🌻 The Week in Botany February 13, 2023
I hope you’re well. The scanning for Twitter and Mastodon both seem to be working still, so there’s another collection of the stories you’re sharing. The careers section is very UK based. I’ll need to chase that system to see what’s broken to find a few more international positions for next week. This week’s surprise was there were a lot of fungi stories. Not being in the US I’d missed that The Last of Us has started showing on HBO.
The other news is that Annals of Botany has a special issue on Polyploidy in Ecology and Evolution out. There’s been a small hiccup, but the issue should be free access for three months from today. The Open Access papera will be free to access after the other papers move behind the paywall. Then next year it’ll move back to Free Access like the Special Issue on 3D Forest Models and Laser Scanning Data recently did.
Now I’ll check thoroughly that I have set the send time to 7am, and get off to bed. There’ll be another email with you the same time next week. Until then, take care.
Alun (webmaster@botany.one)
On Botany One
The travel of Costa Rican palms revealed by their genetic footprints
Genetic analysis of a popular Costa Rican palm suggests that its genetic diversity could suffer from human action.
Is photorespiration necessary for photosynthesis?
Modelling unveils the role of photorespiration in stabilizing the Calvin cycle.
The seed sleuth, forensic botany goes veggie
Nigel Chaffey reviews The Seed Detective: Uncovering the secret histories of remarkable vegetables by Adam Alexander.
Study reveals ‘sticky situation’ for seeds in warming regions
Life would be easier for some seeds if they were a little sticker, but warming seasons may have the opposite effect.
Can digital assessment of endangered plants outrace extinction?
AuBuchon-Elder and colleagues demonstrate how botanists can use automated assessment tools to assess the extinction risk of plant species and highlight the need for increased digitization efforts before rapid assessment tools can be successfully used in future research projects.
News & Views
Fungal Infections Are Spreading and Climate Change Is to Blame
A world taken over by fungal infections, with no vaccine available: It sounds like the plot of post-apocalyptic show The Last of Us, but it could become our reality as climate change makes diseases caused by fungi, like valley fever, better at spreading.
Chile: Wildfires intensify, disaster impacts expand
Satellite analyses and Twitter reports indicate a rapid growth of disastrous wildfires in south-central Chile yesterday (February 3) and overnight.
We Asked a Mycologist About The Last of Us and It Got Weird
HBO’s new hit series, The Last of Us, begins with a warning. During a fictional broadcast in 1968, a doctor and a scientist debate the danger of a looming pandemic. The doctor is focused on a viral outbreak—but the scientist is more worried about fungi. “Viruses can make us ill, but fungi can alter our very minds,” he pleads.
Exclusive: Huge chunk of plants, animals in U.S. at risk of extinction
A leading conservation research group found that 40% of animals and 34% of plants in the United States are at risk of extinction, while 41% of ecosystems are facing collapse.
Keanu Reeves, the molecule: New active ingredient from bacteria could protect plants
Bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas produce a strong antimicrobial natural product, as researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI) have discovered. They proved that the substance is effective against both plant fungal diseases and human-pathogenic fungi.
200 experts dissected the Black Summer bushfires in unprecedented detail. Here are 6 lessons to heed
The Black Summer bushfires of 2019-20 were cataclysmic: a landmark in Australia’s environmental history. They burnt more than 10 million hectares, mostly forests in southeast Australia. Many of our most distinctive, ancient and vulnerable species were worst affected. A new book released today [Feb 5], titled Australia’s Megafires, synthesises the extent of the losses.
New imaging protocol to help identify drought-tolerant plants
Standardised, low-cost, widely-applicable protocol eliminates common methodological error and improves data quality and reproducibility.
Urban Gardens Are Good for Ecosystems and Humans
Traditionally, it has been assumed that cultivating food leads to a loss of biodiversity and negative impacts on an ecosystem. A new study from researchers at multiple universities, including The University of Texas at Austin, defies this assumption, showing that community gardens and urban farms positively affect biodiversity, local ecosystems and the well-being of humans that work in them.
Social justice environmental activists move to block gene editing to control invasive species and promote biodiversity. Here’s why they’re misguided
Hawaii has emerged as ground zero for efforts to raise the awareness of the dangers of invasive species. Just last month, biosecurity experts testified in the state legislature, forecasting more than $3 billion in costs associated with just four invasive species running wild: brown tree snake, miconia (a weedy tree), little fire ant and red imported fire ant. The estimated eradication costs for just these four invaders using today’s limited methods: $38 million.
In-vitro plant gene editing technique excluded from GMO rules, EU court says
In-vitro plant gene editing techniques that are used conventionally and have a long safety record are excluded from EU laws restricting the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Europe's highest court said on Tuesday.
