matK Gene Research Articles

TAXONOMIC IDENTITY OF ARISAEMA CONDAOENSE (ARACEAE) BASED ON NEW MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR DATA

Arisaema condaoense V.D. Nguyen was described as a new species from Con Dao National Park, Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province, Vietnam in 2000. However, this species has been suspected of being a form of Arisaema roxburghii Kunth, a species widespread in the whole Indochina and Malay Peninsula. This was due to the original description based on dried specimens with male inflorescences only. Morphological characteristics of female inflorescences, which are of taxonomical importance to identify the species, have not been known. In June 2015, we re-sampled the plant in Con Dao National Park with both male and female inflorescences for detailed examination of morphological characteristics. Besides, the matK gene of the chloroplast genome of this species was sequenced to analyse its phylogenetic relationship with other Arisaema species. The gathered morphological and molecular data indicate that A. condaoense is certainly a distinct species, not a synonym of A. roxburghii. The noted morphological characteristics also provide key differences to distinguish A. condaoense from two other morphologically close species of sect. Fimbriata (i.e A. maxwellii from Thailand and A. pierreanum from Vietnam which also share yellow spathes and several other characteristics in common), which are supported by the molecular data. Thus, the species is endemic to Con Dao National Park in Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province, Vietnam. Furthermore, this study allows us revising the description of A. condaoense with, for the first time, supplemental key taxonomic characteristics and illustrating colourful photographs taken from the fresh materials. A key to all eight known Vietnamese species of sect. Fimbriata is also given.

Corydalis ternatifolia belongs to C. sect. Asterostigmata, not C. sect. Incisae (Papaveraceae): Evidence from morphological and phylogenetic study

Corydalis ternatifolia (Papaveraceae), a perennial herb endemic to China, shares morphological similarities with both C. sect. Incisae and C. sect. Asterostigmata, rendering its taxonomic position controversial. In this study, we carried out a detailed morphological comparison of C. ternatifolia with the related species and conducted a phylogenetic analysis of C. ternatifolia and five species from C. sect. Incisae, three species from C. sect. Asterostigmata (including the type species of these two sections), and additional 21 species of Corydalis from 10 other sections. To reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships, sequences of the nuclear NADPH gene and chloroplast DNA (matK gene + trnG intron) were analyzed using Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony. The resulting four phylogenetic trees shared almost identical topology and resolved C. ternatifolia within C. sect. Asterostigmata with strong support. Our results suggested that C. ternatifolia belongs to the C. sect. Asterostigmata. This study has demonstrated that molecular evidence is effective in resolving the sectional placement of Corydalis species with elusive taxonomic position.

Molecular identification of the genus Passiflora (Passifloraceae), in the northern region of Ecuador using the DNA Barcoding method

El género Passiflora o también llamado flor de la pasión, en el Ecuador se tiene registros de 95 especies, en esta investigación se colectaron al azar muestras de especies de este grupo ubicados en la región norte del Ecuador en las provincias de: Pichincha, Santo Domingo, Napo, Tungurahua, Cotopaxi; en pisos altitudinales que van desde los 400 hasta los 2800 m.s.n.m, las muestras fueron identificadas a nivel de especie mediante comparación con vouchers del Herbario Nacional del Ecuador QCNE, para la identificación molecular se extrajo el ADN mediante el método de Doyle y Doyle, seguidamente se amplificó un segmento del gen matK mediante la técnica PCR convencional, los productos PCR fueron secuenciados mediante la técnica Sanger, las secuencias fueron analizadas con las herramientas Blast y Boldsystem para identificar a que especie corresponden, siendo Blast la mejor herramienta para identificación. A continuación se realizó un análisis filogenético utilizando los segmentos del gen matK y la información del segmento rcbL que está disponible en Genbank, se elaboraron 3 árboles uno por cada segmento y uno concatendando los árboles construidos por el segmento matk y el concatenado muestran similitud en la agrupación de especies en concordancia con la morfología.

