Transcriptomic and physiological shade avoidance responses in potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants.

Plants detect competitors in shaded environments by perceiving a reduction in photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and the reduction between the red and far-red light (R:FR) ratio and blue photons. These light signals are detected by phytochromes and cryptochromes, which trigger shade avoidance responses such as shoot and petiole elongation and lead to increased susceptibility to pathogen attack. We studied morphological, anatomical, and photosynthesis differences in potato plants (Solanum tuberosum var.

Functional analysis of polymorphisms in collected in Patagonia.

shows a wide range of natural genetic variation in light responses. Shade avoidance syndrome is a strategy of major adaptive significance that includes seed germination, elongation of vegetative structures, leaf hyponasty, and acceleration of flowering. Previously, we found that the southernmost Arabidopsis accession, collected in the south of Patagonia (Pat), is hyposensitive to light and displays a reduced response to shade light.

Dual role of specific promoter tandem repeats integrating epigenetic silencing with heat response.

Satellites are ubiquitous noncoding tandemly repeated sequences, yet knowledge about their biological relevance is still scarce. In plants, the few described cases point to roles in heterochromatin biology and gene regulation; however, a direct link to plant stress responses is yet to be uncovered. We present evidence that particular non-centromere tandem repeats may display a central regulatory role in the intersection between epigenetic silencing and gene expression in dynamic environments.

Ultra-High-Density QTL Marker Mapping for Seedling Photomorphogenesis Mediating Arabidopsis Establishment in Southern Patagonia.

shows a wide range of genetic and trait variation among wild accessions. Because of its unparalleled biological and genomic resources, Arabidopsis has a high potential for the identification of genes underlying ecologically important complex traits, thus providing new insights on genome evolution. Previous research suggested that distinct light responses were crucial for Arabidopsis establishment in a peculiar ecological niche of southern Patagonia.