How well does a botanical garden collection of a rare palm capture the genetic variation in a wild population?

Conservation is increasingly central to the botanic garden mission. Living plant collections are important components of conservation. Critical evaluation of living conservation collections with population genetic analysis can directly inform ex situ conservation strategy. Here, we quantify the degree of genetic variation captured through a population-based collection protocol, and explore optimal sampling for ex situ conservation. An extensive living collection derived from one population of Leucothrinax morrisii (Arecaceae) provided a model system. We compared 58 specimens from the ex situ collection with 100 individuals from throughout the parent population via 6 ISSR loci. Random bootstrapped resamples of the data were made to model differently structured ex situ collections. Mean diversity (He) differed little between the collection (0.204) and the population (0.216), and genetic distance (D) was very close (0.036). Very few private alleles were found between the collection and the population. Allelic capture, as measured by percent of private alleles, was greater than 94%. Resampled collections of different sizes captured from 48% to 94% of alleles. Pairwise comparison of bootstrapped resamples suggests that increasing the representation of half-sibling groups does not significantly increase allele capture. Increase in allele capture with increasing sample size is greatest at low resample sizes, and showed diminishing returns as resample size increased. No appreciable increase in allele capture was gained through maintaining different half-sibling groups. These data inform sampling for ex situ conservation purposes, and recommend sample sizes of at least 15 individuals, with the upper limit based on resources.     

Embolism induced by winter drought may be critical for the survival of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus sylvestris</Emphasis> L. near its southern distribution limit

Introduction   

Scots pine populations in the SE “Sistema Ibérico” range suffered a severe defoliation in the S face of the crown in isolated trees of thinned stands. This process was detected at the end of the winter 2001–2002.     

Estimating balanced structure areas in multi-species forests on the Sierra Madre Occidental,Mexico

• Introduction   

This study presents a method for estimating the minimum area which exhibits a balanced diameter distribution, and the corresponding number of trees, for different tree species and forest types in the Santiago Papasquiaro region in the State of Durango, Mexico. The balanced structure area is defined as the minimum contiguous area that is required for sustainable management of a multi-sized selection forest. A multi-sized forest represents a balanced structure unit if the relationship between harvest and growth can be maintained, using a defined target diameter distribution and disregarding major natural disturbances. The study is based on 17,577 sample plots in uneven-aged forests, which are selectively harvested by local communities.     

Volatile components and key odorants of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) oil extracts obtained by simultaneous distillation-extraction and supercritical fluid extraction

Volatile oil extracts of fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) and thyme leaves (Thymus vulgaris L.) were obtained by simultaneous distillation-extraction (SDE) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In general, fennel oil extracted by SDE and SFE showed similar compositions, with trans-anethole, estragole, and fenchone as the main components. In contrast, thymol and p-cymene, the most abundant compounds in thyme leaves, showed big differences, with generally higher amounts of monoterpenes obtained by SDE. However, in this case, the differences between the extracts were higher. Key odorants of fennel seeds determined by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) showed similar patterns when applying SDE and SFE. trans-Anethole (anise, licorice), estragole (anise, licorice, sweet), fenchone (mint, camphor, warm), and 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom) were the most intense odor compounds detected in fennel extracts. Thymol and carvacrol, with oregano, thyme, and spicy notes, were identified as key compounds contributing to the aroma of thyme leaves.     

Phospholipid interactions protect the milk allergen alpha-lactalbumin from proteolysis during in vitro digestion

Interactions with food components may alter the resistance of food proteins to digestion, a property thought to play an important role in determining allergenic properties. The kinetics of breakdown of the bovine milk allergen alpha-lactalbumin during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was found to be altered by interactions with physiologically relevant levels of phosphatidylcholine (PC), a surfactant that is abundant both in milk and is actively secreted by the stomach. Breakdown during gastric digestion was slowed in the presence of PC and accompanied by small alterations in the profile of resulting peptides, with little effect being observed during subsequent duodenal digestion. alpha-Lactalbumin was found to unfold at gastric (acid) pH, giving a CD spectrum similar to that obtained for the partially folded state it is known to adopt at pH values below its isoelectric point. Fluorescence polarization studies performed at low pH indicated that this partially unfolded form of the protein was able to penetrate into the PC vesicles. These interactions are probably responsible for the slowing of gastric digestion by reducing the accessibility of the protein to pepsin. These findings show that interactions with other food components, such as lipids, may alter the rate of breakdown of food proteins in the gastrointestinal tract. It underlines the importance of the food matrix in affecting patterns of food allergen digestion and hence presentation to the immune system and that in vitro digestion systems used for assessing digestibility of allergens must take account of surfactants.     

Blind inlets: conservation practices to reduce herbicide losses from closed depressional areas

Purpose

In a 6-year study, we investigated the effectiveness of blind inlets as a conservation practice in reducing pesticide losses compared to tile risers from two closed farmed depressional areas (potholes) in the US Midwest under a 4-year cropping rotation.

