A leading-edge scenario in the phylogeography and evolutionary history of East Asian insular in Taiwan and the Philippines.

The cool temperate origin of gymnosperm species in East Asia is specifically diverse and widespread. Certain lineages have managed to extend their distribution further south to subtropical and tropical islands such as Taiwan and the Philippines. To address questions including whether these insular lineages, recently identified as , have become genetically distinct from each other and from their continental relatives, and when and how they colonized their residing islands, we sampled over 11 populations, covering 179 individuals from Taiwan and the Philippines.

Dual Regulation of Cytochrome P450 Gene Expression by Two Distinct Small RNAs, a Novel tasiRNA and miRNA, in Marchantia polymorpha.

The miR390-derived TAS3 trans-acting short-interfering RNAs (tasiRNAs) module represents a conserved RNA silencing pathway in the plant kingdom; however, its characterization in the bryophyte Marchantia polymorpha is limited. This study elucidated that MpDCL4 processes MpTAS3 double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to generate tasiRNAs, primarily from the 5'- and 3'-ends of dsRNA. Notably, we discovered a novel tasiRNA, tasi78A, which can negatively regulate a cytochrome P450 gene, MpCYP78A101.

Flower colour and size-signals vary with altitude and resulting climate on the tropical-subtropical islands of Taiwan.

The diversity of flower colours in nature provides quantifiable evidence for how visitations by colour sensing insect pollinators can drive the evolution of angiosperm visual signalling. Recent research shows that both biotic and abiotic factors may influence flower signalling, and that harsher climate conditions may also promote salient signalling to entice scarcer pollinators to visit. In parallel, a more sophisticated appreciation of the visual task foragers face reveals that bees have a complex visual system that uses achromatic vision when moving fast, whilst colour vision requires slower, more careful inspection of targets.

Adaptation to pollination by fungus gnats underlies the evolution of pollination syndrome in the genus Euonymus.

Background And Aims: Dipteran insects are known pollinators of many angiosperms, but knowledge on how flies affect floral evolution is relatively scarce. Some plants pollinated by fungus gnats share a unique set of floral characters (dark red display, flat shape and short stamens), which differs from any known pollination syndromes. We tested whether this set of floral characters is a pollination syndrome associated with pollination by fungus gnats, using the genus Euonymus as a model.

Allopatric Lineage Divergence of the East Asian Endemic Herb Inferred from Low-Copy Nuclear and Plastid Markers.

The evolutionary histories of ornamental plants have been receiving only limited attention. We examined the origin and divergence processes of an East Asian endemic ornamental plant, . is an understory herb occurring in primary forests, which has been grouped into two varieties.

Development of a petal protoplast transfection system for .

Premise: Transient gene expression systems are powerful tools for studying gene interactions in plant species without available or stable genetic transformation protocols. We optimized a petal protoplast transformation protocol for , a model plant, to study the development of floral symmetry.

Methods And Results: A high yield of petal protoplasts was obtained using a 6-h enzyme digestion in a solution of 1.

Transcriptomic Analysis Suggests Auxin Regulation in Dorsal-Ventral Petal Asymmetry of Wild Progenitor .

The establishment of dorsal-ventral (DV) petal asymmetry is accompanied by differential growth of DV petal size, shape, and color differences, which enhance ornamental values. Genes involved in flower symmetry in have been identified as (), but which gene regulatory network (GRN) is associated with to establish DV petal asymmetry is still unknown. To uncover the GRN of DV petal asymmetry, we identified 630 DV differentially expressed genes (DV-DEGs) from the RNA-Seq of dorsal and ventral petals in the wild progenitor, 'ES'.

Stress associated proteins coordinate the activation of comprehensive antiviral immunity in Phalaenopsis orchids.

Viruses cause severe damage on crops, and identification of key gene(s) that can comprehensively activate antiviral immunity will provide insights for designing effective antiviral strategies. Salicylic acid (SA)-mediated antiviral immunity and RNA interference (RNAi) are two independently discovered antiviral pathways. Previously, we identified the orchid stress-associated protein (SAP), Pha13, which serves as a hub in SA-mediated antiviral immunity.

Evolution of Terpene Synthases in Orchidaceae.

Terpenoids are the largest class of plant secondary metabolites and are one of the major emitted volatile compounds released to the atmosphere. They have functions of attracting pollinators or defense function, insecticidal properties, and are even used as pharmaceutical agents. Because of the importance of terpenoids, an increasing number of plants are required to investigate the function and evolution of terpene synthases (s) that are the key enzymes in terpenoids biosynthesis.

Floral Color Diversity: How Are Signals Shaped by Elevational Gradient on the Tropical-Subtropical Mountainous Island of Taiwan?

Pollinators with different vision are a key driver of flower coloration. Islands provide important insights into evolutionary processes, and previous work suggests islands may have restricted flower colors. Due to both species richness with high endemism in tropical-subtropical environments, and potentially changing pollinator distributions with altitude, we evaluated flower color diversity across the mountainous island of Taiwan in a comparative framework to understand the cause of color diversity.

Silencing of PhLA, a CIN-TCP gene, causes defected petal conical epidermal cell formation and results in reflexed corolla lobes in petunia.

Background: TCP-domain proteins, plant specific transcription factors, play important roles in various developmental processes. CIN-TCPs control leaf curvature in simple leaf species while regulate leaf complexity in compound leaf species. However, the knowledge was largely based on findings in few model species.

Effective pollination of Aeschynanthus acuminatus (Gesneriaceae) by generalist passerines, in sunbird-absent East Asia.