This tiny, quirky garden is an endearing remnant of old Palm Springs
Enter Moorten Botanical Garden in the Mesa neighborhood of south Palm Springs and you’re on a different clock, in a different time. It’s just an acre or so of mature, artfully arranged cactuses and desert plants along shady dirt paths with hand-lettered signs, decaying desert artifacts and the famous “cactarium,” a small weathered Quonset hut stuffed with weird and rare cactuses — some winding along the ground like snakes, one growing upside down from its pot like a prickly stalactite.
Toxic plants improve caterpillar immunity against some, but not all, parasites
Ghosh et al. examined the effect of host plant species that differ in glucosinolate (anti-herbivore compounds produced by plants in the Brassicaceae) concentrations on the immune status of an herbivore and its consequences for two species of parasitoids with different life history traits.
Opinion: Your ‘superbloom’ selfie isn’t worth destroying California’s ecosystems
As a botanist, I feel joy and gratitude for the recent winter rains, on behalf of Southern California’s ecosystems; it is a time of renewal and recovery. However, the rains also bring a sense of dread about a potential “superbloom.” I do not dread the recovery of wildflower fields from severe drought, but I do worry about the endless masses of people in search of a blooming spectacle and the damage they’ll cause to these fragile ecosystems.
Using local knowledge to guide bean breeding programmes
Kate Denning-James writes about her recent trip to Colombia, where she had the opportunity to gain local knowledge, practical experience, and build links between EI and some of our South American collaborators tackling food security.
Cacti replacing snow on Swiss mountainsides due to global heating
Invasive species proliferating in Valais is encroaching on natural reserves and posing a biodiversity threat.
Scientific Papers
All's well that ends well: the timing of floral meristem termination
Min & Kramer hypothesize on how known pathways could have been modified to generate variation in FMT and explain how developing new model systems will help to deepen our understanding of the genetic control and evolution of floral meristem termination.
FIRE mimics a 14-3-3-binding motif to promote Phytophthora palmivora infection
Evangelisti et al. characterise FIRE, an RXLR effector that contains a canonical mode I 14-3-3 phospho-sensor binding motif that is conserved in effectors of several Phytophthora species. FIRE is phosphorylated in planta and interacts with multiple 14-3-3 proteins. Binding is sensitive to the R18 14-3-3 inhibitor. FIRE promotes plant susceptibility and co-localises with its target around haustoria. This work uncovers a new type of oomycete effector target mechanism.
Severe multi-year drought coincident with Hittite collapse around 1198–1196 BC
Manning et al. examine the collapse of the Hittite Empire around 1200 BC. The Hittites were one of the great powers in the ancient world across five centuries11,12,13,14, with an empire centred in a semi-arid region in Anatolia with political and socioeconomic interconnections throughout the ancient Near East and Eastern Mediterranean, which for a long time proved resilient despite facing regular and intersecting sociopolitical, economic and environmental challenges. Examination of ring width and stable isotope records obtained from contemporary juniper trees in central Anatolia provides a high-resolution dryness record. This analysis identifies an unusually severe continuous dry period from around 1198 to 1196 (±3) BC, potentially indicating a tipping point, and signals the type of episode that can overwhelm contemporary risk-buffering practices.
Anisotropic cell growth at the leaf base promotes age-related changes in leaf shape in Arabidopsis thaliana
Tang et al. show that the gradual increase in miR156-targeted SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) transcription factors with age promotes cell growth anisotropy in the abaxial epidermis at the base of the leaf blade, evident by the formation of elongated giant cells. Time-lapse imaging and developmental genetics further revealed that the establishment of adult leaf shape is tightly associated with the longitudinal cell expansion of giant cells, accompanied by a prolonged cell proliferation phase in their vicinity.
Multiplicity of Agrobacterium infection of Nicotiana benthamiana for transient DNA delivery
Carlson et al. analyze the Poisson probability distribution of T-DNA transfer in leaf pavement cells to determine the MOI for the widely used model system Agrobacterium GV3101/Nicotiana benthamiana. These data delineate the relationship between an individual Agrobacterium strain infiltration OD600, plant cell perimeter and leaf age, as well as plant cell co-infection rates. Their analysis also establishes experimental regimes where the probability of near-simultaneous delivery of >20 unique T-DNAs to a given plant cell remains high throughout the leaf.
Autophagy regulates plastid reorganization during spermatogenesis in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha
Autophagy is a highly conserved system that delivers cytoplasmic components to lysosomes/vacuoles. Plastids are also degraded through autophagy for nutrient recycling and quality control; however, the involvement of autophagic degradation of plastids in plant cellular differentiation remains unclear. Norizuki et al. investigated whether spermiogenesis, the differentiation of spermatids into spermatozoids, in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha involves autophagic degradation of plastids.
