1
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Ziegler P, Appenroth KJ, Sree KS. Survival Strategies of Duckweeds, the World's Smallest Angiosperms. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12112215. [PMID: 37299193 DOI: 10.3390/plants12112215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Duckweeds (Lemnaceae) are small, simply constructed aquatic higher plants that grow on or just below the surface of quiet waters. They consist primarily of leaf-like assimilatory organs, or fronds, that reproduce mainly by vegetative replication. Despite their diminutive size and inornate habit, duckweeds have been able to colonize and maintain themselves in almost all of the world's climate zones. They are thereby subject to multiple adverse influences during the growing season, such as high temperatures, extremes of light intensity and pH, nutrient shortage, damage by microorganisms and herbivores, the presence of harmful substances in the water, and competition from other aquatic plants, and they must also be able to withstand winter cold and drought that can be lethal to the fronds. This review discusses the means by which duckweeds come to grips with these adverse influences to ensure their survival. Important duckweed attributes in this regard are a pronounced potential for rapid growth and frond replication, a juvenile developmental status facilitating adventitious organ formation, and clonal diversity. Duckweeds have specific features at their disposal for coping with particular environmental difficulties and can also cooperate with other organisms of their surroundings to improve their survival chances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Ziegler
- Department of Plant Physiology, University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Klaus J Appenroth
- Matthias Schleiden Institute-Plant Physiology, University of Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - K Sowjanya Sree
- Department of Environmental Science, Central University of Kerala, Periye 671320, India
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2
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Pasaribu B, Acosta K, Aylward A, Liang Y, Abramson BW, Colt K, Hartwick NT, Shanklin J, Michael TP, Lam E. Genomics of turions from the Greater Duckweed reveal its pathways for dormancy and re-emergence strategy. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023. [PMID: 37149888 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Over 15 families of aquatic plants are known to use a strategy of developmental switching upon environmental stress to produce dormant propagules called turions. However, few molecular details for turion biology have been elucidated due to the difficulties in isolating high-quality nucleic acids from this tissue. We successfully developed a new protocol to isolate high-quality transcripts and carried out RNA-seq analysis of mature turions from the Greater Duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza. Comparison of turion transcriptomes to that of fronds, the actively growing leaf-like tissue, were carried out. Bioinformatic analysis of high confidence, differentially expressed transcripts between frond and mature turion tissues revealed major pathways related to stress tolerance, starch and lipid metabolism, and dormancy that are mobilized to reprogram frond meristems for turion differentiation. We identified the key genes that are likely to drive starch and lipid accumulation during turion formation, as well as those in pathways for starch and lipid utilization upon turion germination. Comparison of genome-wide cytosine methylation levels also revealed evidence for epigenetic changes in the formation of turion tissues. Similarities between turions and seeds provide evidence that key regulators for seed maturation and germination were retooled for their function in turion biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Buntora Pasaribu
- Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
- Marine Science Department, Faculty of Fishery and Marine Science, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, 40600, Indonesia
| | - Kenneth Acosta
- Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Anthony Aylward
- The Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Yuanxue Liang
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Bradley W Abramson
- The Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Kelly Colt
- The Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Nolan T Hartwick
- The Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - John Shanklin
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY, 11973, USA
| | - Todd P Michael
- The Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Eric Lam
- Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
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3
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Bafort Q, Wu T, Natran A, De Clerck O, Van de Peer Y. The immediate effects of polyploidization of Spirodela polyrhiza change in a strain-specific way along environmental gradients. Evol Lett 2023; 7:37-47. [PMID: 37065435 PMCID: PMC10091501 DOI: 10.1093/evlett/qrac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The immediate effects of plant polyploidization are well characterized and it is generally accepted that these morphological, physiological, developmental, and phenological changes contribute to polyploid establishment. Studies on the environmental dependence of the immediate effects of whole-genome duplication (WGD) are, however, scarce but suggest that these immediate effects are altered by stressful conditions. As polyploid establishment seems to be associated with environmental disturbance, the relationship between ploidy-induced phenotypical changes and environmental conditions is highly relevant. Here, we use a common garden experiment on the greater duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza to test whether the immediate effects of WGD can facilitate the establishment of tetraploid duckweed along gradients of two environmental stressors. Because successful polyploid establishment often depends on recurrent polyploidization events, we include four genetically diverse strains and assess whether these immediate effects are strain-specific. We find evidence that WGD can indeed confer a fitness advantage under stressful conditions and that the environment affects ploidy-induced changes in fitness and trait reaction norms in a strain-specific way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinten Bafort