Ectopic Transplastomic Expression of a Synthetic MatK Gene Leads to Cotyledon-Specific Leaf Variegation.

Chloroplasts (and other plastids) harbor their own genetic material, with a bacterial-like gene-expression systems. Chloroplast RNA metabolism is complex and is predominantly mediated by nuclear-encoded RNA-binding proteins. In addition to these nuclear factors, the chloroplast-encoded intron maturase MatK has been suggested to perform as a splicing factor for a subset of chloroplast introns. MatK is essential for plant cell survival in tobacco, and thus null mutants have not yet been isolated. We therefore attempted to over-express MatK from a neutral site in the chloroplast, placing it under the control of a theophylline-inducible riboswitch. This ectopic insertion of MatK lead to a variegated cotyledons phenotype. The addition of the inducer theophylline exacerbated the phenotype in a concentration-dependent manner. The extent of variegation was further modulated by light, sucrose and spectinomycin, suggesting that the function of MatK is intertwined with photosynthesis and plastid translation. Inhibiting translation in the transplastomic lines has a profound effect on the accumulation of several chloroplast mRNAs, including the accumulation of an RNA antisense to rpl33, a gene coding for an essential chloroplast ribosomal protein. Our study further supports the idea that MatK expression needs to be tightly regulated to prevent detrimental effects and establishes another link between leaf variegation and chloroplast translation.

Fibroblast growth factor-6 enhances CDK2 and MATK expression in microvesicles derived from human stem cells extracted from exfoliated deciduous teeth

Background: Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) are considered one of the most convenient sources of adult stem cells. This study aimed to examine the effect of fibroblast growth factor 6 (FGF-6) on SHEDs and evaluate CDK2 and MATK gene expression in SHED-derived microvesicles (MVs). SHEDs were cultured from deciduous teeth pulp. Methods: SHEDs were divided into two groups: the control group and test groups, with and without FGF-6 supplementation, respectively. After the third passage, SHED proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. MVs were purified and CDK2 and MATK gene expression was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. SHEDs were identified by their positivity for CD90 and CD73, and negativity for CD45 and CD34. Results: SHEDs proliferation in the test group was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.001). mRNA from SHED-derived MVs from the test group exhibited a markedly elevated expression of CDK2 and MATK, (P<0.002 and P<0.005, respectively) in comparison with those of the control group. FGF-6 enhanced the proliferation of SHEDs. Proliferation enhancement is favorable for the production of a large number of stem cells, which will then be beneficial for cell-based therapies. Conclusions: CDK2 and MATK genes in SHED-derived MVs can be used as molecular biomarkers for SHED proliferation.

Fibroblast growth factor-6 enhances CDK2 and MAKT expression in microvesicles derived from human stem cells extracted from exfoliated deciduous teeth

Background: Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) are considered one of the most convenient sources of adult stem cells. This study aimed to examine the effect of fibroblast growth factor 6 (FGF-6) on SHEDs and evaluate CDK2 and MATK gene expression in SHED-derived microvesicles (MVs). SHEDs were cultured from deciduous teeth pulp. Methods: SHEDs were divided into two groups: the control group and test groups, with and without FGF-6 supplementation, respectively. After the third passage, SHED proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. MVs were purified and CDK2 and MATK gene expression was assessed by real time polymerase chain reaction. SHEDs were identified by their positivity for CD90 and CD73, and negativity for CD45 and CD34. Results: SHEDs proliferation in the test group was significantly higher than in the control group (P&lt;0.001). mRNA from SHED-derived MVs from the test group exhibited a markedly elevated expression of CDK2 and MAKT, (P&lt;0.002 and P&lt;0.005, respectively) in comparison with those of the control group. FGF-6 enhanced the proliferation of SHEDs. Proliferation enhancement is favorable for the production of a large number of stem cells, which will then be beneficial for cell-based therapies. Conclusions: CDK2 and MAKT genes in SHED-derived MVs can be used as molecular biomarkers for SHED proliferation.

