Globular Cluster Systems in Brightest Cluster Galaxies: Bimodal Metallicity Distributions and the Nature of the High-Luminosity Clusters

We present new (B,I) photometry for the globular cluster systems in eight Brightest Cluster Galaxies (BCGs), obtained with the ACS/WFC camera on the Hubble Space Telescope. In the very rich cluster systems that reside within these giant galaxies, we find that all have strongly bimodal color distributions All the BCGs show population gradients, with much higher relative numbers of red clusters within 5 kpc of their centers, consistent with their having formed at later times than the blue, metal-poor population. A striking new feature of the color distributions emerging from our data is that for the brightest clusters (M_I < -10.5) the color distribution becomes broad and less obviously bimodal. we suggest that it may be a characteristic of many BCGs. Furthermore, the blue (metal-poor) clusters become progressively redder with increasing luminosity, following a mass/metallicity scaling relation Z ~ M^0.55. We argue that these GCS characteristics are consistent with a hierarchical-merging formation picture in which the metal-poor clusters formed in protogalactic clouds or dense starburst complexes with gas masses in the range 10^7 - 10^10 M_Sun, but where the more massive clusters on average formed in bigger clouds with deeper potential wells where more pre-enrichment could occur.Comment: 48 pages, 24 Figures, PDF, Submitted to Astrophys.J. and refereed. For complete pdf file with better figures, see: http://physwww.mcmaster.ca/%7Eharris/Preprints.htm

Morphological and genetic diversity among peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.) cultivars

The study determined the morphological and genetic diversity among nine cultivars of peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.): ‘Almira’, ‘Asia’, ‘Chocolate’, ‘Citaro’, ‘Granada’, ‘Grapefruit’, ‘Multimentha’, ‘Swiss’ and ‘Variegata’. The leaves of the peppermint cultivars were characterized by substantial variation in morphology and size. The leaves of ‘Multimenth’, ‘Grapefruit‘ and ‘Swiss’ were largest, and those of ‘Swiss’ were considerably elongated. The ‘Almira’ cultivar had the smallest leaves. Although similar leaf morphology was observed in ‘Asia’, ‘Citaro’ and ‘Chocolate’, in ‘Grapefruit’ and ‘Multimentha’ and in ‘Swiss’ and ‘Variegata’, no two cultivars were the same in this respect. Differentiation of tested peppermint cultivars were also confirmed at genetic level. Genetic diversity among tested cultivars ranged from 0.388 to 0.846. The most different were cultivars Almira and Citaro

Zróżnicowanie genetyczne dzikich i uprawnych form rumianku przy wykorzystaniu markerów ISSR

Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rausch. is a wide known herbal plant which has many medical attributes and find applications in pharmacy, nutritional and sanitary industries. Estimating genetic diversity in population is very important to protect variety of chamomile species. The objective of this study was characterization of chamomile germplasm using ISSR markers. Among 20 screened ISSR primers, only 5 produced polymorphic and repeatable fragments. In total primers produced 48 fragments out of which 41 (85.4%) were polymorphic. The average PIC value for the amplification products was 0.340. Based on ISSR markers the genetic similarity matrices were produced. The mean genetic similarity was calculated at 0.653. Present study demonstrated that ISSR markers provided a practical and effective method to evaluate the genetic similarity and relationships of chamomile genotypes. Analyzed chamomile genotypes were characterized by quite high genetic similarity; it suggested that there is necessity to find new sources of genetic diversity in chamomile in wild populations.Celem przeprowadzonych badań była charakterystyka genotypów rumianku wykorzystując markery ISSR. Spośród 20 testowanych starterów ISSR jedynie 5 inicjowało amplifikację polimorficznych i powtarzalnych produktów. Łącznie uzyskano 48 fragmentów, z których 41 (85,4%) było polimorficznych. średnia wartość PIC dla uzyskanych produktów amplifikacji wynosiła 0,340. Wykorzystując markery ISSR, utworzono matryce podobieństwa genetycznego. średnia wartość podobieństwa analizowanych genotypów wynosiła 0,653. Przeprowadzone badania potwierdzają przydatność metody ISSR do oceny podobieństwa genetycznego rumianku. Analizowane genotypy charakteryzowały się wysokim podobieństwem genetycznym, co wskazuje na konieczność poszukiwania nowych źródeł polimorfizmu wśród dzikich gatunków, w celu poszerzenia zmienności genetycznej uprawnych form rumianku

Analiza zróżnicowania genetycznego wśród genotypów Arnica montana L. za pomocą markerów RAPD

Arnica montana L. is one of the most important herbal plants used in medicine, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. The number of studies performed with molecular markers on arnica genotypes is very limited. Because of this fact the aims of presented examination were optimization of protocols DNA isolation from fresh leaves of A. montana and identification of genetic diversity among this plant genotypes. In presented study to obtain pure DNA Plant &amp; Fungi DNA Purification Kit (EURx) were used. To clean obtained DNA long and slow electrophoresis and isolation DNA from gels were used. A. montana genotypes were analyzed using 40 RAPD primers (Operon Technologies), out of which 12 produced high number of polymorphic and repeatable fragments. In total, selected primers produced 120 fragments, among them 111 (92.5%) were polymorphic. The genetic similarity matrices were produced based on RAPD using the Dice’s coefficient. RAPD based genetic similarity was estimated between 0.535 and 0.945. The highest genetic similarity was estimated among GA17 and GA18 genotypes, which are closely located on the obtained dendrogramme.Arnica montana L. jest jedną z najcenniejszych roślin zielarskich wykorzystywanych w medycynie, farmacji i przemyśle kosmetycznym. W dostępnej literaturze liczba doniesień związanych z analizą molekularną arniki jest znikoma, dlatego też celem prezentowanych badań była optymalizacja procesu izolacji DNA ze świeżych liści oraz identyfikacja zróżnicowania genetycznego oparta na markerach RAPD. W prezentowanej pracy w celu uzyskania czystego DNA do izolacji wykorzystano zestaw DNA Plant &amp; Fungi DNA Purification Kit (Euro) oraz oczyszczanie za pomocą długiej elektroforezy w żelu agarozowym. Spośród testowanych 40 starterów RPAD do analiz wybrano 12 generujących stabilne i polimorficzne wzory prążków. Wyselekcjonowane startery amplifikowały 120 fragmentów, spośród których 111 (92,5%) było polimorficznych. Wykorzystujac markery RAPD utworzono matryce podobieństwa genetycznego. średnia wartość podobieństwa analizowanych genotypów wynosiła 0.886. Najwyższy współczynnik podobieństwa genetycznego oszacowano pomiędzy genotypami GA17 i GA18, które ulokowały się blisko siebie na uzyskanym dendrogramie