Environmental and molecular analysis of the floral transition in the lower eudicot Aquilegia formosa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Flowering is a critical transition in plant development, the timing of which can have considerable fitness consequences. Until recently, research into the genetic control of flowering time and its associated developmental changes was focused on core eudicots (for example, Arabidopsis) or monocots (for example, <it>Oryza</it>). Here we examine the flowering response of <it>Aquilegia formosa</it>, a member of the eudicot order Ranunculales that is emerging as an important model for the investigation of plant ecology and evolution.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have determined that <it>A. formosa </it>has a strong vernalization requirement but little or no photoperiod response, making it a day neutral (DN) plant. Consistent with this, the <it>Aquilegia </it>homolog of <it>FLOWERING LOCUS T </it>(<it>AqFT</it>) is expressed in both long and short days but surprisingly, the locus is expressed before the transition to flowering. <it>In situ </it>hybridizations with homologs of several Arabidopsis Floral Pathway Integrators (FPIs) do not suggest conserved functions relative to Arabidopsis, the potential exceptions being <it>AqLFY </it>and <it>AqAGL24.2</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In <it>Aquilegia</it>, vernalization is critical to flowering but this signal is not strictly required for the transcriptional activation of <it>AqFT</it>. The expression patterns of <it>AqLFY </it>and <it>AqAGL24.2 </it>suggest a hypothesis for the development of <it>Aquilegia</it>'s determinate inflorescence whereby their differential expression controls the progression of each meristem from inflorescence to floral identity. Interestingly, none of the <it>Aquilegia </it>expression patterns are consistent with a function in floral repression which, combined with the lack of a <it>FLC </it>homolog, means that new candidate genes must be identified for the control of vernalization response in <it>Aquilegia</it>.</p

Nanomaterials for stimulating nerve growth

Despite recent advances in supportive care for spinal cord injury (SCI), there is a great need for treatments that can improve the neurological outcome (1). After SCI, there is essentially no regrowth of axons beyond the point of the lesion, leaving intact, although nonfunctional, circuits below the site of injury. We discuss the potential for functional recovery from SCI by using nanomaterials to restore these dysfunctional circuits through a combination of artificial connections and devices to help stimulate motor and sensory recovery

Lifestyle at Time of COVID-19: How Could Quarantine Affect Cardiovascular Risk

COVID-19 is causing a global pandemic with a high number of deaths and infected people. To contain the diffusion of COVID-19 virus, governments have enforced restrictions on outdoor activities or even collective quarantine on the population. Quarantine carries some long-term effects on cardiovascular disease, mainly related to unhealthy lifestyle and anxiety

In the Light of Evolution: A Reevaluation of Conservation in the CO–FT Regulon and Its Role in Photoperiodic Regulation of Flowering Time

In order to maximize reproductive success, plants have evolved different strategies to control the critical developmental shift marked by the transition to flowering. As plants have adapted to diverse environments across the globe, these strategies have evolved to recognize and respond to local seasonal cues through the induction of specific downstream genetic pathways, thereby ensuring that the floral transition occurs in favorable conditions. Determining the genetic factors involved in controlling the floral transition in many species is key to understanding how this trait has evolved. Striking genetic discoveries in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) and Oryza sativa (rice) revealed that similar genes in both species control flowering in response to photoperiod, suggesting that this genetic module could be conserved between distantly related angiosperms. However, as we have gained a better understanding of the complex evolution of these genes and their functions in other species, another possibility must be considered: that the genetic module controlling flowering in response to photoperiod is the result of convergence rather than conservation. In this review, we show that while data clearly support a central role of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) homologs in floral promotion across a diverse group of angiosperms, there is little evidence for a conserved role of CONSTANS (CO) homologs in the regulation of these loci. In addition, although there is an element of conserved function for FT homologs, even this component has surprising complexity in its regulation and evolution

Bridging pro-inflammatory signals, synaptic transmission and protection in spinal explants in vitro

Multiple sclerosis is characterized by tissue atrophy involving the brain and the spinal cord, where reactive inflammation contributes to the neurodegenerative processes. Recently, the presence of synapse alterations induced by the inflammatory responses was suggested by experimental and clinical observations, in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse model and in patients, respectively. Further knowledge on the interplay between pro-inflammatory agents, neuroglia and synaptic dysfunction is crucial to the design of unconventional protective molecules. Here we report the effects, on spinal cord circuits, of a cytokine cocktail that partly mimics the signature of T lymphocytes sub population Th1. In embryonic mouse spinal organ-cultures, containing neuronal cells and neuroglia, cytokines induced inflammatory responses accompanied by a significant increase in spontaneous synaptic activity. We suggest that cytokines specifically altered signal integration in spinal networks by speeding the decay of GABAA responses. This hypothesis is supported by the finding that synapse protection by a non-peptidic NGF mimetic molecule prevented both the changes in the time course of GABA events and in network activity that were left unchanged by the cytokine production from astrocytes and microglia present in the cultured tissue. In conclusion, we developed an important tool for the study of synaptic alterations induced by inflammation, that takes into account the role of neuronal and not neuronal resident cells

Carbon based substrates for interfacing neurons: Comparing pristine with functionalized carbon nanotubes effects on cultured neuronal networks

Pristine (as prepared) carbon nanotube (CNT) based substrates have been widely used to grow and interface neurons in culture. Nerve cells normally differentiate on CNTs and the synaptic networks, newly formed at the interface with this material, usually show an improved robustness in signal transfer. However manipulation of pristine CNTs is often prevented by their low dispersibility and tendency to aggregate in most solvents. This issue can be at least partially solved by adding solubilizing groups to the surface of CNT, which also helps improving their biocompatibility. It becomes therefore of crucial importance to determine whether chemically manipulated CNTs may maintain their performance in improving nerve signaling. Here we study and compare the impact in vitro on neuronal signaling of two classes of chemically modified multiwalled CNTs in reference to pristine CNTs, which are known to be a substrate able to boost neuronal growth and communication. We found that the extent of functionalization and the nature of the functional groups on MWNT sidewalls affect the conductivity and the biological effects of the final derivatives. This information is important for the future design of biointegrated devices

A Long-Term Dynamic Analysis of Heat Pumps Coupled to Ground Heated by Solar Collectors

In agreement with the decarbonization of the building sector to meet the 2050 climate neutrality targets, borehole thermal storage for solar energy represents a potential solution to increase the energy efficiency of renewable energy plants. As is well known, electricity is not the optimum solution to integrate large inflows of fluctuating renewable energy. In the present paper, we investigate the possibility to use the solar collector to give energy to the borehole field. In detail, a solar-assisted geothermal heat pump is applied to a school located in Milan, Italy. In winter, both the energy from the solar collector and the heat pump are collected into a storage tank connected to the emission terminals, whereas, in summer, as there is no energy demand, the hot water from the solar collector flows into the geothermal probes. By means of this seasonal thermal energy storage technology, the intermittent solar energy collected and stored during the summer months can be utilized during the winter months when the heating demand is high. A long-term dynamic analysis is performed by employing Trnsys. The results show that solar collectors coupled with ground-source heat pumps can give an important contribution to the soil temperature drift, and this also applies in cases of un-balanced loads during the heating season. Moreover, the employment of solar collectors increases the seasonal coefficient of performance of the heat pumps and may rise to reductions to the probes field

Sculpting neurotransmission during synaptic development by 2D nanostructured interfaces

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