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Immature seeds can acquire the traits of desiccation tolerance and germination after precocious maturation. This process is associated with the accumulation of non-reducing sugars and late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins. LEA proteins were first identified from late developmental seeds and were proposed to be associated with desiccation tolerance. In the present study, we examined whether purified LEA fusion proteins from soybean seeds can maintain the integrity of artificial liposomes under desiccation. We also studied the relationship between the protective effects of LEA protein-sucrose glasses and desiccated membrane. GmPM6 (LEA II) but not GmPM16 (LEA IV) provided significant protection to dehydrated liposomes. However, neither GmPM6- nor GmPM16-sucrose glasses could protect these liposomes. We discuss the functions of cellular glass in mature orthodox seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Chamaecyparis (Cupressaceae) is comprised of six taxa native to East Asia and North America. Two independent lineages from eastern North America to East Asia and from western North America to East Asia have been identified from phylogenetic analyses based on variation in plastid DNA (ptDNA). However, the trees inferred from a nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS), the NEEDLY intron 2, and combined data from genetic and morphological characters of other studies are incongruent with the tree inferred from ptDNA. In this study, we sequenced the plastid matK gene as well as other sequences acquired from GenBank including the matK, rbcL, and nrITS sequences to reconstruct the phylogenetic trees of Chamaecyparis. The phylogenetic topology inferred from matK was congruent with the previous inference obtained using other ptDNA markers while the rbcL and ITS trees were congruent with previously inferred trees using the combined data and ITS sequences, respectively. Relatively less- (rbcL) and more-informative sites (ITS) may lead to different lineage sorting and incongruent phylogenetic topologies, which were evidenced by rejection of evolutionary homogeneity between ptDNA and ITS sequences in the partition homogeneity test. The phylogenetic tree reconstructed using matK and other ptDNA strongly supports the geographically disjunct distribution of Chamaecyparis in North America and East Asia. A dispersal-vicariance analysis, and geologic and fossil evidence indicated that at least two independent dispersal events occurred from North America to East Asia, which support the previous biogeographic inference by ptDNA. The use of biparental inherited markers for biogeographic inferences should be done with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cinnamomum kanehirae Hayata (Lauraceae), the most valuable subtropical and temperate broadleaf timber tree in Taiwan, is rapidly disappearing from the wild. Taking advantage of a scion garden established by the Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, we examined patterns of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) variations in 19 populations including 94 individuals. By sequencing two cpDNA fragments using universal primers (the trnL- trnF and petG- trnP intergenic spacers), we found eight polymorphic sites, six haplotypes, and extremely low nucleotide diversity ( π = 0.00016) from 792 bp aligned sequences. The ancestral haplotype is widely distributed. Among the populations studied, three separated populations, at Yungfeng, Fuli, and Tahu have high nucleotide diversity. No phylogeographical structures of haplotypes were revealed because the tests of NST− GST for populations did not differ from zero in any situations; a ‘star-like’ genealogy is characteristic when all haplotypes rapidly coalesce and is a general outcome of population expansion. The neutrality test also suggested demographic expansion. The genetic divergence and diversity analyses suggested that two potential refugia existed during the last glaciation with a major one located in southeastern Taiwan and a minor one located in Tahu in north-central Taiwan in the Hsuehshan Range, west of the Central Mountain Range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to use random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and isozyme analysis to investigate genetic variation in narrowly distributed populations of Amentotaxus formosana Li. A total of 20 loci from 10 enzyme systems were analysed in 50 individual trees from each of the two natural populations. No isozyme variation was observed in the Tsatsayalai population. Phosphoglucose isomerase (Pgi-1) was the only polymorphic enzyme in the Tawu population, giving 5 per cent polymorphic loci with 0.008 expected heterozygosity. No genetic distance was found between these two populations using isozymes. Amentotaxus formosana demonstrated a high proportion of monomorphic RAPD fragments, about 79 per cent, for 20 arbitrary oligonucleotide primers. High similarity (0.994) was found between the Tawu and Tsatsayalai populations. RAPD markers provided further confirmation of the low levels of genetic variation in A. formosana detected by isozyme analysis. The value of isozyme analysis was emphasized by the finding of the rare allele, Pgi-1a, which was present only in the Tawu population. Based on the analysis of 110 individuals, representing 16 per cent of a native population, it was found that the younger tree category had a higher frequency of Pgi-1a (0.125) than the older tree category (0.053), resulting in an expected heterozygosity of 0.250 and 0.105, respectively. It was inferred that the appearance of the Pgi-1a allele could be the result of a mutation in the Tawu population and that selection is acting directly upon trees carrying this allele. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]