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Byun MY, Seo S, Lee J, Yoo YH, Lee H. Transfection of Arctic Bryum sp. KMR5045 as a Model for Genetic Engineering of Cold-Tolerant Mosses. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 11:609847. [PMID: 33584753 PMCID: PMC7873996 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.609847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Mosses number about 13,000 species and are an important resource for the study of the plant evolution that occurred during terrestrial colonization by plants. Recently, the physiological and metabolic characteristics that distinguish mosses from terrestrial plants have received attention. In the Arctic, in particular, mosses developed their own distinct physiological features to adapt to the harsh environment. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which Arctic mosses survive in extreme environments due to the lack of basic knowledge and tools such as genome sequences and genetic transfection methods. In this study, we report the axenic cultivation and transfection of Arctic Bryum sp. KMR5045, as a model for bioengineering of Arctic mosses. We also found that the inherent low-temperature tolerance of KMR5045 permitted it to maintain slow growth even at 2°C, while the model moss species Physcomitrium patens failed to grow at all, implying that KMR5045 is suitable for studies of cold-tolerance mechanisms. To achieve genetic transfection of KMR5045, some steps of the existing protocol for P. patens were modified. First, protoplasts were isolated using 1% driselase solution. Second, the appropriate antibiotic was identified and its concentration was optimized for the selection of transfectants. Third, the cell regeneration period before transfer to selection medium was extended to 9 days. As a result, KMR5045 transfectants were successfully obtained and confirmed transfection by detection of intracellular Citrine fluorescence derived from expression of a pAct5:Citrine transgene construct. This is the first report regarding the establishment of a genetic transfection method for an Arctic moss species belonging to the Bryaceae. The results of this study will contribute to understanding the function of genes involved in environmental adaptation and to application for production of useful metabolites derived from stress-tolerant mosses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Young Byun
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Suyeon Seo
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
- Polar Science, University of Science and Technology, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Jungeun Lee
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Yo-Han Yoo
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Hyoungseok Lee
- Division of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, South Korea
- Polar Science, University of Science and Technology, Incheon, South Korea
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Bengtsson F, Granath G, Cronberg N, Rydin H. Mechanisms behind species-specific water economy responses to water level drawdown in peat mosses. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2020; 126:219-230. [PMID: 32185391 PMCID: PMC7523593 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcaa033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The ecosystem engineers Sphagnum (peat mosses) are responsible for sequestering a large proportion of carbon in northern peatlands. Species may respond differently to hydrological changes, and water level changes may lead to vegetation shifts in peatlands, causing them to revert from sinks to sources of carbon. We aimed to compare species-specific responses to water level drawdown within Sphagnum, and investigate which traits affect water economy in this genus. METHODS In a mesocosm experiment, we investigated how water level drawdown affected water content (WC) in the photosynthetically active apex of the moss and maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (i.e. Fv/Fm) of 13 Sphagnum species. Structural traits were measured, and eight anatomical traits were quantified from scanning electron microscopy micrographs. KEY RESULTS Mixed-effects models indicated that at high water level, large leaves were the most influential predictor of high WC, and at low water level WC was higher in species growing drier in the field, with larger hyaline cell pore sizes and total pore areas associated with higher WC. Higher stem and peat bulk density increased WC, while capitulum mass per area and numerical shoot density did not. We observed a clear positive relationship between Fv/Fm and WC in wet-growing species. CONCLUSIONS While we found that most hummock species had a relatively high water loss resistance, we propose that some species are able to maintain a high WC at drawdown by storing large amounts of water at a high water level. Our result showing that leaf traits are important warrants further research using advanced morphometric methods. As climate change may lead to more frequent droughts and thereby water level drawdowns in peatlands, a mechanistic understanding of species-specific traits and responses is crucial for predicting future changes in these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fia Bengtsson
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gustaf Granath
