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The genus Cyrtomium is one of the most taxonomically challenging groups, which comprises about 40 taxa globally. Cyrtomium yamamotoi is a great example showing the taxonomic difficulties in the genus. The plant was first described as a variety (C. fortunei var. intermedium), thereafter the rank was moved to a species by Tagawa in 1938. Cyrtomium yamamotoi and its related taxa including five varieties of C. fortunei are triploid apogamous taxa with high morphological variabilities. The substantial morphological variations likely resulted from hybrid origins leading to various taxonomic complications. To determine the species boundary between C. yamamotoi and the C. fortunei complex, we inferred the phylogenetic relationships among the complex and the five related taxa including C. falcatum using the two widely used cpDNA regions, rbcL and psbA-trnH IGS. We also carefully examined the nomenclatural histories of eleven Cyrtomium taxa (five taxa of C. fortunei complex and six related taxa) and the key morphological characters. According to our analysis, Cyrtomium yamamotoi is likely an independent species as the phylogenetic results revealed that C. yamamotoi was separated from the C. fortunei complex while all members of C. fortunei complex formed a monophyletic clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) has near-cosmopolitan distribution and serves as a significant resource for both ornamental and medicinal purposes. Despite its economic importance, Euphorbia's taxonomy has long been challenged by the intricate nature of morphological traits exhibiting high levels of convergence. While molecular markers are essential for phylogenetic studies, their availability for Euphorbia has been limited. To address this gap, we conducted comparative analyses focusing on the chloroplast (CP) genomes of nine Euphorbia species, incorporating three newly sequenced and annotated accessions. In addition, phylogenetic informativeness and nucleotide diversity were computed to identify candidate markers for phylogenetic analyses among closely related taxa in the genus. Our investigation revealed relatively conserved sizes and structures of CP genomes across the studied species, with notable interspecific variations observed primarily in non-coding regions and IR/SC borders. By leveraging phylogenetic informativeness and nucleotide diversity, we identified rpoB gene as the optimal candidate for species delimitation and shallow-level phylogenetic inference within the genus. Through this comprehensive analysis of CP genomes across multiple taxa, our study sheds light on the evolutionary dynamics and taxonomic intricacies of Euphorbia, offering valuable insights into its CP genome evolution and taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasion consists of spatially and temporally varying stages, accompanied by ecological and evolutionary changes. Understanding the genomics underlying invasion dynamics provides critical insights into the geographic sources and genetic diversity, contributing to successful invasions across space and time. Here, we used genomic data and model‐based approaches to characterize the invasion dynamics of Hypochaeris radicata L., a noxious weed in Korea. Genetic diversity and assignment patterns were investigated using 3563 SNPs of 283 individuals sampled from 22 populations. We employed a coalescent‐based simulation method to estimate demographic changes for each population and inferred colonization history using both phylogenetic and population genetic model‐based approaches. Our data suggest that H. radicata has been repeatedly been introduced to Korea from multiple genetic sources within the last 50 years, experiencing weak population bottlenecks followed by subsequent population expansions. These findings highlight the potential for further range expansion, particularly in the presence of human‐mediated dispersal. Our study represents the first population‐level genomic research documenting the invasion dynamics of the successful worldwide invader, H. radicata, outside of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic usefulness of selected marker compounds was investigated by analyzing the chemotaxonomy of 25 taxa in the Korean Campanulaceae. Our data permit discrimination of the source plants of crude drugs listed in the Korean Pharmacopoeia and the Korean Herbal Pharmacopoeia. Chemotaxonomic analysis methods were validated, and quantitative measurements of six marker compounds were made using HPLC. Marker compound similarities among taxa were identified through multivariate statistical analyses (principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis). The chemical analysis method was validated with regard to linearity, lower limit of detection, lower limit of quantitation, precision, accuracy, and recovery. The analysis revealed differences in the marker compound composition of each genus. Eight genera comprising Adenophora, Codonopsis, Asyneuma, Campanula, Hanabusaya, Platycodon, Wahlenbergia , and Peracarpa clustered according to the