Erythroxylum Havanense Research Articles

New cellular T-DNAs in naturally transgenic plants

Naturally transgenic plants represent the result of Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer. T-DNA of soil bacteria Agrobacterium integrated into plants genome is called cellular T-DNA (cT-DNA) [1]. Today, more than 50 species of naturally transgenic plants, or natural GMO (nGMO) are known [2, 3]. The function of cT-DNA in plants remains unknown. It is assumed that the fixation of transgenes could give plants different selective advantages depending on which genes had been integrated into the plant [4]. In order to clarify this issue, it is necessary to study more naturally transgenic plants. Until recently, the list of nGM plants contained less than 2 dozen species, but a search through genomic and transriptomic sequencing data made it possible to more than double this list [2]. In this work, we used the same approach, looking for cT-DNA genes in whole genome sequencing data that have appeared in the NCBI WGS since 2021. We found 14 new species of naturally transgenic plants, among which the most extended cT-DNAs were found in Triadica sebifera, Lonicera japonica, and Lonicera maackii. The cT-DNAs in these species are organized as imperfect inverted repeats. In the genomes of the species Paulownia fortunei, Apocynum venetum, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Erythroxylum havanense, E. densum, E. daphnites, E. cataractarum, Ceriops decandra, Camellia oleifera, Silene uniflora, short cT-DNAs containing only opine synthesis genes were found. We also estimated the approximate age of the cT-DNAs. The first described examples date back to the Late Paleogene, and the process continues to the present. Thus, we can conclude that natural GMOs are a widespread phenomenon, many aspects of which remain unclear, requiring additional research on the topic.
 The article was made with support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation in accordance with agreement No. 075-15-2022-322 dated 22.04.2022 on providing a grant in the form of subsidies from the federal budget of the Russian Federation. The grant was provided for state support for the creation and development of a world-class scientific center, Agrotechnologies for the Future.

Ecología y estructura poblacional del endemismo cubano Tetramicra malpighiarum (Orchidaceae), en el Parque Nacional Desembarco del Granma, Cuba

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>En Cuba se reconocen aproximadamente 315 especies para la familia Orchidaceae, de las cuales son endémicas alrededor de 32 %. Durante 2012 y 2013, se estudió una población del endemismo cubano </span><span>Tetramicra malpighiarum </span><span>(Orchidaceae), en el Parque Nacional Desembarco del Granma, Cuba. Se estudió </span><span>la abundancia de la especie, clases de vida de los individuos (inmaduros y adultos), forófitos sobre los </span><span>que crecían, micrositios que ocupaban en los mismos (tronco, ramas o ramillas), si los individuos estaban </span><span>solitarios o agregados y orientación cardinal que tenían sobre los forófitos. Se encontraron 254 individuos de </span><span>T. malpighiarum</span><span>, distribuidos en 20 forófitos. Por primera vez se localizaron individuos de </span><span>T. malpighiarum </span><span>ocupando otras cinco especies de forófitos, además de </span><span>Malpighia incana </span><span>(Malpighiaceae) y </span><span>Erythroxylum havanense </span><span>(Erythroxylaceae). Fueron adultos 69.3 % de los individuos y en las ramillas crecía 93.7 % de la población. Es similar el número de individuos de </span><span>T. malpighiarum </span><span>creciendo agregados y creciendo solitarios. La población muestra una pequeña tendencia a crecer preferentemente con orientaciones sur y noroeste. Este trabajo es una primera aproximación a la ecología poblacional de </span><span>T. malpighiarum</span><span>, pero es fundamental realizar estudios genéticos y demográficos a largo plazo, que permitan monitorear el comportamiento poblacional y </span><span>reproductivo de este endémico cubano, y averiguar los niveles de endogamia y variabilidad genética de los individuos, para conocer su posible comportamiento y permanencia en el futuro.</span></p></div></div></div>

Growth and Survival of a Tropical Polyphagous Caterpillar: Effects of Host and Group Size

