Leiodinychus orbicularis (C.L. Koch, 1839) in bat boxes in Poland

The presented studies are the first one on the occurrence of mites in bat boxes and focuses on Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata). Investigation was carried out in Western Poland in October 2015. Guano was collected from 58 bat boxes occupied by 10 species of bats. Excrements from particular bat boxes were placed separately in string bags and transported to the laboratory. The extracted fauna was preserved in 75% ethanol and mites were identified with stereoscopic light microscope. The study revealed only one species of Uropodina mite on bat guano in the studied bat boxes, namely Leiodinychus orbicularis (C.L. Koch, 1839). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.383591

Zimnotłoczone oleje: lniany (wysoko- i niskolinolenowy) i rzepakowy. Który wybrać?

The study aimed at comparing two types of flaxseed oil (high- and low linolenic) and rape-seed oils, cold pressed, which have recently gained in popularity in Poland. The studies included evaluation of chemical quality by analysis of acid, peroxide and iodine values and determination of the fatty acid composition. The values that determine the oil quality were varied, e.g. the acid value ranged between 2,1 and 2,9 mg KOH/g, peroxide value between 0,7 and 1,3 meqO2/kg and iodine value between 113,7 and 179,1 g/100g for the tested oils. The fatty acid composition for all three oils were also different – low-linelonic flaxseed oil had about 70% of linolenic acid (LA), hgh0linolenic flaxseed oil had about 55% of alpha linolenic acid (ALA), while rapeseed oil had about 65% of oleic acid (OA). Chromatographic analysis also showed elevated levels of erucic acids in the rapeseed oil as compared with flaxseed oils. The necessity of dietary supplementation in omega-3 fatty acids for maintaining health was also presented.Celem pracy było porównanie olejów lnianych (wysoko- i niskolinolenowego) oraz rze-pakowego tłoczonych na zimno, które w ostatnich latach stały się popularne na polskich stołach. Badania obejmowały ocenę jakości chemicznej poprzez analizę liczby kwasowej, nadtlenkowej i liczby jodowej oraz określenie składu kwasów tłuszczowych. Wyniki wartości liczb określających jakość olejów były na różnym poziomie, np. liczba kwasowa wahała się od 2,1 do 2,9 mg KOH/g, liczba nadtlenkowa od 0,7 do 1,3 meqO2/kg, a liczba jodowa w zakresie od 113,7 do 179,1 g/100g dla badanych olejów. Składy kwasów tłuszczowych dla wszystkich trzech olejów były różne, olej lniany niskolinolenowy posiadał ok. 70% kwasu linolowego (LA), olej lniany wysokolinolenowy posiadał ok. 55% kwasu alfa linolenowego (ALA), a olej rzepakowy posiadał ok. 65% kwasu oleinowego (OA). Analiza chromatogra-ficzna wykazała również podwyższoną zawartość kwasu erukowego w oleju rzepakowym w porównaniu do olejów lnianych. Analizie poddano konieczność suplementacji diety kwasami omega-3 pod kątem właściwości prozdrowotnych

Candidate Domestication-Related Genes Revealed by Expression Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping of Narrow-Leafed Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.)

The last century has witnessed rapid domestication of the narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) as a grain legume crop, exploiting discovered alleles conferring low-alkaloid content (iucundus), vernalization independence (Ku and Julius), and reduced pod shattering (lentus and tardus). In this study, a L. angustifolius mapping population was subjected to massive analysis of cDNA ends (MACE). The MACE yielded 4185 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for linkage map improvement and 30,595 transcriptomic profiles for expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping. The eQTL highlighted a high number of cis- and trans-regulated alkaloid biosynthesis genes with gene expression orchestrated by a regulatory agent localized at iucundus locus, supporting the concept that ETHYLENE RESPONSIVE TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR RAP2-7 may control low-alkaloid phenotype. The analysis of Ku shed light on the vernalization response via FLOWERING LOCUS T and FD regulon in L. angustifolius, providing transcriptomic evidence for the contribution of several genes acting in C-repeat binding factor (CBF) cold responsiveness and in UDP-glycosyltransferases pathways. Research on lentus selected a DUF1218 domain protein as a candidate gene controlling the orientation of the sclerified endocarp and a homolog of DETOXIFICATION14 for purplish hue of young pods. An ABCG transporter was identified as a hypothetical contributor to sclerenchyma fortification underlying tardus phenotype

The Puzzling Fate of a Lupin Chromosome Revealed by Reciprocal Oligo-FISH and BAC-FISH Mapping

Old World lupins constitute an interesting model for evolutionary research due to diversity in genome size and chromosome number, indicating evolutionary genome reorganization. It has been hypothesized that the polyploidization event which occurred in the common ancestor of the Fabaceae family was followed by a lineage-specific whole genome triplication (WGT) in the lupin clade, driving chromosome rearrangements. In this study, chromosome-specific markers were used as probes for heterologous fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to identify and characterize structural chromosome changes among the smooth-seeded (Lupinus angustifolius L., Lupinus cryptanthus Shuttlew., Lupinus micranthus Guss.) and rough-seeded (Lupinus cosentinii Guss. and Lupinus pilosus Murr.) lupin species. Comparative cytogenetic mapping was done using FISH with oligonucleotide probes and previously published chromosome-specific bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones. Oligonucleotide probes were designed to cover both arms of chromosome Lang06 of the L. angustifolius reference genome separately. The chromosome was chosen for the in-depth study due to observed structural variability among wild lupin species revealed by BAC-FISH and supplemented by in silico mapping of recently released lupin genome assemblies. The results highlighted changes in synteny within the Lang06 region between the lupin species, including putative translocations, inversions, and/or non-allelic homologous recombination, which would have accompanied the evolution and speciation

