Structuring the three electric field components of light

International audienceUnless the beam's transverse electric field components are divergence-free in the two-dimensional transverse plane [1], tightly focused light typically leads to a non-negligible longitudinal electric field component [2], where the terms longitudinal and transverse electric field components refer to the components of the electric field that are parallel or perpendicular, respectively, to the direction of the mean Poynting flux. Having a longitudinal electric field component does not add a new degree of freedom, in the sense that all components of the electric and magnetic fields are still fixed by prescribing two electric field components in a plane. However, it is the electric field component parallel to the direction of the Poynting flux that makes it somewhat special

Barley <i>SIX-ROWED SPIKE3</i> encodes a putative Jumonji C-type H3K9me2/me3 demethylase that represses lateral spikelet fertility

The VRS genes of barley control the fertility of the lateral spikelets on the barley inflorescence. Here, Bull et al. show that VRS3 encodes a putative Jumonji C-type histone demethylase that regulates expression of other VRS genes, and genes involved in stress, hormone and sugar metabolism

Characterisation of barley resistance to rhynchosporium on chromosome 6HS

Key Message: Major resistance gene to rhynchosporium, Rrs18, maps close to the telomere on the short arm of chromosome 6H in barley. Rhynchosporium or barley scald caused by a fungal pathogen Rhynchosporium commune is one of the most destructive and economically important diseases of barley in the world. Testing of Steptoe × Morex and CIho 3515 × Alexis doubled haploid populations has revealed a large effect QTL for resistance to R. commune close to the telomere on the short arm of chromosome 6H, present in both populations. Mapping markers flanking the QTL from both populations onto the 2017 Morex genome assembly revealed a rhynchosporium resistance locus independent of Rrs13 that we named Rrs18. The causal gene was fine mapped to an interval of 660 Kb using Steptoe × Morex backcross 1 S₂ and S₃ lines with molecular markers developed from Steptoe exome capture variant calling. Sequencing RNA from CIho 3515 and Alexis revealed that only 4 genes within the Rrs18 interval were transcribed in leaf tissue with a serine/threonine protein kinase being the most likely candidate for Rrs18.Max Coulter, Bianca Büttner, Kerstin Hofmann, Micha Bayer, Luke Ramsay, Günther Schweizer, Robbie Waugh, Mark E. Looseley, Anna Avrov

Natural variation of potato allene oxide synthase 2 causes differential levels of jasmonates and pathogen resistance in Arabidopsis

Natural variation of plant pathogen resistance is often quantitative. This type of resistance can be genetically dissected in quantitative resistance loci (QRL). To unravel the molecular basis of QRL in potato (Solanum tuberosum), we employed the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana for functional analysis of natural variants of potato allene oxide synthase 2 (StAOS2). StAOS2 is a candidate gene for QRL on potato chromosome XI against the oömycete Phytophthora infestans causing late blight, and the bacterium Erwinia carotovora ssp. atroseptica causing stem black leg and tuber soft rot, both devastating diseases in potato cultivation. StAOS2 encodes a cytochrome P450 enzyme that is essential for biosynthesis of the defense signaling molecule jasmonic acid. Allele non-specific dsRNAi-mediated silencing of StAOS2 in potato drastically reduced jasmonic acid production and compromised quantitative late blight resistance. Five natural StAOS2 alleles were expressed in the null Arabidopsis aos mutant under control of the Arabidopsis AOS promoter and tested for differential complementation phenotypes. The aos mutant phenotypes evaluated were lack of jasmonates, male sterility and susceptibility to Erwinia carotovora ssp. carotovora. StAOS2 alleles that were associated with increased disease resistance in potato complemented all aos mutant phenotypes better than StAOS2 alleles associated with increased susceptibility. First structure models of ‘quantitative resistant’ versus ‘quantitative susceptible’ StAOS2 alleles suggested potential mechanisms for their differential activity. Our results demonstrate how a candidate gene approach in combination with using the homologous Arabidopsis mutant as functional reporter can help to dissect the molecular basis of complex traits in non model crop plants

Geochemische und sedimentologische Untersuchungen an rezenten Sedimenten im Berich der Äolischen Inseln

A coordinated geochemical and sedimentological study was made of recent marine sediments which were recovered during "Meteor" Project 22 (April 1971 ), in the vicinity of the Aeolian Islands. These unconsolidated clastic sediments, ranging from clay to gravel, are mostly composed of volcanogenic and pelagic detritus and, areally much more limited, contain crystalline debris derived from Sicily. According to composition, origin and mode of deposition, four sedimentary cnvironments were distinguished: the island flanks and the bay of Vulcano, the floor of the "Canyon di Stromboli", the eastern escarpment of this canyon, and the sea basin northwest of Stromboli. The importance of turbidite cycles, current-sorted horizons, or quietly sedimented pelagic clay, varies from one environment to another. Pyroclastic debris are found in all environments. The chemical analyses show that there are definite relationships between trace element concentrations and the sedimentary environments and, as to be expected, grain-size. Significantly higher copper concentrations are found closer to Vulcano than elsewhere, whereas the zinc content, because of its higher mobility, increases in deeper off-shore environments. Although the submarine fumaroles and thermal springs around Vulcano are known to be the source of metals, it should be emphasized that the predominance of coarse sediments and the absence of reducing conditions near these sources prevent any high concentrations from forming. The relatively turbulent environments, even at depths of over 3000 m (turbidite sequences), are also far from being conducive for metal enrichment