Transcriptome Dynamics of Epidermal Reprogramming during Direct Shoot Regeneration in Torenia fournieri.

Shoot regeneration involves reprogramming of somatic cells and de novo organization of shoot apical meristems (SAMs). In the best-studied model system of shoot regeneration using Arabidopsis, regeneration is mediated by the auxin-responsive pluripotent callus formation from pericycle or pericycle-like tissues according to the lateral root development pathway. In contrast, shoot regeneration can be induced directly from fully differentiated epidermal cells of stem explants of Torenia fournieri (Torenia), without intervening the callus mass formation in culture with cytokinin; yet, its molecular mechanisms remain unaddressed. Here, we characterized this direct shoot regeneration by cytological observation and transcriptome analyses. The results showed that the gene expression profile rapidly changes upon culture to acquire a mixed signature of multiple organs/tissues, possibly associated with epidermal reprogramming. Comparison of transcriptomes between three different callus-inducing cultures (callus induction by auxin, callus induction by wounding and protoplast culture) of Arabidopsis and the Torenia stem culture identified genes upregulated in all the four culture systems as candidates of common factors of cell reprogramming. These initial changes proceeded independently of cytokinin, followed by cytokinin-dependent, transcriptional activations of nucleolar development and cell cycle. Later, SAM regulatory genes became highly expressed, leading to SAM organization in the foci of proliferating cells in the epidermal layer. Our findings revealed three distinct phases with different transcriptomic and regulatory features during direct shoot regeneration from the epidermis in Torenia, which provides a basis for further investigation of shoot regeneration in this unique culture system.

Interannual variation in season length is linked to strong co-gradient plasticity of phenology in a montane annual plant.

Species are commonly distributed along latitudinal and elevational gradients of growing season length to which they might respond via phenotypic plasticity and/or adaptive genetic differentiation. However, the relative contribution of these processes and whether plasticity, if it occurs, facilitates expansion along season-length gradients remain unclear, but are important for predicting species fates during anthropogenic change. We quantified phenological trait variation in the montane annual Rhinanthus minor for three generations at 12 sites across 900 m of elevation in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment for two generations among nine sites. We compared clines and interannual variation of phenological traits between natural and transplanted individuals. Season length declined by c. 37% along our elevational gradient and, as expected, plants emerged, reached first flower and made their first seed in c. 41% fewer growing degree days under shorter growing seasons. Although reciprocal transplants revealed modest genetic differentiation across elevation, trait clines primarily were due to striking co-gradient plasticity that paralleled genetic differentiation. Co-gradient plasticity likely evolved in response to considerable interannual variation in season length across our elevational transect, and should prepare R. minor to make adaptive changes to phenology in response to ongoing climate change predicted for montane environments.

The dynamics of recovery and growth: how defoliation affects stored resources.

Growth rate varies widely among species and the trade-off between growth rate and storage or maintenance traits is a principal axis of variation between species. Many plant species have substantial root stores, but very little is known about how growth rate modifies responses of these stores to defoliation and other stresses. Species with different growth rates are predicted to respond in distinct ways, because of variation in the pre-defoliation allocation to storage. Here, we quantified the dynamics of stored carbohydrates in seven species with varying growth rate, following defoliation in a pot experiment. For faster growing species, there was significant reduction in carbohydrate concentration following defoliation, followed by relatively fast recovery, whereas for slower growing species, carbohydrate concentration levels remained relatively invariant across treatments. Results for total carbohydrates mirrored those for concentration, but were not as significant. Our findings were consistent with the idea that faster growing species respond more rapidly than slower growers to defoliation, through changes in carbohydrate pool concentrations. Growth rate as an indicator of life-history and ecological strategy may therefore be key to understanding post-defoliation recovery and storage strategies.

Physiological response of Cu and Cu mine tailing remediation of Paulownia fortunei (Seem) Hemsl.

