Project description:Recently, we found a dioecious plant Populus cathayana males possess a greater tolerance to enhanced UV-B radiation than do females. To carry this work forward, comparative transcriptome analyses were carried out. Similar to previous studies, a set of conserved functions and pathways related to UV-B stress were detected in males and females, regardless of the sex. In addition, sex-specific responses via transcriptome remodeling were also detected as shown in the changes of sex-related gene expression occurred in some pathways. For example, a lot of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in amino acid metabolism were mainly up-regulated in males, but down-regulated in females. Moreover, we found some DEGs expressed predominantly or exclusively in one sex, which may directly contribute to sex-related physiological responses.
Project description:Arthrobacter chlorophenolicus A6 is a 4-chlorophenol degrading soil bacterium with high phyllosphere colonization capacity. Till now the genetic basis for the phyllosphere competency of Arthrobacter or other pollutant-degrading bacteria is uncertain. We investigated global gene expression profile of A. chlorophenolicus grown in the phyllosphere of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) compared to growth on agar surfaces.
Project description:The increased urban pressures are often associated with specialization of microbial communities. Microbial communities being a critical player in the geochemical processes, makes it important to identify key environmental parameters that influence the community structure and its function.In this proect we study the influence of land use type and environmental parameters on the structure and function of microbial communities. The present study was conducted in an urban catchment, where the metal and pollutants levels are under allowable limits. The overall goal of this study is to understand the role of engineered physicochemical environment on the structure and function of microbial communities in urban storm-water canals.