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nils Cronberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Håkan Rydin
- Department of Plant Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
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Lai GY, Liu HC, Kuo AJ, Huang CY. Epiphytic bryophyte biomass estimation on tree trunks and upscaling in tropical montane cloud forests. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9351. [PMID: 32566412 PMCID: PMC7295022 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Epiphytic bryophytes (EB) are some of the most commonly found plant species in tropical montane cloud forests, and they play a disproportionate role in influencing the terrestrial hydrological and nutrient cycles. However, it is difficult to estimate the abundance of EB due to the nature of their "epiphytic" habitat. This study proposes an allometric scaling approach implemented in twenty-one 30 × 30 m plots across an elevation range in 16,773 ha tropical montane cloud forests of northeastern Taiwan to measure EB biomass, a primary metric for indicating plant abundance and productivity. A general allometry was developed to estimate EB biomass of 100 cm2 circular-shaped mats (n = 131) with their central depths. We developed a new point-intercept instrument to rapidly measure the depths of EB along tree trunks below 300 cm from the ground level (sampled stem surface area (SSA)) (n = 210). Biomass of EB of each point measure was derived using the general allometry and was aggregated across each SSA, and its performance was evaluated. Total EB biomass of a tree was estimated by referring to an in-situ conversion model and was interpolated for all trees in the plots (n = 1451). Finally, we assessed EB biomass density at the plot scale of the study region. The general EB biomass-depth allometry showed that the depth of an EB mat was a salient variable for biomass estimation (R 2 = 0.72, p < 0.001). The performance of upscaling from mats to SSA was satisfactory, which allowed us to further estimate mean (±standard deviation) EB biomass of the 21 plots (272 ± 104 kg ha-1). Since a significant relationship between tree size and EB abundance is commonly found, regional EB biomass may be mapped by integrating our method and three-dimensional remotely sensed airborne data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan-Yu Lai
- Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hung-Chi Liu
- Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ariel J Kuo
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cho-Ying Huang
- Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Research Center for Future Earth, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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Wishkerman A, Hamilton PB. Shape outline extraction software (DiaOutline) for elliptic Fourier analysis application in morphometric studies. APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES 2018; 6:e01204. [PMID: 30598862 PMCID: PMC6303154 DOI: 10.1002/aps3.1204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Studies of plant cell and organ outline using shape analysis for taxonomic and morphological research have increased in the past decade. However, there are a limited number of available modern, intuitive, and easy software tools to conduct this work. METHODS We developed a tool for shape outline extraction using MATLAB accompanied with R scripts to perform elliptic Fourier analysis. To demonstrate the shape tool, we applied the software and scripts for genera and species shape determinations of diatom (single cell) species with x-, y-, and x- + y-shape symmetries. RESULTS Using the shape analysis tool, we were able to identify and distinguish different diatom taxa based on forms representing size diminutions associated with population changes. DISCUSSION Independent of symmetry, species were successfully distinguished using supervised and unsupervised analyses. We hope that these shape analysis tools will be used to add another metric to plant science studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul B. Hamilton
- Research and CollectionsCanadian Museum of NatureOttawaOntarioK1P 6P4Canada
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Neustupa J, Nemcova Y. Morphological allometry constrains symmetric shape variation, but not asymmetry, of Halimeda tuna (Bryopsidales, Ulvophyceae) segments. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206492. [PMID: 30359424 PMCID: PMC6201959 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Green algae of the genus Halimeda have modular siphonous thalli composed of multiple repeated segments. Morphological variation among the segments has been related to various environmental factors, which often jointly affect their size and shape. The segments are bilaterally symmetric, which means that their shape variation can be decomposed into the symmetric and asymmetric components. Asymmetric variation might reflect both environmental heterogeneity and developmental instability of morphogenetic processes during the development of segments. In the present study, we examined if segment shape in H. tuna is related to their size and if an allometric relationship can also be found with respect to their asymmetry. Relative contributions of directional and fluctuating asymmetry to the segment shape variation within individual plants were investigated at two close localities