Gene regulation: ancient microRNA target sequences in plants

MicroRNAs are an abundant class of small RNAs that are thought to regulate the expression of protein-coding genes in plants and animals. Here we show that the target sequence of two microRNAs, known to regulate genes in the class-III homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) gene family of the flowering plant Arabidopsis, is conserved in homologous sequences from all lineages of land plants, including bryophytes, lycopods, ferns and seed plants. We also find that the messenger RNAs from these genes are cleaved within the same microRNA-binding site in representatives of each land-plant group, as they are in Arabidopsis. Our results indicate not only that microRNAs mediate gene regulation in non-flowering as well as flowering plants, but also that the regulation of this class of plant genes dates back more than 400 million years.     

陆地植物新系统树之诠释与简评

近十年来陆地植物主要谱系系统发育关系已经得到解决,包含角苔类、苔类和藓类的苔藓植物,但可能不是一个单系分支。重新定义的单系的蕨类植物,其中不包括石松植物。根据分子数据结合形态上近裔共性,若干分支的单系性得到支持,这些分支包括真双子叶植物、核心真双子叶植物、蔷薇分支和菊分支等。另外还讨论了有关苔藓植物和买麻藤目系统发育的若干争议问题,并就今后的研究方向进行了展望。     

Independent recruitment of a conserved developmental mechanism during leaf evolution

Vascular plants evolved in the Middle to Late Silurian period, about 420 million years ago. The fossil record indicates that these primitive plants had branched stems with sporangia but no leaves. Leaf-like lateral outgrowths subsequently evolved on at least two independent occasions. In extant plants, these events are represented by microphyllous leaves in lycophytes (clubmosses, spikemosses and quillworts) and megaphyllous leaves in euphyllophytes (ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms). Our current understanding of how leaves develop is restricted to processes that operate during megaphyll formation. Because microphylls and megaphylls evolved independently, different mechanisms might be required for leaf formation. Here we show that this is not so. Gene expression data from a microphyllous lycophyte, phylogenetic analyses, and a cross-species complementation experiment all show that a common developmental mechanism can underpin both microphyll and megaphyll formation. We propose that this mechanism might have operated originally in the context of primitive plant apices to facilitate bifurcation. Recruitment of this pathway to form leaves occurred independently and in parallel in different plant lineages.     

Ancestral polyploidy in seed plants and angiosperms

Whole-genome duplication (WGD), or polyploidy, followed by gene loss and diploidization has long been recognized as an important evolutionary force in animals, fungi and other organisms, especially plants. The success of angiosperms has been attributed, in part, to innovations associated with gene or whole-genome duplications, but evidence for proposed ancient genome duplications pre-dating the divergence of monocots and eudicots remains equivocal in analyses of conserved gene order. Here we use comprehensive phylogenomic analyses of sequenced plant genomes and more than 12.6 million new expressed-sequence-tag sequences from phylogenetically pivotal lineages to elucidate two groups of ancient gene duplications-one in the common ancestor of extant seed plants and the other in the common ancestor of extant angiosperms. Gene duplication events were intensely concentrated around 319 and 192 million years ago, implicating two WGDs in ancestral lineages shortly before the diversification of extant seed plants and extant angiosperms, respectively. Significantly, these ancestral WGDs resulted in the diversification of regulatory genes important to seed and flower development, suggesting that they were involved in major innovations that ultimately contributed to the rise and eventual dominance of seed plants and angiosperms.     

Ferns diversified in the shadow of angiosperms

The rise of angiosperms during the Cretaceous period is often portrayed as coincident with a dramatic drop in the diversity and abundance of many seed-free vascular plant lineages, including ferns. This has led to the widespread belief that ferns, once a principal component of terrestrial ecosystems, succumbed to the ecological predominance of angiosperms and are mostly evolutionary holdovers from the late Palaeozoic/early Mesozoic era. The first appearance of many modern fern genera in the early Tertiary fossil record implies another evolutionary scenario; that is, that the majority of living ferns resulted from a more recent diversification. But a full understanding of trends in fern diversification and evolution using only palaeobotanical evidence is hindered by the poor taxonomic resolution of the fern fossil record in the Cretaceous. Here we report divergence time estimates for ferns and angiosperms based on molecular data, with constraints from a reassessment of the fossil record. We show that polypod ferns (> 80% of living fern species) diversified in the Cretaceous, after angiosperms, suggesting perhaps an ecological opportunistic response to the diversification of angiosperms, as angiosperms came to dominate terrestrial ecosystems.     