The physiological responses and Cu accumulation of Paulownia fortunei (Seem) Hemsl. were studied under 15.7-157 µmol L(-1) Cu treatments in liquid culture for 14 days; the impacts of Cu concentration in the seedlings were evaluated under Cu mine tailing culture with acetic acid and EDTA treatment for 60 days. Results showed that the concentrations of Chl-a, Chl-b and Carotenoids significantly increased (p < 0.05) at 15.7-78.7 µmol L(-1)Cu treatment and significantly decreased at 157 µmol L(-1) treatment after 14 days of Cu exposure. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) significantly increased as Cu levels were enhanced and the activities of both SOD and CAT under 157 µmol L(-1) Cu stress were 2.9 and 1.9 times higher than that of control, respectively. The concentrations of proline and soluble sugars in the leaves of P. fortunei significantly increased as the Cu concentrations were elevated. Cu concentrations in roots, stems and leaves of P. fortunei increased significantly as Cu levels increased and reached 1911, 101 and 93 µg g(-1) dry weights (DW) at 157 µmol L(-1) Cu treatment, respectively. The seedlings of P. fortunei cultivated in Cu tailing experienced unsuccessful growth and loss of leaves in all treatments due to poor nutrition of the Cu tailing. The dry weight of P. fortunei increased under all the treatments of acetic acid after 60 days exposure. However, dry weight significantly decreased under both levels of EDTA. The Cu concentrations increased significantly in roots and decreased in leaves when each was treated with both concentrations of acetic acid. The Cu concentrations in the roots, stems and leaves increased significantly, and the concentrations of Cu in the stems and leaves under the treatment of 2 µmol L(-1) EDTA reached 189.5 and 763.1 µg g(-1) DW, respectively. The result indicated that SOD, CAT, proline and soluble sugars played an important role in coping with the oxidative stress of copper. Acetic acid could promote growth and EDTA at the experimental levels, which could also enhance Cu absorption and translocation into the stems and leaves of P. fortune. Furthermore, acetic acid and EDTA could be rationally utilized in Cu-contaminated soil.

Nemesia root hair response to paper pulp substrate for micropropagation.

Agar substrates for in vitro culture are well adapted to plant micropropagation, but not to plant rooting and acclimatization. Conversely, paper-pulp-based substrates appear as potentially well adapted for in vitro culture and functional root production. To reinforce this hypothesis, this study compares in vitro development of nemesia on several substrates. Strong differences between nemesia roots growing in agar or in paper-pulp substrates were evidenced through scanning electron microscopy. Roots developed in agar have shorter hairs, larger rhizodermal cells, and less organized root caps than those growing on paper pulp. In conclusion, it should be noted that in this study, in vitro microporous substrates such as paper pulp lead to the production of similar root hairs to those found in greenhouse peat substrates. Consequently, if agar could be used for micropropagation, rooting, and plant acclimatization, enhancement could be achieved if rooting stage was performed on micro-porous substrates such as paper pulp.

Large delay in flowering in continental versus coastal populations of a Mediterranean shrub, Globularia alypum.

Globularia alypum is a perennial shrub typical of western Mediterranean thermophilous shrublands. Nine populations of G. alypum located in different localities of Catalonia (NE Spain) were surveyed for flowering phenology. Flower-head buds were present in all the populations in July. Flowering time in the area spans from the late summer-early autumn to the next spring depending on the populations; there are two groups of populations, early and late flowering. Early populations grow mostly in coastal localities and flower from September to November, whereas late flowering populations grow in inland localities and flower from February to April. The flowering order of the populations correlated with minimum temperature of most months except the warmest ones, and correlated with maximum and mean temperatures of the coldest months. Correlations were similar when tested with annual climate. The flowering order also correlated with the thermic interval for most months except the coldest and with the index of continentality. Early populations alone did not present correlations with any variable, whereas late populations alone correlated similarly to all populations together. Flowering order did not correlate with precipitation. Late populations are proposed to be regulated by temperature according to our results whereas early populations could be regulated by timing in precipitation after summer drought, according to published results. We discuss the possibilities of the two flowering patterns, early and late, being due to phenotypic plasticity or to genetic adaptation to local climates. We also discuss the consequences at the plant and ecosystem level of climate warming causing shifts from late to early patterns, a possibility that is likely in the warmest of the late populations if flowering is modulated phenotypically.

Leaching composted lignocellulosic wastes to prepare container media: feasibility and environmental concerns.

