Publications by authors named "S P DiFazio"
Article Synopsis
- Adaptation to abiotic stress, like salinity, is crucial for the survival of perennial trees, as it impacts their growth and productivity.
- The study focused on Populus tremula x alba, where researchers used laser capture microdissection to analyze the effects of salinity on specific leaf cells, revealing intricate molecular responses.
- Results indicated that salinity triggers protein and metabolite changes in vascular cells, affecting nitrogen metabolism and driving the accumulation of essential storage proteins, highlighting the role of photorespiration in helping trees adapt to stress.
Article Synopsis
- The study explores how water-deficit stress affects the metabolism of different plant cell types, specifically looking at leaf palisade and vascular cells in poplar trees.
- Researchers used advanced techniques like MALDI-MSI to observe unique metabolic changes in these cell types during various stages of water stress and recovery.
- Findings revealed that palisade cells accumulate flavonoids and phenolic metabolites, while vascular cells focus on sugars and fatty acids, emphasizing the importance of cell-type-specific responses in improving plant resilience to environmental stresses.
Community genetics seeks to understand the mechanisms by which natural genetic variation in heritable host phenotypes can encompass assemblages of organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and many animals including arthropods. Prior studies that focused on plant genotypes have been unable to identify genes controlling community composition, a necessary step to predict ecosystem structure and function as underlying genes shift within plant populations. We surveyed arthropods within an association population of Populus trichocarpa in three common gardens to discover plant genes that contributed to arthropod community composition.
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- Transitions in sex chromosome systems can change how sex is determined genetically, but research has mostly focused on a few examples.
- The study examined the change from XY to ZW sex determination in willow trees (Salix exigua), finding that both the Z and W chromosomes originated from the ancestral Y chromosome.
- The new Z chromosome retains some masculine traits from the Y, while the W has lost those traits and gained feminizing factors, suggesting that the evolution of sex chromosomes might be more adaptable than previously thought.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the genus Salix and Populus within the Salicaceae family to better understand the reasons behind their species diversity and the complexities in their evolutionary history.
- Researchers utilized targeted gene sequencing to analyze 787 gene regions, revealing significant phylogenetic conflicts and confirming both some known and new subgeneric relationships within Salix.
- The findings highlight instances of hybridization and rapid diversification, particularly in the Vetrix and Chamaetia subclades, suggesting that both ancient and recent hybridization events have significantly influenced the diversity of these genera.