[Molecular mechanisms of meiotic recombination suppression in plants].

Meiotic recombination not only ensures the stability of chromosome numbers during the sexual reproduction in eukaryotes, but also shuffles the maternal and paternal genetic materials to generate genetic diversity in the gametes. Therefore, meiotic recombination is an important pathway for genetic diversity, which has been considered as a major driving force for species evolution and biodiversity in nature. In most eukaryotes, meiotic recombination is strictly limited, despite the large variation of physical genome size and chromosome numbers among species, but the mechanisms suppressing meiotic recombination remain elusive.

Differences in the stimulation of cyclic electron flow in two tropical ferns under water stress are related to leaf anatomy.

Cyclic electron flow (CEF) plays an important role in photoprotection for angiosperms under environmental stresses. However, ferns are more sensitive to drought and their water transport systems are not as efficient as those of angiosperms, it is unclear whether CEF also contributes to photoprotection in these plants. Using Microsorum punctatum and Paraleptochillus decurrens, we studied the electron fluxes through both photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) under water stress and their leaf anatomies.