In the early diverging angiosperm Trithuria submersa TsAG1 and TsAG2 are expressed in different flower organs, including bracts, while TsAG3 is more ovule-specific, probably functioning as a D-type gene. Species of Trithuria, the only genus of the family Hydatellaceae, represent ideal candidates to explore the biology and flower evolution of early diverging angiosperms. The life cycle of T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnvironmental stress significantly affects plant growth, development, and survival. Plants respond to stressors such as temperature fluctuations, water scarcity, nutrient deficiencies, and pathogen attacks through intricate molecular and physiological adaptations. Epigenetic mechanisms are crucial in regulating gene expression in response to environmental stress.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn gymnosperms such as Ginkgo biloba, the arrival of pollen plays a key role in ovule development, before fertilization occurs. Accordingly, G. biloba female plants geographically isolated from male plants abort all their ovules after the pollination drop emission, which is the event that allows the ovule to capture pollen grains.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGene duplication played a fundamental role in eukaryote evolution and different copies of a given gene can be present in extant species, often with expressions and functions differentiated during evolution. We assume that, when such differentiation occurs in a gene copy, this may be indicated by its maintenance in all the derived species. To verify this hypothesis, we compared the histological expression domains of the three β-glucuronidase genes () present in with the GUS evolutionary tree in angiosperms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnthocyanins protect plants against various biotic and abiotic stresses, and anthocyanin-rich foods exert benefits on human health due to their antioxidant activity. Nevertheless, little information is available on the influence of genetic and environmental factors on the anthocyanin content in olive fruits. Based on this consideration, the total anthocyanin content, the genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, and three putative R2R3-MYB transcription factors were evaluated at different ripening stages in the drupes of the Carolea and Tondina cultivars, sampled at different altitudes in the Calabria region, Italy.
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