Molecular and morphological investigations of two new species in Qinia and Cymbella (Bacillariophyceae: Cymbellales) from China.

Molecular data is provided firstly for the newly erected genus Qinia, and the phylogenetic position of the genus Qinia within the Cymbellales is discussed. Despite the presence of apical pore fields bisected by the distal raphe fissure being a very distinctive feature for Qinia, molecular analysis demonstrates this character as homoplasious, having evolved independently in Qinia and Cymbella. Two new species, Qinia hubeii sp.

How sterols affect protoplasts plasma membrane water permeability and their volume under osmotic shock.

Protoplasts isolated from Arabidopsis leaves were used to study the initial stages of the plant cell response to osmotic stress. The role of sterols in these processes was investigated by their extraction from the protoplast plasma membrane in the presence of the oligosaccharide - methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD). Depletion of membrane sterols caused by MβCD treatment did not alter protoplast volume under isosmotic conditions; however, volumes changed significantly when protoplasts were exposed to osmotic stress.

ABA and Melatonin: Players on the Same Field?

In plants, abscisic acid (ABA) and melatonin (MT) are conventionally treated as molecules mitigating stress responses. To understand the mechanisms of ABA-MT interplay, we examined the effects of ABA and MT treatment in ABA and MT loss-of-function mutants of exposed to high light (HL) stress. ABA constantly suppressed encoding N-acetylserotonin methyltransferase in the context of differential responses of other MT biosynthesis genes in both the wild type (WT) and mutants.

Biochemical and Antioxidant Characteristics of (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta) under Various Cultivation Conditions.

The functional state of enrichment cultures of the Chlorophycean strain CAMU MZ-Ch4 under various cultivation conditions was studied. Experiments with different aeration conditions, cultivation durations, and nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in the medium were carried out to evaluate the growth dynamics of the strain and its biochemical characteristics. The contents of chlorophylls, carotenoids, proteins, lipids, retinol, α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, lipid peroxidation products, antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase), and succinate dehydrogenase activity were measured.

CuO Nanoparticles Reduce Toxicity and Enhance Bioaccumulation of Cadmium and Lead in the Cells of the Microalgae .

The removal of pollutants, including heavy metals, from the aquatic environment is an urgent problem worldwide. Actively developing nanotechnology areas is becoming increasingly important for solving problems in the field of the remediation of aquatic ecosystems. In particular, methods for removing pollutants using nanoparticles (NPs) are proposed, which raises the question of the effect of a combination of NPs and heavy metals on living organisms.

Reassessment of pore occlusion in some diatom taxa with re-evaluation of Mereschkowsky (Bacillariophyceae: Cymbellales) and description of two new genera.

In this article, the history and taxonomy of , the type species of the genus , was discussed. We investigated the structure of pore occlusions in and related genera. As a result, we propose a new classification for tectulum-like types of pore occlusions.

The Effects of Selected Extraction Methods and Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents on the Recovery of Active Principles from var. (Rupr. & Maxim.) J. Wen: A Non-Targeted Metabolomics Approach.

The methods and solvents employed in routine extraction protocols essentially impact the composition of the resulting extracts, i.e., the relative abundances of individual biologically active metabolites and the quality and stability of the isolates.

Callus Induction Followed by Regeneration and Hairy Root Induction in Common Buckwheat.

This section describes a set of methods for callus induction followed by the successful regeneration of whole plants and obtaining a culture of transgenic hairy roots from buckwheat plants (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.). Callus induction and regeneration are key steps for many biotechnological, genetic, and breeding approaches, such as genetic modification, production of biologically active compounds, and propagation of valuable germplasm.

BestCRM: An Exhaustive Search for Optimal Cis-Regulatory Modules in Promoters Accelerated by the Multidimensional Hash Function.

The concept of cis-regulatory modules located in gene promoters represents today's vision of the organization of gene transcriptional regulation. Such modules are a combination of two or more single, short DNA motifs. The bioinformatic identification of such modules belongs to so-called NP-hard problems with extreme computational complexity, and therefore, simplifications, assumptions, and heuristics are usually deployed to tackle the problem.

A new species of genus (Bacillariophyta) from Tibet, China.

During the investigation of the freshwater diatoms from Tibet, a monoraphid species was observed from a hot spring near Anduo County, located on a plateau in the central portion of Tibet. This species shares the diagnostic features of , such as the valve bent along the transapical axis, striae uniseriate to biseriate from centre to the apices and areolae with special structures located at the end of each stria. We compared the morphological characters of this new species with the others in this genus and show it to be new; it is named This species has small valves with slightly protracted ends with nearly capitate apices, lanceolate axial area, central area unilaterally expanded to the margin, striae uniseriate to biseriate, but, in some valves, the striae are only uniseriate.

gen. nov.-A New Diatom Genus with Unusual Morphology Split Off from the Genus Bory.

A new naviculoid diatom genus, gen. nov., was described based on a detailed morphological investigation using light and scanning electron microscopy.

The Genus Ehrenberg (Bacillariophyta) from the Transbaikal Area (Russia, Siberia): Description of Seven New Species on the Basis of Morphology and Molecular Data with Discussion of the Phylogenetic Position of .

Seven species from the Transbaikal area, Russia, are described as new for science. These are , , , , , , and . All species are described by original LM and SEM microphotographs and molecular phylogeny.

Colleters in leaves of Mespilus germanica L. (Rosaceae): Micromorphology, histochemistry and fluorescence.

