Pteridophytes Research Articles

Evolutionary divergence of CXE gene family in green plants unveils that PtoCXEs overexpression reduces fungal colonization in transgenic Populus.

Plant enzymes significantly contribute to the rapidly diversified metabolic repertoire since the colonization of land by plants. Carboxylesterase is just one of the ubiquitous, multifunctional and ancient enzymes that has particularly diversified during plant evolution. This study provided a status on the carboxylesterase landscape within Viridiplantae. A total of 784 carboxylesterases were identified from the genome of 31 plant species representing nine major lineages of sequenced Viridiplantae and divided into five clades based on phylogenetic analysis. Clade I carboxylesterase genes may be of bacterial origin and then expanded and diversified during plant evolution. Clade II was first gained in the ancestor of bryophytes after colonization of land by plants, Clade III and Clade IV in ferns which were considered the most advanced seedless vascular plants, while Clade V was gained in seed plants. To date, the functions of carboxylesterase genes in woody plants remain unclear. In this study, 51 carboxylesterase genes were identified from the genome of Populus trichocarpa and further divided into eight classes. Tandem and segmental duplication events both contributed to the expansion of carboxylesterase genes in Populus. Although carboxylesterase genes were proven to enhance resistance to pathogens in many herbaceous species, relevant researches on forest trees are still needed. In this study, pathogen incubation assays showed that overexpressing of six Class VI carboxylesterases in Populus tomentosa, to a greater or lesser degree, reduced colonization of detached leaves by fungus Cytospora chrysosperma. A significant difference was also found in functional divergence patterns for genes derived from different gene duplication events. Functional differentiation of duplicated carboxylesterase genes in Populus was proved for the first time by in vivo physiological analysis. The identification of the potentially anti-fungal PtoCXE06 gene also laid a theoretical foundation for promoting the genetic improvement of disease-resistance traits in forest trees.

Starch spectra of Ampelopteris prolifera (Retz.) Copel, a new addition to the existing lexicon and its comparison with a local potato cultivar (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Kufri Jyoti)

Novel kinds of starch spectra were generated from a lesser-known plant, making this investigation unique. The recent trend of starch characterization shows the establishment of novel bioresources from nonconventional unexplored databases. The present endeavor was made to obtain the starch fingerprint of Ampelopteris prolifera (rhizome) belonging to seedless vascular plants. For comparison, a commercial local cultivar of potato (Kufri Jyoti) was taken. The starch particle of A. prolifera shows much uniqueness depicting its novelty viz., crystallinity index of 60.04 %, powder diffractogram at (2θ scale)17.57° to 39.78°; this diffractogram pattern is reported from this study as newer one i.e. R type(whereas potato starch is CB type); characteristic peak at 2θ = 20.07° suggests starch-lipid complex formation and V type crystallinity (i.e. RS 5 type); FTIR spectra showing the presence of more short chain branching; high gelatinization temperature(84.62 ± 0.10), particle size and zeta value of A. prolifera is 4.00 ± 0.81 μm and − 18.91 ± 3.58 mV respectively. Bragg's peak from the single crystal X-ray diffraction has been generated for the first time of A. prolifera. Extraction of the starch particle was performed in chilled water. Therefore, the present study suggests wide-spectrum commercial utility and cost-effective production.

Rediscovery of an ancient herbarium for Turkish botanical history: Bolu Girls Village Institute Herbarium

