New microsatellite loci for annatto (Bixa orellana), a source of natural dyes from Brazilian Amazonia

Annatto (Bixa orellana) is a tropical crop native to the Americas with Amazonia as the likely center of origin of domestication. Annatto is important because it produces the dye bixin, which is widely used in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic and textile industries. A total of 32 microsatellite loci were isolated from a microsatellite-enriched genomic library, of which 12 polymorphic loci were used to characterize four populations of B. orellana and B. orellana var. urucurana, the wild relative. Higher genetic diversity estimates were detected for the wild populations when compared to the cultivated populations. Also, higher apparent outcrossing rates were found for the two wild than the cultivated populations. These results indicate a mixed mating system for the species. All markers described herein have potential to be used in further studies evaluating the genetic diversity, population dynamics, domestication, breeding, and conservation genetics of annatto. © 2018, Brazilian Society of Plant Breeding. All rights reserved

Expert range maps of global mammal distributions harmonised to three taxonomic authorities

AimComprehensive, global information on species' occurrences is an essential biodiversity variable and central to a range of applications in ecology, evolution, biogeography and conservation. Expert range maps often represent a species' only available distributional information and play an increasing role in conservation assessments and macroecology. We provide global range maps for the native ranges of all extant mammal species harmonised to the taxonomy of the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) mobilised from two sources, the Handbook of the Mammals of the World (HMW) and the Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World (CMW).LocationGlobal.TaxonAll extant mammal species.MethodsRange maps were digitally interpreted, georeferenced, error-checked and subsequently taxonomically aligned between the HMW (6253 species), the CMW (6431 species) and the MDD taxonomies (6362 species).ResultsRange maps can be evaluated and visualised in an online map browser at Map of Life (mol.org) and accessed for individual or batch download for non-commercial use.Main conclusionExpert maps of species' global distributions are limited in their spatial detail and temporal specificity, but form a useful basis for broad-scale characterizations and model-based integration with other data. We provide georeferenced range maps for the native ranges of all extant mammal species as shapefiles, with species-level metadata and source information packaged together in geodatabase format. Across the three taxonomic sources our maps entail, there are 1784 taxonomic name differences compared to the maps currently available on the IUCN Red List website. The expert maps provided here are harmonised to the MDD taxonomic authority and linked to a community of online tools that will enable transparent future updates and version control

Control of carotenoid gene expression in Bixa orellana L. leaves treated with norflurazon

Bixa orellana (annatto or lipstick tree) is a perennial tropical plant that stores and produces considerable quantities of the apocarotenoid bixin, a culturally and economically important pigment used worldwide. However, the mechanisms underlying the gene regulation and pigment accumulation of bixin and carotenoids in annatto remain unknown. Bixin is present in the different tissues of the plant, although this pigment is primarily accumulated in the seed coat. Thus, the leaves are useful organs for understanding carotenoid and bixin production, thereby facilitating the study of this pigment, which would otherwise be difficult in ligneous adult plants. To study the regulation of bixin synthesis and to determine which genes are important regulatory molecules at the transcription level, the herbicide norflurazon (NF) was used to block carotenoid synthesis and bixin concentrations in B. orellana leaves. The genes activated in the early stages of the carotenoid pathway are involved in lycopene production (dxs, psy and pds), and those induced in the later stages of the carotenoid pathway, such as β and ε-lycopene cyclases and boccd1, were differentially expressed compared with the control. The expression of some genes was more susceptible to certain concentrations of NF, potentially reflecting the roles of these genes in carotenoid synthesis in B. orellana. These results suggest that apocarotenoids, such as bixin, are synthesized using alternative precursors through the actions of genes that have not yet been identified