苔藓植物化学成分及抑菌作用的研究进展

苔藓植物是没有维管束的陆生植物,分为藓纲、苔纲和角苔纲3类。近年来的研究表明,苔藓植物能产生萜类、黄酮类及联苄类等生物活性物质,其中许多对病原真菌和细菌具有良好的抑制作用,是天然抗菌药物的重要来源。本文主要介绍苔藓植物的化学组成及其抑菌作用的研究情况。     

Identification of diploid endosperm in an early angiosperm lineage

In flowering plants, the developmental and genetic basis for the establishment of an embryo-nourishing tissue differs from all other lineages of seed plants. Among extant nonflowering seed plants (conifers, cycads, Ginkgo, Gnetales), a maternally derived haploid tissue (female gametophyte) is responsible for the acquisition of nutrients from the maternal diploid plant, and the ultimate provisioning of the embryo. In flowering plants, a second fertilization event, contemporaneous with the fusion of sperm and egg to yield a zygote, initiates a genetically biparental and typically triploid embryo-nourishing tissue called endosperm. For over a century, triploid biparental endosperm has been viewed as the ancestral condition in extant flowering plants. Here we report diploid biparental endosperm in Nuphar polysepalum, a basal angiosperm. We show that diploid endosperms are common among early angiosperm lineages and may represent the ancestral condition among flowering plants. If diploid endosperm is plesiomorphic, the triploid endosperms of the vast majority of flowering plants must have evolved from a diploid condition through the developmental modification of the unique fertilization process that initiates endosperm.     

Evolution of plant reproduction: From fusion and dispersal to interaction and communication

Based on the existing data concerning the evolution of the sexual reproduction, it is argued that the processes of sex differentiation and interactions play a key role in evolution. From the beginning environment and organism are unified. In a changing dynamic environment life originates and the interaction between life and environment develops from simple to more complex organisms. Sexual reproduction is introduced after the origin of meiosis and is a key process in evolution. The asexual reproduction process prepares to dispersal. Sexual reproduction process adds the genome renewal and the gamete-gamete interaction. Reproduction and dispersal are connected and the process of reproduction has similarities between asexual and sexual reproduction. Unicellular algae develop the physiological and morphological sex differentiation. Sex differentiation is connected with the way of dispersal. The step to multicellular plants introduces cell isolation after meiosis and by the stay on the mother plant within a cell or organ, plant-cell apoplastic interaction originates and by prolonged stay the plant-plant interaction. This stay influences the type of dispersal. A life cycle with alternation of generations and two moments of dispersal permits plants to go on land. In ferns a shift in the moment of sex differentiation to meiospore happens and the stay of the macrospore leads to the seed plants. In water all types of sexual reproduction, interactions and the alternation of generations are prepared and these are used to conquest land. On land the biotic dispersal is realized. The phylogeny of sexual reproduction reveals that the sex differentiation and interaction are the main causes in the evolution of sexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction shows interactions during gamete fusion, between organism and environment and in multicellular plants between organisms. With respect to other types of interaction as in symbiosis or the nutrient chain, interaction is considered as an important action which is based on a persisting cooperation and points to a push during evolution. The push is expressed as communication： the driving force in the evolution. Based on the interactions between organisms and interactions between organisms and the dynamic environment, communication is considered as a driving force leading to the evolution as explained in the development of plant reproduction. Consequences for reproduction, its regulation and the process of evolution are discussed.     

山东苔藓植物区系

现知山东苔藓植物有56科155属433种(包括变种和亚种)，约占全国苔藓植物科的47．86％，属的28．34％，种的13．57％。从区系成分上看，山东苔藓植物区系具有两大特点：一是温带成分比例高；二是东亚成分多；就地理分布而言，沿海地区种类多于内陆地区，山区多于平原的分布特点。可以说，山东苔藓植物区系与山东种子植物区系相类同，是相对简单的北温带类型的苔藓植物区系。     

宽阔水保护区白辛树群落物种组成及种群结构分析

为了解贵州宽阔水国家级自然保护区白辛树(Pterostyrax psilophywus)群落物种组成及种群结构特征,选取保护区内白辛树群落主要分布范围进行调查分析.结果表明:调查群落样地内共有维管植物42科, 71属, 84种,其中蕨类植物1科, 1属, 1种;种子植物41科, 70属, 83种;无裸子植物,被子植物41科, 70属, 83种;单子叶植物4科, 5属, 7种;双子叶植物37科, 65属, 76种.物种组成较为单一.白辛树虽占据优势,但龄级结构不正常,呈"两头多,中间少".群落物种多样性指数及均匀度指数不高.白辛树幼苗和幼树极少,更新困难,且受林下金佛山方竹(Chimonobambusa quadrangularis)干扰较强,大径阶植株比重大,年龄结构总体呈衰退型.种群在该区处于濒危状态,亟待保护.     

