Dataset Information

Self-Repair in Cacti Branches: Comparative Analyses of Their Morphology, Anatomy, and Biomechanics.

ABSTRACT: Damage-repair is particularly important for the maintenance of the water-storing abilities of succulent plants such as cacti. Comparative morphological, anatomical, and biomechanical analyses of self-repair were performed on artificially wounded branches of Opuntiaficus-indica and Cylindropuntia bigelovii. Macroscopic observations, contrast staining, and lignin-proof staining were used to investigate morphological and anatomical responses after wounding at various time intervals. Two-point bending tests were repeatedly performed on the same branches under unwounded, freshly wounded, and healed conditions by using customized 3D-printed clamping jaws. Morphologically, both species showed a rolling-in of the wound edges, but no mucilage discharge. Anatomically, ligno-suberized peridermal layers developed that covered the wound region, and new parenchyma cells formed, especially in O. ficus-indica. In all samples, the wounding effect directly after damage caused a decrease between 18% and 37% in all the tested mechanical parameters, whereas a positive healing effect after 21 days was only found for C. bigelovii. Based on our data, we hypothesize a high selection pressure on the restoration of structural integrity in the wound area, with a focus on the development of efficient water-retaining mechanisms, whereas the concept of "sufficient is good enough" seems to apply for the restoration of the mechanical properties.

SUBMITTER: Mylo MD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7370035 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Self-Repair in Cacti Branches: Comparative Analyses of Their Morphology, Anatomy, and Biomechanics.

Mylo Max D MD Krüger Friederike F Speck Thomas T Speck Olga O

International journal of molecular sciences 20200629 13

Damage-repair is particularly important for the maintenance of the water-storing abilities of succulent plants such as cacti. Comparative morphological, anatomical, and biomechanical analyses of self-repair were performed on artificially wounded branches of Opuntia ficus-indica and Cylindropuntia bigelovii. Macroscopic observations, contrast staining, and lignin-proof staining were used to investigate morphological and anatomical responses after wounding at various time inte ...[more]

PMID: 32610697

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Project description:BackgroundPlastid genomes (plastomes) have long been recognized as highly conserved in their overall structure, size, gene arrangement and content among land plants. However, recent studies have shown that some lineages present unusual variations in some of these features. Members of the cactus family are one of these lineages, with distinct plastome structures reported across disparate lineages, including gene losses, inversions, boundary movements or loss of the canonical inverted repeat (IR) region. However, only a small fraction of cactus diversity has been analysed so far.MethodsHere, we investigated plastome features of the tribe Opuntieae, the remarkable prickly pear cacti, which represent one of the most diverse and important lineages of Cactaceae. We assembled de novo the plastome of 43 species, representing a comprehensive sampling of the tribe, including all seven genera, and analysed their evolution in a phylogenetic comparative framework. Phylogenomic analyses with different datasets (full plastome sequences and genes only) were performed, followed by congruence analyses to assess signals underlying contentious nodes.Key resultsPlastomes varied considerably in length, from 121 to 162 kbp, with striking differences in the content and size of the IR region (contraction and expansion events), including a lack of the canonical IR in some lineages and the pseudogenization or loss of some genes. Overall, nine different types of plastomes were reported, deviating in the presence of the IR region or the genes contained in the IR. Overall, plastome sequences resolved phylogenetic relationships within major clades of Opuntieae with high bootstrap values but presented some contentious nodes depending on the dataset analysed (e.g. whole plastome vs. genes only). Congruence analyses revealed that most plastidial regions lack phylogenetic resolution, while few markers are supporting the most likely topology. Likewise, alternative topologies are driven by a handful of plastome markers, suggesting recalcitrant nodes in the phylogeny.ConclusionsOur study reveals a dynamic nature of plastome evolution across closely related lineages, shedding light on peculiar features of plastomes. Variation of plastome types across Opuntieae is remarkable in size, structure and content and can be important for the recognition of species in some major clades. Unravelling connections between the causes of plastome variation and the consequences for species biology, physiology, ecology, diversification and adaptation is a promising and ambitious endeavour in cactus research. Although plastome data resolved major phylogenetic relationships, the generation of nuclear genomic data is necessary to confront these hypotheses and assess the recalcitrant nodes further.

Dataset Information

Self-Repair in Cacti Branches: Comparative Analyses of Their Morphology, Anatomy, and Biomechanics.

Publications

Self-Repair in Cacti Branches: Comparative Analyses of Their Morphology, Anatomy, and Biomechanics.

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