Bolu Girls’ Village Institute Herbarium (Bolu Kız Köy Enstitüsü Herbaryumu) was founded in 1953 by Muhittin Fehmi Özgen. It is one of the earliest herbaria of the Turkish Republic. The herbarium was part of the natural history collections of the school which also included insects, minerals, and fossils. The herbarium initially contained around 2500 specimens within 72 cardboard boxes. Additionally, specimens from this herbarium were sent to İstanbul University Department of Biology Herbarium (ISTF) and around 600 specimens to the herbarium of Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (E). In 2006, we received 567 plant specimens in five boxes. The plants were mainly collected from Bolu and neighboring provinces between 1953 and 1958. The herbarium collection contains one bryophyte specimen and three seedless vascular plants. The remaining taxa belong to gymnosperms and angiosperms. The herbarium labels were prepared both in Latin and Turkish. Majority of the specimens have identification up to family and genus level and a small number of them up to species level. This herbarium remained largely unknown to Turkish botanists. Therefore, we think it is valuable to provide detailed information about the history and the content of the herbarium. The information given here not only will contribute to our knowledge about the natural history collections of Turkey but also to the education history of the Turkish Republic.

Root microbiomes of seedless vascular plants correlate with plant relatedness and spatial proximity

Much of what is known about microbe-plant root interactions derives from studies of anthophytes, whose root bacterial communities are likely driven by plant exudates. Less is known about the rhizobiomes of seedless vascular plants, even though they arose earlier than those of the anthophytes. We thus undertook a preliminary descriptive study of seedless vascular plant rhizobiomes to better understand these plant-microbe interactions. Two bacterial phyla and 13 families differed significantly across plant families; all were taxonomic groups frequently observed in soil. A multiple regression of distance matrices indicated that bacterial community structure was correlated with plant relatedness and the physical distance between plants but not soil features at each site. Our data suggest that seedless vascular plant and anthophyte rhizobiomes share many microbial taxa in differing abundances, and that the relative importance of soil in shaping seedless vascular plant bacterial communities may need to be reassessed.

Metacognitive on Pteridophyte: A Unification of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition and Guided Inquiry (CirGI)

Metacognitive on Pteridophyte: A Unification of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition and Guided Inquiry (CirGI)

The diversity of fern in Petungkriyono mixed forest Pekalongan, Central Java

Fern are group of seedless vascular plants (Tracheophyta). Fern have a wide distribution in Indonesia. The aim of this study is for know the types of ferns in the mixed forest of Petungkriyono. The reseacrh methode used in the cruised method by exproling the entire mixed forest in Petungkriyono. The number of fern species found in the mixed forest of Petungkriyono is 44 species that belong to 14 families. The Snannon index of fern in mixed forest was 3,09. Therefore Petungkriyono mixed forest having a medium diversity level of fern. Humidity, temperature, light intensity and soil pH in the mixed forest of Petungkriyono are suitable for growing ferns.

Nuevos registros de licofitas y helechos para el estado de Puebla, México

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Son pocos los trabajos florísticos que se han publicado sobre licofitas y helechos (pteridofitas en conjunto) de Puebla, México, por lo que se considera muy probable que la riqueza de especies en el estado sea mayor a la que se tiene documentada hasta el momento. El objetivo de este trabajo es reportar nuevos registros de este grupo de plantas para la entidad, incluyendo su distribución municipal y altitudinal, así como el tipo de vegetación en que se presentan. Métodos: De 2010 a 2018 se efectuaron diversos viajes de recolección a distintas localidades de Puebla, durante los cuales se recolectaron y herbori­zaron ejemplares de licofitas y helechos, que fueron identificados y depositados en el Herbario de la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa (UAMIZ). La información generada se confrontó con la lista de especies reportadas en la literatura para la entidad, lo que permitió reconocer los nuevos registros. Resultados clave: Se documenta por primera vez para Puebla la presencia de 32 especies y un híbrido de licofitas y helechos, la mayoría de las cuales pertenecen a las familias Pteridaceae, Dryopteridaceae y Aspleniaceae, crecen en bosque mesófilo de montaña y vegetación derivada de bosque tropical perennifolio, entre 250 y 2500 m de altura. Conclusiones: Los nuevos registros incrementan de 335 a 367 el número de especies de licofitas y helechos que habitan en el estado de Puebla y ponen en evidencia la necesidad de continuar con el trabajo de exploración en la entidad.