陆生植物的起源和维管植物的早期演化

陆生植物的起源和演化是地球生命中的重大事件,它影响到地球上所有的其他生命和全球环境。在过去的20年中,从中奥陶世历经整个志留纪至早泥盆世的岩层中,化石植物(微化石和大化石)的新发现改变了人们对陆生植物起源的认识,并且为陆生植物和维管植物早期演化分异提供了基部类群分化的时间框架。据此人们识别出地史中的3个陆生植物的时代：始胚植物时代、始维管植物时代和真维管植物时代。另一方面,分子系统的研究使人们深入认识了植物的系统发育和早期分支。通过比较形态学研究和基因序列的共同努力,建立了植物系统发育树。总结了最近的进展和新的认识,评价了基于分支分析的系统发育研究。     

Assessing the redundancy of MADS-box genes during carpel and ovule development

Carpels are essential for sexual plant reproduction because they house the ovules and subsequently develop into fruits that protect, nourish and ultimately disperse the seeds. The AGAMOUS (AG) gene is necessary for plant sexual reproduction because stamens and carpels are absent from ag mutant flowers. However, the fact that sepals are converted into carpelloid organs in certain mutant backgrounds even in the absence of AG activity indicates that an AG-independent carpel-development pathway exists. AG is a member of a monophyletic clade of MADS-box genes that includes SHATTERPROOF1 (SHP1), SHP2 and SEEDSTICK (STK), indicating that these four genes might share partly redundant activities. Here we show that the SHP genes are responsible for AG-independent carpel development. We also show that the STK gene is required for normal development of the funiculus, an umbilical-cord-like structure that connects the developing seed to the fruit, and for dispersal of the seeds when the fruit matures. We further show that all four members of the AG clade are required for specifying the identity of ovules, the landmark invention during the course of vascular plant evolution that enabled seed plants to become the most successful group of land plants.     

习水国家级自然保护区药用植物资源考察

通过多次深入贵州习水国家级自然保护区药用植物资源考察,现已初步确定习水国家级自然保护区有药用植物资源185科687种,其中菌类植物6科17种,地衣植物5科7种,苔藓植物5科5种,蕨类植物38科119种,裸子植物5科9种,被子植物126科530种。对该地区药用植物的保护利用及可持续发展提出了建议。     

Phylogeny and divergence of Chinese Angiopteridaceae based on chloroplast DNA sequence data （rbcL and trnL-F）

Marattioid ferns are an ancient lineage of primitive vascular plants that first appeared in the middle Carboniferous. Extant members are almost exclusively restricted to tropical regions, and the spe- cies-rich family Angiopteridaceae are limited in their distribution to the eastern hemisphere; relation- ships within the group are currently vague. Here the phylogenetic relationship between Angiopteris Hoffm. and Archangiopteris Christ et Gies. was evaluated based on the sequence analysis of chloro- plast rbcL gene and trnL-F intergenic spacer with MEGA2 and MrBayes v3.0b4. On the basis of the phy- logenetic pattern and fossil record, we further estimated the divergence time for the two genera. The phy- logenetic trees revealed that all species of Angiopteris and Archangiopteris in this study formed a monophyletic group with strong statistical support, but the relationship between the two genera re- mained unresolved based on individual sequence analysis. On the other hand, the sequence analyses of combined data set revealed that Archangiopteris species diverged first, indicating that Archangiop- teris may not be a direct derivative as traditionally assumed. The clade of Angiopteris and Archan- giopteris appears to have diversified in the late Oligocene (≈26 Ma) based on the molecular estimate. Thus, the evolutionary history of extant Angiopteris and Archangiopteris has been characterized by ancient origin and recent diversification, and these groups are not relic and endangered lineages as traditionally considered.     

