Biology Commons^™

Ecophysiological Implications Of Low Lignin In Eastern Leatherwood (Dirca Palustris L.), Anna Cole, Kayla Marie Rigdon, D. Gordon Brown, Katharine Lora Cary

Biology Faculty Publications

Dirca palustris L. (eastern leatherwood) is an understory shrub found throughout much of eastern North America. Dirca palustris wood has a low concentration of lignin, which is a molecule that grants structural rigidity to cell walls. The branches of D. palustris are thus remarkably flexible, but their low lignin content could cause greater vulnerability to water stress. We examined the conductivity, vessel anatomy, and field water potential of D. palustris and conducted ecological surveys. The data showed that D. palustris was not experiencing substantial drought-induced dysfunction in the field, even during an exceptionally hot and dry summer. Its water potentials …

Increasing The Resilience Of Plant Immunity To A Warming Climate, Jong Hum Kim, Christian Castroverde, Shuai Huang, Chao Li, Richard Hilleary, Adam Seroka, Reza Sohrabi, Diana Medina-Yerena, Bethany Huot, Jie Wang, Sharon Marr, Mary Wildermuth, Tao Chen, John Macmicking, Sheng Yang He

Biology Faculty Publications

Extreme weather conditions associated with climate change affect many aspects of plant and animal life, including the response to infectious diseases. Production of salicylic acid (SA), a central plant defence hormone, is particularly vulnerable to suppression by short periods of hot weather above the normal plant growth temperature range via an unknown mechanism. Here we show that suppression of SA production in Arabidopsis thaliana at 28 °C is independent of PHYTOCHROME B (phyB) and EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3), which regulate thermo-responsive plant growth and development. Instead, we found that formation of GUANYLATE BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE 3 (GBPL3) defence-activated biomolecular condensates (GDACs) …

Salicylic Acid And N-Hydroxypipecolic Acid At The Fulcrum Of The Plant Immunity-Growth Equilibrium, Alyssa Shields, Vanessa Shivnauth, Christian Danve M. Castroverde

Biology Faculty Publications

Salicylic acid (SA) and N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP) are two central plant immune signals involved in both resistance at local sites of pathogen infection (basal resistance) and at distal uninfected sites after primary infection (systemic acquired resistance). Major discoveries and advances have led to deeper understanding of their biosynthesis and signaling during plant defense responses. In addition to their well-defined roles in immunity, recent research is emerging on their direct mechanistic impacts on plant growth and development. In this review, we will first provide an overview of how SA and NHP regulate local and systemic immune responses in plants. We …

Plant Canopy May Promote Seed Dispersal By Wind, Xuanping Qin, Wei Liang, Zhimin Liu, Minghu Liu, Carol C. Baskin, Jerry M. Baskin, Zhiming Xin, Zhigang Wang, Quanlai Zhou

Biology Faculty Publications

Seed dispersal has received much research attention. The plant canopy can intercept diaspores, but the effect of the plant canopy (the aboveground portion of a plant consisting of branches and leaves) on dispersal distance has not been explored empirically. To determine the effect of plant canopy on seed dispersal distance, a comparison of diaspores falling through open air and through plant canopy was made in a wind tunnel using three wind speeds and diaspores with various traits. Compared with diaspores falling through open air, the dispersal distance of diaspores falling through plant canopy was decreased or increased, depending on wind …

Cbp60-Db: An Alphafold-Predicted Plant Kingdom-Wide Database Of The Calmodulin-Binding Protein 60 (Cbp60) Protein Family With A Novel Structural Clustering Algorithm, Keaun Amani, Vanessa Shivnauth, Christian Castroverde

Biology Faculty Publications

Molecular genetic analyses in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana have demonstrated the major roles of different CAM-BINDING PROTEIN 60 (CBP60) proteins in growth, stress signaling, and immune responses. Prominently, CBP60g and SARD1 are paralogous CBP60 transcription factors that regulate numerous components of the immune system, such as cell surface and intracellular immune receptors, MAP kinases, WRKY transcription factors, and biosynthetic enzymes for immunity-activating metabolites salicylic acid (SA) and N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP). However, their function, regulation and diversification in most species remain unclear. Here we have created CBP60-DB, a structural and bioinformatic database that comprehensively characterized 1052 CBP60 gene homologs …

