Morphological and functional evolution of gametophytes in epilithic Hymenasplenium murakami-hatanakae (Aspleniaceae): The fifth family capable of producing the independent gametophytes.

The fern independent gametophytes that can maintain populations by vegetative reproduction without conspecific sporophytes have been considered an unusual phenomenon found in some epiphytic or epilithic species of Hymenophyllaceae, Pteridaceae, Lomariopsidaceae, and Polypodiaceae. By chance, the discovery of mysterious strap-like gametophytes on Izu-Oshima Island, Japan, has led to the hypothesis that Hymenasplenium murakami-hatanakae, a fern species belonging to Aspleniaceae, can also form independent gametophytes. Our investigation revealed gametophyte populations of H.

 (Polypodiales, Polypodiaceae), a new species from Shan State of Myanmar.

A new species of the species-rich fern genus (Polypodiales, Polypodiaceae) has been found to occur in Shan state, Myanmar. is described based on morphological characters and phylogenetic evidence. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the specimens of formed a distinct clade nested in the clade.

Molecular prospecting for cryptic species of the Hypholoma fasciculare complex: toward the effective and practical delimitation of cryptic macrofungal species.

Many macrofungal cryptic species remain unidentified. A possible solution is to increase the number of loci analyzed and use rigorous statistics for macrofungal species delimitation. To validate this assumption, cryptic species of the Hypholoma fasciculare complex, a group of common wood-decomposing fungi, were attempted to be delineated.

Strong genetic structure revealed by microsatellite variation in Callicarpa species endemic to the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands.

Adaptive radiation is the diversification of a founding population into multiple taxa that are differentially adapted to diverse ecological niches. The three Callicarpa (Lamiaceae) species endemic to the Bonin Islands are considered to represent an example of adaptive radiation on oceanic islands. All three species are distributed in the Chichijima Island Group and grow in different habitats, while only one species, C.

Origin of the complex (Athyriaceae).

We analyzed the phylogeny of the complex using plastid and low-copy nuclear marker DNA sequences. Based on allele constitution, triploid apogamous species of the complex appeared to have originated from the hybridization of triploid apogamous species and diploid sexual species by recurrent hybridization events. These results suggested that triploid apogamous ferns can achieve hybridization with diploid sexual species by producing diploid spores with irregular meiosis in sporogenesis.

Flower color changes in three Japanese hibiscus species: further quantitative variation of anthocyanin and flavonols.

One anthocyanin and four flavonols were detected from the petals of Hibiscus hamabo, H. tiliaceus and H. glaber.

Environmental factors contribute to the formation and maintenance of the contact zone observed in deciduous broad-leaved tree species in Japan.

Contact zones are defined as areas where populations from different refugia meet during a postglacial expansion and distinct DNA lineages are mixedly distributed. In Japan, contact zones of various plants and animals were reported from the Kinki-Chugoku region. These contact zones appear to be maintained without any drastic topographic barriers such as those observed in the Alps and Pyrenees Mountains.

Low-temperature reduction of brownmillerite CaFeO2.5 in LaAlO3/CaFeO2.5 heterostructures made on SrTiO3.

When LaAlO3/CaFeO2.5 thin-film heterostructures made on SrTiO3 were annealed with CaH2 at low temperatures below 300 °C, the brownmillerite CaFeO2.5 layer was reduced to CaFeO2 with an infinite-layer structure while both the LaAlO3 capping layer and the SrTiO3 substrate remained intact.

Reticulate evolution in the apogamous Dryopteris varia complex (Dryopteridaceae, subg. Erythrovariae, sect. Variae) and its related sexual species in Japan.

Apogamous fern species are often difficult to distinguish from related species because of their continuous morphological variations. To clarify the genetic relationships among the members of the Dryopteris varia complex, we analyzed the nucleotide sequences of the plastid gene rbcL and the nuclear gene PgiC. We also analyzed the diploid sexual species D.

Genetic differentiation and genetic diversity of Castanopsis (Fagaceae), the dominant tree species in Japanese broadleaved evergreen forests, revealed by analysis of EST-associated microsatellites.

The broadleaved evergreen forests of the East Asian warm temperate zone are characterised by their high biodiversity and endemism, and there is therefore a need to extend our understanding of its genetic diversity and phylogeographic patterns. Castanopsis (Fagaceae) is one of the dominant tree species in the broadleaved evergreen forests of Japan. In this study we investigate the genetic diversity, genetic structure and leaf epidermal morphology of 63 natural populations of C.

Genetic differentiation in Elaeocarpus photiniifolia (Elaeocarpaceae) associated with geographic distribution and habitat variation in the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands.

Gene flow between populations in different environmental conditions can be limited due to divergent natural selection, thus promoting genetic differentiation. Elaeocarpus photiniifolia, an endemic tree species in the Bonin Islands, is distributed in two types of habitats, dry scrubs and mesic forests. We aim to elucidate the genetic differentiation in E.

Geographical origin and sexual-system evolution of the androdioecious plant Gynochthodes boninensis (Rubiaceae), endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan.

Gynochthodes boninensis is a woody climber endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan. It is characterized by an androdioecious sexual system, which is rare in angiosperms. We conducted a molecular phylogenetic analysis of 29 taxa including 61 samples from the tribe Morindeae to elucidate the geographical origin of G.

Microsatellite markers for Leucobryum boninense (Leucobryaceae), endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan.

Premise Of The Study: Microsatellite primers were developed for Leucobryum boninense, endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan, to investigate its level of genetic diversity and population genetic structure. •

Methods And Results: Using next-generation sequencing, 21 primer sets were developed, among which nine loci were polymorphic in the populations of the Bonin Islands. Among these polymorphic loci, the number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 10 (mean = 3.