- Department of Biology, Ghent University , Ghent , Belgium
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University and VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology , Ghent , Belgium
| | - Tian Wu
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University and VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology , Ghent , Belgium
| | - Annelore Natran
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University and VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology , Ghent , Belgium
| | | | - Yves Van de Peer
- Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University and VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology , Ghent , Belgium
- College of Horticulture, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University , Nanjing , China
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria , Pretoria , South Africa
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4
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Cobos ME, Peterson AT. Broad-scale factors shaping the ecological niche and geographic distribution of Spirodela polyrhiza. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0276951. [PMID: 37141194 PMCID: PMC10159170 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The choice of appropriate independent variables to create models characterizing ecological niches of species is of critical importance in distributional ecology. This set of dimensions in which a niche is defined can inform about what factors limit the distributional potential of a species. We used a multistep approach to select relevant variables for modeling the ecological niche of the aquatic Spirodela polyrhiza, taking into account variability arising from using distinct algorithms, calibration areas, and spatial resolutions of variables. We found that, even after an initial selection of meaningful variables, the final set of variables selected based on statistical inference varied considerably depending on the combination of algorithm, calibration area, and spatial resolution used. However, variables representing extreme temperatures and dry periods were more consistently selected than others, despite the treatment used, highlighting their importance in shaping the distribution of this species. Other variables related to seasonality of solar radiation, summer solar radiation, and some soil proxies of nutrients in water, were selected commonly but not as frequently as the ones mentioned above. We suggest that these later variables are also important to understanding the distributional potential of the species, but that their effects may be less pronounced at the scale at which they are represented for the needs of this type of modeling. Our results suggest that an informed definition of an initial set of variables, a series of statistical steps for filtering and exploring these predictors, and model selection exercises that consider multiple sets of predictors, can improve determination of variables that shape the niche and distribution of the species, despite differences derived from factors related to data or modeling algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlon E Cobos
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
| | - A Townsend Peterson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States of America
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5
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Friedjung Yosef A, Ghazaryan L, Klamann L, Kaufman KS, Baubin C, Poodiack B, Ran N, Gabay T, Didi-Cohen S, Bog M, Khozin-Goldberg I, Gillor O. Diversity and Differentiation of Duckweed Species from Israel. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11233326. [PMID: 36501368 PMCID: PMC9736646 DOI: 10.3390/plants11233326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Duckweeds (Lemnaceae) are tiny plants that float on aquatic surfaces and are typically isolated from temperate and equatorial regions. Yet, duckweed diversity in Mediterranean and arid regions has been seldom explored. To address this gap in knowledge, we surveyed duckweed diversity in Israel, an ecological junction between Mediterranean and arid climates. We searched for duckweeds in the north and center of Israel on the surface of streams, ponds and waterholes. We collected and isolated 27 duckweeds and characterized their morphology, molecular barcodes (atpF-atpH and psbK-psbI) and biochemical features (protein content and fatty acids composition). Six species were identified-Lemna minor, L. gibba and Wolffia arrhiza dominated the duckweed populations, and together with past sightings, are suggested to be native to Israel. The fatty acid profiles and protein content further suggest that diverged functions have attributed to different haplotypes among the identified species. Spirodela polyrhiza, W. globosa and L. minuta were also identified but were rarer. S. polyrhiza was previously reported in our region, thus, its current low abundance should be revisited. However, L. minuta and W. globosa are native to America and Far East Asia, respectively, and are invasive in Europe. We hypothesize that they may be invasive species to our region as well, carried by migratory birds that disperse them through their migration routes. This study indicates that the duckweed population in Israel's aquatic environments consists of both native and transient species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avital Friedjung Yosef
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Lusine Ghazaryan
