Estudio preliminar de la diversidad genética de Ilex guayusa ecuatoriana mediante marcadores inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) ResumenEvaluamos el grado de diversidad genética de Ilex guayusa, una especie de importancia etnobotánica y comercial para las comunidades indígenas de la Amazonía ecuatoriana. Caracterizamos genéticamente a 157 individuos, provenientes de chacras ubicadas a lo largo de seis provincias, con nueve marcadores ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats). Se detectó en total 91 bandas polimórficas, pero el índice de heterocigosidad estimada (H e =0.19) de la población reveló un nivel reducido de variabilidad genética para la especie. Los índices de distancias genéticas de Nei (0.013 ≤ Ds ≤ 0.086) revelaron un nivel reducido de divergencia genética entre individuos provenientes de provincias diferentes. De manera similar, el análisis de varianza molecular (AMOVA) demostró que solamente el 18% de la variación observada para I. guayusa ocurre entre poblaciones. El bajo grado de diversidad genética encontrado para I.guayusa puede ser atribuido al hecho de que esta especie es cultivada exclusivamente mediante propagación clonal; una actividad cultural que probablemente ha homogenizado el acervo genético de la especie a lo largo de su rango geográfico de cultivo. El análisis de coordenadas principales (PCoA) demostró que el germoplasma colectado puede estructurarse en tres grupos distintos caracterizados por un leve contraste genético en gradiente direccional, de norte a sur. La inclusión de un mayor número de muestras de provincias sub-representadas (ej. Sucumbíos) y poblaciones silvestres, si existen, ayudaría a esclarecer el nivel de diversidad genética y estructura poblacional de la especie, y la historia de su cultivo en la región.Palabras Clave. Aquifoliaceae, Guayusa, propagación clonal, baja diversidad genética. AbstractWe assessed the degree of genetic diversity of llex guayusa, a species of ethnobotanic and commercial relevance for indigenous communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon. We characterized 157 individuals, from small cultivation sites across six provinces, using nine Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. A total of 91 polymorphic bands were detected in, but estimated heterozygosity (He = 0.19) revealed a reduced level of genetic variability. Pairwise-Nei genetic distance indices (0.013 ≤ Ds ≤ 0.086) implied a reduced level of genetic divergence between individuals from different provinces. Accordingly, partitioning of genetic diversity (AMOVA) indicated that only 18% of variation observed for I. guayusa occurred between populations. The low degree of genetic diversity found for I. guayusa could be ascribed to the fact that the species is exclusively cultivated via clonal propagation; a cultural activity which has probably homogenized the species' genetic pool across its geographic range of cultivation. However, PCoA analysis resolved collected germplasm into three distinct groups displaying a subtle genetic contrast in a directional gradient, from north to south. The inclusion o...

Background Despite representing the largest fraction of animal life, the number of insect species whose genome has been sequenced is barely in the hundreds. The order Dermaptera (the earwigs) suffers from a lack of genomic information despite its unique position as one of the basally derived insect groups and its importance in agroecosystems. As part of a national educational and outreach program in genomics, a plan was formulated to engage the participation of high school students in a genome sequencing project. Students from twelve schools across Chile were instructed to capture earwig specimens in their geographical area, to identify them and to provide material for genome sequencing to be carried out by themselves in their schools. Results The school students collected specimens from two cosmopolitan earwig species: Euborellia annulipes (Fam. Anisolabididae) and Forficula auricularia (Fam. Forficulidae). Genomic DNA was extracted and, with the help of scientific teams that traveled to the schools, was sequenced using nanopore sequencers. The sequence data obtained for both species was assembled and annotated. We obtained genome sizes of 1.18 Gb (F. auricularia) and 0.94 Gb (E. annulipes) with the number of predicted protein coding genes being 31,800 and 40,000, respectively. Our analysis showed that we were able to capture a high percentage (≥ 93%) of conserved proteins indicating genomes that are useful for comparative and functional analysis. We were also able to characterize structural elements such as repetitive sequences and non-coding RNA genes. Finally, functional categories of genes that are overrepresented in each species suggest important differences in the process underlying the formation of germ cells, and modes of reproduction between them, features that are one of the distinguishing biological properties that characterize these two distant families of Dermaptera. Conclusions This work represents an unprecedented instance where the scientific and lay community have come together to collaborate in a genome sequencing project. The versatility and accessibility of nanopore sequencers was key to the success of the initiative. We were able to obtain full genome sequences of two important and widely distributed species of insects which had not been analyzed at this level previously. The data made available by the project should illuminate future studies on the Dermaptera.

The development of in vitro propagation methods can improve the current commercial use and conservation of plants like naranjilla (Solanum quitoense), a distinctive Andean crop and key emerging agricultural product. In the present study, we report in vitro culture protocols for naranjilla apical buds, hypocotyls and petioles. In apical bud culture, MS medium supplemented with 0.10 mg l −1 1-naphtaleneacetic acid (NAA) produced longer plantlets with greater number of leaves. Hypocotyl culture yielded higher number of shoots when using older explants in MS medium supplemented with different combinations of NAA, 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and gibberellic acid (GA 3). Petiole culture produced a significantly higher number of shoots per explant, with more abundant and bigger leaves, when using MS medium supplemented with 0.02 mg l −1 NAA, 4.50 mg l −1 BAP and 1.00 mg l −1 GA 3. A factorial analysis reveals that the interaction between GA 3 and NAA/BAP plays an important role in shoot regeneration. These results provide new tools for the in vitro regeneration of naranjilla plants, improving on previously reported protocols for this species by using alternative explant types and regeneration protocols.

In this research, the effects of temperature, culture media and growth regulators on mature peach embryos (var. Diamante) were evaluated. Temperature had a significant influence on germination, as embryos cultured at 4• C for 40 days and then moved to a temperature of 18• C had a germination rate of 84 %, compared to embryos cultured directly at 18• C, which had a germination rate of 50 %. Regarding the culture media, the highest germination rate was achieved using MS media with half the concentration of salts. Despite not having significant differences when adding growth regulators in the culture media, the addition of high concentrations of cytokinins (>1mg/L) and low concentrations of auxins (0.5mg/L) generated plants with a higher number of leaves. The best root development was obtained by the subculture of plants in MS media with 3mg/L of IBA for 16 days. The acclimatization of plants was successful, with a survival rate of 80 % in plants that germinated from embryos cultured at 4• C for 40 days. This standardized protocol was also tested in the germination of var. Diamante x var. Florida peach hybrids, with a germination rate of 61 %, proving to be a potentially efficient method for peach propagation in crop improvement programs.