The leaching of salt and mineral elements from three composts prepared with residual vegetable crop biomass (melon, pepper or zucchini) was studied using methacrylate columns and distilled water. The benefits of the leached composts to be used for ornamental potted plant production were also analysed. After leaching 5 container capacities of effluent, both the electrical conductivity and the concentration of soluble mineral elements in compost leachates decreased substantially and remained close to the target levels. Composts reacted differently to leaching due to differences in the raw waste sources and the composting process and hence, in their physical and chemical characteristics. At the end of the experiment, after pouring 8 container capacities of water, the leaching efficiency of the salts was 96%, 93% and 87% for melon, pepper and zucchini-based composts, respectively. Mineral elements differed in their ability to be removed from the composts; N (NH(4)(+) and NO(3)(-)), K(+), Na(+), Cl(-), and SO(4)(2-) were leached readily, whereas H(2)PO(4)(-), Ca(2+), and Mg(2+) were removed hardly. Leached composts showed a range of physico-chemical and chemical characteristics suitable for use as growing media constituents. Potted Calendula and Calceolaria plants grew in the substrates prepared with the leached composts better than in those made with the non-leached ones. Finally, special emphasis must be paid to the management of the effluents produced under commercial conditions to avoid environmental pollution.

[Anatomy and adaptation to environment study of endangered alpine medical plant Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora].

OBJECTIVE: To study the anatomical structure of endangered alpine medical plant Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora and the high altitude adaptability. METHODS: The leaf epidermis character as well as section structure of leaf, aerial stem and rhizome were observed by light microscopical technique. RESULTS: The leaf surface of Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora was covered with two kinds of glandular hair, and the stommata was anomocytic type. Moreover, the leaf was isolateral and differed from most of alpine plant. The aerial stem had well-developed mechanical tissue. The rhizome was distributed by well-developed cork layers and collenchyma. Large numbers of aerenchymas distributed widely in leaf, aerial stem and rhizome. CONCLUSION: There existed characteristic traits in Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora that adapted the alpine environment, however, there still had some particular character different from other alpine plant. Thus, the adaptive style of alpine plant to high altitude environment was diversity.

The costs and benefits of fast living.

Growth rates play a fundamental role in many areas of biology (Q. Rev. Biol., 67, 1992, 283; Life History Invariants. Some Explorations of Symmetry in Evolutionary Biology, 1993; Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci., 351, 1996, 1341; Plant Strategies, Vegetation Processes, and Ecosystem Properties, 2002; Trends Ecol. Evol., 18, 2003, 471; Q. Rev. Biol., 78, 2003, 23; J. Ecol., 95, 2007, 926.) but the cost and benefits of different growth rates are notoriously difficult to quantify (Q. Rev. Biol., 72, 1997, 149; Funct. Ecol., 17, 2003, 328). This is because (1) growth rate typically declines with size and yet the most widely used growth measure - relative growth rate or RGR (conventionally measured as the log of the ratio of successive sizes divided by the time interval) - is not size-corrected and so confounds growth and size, (2) organisms have access to different amounts of resource and (3) it is essential to allow for the long-term benefits of larger size. Here we experimentally demonstrate delayed costs and benefits of rapid growth in seven plant species using a novel method to calculate size-corrected RGR. In control treatments, fast-growing plants benefited from increased reproduction the following year; however, fast-growing plants subjected to an experimental stress treatment (defoliation) showed strongly reduced survival and reproduction the following year. Importantly, when growth was estimated using the classical RGR measure, no costs or benefits were found. These results support the idea that life-history trade-offs have a dominant role in life-history and ecological theory and that the widespread failure to detect them is partly due to methodological shortcomings.

Herbivores and edaphic factors constrain the realized niche of a native plant.