Abstract. An experiment at Estacion de Biologia Chamela in western Mexico addressed the consequences of social behavior on growth and survival of Hylesia lineata Druce caterpillars. Three of the primary hosts (Casearia corymbosa HBK, Thouinia paucidentata Radlk., and Erythroxylum havanense Jacq.) were used as experimental plants. Because caterpillars usually build shelters with leaves from their hosts, it was suspected that differences in leaf size, leaf form, and branching pattern among hosts could promote contrasting effects on larval performance. In addition, H. lineata caterpillar colonies usually are formed of dozens to hundreds of individuals, suggesting strong differences in larval performance because of group size and social interactions. During a period of 21 days, accumulation of larval biomass was greater on C. corymbosa than on T. paucidentata or E. havanense. Group size had a strong effect on growth of H. lineata larvae. Caterpillars accumulated more biomass when kept in larger groups than in...

Male sterility, fitness gain curves and the evolution of gender specialization from distyly in Erythroxylum havanense

The evolution of dioecy from a monomorphic hermaphroditic condition requires two mutations, one producing females and one producing males. Conversely, a single mutation sterilizing one sexual function in one morph of distylous species would result in functional dioecy because such a mutation also affects the complementary function in the other morph. In this study, we tested these ideas with Erythroxylum havanense, a distylous species with morph-biased male sterility. Based on sex allocation theory we evaluated whether the invasion of thrum females is favoured over the maintenance of this morph cosexuals. Completely male sterile thrum plants obtained higher fitness returns than hermaphrodites or partial male sterile individuals of the same morph, thus favouring the invasion of female thrum plants. We concluded that because fruit production of pin individuals depends on the pollen produced by thrum plants, the invasion of thrum females would result on the evolution of functional dioecy.

Pre-dispersal seed predation reduces the reproductive compensatory advantage of thrum individuals in Erythroxylum havanense (Erythroxylaceae)

Male-sterility mutations in hermaphroditic species represent the first step in the evolution of gender specialization. Male-sterile individuals commonly compensate the loss of the male function by increasing the number or quality of seeds. Because the magnitude of compensation determines the maintenance of females within populations and the evolution of sexual specialization, plant-animal interactions may affect these evolutionary processes if animals are sensitive to such reproductive asymmetries. Here we explore the effect of seed predation on the reproductive compensation of Erythroxylum havanense, a distylous shrub with morph-biased partial male sterility, during two consecutive years. Seed predation reduced the compensatory advantage of thrums in 1987, but not in 1988. Annual differences in the intensity of seed predation seem to be accounted for differences in the onset and synchrony of flowering. Thus, although seed predators may reduce the compensatory advantage of thrums, their impact is modulated by the environmental cues triggering flowering and insect emergence.

Patterns of male sterility within and among populations of the distylous shrub Erythroxylum havanense (erythroxylaceae)

Distyly, a reproductive system characterized by the presence of long-styled (thrum). and short-styled (pin) individuals within a population, has been repeatedly used as a model for the study of the evolution of the reproductive systems in plants. Erythroxylum havanense is a distylous species in which most thrum plants fail to develop a fertile androecium, thus behaving as male-sterile or partially male-sterile plants. Short-styled (thrum) individuals have an increased performance as female parents, thereby compensating for their loss of male fitness. Previous studies of populations within close proximity to each other suggest that E. havanense may be involved in a process of gender specialization in which, unlike other heterostylous species, thrum plants are specializing as females and pins (long-styled) as males. In this paper we describe more general patterns of male sterility, one of the first steps in the evolution of gender specialization, among populations of the distylous shrub Erythroxylum havanense. Pollen germination differed among populations (range 0.52 ± 0.03 to 0.06 ± 0.04), and between morphs. Pollen from pin plants was almost two times (1.89) as fertile as that from thrums (0.36 ± 0.03 and 0.19 ± 0.03, pin and thrums respectively). Thrums were significantly more male sterile in four out of five populations. The population where differences between the floral morphs were not apparent showed the lowest levels of pollen fertility. Accordingly, our results indicate that populations of E. havanense show marked differences in pollen fertility and higher male sterility associated with the thrum morph. We hypothesize that differences between morphs could be explained if restorers of male sterility are linked to the distyly haplotype, while differences in genes associated with male sterility could explain the variation among populations. Overall, the prevalence of thrum-biased male sterility across populations suggests that E. havanense is subject to a process of gender specialization.

