The Chimonanthus salicifolius genome provides insight into magnoliid evolution and flavonoid biosynthesis

Chimonanthus salicifolius, a member of the Calycanthaceae of magnoliids, is one of the most famous medicinal plants in Eastern China. Here, we report a chromosome‐level genome assembly of C. salicifolius, comprising 820.1 Mb of genomic sequence with a contig N50 of 2.3 Mb and containing 36 651 annotated protein‐coding genes. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that magnoliids were sister to the eudicots. Two rounds of ancient whole‐genome duplication were inferred in the C. salicifolious genome. One is shared by Calycanthaceae after its divergence with Lauraceae, and the other is in the ancestry of Magnoliales and Laurales. Notably, long genes with > 20 kb in length were much more prevalent in the magnoliid genomes compared with other angiosperms, which could be caused by the length expansion of introns inserted by transposon elements. Homologous genes within the flavonoid pathway for C. salicifolius were identified, and correlation of the gene expression and the contents of flavonoid metabolites revealed potential critical genes involved in flavonoids biosynthesis. This study not only provides an additional whole‐genome sequence from the magnoliids, but also opens the door to functional genomic research and molecular breeding of C. salicifolius.     

Functional divergence of two duplicated Fertilization Independent Endosperm genes in rice with respect to seed development

Fertilization Independent Endosperm (FIE) is an essential member of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) that plays important roles in the developmental regulation of plants. OsFIE1 and OsFIE2 are two FIE homologs in the rice genome. Here, we showed that OsFIE1 probably duplicated from OsFIE2 after the origin of the tribe Oryzeae, but has a specific expression pattern and methylation landscape. During evolution, OsFIE1 underwent a less intensive purifying selection than did OsFIE2. The mutant osfie1 produced smaller seeds and displayed reduced dormancy, indicating that OsFIE1 predominantly functions in late seed development. Ectopic expression of OsFIE1, but not OsFIE2, was deleterious to vegetative growth in a dose‐dependent manner. The newly evolved N‐terminal tail of OsFIE1 was probably not the cause of the adverse effects on vegetative growth. The CRISPR/Cas9‐derived mutant osfie2 exhibited impaired cellularization of the endosperm, which suggested that OsFIE2 is indispensable for early seed development as a positive regulator of cellularization. Autonomous endosperm was observed in both OsFIE2^+? and osfie1/OsFIE2^+? but at a very low frequency. Although OsFIE1‐PRC2 exhibited H3K27me3 methyltransferase ability in plants, OsFIE1‐PRC2 is likely to be less important for development in rice than is OsFIE2‐PRC2. Our findings revealed the functional divergence of OsFIE1 and OsFIE2 and shed light on their distinct evolution following duplication.     

播种季节和种植方式对多年生苦荞主要农艺性状的影响

该研究选取六个多年生苦荞新品系,对春季、秋季直播与秋季再生其主要农艺性状进行调查。结果表明:(1)不同播种季节对多年生苦荞新品系主花序的花粉可育率、总结实率、有效结实率、植株株高、主茎粗、主茎分枝数、主茎节数、籽粒百粒重、单株粒数、单株产量的影响均达到显著或极显著水平;秋播主花序花粉可育率、总结实率、有效结实率、植株主茎分枝数、籽粒百粒重、单株粒数、单株产量均极显著高于春播;植株株高、主茎粗、主茎节数均极显著低于春播;主花序花朵大小、籽粒种子长宽比无显著差异。(2)不同种植方式对主花序花粉可育率、有效结实率、植株主茎节数及籽粒百粒重的影响达到显著或极显著水平;秋季再生主花序花粉可育率、籽粒单株粒数显著高于秋季直播;主花序有效结实率、植株主茎粗、主茎节数、籽粒百粒重显著低于秋季直播;主花序花朵大小、总结实率、植株株高、主茎分枝数、籽粒种子长宽比、单株产量无显著差异;相关分析表明,各生长季节下主花序有效结实率及单株粒数与单株产量的相关系数均最高。(3)所有参试品系中,1612-241秋季直播的单株产量显著高于其他品系; 1612-16、1612-33秋季再生单株产量较正季优势显著。该研究结果有助于筛选出适宜一季播种两季收获的优良品系,为今后多年生苦荞的选择育种提供线索基础。     