Biotic interactions, such as competition and herbivory, can limit plant species ranges to a subset of edaphically suitable habitats, termed the realized niche. Here we explored the role that herbivores play in restricting the niche of serpentine ecotypes of the native California annual Collinsia sparsiflora. We planted seeds from four populations into a range of natural field environments that varied in the presence/absence of naturally occurring C. sparsiflora and in predicted suitability for growth and survival of the serpentine ecotype of C. sparsiflora. Path analysis was then used to model the direct and herbivore-mediated indirect effects of environmental variables on the survival of C. sparsiflora serpentine ecotypes. We found that C. sparsiflora received more herbivory when planted into areas where serpentine ecotypes of C. sparsiflora were not predicted to persist, and that increased herbivory was associated with decreased survival, suggesting that herbivores may limit the distribution of C. sparsiflora serpentine ecotypes. Additionally, we demonstrated that edaphic environmental variables impacted the survival of C. sparsiflora serpentine ecotypes both directly and indirectly, by altering interactions with herbivores. These indirect effects were probably trait-mediated and probably occurred because edaphic factors may influence plant traits that, in turn, alter attractiveness to herbivores. Although the magnitude of direct effects exceeded the magnitude of indirect effects, many strong herbivore-mediated indirect effects were detected. Thus, interactions between the abiotic environment and insect herbivory contributed to restricting the niche of C. sparsiflora serpentine ecotypes to a subset of available habitat.

Precipitation-dependent flowering of Globularia alypum and Erica multiflora in Mediterranean shrubland under experimental drought and warming, and its inter-annual variability.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Relationships between autumn flowering, precipitation and temperature of plant species of Mediterranean coastal shrublands have been described, but not analysed experimentally. These relationships were analysed for two species of co-occurring, dominant, autumn-flowering shrubs, Globularia alypum and Erica multiflora, over 4 years and in experimentally generated drought and warming conditions. The aim was to improve predictions about the responses and adaptations of flowering of Mediterranean vegetation to climate change. METHODS: Beginning of anthesis and date of maximum flowering intensity ('peak date') were monitored over 4 years (2001-2004) on a garrigue land type in the noth-east of the Iberian Peninsula. Two experimental treatments were applied, increased temperature (+0.73 degrees C) and reduced soil moisture (-17%) relative to untreated plots. KEY RESULTS: Flowering of Globularia alypum and Erica multiflora differed greatly between years depending on the precipitation of the previous months and the date of the last substantial rainfall (>10 mm). Globularia alypum flowered once or twice (unimodal or bimodal) as the result of differences in the distribution and magnitude of precipitation in late-spring and summer (when floral buds develop). The drought treatment delayed and decreased flowering of Globularia alypum in 2001 and delayed flowering in 2002. Warming extended the period between the beginning of flowering and the end of the second peak for autumn flowering in 2001 and also increased peak intensity in 2002. Flowering of Erica multiflora was unaffected by either treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Autumn flowering of Globularia alypum and Erica multiflora is more dependent on water availability than on temperature. Considerable inter-annual plasticity in the beginning of anthesis and peak date and on unimodal or bimodal flowering constitutes a 'safe strategy' for both species in relation to varying precipitation and temperature. However, severe changes in precipitation in spring and summer may severely affect flowering of Globularia alypum but not Erica multiflora, thus affecting development/structure of the ecosystem if such conditions persist.

The effects of floral mimics and models on each others' fitness.

Plants that lack floral rewards may nevertheless attract pollinators by mimicking the flowers of rewarding plants. It has been suggested that both mimics and models should suffer reduced fitness when mimics are abundant relative to their models. By manipulating the relative densities of an orchid mimic Disa nivea and its rewarding model Zaluzianskya microsiphon in small experimental patches within a larger population we demonstrated that the mimic does indeed suffer reduced pollination success when locally common relative to its model. Behavioural experiments suggest that this phenomenon results from the tendency of the long-proboscid fly pollinator to avoid visits to neighbouring plants when encountering the mimic. No negative effect of the mimic on the pollination success of the model was detected. We propose that changes in pollinator flight behaviour, rather than pollinator conditioning, are likely to account for negative frequency-dependent reproductive success in deceptive orchids.

Gravitropism in cut flower stalks of snapdragon.