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Linda Klamann
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Katherine Sarah Kaufman
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Capucine Baubin
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Ben Poodiack
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Noya Ran
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Talia Gabay
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Shoshana Didi-Cohen
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Manuela Bog
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Inna Khozin-Goldberg
- French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
| | - Osnat Gillor
- Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, J. Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University, Midreshet Ben-Gurion 8499000, Israel
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6
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Bog M, Braglia L, Morello L, Noboa Melo KI, Schubert I, Shchepin ON, Sree KS, Xu S, Lam E, Appenroth KJ. Strategies for Intraspecific Genotyping of Duckweed: Comparison of Five Orthogonal Methods Applied to the Giant Duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11223033. [PMID: 36432762 PMCID: PMC9696241 DOI: 10.3390/plants11223033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The predominantly vegetative propagating duckweeds are of growing commercial interest. Since clonal accessions within a respective species can vary considerably with respect to their physiological as well as biochemical traits, it is critical to be able to track the clones of species of interest after their characterization. Here, we compared the efficacy of five different genotyping methods for Spirodela polyrhiza, a species with very low intraspecific sequence variations, including polymorphic NB-ARC-related loci, tubulin-gene-based polymorphism (TBP), simple sequence repeat variations (SSR), multiplexed ISSR genotyping by sequencing (MIG-seq), and low-coverage, reduced-representation genome sequencing (GBS). Four of the five approaches could distinguish 20 to 22 genotypes out of the 23 investigated clones, while TBP resolved just seven genotypes. The choice for a particular method for intraspecific genotyping can depend on the research question and the project budget, while the combination of orthogonal methods may increase the confidence and resolution for the results obtained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Bog
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Luca Braglia
- Istituto Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Via Bassini 15, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Laura Morello
- Istituto Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Via Bassini 15, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Karen I. Noboa Melo
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Ingo Schubert
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, 06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany
| | - Oleg N. Shchepin
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - K. Sowjanya Sree
- Department of Environmental Science, Central University of Kerala, Periye 671320, India
| | - Shuqing Xu
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Eric Lam
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Klaus J. Appenroth
- Matthias Schleiden Institute—Plant Physiology, University of Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
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7
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Bog M, Appenroth KJ, Schneider P, Sree KS. Intraspecific Diversity in Aquatic Ecosystems: Comparison between Spirodela polyrhiza and Lemna minor in Natural Populations of Duckweed. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11070968. [PMID: 35406948 PMCID: PMC9003317 DOI: 10.3390/plants11070968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Samples of two duckweed species, Spirodela polyrhiza and Lemna minor, were collected around small ponds and investigated concerning the question of whether natural populations of duckweeds constitute a single clone, or whether clonal diversity exists. Amplified fragment length polymorphism was used as a molecular method to distinguish clones of the same species. Possible intraspecific diversity was evaluated by average-linkage clustering. The main criterion to distinguish one clone from another was the 95% significance level of the Jaccard dissimilarity index for replicated samples. Within natural populations of L. minor, significant intraspecific genetic differences were detected. In each of the three small ponds harbouring populations of L. minor, based on twelve samples, between four and nine distinct clones were detected. Natural populations of L. minor consist of a mixture of several clones representing intraspecific biodiversity in an aquatic ecosystem. Moreover, identical distinct clones were discovered in more than one pond, located at a distance of 1 km and 2.4 km from each other. Evidently, fronds of L. minor were transported between these different ponds. The genetic differences for S. polyrhiza, however, were below the error-threshold of the method within a pond to detect distinct clones, but were pronounced between samples of two different ponds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Bog
- Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, University of Greifswald, D-17489 Greifswald, Germany;
| | - Klaus-Juergen Appenroth
- Matthias Schleiden Institute-Plant Physiology, University of Jena, D-07743 Jena, Germany;
- Correspondence: (K.-J.A.); or (K.S.S.); Tel.: +49-3641-949233 (K.-J.A.); +91-9999-672921 (K.S.S.)
| | - Philipp Schneider
- Matthias Schleiden Institute-Plant Physiology, University of Jena, D-07743 Jena, Germany;
| | - K. Sowjanya Sree
- Department of Environmental Science, Central University of Kerala, Periye 671320, India
- Correspondence: (K.-J.A.); or (K.S.S.); Tel.: +49-3641-949233 (K.-J.A.); +91-9999-672921 (K.S.S.)