Aeschynanthus (Gesneriaceae), a genus comprising approximately 160 species in subtropical Southeast Asia, has red, tubular flowers, typical of a sunbird pollination syndrome. A. acuminatus, the species that is distributed extending to the northern edge of the genus, where the specialized nectarivorous sunbirds are absent, possesses reddish-green flowers and a wide-open corolla tube, flowering time shifts from summer to winter and the species achieves high fruiting success.

Expression shifts of floral symmetry genes correlate to flower actinomorphy in East Asia endemic Conandron ramondioides (Gesneriaceae).

Background: Bilateral symmetry flower (zygomorphy) is the ancestral state for Gesneriaceae species. Yet independent reversions to actinomorphy have been parallelly evolved in several lineages. Conandron ramondioides is a natural radially symmetrical species survived in dense shade mountainous habitats where specialist pollinators are scarce.

The Contribution of Neutral and Environmentally Dependent Processes in Driving Population and Lineage Divergence in Taiwania ().

The question of what determines divergence both between and within species has been the central topic in evolutionary biology. Neutral drift and environmentally dependent divergence are predicted to play roles in driving population and lineage divergence. However, neutral drift may preclude adaptation if the rate of gene flow between populations is high.

Integrating a comprehensive DNA barcode reference library with a global map of yews (Taxus L.) for forensic identification.

Rapid and accurate identification of endangered species is a critical component of biosurveillance and conservation management, and potentially policing illegal trades. However, this is often not possible using traditional taxonomy, especially where only small or preprocessed parts of plants are available. Reliable identification can be achieved via a comprehensive DNA barcode reference library, accompanied by precise distribution data.

Phylogenetic analyses of Bradyrhizobium symbionts associated with invasive Crotalaria zanzibarica and its coexisting legumes in Taiwan.

In this study, the genetic diversity and identification of Bradyrhizobium symbionts of Crotalaria zanzibarica, the most widely-distributed invasive legume in Taiwan, and other sympatric legume species growing along riverbanks of Taiwan were evaluated for the first time. In total, 59 and 54 Bradyrhizobium isolates were obtained from C. zanzibarica and its coexisting legume species, respectively.

Organelle Genome Inheritance in Ferns (Athyriaceae, Aspleniineae, Polypodiales).

Organelle genomes of land plants are predominately inherited maternally but in some cases can also be transmitted paternally or biparentally. Compared to seed plants (>83% genera of angiosperms and >12% genera of gymnosperms), plastid genome (plastome) inheritance has only been investigated in fewer than 2% of fern genera, and mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) from only one fern genus. We developed a new and efficient method to examine plastome and mitogenome inheritance in a fern species- (Athyriaceae, Aspleniineae, Polypodiales), and found that plastid and mitochondrial DNAs were transmitted from only the maternal parentage to a next generation.

Morphological characterization of infra-generic lineages in Deparia (Athyriaceae: Polypodiales).

Deparia, including the previously recognized genera Lunathyrium, Dryoathyrium (=Parathyrium), Athyriopsis, Triblemma, and Dictyodroma, is a fern genus comprising about 70 species in Athyriaceae. In this study, we inferred a robust Deparia phylogeny based on a comprehensive taxon sampling (~81% of species) that captures the morphological diversity displayed in the genus. All Deparia species formed a highly supported monophyletic group.

Association between Petal Form Variation and -like Genotype in a Hybrid Line of .

This study used three-dimensional (3D) micro-computed tomography (μCT) imaging to examine petal form variation in a hybrid cross of between a cultivar with actinomorphic flowers and a variety with zygomorphic flowers. The major objectives were to determine the genotype-phenotype associations between the petal form variation and -like alleles in . () and to morphologically investigate the differences in petal types between actinomorphic and zygomorphic flowers.

From shoot to leaf: step-wise shifts in meristem and KNOX1 activity correlate with the evolution of a unifoliate body plan in Gesneriaceae.

Typical dicots possess equal-sized cotyledons and leaf-bearing shoots topped with a shoot apical meristem (SAM), the source of lateral organs, and where KNOX1 homeobox genes act as key regulators. New World Gesneriaceae show typical cotyledons, whereas Old World Gesneriaceae show anisocotyly, the unequal post-germination growth of cotyledons, and include unifoliate (one-leaf) plants. One-leaf plants show an extremely reduced body plan: the adult above-ground photosynthetic tissue consisting of a single cotyledon, a macrocotyledon enlarged by the basal meristem (BM), but lacking a SAM.

Historical biogeography of the fern genus Deparia (Athyriaceae) and its relation with polyploidy.

The wide geographical distribution of many fern species is related to their high dispersal ability. However, very limited studies surveyed biological traits that could contribute to colonization success after dispersal. In this study, we applied phylogenetic approaches to infer historical biogeography of the fern genus Deparia (Athyriaceae, Eupolypods II).

Quantifying floral shape variation in 3D using microcomputed tomography: a case study of a hybrid line between actinomorphic and zygomorphic flowers.

The quantification of floral shape variations is difficult because flower structures are both diverse and complex. Traditionally, floral shape variations are quantified using the qualitative and linear measurements of two-dimensional (2D) images. The 2D images cannot adequately describe flower structures, and thus lead to unsatisfactory discrimination of the flower shape.

MicroRNA396-Targeted SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE Is Required to Repress Flowering and Is Related to the Development of Abnormal Flower Symptoms by the Phyllody Symptoms1 Effector.

Leafy flowers are the major symptoms of peanut witches' broom (PnWB) phytoplasma infection in Catharanthus roseus. The orthologs of the phyllody symptoms1 (PHYL1) effector of PnWB from other species of phytoplasma can trigger the proteasomal degradation of several MADS box transcription factors, resulting in leafy flower formation. In contrast, the flowering negative regulator gene SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE (SVP) was up-regulated in PnWB-infected C.