The negative gravitropic response of cut flower stalks is a complex multistep process that requires the participation of various cellular components acting in succession or in parallel. The process was particularly characterized in snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) spikes with regard to (1) gravity stimulus perception associated with amyloplast reorientation; (2) stimulus transduction mediated through differential changes in the level, action and related genes of auxin and ethylene and their possible interaction; (3) stimulus response associated with differential growth leading to stalk curvature; (4) involvement of cytosolic calcium and actin cytoskeleton. Results show that the gravity-induced amyloplast reorientation, differential over-expression of two early auxin responsive genes and asymmetrical distribution of free IAA are early events in the bending process. These precede the asymmetrical ethylene production and differential stem growth, which was derived from initial shrinkage of the upper stem side and a subsequent elongation of the lower stem side. Results obtained with various calcium- and cytoskeleton-related agents indicate that cytosolic calcium and actin filaments may play essential roles in gravitropism-related processes of cut flower stalks. Therefore, modulators of these two physiological mediators may serve as means for controlling any undesired gravitropic bending.

Protocol for inducing flower color somaclonal variation in Torenia (Torenia fournieri Lind.).

White or light purple flower color Torenia (Torenia fournieri Lind.) varieties were successfully developed from the parental variety having violet flowers. This was accomplished by reducing Fe micronutrient in the culture media for the induction of in vitro flowering. The flower induction was highest in modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing ½ strength of macroelements, microelements, organic additives, and full Fe (M1) when compared to MS medium containing ½ strength of macronutrients, micronutrients, full Fe, and full organic additives (M2). The flower color was stable in two new Torenia varieties through three generations ex vitro. The results showed a wide range of somaclonal variation in flower colors; early flowering occurred in MS medium containing ½ strength of macroelements, microelements, Fe, and full strength of organic additives (M3). The selection of desirable somaclones and their micropropagation in subsequent generations led to the development of new and stable Torenia lines.

Changes in macromolecular movement accompany organogenesis in thin cell layers of Torenia fournieri.

A range of fluorescently labelled probes of increasing molecular weight was used to monitor diffusion via the symplast in regenerating thin cell layer (TCL) explants of Torenia fournieri. An increase in intercellular movement of these molecules was associated with the earliest stages of vegetative shoot regeneration, with the movement of a 10 kDa dextran (FD 10000) observed between epidermal cells prior to the appearance of the first cell divisions. A low frequency of dextran movement in thin cell layers maintained under non-regenerating conditions was also observed, indicating a possible wound induced increase in intercellular movement. Dextran movement between epidermal cells reached a peak by day 4 of culture and then declined as cell division centres (CDCs) formed, became meristematic regions and finally emerged as adventitious shoots. Within CDCs, testing with small fluorescent probes (CF: carboxyfluorescein, mw 376 Da and F(Glu)3: fluorescein-triglutamic acid, mw 799 Da) revealed a mosaic of cell isolation and regions of maintained symplastic linkage. Within shoots, surface cells of the presumptive apical meristem permitted the intercellular movement of 10 kDa dextrans but epidermal cells of the surrounding leaf primordia did not permit dextran movement. In some cases, intercellular movement of CF was maintained within leaf primordia. Symplastic movement of labelled dextrans during regeneration in Torenia thin cell layers represents a significant increase in the basal size exclusion limit (SEL) of this tissue and reveals the potential for intercellular trafficking of developmentally related endogenous macromolecules.

Contrasting growth changes in two dominant species of a Mediterranean shrubland submitted to experimental drought and warming.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Climate projections predict drier and warmer conditions in the Mediterranean basin in the next decades. The possibility of such climatic changes modifying the growth of two Mediterranean species, Erica multiflora and Globularia alypum, which are common components of Mediterranean shrublands, was assessed. METHODS: A field experiment was performed from March 1999 to March 2002 to prolong the drought period and to increase the night-time temperature in a Mediterranean shrubland, where E. multiflora and G. alypum are the dominant species. Annual growth in stem diameter and length of both species was measured and annual stem biomass production was estimated for 1999, 2000 and 2001. Plant seasonal growth was also assessed. KEY RESULTS: On average, drought treatment reduced soil moisture 22 %, and warming increased temperature by 0.7-1.6 degrees C. Erica multiflora plants in the drought treatment showed a 46 % lower annual stem elongation than controls. The decrease in water availability also reduced by 31 % the annual stem diameter increment and by 43 % the annual stem elongation of G. alypum plants. New shoot growth of G. alypum was also strongly reduced. Allometrically estimated biomass production was decreased by drought in both species. Warming treatment produced contrasting effects on the growth patterns of these species. Warmer conditions increased, on average, the stem basal diameter growth of E. multiflora plants by 35 %, raising also their estimated stem biomass production. On the contrary, plants of G. alypum in the warming treatment showed a 14 % lower annual stem growth in basal diameter and shorter new shoots in spring compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate changes in the annual productivity of these Mediterranean shrubs under near future drier and warmer conditions. They also point to alterations in their competitive abilities, which could lead to changes in the species composition of these ecosystems in the long term.