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8
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Acosta K, Appenroth KJ, Borisjuk L, Edelman M, Heinig U, Jansen MAK, Oyama T, Pasaribu B, Schubert I, Sorrels S, Sree KS, Xu S, Michael TP, Lam E. Return of the Lemnaceae: duckweed as a model plant system in the genomics and postgenomics era. THE PLANT CELL 2021; 33:3207-3234. [PMID: 34273173 PMCID: PMC8505876 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
The aquatic Lemnaceae family, commonly called duckweed, comprises some of the smallest and fastest growing angiosperms known on Earth. Their tiny size, rapid growth by clonal propagation, and facile uptake of labeled compounds from the media were attractive features that made them a well-known model for plant biology from 1950 to 1990. Interest in duckweed has steadily regained momentum over the past decade, driven in part by the growing need to identify alternative plants from traditional agricultural crops that can help tackle urgent societal challenges, such as climate change and rapid population expansion. Propelled by rapid advances in genomic technologies, recent studies with duckweed again highlight the potential of these small plants to enable discoveries in diverse fields from ecology to chronobiology. Building on established community resources, duckweed is reemerging as a platform to study plant processes at the systems level and to translate knowledge gained for field deployment to address some of society's pressing needs. This review details the anatomy, development, physiology, and molecular characteristics of the Lemnaceae to introduce them to the broader plant research community. We highlight recent research enabled by Lemnaceae to demonstrate how these plants can be used for quantitative studies of complex processes and for revealing potentially novel strategies in plant defense and genome maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Acosta
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Klaus J Appenroth
- Plant Physiology, Matthias Schleiden Institute, University of Jena, Jena 07737, Germany
| | - Ljudmilla Borisjuk
- The Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben D-06466, Germany
| | - Marvin Edelman
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Uwe Heinig
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Marcel A K Jansen
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork T23 TK30, Ireland
| | - Tokitaka Oyama
- Department of Botany, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Buntora Pasaribu
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Ingo Schubert
- The Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben D-06466, Germany
| | - Shawn Sorrels
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - K Sowjanya Sree
- Department of Environmental Science, Central University of Kerala, Periye 671320, India
| | - Shuqing Xu
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
| | | | - Eric Lam
- Author for correspondence: (E.L.), (T.P.M.)
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9
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Jones DH, Atkinson BS, Ware A, Sturrock CJ, Bishopp A, Wells DM. Preparation, Scanning and Analysis of Duckweed Using X-Ray Computed Microtomography. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 11:617830. [PMID: 33488660 PMCID: PMC7820725 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.617830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Quantification of anatomical and compositional features underpins both fundamental and applied studies of plant structure and function. Relatively few non-invasive techniques are available for aquatic plants. Traditional methods such as sectioning are low-throughput and provide 2-dimensional information. X-ray Computed Microtomography (μCT) offers a non-destructive method of three dimensional (3D) imaging in planta, but has not been widely used for aquatic species, due to the difficulties in sample preparation and handling. We present a novel sample handling protocol for aquatic plant material developed for μCT imaging, using duckweed plants and turions as exemplars, and compare the method against existing approaches. This technique allows for previously unseen 3D volume analysis of gaseous filled spaces, cell material, and sub-cellular features. The described embedding method, utilizing petrolatum gel for sample mounting, was shown to preserve sample quality during scanning, and to display sufficiently different X-ray attenuation to the plant material to be easily differentiated by image analysis pipelines. We present this technique as an improved method for anatomical structural analysis that provides novel cellular and developmental information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan H. Jones
- Integrated Phenomics Group, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Brian S. Atkinson
- Hounsfield Facility, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Ware
- Division of Plant and Crop Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Craig J. Sturrock
- Hounsfield Facility, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony Bishopp
- Division of Plant and Crop Sciences, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Darren M. Wells
- Integrated Phenomics Group, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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10
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Baek G, Saeed M, Choi HK. Duckweeds: their utilization, metabolites and cultivation. APPLIED BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 2021; 64:73. [PMID: 34693083 PMCID: PMC8525856 DOI: 10.1186/s13765-021-00644-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Duckweeds are floating plants of the family Lemnaceae, comprising 5 genera and 36 species. They typically live in ponds or lakes and are found worldwide, except the polar regions. There are two duckweed subfamilies-namely Lemnoidea and Wolffioideae, with 15 and 21 species, respectively. Additionally, they have characteristic reproduction methods. Several metabolites have also been reported in various duckweeds. Duckweeds have a wide range of adaptive capabilities and are particularly suitable for experiments requiring high productivity because of their speedy growth and reproduction rates. Duckweeds have been studied for their use as food/feed resources and pharmaceuticals, as well as for phytoremediation and industrial applications. Because there are numerous duckweed species, culture conditions should be optimized for industrial applications. Here, we review and summarize studies on duckweed species and their utilization, metabolites, and cultivation methods to support the extended application of duckweeds in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- GahYoung Baek