New data on the micromorphology, histochemistry, and fluorescence of colleters on leaf structures at different stages of development (leaf blade, stipules, and petiole) of Mespilus germanica L. are presented. Colleters are found on the tips of the teeth of both young and mature leaf blades and stipules, less often on the petioles.

Genetic Markers for Metabarcoding of Freshwater Microalgae: Review.

The metabarcoding methods for studying the diversity of freshwater microalgae and routine biomonitoring are actively used in modern research. A lot of experience has been accumulated already, and many methodological questions have been solved (such as the influence of the methods and time of sample conservation, DNA extraction and bioinformatical processing). The reproducibility of the method has been tested and confirmed.

Yeast Heterologous Expression Systems for the Study of Plant Membrane Proteins.

Researchers are often interested in proteins that are present in cells in small ratios compared to the total amount of proteins. These proteins include transcription factors, hormones and specific membrane proteins. However, sufficient amounts of well-purified protein preparations are required for functional and structural studies of these proteins, including the creation of artificial proteoliposomes and the growth of protein 2D and 3D crystals.

Effect of Low Light Stress on Distribution of Auxin (Indole-3-acetic Acid) between Shoot and Roots and Development of Lateral Roots in Barley Plants.

Depending on their habitat conditions, plants can greatly change the growth rate of their roots. However, the mechanisms of such responses remain insufficiently clear. The influence of a low level of illumination on the content of endogenous auxins, their localization in leaves and transport from shoots to roots were studied and related to the lateral root branching of barley plants.

Red light-induced inhibition of maize () mesocotyl elongation: evaluation of apoplastic metabolites.

Light is a crucial factor affecting plant growth and development. Besides providing the energy for photosynthesis, light serves as a sensory cue to control the adaptation of plants to environmental changes. We used the etiolated maize (Zea mays ) seedlings as a model system to study the red light-regulated growth.

New and Interesting Taxa from the Diatom Genus Ehrenberg in Shallow, Nearshore Sites on the Eastern Coast of Lake Baikal.

During this investigation, sixteen species from the genus were found in a shallow bay (near Oimur, Kabansky District) located on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal. Eleven of these taxa have been described previously. Five species are described as new to science.

Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents for the Extraction of Triterpene Saponins from var. (Rupr. & Maxim.) J. Wen.

The roots of the medicinal plant are rich in biologically active natural products, with triterpene saponins constituting one of their major groups. These metabolites can be efficiently extracted by methanol and ethanol. Due to their low toxicity, natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) were recently proposed as promising alternative extractants for the isolation of natural products from medicinal plants.

First Insight into the Neuroprotective and Antibacterial Effects of Phlorotannins Isolated from the Cell Walls of Brown Algae and .

Phaeophyceae (brown algae) essentially contribute to biotopes of cold and temperate seas. Their thalli are rich in biologically active natural products, which are strongly and universally dominated with phlorotannins-polyphenols of complex and diverse structure based on multiple differently arranged phloroglucinol units and well known as strong antioxidants with a broad spectrum of biological activities. In the algal cells, phlorotannins can either accumulate in the cytoplasm or can be secreted into the cell wall (CW).

Antioxidant Status and Biotechnological Potential of New (Eustigmatophyceae) Soil Strains in Enrichment Cultures.

The functional state of enrichment cultures of the Eustigmatophycean strains MZ-E3 and MZ-E4 after 25-day cultivation in the BBM medium was studied. The concentrations of chlorophyll , total carotenoids, protein, vitamins A and E, fatty acid peroxidation product content, an antioxidant enzyme, and succinate dehydrogenase activity were measured. MZ-E3 succinate dehydrogenase activity was significantly higher by 2.

Phycobilisomes and Phycobiliproteins in the Pigment Apparatus of Oxygenic Photosynthetics: From Cyanobacteria to Tertiary Endosymbiosis.

Eukaryotic photosynthesis originated in the course of evolution as a result of the uptake of some unstored cyanobacterium and its transformation to chloroplasts by an ancestral heterotrophic eukaryotic cell. The pigment apparatus of Archaeplastida and other algal phyla that emerged later turned out to be arranged in the same way. Pigment-protein complexes of photosystem I (PS I) and photosystem II (PS II) are characterized by uniform structures, while the light-harvesting antennae have undergone a series of changes.

Effects of Vertically Heterogeneous Soil Salinity on Genetic Polymorphism and Productivity of the Widespread Halophyte .

Salinity is one of the environmental factors that affects both productivity and genetic diversity in plant species. Within the soil profile, salinity is a dynamic indicator and significantly changes with depth. The present study examined the effects of the vertical heterogeneity of soil salinity chemistry on the plant height, fresh and dry biomass accumulation, water content, level of genetic polymorphism, and observed and expected heterozygosity in seven populations of halophyte in natural habitats.

Chloride Channel Family in the Euhalophyte (L.) Pall: Cloning of Novel Members SaCLCa2 and SaCLCc2, General Characterization of the Family.

CLC family genes, comprising anion channels and anion/H+ antiporters, are widely represented in nearly all prokaryotes and eukaryotes. CLC proteins carry out a plethora of functions at the cellular level. Here the coding sequences of the SaCLCa2 and SaCLCc2 genes, homologous to Arabidopsis thaliana CLCa and CLCc, were cloned from the euhalophyte Suaeda altissima (L.