Global Patterns Of Potential Future Plant Diversity Hidden In Soil Seed Banks, Xuejun Yang, Carol C. Baskin, Jerry M. Baskin, Robin J. Pakeman, Zhenying Huang, Ruiru Gao, Johannes H. C. Cornelissen

Biology Faculty Publications

Soil seed banks represent a critical but hidden stock for potential future plant diversity on Earth. Here we compiled and analyzed a global dataset consisting of 15,698 records of species diversity and density for soil seed banks in natural plant communities worldwide to quantify their environmental determinants and global patterns. Random forest models showed that absolute latitude was an important predictor for diversity of soil seed banks. Further, climate and soil were the major determinants of seed bank diversity, while net primary productivity and soil characteristics were the main predictors of seed bank density. Moreover, global mapping revealed clear spatial …

Complete Genome Sequence Of The Pantoea Phage Ah07, Gregory P. Krukonis, Sam J. Roth, Veronique A. Delesalle

Biology Faculty Publications

Bacteriophages of the phyllosphere have not been extensively described, despite their role in bacterial communities on this plant organ. Here, we describe a temperate Pantoea phage, AH07, that was isolated from the leaves of horse chestnut trees. The 37,859-bp linear double-stranded DNA genome contains 58 putative genes, including an integration cassette.

Complete Genome Sequences Of Four Phages Of The Horse Chestnut Phyllosphere, Gregory P. Krukonis, Sam J. Roth, Veronique A. Delesalle

Biology Faculty Publications

Bacteriophages play important roles in determining bacterial communities, including plant microbiota. Here, we describe four lytic phages, three Siphoviridae and one Podoviridae, isolated from four different bacterial species found on the leaves of horse chestnut trees. Their double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) genomes range from 39,095 to 46,062 bp and contain 51 to 70 genes.

Genome Sequences Of Erwinia Phyllophages Ah04 And Ah06, Gregory P. Krukonis, Sam J. Roth, Veronique A. Delesalle

Biology Faculty Publications

Although crucial in shaping bacterial communities, few bacteriophages of the phyllosphere have been described. We provide genome data for two Myoviridae phages, AH04 and AH06, isolated on Erwinia billingiae strains. AH04 shares limited genetic similarity with previously described phages, while AH06 shares over 75% similarity with various Erwinia phages.

Salicylic Acid: A Key Regulator Of Redox Signalling 1 And Plant Immunity, Mohd Saleem, Qazi Fariddudin, Christian Castroverde

Biology Faculty Publications

In plants, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) formed during normal conditions are essential in regulating several processes, like stomatal physiology, pathogen immunity and developmental signaling. However, biotic and abiotic stresses can cause ROS over-accumulation leading to oxidative stress. Therefore, a suitable equilibrium is vital for redox homeostasis in plants, and there have been major advances in this research arena. Salicylic acid (SA) is known as a chief regulator of ROS; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. SA plays an important role in establishing the hypersensitive response (HR) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR). This is underpinned by a robust and …

Is The Life History Flexibility Of Cold Desert Annuals Broad Enough To Cope With Predicted Climate Change? The Case Of Erodium Oxyrhinchum In Central Asia, Huiliang Liu, Yanfeng Chen, Lingwei Zhang, Jerry M. Baskin, Carol C. Baskin, Lan Zhang, Yan Liu, Daoyuan Zhang, Yuanming Zhang

Biology Faculty Publications

Interannual seasonal variability in precipitation may strongly affect the life history and growth of desert annual plants. We compared the effects of dry and wet springs and dry and wet autumns on growth and F2 seed dormancy of plants from spring (SG)- and autumn (AG)-germinated seeds of the cold desert annual Erodium oxyrhinchum. Vegetative and reproductive growth and F2 seed dormancy and germination were monitored from September 2016 to November 2020 in the sandy Gurbantunggut Desert in NW China in Central Asia. Dry autumns decreased the density of AG plants, and dry springs decreased the density of SG plants …