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974 Republic of Korea
| | - Maham Saeed
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974 Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Kyoon Choi
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974 Republic of Korea
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11
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12
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Bog M, Appenroth KJ, Sree KS. Duckweed (Lemnaceae): Its Molecular Taxonomy. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2019.00117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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13
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Chu P, Wilson GM, Michael TP, Vaiciunas J, Honig J, Lam E. Sequence-guided approach to genotyping plant clones and species using polymorphic NB-ARC-related genes. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 98:219-231. [PMID: 30191440 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-018-0774-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Leveraging the heightened levels of polymorphism in NB-ARC-related protein encoding genes in higher plants, a bioinformatic pipeline was created to identify regions in this gene family from sequenced plant genomes that exhibit fragment length or single nucleotide differences in different accessions of the same species. Testing this approach with the aquatic plant Spirodela polyrhiza demonstrated its superior performance in comparison with currently available genotyping technologies based on PCR amplification. Rapid and economical genotyping tools that can reliably distinguish species and intraspecific variations in plants can be powerful tools for biogeographical and ecological studies. Clones of the cosmopolitan duckweed species, Spirodela polyrhiza, are difficult to distinguish morphologically due to their highly abbreviated architecture and inherently low levels of sequence variation. The use of plastidic markers and generic Amplification Fragment Length Polymorphism approaches have met with limited success in resolving clones of S. polyrhiza from diverse geographical locales. Using whole genome sequencing data from nine S. polyrhiza clones as a training set, we created an informatic pipeline to identify and rank polymorphic regions from nuclear-encoded NB-ARC-related genes to design markers for PCR, Sanger sequencing (barcoding), and fragment length analysis. With seven primer sets, we found 21 unique fingerprints from a set of 23 S. polyrhiza clones. However, three of these clones share the same fingerprint and are indistinguishable by these markers. These primer sets can also be used as interspecific barcoding tools to rapidly resolve S. polyrhiza from the closely related S. intermedia species without the need for DNA sequencing. Our work demonstrates a general approach of using hyper-polymorphic loci within genomes as a resource to produce facile tools that can have high resolving power for genotyping applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philomena Chu
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, 59 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ, 08901-8520, USA
| | - Glen M Wilson
- Department of Mathematics, University of Oslo, Postboks 1053, 0316 OSLO, Blindern, Norway
| | | | - Jennifer Vaiciunas
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, 59 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ, 08901-8520, USA
| | - Joshua Honig
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, 59 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ, 08901-8520, USA
| | - Eric Lam
- Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University, 59 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ, 08901-8520, USA.
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14
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Xu N, Hu F, Wu J, Zhang W, Wang M, Zhu M, Ke J. Characterization of 19 polymorphic SSR markers in Spirodela polyrhiza (Lemnaceae) and cross-amplification in Lemna perpusilla. APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES 2018; 6:e01153. [PMID: 30131895 PMCID: PMC5991558 DOI: 10.1002/aps3.1153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Polymorphic microsatellite primers were developed for greater duckweed, Spirodela polyrhiza (Lemnaceae), to investigate genetic diversity and structure for application in a bioremediation program. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 401 publicly available S. polyrhiza whole-genome shotgun sequences were searched for simple sequence repeat loci of two or more nucleotides. Of these, 60 primer pairs were selected to analyze 68 individuals of S. polyrhiza from three populations. Nineteen polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed. A total of 108 alleles were detected with an average of 5.7 alleles per locus. The levels of expected and observed heterozygosity were 0.0511-0.8669 and 0-0.8750, respectively. Ten loci also successfully amplified in 16 individuals of Lemna perpusilla. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate the broad utility of these microsatellite loci for studying population genetics in S. polyrhiza.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Xu
- Fishery College of Zhejiang Ocean University1 Haida South RoadZhoushanZhejiang316022People’s Republic of China
| | - Fanglu Hu
- Fishery College of Zhejiang Ocean University1 Haida South RoadZhoushanZhejiang316022People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiameng Wu