Local genetic differentiation among populations of the mass‐flowering tropical shrub Erythroxylum havanense (Erythroxylaceae)

This study is aimed to understand the role of life-history traits in determining the genetic structure of populations. We used Erythroxylum havanense, a distylous shrub with synchronous and massive patterns of flowering and fruiting. We suggest that the high concentration of ephemeral resources produced by mass flowering satiates both pollinators and frugivores, restricting gene flow and leading to genetic differentiation among populations. Using random amplified polymorphic DNAs as genetic markers, we estimated genetic diversity and structure statistics to quantify the amount and distribution of genetic variation within and among five populations from the Pacific coast of Mexico. High levels of genetic variation within populations and significant differentiation among populations located very near to each other were found. Furthermore, spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated the presence of significant genetic structure at short spatial distances. We suggest that by influencing the foraging behavior of pollinators and frugivores, mass flowering may produce the observed patterns of genetic structure, while small differences in flowering or fruiting phenology could further reinforce the isolation of nearby populations.

Environmentally induced variation in fecundity compensation in the morph‐biased male‐sterile distylous shrub Erythroxylum havanense (Erythroxylaceae)

The evolution of male-sterile individuals in hermaphroditic species represents the first step in the evolution of sex specialization. For male-sterile individuals to persist they must have some fitness advantage that compensates for their loss of the male function. Female fecundity also depends on environmental factors as those determining the likelihood of pollination and fertilization. Here we assessed the effects of both male sterility and reproductive synchrony (an environmentally affected trait) on the magnitude of female compensation of Erythroxylum havanense, a distylous shrub with morph-biased male sterility. In vitro measurements of pollen germination showed that thrums were more male sterile than pins. The compensatory advantage of thrums changed by a factor of five depending on flowering synchrony. Flowering in synchrony with the population increased fruit production in both morphs. However, because pins that flowered out of synchrony produced almost no fruits, the reproductive compensation of thrums was higher in these circumstances. Because the magnitude of compensation is frequently considered as a key factor in the evolution of sex specialization, the environmentally induced variation in the magnitude of the reproductive compensation of thrum plants may have profound effects on the evolutionary dynamics of the reproductive system of E. havanense.

Herbal mixtures in the traditional medicine of Eastern Cuba

Herbal mixtures in the traditional medicine of Eastern Cuba. Traditional herbal mixtures in Eastern Cuba are investigated through interviews with 130 knowledgeable people and traditional healers of the provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Guantánamo. One hundred seventy plant species and other products are used in 199 formulas, galones being the more complex. Cocos nucifera L. (Arecaceae), Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae), Cissus sicyoides L. (Vitaceae), Erythroxylum havanense Jacq. (Erythroxylaceae) and Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl. (Verbenaceae) are the species most frequently cited. The ecological distribution of the taxa and cultural and anthropological aspects of mixtures are highlighted; particularly American and African influences that have shaped local knowledge about plant combinations are discussed.

Parental effects and gender specialization in a tropical heterostylous shrub.

Male sterility in hermaphroditic species may represent the first step in the evolution toward dioecy. However, gender specialization will not proceed unless the male-sterile individuals compensate for fitness lost through the male function with an increase in fitness through the female function. In the distylous shrub Erythroxylum havanense, thrum plants are partially male-sterile. Using data collected throughout eight years, we investigated whether thrum individuals have an increased performance as female parents, thereby compensating for their loss of male fitness. We found that thrum plants outperformed pins in the probabilities of seed maturation and germination and long-term growth of the seedlings. In turn, pollen from pin plants achieved greater pollen tube growth rates. Our results suggest that the superior performance of the progeny of thrum maternal plants is a consequence of better seed provisioning via effects of the maternal environment, cytotype or nuclear genes. Overall, our results suggest that E. havanense is evolving toward a dioecious state through a gynodioecious intermediate stage. This evolutionary pathway is characterized by an unusual pattern of gender dimorphism with thrums becoming females and pins becoming males. We propose that this pattern may be better explained by the interaction between male-sterility cytoplasmic genes and the heterostyly supergene.

