Search results for "500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik::570 Biowissenschaften"
showing 6 items of 6 documents
How challenging RADseq data turned out to favor coalescent-based species tree inference. A case study in Aichryson (Crassulaceae)
2022
Analysing multiple genomic regions while incorporating detection and qualification of discordance among regions has become standard for understanding phylogenetic relationships. In plants, which usually have comparatively large genomes, this is feasible by the combination of reduced-representation library (RRL) methods and high-throughput sequencing enabling the cost effective acquisition of genomic data for thousands of loci from hundreds of samples. One popular RRL method is RADseq. A major disadvantage of established RADseq approaches is the rather short fragment and sequencing range, leading to loci of little individual phylogenetic information. This issue hampers the application of coa…
Focal Cortical Lesions Induce Bidirectional Changes in the Excitability of Fast Spiking and Non Fast Spiking Cortical Interneurons
2014
A physiological brain function requires neuronal networks to operate within a well-defined range of activity. Indeed, alterations in neuronal excitability have been associated with several pathological conditions, ranging from epilepsy to neuropsychiatric disorders. Changes in inhibitory transmission are known to play a key role in the development of hyperexcitability. However it is largely unknown whether specific interneuronal subpopulations contribute differentially to such pathological condition. In the present study we investigated functional alterations of inhibitory interneurons embedded in a hyperexcitable cortical circuit at the border of chronically induced focal lesions in mouse …
Polyester microplastic fibers affect soil physical properties and erosion as a function of soil type
2021
Microplastics are recognized as a factor of global change contaminating many environmental compartments. Agricultural soils are very likely to receive microplastic contamination and are of particular concern due to their role in food production. Microplastic fibers have already been shown to be able to affect soil properties, but their effect on different soil types is poorly understood. Moreover, limited information is available on how the presence of this pollutant can affect soil water erosion processes, which are extremely important issues in many environments. In the light of this, we performed two experiments (carried out on a microscale) to investigate how the presence of polyester m…
Soil fungi invest into asexual sporulation under resource scarcity, but trait spaces of individual isolates are unique
2022
During the last few decades, a plethora of sequencing studies provided insight into fungal community composition under various environmental conditions. Still, the mechanisms of species assembly and fungal spread in soil remain largely unknown. While mycelial growth patterns are studied extensively, the abundant formation of asexual spores is often overlooked, though representing a substantial part of the fungal life cycle relevant for survival and dispersal. Here, we explore asexual sporulation (spore abundance, size and shape) in 32 co-occurring soil fungal isolates under varying resource conditions, to answer the question whether resource limitation triggers or inhibits fungal investment…
Separation of presynaptic Cav2 and Cav1 channel function in synaptic vesicle exo- and endocytosis by the membrane anchored Ca2+ pump PMCA
2021
Significance Synaptic vesicle (SV) release from presynaptic terminals requires nanometer precise control of action potential (AP)–triggered calcium influx through voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs). SV recycling also depends on calcium signals, though in different spatiotemporal domains. Mechanisms for separate control of SV release and recycling by AP-triggered calcium influx remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate largely independent regulation of release and recycling by two different populations of VGCCs (Cav2, Cav1), identify Cav1 as one of potentially multiple calcium entry routes for endocytosis regulation, and show functional separation of simultaneous calcium signals in the nanome…
Polyester microplastic fibers in soil increase nitrogen loss via leaching and decrease plant biomass production and N uptake
2022
Abstract Microplastic contamination, like other global change factors, can induce effects on ecosystem functions and processes, affecting various soil biophysical properties. However, effects of such contaminants on nutrient cycles in agroecosystems are still poorly understood. We here performed two pot experiments to investigate the effect of polyester microplastic fibers (PMFs) on soil physical properties, nitrogen cycle, and plant performance in a maize-based agroecosystem. Moreover, we followed the N loss via leaching in soil contaminated or not with PMFs by simulating heavy rainfall events that mimic a future scenario of climate change. Our results show that soil contaminated with PMFs…