贵阳市刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia L.)树附生苔藓植物初步调查

在"林城"贵阳,贵阳市行政区域内现有林地面积18.3万hm2,森林覆盖率为31.7%,森林覆盖率较高。树附生苔藓植物因其特殊性是可以作为城市大气污染的指示植物。树附生苔藓在贵阳分布较广泛,其中以作为贵阳市行道树或栽种树的刺槐树(Robinia pseudoacacia L.)最为典型。在贵州师范大学、花溪公园以及黔灵公园3个地点共选取了13棵刺槐树进行野外生态调查。结果发现了树附生苔藓植物8科12属14种。常见种为全缘刺疣藓Trichosteleum lutschianum(Broth.et Par.)Broth.、平锦藓Platygyrium repens(Brid.)B.S.G.、细叶小羽藓Haplocladium microphyllum(Hedw.)Broth.、矮锦藓Sematophyllum subhumile(C.Muell.)Fleisch.、真藓Bryum ar-genteumHedw.、异叶红叶藓Bryoerthrophyllum hostile(Herz.)Che和纤枝短月藓Brachymenium exile(Doz.etMolk.)Bosch et Lac.等。优势科为真藓科,其次是灰藓科,分别占总数的50%和37.5%。生活型只有矮丛集型和交织型。本次对贵阳市刺槐树附生苔藓的初步调查为进一步深入研究贵阳市树附生苔藓的多样性提供了基础资料。也是对将来监测贵阳市大气污染迈出的重要的第一步。     

湖南省石门县高砷地区的蕨类植物资源调查——兼论高砷地区环境污染的植被恢复

为寻找更多、更有效的砷富集蕨类植物，对湖南省石门县雄黄矿场砷富集区的蕨类植物的种类及其生长状况进行了系统性调查分析.蕨类植物的亲缘关系分析结果表明：湖南省石门县雄黄矿场砷富集区的22种蕨类植物中有5种蕨类植物属于凤尾蕨类，5种属于金星蕨-铁角蕨类，4种属于鳞毛蕨类，其余7种则分散于蕨类植物的其他类群.频度及多度分析表明：蜈蚣草（Pteris vittata）、井兰边草（P.multifida）、渐尖毛蕨（Cyclosorus acuminatus）和贯众（Cyrtomium fortunei）在高砷地区有较高的频度和多度.石门高砷区生长的蕨类植物和已报道的砷富集蕨类植物的系统发育关系及其生物习性表明凤尾蕨类植物中发现了新的砷富集者.     

鄂东大别山生物多样性研究

对鄂东大别山区的生物多样性进行了研究.目前已知该区有维管植物195科663属1 461种,占湖北省总种数的24.27%和全国总种数的5.25%,属国家特有、珍稀濒危或重点保护的植物有34种,有苔藓植物30科64属143种.已知该区有陆生脊椎动物26目65科208种,占湖北省总种数的31.04%和全国总种数的8.09%,其中有27种国家重点保护野生动物和61种湖北省级重点保护动物.该区自然植被类型有10个植被型,52个群系.该区不仅动植物区系成分多样性复杂,而且经济类型多样.     

Earliest record of megaphylls and leafy structures, and their initial diversification

Evolutionary changes in the structure of leaves have had far-reaching effects on the anatomy and physiology of vascular plants, resulting in morphological diversity and species expansion. People have long been interested in the question of the nature of the morphology of early leaves and how they were attained. At least five lineages of euphyllophytes can be recognized among the Early Devonian fossil plants (Pragian age, ca. 410 Ma ago) of South China. Their different leaf precursors or "branch-leaf complexes" are believed to foreshadow true megaphylls with different venation patterns and configurations, indicating that multiple origins of megaphylls had occurred by the Early Devonian, much earlier than has previously been recognized. In addition to megaphylls in euphyllophytes, the laminate leaf-like appendages (sporophylls or bracts) occurred independently in several distantly related Early Devonian plant lineages, probably as a response to ecological factors such as high atmospheric CO 2 concentrations. This is a typical example of convergent evolution in early plants.     

小寨子沟自然保护区种子植物区系分析

在野外调查和分类的基础上，报道了小寨子沟自然保护区种子植物区系的统计分析结果。现知该区域有种子植物137科、62l属、l558种(含种下分类群)。种子植物区系分析表明：(1)种子植物种类丰富，有裸子植物7科、14属、26种；被子植物130科、607属、l532种。(2)区系成分复杂，属的地理分布有15个类型。其中温带分布占64.74％，热带分布占31.02％，温带分布占一定优势。(3)原始、残遗植物成分较多，表现出植物区系的古老性。