Malus Species with Diverse Bloom Times Exhibit Variable Rates of Floral Development
Members of the genus Malus, including domesticated apple, wild species, and hybrids, exhibit striking variations in the bloom date. Although bloom time is strongly influenced by chilling requirements, other aspects of floral development in Malus and their contributions to bloom time are less known. The purpose of this study was to investigate potential connections between predormancy flower development and final bloom time in Malus species.
Pearl millet response to drought: A review
The C4 grass pearl millet is one of the most drought tolerant cereals and is primarily grown in marginal areas where annual rainfall is low and intermittent. It was domesticated in sub-Saharan Africa, and several studies have found that it uses a combination of morphological and physiological traits to successfully resist drought. This review explores the short term and long-term responses of pearl millet that enables it to either tolerate, avoid, escape, or recover from drought stress.
Afrothismiaceae (Dioscoreales), a new fully mycoheterotrophic family endemic to tropical Africa
Cheek et al. formally characterise Afrothismiaceae and review what is known of its development, seed germination, interactions with mycorrhizal Glomeromycota, biogeography, phylogeny and pollination biology. All but one (Afrothismia insignis; Vulnerable) of the 13 species assessed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species are either Endangered or Critically Endangered; one species (A. pachyantha Schltr.) is considered to be extinct.
Genome Sequence and Analysis of Nicotiana benthamiana, the Model Plant for Interactions between Organisms
Nicotiana benthamiana has a complex allopolyploid genome, and its previous reference genome is fragmented into 141,000 scaffolds. As a result, molecular genetic analysis is difficult to perform. To improve this effort, de novo whole-genome assembly was performed in N. benthamiana with Hifi reads, and 1,668 contigs were generated with a total length of 3.1 Gb. The 21 longest scaffolds, regarded as pseudomolecules, contained a 2.8-Gb sequence, occupying 95.6% of the assembled genome
Careers
Finance and Operations Manager (maternity leave cover), Lancaster
Reporting to the Executive Editor, the Finance and Operations Manager’s primary role will be to lead the financial management / control and office administration functions of the New Phytologist Foundation’s Central Office. This is a key role in the organisation that will support multiple aspects of the Foundation’s activities, which include journal publishing, events, such as symposia and workshops, and grant administration. This role would suit someone with experience in professional accounting / finance and of managing and developing office facilities.
Editorial Assistant – New Phytologist, Lancaster
We are seeking an enthusiastic and proactive individual to join the New Phytologist Foundation Central Office team as an Editorial Assistant. You will provide administrative support in the publication of the Foundation’s journals, with particular focus on New Phytologist. This diverse role will allow the role holder to be involved in the peer-review, production, promotion and development of the journals published by the New Phytologist Foundation. This post offers an excellent opportunity to join a vibrant journal team at an exciting and innovative time for the publishing industry. The post is to be based at Lancaster University and is available immediately.
Senior Research Technician, Warwickshire
This post is an exciting opportunity for a motivated and experienced research technician to utilise plant science and molecular biology skills in a new research project to develop resistance to Fusarium wilt disease in celery. The job requires a range of techniques and skills including culturing of Fusarium, inoculation of plants and assessment of disease symptoms in glasshouse-based plant bioassays as well as DNA extraction and PCR / RT-PCR for pathogen identification and detection. You will join an established research team working on a range of plant diseases based at the University of Warwick, Wellesbourne Campus in a supportive research environment with excellent facilities.
Principal Administrator, Safety of Pesticides and Transgenic Organisms, Paris
ENV is looking for a Principal Administrator to support the work programme of the Environment, Health and Safety Division (EHS) of the Environment Directorate. The selected candidate will be responsible for leading teams of staff for projects on the safety of pesticides and the products of modern biotechnology, and will work under the direct supervision of the Head of the Environment, Health and Safety Division.
Lecturer in Applied Ecology/Environmental Sciences
NRI is currently expanding its team of staff delivering its taught programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Biology, Ecology and the Environmental Sciences. NRI currently offers MSc Programmes in Agriculture for Sustainable Development and Global Environmental Change, as well as a BSc programme in Environmental Science and contributing to a BSc in Biology. NRI is looking to appoint a Lecturer in Applied Ecology / Environmental Sciences to contribute to these taught programmes, including the supervision of MSc and BSc projects. In addition, it is anticipated that the successful candidate will develop research or enterprise activities in related areas. NRI laboratory and greenhouse facilities support teaching and research activities in these areas and NRI collaborates extensively internationally in both teaching and research.
Pacific Islander Visiting Fellowship
The College offers a Visiting Fellowship to scholars who are citizens of the Pacific Island nations and also those resident in the French Pacific territories (i.e. Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia), but normally excluding citizens of USA, New Zealand and Australia. The Fellowship is offered to those who wish to spend up to six weeks in the summer (sometime in late July/August/early September) in Cambridge. Applicants must be engaged in teaching or research at a University, or at an institution where teaching and/or research is carried out (but not necessarily in the Pacific). Assistance (of up to £1,500) towards the costs of travel to/ from the UK, and travel and subsistence while in Cambridge, may be available from the Macdonald-Milne Bursary. (Please note there is no separate application form for this Bursary; if appropriate, the successful candidate for the Visiting Fellowship will be invited to apply).