Temperature Regulation Of Plant Hormone Signaling During Stress And Development, Christian Castroverde, Damaris Dina

Biology Faculty Publications

Global climate change has broad-ranging impacts on the natural environment and human civilization. Increasing average temperatures along with more frequent heat waves collectively have negative effects on cultivated crops in agricultural sectors and wild species in natural ecosystems. These aberrantly hot temperatures, together with cold stress, represent major abiotic stresses to plants. Molecular and physiological responses to high and low temperatures are intricately linked to the regulation of important plant hormones. In this review, we shall highlight our current understanding of how changing temperatures regulate plant hormone pathways during immunity, stress responses and development. This article will present an overview …

Effect Of Nitrogen Addition On Selection Of Germination Trait In An Alpine Meadow On The Tibet Plateau, Kun Liu, Yang Liu, Zhilong Zhang, Shiting Zhang, Carol C. Baskin, Jerry M. Baskin, Ting Liang, Haiyan Bu, Shuxia Li, Tingting Zhang, Xianliang Cui, Sa Xiao

Biology Faculty Publications

Seed germination requirements may determine the kinds of habitat in which plants can survive. We tested the hypothesis that nitrogen (N) addition can change seed germination trait-environmental filter interactions and ultimately redistribute seed germination traits in alpine meadows. We determined the role of N addition on germination trait selection in an alpine meadow after N addition by combining a 3-year N addition experiment in an alpine meadow and laboratory germination experiments. At the species level, germination percentage, germination rate (speed) and breadth of temperature niche for germination (BTN) were positively related to survival of a species in the fertilized community. …

(2808) Proposal To Reject The Name Acalypha Supera (Euphorbiaceae), Geoffrey A. Levin, Vernie G. Sagun

Biology Faculty Publications

(2808) Acalypha supera Forssk.; Fl. Aegypt.-Arab.: 162. 1 Oct 1775[Angiosp.: Euphorb.]; nom. utique rej. prop.Typus: non designatus.

(2807) Proposal To Conserve The Name Acalypha Wilkesiana Against A. Tricolor (Euphorbiaceae), Geoffrey A. Levin, Vernie G. Sagun

Biology Faculty Publications

(2807) Acalypha wilkesiana Müll. Arg. in Candolle; Prodr. 15(2):817. Aug (sero) 1866 [Angiosp.: Euphorb.]; nom. cons. prop.Typus: Fiji; [Viti Levu]; Rewa; “Unit. Stat. explor. exped.under Capt. Wilkes” (G-DC barcodes G00324021 &G00324022; isotypi: GH barcode GH00045512; K barcodeK000959008; US Nos. 1944717 & 1944718 [barcodes00096423 & 00096424]).

(=) Acalypha tricolor Veitch ex Mast. in Gard. Chron. 1866:483. 26 Mai 1866; nom rej. prop.Neotypus (hic designatus): “Hort. Veitch; New Hebrides[Vanuatu]”; Jul 1844 (K barcode K001235482).

Seed Priming With Phytohormones: An Effective Approach For The Mitigation Of Abiotic Stress, Mohammad Saidur Rhaman, Shahin Imran, Farjana Rauf, Mousumi Khatun, Carol C. Baskin, Yoshiyuki Murata, Mirza Hasanuzzaman

Biology Faculty Publications

Plants are often exposed to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat, cold, and heavy metals that induce complex responses, which result in reduced growth as well as crop yield. Phytohormones are well known for their regulatory role in plant growth and development, and they serve as important chemical messengers, allowing plants to function during exposure to various stresses. Seed priming is a physiological technique involving seed hydration and drying to improve metabolic processes prior to germination, thereby increasing the percentage and rate of germination and improving seedling growth and crop yield under normal and various biotic and abiotic stresses. …

Data Associated With Walter-Mcneill Et Al. (2021) Oecologia Https://Doi.Org/10.1007/S00442-021-05038-Y, Barry Logan