Comparative Chloroplast Genomics of Dipsacales Species: Insights Into Sequence Variation, Adaptive Evolution, and Phylogenetic Relationships.

In general, the chloroplast genomes of angiosperms are considered to be highly conserved and affected little by adaptive evolution. In this study, we tested this hypothesis based on sequence differentiation and adaptive variation in the plastid genomes in the order Dipsacales. We sequenced the plastid genomes of one Adoxaceae species and six Caprifoliaceae species, and together with seven previously released Dipsacales chloroplasts, we determined the sequence variations, evolutionary divergence of the plastid genomes, and phylogeny of Dipsacales species. The chloroplast genomes of Adoxaceae species ranged in size from 157,074 bp (Sinadoxa corydalifolia) to 158,305 bp (Sambucus williamsii), and the plastid genomes of Caprifoliaceae varied from 154,732 bp (Lonicera fragrantissima var. lancifolia) to 156,874 bp (Weigela florida). The differences in the number of genes in Caprifoliaceae and Adoxaceae species were largely due to the expansion and contraction of inverted repeat regions. In addition, we found that the number of dispersed repeats (Adoxaceae = 37; Caprifoliaceae = 384) was much higher than that of tandem repeats (Adoxaceae = 34; Caprifoliaceae = 291) in Dipsacales species. Interestingly, we determined 19 genes with positive selection sites, including three genes encoding ATP protein subunits (atpA, atpB, and atpI), four genes for ribosome protein small subunits (rps3, rps7, rps14, and rps15), four genes for photosystem protein subunits (psaA, psaJ, psbC, and pabK), two genes for ribosome protein large subunits (rpl22 and rpl32), and the clpP, infA, matK, rbcL, ycf1, and ycf2 genes. These gene regions may have played key roles in the adaptation of Dipsacales to diverse environments. In addition, phylogenetic analysis based on the plastid genomes strongly supported the division of 14 Dipsacales species into two previously recognized sections. The diversification of Adoxaceae and Caprifoliaceae was dated to the late Cretaceous and Tertiary periods. The availability of these chloroplast genomes provides useful genetic information for studying taxonomy, phylogeny, and species evolution in Dipsacales.

Fibroblast growth factor-6 enhances CDK2 and MAKT expression in microvesicles derived from human stem cells extracted from exfoliated deciduous teeth

Background: Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) are considered one of the most convenient sources of adult stem cells. This study aimed to examine the effect of fibroblast growth factor 6 (FGF-6) on SHEDs and evaluate CDK2 and MATK gene expression in SHED-derived microvesicles (MVs). SHEDs were cultured from deciduous teeth pulp. Methods: SHEDs were divided into two groups: the control group and test groups, with and without FGF-6 supplementation, respectively. After the third passage, SHED proliferation was assessed by MTT assay. MVs were purified and CDK2 and MATK gene expression was assessed by real time polymerase chain reaction. SHEDs were identified by their positivity for CD90 and CD73, and negativity for CD45 and CD34. Results: SHEDs proliferation in the test group was significantly higher than in the control group (P&lt;0.001). mRNA from SHED-derived MVs from the test group exhibited a markedly elevated expression of CDK2 and MAKT, (P&lt;0.002 and P&lt;0.005, respectively) in comparison with those of the control group. FGF-6 enhanced the proliferation of SHEDs. Proliferation enhancement is favorable for the production of a large number of stem cells, which will then be beneficial for cell-based therapies. Conclusions: CDK2 and MAKT genes in SHED-derived MVs can be used as molecular biomarkers for SHED proliferation.