(2724) Proposal to conserve Lepisorus nom. cons. against the additional names Lemmaphyllum and Neocheiropteris (Pteridophyta, Polypodiaceae)

(2724) Proposal to conserve <i>Lepisorus</i> nom. cons. against the additional names <i>Lemmaphyllum</i> and <i>Neocheiropteris</i> (<i>Pteridophyta, Polypodiaceae</i>)

Endophytic Bacteria Potentially Promote Plant Growth by Synthesizing Different Metabolites and their Phenotypic/Physiological Profiles in the Biolog GEN III MicroPlateTM Test.

Endophytic bacteria, as the most promising components of effective, biofertilizers biostimulating and biocontrol preparations, should be very intensively obtained from various plants and studied in terms of the conditions determining the potential ability to promote plant growth. For this reason, endophytic bacteria have been isolated from both stems and roots of up to six systematically distant species of vascular plants: one species belonging to the seedless vascular plants (Monilophyta), and five seed plants (Spermatophyta). The 23 isolated strains represented nine genera: Delftia, Stenotrophomonas, Rhizobium, Brevundimonas, Variovorax, Achromobacter, Novosphingobium, Comamonas and Collimonas, notably which were closely related—belonging to the phylum Proteobacteria. Stenotrophomonas sp. strains showed the greatest ability to synthesize indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-like compounds, while Achromobacter sp. strains produced the highest levels of siderophores. The presence of the nifH gene and nitrogen binding activity was demonstrated for 95% of the strains tested. Stenotrophomonas maltophila (ES2 strain) showed the highest metabolic activity based on Biolog GEN III test. The ability to solubilize phosphate was determined only for three tested strains from genus: Delftia, Rhizobium and Novosphingobium. The presented work demonstrated that the metabolic and phenotypic properties of plant growth-promoting endophytes are correlated with the genus of bacteria and are not correlated with the host plant species or part of plant (stem, root).

Evolutionary origin of O-acetyltransferases responsible for glucomannan acetylation in land plants.

Mannans are an abundant cell wall polysaccharide in bryophytes, seedless vascular plants and gymnosperms. A previous study has shown that mannan acetylation in Arabidopsis and konjac is mediated by mannan O-acetyltransferases belonging to the Domain of Unknown Function (DUF) 231 family. However, little is known about the acetylation patterns of mannans in bryophytes and seedless vascular plants, and the evolutionary origin of mannan O-acetyltransferases in land plants has not yet been studied. Phylogenetic analysis of the DUF231 family revealed that DUF231 members were present in the charophycean green algae and evolved to form overlapped and divergent phylogenetic groups in different taxa of land plants. Acetyltransferase activity assays of recombinant proteins demonstrated that a number of group II DUF231 members from moss, Selaginella, pine, spruce, rice and poplar were mannan 2-O- and 3-O-acetyltransferases, whereas the two group I DUF231 members from the alga Klebsormidium nitens were not. Structural analysis of mannans from moss and Selaginella showed they were composed of mannosyl and glucosyl residues and the mannosyl residues were acetylated at O-2 and O-3. These findings indicate that although the DUF231 genes originated in algae, their recruitment as mannan O-acetyltransferases probably occurred in bryophytes, and the biochemical functions of these O-acetyltransferases are evolutionarily conserved throughout land plants.

Medicinal Plants Used by Traditional Healers of West Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya, India

A survey was conducted to record the medicinal plants used by traditional medicine practitioners in the West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya. A total of 44 species were recorded, out of which 2 were pteridophytes. Zingiberaceae was the most dominant family with 5 species. 48% of the medicinal plants used were herbs, followed by trees (20%) and shrubs and climbers (16% each). Underground parts and leaves of plants are mostly used as medicine. A large section of the population in Meghalaya still prefers and relies on traditional medicine. But of late, traditional healers are facing difficulties due to shortage of medicinal plants in the wild. Government intervention in the form of financial assistance for setting up medicinal plant gardens and adopting immediate measures for in situ conservation of medicinal plants is the need of the hour. Keywords : Herbal medicine, folk healers, Meghalaya Cite this Article Rikertre Lytan, Devajyoti Bokolial. Medicinal Plants Used by Traditional Healers of West Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya, India. Research & Reviews: A Journal of Life Sciences . 2019; 9(1): 156–164p.