Biology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Mechanistic Insights Into Strigolactone Biosynthesis, Signaling And Regulation During Plant Growth And Development, Kaiser Iqbal Wani, Andleeb Zehra, Sadaf Choudhary, M Naeem, M. Masroor A. Khan, Christian Danve Castroverde, Tariq Aftab

Biology Faculty Publications

Strigolactones (SLs) constitute a group of carotenoid-derived phytohormones with butenolide moieties. These hormones are involved in various functions, including regulation of secondary growth, shoot branching and hypocotyl elongation, and stimulation of seed germination. SLs also control hyphal branching of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and mediate responses to both abiotic and biotic cues. Most of these functions stem from the interplay of SLs with other hormones, enabling plants to appropriately respond to changing environmental conditions. This dynamic interplay provides opportunities for phytohormones to modulate and augment one another. In this article, we review our current mechanistic understanding of SL biosynthesis, receptors …

Comparison Of Thermal And Hydrotime Requirements For Seed Germination Of Seven Stipa Species From Cool And Warm Habitats, Rui Zhang, Kai Luo, Dali Chen, Jerry M. Baskin, Carol C. Baskin, Yanrong Wang, Xiaowen Hu

Biology Faculty Publications

Temperature and water potential are two important environmental factors influencing germination and subsequent seedling establishment. Seed germination requirements vary with species and with the environment in which the seeds are produced. Stipa species dominate large areas of the Eurasian zonal vegetation, but comparisons of germination requirements between Stipa species from different habitats is limited. We investigated the effects of temperature and water potential on seed germination of S. grandis, S. purpurea, and S. penicillata from habitats with low temperatures and relatively abundant rainfall (cool habitats) and S. glareosa, S. breviflora, S. gobiea, and S. bungeana …

Diversity, Function And Regulation Of Cell Surface And Intracellular Immune Receptors In Solanaceae, Jong Hum Kim, Christian Castroverde

Biology Faculty Publications

The first layer of the plant immune system comprises plasma membrane-localized receptor proteins and intracellular receptors of the nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat protein superfamily. Together, these immune receptors act as a network of surveillance machines in recognizing extracellular and intracellular pathogen invasion-derived molecules, ranging from conserved structural epitopes to virulence-promoting effectors. Successful pathogen recognition leads to physiological and molecular changes in the host plants, which are critical for counteracting and defending against biotic attack. A breadth of significant insights and conceptual advances have been derived from decades of research in various model plant species regarding the structural complexity, functional diversity and …

Seed‐To‐Seedling Transitions Exhibit Distance‐Dependent Mortality But No Strong Spacing Effects In A Neotropical Forest, Philippe Marchand, Liza S. Comita, S. Joseph Wright, Richard Condit, Stephen P. Hubbell, Noelle G. Beckman

Biology Faculty Publications

Patterns of seed dispersal and seed mortality influence the spatial structure of plant communities and the local coexistence of competing species. Most seeds are dispersed in proximity to the parent tree, where mortality is also expected to be the highest, because of competition with siblings or the attraction of natural enemies. Whereas distance‐dependent mortality in the seed‐to‐seedling transition was often observed in tropical forests, few studies have attempted to estimate the shape of the survival‐distance curves, which determines whether the peak of seedling establishment occurs away from the parent tree (Janzen–Connell pattern) or if the peak attenuates but remains at …

Assessment Of Cytotoxic Activity Of Five Common Philippine Medicinal Plants Using Brine Shrimp Lethality Assay, Lloyd O. Balinado, Merab A. Chan

Biology Faculty Publications

A wide variety of plants in the Philippines are used to address several medical ailments; however, many of which have not yet undergone thorough pharmacological studies. The problem on the possible side effects caused by these medicinal preparations has, therefore, increased the interest in validating their safety for human use. The present study was conducted to determine the cytotoxicity of five common local medicinal plants. Annona muricata L., Cymbopogon citratus DC., Graptophyllum pictum (L.) Griff, Jatropha curcas L., and Piper betle L. were selected and subjected to crude aqueous leaf extraction. Extracts were then investigated for cytotoxicity potential using brine …