Phylogenetic analysis of Dipterocarpaceae in Ketambe Research Station, Gunung Leuser National Park (Sumatra, Indonesia) based on rbcL and matK genes

Harnelly E, Thomy Z, Fathiya N. 2018. Phylogenetic analysis of Dipterocarpaceae in Ketambe Research Station, Gunung Leuser National Park (Sumatra, Indonesia) based on rbcL and matK genes. Biodiversitas 19: 1074-1080. Gunung Leuser National Park has several Research Stations. Ketambe is one of the Research Stations which is located in Aceh Tenggara district, Aceh province. One of the timber plants family which is abundant in Leuser Mountain is Dipterocarpaceae. However, the data of species and relationship of Dipterocarpaceae in Ketambe Research Station is lack and not available. The aim of the study is to analyze the phylogenetic of Dipterocarpaceae based on rbcL and matK gene in Ketambe Research Station. This research was carried out from July 2015 to August 2016 in Ketambe Research Station and Forestry and Forest Genetics Laboratory of Molecular, Bogor Agricultural University. The method used quadrat sampling technique with purposive sampling and experimental laboratory consisting of DNA extraction, PCR, electrophoresis, and sequencing. The data analysis was done using BioEdit and MEGA6. The results showed that based on morphological identification, there were five Dipterocarpaceae species found namely; Parashorea lucida, Shorea parvifolia, Shorea lepidota, Shorea johorensis, and Hopea dryobalanoides. The phylogenetic tree based on rbcL gene showed that there were two monophyletic groups, the first group was S. johorensis, S. lepidota, and H. dryobalanoides; and the second group consisted of S. parvifolia and P. lucida. The phylogenetic tree reconstruction based on matK gene showed that Shorea parvifolia and S. johorensis were separated in two different monophyletic groups.

Genetic Diversity Analysis of Edel Cocoa Clones Parental Cross Using Maturase K (matK) Gene

Economically, cacao bean products are divided into fine flavor and bulk cocoa. Fine flavor cocoa has white color beans while bulk cocoa has purple color beans. Bean color of fine-flavor cocoa beans is determined by the presence of a double recessive gene which is inherited from Criollo cocoa type. Analysis of the genetic background in this study used maturase K (matK) gene to ascertain the identity of the genotypes which will be used as a parent in crossing of fine flavor cocoa plants. The study aimed to investigate the genetic background of the promising clones that will be used as a parent in breeding program on fine flavor cocoa based on maturase K (matK) gene in order to ensure the identity of the genotype that will be used in parent crossing and it had Criollo ancestor. DNA analysis was conducted at Agency for the Assessment and Application Technology (BPPT), Serpong, West Java. DNA analysis was conducted on eight genotypes consisting of four genotypes of fine flavor cocoa (ICCRI 02, DRC 16, PNT 16 and DR 2) and four genotypesof bulk cocoa (MCC 01, MCC 02, sulawesi 1, and KW 617). The results showed that Maturase K (matK) was one of chloroplastgene which could be used to study phylogenetic and evolution on cocoa. Two primers Mac 02 and Mac 09 were used for amplification of matK gene on cocoa with a rate of homology 99-100% with position 872 bp for Mac 02 and 1153 bp for Mac 09.The results of the phylogenetic analysis showed that the cocoa genotypes would be used as parent crossing included DR 2, ICCRI 02, DRC 16, PNT 16, MCC 01, MCC 02, Sulawesi 1, KW 617 and HJ 2 tended to have ancestral Criollo as female parent.

Development of molecular markers for detecting almond, peanut, pine nut, and walnut in commercial food using quantitative real-time PCR

Nuts have been used globally as health foods. However, because nuts cause allergies, people need to be careful when eating food. Mostly foods are labeled, but sometimes intentional or unintentional mixing might occur. In the present study, we report DNA based on marker for the detection of four nuts almond, peanut, pine nut, and walnut using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Species-specific primer sets for four species were designed based on the single-nucleotide polymorphisms and insertion/deletion of the chloroplast gene, matK. The sensitivity of primer sets for the four species studied was assessed by analyzing DNA dilutions at concentration of 0.001–10 ng and binary mixtures of 0.1–100% of heat-treated and non-heat-treated samples. The four primer sets developed in the present study indicated appropriate amplification efficiency and correlation coefficients of the standard curves. In addition, to verify the applicability of these molecular markers, we performed a qRT-PCR with 14 commercial products and successfully detected the matK genes in several commercial food products that were declared to contain nuts. Thus, markers developed could be useful tools for confirming the presence of the four nut species in commercial products.