Horticultural characterization of Angelonia salicariifolia plants transformed with wild-type strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes.

Genetic transformation was carried out with wild-type strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes for introducing a dwarf trait into the Scrophulariaceous ornamental plant, angelonia (Angelonia salicariifolia). Leaf segments of two angelonia genotypes (Ang.1 and Ang.2) were co-cultivated with mikimopine-type strains of A. rhizogenes. Adventitious roots that showed vigorous growth and increased lateral branching when cultured on half-strength Murashige and Skoog's (MS) basal salts medium lacking plant growth regulators (PGRs) after co-cultivation were selected as putatively transformed lines. All of these selected lines produced mikimopine. Adventitious shoots were efficiently induced from putatively transformed root segments on half-strength MS basal salts medium containing 1 mg l(-1) benzyladenine (BA) under continuous illumination (24-h photoperiod), and the shoots easily rooted following their transfer to half-strength MS basal salts medium lacking PGRs. The transgenic nature of regenerated plants was confirmed by Southern hybridization. Transformed plants frequently died during their acclimatization, and acclimatized plants of eight transformed lines grew very slowly for 1-5 months after transplantation to the greenhouse. Plants of two transformed lines of Ang.2 flowered 4-6 months after transplantation. These transformed plants exhibited phenotypic alterations such as dwarfness and smaller leaves. There were no apparent alterations observed in the number, shape, and size of the flowers. Pollen fertility of the transformed plants was 60-80% based on aceto-carmine staining. These results indicate the possibility of applying A. rhizogenes-mediated transformation for introducing a dwarf trait into angelonia.

The cycloidea gene can respond to a common dorsoventral prepattern in Antirrhinum.

Dorsoventral asymmetry in flowers of Antirrhinum depends on expression of the cycloidea gene in dorsal regions of floral meristems. To determine how cycloidea might be regulated we analysed its expression in several contexts. We show that cycloidea is activated shortly after floral induction, and that in addition to flowers, cycloidea can be asymmetrically expressed in shoots, even though these shoots show no marked dorsoventral asymmetry. Shoots expressing cycloidea include secondary branches lying just below the inflorescence, and shoots of floricaula mutants. Asymmetric cycloidea expression may also be observed within organ primordia, such as the sepals of terminal flowers produced by centroradialis mutants. Later expression of cycloidea within flowers can be modified by mutations in organ identity genes. Taken together, the results suggest that cycloidea can respond to a common dorsoventral pre-pattern in the apex and that the specific effects of cycloidea on the flower depend on interactions with floral-specific genes.

Aquatic plants stimulate the growth of and biofilm formation by Mycobacterium ulcerans in axenic culture and harbor these bacteria in the environment.

Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causative agent of Buruli ulcer, one of the most common mycobacterial diseases of humans. Recent studies have implicated aquatic insects in the transmission of this pathogen, but the contributions of other elements of the environment remain largely unknown. We report here that crude extracts from two green algae added to the BACTEC 7H12B culture medium halved the doubling time of M. ulcerans and promoted biofilm formation. Using the 7H12B medium, modified by the addition of the algal extract, and immunomagnetic separation, we also demonstrate that M. ulcerans is associated with aquatic plants in an area of the Ivory Coast where Buruli ulcer is endemic. Genotype analysis showed that plant-associated M. ulcerans had the same profile as isolates recovered in the same region from both aquatic insects and clinical specimens. These observations implicate aquatic plants as a reservoir of M. ulcerans and add a new potential link in the chain of transmission of M. ulcerans to humans.