Getting To The Root Of Selenium Hyperaccumulation—Localization And Speciation Of Root Selenium And Its Effects On Nematodes, Christine N. Prins, Laura J. Hantzis, Jose R. Valdez Barillas, Jennifer J. Cappa, Sirine C. Fakra, Cecilia Milano De Tomasel, Diana H. Wall, Elizabeth A. H. Pilon-Smits

Biology Faculty Publications

Elemental hyperaccumulation protects plants from many aboveground herbivores. Little is known about effects of hyperaccumulation on belowground herbivores or their ecological interactions. To examine effects of plant selenium (Se) hyperaccumulation on nematode root herbivory, we investigated spatial distribution and speciation of Se in hyperaccumulator roots using X-ray microprobe analysis, and effects of root Se concentration on root-associated nematode communities. Perennial hyperaccumulators Stanleya pinnata and Astragalus bisulcatus, collected from a natural seleniferous grassland contained 100–1500 mg Se kg−1 root dry weight (DW). Selenium was concentrated in the cortex and epidermis of hyperaccumulator roots, with lower levels in the stele. The …

Genome Of The Tropical Plant Marchantia Inflexa: Implications For Sex Chromosome Evolution And Dehydration Tolerance, Rose A. Marks, Jeramiah J. Smith, Quentin Cronk, Christopher J. Grassa, D. Nicholas Mcletchie

Biology Faculty Publications

We present a draft genome assembly for the tropical liverwort, Marchantia inflexa, which adds to a growing body of genomic resources for bryophytes and provides an important perspective on the evolution and diversification of land plants. We specifically address questions related to sex chromosome evolution, sexual dimorphisms, and the genomic underpinnings of dehydration tolerance. This assembly leveraged the recently published genome of related liverwort, M. polymorpha, to improve scaffolding and annotation, aid in the identification of sex-linked sequences, and quantify patterns of sequence differentiation within Marchantia. We find that genes on sex chromosomes are under greater …

Effects Of Increased Precipitation On The Life History Of Spring- And Autumn-Germinated Plants Of The Cold Desert Annual Erodium Oxyrhynchum (Geraniaceae), Yanfeng Chen, Xiang Shi, Lingwei Zhang, Jerry M. Baskin, Carol C. Baskin, Huiliang Liu, Daoyuan Zhang

Biology Faculty Publications

Future increased precipitation in cold desert ecosystems may impact annual/ephemeral plant species that germinate in both spring and autumn. Our primary aim was to compare the life history characteristics of plants from spring-germinating (SG) and autumn-germinating (AG) seeds of Erodium oxyrhynchum. Plants in field plots with simulated increases in precipitation of 0, 30 and 50 % in spring and summer were monitored to determine seedling survival, phenology, plant size, seed production and biomass accumulation and allocation. Germination characteristics were determined in the laboratory for seeds produced by plants in all increased precipitation treatments. Increased precipitation in spring significantly improved survival …

A Stimulatory Role For Cytokinin In The Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis Of Pea, Dane M. Goh, Marco Cosme, Anna B. Kislala, Samantha Mulholland, Zakaria M.F. Said, Lukáš Spíchal, R.J. Neil Emery, Stéphane Declerck, Frédérique C. Guinel

Biology Faculty Publications

The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis between terrestrial plants and AM fungi is regulated by plant hormones. For most of these, a role has been clearly assigned in this mutualistic interaction; however, there are still contradictory reports for cytokinin (CK). Here, pea plants, the wild type (WT) cv. Sparkle and its mutant E151 (Pssym15), were inoculated with the AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. E151 has previously been characterized as possessing high CK levels in non-mycorrhizal (myc^-) roots and exhibiting high number of fungal structures in mycorrhizal (myc⁺) roots. Myc^- and myc⁺ plants were …

Seed Germination Responses To Seasonal Temperature And Drought Stress Are Species‐Specific But Not Related To Seed Size In A Desert Steppe: Implications For Effect Of Climate Change On Community Structure, Fengyan Yi, Zhaoren Wang, Carol C. Baskin, Jerry M. Baskin, Ruhan Ye, Hailian Sun, Yuanyuan Zhang, Xuehua Ye, Guofang Liu, Xuejun Yang, Zhenying Huang