Origination and selection of ABCDE and AGL6 subfamily MADS-box genes in gymnosperms and angiosperms

BackgroundThe morphological diversity of flower organs is closely related to functional divergence within the MADS-box gene family. Bryophytes and seedless vascular plants have MADS-box genes but do not have ABCDE or AGAMOUS-LIKE6 (AGL6) genes. ABCDE and AGL6 genes belong to the subgroup of MADS-box genes. Previous works suggest that the B gene was the first ABCDE and AGL6 genes to emerge in plant but there are no mentions about the probable origin time of ACDE and AGL6 genes. Here, we collected ABCDE and AGL6 gene 381 protein sequences and 361 coding sequences from gymnosperms and angiosperms and reconstructed a complete Bayesian phylogeny of these genes. In this study, we want to clarify the probable origin time of ABCDE and AGL6 genes is a great help for understanding the role of the formation of the flower, which can decipher the forming order of MADS-box genes in the future.ResultsThese genes appeared to have been under purifying selection and their evolutionary rates are not significantly different from each other. Using the Bayesian evolutionary analysis by sampling trees (BEAST) tool, we estimated that: the mutation rate of the ABCDE and AGL6 genes was 2.617 × 10−3 substitutions/site/million years, and that B genes originated 339 million years ago (MYA), CD genes originated 322 MYA, and A genes shared the most recent common ancestor with E/AGL6 296 MYA, respectively.ConclusionsThe phylogeny of ABCDE and AGL6 genes subfamilies differed. The APETALA1 (AP1 or A gene) subfamily clustered into one group. The APETALA3/PISTILLATA (AP3/PI or B genes) subfamily clustered into two groups: the AP3 and PI clades. The AGAMOUS/SHATTERPROOF/SEEDSTICK (AG/SHP/STK or CD genes) subfamily clustered into a single group. The SEPALLATA (SEP or E gene) subfamily in angiosperms clustered into two groups: the SEP1/2/4 and SEP3 clades. The AGL6 subfamily clustered into a single group. Moreover, ABCDE and AGL6 genes appeared in the following order: AP3/PI → AG/SHP/STK → AGL6/SEP/AP1. In this study, we collected candidate sequences from gymnosperms and angiosperms. This study highlights important events in the evolutionary history of the ABCDE and AGL6 gene families and clarifies their evolutionary path.

Evolution of Cell Wall Polymers in Tip-Growing Land Plant Gametophytes: Composition, Distribution, Functional Aspects and Their Remodeling.

During evolution of land plants, the first colonizing species presented leafy-dominant gametophytes, found in non-vascular plants (bryophytes). Today, bryophytes include liverworts, mosses, and hornworts. In the first seedless vascular plants (lycophytes), the sporophytic stage of life started to be predominant. In the seed producing plants, gymnosperms and angiosperms , the gametophytic stage is restricted to reproduction. In mosses and ferns, the haploid spores germinate and form a protonema, which develops into a leafy gametophyte producing rhizoids for anchorage, water and nutrient uptakes. The basal gymnosperms (cycads and Ginkgo) reproduce by zooidogamy. Their pollen grains develop a multi-branched pollen tube that penetrates the nucellus and releases flagellated sperm cells that swim to the egg cell. The pollen grain of other gymnosperms (conifers and gnetophytes) as well as angiosperms germinates and produces a pollen tube that directly delivers the sperm cells to the ovule (siphonogamy). These different gametophytes, which are short or long-lived structures, share a common tip-growing mode of cell expansion. Tip-growth requires a massive cell wall deposition to promote cell elongation, but also a tight spatial and temporal control of the cell wall remodeling in order to modulate the mechanical properties of the cell wall. The growth rate of these cells is very variable depending on the structure and the species, ranging from very slow (protonemata, rhizoids, and some gymnosperm pollen tubes), to a slow to fast-growth in other gymnosperms and angiosperms. In addition, the structural diversity of the female counterparts in angiosperms (dry, semi-dry vs wet stigmas, short vs long, solid vs hollow styles) will impact the speed and efficiency of sperm delivery. As the evolution and diversity of the cell wall polysaccharides accompanied the diversification of cell wall structural proteins and remodeling enzymes, this review focuses on our current knowledge on the biochemistry, the distribution and remodeling of the main cell wall polymers (including cellulose, hemicelluloses, pectins, callose, arabinogalactan-proteins and extensins), during the tip-expansion of gametophytes from bryophytes, pteridophytes (lycophytes and monilophytes), gymnosperms and the monocot and eudicot angiosperms.