Shifts in potential geographical distribution of Pterocarya stenoptera under climate change scenarios in China

Climate change poses a serious threat to biodiversity. Predicting the effects of climate change on the distribution of a species' habitat can help humans address the potential threats which may change the scope and distribution of species. Pterocarya stenoptera is a common fast‐growing tree species often used in the ecological restoration of riverbanks and alpine forests in central and eastern China. Until now, the characteristics of the distribution of this species' habitat are poorly known as are the environmental factors that influence its preferred habitat. In the present study, the Maximum Entropy Modeling (Maxent) algorithm and the Genetic Algorithm for Ruleset Production (GARP) were used to establish the models for the potential distribution of this species by selecting 236 sites with known occurrences and 14 environmental variables. The results indicate that both models have good predictive power. Minimum temperature of coldest month (Bio6), mean temperature of warmest quarter (Bio10), annual precipitation (Bio12), and precipitation of driest month (Bio14) were important environmental variables influencing the prediction of the Maxent model. According to the models, the temperate and subtropical regions of eastern China had high environmental suitability for this species, where the species had been recorded. Under each climate change scenario, climatic suitability of the existing range of this species increased, and its climatic niche expanded geographically to the north and higher elevation. GARP predicted a more conservative expansion. The projected spatial and temporal patterns of P. stenoptera can provide reference for the development of forest management and protection strategies.     

Is population subdivision different from speciation? From phylogeography to species delimitation

Species‐level diversity and the underlying mechanisms that lead to the formation of new species, that is, speciation, have often been confounded with intraspecific diversity and population subdivision. The delineation between intraspecific and interspecific divergence processes has received much less attention than species delimitation. The ramifications of confounding speciation and population subdivision are that the term speciation has been used to describe many different biological divergence processes, rendering the results, or inferences, between studies incomparable. Phylogeographic studies have advanced our understanding of how spatial variation in the pattern of biodiversity can begin, become structured, and persist through time. Studies of species delimitation have further provided statistical and model‐based approaches to determine the phylogeographic entities that merit species status. However, without a proper understanding and delineation between the processes that generate and maintain intraspecific and interspecific diversity in a study system, the delimitation of species may still not be biologically and evolutionarily relevant. I argue that variation in the continuity of the divergence process among biological systems could be a key factor leading to the enduring contention in delineating divergence patterns, or species delimitation, meriting future comparative studies to help us better understand the nature of biological species.     

Proteomic Analysis of High Temperature Stress-Responsive Proteins in Chrysanthemum Leaves

Chrysanthemum is one of the most important ornamental flowers in the world, and temperature has a significant influence on its field production. In the present study, differentially expressed proteins were investigated in the leaves of Dendranthema grandiflorum ‘Jinba’ under high temperature stress using label-free quantitative proteomics techniques. The expressed proteins were comparatively identified and analyzed. A total of 1,463 heat-related, differentially expressed proteins were successfully identified by Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and 1,463 heat-related, differentially expressed proteins were successfully identified by mass spectrometry after a high temperature treatment. Among these, 701 proteins were upregulated and 762 proteins were downregulated. The in-depth bioinformatics analysis of these differentially expressed proteins revealed that these were involved in energy metabolism pathways, protein metabolism, and heat shock. In the present study, the investigators determined the changes in the levels of some proteins, and their expression at the protein and molecular levels in chrysanthemum to help reveal the mechanism of heat resistance in chrysanthemum. Furthermore, the present study elucidated some of the proteins correlated to heat resistance in chrysanthemum, and their expression changes at the protein and molecular levels to help reveal the mechanism of heat resistance in this flower species. These results provide a theoretical basis for the selection of new heat resistant varieties of chrysanthemum in the field.     

Multivariate analysis of volatile profiles in tea plant infested by tea green leafhopper Empoasca onukii Matsuda

Plant Growth Regulation - The tea green leafhopper (Empoasca onukii Matsuda) is a severe pest for the tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze), which significantly reduces the tea yields and...     

CircKIF2A contributes to cell proliferation,migration, invasion and glycolysis in human neuroblastoma by regulating miR-129-5p/PLK4 axis

Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry - Multiple circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been identified to act as essential mediators in diverse human cancers. However, the roles of circRNAs in neuroblastoma...