PARENTAL EFFECTS AND GENDER SPECIALIZATION IN A TROPICAL HETEROSTYLOUS SHRUB

Male sterility in hermaphroditic species may represent the first step in the evolution toward dioecy. However, gender specialization will not proceed unless the male-sterile individuals compensate for fitness lost through the male function with an increase in fitness through the female function. In the distylous shrub Erythroxylum havanense, thrum plants are partially male-sterile. Using data collected throughout eight years, we investigated whether thrum individuals have an increased performance as female parents, thereby compensating for their loss of male fitness. We found that thrum plants outperformed pins in the probabilities of seed maturation and germination and long-term growth of the seedlings. In turn, pollen from pin plants achieved greater pollen tube growth rates. Our results suggest that the superior performance of the progeny of thrum maternal plants is a consequence of better seed provisioning via effects of the maternal environment, cytotype or nuclear genes. Overall, our results suggest that E. havanense is evolving toward a dioecious state through a gynodioecious intermediate stage. This evolutionary pathway is characterized by an unusual pattern of gender dimorphism with thrums becoming females and pins becoming males. We propose that this pattern may be better explained by the interaction between male-sterility cytoplasmic genes and the heterostyly supergene.Corresponding Editor: T. Markow

Morph‐biased male sterility in the tropical distylous shrub Erythroxylum havanense (Erythroxylaceae)

This study explores whether ecological factors, such as pollinators and pollen flow, or variation in pollen and ovule development account for the observed differences (approximately twofold) in the reproductive output of pin and thrum individuals of Erythroxylum havanense. The importance of ecological factors was assessed by means of comparison of the identity of pollinators and the rates of flower visitation, and by performing controlled hand pollinations and measurements of fruit set. In addition, we described the pollen and ovule development of thrum and pin individuals. Our results indicate that pollinators of E. havanense do not distinguish between floral morphs. The differences in fruit set between pin and thrum plants held even after hand pollination and, therefore, the observed differences in reproductive output between floral morphs of E. havanense cannot be explained in terms of asymmetrical pollen flow. There were no differences in the pattern of gynoecium development between the pin and thrum morphs, however androecium development showed marked differences between the morphs, and there was a resemblance between the developmental pathways leading to male sterility of the thrum morph of E. havanense with that of species with cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS).

Embriología de Erythroxylum havanense Jacq. (Erythroxylaceae)

Se estudió el desarrollo de las estructuras reproductoras de los morfos pin y thrum de Erythroxylum havanense. La pared de la antera joven presenta una epidermis, un endotecio, una capa media bi- o triestratificada y un tapete secretor binucleado. La pared de antera madura sólo presenta una epidermis y un endotecio. Las tétradas de microsporas son tetrahédricas o isobilaterales. Los granos de polen son tricolporados, bicelulares y con reservas de almidón. Se observaron diferencias en la escultura de la exina entre el polen thrum y pin, siendo verrugada en el morfo thrum y reticulada en el morfo pin. El óvulo es sésil, pendulado, anátropo, bitégmico y crasinucelado. El saco embrionario es heptacelular. Se diferencia un endotelio. El desarrollo del endospermo es nuclear y la parte basal de la nucela persiste durante el desarrollo temprano del endospermo. Ambos tegumentos forman la cubierta seminal.

Fruit removal and postdispersal survivorship in the tropical dry forest shrub Erythroxylum havanense: ecological and evolutionary implications.

