The genus Elatine contains ca 25 species, all of which are small, herbaceous annuals distributed in ephemeral waters on both hemispheres. However, due to a high degree of morphological variability (as a consequence of their amphibious life-style), the taxonomy of this genus remains controversial. Thus, to fill this gap in knowledge, we present a detailed molecular phylogenetic study of this genus based on nuclear (rITS) and plastid (accD-psaI, psbJ-petA, ycf6-psbM-trnD) sequences using 27 samples from 13 species. On the basis of this phylogenetic analysis, we provide a solid phylogenetic background for the modern taxonomy of the European members of the genus. Traditionally accepted sections of this tree (i.e., Crypta and Elatinella) were found to be monophyletic; only E. borchoni—found to be a basal member of the genus—has to be excluded from the latter lineage to achieve monophyly. A number of taxonomic conclusions can also be drawn: E. hexandra, a high-ploid species, is most likely a stabilised hybrid between the main sections; E. campylosperma merits full species status based on both molecular and morphological evidence; E. gussonei is a more widespread and genetically diverse species with two main lineages; and the presence of the Asian E. ambigua in the European flora is questionable. The main lineages recovered in this analysis are also supported by a number of synapomorphic morphological characters as well as uniform chromosome counts. Based on all the evidence presented here, two new subsections within Elatinella are described: subsection Hydropipera consisting of the temperate species of the section, and subsection Macropodae including the Mediterranean species of the section.

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The genus Secale is small but very diverse. Despite the high economic importance, phylogenetic relationships of rye species have not been fully determined, and they are extremely important for the process of breeding of new cultivars that can be enriched with functional traits derived from wild rye species. The study analyzed the degree of relationship of 35 accessions of the genus Secale , representing 13 most often distinguished species and subspecies, originating from various seed collections in the world, based on the analysis of non-coding regions of the chloroplast (cpDNA) and mitochondrial genome (mtDNA), widely used in phylogenetic and population plant studies, because of a higher rate of evolution than the coding regions. There was no clear genetic structure between different species and subspecies, which may indicated the introgression between these taxa. The obtained data confirmed that S . vavilovii was very similar to S . cereale , which confirmed the assumption that they might share a common ancestor. The results also confirmed the divergence of S . sylvestre from other species and subspecies of rye. Areas that may be useful molecular markers in studies on closely related species of the genus Secale were also indicated.

BackgroundThe endothelial PAS domain protein 1 (EPAS1) activates genes that are involved in erythropoiesis and angiogenesis, thus favoring a better delivery of oxygen to the tissues and is a plausible candidate to influence athletic performance. Using innovative statistical methods we compared genotype distributions and interactions of EPAS1 SNPs rs1867785, rs11689011, rs895436, rs4035887 and rs1867782 between sprint/power athletes (n = 338), endurance athletes (n = 254), and controls (603) in Polish and Russian samples. We also examined the association between these SNPs and the athletes’ competition level (‘elite’ and ‘sub-elite’ level). Genotyping was performed by either Real-Time PCR or by Single-Base Extension (SBE) method.ResultsIn the pooled cohort of Polish and Russian athletes, 1) rs1867785 was associated with sprint/power athletic status; the AA genotype in rs1867785 was underrepresented in the sprint/power athletes, 2) rs11689011 was also associated with sprint/power athletic status; the TT genotype in rs11689011 was underrepresented sprint/power athletes, and 3) the interaction between rs1867785, rs11689011, and rs4035887 was associated with sprint/power athletic performance; the combinations of the AA genotype in rs4035887 with either the AG or GG genotypes in rs1867785, or with the CT or CC genotypes in rs11689011, were underrepresented in two cohorts of sprint/power athletes.ConclusionsBased on the unique statistical model rs1867785/rs11689011 are strong predictors of sprint/power athletic status, and the interaction between rs1867785, rs11689011, and rs4035887 might contribute to success in sprint/power athletic performance.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-382) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Chromosomes of Corbicula fluminalis were characterized by karyotype analysis and nucleolar organizer region (NORs) localization. The triploid chromosome number was confirmed as 54; the karyotype is composed of 3 metacentric, 15 submetacentric and 36 subtelo-acrocentic chromosomes. Silver staining revealed nucleolar organizers on the telomeric regions of three subtelo-acrocentic chromosomes. This is the first study on chromosomes of C. fluminalis. The results are discussed with regards to Corbicula species as well as its relationships to other mollusc species based on cytogenetic characters and morphometric of the shells.

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Two synthetic populations (Syn-5 and Syn-7), four inbred lines and four landraces of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) were studied for genetic relatedness. These forms were characterized by different amount of seeds set and green mass yield. Two primer pairs of specific nucleotide sequences of mitochondrial DNA isolated from soybean were used. The mtDNA revealed the existence of significant polymorphism among the investigated forms of alfalfa. The genetic similarity (Dice coefficient) among studied forms of alfalfa ranged from 20.1 to 96.1. The greatest resemblances were noticed between D 5 inbred line and the population of Syn-5. The lowest resemblances were noticed between Syn-7 and E 1/2 . The UPGMA dendrogram split investigated forms of alfalfa into two groups: first group include three landraces, the second consist of the rest analyzed forms. There are two landraces distinct with the highest seed set and yield of green mass: one in the first group, another one in the second group.