scholarly journals Calcium oxalate crystal macropatterns in leaves of species from groups Glycine and Shuteria (Glycininae; Phaseoleae; Papilionoideae; Fabaceae)

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (11) ◽  
pp. 1410-1421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Cervantes-Martinez ◽  
Harry T. Horner ◽  
Reid G. Palmer ◽  
Theodore Hymowitz ◽  
A.H.D. Brown

Calcium oxalate crystal macropatterns in leaves were characterized for 69 species (and two Glycine tomentella cytotypes) from 14 of 16 genera in two legume groups, Glycine and Shuteria, to determine whether they share a common macropattern. A leaf clearing method was used to visualize the crystals. All 69 species (and two Glycine tomentella cytotypes) displayed prismatic crystals associated with leaf veins and vein endings. In contrast, mesophyll crystals occurred in 76.8% of 69 species and two G. tomentella cytotypes, and varied from a few to many. Conversely, only 40.9% of 22 Glycine species (in group Glycine) lacked mesophyll crystals, while 8.7% of 23 species of six genera associated with Glycine (in group Glycine) lacked mesophyll crystals. Thus 24.4% of 45 species of seven combined genera in group Glycine lacked mesophyll crystals. With seven genera in group Shuteria, 20.8% of 24 species lacked mesophyll crystals. The consistently present vein crystals varied in size and shape, so their length–width (Stubby versus Long) crystal ratios were determined for primary, secondary, and tertiary veins, and vein endings. Two trends were evident: Long-crystal ratios increased from primary veins to vein endings in species in both groups, and the perennial and annual Glycine species showed this condition to a greater extent than all the non-Glycine species. In some cases, taxonomically closely associated species were quite similar in their macropattern and presence or absence of mesophyll crystals. These results should be of value to future studies dealing with taxonomy and phylogeny of species in these two leguminous groups.

Author(s):  
H. J. Arnott ◽  
M. A. Webb ◽  
L. E. Lopez

Many papers have been published on the structure of calcium oxalate crystals in plants, however, few deal with the early development of crystals. Large numbers of idioblastic calcium oxalate crystal cells are found in the leaves of Vitis mustangensis, V. labrusca and V. vulpina. A crystal idioblast, or raphide cell, will produce 150-300 needle-like calcium oxalate crystals within a central vacuole. Each raphide crystal is autonomous, having been produced in a separate membrane-defined crystal chamber; the idioblast''s crystal complement is collectively embedded in a water soluble glycoprotein matrix which fills the vacuole. The crystals are twins, each having a pointed and a bidentate end (Fig 1); when mature they are about 0.5-1.2 μn in diameter and 30-70 μm in length. Crystal bundles, i.e., crystals and their matrix, can be isolated from leaves using 100% ETOH. If the bundles are treated with H2O the matrix surrounding the crystals rapidly disperses.


Genetics ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 166 (2) ◽  
pp. 987-998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason T Rauscher ◽  
Jeff J Doyle ◽  
A H D Brown

Abstract Despite the importance of polyploidy in the evolution of plants, patterns of molecular evolution and genomic interactions following polyploidy are not well understood. Nuclear ribosomal DNA is particularly complex with respect to these genomic interactions. The composition of nrDNA tandem arrays is influenced by intra- and interlocus concerted evolution and their expression is characterized by patterns such as nucleolar dominance. To understand these complex interactions it is important to study them in diverse natural polyploid systems. In this study we use direct sequencing to isolate and characterize nrDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) homeologues from multiple accessions of six different races in the Glycine tomentella allopolyploid complex. The results indicate that in most allopolyploid accessions both homeologous nrDNA repeats are present, but that there are significant biases in copy number toward one homeologue, possibly resulting from interlocus concerted evolution. The predominant homeologue often differs between races and between accessions within a race. A phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences provides evidence for multiple origins in several of the polyploid races. This evidence for diverse patterns of nrDNA molecular evolution and multiple origins of polyploid races will provide a useful system for future studies of natural variation in patterns of nrDNA expression.


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