in the northern Adriatic Sea. A series of equidistant semilandmarks were set along the outline of the segments, and analyzed by geometric morphometrics using two parallel methods to optimize their final position. Symmetric variation was strongly constrained by allometry, which also explained differences between populations. Smaller segments were significantly more asymmetric, but the difference in asymmetry between populations could not be explained solely by this allometric relationship. These differences between populations might have been caused by variation in local environmental factors. We conclude that members of the genus Halimeda represent an intriguing model system for studies of morphometric symmetry and asymmetry of sessile marine organisms, including effects of allometric relationships and infraspecific variation in relation to environmental factors of the benthic coastal habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiri Neustupa
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
| | - Yvonne Nemcova
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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Wagner HC, Gamisch A, Arthofer W, Moder K, Steiner FM, Schlick-Steiner BC. Evolution of morphological crypsis in the Tetramorium caespitum ant species complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sci Rep 2018; 8:12547. [PMID: 30135509 PMCID: PMC6105586 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30890-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryptic species are morphologically very similar to each other. To what extent stasis or convergence causes crypsis and whether ecology influences the evolution of crypsis has remained unclear. The Tetramorium caespitum complex is one of the most intricate examples of cryptic species in ants. Here, we test three hypotheses concerning the evolution of its crypsis: H1: The complex is monophyletic. H2: Morphology resulted from evolutionary stasis. H3: Ecology and morphology evolved concertedly. We confirmed (H1) monophyly of the complex; (H2) a positive relation between morphological and phylogenetic distances, which indicates a very slow loss of similarity over time and thus stasis; and (H3) a positive relation between only one morphological character and a proxy of the ecological niche, which indicates concerted evolution of these two characters, as well as a negative relation between p-values of correct species identification and altitude, which suggests that species occurring in higher altitudes are more cryptic. Our data suggest that species-specific morphological adaptations to the ecological niche are exceptions in the complex, and we consider the worker morphology in this complex as an adaptive solution for various environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herbert C Wagner
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Alexander Gamisch
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Arthofer
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Karl Moder
- Institute for Applied Statistics and Computing, Department of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences, Boku, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Peter-Jordan-Straße 82/I, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian M Steiner
- Department of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
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Suzuki T, Inoue Y, Tsubota H. Molecular phylogeny of the genus Fissidens (Fissidentaceae, Bryophyta) and a refinement of the infrageneric classification. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2018; 127:190-202. [PMID: 29807154 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The genus Fissidens (ca. 440 spp.) is one of the phylogenetically poorly studied groups of mosses (Bryophyta). While various classifications of this genus have been proposed, no attempt at a classification of the genus based on combined molecular and morphological evidence has been made. Here, we present for the first time a comprehensive phylogenetic tree consisting of 50 representatives of Fissidens, reconstructed using sequence data from chloroplast rbcL and rps4 genes. Ancestral state reconstructions provide three clear apomorphies within Fissidens: peristome teeth, limbidium and chromosome number. Based on the phylogeny and morphological reassessment, we recognize three subgenera, Pachyfissidens, Neoamblyothallia, and Fissidens. Subgenus Neoamblyothallia consists of two sections: Neoamblyothallia and Crispidium. Subgenus Fissidens consists of five sections: Fissidens, Polypodiopsis, Aloma, Areofissidens, and Semilimbidium. High diversity of the most derived sect. Semilimbidium in the tropics suggests that the evolutionary history of the genus is through adaptation and diversification in tropical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadashi Suzuki
- Hattori Botanical Laboratory, Obi 6-1-26, Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture 889-2535, Japan
| | - Yuya Inoue
- Hattori Botanical Laboratory, Obi 6-1-26, Nichinan City, Miyazaki Prefecture 889-2535, Japan.
| | - Hiromi Tsubota
- Miyajima Natural Botanical Garden, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University, Mitsumaruko-yama 1156-2, Miyajima-cho, Hatsukaichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture 739-0543, Japan
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