Spatial Distribution of Genetic, Ploidy, and Morphological Variation of the Edaphic Steno-Endemic (Brassicaceae) from the Western Balkans.

Polyploidy is a powerful mechanism driving genetic, physiological, and phenotypic changes among cytotypes of the same species across both large and small geographic scales. These changes can significantly shape population structure and increase the evolutionary and adaptation potential of cytotypes. , an edaphic steno-endemic species with a narrow distribution in the Balkan Peninsula, serves as an intriguing case study.

Genome Size Variation in L. Germplasm from Niger.

L. (Pedaliaceae) is one of the most economically important oil crops in the world, thanks to the high oil content of its seeds and its nutritional value. It is cultivated all over the world, mainly in Asia and Africa.

Karyotype Variability in Wild L. Populations from Different Environmental Conditions in the Dinaric Alps.

L. (Amaryllidaceae), a facultative serpentinophyte, is a highly variable species and particularly important ancestor of cultivated daffodils, but is rarely studied in field populations. This study, based on natural populations in the Balkans, focused on karyotype variability, genome size, ploidy and the presence of B chromosomes.

Allopolyploidy: An Underestimated Driver in Evolution.

Allopolyploidy is considered as a principal driver that shaped angiosperms' evolution in terms of diversification and speciation. Despite the unexpected high frequency of polyploidy that was recently discovered in the coniferous genus , little is known about the origin of these polyploid taxa. Here, we conducted the first study devoted to deciphering the origin of the only hexaploid taxon in along with four of its closely related tetraploid taxa using AFLP markers with four primers combinations.

Phytochemical and Cytogenetic Study of Two Centaurea Species from Croatia: the Particular Case of Diploid and Tetraploid C. salonitana.

Natural wild populations of C. rupestris and C. salonitana were studied to determine possible relationships between the volatile oil (VO) composition and ploidy level.

Apomictic Mountain Whitebeam (, Rosaceae) Comprises Several Genetically and Morphologically Divergent Lineages.

The interplay of polyploidisation, hybridization, and apomixis contributed to the exceptional diversity of (Rosaceae), giving rise to a mosaic of genetic and morphological entities. The species complex from the mountains of Central and South-eastern Europe represents an allopolyploid apomictic system of populations that originated following hybridisation between and . However, the mode and frequency of such allopolyploidisations and the relationships among different, morphologically more or less similar populations that have often been described as different taxa remain largely unexplored.

Sex Determination in : Evidence of Heteromorphic Sex Chromosomes and Sex-Linked NORs.

Yams ( spp.) are a pantropical genus located worldwide that constitute an important source of nutrients and pharmaceutical substances. Some crop species are widely grown in West Africa.

Volatile Oil Chemical Composition of Wild, Edible L. and Its Cytotoxic Activity.

species are well known as a source of phytopharmaceuticals having both beneficial and harmful influences on human health. L. is a wild edible plant used in Mediterranean cuisine in the Dalmatian region of Croatia.

Structure and Methylation of 35S rDNA in Allopolyploids (2 = 4 = 32, BBDD) and (2 = 6 = 48, AABBDD) and Their Parental Species Show Evidence of Nucleolar Dominance.

Transcriptional silencing of 35S rDNA loci inherited from one parental species is occurring relatively frequently in allopolyploids. However, molecular mechanisms by which it is selected for transcriptional silencing remain unclear. We applied NGS, silver staining and bisulfite sequencing to study the structure, expression and methylation landscape of 35S rDNA in two allopolyploids of common origin, allotetraploid (2 = 4 = 32, genome composition BBDD) and allohexaploid (2 = 6 = 48, AABBDD), and their genome donors, (2 = 16, AA), (2 = 16, BB) and (2 = 16, DD).

A chromosome-level, haplotype-phased Vanilla planifolia genome highlights the challenge of partial endoreplication for accurate whole-genome assembly.

Vanilla planifolia, the species cultivated to produce one of the world's most popular flavors, is highly prone to partial genome endoreplication, which leads to highly unbalanced DNA content in cells. We report here the first molecular evidence of partial endoreplication at the chromosome scale by the assembly and annotation of an accurate haplotype-phased genome of V. planifolia.

Genetic Variability in Balkan Paleoendemic Resurrection Plants and Across Their Range and in the Zone of Sympatry.

The genus includes three Paleoendemic and Tertiary relict species that survived in refugial habitats of the Balkan Peninsula ( and ) and the Iberian Peninsula (). They are all "resurrection plants," a rare phenomenon among flowering plants in Europe. and are diploids (2 = 2 = 48), while is a hexaploid (2 = 6 = 144).

Genome Size, Cytotype Diversity and Reproductive Mode Variation of (Rosaceae) from the Balkans.

represents a multiploid and facultative apomictic system of widely distributed mountain populations. We used flow cytometry to determine genome size, ploidy level, and reproduction mode variation of the Balkan populations, supplemented by analysis of nuclear microsatellites in order to address: (i) geographic distribution and variation of cytotypes among the populations; (ii) variation of reproduction mode and the frequency of sexuality; (iii) pathways of endosperm formation among the sampled polyploids and their endosperm balance requirements; (iv) genotypic diversity and geographic distribution of clonal lineages of polyploids. The prevalence of apomictic tetraploid cytotype followed by sexual diploids and extremely rare triploids was demonstrated.

