Publications by authors named "Sitaram Rajaraman"

Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is a fungal species in the family Hymenochaetaceae (Basidiomycota) and the causative agent of white rot decay in Betula species. We assembled a high-quality 50.7 Mbp genome from PacBio sequencing and identified a lineage-specific whole genome duplication event approximately 1.

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Plant-associated yeasts modulate host immunity to promote or prevent disease. Mechanisms of yeast perception by the plant innate immune system remain unknown, with progress hindered by lack of a model system with the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). A yeast strain of Taphrina tormentillae, named M11, was previously isolated from wild Arabidopsis.

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Coffea arabica, an allotetraploid hybrid of Coffea eugenioides and Coffea canephora, is the source of approximately 60% of coffee products worldwide, and its cultivated accessions have undergone several population bottlenecks. We present chromosome-level assemblies of a di-haploid C. arabica accession and modern representatives of its diploid progenitors, C.

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Island systems provide important contexts for studying processes underlying lineage migration, species diversification, and organismal extinction. The Hawaiian endemic mints (Lamiaceae family) are the second largest plant radiation on the isolated Hawaiian Islands. We generated a chromosome-scale reference genome for one Hawaiian species, Stenogyne calaminthoides, and resequenced 45 relatives, representing 34 species, to uncover the continental origins of this group and their subsequent diversification.

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Article Synopsis
  • Scientists studied the Asian pitcher plant, Nepenthes gracilis, to find out how it developed unique features like its sex traits and bug-eating leaves after its genes duplicated.
  • They discovered that the plant has double the normal number of chromosomes and found areas in its genes that help with flower and pollen development, which are linked to its male traits.
  • The research showed that changes in its gene copies helped the plant create new functions and special traits, contributing to its ability to thrive and become unique in nature.
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Species radiations, despite immense phenotypic variation, can be difficult to resolve phylogenetically when genetic change poorly matches the rapidity of diversification. Genomic potential furnished by palaeopolyploidy, and relative roles for adaptation, random drift and hybridisation in the apportionment of genetic variation, remain poorly understood factors. Here, we study these aspects in a model radiation, Syzygium, the most species-rich tree genus worldwide.

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Large protein families are a prominent feature of plant genomes and their size variation is a key element for adaptation. However, gene and genome duplications pose difficulties for functional characterization and translational research. Here we infer the evolutionary history of the DOMAIN OF UNKNOWN FUNCTION (DUF) 26-containing proteins.

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Article Synopsis
  • Tree bark is a complex structure formed by specialized tissues, mainly developed from two meristems: the phellogen and vascular cambium, which are important for plant protection and growth.
  • The study focused on the silver birch (Betula pendula), analyzing its bark by breaking it down into eight tissue types and using transcriptomics and metabolomics to understand their unique characteristics.
  • Findings highlighted specific metabolic pathways involved in the production of substances like suberin and betulin, and revealed how these pathways have evolved, underscoring the diversity of bark tissues and their potential applications in biotechnology.
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Silver birch (Betula pendula) is a pioneer boreal tree that can be induced to flower within 1 year. Its rapid life cycle, small (440-Mb) genome, and advanced germplasm resources make birch an attractive model for forest biotechnology. We assembled and chromosomally anchored the nuclear genome of an inbred B.

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