An R2R3 MYB transcription factor associated with regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway in Rosaceae

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The control of plant anthocyanin accumulation is via transcriptional regulation of the genes encoding the biosynthetic enzymes. A key activator appears to be an R2R3 MYB transcription factor. In apple fruit, skin anthocyanin levels are controlled by a gene called <it>MYBA </it>or <it>MYB1</it>, while the gene determining fruit flesh and foliage anthocyanin has been termed <it>MYB10</it>. In order to further understand tissue-specific anthocyanin regulation we have isolated orthologous <it>MYB </it>genes from all the commercially important rosaceous species.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We use gene specific primers to show that the three MYB activators of apple anthocyanin (<it>MYB10/MYB1/MYBA) </it>are likely alleles of each other. MYB transcription factors, with high sequence identity to the apple gene were isolated from across the rosaceous family (e.g. apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, raspberries, rose, strawberry). Key identifying amino acid residues were found in both the DNA-binding and C-terminal domains of these MYBs. The expression of these <it>MYB10 </it>genes correlates with fruit and flower anthocyanin levels. Their function was tested in tobacco and strawberry. In tobacco, these MYBs were shown to induce the anthocyanin pathway when co-expressed with bHLHs, while over-expression of strawberry and apple genes in the crop of origin elevates anthocyanins.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This family-wide study of rosaceous R2R3 MYBs provides insight into the evolution of this plant trait. It has implications for the development of new coloured fruit and flowers, as well as aiding the understanding of temporal-spatial colour change.</p

Quantifying Sources of Variability in Infancy Research Using the Infant-Directed-Speech Preference

Psychological scientists have become increasingly concerned with issues related to methodology and replicability, and infancy researchers in particular face specific challenges related to replicability: For example, high-powered studies are difficult to conduct, testing conditions vary across labs, and different labs have access to different infant populations. Addressing these concerns, we report on a large-scale, multisite study aimed at (a) assessing the overall replicability of a single theoretically important phenomenon and (b) examining methodological, cultural, and developmental moderators. We focus on infants’ preference for infant-directed speech (IDS) over adult-directed speech (ADS). Stimuli of mothers speaking to their infants and to an adult in North American English were created using seminaturalistic laboratory-based audio recordings. Infants’ relative preference for IDS and ADS was assessed across 67 laboratories in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia using the three common methods for measuring infants’ discrimination (head-turn preference, central fixation, and eye tracking). The overall meta-analytic effect size (Cohen’s d) was 0.35, 95% confidence interval = [0.29, 0.42], which was reliably above zero but smaller than the meta-analytic mean computed from previous literature (0.67). The IDS preference was significantly stronger in older children, in those children for whom the stimuli matched their native language and dialect, and in data from labs using the head-turn preference procedure. Together, these findings replicate the IDS preference but suggest that its magnitude is modulated by development, native-language experience, and testing procedure

Accommodating Learners With Dyslexia in English Language Teaching in Sri Lanka : teachers' knowledge, attitudes and challenges

As it is estimated that 10% of the world population has dyslexia or related learning difficulties, it is vital for language teachers to have a thorough understanding of such difficulties and of inclusive teaching techniques. It is believed that teacher training can increase teachers’ knowledge of dyslexia and inclusion, inculcate positive attitudes among them on inclusion and increase their self-efficacy beliefs. The study discussed in this paper analysed if a teacher training programme aimed at a group of ELT professionals in Sri Lanka could do the same and also the challenges that they would face in introducing inclusive practices into their context. A questionnaire and interview data revealed that the teacher training programme was able to change teachers’ negative attitudes towards dyslexia, increase their knowledge of dyslexia and inclusive practices and increase their readiness to implement inclusive classroom techniques. The findings also revealed that institutional barriers such as a rigid examination system and lack of flexibility in the curriculum may hinder how inclusive practices are implemented. In addition, negative socio-cultural ideology and some practical classroom problems may also affect implementation