- Fishery College of Zhejiang Ocean University1 Haida South RoadZhoushanZhejiang316022People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenjun Zhang
- Fishery College of Zhejiang Ocean University1 Haida South RoadZhoushanZhejiang316022People’s Republic of China
| | - Mengwei Wang
- Fishery College of Zhejiang Ocean University1 Haida South RoadZhoushanZhejiang316022People’s Republic of China
| | - Mingdong Zhu
- Ocean Research Center of ZhoushanZhejiang University10 Tiyu RoadZhoushanZhejiang316021People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianwei Ke
- Zhoushan Water Conservancy Survey and Design InstituteZhoushanZhejiang316021People’s Republic of China
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15
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Ma YB, Zhu M, Yu CJ, Wang Y, Liu Y, Li ML, Sun YD, Zhao JS, Zhou GK. Large-scale screening and characterisation of Lemna aequinoctialis and Spirodela polyrhiza strains for starch production. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2018; 20:357-364. [PMID: 29222918 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Duckweed is considered a promising feedstock for bioethanol production due to its high biomass and starch production. Selection of duckweed strains with high starch accumulation is essential for application of duckweeds to bioethanol production. Geographic differentiation had a large influence on genetic diversity of duckweeds. Biomass production, starch content and starch amount in geographically isolated strains of 20 Lemna aequinoctialis and Spirodela polyrhiza were calculated to evaluate their potential for bioethanol production. The influence of different collection time, culture medium and NaCl concentration on starch accumulation of the best strains were analysed. The results showed that biomass production, starch content and starch production of duckweeds demonstrated clonal dependency. The best strain was L. aequinoctialis 6000, with biomass production of 15.38 ± 1.47 g m-2 , starch content of 28.68 ± 1.10% and starch production of 4.39 ± 0.25 g m-2 . Furthermore, starch content of L. aequinoctialis 6000 was highest after 8 h of light, tap water was the best medium for starch induction, and NaCl did not induce starch accumulation. This study suggests duckweed biomass production and starch production demonstrate clonal dependency, indicating that extensive clonal comparisons will be required to identify the most suitable isolates for duckweed selective breeding for bioethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y B Ma
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Research Center of Biomass Resources and Environment, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - M Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Research Center of Biomass Resources and Environment, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (Ministry of Education), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - C J Yu
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Research Center of Biomass Resources and Environment, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Y Wang
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Research Center of Biomass Resources and Environment, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Y Liu
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Research Center of Biomass Resources and Environment, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - M L Li
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Research Center of Biomass Resources and Environment, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Y D Sun
- Qingdao Institute of Animal Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - J S Zhao
- Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - G K Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Research Center of Biomass Resources and Environment, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
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16
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Michael TP, Bryant D, Gutierrez R, Borisjuk N, Chu P, Zhang H, Xia J, Zhou J, Peng H, El Baidouri M, Ten Hallers B, Hastie AR, Liang T, Acosta K, Gilbert S, McEntee C, Jackson SA, Mockler TC, Zhang W, Lam E. Comprehensive definition of genome features in Spirodela polyrhiza by high-depth physical mapping and short-read DNA sequencing strategies. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 89:617-635. [PMID: 27754575 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2016] [Revised: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Spirodela polyrhiza is a fast-growing aquatic monocot with highly reduced morphology, genome size and number of protein-coding genes. Considering these biological features of Spirodela and its basal position in the monocot lineage, understanding its genome architecture could shed light on plant adaptation and genome evolution. Like many draft genomes, however, the 158-Mb Spirodela genome sequence has not been resolved to chromosomes, and important genome characteristics have not been defined. Here we deployed rapid genome-wide physical maps combined with high-coverage short-read sequencing to resolve the 20 chromosomes of Spirodela and to empirically delineate its genome features. Our data revealed a dramatic reduction in the number of the rDNA repeat units in Spirodela to fewer than 100, which is even fewer than that reported for yeast. Consistent with its unique phylogenetic position, small RNA sequencing revealed 29 Spirodela-specific microRNA, with only two being shared with Elaeis guineensis (oil palm) and Musa balbisiana (banana). Combining DNA methylation data and small RNA sequencing enabled the accurate prediction of 20.5% long terminal repeats (LTRs) that doubled the previous estimate, and revealed a high Solo:Intact LTR ratio of 8.2. Interestingly, we found that Spirodela has the lowest global DNA methylation levels (9%) of any plant species tested. Taken together our results reveal a genome that has undergone reduction, likely through eliminating non-essential protein coding genes, rDNA and LTRs. In addition to delineating the genome features of this unique plant, the methodologies described and large-scale genome resources from this work will enable future evolutionary and functional studies of this basal monocot family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd P Michael
