the BZR1 gene of the lotus plays an important role in responding to abiotic stress. qRT-PCR results further confirmed the significant role of lotus BZR1 genes in hormone signal response and abiotic stress resistance.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jakub Michal Kurek, Joanna Mikolajczyk-Stecyna, Zbigniew Krejpcio
Summary: This study reveals the potential of steviol glycosides in regulating lipid metabolism and shows their impact on specific gene expression. However, further research, including human trials, is needed to confirm these effects.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Yuan Huang, Na Lu, Tingting Yang, Siddiq Akbar, Yunfei Sun, Lei Gu, Lu Zhang, Zhou Yang
Summary: This study investigates the effects of fish predator cues and poor nutrition on zooplankton defenses, specifically in response to the presence of Microcystis aeruginosa. The results indicate that the presence of fish kairomones can enhance Daphnia pulex's defensive adaptations, including elongated tail spine. However, under poor nutrition conditions, the effects of M. aeruginosa on growth, reproduction, and tail spine defense are dependent on the presence of fish kairomones. Exposure time to M. aeruginosa also plays a role in the magnitude of these effects.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Estelle Renaud, Virginie Heraudet, Muriel Deparis, Hugo Basquin, Carmen Bessa-Gomes, Emmanuelle Baudry
Summary: The study found that in a periurban area near Paris, pollination success of Lotus corniculatus responds positively to the agricultural to urban gradient but not to the semi-natural to urban gradient. The diversity of both entomogamous and non-entomogamous plants is highest at sites surrounded by intermediate proportions of urban and agricultural areas. High proportions of urban areas have a negative effect on the diversity of non-entomogamous but not entomogamous plant species.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kathryn Wilsterman, Emily C. Moore, Rena M. Schweizer, Kirksey Cunningham, Jeffrey M. Good, Zachary A. Cheviron
Summary: Adaptation to high elevation can reduce the impact of hypoxia-related gestational complications in placental mammals. By studying deer mice, researchers found that highland mice can maintain normal fetal growth under hypoxic conditions by expanding a specific compartment of the placenta. They also discovered significant overlap between genes associated with fetal growth in deer mice and genes involved in human placental development, indicating conserved or convergent pathways.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biology
Patricia Giselle Cipriani, Olivia Bay, John Zinno, Michelle Gutwein, Hin Hark Gan, Vinay K. Mayya, George Chung, Jia-Xuan Chen, Hala Fahs, Yu Guan, Thomas F. Duchaine, Matthias Selbach, Fabio Piano, Kristin C. Gunsalus
Summary: MIP-1 and MIP-2 are novel paralogous C. elegans germ granule components that interact with the MEG-3 protein to promote P granule condensation and localization, playing essential roles in regulating key developmental transitions in the germ line such as stem cell self-renewal, meiotic progression, and gamete differentiation.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Pagi S. S. Toko, Bonny Koane, Kenneth Molem, Scott E. E. Miller, Vojtech Novotny
Summary: The elevation gradients in tropical rainforests represent global maxima of biodiversity and are important for community studies. We surveyed geometrid moths in Papua New Guinea and found high diversity, with molecular data playing an important role in taxonomy. The richness of species and beta diversity of communities showed interesting patterns along the elevation gradient.
INSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Dan Wang, Yuan Gong, Yang Li, Shuming Nie
Summary: This study identified 40 HD-Zip transcription factors in Lotus japonicus and provided an overview of their phylogeny and gene structures. It was found that the expression of LjHDZ7 gene was strongly induced by abiotic stress, especially salt stress. Overexpression of LjHDZ7 increased resistance to salt stress in transgenic Arabidopsis plants.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ting-Ting Fu, Yan-Bo Sun, Wei Gao, Cheng-Bo Long, Chun-Hua Yang, Xin-Wang Yang, Yi Zhang, Xin-Qiang Lan, Song Huang, Jie-Qiong Jin, Robert W. Murphy, Yun Zhang, Ren Lai, David M. Hillis, Ya-Ping Zhang, Jing Che
Summary: A study on Nanorana parkeri, the highest-elevation frog, revealed its superior defense against UV radiation compared to lower-elevation relatives. The frog showed less skin damage and more efficient antioxidant activity after UV exposure. Analysis of its genes, metabolomics, and large-scale transcripts indicated a time-dependent coordinated defense mechanism, as well as the presence of important regulatory microRNAs.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Biology
Ruijin Zhou, Yingying Wang, Xiaona Zhang, Fengqin Jia, Yunli Liu
Summary: This study reports the presence and expression of the DlSERK1 gene in D. lotus during embryonic development and under abiotic stress conditions. DlSERK1 has the typical structure of SERK proteins and was found to be expressed during embryonic development, with responses to low temperature, drought, and salt stresses observed.