Plant trichomes as microbial habitats and infection sites

Trichomes, also simply referred to as hairs, are fine outgrowths of epidermal cells in many organisms including plants and bacteria. Plant trichomes have long been known for their multiple beneficial roles, ranging from protection against insect herbivores and ultraviolet light to the reduction of transpiration. However, there is increasing evidence that the presence of trichomes may have detrimental consequences for plants. For example, plant pathogenic bacteria can enter hosts through the open bases or broken stalks of damaged trichomes. Similarly, trichomes are considered a preferred site for fungal infection, and in this regard, the colonization and penetration of trichomes by fungi and oomycetes have been visualized using light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy in a variety of plants from grasses to shrubs and trees. In addition to parasitic interactions, trichomes also form a host site for endophytic relationships with fungi, thereby serving as an unusual fungal niche. The replication and presence of plant viruses in trichomes have also been confirmed after inoculation. In contrast, the well-known beneficial Azolla–Anabaena symbiosis is facilitated through epidermal trichomes of the seedless vascular plant Azolla. These observations indicate that plant trichomes are involved in multiple interactions in terms of providing microbial habitats and infection sites as well as functioning as protective structures. Trichome-related microbial parasitism and endophytism can, in many ways, be considered comparable to those associated with root hairs.

The Development of Pteridophyte Catalog of Curug Lawe Petungkriyono as Learning Source for Senior High School Students

This research aims to identify the variety of fern species in Curug Lawe area of Techno-forestry Park, Petungkriyono; then develop the catalog, investigate the validity and analyze the effectiveness of the catalog as Biology learning source for senior high school students. The study was done in Curug Lawe Petungkriyono as exploration place and SMA N 1 Petungkriyono for validity test. The design of catalog used Sugiyono (2012) and research method for effectiveness test is One-Shoot Study Case. The object of study is all fern plants found through the way to Curug Lawe. The research result shows that percentage of catalog validity by expert and biology teacher is 94.5%. The percentage of students’ classical completeness of students’ learning results is 78%, while percentage of incomplete students is 22%. The mean of students’’ response questionnaire after the learning is 83% with very good criteria. Generally, teacher and students give positive and very good response toward the applied learning. The conclusion of this research is Pteridophyte Catalog is proper and effective to be used as Biology learning source for senior high school students.

Functional Characterization of a Glycosyltransferase from the Moss Physcomitrella patens Involved in the Biosynthesis of a Novel Cell Wall Arabinoglucan.