- Department of Plant Biology & Pathology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
- IBIS Bioscience, Carlsbad, CA, USA
| | - Douglas Bryant
- IBIS Bioscience, Carlsbad, CA, USA
- Donald Danforth Center for Plant Science, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ryan Gutierrez
- Department of Plant Biology & Pathology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Nikolai Borisjuk
- Department of Plant Biology & Pathology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Philomena Chu
- Department of Plant Biology & Pathology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Hanzhong Zhang
- Department of Plant Biology & Pathology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Jing Xia
- Institute for Systems Biology, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Junfei Zhou
- Institute for Systems Biology, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hai Peng
- Institute for Systems Biology, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Moaine El Baidouri
- Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Kenneth Acosta
- Department of Plant Biology & Pathology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Sarah Gilbert
- Department of Plant Biology & Pathology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | | | - Scott A Jackson
- Center for Applied Genetic Technologies, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Todd C Mockler
- Donald Danforth Center for Plant Science, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Weixiong Zhang
- Institute for Systems Biology, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Eric Lam
- Department of Plant Biology & Pathology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
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17
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Appenroth KJ, Sree KS, Fakhoorian T, Lam E. Resurgence of duckweed research and applications: report from the 3rd International Duckweed Conference. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 89:647-654. [PMID: 26506824 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-015-0396-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Duckweed, flowering plants in the Lemnaceae family, comprises the smallest angiosperms in the plant kingdom. They have some of the fastest biomass accumulation rates reported to date for plants and have the demonstrated ability to thrive on wastewater rich in dissolved organic compounds and thus could help to remediated polluted water resources and prevents eutrophication. With a high quality genome sequence now available and increased commercial interest worldwide to develop duckweed biomass for renewables such as protein and fuel, the 3rd International Duckweed Conference convened at Kyoto, Japan, in July of 2015, to update the community of duckweed researchers and developers on the progress in the field. In addition to sharing results and ideas, the conference also provided ample opportunities for new-comers as well as established workers in the field to network and create new aliances. We hope this meeting summary will also help to disseminate the key advances and observations that have been presented in this conference to the broader plant biology community in order to encourage increased cross-fertilization of ideas and technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus-J Appenroth
- Institute of General Botany and Plant Physiology, University of Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - K Sowjanya Sree
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, 201313, India
| | | | - Eric Lam
- Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA.
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18
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Sree KS, Adelmann K, Garcia C, Lam E, Appenroth KJ. Natural variance in salt tolerance and induction of starch accumulation in duckweeds. PLANTA 2015; 241:1395-404. [PMID: 25693515 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-015-2264-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Ten of 34 tested duckweed clones showed relatively higher salt tolerance. Salinity stress induced high level of starch accumulation in these clones, making them potential feedstock candidates for biofuel production. Duckweeds are promising as a new generation of crop plants that requires minimal input while providing fast biomass production. Two important traits of interest that can impact on the economic viability of this system are their sensitivity to salt and the starch content of the harvested duckweed. We have surveyed 33 strains of duckweed selected from across all 5 genera and amongst 13 species to quantify the natural variance of these traits. We found that there are large ranges of intraspecific variations in salt tolerance, while all species examined accumulated more starch in response to the initial stages of salt stress. However, the magnitude of the change in starch content varied widely between strains. Our results suggest that specific duckweed clones can be cultivated under relatively saline conditions, while increasing salt in the medium before harvesting could be used to increase starch in duckweed biomass for bioethanol production.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Sowjanya Sree
- Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201303, India
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19
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Appenroth KJ, Crawford DJ, Les DH. After the genome sequencing of duckweed - how to proceed with research on the fastest growing angiosperm? PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2015; 17 Suppl 1:1-4. [PMID: 25571946 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- K-J Appenroth
- Institute of Plant Physiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Dornburger Str. 159, 07743, Jena, Germany.