Geographical origin of Leucobryum boninense Sull. & Lesq. (Leucobryaceae, Musci) endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan.

Leucobryum boninense is endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan, and its related species are widely distributed in Asia and the Pacific. We aimed to clarify the phylogenetic relationships among Leucobryum species and infer the origin of L. boninense.

Transmission ratio distortion of molecular markers in a doubled haploid population originated from a natural hybrid between Osmunda japonica and O. lancea.

In ferns, intra-gametophytic selfing occurs as a mode of reproduction where two gametes from the same gametophyte form a completely homozygous sporophyte. Intra-gametophytic selfing is considered to be prevented by lethal or deleterious recessive genes in several diploid species. In order to investigate the modes and tempo of selection acting different developmental stages, doubled haploids obtained from intra-gametophytic selfing within isolated gametophytes of a putative F1 hybrid between Osmunda japonica and O.

Evidence of genetic segregation in the apogamous fern species Cyrtomium fortunei (Dryopteridaceae).

In apogamous ferns, all offspring from a parent are expected to be clonal. However, apogamous 'species' frequently demonstrate a large amount of morphological and genetic variations. Cyrtomium fortunei composed of four varieties (C.

Development of EST-SSR markers for Elaeocarpus photiniifolia (Elaeocarpaceae), an endemic taxon of the Bonin Islands.

Premise Of The Study: Expressed sequence tag (EST)-derived microsatellite markers were developed for Elaeocarpus photiniifolia, an endemic taxon of the Bonin Islands.

Methods And Results: Initially, a complementary DNA (cDNA) library was constructed by de novo pyrosequencing of total RNA extracted from a seedling. A total of 267 primer pairs were designed from the library.

Two types of partial fertility in a diploid population of the fern Thelypteris decursive-pinnata (Thelypteridaceae).

Two types of abnormal sporophytes were observed in a population of diploid Thelypteris decursive-pinnata. Most sporophytes in this population exhibited regular chromosome pairing, resulting in the formation of 30 bivalents in meiosis I; however, they produced abortive spores to various degrees. Some formed large globose spores at low frequencies, most likely to be unreduced diplospores.

Comparative phylogeography of four component species of deciduous broad-leaved forests in Japan based on chloroplast DNA variation.

A phylogeographic study of four tree species (Padus grayana, Euonymus oxyphyllus, Magnolia hypoleuca, and Carpinus laxiflora) growing in Japanese deciduous broad-leaved forests was conducted based on chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) variations. Using nucleotide sequences of 702-1,059 bp of intergenic spacers of cpDNA, 20, 27, eight, and eight haplotypes were detected among 251, 251, 226, and 262 individuals sampled from 67, 79, 75, and 71 populations of the above species, respectively. The geographical pattern of the cpDNA variations was highly structured in each species, and the following three regional populations were genetically highly differentiated among all four species: (1) the Sea of Japan-side area, (2) the Kanto region, and (3) southwestern Japan.

Phylogeography of Phytophagous Weevils and Plant Species in Broadleaved Evergreen Forests: A Congruent Genetic Gap between Western and Eastern Parts of Japan.

The Quaternary climate cycles played an important role in shaping the distribution of biodiversity among current populations, even in warm-temperate zones, where land was not covered by ice sheets. We focused on the Castanopsis-type broadleaved evergreen forest community in Japan, which characterizes the biodiversity and endemism of the warm-temperate zone. A comparison of the phylogeographic patterns of three types of phytophagous weevils associated with Castanopsis (a host-specific seed predator, a generalist seed predator, and a host-specific leaf miner) and several other plant species inhabiting the forests revealed largely congruent patterns of genetic differentiation between western and eastern parts of the main islands of Japan.

Two species of Strobilomyces (Boletaceae, Boletales), S. seminudus and S. hongoi sp. nov. from Japan.

We describe and illustrate two Strobilomyces species, S. seminudus and S. hongoi sp.

Fertility and precocity of Osmunda x intermedia offspring in culture.

The feasibility of later-generation hybrid production in ferns has not been previously studied, although it is a significant factor in relation to reproductive isolation. Osmunda x intermedia, a hybrid between O. japonica and O.

Modeling of the gap junction of pancreatic β-cells and the robustness of insulin secretion.

Pancreatic β-cells are interconnected by gap junctions, which allow small molecules to pass from cell to cell. In spite of the importance of the gap junctions in cellular communication, modeling studies have been limited by the complexity of the system. Here, we propose a mathematical gap junction model that properly takes into account biological functions, and apply this model to the study of the β-cell cluster.

Genetic population structure of Osmunda japonica, rheophilous Osmunda lancea and their hybrids.

Rheophilous Osmunda lancea often hybridizes with a dryland ally, Osmunda japonica, to produce O. x intermedia, forming zonation in riverbanks and the adjacent dryland along flooding frequency clines. This study examined the genetic structure of populations consisting of O.

Phylogeographical patterns of a generalist acorn weevil: insight into the biogeographical history of broadleaved deciduous and evergreen forests.

Background: Climatic changes during glacial periods have had a major influence on the recent evolutionary history of living organisms, even in temperate forests on islands, where the land was not covered with ice sheets. We investigated the phylogeographical patterns of the weevil Curculio sikkimensis (Curculionidae), a generalist seed predator of Fagaceae plants living in both deciduous oak and evergreen forests of Japan. Its genetic structure was compared to that of another host-specific seed predator, C.