We studied the relationship between the removal rate and the spatiotemporal availability of ripe fruits of the tropical deciduous shrub Erythroxylum havanense in western Mexico. We also evaluated the effects of dispersal on seed survival during the first stages of establishment. Fast and early dispersal should be favored in E. havanense, since propagules have more time to grow and accumulate resources before the beginning of the severe dry season. In general, high rates of fruit removal imply faster and earlier dispersal. Thus, plants producing large crops should benefit from high removal rates, which will increase the probability of successful establishment by their progeny. To characterize both individual and population fruiting patterns, we made daily counts of fruits on 51 plants arranged in six clumps of different sizes. The daily number of fruits removed per plant was higher for plants with larger initial crop sizes and larger numbers of ripe fruits on a given day, but decreased as clump size increased. Additionally, we monitored postdispersal survival and germination in an experiment manipulating seed density, distance from adult plants, and seed predation. Early establishment was independent of density or distance, and vertebrate seed predation was the main agent of seed mortality. Our results indicate that the critical variable with respect to fruit removal is the number of fruits a plant produces, large plants having higher dispersal rates. Large plants are also more likely to have more seeds escaping postdispersal seed predation.

Effects of Defoliation on Erythroxylum Havanese, a Tropical Proleptic Species

Proleptic flowering is common among plant species from tropical seasonal forests. In these species flower initiation and anthesis are separated by a prolonged rest period (the unfavorable season), and the two processes are controlled separately. Proleptic species are appropriate for assessing the within— and between—season) effects of herbivory on flowering and reproductive success. We investigated the reproductive consequences of artificial defoliation of the proleptic shrub Erythroxylum havanense, in a seasonal dry forest in western Mexico. Twenty individuals in each of three sites were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: control (no manipulation), and three levels of leaf area removed: 0, 25, and 100%. Plants in the latter three treatments were sprayed with insecticide to prevent additional foliage consumption by natural herbivores. Within a season undamaged plants (control and 0% defoliation) produced from two to four times more seeds than damaged ones (12 and 100% defoliation). In addition, completely defoliated plants exhibited a significant increase in both fruit maturation time (8 d) and average seed mass (9.5%), when compared to the plants in the other treatments. There was no evidence of a trade—off between seed number and seed mass, or between ripening time and seed mass. One year after defoliation, vegetative growth (basal area increment) was reduced only by 100% defoliation. Likewise, flower and fruit production were significantly reduced only in this treatment. Although defoliation reduced seed production in both years, only the first year's reduction was a direct consequence of defoliation. Seed production decline in year 2 was an indirect effect of the reduction in flower number, suggesting that fruit and seed maturation do not depend on resources stored, but on annual production of photosynthates. Plant survival was not affected up to 5 yr after defoliation. Since most of the effects were evident only in the 100% defoliated plants, our results reflect those instances when insect outbreaks occur and E. havanese plants are completely defoliated.

The effects of a multispecies sequential diet on the growth and survival of a tropical polyphagous caterpillar

AbstractHylesia lineata Druce (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) caterpillars are highly polyphagous at the individual level. I examined the effects of a multispecies sequential diet on the performance of the larvae. The experiment included three natural hosts respectively – Casearia corymbosa HBK, Thouinia paucidentata Radlk., and Erythroxylum havanense Jacq – used by ovipositing females in proportion as expected by their abundance; C. corymbosa and E. havanense representing the most and least abundant hosts respectively. All possible two‐host and single‐host diets were tested. Larval survival to the pupal stage (as protected by a field cage) did not differ among all diets. Also, for females, regardless of the identity of the initial host, the final weight and the developmental time depended entirely on the nature of the final host. Male performance, in contrast, only differed in terms of developmental time but again the initial host did not affect the final result. It was concluded that a host switch early in the development of the caterpillars does not affect further growth on the other host plants. Caterpillars that finished their development on E. havanense reached small sizes but females devoted a larger proportion of their resources to egg biomass; as a result female fertility was similar among females regardless of their feeding history. I concluded that the caterpillar's abilities and the female compensatory flexibility may oppose selection for a strong preference hierarchy in the female ovipositing behavior.