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20
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Wang W, Messing J. Status of duckweed genomics and transcriptomics. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2015; 17 Suppl 1:10-5. [PMID: 24995947 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2013] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Duckweeds belong to the smallest flowering plants that undergo fast vegetative growth in an aquatic environment. They are commonly used in wastewater treatment and animal feed. Whereas duckweeds have been studied at the biochemical level, their reduced morphology and wide environmental adaption had not been subjected to molecular analysis until recently. Here, we review the progress that has been made in using a DNA barcode system and the sequences of chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes to identify duckweed species at the species or population level. We also review analysis of the nuclear genome sequence of Spirodela that provides new insights into fundamental biological questions. Indeed, reduced gene families and missing genes are consistent with its compact morphogenesis, aquatic floating and suppression of juvenile-to-adult transition. Furthermore, deep RNA sequencing of Spirodela at the onset of dormancy and Landoltia in exposure of nutrient deficiency illustrate the molecular network for environmental adaption and stress response, constituting major progress towards a post-genome sequencing phase, where further functional genomic details can be explored. Rapid advances in sequencing technologies could continue to promote a proliferation of genome sequences for additional ecotypes as well as for other duckweed species.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Wang
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
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21
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Ziegler P, Adelmann K, Zimmer S, Schmidt C, Appenroth KJ. Relative in vitro growth rates of duckweeds (Lemnaceae) - the most rapidly growing higher plants. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2015; 17 Suppl 1:33-41. [PMID: 24803032 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Relative growth rates (RGR), doubling times (DT) and relative weekly yields (RY) of 39 clones (ecotypes) from 13 species representing all five genera of duckweeds were determined under standardised cultivation conditions. RGR ranged overall from 0.153 to 0.519 day(-1) , DT from 1.34 to 4.54 days and RY from 2.9 to 37.8 week(-1) . The RGR and RY data can be compared directly to other published findings to only a limited extent on account of missing clonal designations for and limited accessibility to previously investigated clones, as well as the use of different data denominators. However, they are consistent with the published results of other comparative duckweed studies of similar scope in showing that RGR does not vary primarily at the level of the genus or species, but rather reflects the adaptation of individual clones to specific local conditions. The RGR data support the widely held assumption that duckweeds can grow faster than other higher plants and that they can thus surpass land-based agricultural crops in productivity. Duckweeds are highly promising for the production of biomass for nutrition and energy, but extensive clonal comparison will be required to identify the most suitable isolates for this purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Ziegler
- Department of Plant Physiology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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22
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Appenroth KJ, Adamec L. Specific turion yields of different clones of Spirodela polyrhiza depend on external phosphate thresholds. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2015; 17 Suppl 1:125-129. [PMID: 24456344 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Turions play an important role in the survival strategy of the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza. Therefore, factors influencing the formation of these survival organs were studied. Phosphate deficiency is the main natural factor inducing turion formation and the specific turion yield (SY), i.e. the number of turions formed per frond, varied widely for five different clones from different climate zones. The concentrations of phosphate and nitrate in the nutrient media were investigated at the onset of turion formation, with SY ranging from 0.22 to 5.9. Tissue P and N content was also investigated in vegetative fronds at the onset of turion formation and in newly formed turions. The clones were selected to test possible correlations between SY and threshold nutrient concentration for turion formation. Only one correlation, between SY and external phosphate concentration, was significant: clones with high SY started turion formation at higher external phosphate concentrations. Turion formation is thus mainly induced by the external phosphate concentration, below a defined, clone-dependent threshold. We propose the following mechanism: a switch of the developmental programme of frond primordia from vegetative frond to turion formation at a higher phosphate threshold saves more phosphate for turion formation instead of using it for a further vegetative growth. However, the period of growth preceding turion formation does not depend on this threshold value, but rather on the growth rate of the vegetative fronds, which actually produce the phosphate shortage by taking it up from the surrounding medium.
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Affiliation(s)
- K-J Appenroth
- University of Jena, Institute of General Botany and Plant Physiology, Jena, Germany
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23
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Lam E, Appenroth KJ, Michael T, Mori K, Fakhoorian T. Duckweed in bloom: the 2nd International Conference on Duckweed Research and Applications heralds the return of a plant model for plant biology. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 84:737-42. [PMID: 24398764 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-013-0162-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2013] [Accepted: 11/30/2013] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
More than 50 participants from around the world congregated at Rutgers University for 4 days to discuss the latest advances in duckweed research and applications. Among other developments in the field, exciting new information related to duckweed including genome sequencing, improved genetic transformation, and the identification of a novel plant growth promoting substance from bacteria were reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Lam
- Department of Plant Biology and Pathology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, 59 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA,
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