Biology Faculty Publications

Investigating how seed germination of multiple species in an ecosystem responds to environmental conditions is crucial for understanding the mechanisms for community structure and biodiversity maintenance. However, knowledge of seed germination response of species to environmental conditions is still scarce at the community level. We hypothesized that responses of seed germination to environmental conditions differ among species at the community level, and that germination response is not correlated with seed size. To test this hypothesis, we determined the response of seed germination of 20 common species in the Siziwang Desert Steppe, China, to seasonal temperature regimes (representing April, May, June, …

Refernment: An R Package For Annotating Rna Editing In Plastid Genomes, Tanner A. Robison, Paul G. Wolf

Biology Faculty Publications

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: In the absence of cDNA, the annotation of RNA editing in plastomes must be done manually, representing a significant time cost to those studying the organellar genomes of ferns and hornworts.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We developed an R package to automatically annotate apparent nonsense mutations in plastid genomes. The software successfully annotates such sites and results in no false positives for data with no sequencing or assembly errors.

CONCLUSIONS: Compared to manual annotation, ReFernment offers greater speed and accuracy for annotating RNA editing sites. This software should be especially useful for researchers generating large numbers of …

Structural Basis For Light Control Of Cell Development Revealed By Crystal Structures Of A Myxobacterial Phytochrome, Nicole C. Woitowich, Andrei S. Halavaty, Patricia Waltz, Christopher Kupitz, Joseph Valera, Gregory Tracy, Kevin D. Gallagher, Elin Claesson, Takanori Nakane, Suraj Pandey, Garrett Nelson, Rie Tanaka, Eriko Nango, Eiichi Mizohata, Shigeki Owada, Kensure Tono, Yasumasa Joti, Angela C. Nugent, Hardik Patel, Ayesha Mapara, James Hopkins, Phu Duong, Dorina Bizhga, Svetlana E. Kovaleva, Rachel St. Peter, Cynthia N. Hernandez, Wesley B. Ozarowski, Shatabdi Roy-Chowdhuri, Jay-How Yang, Petra Edlund, Heikki Takala, Janne Ihalainen, Jennifer Brayshaw, Tyler Norwood, Ishwor Poudyal, Petra Fromme, John C.H. Spence, Keith Moffat, Sebastian Westenhoff, Marius Schmidt, Emina A. Stojkovic

Biology Faculty Publications

Phytochromes are red-light photoreceptors that were first characterized in plants, with homologs in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic bacteria known as bacteriophytochromes (BphPs). Upon absorption of light, BphPs interconvert between two states denoted Pr and Pfr with distinct absorption spectra in the red and far-red. They have recently been engineered as enzymatic photoswitches for fluorescent-marker applications in non-invasive tissue imaging of mammals. This article presents cryo- and room-temperature crystal structures of the unusual phytochrome from the non-photosynthetic myxobacterium Stigmatella aurantiaca (SaBphP1) and reveals its role in the fruitingbody formation of this photomorphogenic bacterium. SaBphP1 lacks a conserved histidine (His) in the chromophore-binding …

Mobile Elements Shape Plastome Evolution In Ferns, Tanner A. Robison, Amanda L. Grusz, Paul G. Wolf, Jeffrey P. Mower, Blake D. Fauskee, Karla Sosa, Eric Schuettpelz

Biology Faculty Publications

Plastid genomes display remarkable organizational stability over evolutionary time. From green algae to angiosperms, most plastid genomes are largely collinear, with only a few cases of inversion, gene loss, or, in extremely rare cases, gene addition. These plastome insertions are mostly clade-specific and are typically of nuclear or mitochondrial origin. Here, we expand on these findings and present the first family-level survey of plastome evolution in ferns, revealing a novel suite of dynamic mobile elements. Comparative plastome analyses of the Pteridaceae expose several mobile open reading frames that vary in sequence length, insertion site, and configuration among sampled taxa. Even …