Search results for " molecular analysis."
showing 8 items of 8 documents
Autotetraploid Emergence via Somatic Embryogenesis in Vitis vinifera Induces Marked Morphological Changes in Shoots, Mature Leaves, and Stomata
2021
Polyploidy plays an important role in plant adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses. Alterations of the ploidy in grapevine plants regenerated via somatic embryogenesis (SE) may provide a source of genetic variability useful for the improvement of agronomic characteristics of crops. In the grapevine, the SE induction process may cause ploidy changes without alterations in DNA profile. In the present research, tetraploid plants were observed for 9.3% of ‘Frappato’ grapevine somatic embryos regenerated in medium supplemented with the growth regulators β-naphthoxyacetic acid (10 µM) and N6-benzylaminopurine (4.4 µM). Autotetraploid plants regenerated via SE without detectable changes in the …
Description of the sexual generation of Dryocosmus destefanii (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipini) and disclosure of its life cycle
2020
The sexual generation of Dryocosmus destefanii Cerasa & Melika, 2018 that emerges from galls on Q. suber L. in Italy is described for the first time, establishing its heterogonic life cycle. We provide observations on its distribution, illustration of adults and galls and information on its biology as supported by morphological and molecular data. An illustrated identification key to Western Palaearctic Dryocosmus species is also given.
A retrospective study of the characterization of Rickettsia species in ticks collected from humans
2017
Rickettsiae (family Rickettsiaceae, order Rickettsiales) are obligate intracellular bacteria transmitted by arthropod vectors. Several Rickettsia species causing vector-borne rickettsioses belong to the spotted fever group (SFG). Traditionally, Rickettsia conorii has been considered as the main etiologic agent of Mediterranean spotted fever. However, the molecular characterization of rickettsiae allowed identifying other species involved in spotted fever in the Mediterranean region. In this study, 42 ticks collected from humans were subjected to morphological identification and molecular characterization of Rickettsia species potentially involved in human rickettsiosis in Sicily. Fourteen t…
Utility of laser microdissection and pressure catapulting in the diagnosis of non small cell lung cancer: Preliminary data
2014
Background: There are controversies about the adequacy of tumor tissue sample on which the sequencing of molecular diagnosis could be performed to achieve the targeted-therapy on lung cancer. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the role of the Laser Microdissection Pressure Catapulting (LMPC) technique to obtain adequate tumor tissue sample for the molecular analysis of gene mutations in the target therapy of lung cancer. Findings: From a consecutive series of 24 patients with a diagnosis of locally-advanced or metastatic Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), we performed 29 diagnostic procedures using the system of LMPC, to obtain an homogeneous samples where it was possible to run the s…
Macrofungi in Mediterranean maquis along seashore and altitudinal transects
2014
In semi-arid Mediterranean environments, fungal activity is fundamental for buffering biotic and abiotic stress to the plant and for sustaining a vegetation cover. Despite the important role that fungi play in habitats stability, mycological data from Mediterranean ecosystems are scarce and fragmentary. We investigated fungal diversity in several areas characterized by Mediterranean maquis, from continental Italy, Sicily, and Greece in order to contribute to the analysis of distribution, ecology, and diversity of macrofungi in evergreen sclerophyllous shrublands at different elevation and distance from the seashore across the Mediterranean Basin. Several fungal taxa that are remarkable due …
Molecular and taxonomic characterization of a endophytic fungus isolated from Helleborus bocconei subsp. intermedius (Ranunculaceae)
2014
A non-sporulating fungus was isolated from different organs of Helleborus bocconei subsp. intermedius (Ranunculaceae) endemic to southern Italy and Sicily, known for the traditional use of dried roots in the treatment of lung diseases of cattle and horses. Molecular characterization of endophytic fungus based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA gene sequences was done. The DNA sequence of full length ITS region of the studied fungus was a 100% match to that of Chaetomium strumarium strain dH 21642 (GenBank accession number JX280851.1). The morphological characters of colony and mycelium of this microfungus are reported here.
CoproID predicts the source of coprolites and paleofeces using microbiome composition and host DNA content
2020
Shotgun metagenomics applied to archaeological feces (paleofeces) can bring new insights into the composition and functions of human and animal gut microbiota from the past. However, paleofeces often undergo physical distortions in archaeological sediments, making their source species difficult to identify on the basis of fecal morphology or microscopic features alone. Here we present a reproducible and scalable pipeline using both host and microbial DNA to infer the host source of fecal material. We apply this pipeline to newly sequenced archaeological specimens and show that we are able to distinguish morphologically similar human and canine paleofeces, as well as non-fecal sediments, fro…
Integrative Taxonomy of Armeria arenaria (Plumbaginaceae), with a Special Focus on the Putative Subspecies Endemic to the Apennines
2022
Three subspecies of Armeria arenaria are reported from Italy, two of which are considered endemic to the Apennines. The taxonomic value of these two taxa (A. arenaria subsp. marginata and A. arenaria subsp. apennina) is unclear. Moreover, the relationships between A. arenaria subsp. praecox and Northern Italian populations—currently ascribed to A. arenaria subsp. arenaria—have never been addressed. Accordingly, we used an integrated taxonomic approach, including morphometry, seed morpho–colorimetry, karyology, molecular systematics (psbA–trnH, trnQ–rps16, trnF–trnL, trnL–rpl32, and ITS region), and comparative niche analysis. According to our result…