33 research outputs found

    Induction of epigenetic variation in Arabidopsis by over-expression of DNA METHYLTRANSFERASE1 (MET1)

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    Epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation and histone modification can vary among plant accessions creating epi-alleles with different levels of expression competence. Mutations in epigenetic pathway functions are powerful tools to induce epigenetic variation. As an alternative approach, we investigated the potential of over-expressing an epigenetic function, using DNA METHYLTRANSFERASE1 (MET1) for proof-of-concept. In Arabidopsis thaliana, MET1 controls maintenance of cytosine methylation at symmetrical CG positions. At some loci, which contain dense DNA methylation in CG- and non-CG context, loss of MET1 causes joint loss of all cytosines methylation marks. We find that over-expression of both catalytically active and inactive versions of MET1 stochastically generates new epi-alleles at loci encoding transposable elements, non-coding RNAs and proteins, which results for most loci in an increase in expression. Individual transformants share some common phenotypes and genes with altered gene expression. Altered expression states can be transmitted to the next generation, which does not require the continuous presence of the MET1 transgene. Long-term stability and epigenetic features differ for individual loci. Our data show that over-expression of MET1, and potentially of other genes encoding epigenetic factors, offers an alternative strategy to identify epigenetic target genes and to create novel epi-alleles

    A New Attempt to Establish the International Radiocarbon Soils Database (IRSDB)

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    From the 20th International Radiocarbon Conference held in Kona, Hawaii, USA, May 31-June 3, 2009.Twenty years after the first International Radiocarbon Database Workshop, and 13 yr after the setup of a preliminary structure for a worldwide database on 14C dates of soils, sound reasons and excuses for not establishing a real and globally accessible database have diminished. Climate change itself is widely accepted as reality now, and the strong demand of the modeling community for reliable data of the carbon pool--especially in soils--has been maintained. With the steadily increasing capacity of 14C dating facilities, these data can be and are produced. Nevertheless, they still cannot be accessed easily and equally enough. Now, decreased costs of hardware and recent developments of the internet enable the IRSDB to be implemented, in a joint effort. As a seed, a test server has been set up, with open-source software, housing the database in alpha-stage, a web interface, and a community portal. Thus, the development of the design as well as the data input of the database is done in close collaboration of the users of the database, the laboratories, soil scientists, archaeologists, modelers, other scientists, and interested laypersons. In order to guarantee the longtime independence of the availability and usability of the database from vendors or changing standards, only widely used open-source software and open standards are used. Therefore, the development of plug-ins for data input from laboratory databases or output to different required formats as well as interfaces to GIS and other software is possible. A version control system takes care of the integrity of the data.The Radiocarbon archives are made available by Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202

    Requirements for an International Radiocarbon Soils Database

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    This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Radiocarbon archives are made available by Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202

    Report of the Radiocarbon in Soils Workshop Saturday 13 August 1994

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    This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Radiocarbon archives are made available by Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202

    Thin Layer delta-13C and Delta-14C Monitoring of "Lessive" Soil Profiles

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    From the 12th International Radiocarbon Conference held in Trondheim, June 24-28, 1985.The natural 14C and 13C content of soil organic matter and their dependence on depth for two Alfisols are presented. This soil type which covers a large area of the earth's surface is characterized by clay migration processes ("Lessivé"). The samples were taken as successive horizontal layers of 2cm depth from an area of ca 1 m2 size as deep as the C content allows 14C analysis. The minima of the D14C distribution decrease with depth, while the maxima increase in the upper, leached horizon (A1) due to bomb 14C and decrease in the lower, clay illuviated (Bt). delta-13C indicates proceeding decomposition in Al and protection of carbon, probably due to the formation of clay humus complexes in Bt. delta-13C values were also used for age correction of the 14C data due to isotopic fractionation. The D14C and delta-3C depth distributions are characterized by sharp peaks at the boundaries of the horizons, probably caused by the influence of textural changes on the transport of C with percolating water.This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Radiocarbon archives are made available by Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202
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