Materials and methods

In two adjacent potholes within the same farm and having similar soils, a conventional tile riser and blind inlet were installed. Each draining practice could be operated independent of each other in order to drain and monitor each depression with either practice. Sampling events (runoff events) were collected from the potholes from 2008 to 2013 using autosamplers. The samples were analyzed for atrazine, metolachlor, 2,4-D, glyphosate, and deethylatrazine.

Results and discussion

The results of this study demonstrated that the blind inlet reduced analyzed pesticide losses; however, the level of reduction was compound dependent: atrazine (57 %), 2,4-D (58 %), metolachlor (53 %), and glyphosate (11 %).

Conclusions

Results from this study corroborate previous research findings that blind inlets are an effective conservation practice to reduce discharge and pollutants, including pesticides from farmed pothole surface runoff in the US Midwest.

     

Geomorphological significance of lichen colonization in a present snow hollow: Hoya del Cuchillar de las Navajas, Sierra de Gredos (Spain)

This paper discusses the results of a lichenometrical and geomorphological study of one of the few remaining active snow hollows in the central region of the Iberian Peninsula. The study area, located on a glacial shoulder, is called Hoya del Cuchillar de las Navajas. A protalus rampart occurs at the base of the hollow. Our studies, conducted between 1992 and 1998, were designed to determine the geomorphological characteristics of Hoya, the mobility of the deposits, and the characteristics of the snow cover. These data formed the basis for a study of the lichen colonization on the blocks and on the wall surrounding the snow hollow. All of the lichen species found were analyzed according to their abundance, distribution and the extent of their surface cover. Measurements of the diameter of the thalli of the species Rhizocarpon geographicum were also obtained. Thalli of this species were found to require a mean snow-free growing season of at least 95 days (13.5 weeks) per year. Maximum mean thallus diameters indicate that the protalus rampart was formed during the Little Ice Age and became inactive 130 years ago.     

Profiling essential genes in human mammary cells by multiplex RNAi screening

By virtue of their accumulated genetic alterations, tumor cells may acquire vulnerabilities that create opportunities for therapeutic intervention. We have devised a massively parallel strategy for screening short hairpin RNA (shRNA) collections for stable loss-of-function phenotypes. We assayed from 6000 to 20,000 shRNAs simultaneously to identify genes important for the proliferation and survival of five cell lines derived from human mammary tissue. Lethal shRNAs common to these cell lines targeted many known cell-cycle regulatory networks. Cell line-specific sensitivities to suppression of protein complexes and biological pathways also emerged, and these could be validated by RNA interference (RNAi) and pharmacologically. These studies establish a practical platform for genome-scale screening of complex phenotypes in mammalian cells and demonstrate that RNAi can be used to expose genotype-specific sensitivities.     

Biscrolling nanotube sheets and functional guests into yarns

Multifunctional applications of textiles have been limited by the inability to spin important materials into yarns. Generically applicable methods are demonstrated for producing weavable yarns comprising up to 95 weight percent of otherwise unspinnable particulate or nanofiber powders that remain highly functional. Scrolled 50-nanometer-thick carbon nanotube sheets confine these powders in the galleries of irregular scroll sacks whose observed complex structures are related to twist-dependent extension of Archimedean spirals, Fermat spirals, or spiral pairs into scrolls. The strength and electronic connectivity of a small weight fraction of scrolled carbon nanotube sheet enables yarn weaving, sewing, knotting, braiding, and charge collection. This technology is used to make yarns of superconductors, lithium-ion battery materials, graphene ribbons, catalytic nanofibers for fuel cells, and titanium dioxide for photocatalysis.     

Pericarp total protein profiles as molecular markers of tomato fruit quality traits in two segregating populations

The tomato fruit quality results of biochemical and physiological changes that occur during the ripening process. Although, the pericarp total protein profiles are less polymorphic than DNA-based markers the polymorphism in those could be directly associated with fruit quality traits. The aim of this work was to identify associations between polymorphic polypeptides from fruit pericarp at two ripening stages and fruit quality traits evaluated in two segregating populations of tomato. A cross between a normal ripening cultivar of Solanum lycopersicum (C, Caimanta) and a genotype carrying the nor (non ripening) gene (N) as well as a cross between Caimanta and a cherry type tomato of S. lycopersicum var. cerasiforme (Ce) showed genetic variance for several fruit quality traits such as fruit weight, shape, solids soluble content, acidity, color and fruit shelf life. The quantitative variations observed at phenotypic level had correspondence with the polymorphism detected in the protein profiles. Indeed, the polymophic polypeptides associated with quality fruit traits and fruit shelf life would be useful to assist tomato breeding programs as protein molecular markers.