OPEN LIFE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Shu-ping Zhao, Kang-ming Deng, Ya-mei Zhu, Tao jiang, Peng Wu, Kai Feng, Liang-jun Li
Summary: In order to achieve high yield and good quality with low environmental costs in lotus cultivation, slow-release fertilizer (SRF) has been used instead of traditional nitrogen fertilizer. This study investigated the effects of different SRF levels on photosynthetic characteristics, starch synthesis, accumulation, and physicochemical properties of lotus rhizomes. The results showed that SRF treatment increased net photosynthetic rate and SPAD values in lotus leaves. It also increased lotus rhizome yield, contents of amylose, amylopectin, and total starch, and the number of starch granules. The optimal SRF level for lotus cultivation was found to be S3 (1,035 kg ha-1), which significantly improved lotus rhizome quality. These findings suggest that SRF, especially S3, is a suitable fertilizer option for lotus planting that can enhance starch accumulation by influencing enzymes and genes related to starch synthesis.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Li Gao, Rebecca Njeri Damaris, Feng Yu, Pingfang Yang
Summary: In this study, 34 CaM/CML genes were identified in Nelumbo nucifera, and their phylogenetic analysis, gene structure, conserved motif, and cis-acting elements were analyzed. Expression analysis showed differential expression patterns of NNU-CaMs/CMLs in different tissues and their response to calcium treatments. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed the expression connectivity of NNU-CaMs/CMLs and their potential involvement in various biological processes. These results will contribute to further understanding the functions of NNU-CaMs/CMLs.
PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY REPORTER
(2022)
Review
Spectroscopy
Emmanuel Defossez, Julien Bourquin, Stephan Reuss, Sergio Rasmann, Gaetan Glauser
Summary: Metabolomics has become a pivotal approach for analyzing metabolites in biological systems, allowing for a deeper understanding of the relationship between biochemical processes and physiological conditions. Targeted and untargeted mass spectrometry methods are commonly used, with data-dependent acquisition (DDA) offering the potential for improved metabolite assignment in untargeted metabolomics. However, DDA settings are more complex and prone to errors compared to data-independent acquisition (DIA).
MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
A. Skeels, W. Bach, O. Hagen, W. Jetz, L. Pellissier
Summary: This study uses an eco-evolutionary simulation model to test whether evolutionary speed can explain the relationship between energy and biodiversity. The results show that a model with temperature-dependent rates of speciation received the strongest support. Through process-based modeling, the study disentangles the causes behind empirical biodiversity patterns.
SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhenggao Xiao, Ningke Fan, Wenqing Zhu, Hai-Long Qian, Xiu-Ping Yan, Zhenyu Wang, Sergio Rasmann
Summary: The application of nanosilicon has been found to enhance plant defenses against various stresses. Silicon quantum nanodots, with their unique biological and physiochemical properties, show promise in regulating plant responses to stress. By studying maize, it was observed that the addition of Si NDs and sodium silicate effectively inhibited the growth of caterpillars and activated defense genes. Field experiments also demonstrated the potential of Si NDs in increasing maize yield. These findings suggest that Si NDs can be an effective and ecofriendly crop protection strategy in agroecosystems.
Article
Ecology
Pasquale Cascone, Jozsef Vuts, Michael A. Birkett, Sarah Dewhirst, Sergio Rasmann, John A. Pickett, Emilio Guerrieri
Summary: This study found that plants can communicate belowground by releasing the non-protein amino acid L-DOPA, which triggers the production of volatile organic compounds in neighboring plants. The study also discovered that healthy plants exposed to L-DOPA become highly attractive to aphid parasitoids, resembling infested plants. Therefore, L-DOPA acts as both a brain neurotransmitter precursor and an immune enhancer in plants.
Article
Ecology
Kristiina Visakorpi, Sebastian Block, Loic Pellissier, Jonathan M. Levine, Jake Alexander
Summary: Understanding the traits that affect species' responses to climate change is crucial for predicting future community composition and ecosystem function. While easily measured morphological traits can successfully predict plant abundance responses to climate, eco-physiological approaches are needed to understand the underlying mechanisms.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lucia Martin-Cacheda, Carla Vazquez-Gonzalez, Sergio Rasmann, Gregory Roder, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Xoaquin Moreira
Summary: This study tested whether airborne signalling in response to herbivory between potato plants is contingent on plant genetic relatedness, and investigated genotypic variation in VOCs potentially underlying signalling and its contingency on relatedness. The results showed that herbivory drove changes in VOC composition but not total emissions, and there was quantitative and qualitative variation in constitutive and induced VOC emissions among varieties. The signalling effect was not contingent on plant genetic relatedness despite genotypic variation in induced VOCs.
