Isabel Draper, a visting professor from the Universidad de Madrid visited our lab, working on identifying new nuclear makers for phylogenetic reconstructions, from genomic data. She succeeded and is now heading home with primers, DNA and sequences….  Bon voyage.

Jessica Budke, a lab alum and postdoc on the Funariaceae project co-authored a study on the chemistry of the cuticle covering the moss calyptra, entitled:

“Identification of β-hydroxy fatty acid esters and primary, secondary-alkanediol esters in cuticular waxes of the moss Funaria hygrometrica” and published in Phytochemistry.

Abstrat: The plant cuticle, a multi-layered membrane that covers plant aerial surfaces to prevent desiccation, consists of the structural polymer cutin and surface-sealing waxes. Cuticular waxes are complex mixtures of ubiquitous, typically monofunctional fatty acid derivatives and taxon-specific, frequently bifunctional specialty compounds. To further our understanding of the chemical diversity of specialty compounds, the waxes on the aerial structures of the leafy gametophyte, sporophyte capsule, and calyptra of the moss Funaria hygrometrica were surveyed. Respective moss surfaces were extracted, and resulting lipid mixtures were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The extracts contained ubiquitous wax compound classes along with two prominent, unidentified classes of compounds that exhibited some characteristics of bifunctional structures. Microscale transformations led to derivatives with characteristic MS fragmentation patterns suggesting possible structures for these compounds. To confirm the tentative structure assignments, one compound in each of the suspected homologous series was synthesized. Based on GC–MS comparison with the authentic standards, the first series of compounds was identified as containing esters formed by β-hydroxy fatty acids and wax alcohols, with ester chain lengths varying from C42 to C50 and the most prominent homolog being C46. The second series consisted of fatty acid esters of 1,7-alkanediols, linked via the primary hydroxyl group, with ester chain lengths C40–C52 also dominated by the C46 homolog. The β-hydroxy acid esters were restricted to the sporophyte capsule, and the diol esters to the leafy gametophyte and calyptra. Based on their homolog and isomer distributions, and the presence of free 1,7-triacontanediol, possible biosynthetic reactions leading to these compounds are discussed.

Laenen, B. A. Machac, S. R. Gradstein, B. Shaw, J. Patiño, A. Désamoré, B. Goffinet, C. J. Cox, A. Vanderpoorten & J. Shaw. Geographic range in liverworts: does sex really matter? Journal of Biogeography. in press. pdf

Abstract: Why some species exhibit larger geographical ranges than others remains a fundamental, but largely unanswered, question in ecology and biogeography. In plants, a relationship between range size and mating system was proposed over a century ago and subsequently formalized in Baker’s Law. Here, we take advantage of the extensive variation in sexual systems of liverworts to test the hypothesis that dioecious species compensate for limited fertilization by producing vegetative propagules more commonly than monoecious species. As spores are assumed to contribute to random long-distance dispersal, whereas vegetative propagules contribute to colony maintenance and frequent short-distance dispersal, we further test the hypothesis that monoecious species exhibit larger geographical ranges than dioecious ones.

A phylogenetic assessment of the genus Aptychella has been published (link):

Akiyama, H. A. Schäfer-Verwimp, N. Printarakul, M. Suleiman, B.C. Tan, B. Goffinet & F. Müller. 2015. Phylogenetic study of the genus Aptychella (Pylaisiadelphaceae, Musci). The Bryologist 118: 273–283.

The abstract reads: The relationships among species of the epiphytic genus Aptychella (Broth.) Herzog and Clastobryopsis M. Fleisch. were inferred based on phylogenetic analyses of plastid (rpl16, rps4, and trnL-F) and mitochondrial (nad5) gene sequences as well as morphological features. One of the Asian members, Aptychella robusta (M. Fleisch.) M. Fleisch., exhibits much genetic variation and differentiation among populations, which may reflect the presence of cryptic species. The distinctiveness of Asian members characterized by unicostate leaves, A. brevinervis (M. Fleisch.) M. Fleisch., A. pseudobrevinervis H. Akiyama and A. oblongifolia H. Akiyama, are confirmed. On the contrary, Aptychella proligera, the sole member of the genus known from South and Central America, is shown to have a close relationship to the A. brevinervis complex and preserves low genetic variation among samples collected from geographically remote localities. This lack of variation might be caused by a recent immigration from Asian populations. The Asiatic genus Clastobryopsis is treated as a synonym of Aptychella based on the present phylogenetic analyses. One new combination is proposed—Aptychella imbricata (H. Akiyama et al.) H. Akiyama comb. nov.

Collaborators on the NSF project focus on the Sticta phylogeny met in Storrs from Sept. 14-18. Reports included an update on new species discovered in Madagascar, China, Colombia and other parts of the world, as well as mt genome structure in these lichenized fungi and their associated cyanobacteria.

 

Martha assembled and annotated the mt genome of Oxystegus tenuirostris, which is now published:

Alonso, M., R. Medina, M.J. Cano, J.A. Jiménez & B. Goffinet. (in press). The complete mitochondrial genome of the moss Oxystegus tenuirostris (Hook. & Taylor) A.J.E. (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta). Mitochondrial DNA (Mitogenome announcement).

With the departure of Beatriz following Dinah and Satpal finally taking a break from UConn, the lab crew is down to its 4 members. The summer was very busy for all involved, and highly productive, in terms of undergraduates and visitors gaining unique skills and experiences and producing many data, culminating in already two manuscripts.

With the summer  coming (soon) to an end, starts a new semester, marked by the arrival of a new member, Charlie Delavoi from Chicago, joining the Ph.D. program in EEB.

A new species of Archidium described from Brazil:

Peralta D. F., A. M. Rios & B. Goffinet. 2015. Archidium oblongifolium (Archidiaceae, subg. Archidiella), a new species from Brazil. Cryptogamie-Bryologie 36: 211–215. pdf  Google Scholar

Abstract: Archidium oblongifolium (Archidiaceae, subg. Archidiella) is proposed, described and illustrated as a new species based on collections from central Brazil. It is characterized by oblong leaves and lax leaf cells. A. oblongifolium is currently known only from three specimens from a single area, and could thus be considered vulnerable or threatened.

After Antoine leaving last Saturday it was Marta’s turn to board the plane heading home after a nice farewell. Good luck with the dissertation.

Rafa Medina uploaded a video showing the active sperm cells of Physcomitrium. Enjoy.