Mixed-linkage (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan (MLG), an abundant cell wall polysaccharide in the Poaceae, has been detected in ascomycetes, algae, and seedless vascular plants, but not in eudicots. Although MLG has not been reported in bryophytes, a predicted glycosyltransferase from the moss Physcomitrella patens (Pp3c12_24670) is similar to a bona fide ascomycete MLG synthase. We tested whether Pp3c12_24670 encodes an MLG synthase by expressing it in wild tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) and testing for release of diagnostic oligosaccharides from the cell walls by either lichenase or (1,4)-β-glucan endohydrolase. Lichenase, an MLG-specific endohydrolase, showed no activity against cell walls from transformed N. benthamiana, but (1,4)-β-glucan endohydrolase released oligosaccharides that were distinct from oligosaccharides released from MLG by this enzyme. Further analysis revealed that these oligosaccharides were derived from a novel unbranched, unsubstituted arabinoglucan (AGlc) polysaccharide. We identified sequences similar to the P. patens AGlc synthase from algae, bryophytes, lycophytes, and monilophytes, raising the possibility that other early divergent plants synthesize AGlc. Similarity of P. patens AGlc synthase to MLG synthases from ascomycetes, but not those from Poaceae, suggests that AGlc and MLG have a common evolutionary history that includes loss in seed plants, followed by a more recent independent origin of MLG within the monocots.

New chorologic contributions to the endangered Isoetes durieui Bory (Isoetaceae, Pteridophyta) in the province of Huelva (Andalusia, Spain)

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Enumerative checklist of pteridophytes from Satara district (MH), India

A checklist of pteridophytes from Satara Dt. (Maharashtra, India) presented 85 species of pteridophytes belonging to 39 genera under 26 families are listed. The most specious families found in Satara district are Pteridaceae, Ophioglossaceae, Adiantaceae, Lomariopsidaceae and Woodsiaceae followed by Polypodiaceae, Dryopteridaceae, and Davalliaceae. The most common species are Adiantum philippense, Actiniopteris radiata, Aleuritopteris bicolor, Pteridium revolutum, Pityrogramma calomelanos, Pteris biaurita, P. vittata, and Tectaria coadunata.

A New Insight into Age and Environments of Intertrappean Beds of Mohgaon Kalan, Chhindwara District, Madhya Pradesh Using Palynology, Megaflora, Magnetostratigraphy and Clay Mineralogy

The megaflora-rich intertrappean cherts near the village Mohgaon Kalan in Chhindwara District, Madhya Pradesh has been known since 1934 when K. P. Rode1 first reported dicotyledonous woods from this intertrappean. Sahni and Rode carried out pioneering work on megaflora of this horizon and during the following seven decades numerous additional megafloral remains, representing pteridophytes, gymnosperms, angiosperms, algae and fungi have been reported.

Identification of Jasmonic Acid and Jasmonoyl-Isoleucine, and Characterization of AOS, AOC, OPR and JAR1 in the Model Lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii.

Jasmonic acid (JA) is involved in a variety of physiological responses in seed plants. However, the detection and role of JA in lycophytes, a group of seedless vascular plants, have remained elusive until recently. This study provides the first evidence of 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), JA and jasmonoyl-isoleucine (JA-Ile) in the model lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii. Mechanical wounding stimulated the accumulation of OPDA, JA and JA-Ile. These data were corroborated by the detection of enzymatically active allene oxide synthase (AOS), allene oxide cyclase (AOC), 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid reductase 3 (OPR3) and JA-Ile synthase (JAR1) in S. moellendorffii. SmAOS2 is involved in the first committed step of JA biosynthesis. SmAOC1 is a crucial enzyme for generating the basic structure of jasmonates and is actively involved in the formation of OPDA. SmOPR5, a functionally active OPR3-like enzyme, is also vital for the reduction of (+)-cis-OPDA, the only isomer of the JA precursor. The conjugation of JA to Ile by SmJAR1 demonstrates that S. moellendorffii produces JA-Ile. Thus, the four active enzymes have characteristics similar to those in seed plants. Wounding and JA treatment induced the expression of SmAOC1 and SmOPR5. Furthermore, JA inhibited the growth of shoots in S. moellendorffii, which suggests that JA functions as a signaling molecule in S. moellendorffii. This study proposes that JA evolved as a plant hormone for stress adaptation, beginning with the emergence of vascular plants.