Article
Agronomy
Jingjing Li, Yang Li, Xianqin Wei, Yonghe Cui, Xinghui Gu, Xingyue Li, Toyoshi Yoshiga, Mahfouz M. M. Abd-Elgawad, David Shapiro-Ilan, Weibin Ruan, Sergio Rasmann
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) on the negative interactions between EPNs and root-knot nematodes (RKNs) in the rhizosphere. The results showed that the placement of EPNs between RKNs and roots inhibited the movement of RKNs towards the roots. Additionally, different components of the EPNs/bacterial complex, such as bacteria and the cell-free supernatant produced by the bacterial culture, also displayed inhibitory effects on RKNs. Therefore, the EPNs/bacterial complex could be used for RKN control and reduce the application costs in integrated pest management practices.
Article
Plant Sciences
Carla Vazquez-Gonzalez, Violeta Quiroga, Lucia Martin-Cacheda, Sergio Rasmann, Gregory Roder, Luis Abdala-Roberts, Xoaquin Moreira
Article
Robotics
Emanuele Aucone, Steffen Kirchgeorg, Alice Valentini, Loic Pellissier, Kristy Deiner, Stefano Mintchev
Summary: The protection and restoration of the biosphere is crucial, but the lack of data on biodiversity status and distribution poses a risk. This study proposes using a drone equipped with a force-sensing cage and haptic-based control strategy to sample environmental DNA (eDNA) from the outer branches of trees. The drone can autonomously land on branches of various stiffness and successfully detect animal species in the natural environment. Combining robotics with eDNA sampling offers a solution for broad-scale monitoring of biodiversity.
Article
Agronomy
Olivia Rusconi, Theo Steiner, Claire Le Bayon, Sergio Rasmann
Summary: To restore populations of threatened species, conservation actions need to be undertaken in suitable habitats. A study on the endangered Cypripedium calceolus orchid found that the composition of surrounding plant communities and soil characteristics significantly influenced its population performance, providing valuable information for reintroduction efforts.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Letizia Lamperti, Theophile Sanchez, Sara Si Moussi, David Mouillot, Camille Albouy, Benjamin Fluck, Morgane Bruno, Alice Valentini, Loic Pellissier, Stephanie Manel
Summary: Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is an efficient method for documenting biodiversity patterns. This study presents two new deep learning-based methods that use neural networks to ordinate eDNA samples and visualize ecosystem properties. These methods effectively represent biodiversity indicators in a two-dimensional space, outperforming traditional dimension reduction methods.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Marco Tulio P. Coelho, Elisa Barreto, Thiago F. Rangel, Jose Alexandre F. Diniz-Filho, Rafael O. Wuest, Wilhelmine Bach, Alexander Skeels, Ian R. McFadden, David W. Roberts, Loic Pellissier, Niklaus E. Zimmermann, Catherine H. Graham
Summary: This study reveals that the size and fragmentation of climate conditions play a crucial role in biodiversity and species turnover among terrestrial tetrapods. By considering both climate characteristics and its geographic attributes, we can explain almost 90% of global species richness variation, with half of the explanatory power attributed to climate or the geography of climate.
Article
Plant Sciences
Yaquan Chang, Katrina Gelwick, Sean D. Willett, Xinwei Shen, Camille Albouy, Ao Luo, Zhiheng Wang, Niklaus E. Zimmermann, Loic Pellissier
Summary: The geographic distribution of plant diversity matches the gradient of habitat heterogeneity. The associations between species richness and habitat heterogeneity were investigated at the scales of Eurasia and the Hengduan Mountains in China using species distribution models. High environmental heterogeneity provides suitable conditions for the diversification of lineages in the Hengduan Mountains, but other mechanisms, such as the complex geological history, may have contributed to shaping the exceptional biodiversity hotspot.
Article
Ecology
Shuo Zong, Jeanine Brantschen, Xiaowei Zhang, Camille Albouy, Alice Valentini, Heng Zhang, Florian Altermatt, Loic Pellissier
Summary: Biodiversity loss in river ecosystems is more severe than in terrestrial systems, and spatial conservation and restoration plans are needed. However, high-resolution maps of fish distribution in large riverine systems are limited. A combination of remote sensing and environmental DNA (eDNA) can be used to map species distributions in large rivers.
REMOTE SENSING IN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Christophe Dufresnes, Johanna Ambu, Pedro Galan, Fernando Sequeira, Leticia Viesca, Magdalena Choda, David Alvarez, Berenice Alard, Tomasz Suchan, Sven Kuenzel, Inigo Martinez-Solano, Miguel Vences, Alfredo Nicieza
Summary: Using genomic markers, mitochondrial DNA barcoding, and morphometric analyses, this study examined the lineage diversity and distribution of the Iberian endemic frog, Rana parvipalmata. Two distinct lineages were identified, one genetically homogenous in Asturias and adjacent areas (T2), and one more fragmented and genetically impoverished in Galicia (T1). Analysis of their hybrid zone suggested a shallow transition characterized by far-reaching admixture, without obvious barrier loci. The study highlights the importance of genomic-based phylogeographic frameworks in understanding genetic and phenotypic variation and supporting taxonomic assessment.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)