Molecular Diversity in some Ghanaian cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) accessions

315. Otwe EP, Agyirifo DS, Galyuon IK, Heslop-Harrison JS. 2017. Molecular Diversity in some Ghanaian Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata L.(Walp)] Accessions. Tropical Plant Biology.:1-11. DOI 10.1007/s12042-017-9184-9 BibT Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp)] is grown mainly for its protein-rich grains and is consumed in various forms in sub-Saharan Africa. Average grain yield in farmers’ fields is generally low…

Speciation in Callitriche (Plantaginaceae): the allopolyploid origin of C. platycarpa

Schwarzacher T, Scrocca V, Johnson K, Gornall RJ. 2016. Speciation in Callitriche (Plantaginaceae): the allopolyploid origin of C. platycarpa. New Journal of Botany. 2016 Sep 1;6(2-3):98-101. DOI: 10.1080/20423489.2016.1271293 Genomic in situ hybridisation (GISH) experiments involving hybridising labelled genomic DNA from the diploid species C. stagnalis, C. obtusangula and C. cophocarpa to chromosome spreads of the tetraploid C….

Chloroplast genomes from apomictic Taraxacum – identity and variation between microspecies

Taraxacum or dandelion chloroplast sequence diversity. Salih et al. PLoS One 2017. 333. Salih RHM, Majeský L, Schwarzacher T, Gornall R, Heslop-Harrison P. 2017.  Complete chloroplast genomes from apomictic Taraxacum (Asteraceae): Identity and variation between three microspecies. PLoS ONE 12(2): e0168008. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0168008. Chloroplast DNA sequences show substantial variation between higher plant species, and less variation within…

The agriculture-nutrition-health nexus at the cost of water availability

332. Noorka IR, Taufiqullah, Heslop-Harrison JS, Schwarzacher T. 2017. The agriculture-nutrition-health nexus at the cost of water availability in maize diverse genotypes to ensure food security. International Journal of Water Resources and Arid Environments 6(2): 242-251, 2017 ISSN 2079-7079 publisher site: https://psipw.org/attachments/article/401/13e.pdf Originally published as:  2016. Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Water Resources and the Arid Environments (ICWRAE…

Domestication, polyploidy and genomics of crops and weeds PAGXXV

Plant and Animal Genome Conference in San Diego #PAGXXV each January is the chance to join 3500 people working in genomics. I presented a talk on the molecular cytogenetics group’s work, starting with consideration of early stages of crop domestication, and then thinking about how we can make agriculture more sustainable. I also considered weeds,…

CENH3 morphogenesis reveals dynamic centromere associations during synaptonemal complex formation and the progression through male meiosis in hexaploid wheat

330. Sepsi A, Higgins JD, Heslop-Harrison JS, Schwarzacher T. 2017. CENH3 morphogenesis reveals dynamic centromere associations during synaptonemal complex formation and the progression through male meiosis in hexaploid wheat. Plant Journal 89: 235-249. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13379 and Author Version: Sepsi et al. 2016. CENH3 and wheat meiosis. Plant Journal. See bottom of page for YouTube video links. During…

Polyploidy

328. Heslop-Harrison JS. 2017. Polyploidy. In: Reference Module in Life Sciences, Elsevier, ISBN: 978-0-12- 809633-8, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809633-8.06934-X (££$$€€) (see https://www.elsevier.com/solutions/sciencedirect/content/reference-modules for information about the series.) Abstract Polyploid organisms are eukaryotes that have more than two complete sets of chromosomes (one from each parent or ancestor) in somatic and germline cells of animals, fungi, and plants. Polyploidy of individual cells…

Allowing pseudoscience into EU risk assessment processes is eroding public trust in science experts and in science as a whole- The bigger picture

329. Dietrich DR, Dekant W, Greim H, Heslop-Harrison P, Berry C, Boobis A, Hengstler JG, Sharpe R. 2016. Editorial: Allowing pseudoscience into EU risk assessment processes is eroding public trust in science experts and in science as a whole: The bigger picture. Chemico-Biological Interactions 257: 1-3. 21 July 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cbi.2016.07.023 ($$££€€). Author version pasted below. See also https://molcyt.org/2016/07/25/eu-safety-regulations-dont-mar-legislation-with-pseudoscience/ for associated correspondence in…

EU safety regulations – Dont mar legislation with pseudoscience

328. Dietrich DR, Dekant W, Greim H, Heslop-Harrison P, Berry C, Boobis A, Hengstler JG, Sharpe R. 2016. EU safety regulations: Don’t mar legislation with pseudoscience. Nature 535: 355 (21 July 2016) doi:10.1038/535355c We are concerned that some of the European Union’s processes for setting safety regulations for chemicals are being influenced by media and pseudoscience scaremongering….

Introgression of chromosome segments from multiple alien species in wheat breeding lines with wheat streak mosaic virus resistance

324. Ali N, Heslop-Harrison JS, Ahmad H, Graybosch RA, Hein GL, Schwarzacher T. 2016. Introgression of chromosome segments from multiple alien species in wheat breeding lines with wheat streak mosaic virus resistance. Heredity (2016) 117, 114–123; published online 1 June 2016 doi:10.1038/hdy.2016.36 Author version: N_Ali_et al 2016 Multiple Alien Introgressions in Wheat Publisher site: http://www.nature.com/hdy/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/hdy201636a.pdf Pyramiding of…

Analysis of Petunia vein clearing virus (PVCV) sequences, retroelements and tandem repeats in Petunia axillaris N and P. inflata S6

325a. Schwarzacher T, Heslop-Harrison JS, Richert-Pöggeler KR. 2016. Analysis of Petunia vein clearing virus (PVCV) sequences, retroelements and tandem repeats in Petunia axillaris N and P. inflata S6. Supplementary manuscript 2. Nature Plants 2: article number 16074. Link to manuscript: Petunia_PVCV_Repeats_SchwarzacherEtAl2016 Within the genome sequence assemblies of P. axillaris (PaxiN) and P. inflata (PinfS6) and unassembled reads, we…

Regulation should follow robust scientific assessments not opinions

University of Leicester scientist in battle to ‘stem onslaught of pseudoscience’ Geneticist at European Commission alarmed at impact of ‘dogma’ in regulation and the negative impact on the environment and European industry A University of Leicester scientist has joined leading scientists from across Europe in raising an alarm over the ‘pseudoscience’ concerning regulation of compounds used…