Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) Vent. (Magnoliophyta: Urticales), or paper mulberry, is a species of Asian origin dispersed by humans throughout the Pacific. Our aim is to evaluate the genetic variability of this plant in order to determine its potential as a commensal species for studying the mobility and/or migratory movements of the people that carried it. For this study, we analysed the non-coding transcribed spacer sequences (ITS) of ribosomal nuclear DNA found in samples of B. papyrifera collected in Remote Oceania and Taiwan. Our results show three genotypes: the Pacific samples form a distinct and homogenous subgroup, while the Taiwanese accessions present two genotypes. We discuss the relevance of these results in the context of the dispersal of B. papyrifera in the Pacific and its association with Austronesian migration history.
Cinnamomum osmophloeum, an indigenous species of Taiwan, can be utilized for valuable products such as a food, a spice and a traditional Chinese medicine. This study compares the ribosomal DNA (nr DNA) internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence of C. osmophloeum to that of several other species with similar external morphology, such as Cinnamomum burmannii, Cinnamomum insularimontanum, Cinnamomum macrostemon and Cinnamomum subavenium. Phylogeny of ITS sequences shows that C. osmophloeum is more closely related to C. burmannii than the other species, while C. insularimontanum, C. macrostemon, and C. subavenium are phylogenetically relevant to each other. By comparing ITS sequence between C. osmophloeum and C. burmannii, specific primers were designed for the multiplex-PCR to differentiate them. Based on ITS sequence differences, all tested Cinnamomum spp. can be properly authenticated. A 125 bp band specific for C. osmophloeum and a 204-bp C. burmannii-specific band were successfully amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the respective primers described above. The two species then can be identified at the molecular level according to the sizes of their respective PCR products as determined by gel electrophoresis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.