Molecular Cytogenetics (Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization - FISH and Fluorochrome Banding): Resolving Species Relationships and Genome Organization.

Fluorochrome banding (chromomycin, Hoechst, and DAPI) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) are excellent molecular cytogenetic tools providing various possibilities in the study of chromosomal evolution and genome organization. The constitutive heterochromatin and rRNA genes are the most widely used FISH markers. The rDNA is organized into two distinct gene families (18S-5.

Gene flow between diploid and tetraploid junipers - two contrasting evolutionary pathways in two Juniperus populations.

Background: Gene flow and polyploidy have been found to be important in Juniperus evolution. However, little evidence has been published elucidating the association of both phenomena in juniper taxa in the wild. Two main areas were studied in Spain (Eastern Iberian Range and Sierra de Baza) with both diploid and tetraploid taxa present in sympatry.

Polyploidy in the Conifer Genus : An Unexpectedly High Rate.

Recent research suggests that the frequency of polyploidy may have been underestimated in gymnosperms. One notable example is in the conifer genus , where there are already a few reports of polyploids although data are still missing for most species. In this study, we evaluated the extent of polyploidy in by conducting the first comprehensive screen across nearly all of the genus.

Cytological and genome size data analyzed in a phylogenetic frame: Evolutionary implications concerning Sisyrinchium taxa (Iridaceae: Iridoideae).

Sisyrinchium is the largest genus of Iridaceae in the Americas and has the greatest amount of cytological data available. This study aimed at investigating how genomes evolved in this genus. Chromosome number, genome size and altitude from species of sect.

Epigenetic Differentiation of Natural Populations of Lilium bosniacum Associated with Contrasting Habitat Conditions.

Epigenetic variation in natural populations with contrasting habitats might be an important element, in addition to the genetic variation, in plant adaptation to environmental stress. Here, we assessed genetic, epigenetic, and cytogenetic structure of the three Lilium bosniacum populations growing on distinct habitats. One population was growing under habitual ecological conditions for this species and the other two were growing under stress associated with high altitude and serpentine soil.

Evolutionary implications of heterochromatin and rDNA in chromosome number and genome size changes during dysploidy: A case study in Reichardia genus.

In this study we showed that constitutive heterochromatin, GC-rich DNA and rDNA are implicated in chromosomal rearrangements during the basic chromosome number changing (dysploidy) in Reichardia genus. This small Mediterranean genus comprises 8-10 species and presents three basic chromosome numbers (x = 9, 8 and 7). To assess genome evolution and differentiation processes, studies were conducted in a dysploid series of six species: R.

DNA Remodeling by Strict Partial Endoreplication in Orchids, an Original Process in the Plant Kingdom.

DNA remodeling during endoreplication appears to be a strong developmental characteristic in orchids. In this study, we analyzed DNA content and nuclei in 41 species of orchids to further map the genome evolution in this plant family. We demonstrate that the DNA remodeling observed in 36 out of 41 orchids studied corresponds to strict partial endoreplication.

Essential Oil Profile, Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Geranium kikianum.

This work presents the first phytochemical investigation of Geranium kikianum Kit Tan & G. Vold (Geraniaceae), a species endemic to the southern Peloponnese, Greece. The essential oil from aerial parts of the plant was isolated by hydrodistillation and its chemical composition characterized by GC-MS.

Phytochemical and Cytogenetic Characterization of Centaurea solstitialis L. (Asteraceae) from Croatia.

The cytogenetic characterization of Centaurea solstitialis L. (Asteraceae) showed a chromosome number of 2n = 16. Karyotype is composed by four pairs of metacentric, two pairs of submetacentric and two pairs of subtelocentric chromosomes.

Unlocking the Karyological and Cytogenetic Diversity of Iris from Lebanon: Oncocyclus Section Shows a Distinctive Profile and Relative Stasis during Its Continental Radiation.

Despite being an important target of conservation concern and horticultural interest, Lebanese irises yet have a confusing taxonomic history and species' delimitation is often considered problematic, more especially among royal irises (Iris section Oncocyclus). Indeed, these irises of exceptionally large and spectacular flowers have radiated across Caucasus and eastern Mediterranean giving rise to a number of strict endemic taxa, many of them being considered under threat. Whilst efforts have mostly focused on clarifying the evolutionary relationships in the group based on morphological and molecular data, karyological and cytogenetic characters have been comparatively overlooked.

When sexual meets apomict: genome size, ploidy level and reproductive mode variation of Sorbus aria s.l. and S. austriaca (Rosaceae) in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Background And Aims: Allopolyploidy and intraspecific heteroploid crosses are associated, in certain groups, with changes in the mating system. The genus Sorbus represents an appropriate model to study the relationships between ploidy and reproductive mode variations. Diploid S.