The In Silico Predicton of the Chloroplast Maturase K Gene Polymorphism in Several Barley Varieties

Abstract This study was conducted to describe the role of the chloroplast maturase K (matK) genetic polymorphism in the reciprocal crossing between five barley varieties using several in vitro / in silico tools. Besides, the final consequences of the matK gene polymorphism on its protein structure, function, and interactions were predicted computationally. Five parental varieties were crossed to each other by full reciprocal crossing design, DNA was extracted from seeds and two different primers’ pairs were designed to scan matK gene. Then, polymerase chain reaction - single-stranded conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) were performed. Two distinct haplotypes in both parents and artificial F1 hybrids in the matK gene were observed in both amplified fragments. This finding indicated that the studied gene had no participation in the reciprocal crossing performed. Three SNPs were identified; two of them are non-synonymous (nsSNPs), namely G387V and L459M. The effect of these missense mutations on the matK protein was analyzed by several in silico tools. It was shown that the coding SNP, L459M was predicted to have much more effective consequences on matK protein structure and function. While the I-Mutant 2.0 prediction tool showed a decrease in stability for these two nsSNPs, which may destabilize the protein interactions to some extent. In conclusion, though the observed missense mutations in the matK gene have no suggestive role in the reciprocally crossed barley varieties, they caused dramatic alterations in several matK protein moieties, which may lead to potential subsequent changes in the matK protein-mediated RNA splicing mechanisms.

Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequences of Four Meliaceae Species and Comparative Analyses.

The Meliaceae family mainly consists of trees and shrubs with a pantropical distribution. In this study, the complete chloroplast genomes of four Meliaceae species were sequenced and compared with each other and with the previously published Azadirachta indica plastome. The five plastomes are circular and exhibit a quadripartite structure with high conservation of gene content and order. They include 130 genes encoding 85 proteins, 37 tRNAs and 8 rRNAs. Inverted repeat expansion resulted in a duplication of rps19 in the five Meliaceae species, which is consistent with that in many other Sapindales, but different from many other rosids. Compared to Azadirachta indica, the four newly sequenced Meliaceae individuals share several large deletions, which mainly contribute to the decreased genome sizes. A whole-plastome phylogeny supports previous findings that the four species form a monophyletic sister clade to Azadirachta indica within the Meliaceae. SNPs and indels identified in all complete Meliaceae plastomes might be suitable targets for the future development of genetic markers at different taxonomic levels. The extended analysis of SNPs in the matK gene led to the identification of four potential Meliaceae-specific SNPs as a basis for future validation and marker development.

Host plant forensics and olfactory-based detection in Afro-tropical mosquito disease vectors.

The global spread of vector-borne diseases remains a worrying public health threat, raising the need for development of new combat strategies for vector control. Knowledge of vector ecology can be exploited in this regard, including plant feeding; a critical resource that mosquitoes of both sexes rely on for survival and other metabolic processes. However, the identity of plant species mosquitoes feed on in nature remains largely unknown. By testing the hypothesis about selectivity in plant feeding, we employed a DNA-based approach targeting trnH-psbA and matK genes and identified host plants of field-collected Afro-tropical mosquito vectors of dengue, Rift Valley fever and malaria being among the most important mosquito-borne diseases in East Africa. These included three plant species for Aedes aegypti (dengue), two for both Aedes mcintoshi and Aedes ochraceus (Rift Valley fever) and five for Anopheles gambiae (malaria). Since plant feeding is mediated by olfactory cues, we further sought to identify specific odor signatures that may modulate host plant location. Using coupled gas chromatography (GC)-electroantennographic detection, GC/mass spectrometry and electroantennogram analyses, we identified a total of 21 antennally-active components variably detected by Ae. aegypti, Ae. mcintoshi and An. gambiae from their respective host plants. Whereas Ae. aegypti predominantly detected benzenoids, Ae. mcintoshi detected mainly aldehydes while An. gambiae detected sesquiterpenes and alkenes. Interestingly, the monoterpenes β-myrcene and (E)-β-ocimene were consistently detected by all the mosquito species and present in all the identified host plants, suggesting that they may serve as signature cues in plant location. This study highlights the utility of molecular approaches in identifying specific vector-plant associations, which can be exploited in maximizing control strategies such as such as attractive toxic sugar bait and odor-bait technology.

