Background The comparative embryology of Chelicerata has greatly advanced in recent years with the integration of classical studies and genetics, prominently spearheaded by developmental genetic works in spiders. Nonetheless, the understanding of the evolution of development and polarization of embryological characters in Chelicerata is presently limited, as few non-spider species have been well studied. A promising focal species for chelicerate evo-devo is the daddy-long-legs (harvestman) Phalangium opilio, a member of the order Opiliones. Phalangium opilio, breeds prolifically and is easily accessible in many parts of the world, as well as tractable in a laboratory setting. Resources for this species include developmental transcriptomes, a draft genome, and protocols for RNA interference, but a modern staging system is critically missing for this emerging model system. Results We present a staging system of P. opilio embryogenesis that spans the most important morphogenetic events with respect to segment formation, appendage elongation and head development. Using time-lapse imaging, confocal microscopy, colorimetric in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry, we tracked the development of synchronous clutches from egg laying to adulthood. We describe key events in segmentation, myogenesis, neurogenesis, and germ cell formation. Conclusion Considering the phylogenetic position of Opiliones and the unduplicated condition of its genome (in contrast to groups like spiders and scorpions), this species is poised to serve as a linchpin for comparative studies in arthropod development and genome evolution. The staging system presented herein provides a valuable reference for P. opilio that we anticipate being useful to the arthropod evo-devo community, with the goal of revitalizing research in the comparative development of non-spider arachnids.
41The globally important crop Brassica rapa, a close relative of Arabidopsis, is an excellent 42 system for modeling our current knowledge of plant growth on a morphologically diverse crop. 43The long history of B. rapa domestication across Asia and Europe provides a unique collection 44 of locally adapted varieties that span large climatic regions with various abiotic and biotic stress 45 tolerance traits. This diverse gene pool provides a rich source of targets with the potential for 46 manipulation towards the enhancement of productivity of crops both within and outside the 47Brassicaceae. To expand the genetic resources available to study natural variation in B. rapa, we 48constructed an Advanced Intercross Recombinant Inbred (AI-RIL) population using B. rapa 49 subsp. trilocularis (Yellow Sarson) R500 and the B. rapa subsp. parachinensis (Cai Xin) variety 50L58. Our current understanding of genomic structure variation across crops suggests that a 51 single reference genome is insufficient for capturing the genetic diversity within a species. To 52 complement this AI-RIL population and current and future B.
Developmental plasticity creates marked variation in individual phenotypes when the environment is patchy, such as when the thermal environment varies. Plasticity may occur in response to the environment experienced during an individual's lifetime or to the environment experienced by parents (transgenerational plasticity), and may be adaptive if it enhances fitness. In particular, plasticity in thermal traits, such as preferred temperatures and thermal limits, may improve performance and fitness based on temperatures in the local environment. This study examined the influence of parental and offspring thermal environments (duration of access to a basking lamp) on offspring thermal traits (preferred temperatures and panting threshold) in jacky dragons (Agamidae: Amphibolurus muricatus). Long-bask parental environments led, indirectly, to higher preferred temperatures of offspring due to increased offspring body mass compared to offspring of short-bask parents. The increase in median temperature preference was associated with a higher voluntary minimum body temperature and a narrower preference range, suggesting tradeoffs in thermal behavior and a matching of offspring preferences to the parental environment. Parental thermal treatment did not influence offspring panting threshold. Instead, the panting threshold tended to be higher in offspring that were reared in the long-bask treatment compared to those in the short-bask treatment, suggesting longer basking environments increased thermal tolerance. Parental and offspring thermal environment did not exhibit any interactive effect on thermal traits. The results indicate that thermal environments experienced by lizards can have both transgenerational and within-generation impacts on thermal traits, thus influencing how populations respond to fluctuating or changing climates.
The globally important crop Brassica rapa, a close relative of Arabidopsis, is an excellent system for modeling our current knowledge of plant growth on a morphologically diverse crop. The long history of B. rapa domestication across Asia and Europe provides a unique collection of locally adapted varieties that span large climatic regions with various abiotic and biotic stress‐tolerance traits. This diverse gene pool provides a rich source of targets with the potential for manipulation toward the enhancement of productivity of crops both within and outside the Brassicaceae. To expand the genetic resources available to study natural variation in B. rapa, we constructed an Advanced Intercross Recombinant Inbred Line (AI‐RIL) population using B. rapa subsp. trilocularis (Yellow Sarson) R500 and the B. rapa subsp. parachinensis (Cai Xin) variety L58. Our current understanding of genomic structure variation across crops suggests that a single reference genome is insufficient for capturing the genetic diversity within a species. To complement this AI‐RIL population and current and future B. rapa genomic resources, we generated a de novo genome assembly of the B. rapa subsp. trilocularis (Yellow Sarson) variety R500, the maternal parent of the AI‐RIL population. The genetic map for the R500 x L58 population generated using this de novo genome was used to map Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for seed coat color and revealed the improved mapping resolution afforded by this new assembly.
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