Visitor Experience Manager, Morris Arboretum
The Visitor Experience Manager serves as the on-site manager for the Arboretum's visitor-facing operations. The Manager is responsible for supervising frontline staff, ensuring exceptional customer service, overseeing transactions, and managing operations.
Assistant Director of Youth and Visitor Education, Morris Arboretum
The Assistant Director of Youth and Visitor Education is an integral part of the Education Department at the Morris Arboretum. This role is critical in developing and implementing programming that meets Morris Arboretum's mission of educating youth and families of surrounding communities about the important role plants play in their lives, and to inspire joy and wonder in the natural world. This position leads a team of several part-time staff, a 9-month intern and volunteers and is responsible for guiding this team through the development and implementation of formal and informal education opportunities.
Plant Growth Facility Technician, Edinburgh
We are looking for an experienced Plant Growth Facility Technician to provide specialised support in the day-to-day running of the plant growth facilities at the School of Biological Sciences.
Head, Department of Biological Sciences, Suzhou - China
The position of Head of Department [HoD] is crucial to the effective operation of XJTLU. Departments are the fundamental building blocks of the university, and the Head is the most important communication link between the university and the individual member of academic staff. The HoD is responsible to the Dean of their School and the Vice President for Academic Affairs for the entire operation of the department and the professional behaviour of each individual member of staff. The HoD is a key leader, manager, and administrator without which the university cannot function. The term of appointment is three years.
Lead Biological Safety Specialist, London
The scale and complexity of the science requires a highly professional and effective Health and Safety team. The Lead Biosafety Specialist will manage the Biosafety Team to ensure it supports cutting edge science by monitoring and advising on biological, health, safety and regulatory compliance issues, specifically working with Crick members and other stakeholders. This role will deliver the H&S Strategy for Biological safety, oversee and advise on the management and operation of the Containment 2, 3 and 4 facilities.
Senior/ Research Associate in Plant Molecular Physiology (Rubisco regulation), Lancaster
Applications are invited for two postdoctoral researchers in plant molecular physiology and one specialist biochemistry technician within the Lancaster Photosynthesis team under the supervision of Prof Elizabete Carmo-Silva. The project RIPE, funded by Gates Agricultural Innovations (part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), aims to end hunger worldwide by improving the complex process of photosynthesis to increase crop production. At Lancaster, we focus on improving the regulation of Rubisco and the thermal tolerance of carbon assimilation in the legume crops cowpea and soybean.
Senior/ Research Associate in Plant Molecular Physiology (Thermal tolerance), Lancaster
Applications are invited for two postdoctoral researchers in plant molecular physiology and one specialist biochemistry technician within the Lancaster Photosynthesis team under the supervision of Prof Elizabete Carmo-Silva. The project RIPE, funded by Gates Agricultural Innovations (part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), aims to end hunger worldwide by improving the complex process of photosynthesis to increase crop production. At Lancaster, we focus on improving the regulation of Rubisco and the thermal tolerance of carbon assimilation in the legume crops cowpea and soybean.
Senior/Specialist Biochemistry Technician, Lancaster
The ideal candidate for this research technician position will have a background in biochemistry and an interest in applying this to Rubisco and other proteins involved in the regulation of carbon assimilation and plant heat stress responses. With training and support, you will produce, extract, purify and measure the activity of Rubisco and its regulatory proteins. You will work collaboratively with the team and carry out biochemical analyses, including determination of activity and abundance of photosynthetic enzymes, using plant derived and recombinant proteins. You will contribute to experimental design and conduct experimental work for biochemical characterisation of novel cowpea and soybean germplasm. Experience with Rubisco biochemistry and/or recombinant protein production would be an advantage but are not requirements for the post.
Research Assistant/Research Associate (Fixed Term), Cambridge
Applications are invited for a post-doctoral research associate in Cassava genetics to work with Prof Uta Paszkowski at the Crop Science Centre, starting 1st April 2023. Association of plant root systems with beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can improve crop nutrition, growth and yield. Across different crop species, genetic variation exists that underpins the extent of benefit from the interaction. Despite its potential for improving crop performance sustainably, breeding programmes so far have not prioritised 'mycorrhizal responsiveness' as a target trait. With the ultimate goal of achieving sustainable nutrition for water-saving rice cultivation, this project wishes to explore the genetic diversity underpinning mycorrhizal benefit. The projected research will work with GWAS data obtained from prior efforts focusing on a diversity panel of rice indica varieties and also extend into Africa-relevant germplasm.