Phylogenetic Taxonomy of Artemisia L. Species from Kazakhstan Based on Matk Analyses

Abstract The genus Artemisia is one of the largest of the Asteraceae family. It is abundant and diverse, with complex taxonomic relations. In order to expand the knowledge about the classification of Kazakhstan species and compare it with classical studies, matK genes of nine local species including endemic were sequenced. The infrageneric rank of one of them (A. kotuchovii) had remained unknown. In this study, we analysed results of sequences using two methods — NJ and MP and compared them with a median-joining haplotype network. As a result, monophyletic origin of the genus and subgenus Dracunculus was confirmed. Closeness of A. kotuchovii to other species of Dracunculus suggests its belonging to this subgenus. Generally, matK was shown as a useful barcode marker for the identification and investigation of Artemisia genus.

NUCLEOTIDE DIVERSITY OF 15 CONIFER SPECIES IN VIETNAM’ S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS BASED ON THE ANALYSIS OF ITS, trnH-psbA, matK, trnL AND rpoC1 GENE REGIONS

In this study, five DNA sequences from ITS, trnH-psbA, matK, trnL and rpoC1 gene regions were used to explore relationships of 15 conifer species in Highlands of Vietnam. All target gene segments has been cloned at size as predicted by the theory for all 15 species of conifers. Nucleotide-level change of 15 coniferous species in five gene regions showed from the highest to the lowest as follows: the ITS gene region (0.428), the trnH-psbA region (0.378), the trnL (0.354), the matK gene (0.192) and the rpoC1 gene (0.105). The matK gene region showed the highest level of conservation (671 nucleotides) and the trnH-psbA gene region showed the lowest (78 nucleotides). Phylogenetic tree showed that the species in the same family are formatted in a separate evolutionary branch with bootstrap values ​​obtained from the branching nodes of each species ranging from 52 to 97% for the ITS gene, from 50 to 100% for trnH-psbA gene region, from 66 to 100% for matK gene region, from 50 to 100% for trnL gene region and from 57 to 100% for rpoC1 gene region. Of the three gene regions of matK, trnL and rpoC1, the grouping of species in the same family showed the most obvious. This result suggests the three gene regions of matK, trnL and rpoC1 could be used as barcode for the 15 conifer species in central highlands of Vietnam.

Systematics of New World Maytenus (Celastraceae) and a New Delimitation of the Genus

Maytenus species are distributed in the New World from Argentina to the U. S. A. The genus delimitation has been controversial, especially in relation to the inclusion of Gymnosporia. Maytenus has been treated in a broad sense such that it was considered widely distributed in tropics and subtropics worldwide. Even in its current restricted circumscription, the genus remains paraphyletic with Fraunhofera and Plenckia nested within it. We increased taxon sampling relative to previous studies and sampled species representing the greatest morphological diversity from throughout the geographic distribution in order to confidently delimit monophyletic genera. The phylogenywas inferred using nuclear (ITS and 26S rDNA) and plastid (matK and trnL-F) gene regions together with morphological characters. The species currently recognized as Maytenus were resolved in three distinct clades. Delimitation of a single large genus, by including Fraunhofera and Plenckia within Maytenus, would result in a morphologically heterogeneous group. Instead we segregated Maytenus into two genera, re-established Tricerma, and maintain Fraunhofera and Plenckia as distinct genera. All of these genera are morphologically distinct from each other, primarily based on fruit characters. A total of 123 new combinations under the generic name Monteverdia are provided for species in the clade that does not contain the type of Maytenus.