chemical classification. The results indicated that the six marker compounds used in this analysis were useful in identifying Korean Campanulaceae. These marker compound data were able to successfully discriminate among the three species that are sold as the crude drug Adenophorae Radix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims The evolution of mating systems from outcrossing to self-fertilization is a common transition in flowering plants. This shift is often associated with the 'selfing syndrome', which is characterized by less visible flowers with functional changes to control outcrossing. In most cases, the evolutionary history and demographic dynamics underlying the evolution of the selfing syndrome remain poorly understood. Methods Here, we characterize differences in the demographic genetic consequences and associated floral-specific traits between two distinct geographical groups of a wild shrub, Daphne kiusiana , endemic to East Asia; plants in the eastern region (southeastern Korea and Kyushu, Japan) exhibit smaller and fewer flowers compared to those of plants in the western region (southwestern Korea). Genetic analyses were conducted using nuclear microsatellites and chloroplast DNA (multiplexed phylogenetic marker sequencing) datasets. Key Results A high selfing rate with significantly increased homozygosity characterized the eastern lineage, associated with lower levels of visibility and herkogamy in the floral traits. The two lineages harboured independent phylogeographical histories. In contrast to the western lineage, the eastern lineage showed a gradual reduction in the effective population size with no signs of a severe bottleneck despite its extreme range contraction during the last glacial period. Conclusions Our results suggest that the selfing-associated morphological changes in D. kiusiana are of relatively old origin (at least 100 000 years ago) and were driven by directional selection for efficient self-pollination. We provide evidence that the evolution of the selfing syndrome in D. kiusiana is not strongly associated with a severe population bottleneck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primula comprises many species of horticultural value. In Korea, six species grow in the wild. Yamazaki classified the variety Primula modesta var. fauriei into P. modesta var. hannasanensis and P. modesta var. koreana based on the differences in leaf morphology. We compared the chloroplast genome sequences of the two Korean endemic Primula varieties and found that both had the typical quadripartite structure of angiosperms. The chloroplast genome size of P. modesta var. hannasanensis is 154,772 bp, including an 85,238 bp large single-copy region and a 17,790 bp small single-copy region, whereas that of P. modesta var. koreana is 154,667 bp, including an 85,152 bp large single-copy region and a 17,771 bp small single-copy region. The inverted repeat region is 25,872 bp in both varieties. We predicted 129 genes—84 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNAs, and 37 tRNAs. We identified 536 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 501 indels between the varieties. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two varieties formed a sister group in the clade P. knuthiana–P. stenocalyx. This study will contribute to phylogenetic, taxonomic, and evolutionary studies of the genus Primula; it will also contribute to the analysis of the genetic diversity of the two varieties, and to the development of identification markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the physiological and immunological similarities that exist between pigs and humans, porcine pluripotent cell lines have been identified as important candidates for preliminary studies on human disease as well as a source for generating transgenic animals. Therefore, the establishment and characterization of porcine embryonic stem cells (pESCs), along with the generation of stable transgenic cell lines, is essential. In this study, we attempted to efficiently introduce transgenes into Epiblast stem cell (EpiSC)-like pESCs. Consequently, a pluripotent cell line could be derived from a porcine-hatched blastocyst. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was successfully introduced into the cells via lentiviral vectors under various multiplicities of infection, with pluripotency and differentiation potential unaffected after transfection. However, EGFP expression gradually declined during extended culture. This silencing effect was recovered by in vitro differentiation and treatment with 5-azadeoxycytidine. This phenomenon was related to DNA methylation as determined by bisulfite sequencing. In conclusion, we were able to successfully derive EpiSC-like pESCs and introduce transgenes into these cells using lentiviral vectors. This cell line could potentially be used as a donor cell source for transgenic pigs and may be a useful tool for studies involving EpiSC-like pESCs as well as aid in the understanding of the epigenetic regulation of transgenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]