<i>Ephedra</i> as a gymnosperm evo‐devo model lineage

Stilio, Verónica S. Di; Ickert‐Bond, Stefanie M.

doi:10.1111/ede.12370

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…The additional seed-covering structures (bracts) in Ephedra have been a subject of interest to plant developmental biologists for their ecological and functional importance. The transcriptomes that we present here generate fundamental molecular information for the development of new model species [ 45 ]. Furthermore, the outcomes of this study provide a solid framework for future research aimed at improving our understanding of the genetic network underlying the development of seed structures, relevant to seed viability, endurance and survival: It is likely that the ovule developmental function of MADS-box genes, AGL6 , AG and TT16 , is conserved across seed plants, and that is why their expression is detected in some gymnosperms with fleshy seeds.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, Ephedra gerardiana has been reported to take about 4 months to produce viable seeds, from when the cones are first recognizable until germination, which is relatively fast for a gymnosperm [ 41 ]. These characteristics make Ephedra attractive as a possible model species; however, the disadvantage is that it also has one of the largest genomes known among gymnosperms (i.e., 8.09–38.34 pg/1C) [ 2 , 3 , 42 – 45 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fleshy or dry: transcriptome analyses reveal the genetic mechanisms underlying bract development in Ephedra

Zumajo-Cardona

Ambrose

2022

EvoDevo

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Background Gnetales have a key phylogenetic position in the evolution of seed plants. Among the Gnetales, there is an extraordinary morphological diversity of seeds, the genus Ephedra, in particular, exhibits fleshy, coriaceous or winged (dry) seeds. Despite this striking diversity, its underlying genetic mechanisms remain poorly understood due to the limited studies in gymnosperms. Expanding the genomic and developmental data from gymnosperms contributes to a better understanding of seed evolution and development. Results We performed transcriptome analyses on different plant tissues of two Ephedra species with different seed morphologies. Anatomical observations in early developing ovules, show that differences in the seed morphologies are established early in their development. The transcriptomic analyses in dry-seeded Ephedra californica and fleshy-seeded Ephedra antisyphilitica, allowed us to identify the major differences between the differentially expressed genes in these species. We detected several genes known to be involved in fruit ripening as upregulated in the fleshy seed of Ephedra antisyphilitica. Conclusions This study allowed us to determine the differentially expressed genes involved in seed development of two Ephedra species. Furthermore, the results of this study of seeds with the enigmatic morphology in Ephedra californica and Ephedra antisyphilitica, allowed us to corroborate the hypothesis which suggest that the extra envelopes covering the seeds of Gnetales are not genetically similar to integument. Our results highlight the importance of carrying out studies on less explored species such as gymnosperms, to gain a better understanding of the evolutionary history of plants.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fleshy or dry: transcriptome analyses reveal the genetic mechanisms underlying bract development in Ephedra

Zumajo-Cardona

Ambrose

2022

EvoDevo

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“…has also been suggested to be valuable from an evolutionary developmental biology perspective. As recently reviewed, it is an ideal gymnosperm lineage to investigate innovations including pollination, seed dispersal and adaptation to extreme environments [18] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Partial genome assembly of the medicinal plantEphedra sinica

Facchini

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…1 ). A central argument for proposing to develop Ephedra into an evo-devo model lineage is indeed its contribution to the study of convergent fruit‐like function in seed plants, by focusing on the fleshy character in non-angiosperm seed dispersal [ 13 ]. Within Gnetales, fleshy seed cone bracts are a distinctive ancestral feature found in Ephedra, where non-fleshy, papery-winged or coriaceous seed cone bracts have arisen independently multiple times [ 14 ] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heterochrony and repurposing in the evolution of gymnosperm seed dispersal units

Martin

Pozner

Stilio

2022

EvoDevo

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Background Plant dispersal units, or diaspores, allow the colonization of new environments expanding geographic range and promoting gene flow. Two broad categories of diaspores found in seed plants are dry and fleshy, associated with abiotic and biotic dispersal agents, respectively. Anatomy and developmental genetics of fleshy angiosperm fruits is advanced in contrast to the knowledge gap for analogous fleshy structures in gymnosperm diaspores. Improved understanding of the structural basis of modified accessory organs that aid in seed dispersal will enable future work on the underlying genetics, contributing to hypotheses on the origin of angiosperm fruits. To generate a structural framework for the development and evolution of gymnosperm fleshy diaspores, we studied the anatomy and histochemistry of Ephedra (Gnetales) seed cone bracts, the modified leaves surrounding the reproductive organs. We took an ontogenetic approach, comparing and contrasting the anatomy and histology of fleshy and papery-winged seed cone bracts, and their respective pollen cone bracts and leaves in four species from the South American clade. Results Seed bract fleshiness in Ephedra derives from mucilage accumulated in chlorenchyma cells, also found in the reduced young leaves before they reach their mature, dry stage. Cellulosic fibers, an infrequent cell type in gymnosperms, were found in Ephedra, where they presumably function as a source of supplementary apoplastic water in fleshy seed cone bracts. Papery-winged bract development more closely resembles that of leaves, with chlorenchyma mucilage cells turning into tanniniferous cells early on, and hyaline margins further extending into “wings”. Conclusions We propose an evolutionary developmental model whereby fleshy and papery-winged bracts develop from an early-stage anatomy shared with leaves that differs at the pollination stage. The ancestral fleshy bract state may represent a novel differentiation program built upon young leaf anatomy, while the derived dry, papery-winged state is likely built upon an existing differentiation pattern found in mature vegetative leaves. This model for the evolution of cone bract morphology in South American Ephedra hence involves a novel differentiation program repurposed from leaves combined with changes in the timing of leaf differentiation, or heterochrony, that can further be tested in other gymnosperms with fleshy diaspores.

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Ephedra as a gymnosperm evo‐devo model lineage

Cited by 11 publications

References 61 publications

Fleshy or dry: transcriptome analyses reveal the genetic mechanisms underlying bract development in Ephedra

Fleshy or dry: transcriptome analyses reveal the genetic mechanisms underlying bract development in Ephedra

Partial genome assembly of the medicinal plantEphedra sinica

Heterochrony and repurposing in the evolution of gymnosperm seed dispersal units

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