Phylogeny of Ten Kenyan Plectranthus Species in the Coleus Clade Inferred from Leaf Micromorphology, Rbcl and MatK Genes

Plectranthus species are difficult to taxonomically delimit due to lack of clear-cut morphological synapomorphies. This study is aimed at bringing insights into classification of ten Plectranthus species in the Coleus clade by using leaf micromorphology and molecular data. Stomatal counts and observation of microtome leaf sections generated leaf micromorphology data, while molecular data was obtained from sequencing MatK and Rbcl genes from each species. Phylogeny based on the MatK and Rbcl gene sequences clustered four species P. caninus, P. otostegioides, P. barbatus, and P. lanuginosus together (Clusters A and D, respectively), while P. pseudomarrubioides, P. ornatus, and P. aegyptiacus were grouped together into Clusters B and E, respectively, and P. montanus and P. amboinicus were grouped together (Cluster C). A dendrogram was generated through a cluster analysis of the leaf micromorphological characters grouped together, P. caninus, P. ornatus, P. otostegioides, P. montanus, and P. pseudomarrubioides (Cluster F). The dendrogram also grouped together P. aegyptiacus, P. amboinicus, P. edulis, P. barbatus, and P. lanuginosus (Cluster G). The present study has grouped the ten studied Plectranthus species using molecular and leaf micromorphology characters into phylogenies, which are supported by previous studies, and proved that these characters can aid in plant identification and phylogenetic studies.

Morphoanatomical characters in the Nidularioid Complex (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioidae) from a phylogenetic perspective

The Nidularioid complex, as formed by the genera Nidularium Lem., Wittrockia Lindm., Neoregelia L.B.Sm., Canistropsis (Mez) Leme and Edmundoa Leme, is a Bromelioideae group known for its difficult generic delimitation. This difficulty is attributed to the large number of nonexclusive characters that are used in these genera, which demonstrates their intimate relationship. In current phylogenies, the genera belonging to the Nidularioid complex always emerge as a unified group termed as ‘Nidularioid Clade'. This study aims to reconstruct usual morphological characters in Bromelioideae, as well as anatomical characters from the leaf sheath and blade of species from the Nidularioid complex, in order to propose new synapomorphies for the group. To accomplish this, we proposed a phylogenetic hypothesis that used chloroplastidial atpB-rbcL, matK, trnL-trnF and nuclear PhyC gene sequences obtained from the NCBI portal in a Bayesian analysis that resulted in a consensus tree. We also used parsimony and Bayesian methods to reconstruct previously delimited morphoanatomical characters. Our results indicate that the morphological characters typically used in the group's taxonomy represent homoplasies. Some anatomical characters are also homoplastic, such as the number of layers in the abaxial mechanical hypoderm from the leaf sheath. However, leaf anatomy provided new synapomorphies for the group, such as the presence of trichomes with elongated wing cells, the presence of adaxial epidermal cells with slightly thickened walls on the leaf blade and brachiform cells with long branches in the leaf sheath region. Thus, this paper presents new perspectives for future studies on the evolution of characters in the Nidularioid complex.

Botanical authentication of lavender (Lavandula spp.) honey by a novel DNA-barcoding approach coupled to high resolution melting analysis

Monofloral honeys (such as, lavender honey) are highly appreciated by the consumers due to their flavour, taste and properties. However, since they are considered prime products, they are often targets of adulteration. This work exploits DNA barcoding combined with high resolution melting (HRM) analysis to establish the botanical origin of honey, using lavender honey as a case study. The plastidial matK gene was targeted as a candidate barcode for Lavandula species identification. The method allowed differentiating the species in three clusters with confidence levels >99%, being the results well correlated with the sequencing analysis. It was successfully applied to identify the botanical origin of several lavender honeys, which were grouped in the cluster of the most common species in Portugal (L. stoechas subsp., L. penduculata and L. viridis). The proposed method represents a simple, specific and cost-effective tool to authenticate the botanical origin of honey.