Legume Cytosolic and Plastid Acetyl-Coenzyme—A Carboxylase Genes Differ by Evolutionary Patterns and Selection Pressure Schemes Acting before and after Whole-Genome Duplications

Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase, E.C.6.4.1.2) catalyzes acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylation to malonyl coenzyme A. Plants possess two distinct ACCases differing by cellular compartment and function. Plastid ACCase contributes to de novo fatty acid synthesis, whereas cytosolic enzyme to the synthesis of very long chain fatty acids, phytoalexins, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. The narrow leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) represents legumes, a plant family which evolved by whole-genome duplications (WGDs). The study aimed on the contribution of these WGDs to the multiplication of ACCase genes and their further evolutionary patterns. The molecular approach involved bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library screening, fluorescent in situ hybridization, linkage mapping, and BAC sequencing. In silico analysis encompassed sequence annotation, comparative mapping, selection pressure calculation, phylogenetic inference, and gene expression profiling. Among sequenced legumes, the highest number of ACCase genes was identified in lupin and soybean. The most abundant plastid ACCase subunit genes were accB. ACCase genes in legumes evolved by WGDs, evidenced by shared synteny and Bayesian phylogenetic inference. Transcriptional activity of almost all copies was confirmed. Gene duplicates were conserved by strong purifying selection, however, positive selection occurred in Arachis (accB2) and Lupinus (accC) lineages, putatively predating the WGD event(s). Early duplicated accA and accB genes underwent transcriptional sub-functionalization

A Tale of Two Families: Whole Genome and Segmental Duplications Underlie Glutamine Synthetase and Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxylase Diversity in Narrow-Leafed Lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.)

Narrow-leafed lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) has recently been supplied with advanced genomic resources and, as such, has become a well-known model for molecular evolutionary studies within the legume family—a group of plants able to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. The phylogenetic position of lupins in Papilionoideae and their evolutionary distance to other higher plants facilitates the use of this model species to improve our knowledge on genes involved in nitrogen assimilation and primary metabolism, providing novel contributions to our understanding of the evolutionary history of legumes. In this study, we present a complex characterization of two narrow-leafed lupin gene families—glutamine synthetase (GS) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC). We combine a comparative analysis of gene structures and a synteny-based approach with phylogenetic reconstruction and reconciliation of the gene family and species history in order to examine events underlying the extant diversity of both families. Employing the available evidence, we show the impact of duplications on the initial complement of the analyzed gene families within the genistoid clade and posit that the function of duplicates has been largely retained. In terms of a broader perspective, our results concerning GS and PEPC gene families corroborate earlier findings pointing to key whole genome duplication/triplication event(s) affecting the genistoid lineage

Quantitative Control of Early Flowering in White Lupin (Lupinus albus L.)

White lupin (Lupinus albus L.) is a pulse annual plant cultivated from the tropics to temperate regions for its high-protein grain as well as a cover crop or green manure. Wild populations are typically late flowering and have high vernalization requirements. Nevertheless, some early flowering and thermoneutral accessions were found in the Mediterranean basin. Recently, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) explaining flowering time variance were identified in bi-parental population mapping, however, phenotypic and genotypic diversity in the world collection has not been addressed yet. In this study, a diverse set of white lupin accessions (n = 160) was phenotyped for time to flowering in a controlled environment and genotyped with PCR-based markers (n = 50) tagging major QTLs and selected homologs of photoperiod and vernalization pathway genes. This survey highlighted quantitative control of flowering time in white lupin, providing statistically significant associations for all major QTLs and numerous regulatory genes, including white lupin homologs of CONSTANS, FLOWERING LOCUS T, FY, MOTHER OF FT AND TFL1, PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4, SKI-INTERACTING PROTEIN 1, and VERNALIZATION INDEPENDENCE 3. This revealed the complexity of flowering control in white lupin, dispersed among numerous loci localized on several chromosomes, provided economic justification for future genome-wide association studies or genomic selection rather than relying on simple marker-assisted selection

Leiodinychus orbicularis (C.L. Koch, 1839) in bat boxes in Poland

The presented studies are the first one on the occurrence of mites in bat boxes and focuses on Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata). Investigation was carried out in Western Poland in October 2015. Guano was collected from 58 bat boxes occupied by 10 species of bats. Excrements from particular bat boxes were placed separately in string bags and transported to the laboratory. The extracted fauna was preserved in 75% ethanol and mites were identified with stereoscopic light microscope. The study revealed only one species of Uropodina mite on bat guano in the studied bat boxes, namely Leiodinychus orbicularis (C.L. Koch, 1839). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.383591