ZOE HILIOTI | Centre for Research and Technology, Hellas (Greece) (original) (raw)

Papers by ZOE HILIOTI

Plant Growth Regulation, Sep 14, 2017

emphasis in seed maturation stages, showed that all family members varied widely in their express... more emphasis in seed maturation stages, showed that all family members varied widely in their expression across tissues suggesting distinct biological roles. In silico promoter analysis revealed several cis acting elements associated with drought responses indicating an epigenetic mechanism of regulation for the drought response by means of a methylation/demethylation switch. Consequent quantitative PCR analysis revealed that although C5-MTase genes were differentially expressed under drought stress, all the demethylase genes analyzed in this study (RcDME, RcDML-3 and RcROS1) were significantly upregulated suggesting finetuning of DNA methylation and demethylation events. The detection and organization of putative transposable elements (ΤΕs) along promoter regions of most of the genes indicates a possible role in transcriptional control. The current results set the foundation for functional studies of the C5-MTase and DNA demethylase gene families in castor plant.

Springer eBooks, 1999

Abscission of floral organs after pollination is a common phenomenon in many plant species. The t... more Abscission of floral organs after pollination is a common phenomenon in many plant species. The time between induction and completion of the abscission process varies widely among species. Generally completion of abscission of floral structures is faster than abscission of leaves and fruits (2.5–8 h vs 10–48 h) [2]. Anatomical studies in the abscission zone (AZ) reveal cell separation in the middle lamella and extensive swelling and disorganization of the semicrystalline bundles, microfibrils, in the primary wall of the abscission zone cells. It has become evident that hormones participate and have a regulatory role in abscission. The plant hormone ethylene increases cell expansion, which generates mechanical forces facilitating cell separation, and increases expression of genes associated with abscission. Cell wall hydrolases such as cellulases are commonly associated with abscission [3]. In geranium (Pelargonium xhortorum), exogenous application of ethylene induces petal abscission within 2 hours of treatment [1]. In the present study, the expression of three cellulases, PCX10, PCX59 and PCX102 was investigated in geranium tissues including petal abscission zone. The effect of ethylene on the mRNA levels of the three cellulases was also determined.

Biomass and Bioenergy, 2017

Castor bean (Ricinus communis) is an important non-edible oilseed crop and source of castor oil w... more Castor bean (Ricinus communis) is an important non-edible oilseed crop and source of castor oil which has multiple applications ranging from cosmetics to biofuels industry. However, the extraction of castor oil generates large amounts of de-oiled castor cake containing ricin, a highly toxic glycoprotein that requires treatment prior to its valorization. In this study, biochar was produced by slow pyrolysis at 550 C from castor stalks and de-oiled castor cake, both by-products of castor oil production, in view of sustainable valorisation of a potential large scale cultivation of castor beans in Greece. The produced biochars were highly alkaline and had significant differences in terms of surface area, morphology, nutrients content and ratios of atomic C:N and H:C. The biochars were added to potting mix at different rates (0, 1 and 5% mass fraction of the dry mix) for the cultivation of tomato and castor seedlings, and their growth was monitored over a period of two months without fertilization. Based on the results, castor biochars improved castor seed germination, achieving 90% success rate earlier when compared to control. On the contrary, biochar did not affect significantly the germination of tomato seedlings. However, in both species, the biochar treatments promoted lateral root initiation but increased the developmental rate only in castor. In addition, biochars affected soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), PO 4 , total N and P, K, Na, Ca, and Al levels.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Mar 2, 2022

In this study, the presence of microbial communities in the building materials of the Holy Aedicu... more In this study, the presence of microbial communities in the building materials of the Holy Aedicule via amplicon metagenomics is established. Ten samples in total are examined consisting of five mortar samples, two marble samples and three Holy Rock samples. They all are of high importance from a historical perspective, and they are collected from various locations of the Holy Tomb Chamber. This is the first time that samples from the Holy Aedicule have been analysed by metagenomics, and the documented microbial communities can serve as a benchmark of the monument's state at the time of sampling and can therefore be used in any future works regarding the sustainability of the monument. It is observed that all the examined samples are colonized by certain common and more importantly distinctive microbial communities, from several genera. Particularly, the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Chroococcidiopsis thermalis PCC 7203, Loriellopsis cavernicola, Zhihengliuella somnathii, Massilia atriviolacea and Massilia aurea display the highest relative abundances in all the examined samples, compared to the rest of the identified species. Furthermore, a machine learning method is implemented to rank, at the genus level, the most characteristic low abundance microbiota communities among the examined samples, while a cluster analysis, based on the kind and the abundance of all the species identified in each sample, is also performed. The above-mentioned bioinformatics approaches offer additional insights featuring samples interrelation, and they are interpreted using building materials data, archaeometry data, as well as historical evidence, presented in previous works. Thus, a new potential about the microbiota characterization in built cultural heritage is highlighted and suggested.

CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research - Zenodo, Nov 29, 2021

New technologies of DNA sequencing can provide valuable insights into the identity of archaeobota... more New technologies of DNA sequencing can provide valuable insights into the identity of archaeobotanical remains, early human-environment interactions and an understanding of social and religious activities. In the Late Bronze archaeological site of Kastrouli, Phokis (Greece), plant biomass remains in a ceramic vessel of the Mycenaean period are analysed. To determine the identity of the biomass, a high throughput sequencing technology was used to obtain whole genome sequencing (WGS) of plant, bacterial and fungal genomes. Whole genome analysis (WGS) of ancient DNA (aDNA) showed that despite the small DNA fragments recovered from the plant remains several reads were assigned to reference plant genomes The molecular analyses in the archaeobotanical and medicinal plant remains identified 10 agronomically important plant species (oak, Eucalyptus, tobacco, grape, cotton, cowpea, conyza) and characterized a diverse microbial community associated with the plant biomass. Surprising is the detection of wild tobacco, tomato and cotton. The taxa represented by plant parts, provide socio-cultural insight on plant use by the inhabitants of the settlement. A complementary microscopic analysis of the plant biomass revealed floral parts and leaves of different morphologies belonging to different taxa. In particular, the microbial community within the vessel environment had distinct associations with plant, rhizosphere, soil, marine and water ecosystems; which are evident in Kastrouli environs. The sequencing information recovered from the approaximately 3000-year-old biological samples revealed unexpected findings on biocultural diversity, early agriculture and species domestication in this corner of the Mediterranean basin.

Scientific Culture, 2022

In this study, the presence of microbial communities in the building materials of the Holy Aedicu... more In this study, the presence of microbial communities in the building materials of the Holy Aedicule via amplicon metagenomics is established. Ten samples in total are examined consisting of five mortar samples, two marble samples and three Holy Rock samples. They all are of high importance from a historical perspective, and they are collected from various locations of the Holy Tomb Chamber. This is the first time that samples from the Holy Aedicule have been analyzed by metagenomics, and the documented microbial communities can serve as a benchmark of the monument's state at the time of sampling and can therefore be used in any future works regarding the sustainability of the monument. It is observed that all the examined samples are colonized by certain common and more importantly distinctive microbial communities, from several genera. Particularly, the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Chroococcidiopsis thermalis PCC 7203, Loriellopsis cavernicola, Zhihengliuella somnathii, Massilia atriviolacea and Massilia aurea display the highest relative abundances in all the examined samples, compared to the rest of the identified species. Furthermore, a machine learning method is implemented to rank, at the genus level, the most characteristic low abundance microbiota communities among the examined samples, while a cluster analysis, based on the kind and the abundance of all the species identified in each sample, is also performed. The above-mentioned bioinformatics approaches offer additional insights featuring samples interrelation, and they are interpreted using building materials data, archaeometry data, as well as historical evidence, presented in previous works. Thus, a new potential about the microbiota characterization in built cultural heritage is highlighted and suggested.

Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry 21(3):229-247, 2021

New technologies of DNA sequencing can provide valuable insights into the identity of archaeobota... more New technologies of DNA sequencing can provide valuable insights into the identity of archaeobotanical remains, early human-environment interactions and an understanding of social and religious activities. In the Late Bronze archaeological site of Kastrouli, Phokis (Greece), plant biomass remains in a ceramic vessel of the Mycenaean period are analysed. To determine the identity of the biomass, a high throughput sequencing technology was used to obtain whole genome sequencing (WGS) of plant, bacterial and fungal genomes. Whole genome analysis (WGS) of ancient DNA (aDNA) showed that despite the small DNA fragments recovered from the plant remains several reads were assigned to reference plant genomes The molecular analyses in the archaeobotanical and medicinal plant remains identified 10 agronomically important plant species (oak, Eucalyptus, tobacco, grape, cotton, cowpea, conyza) and characterized a diverse microbial community associated with the plant biomass. Surprising is the detection of wild tobacco, tomato and cotton. The taxa represented by plant parts, provide socio-cultural insight on plant use by the inhabitants of the settlement. A complementary microscopic analysis of the plant biomass revealed floral parts and leaves of different morphologies belonging to different taxa. In particular, the microbial community within the vessel environment had distinct associations with plant, rhizosphere, soil, marine and water ecosystems; which are evident in Kastrouli environs. The sequencing information recovered from the approaximately 3000-year-old biological samples revealed unexpected findings on biocultural diversity, early agriculture and species domestication in this corner of the Mediterranean basin.

Strains used in this study BY4741 his3-1 leu2-2 met15-0 ura3-0

Genomic Designing of Climate-Smart Fruit Crops, 2020

The recent sequencing of many Rosaceae complete genomes, including that of sweet cherry (Prunus a... more The recent sequencing of many Rosaceae complete genomes, including that of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), along with the availability of high-throughput resources offers new challenges and opportunities for cherry breeders in the genomic era towards improvement of climate-smart traits and diseases resistance against the main pathogens, which are consistently plagued the crop. Conventional breeding approaches are laborious, time-consuming and inefficient to fulfil increasing demands, especially in terms of climate change. The advances both in marker-assisted and genomics-assisted breeding, high-throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics tools should enable the sweet cherry breeding at a faster pace. These genomics technologies will certainly generate a large amount of data, and this new knowledge might be efficiently employed in cherry breeding towards the development of varieties with elevated adaptation to climatic challenges, including disease resistance against pathogens. The rapidly accumulating genomic resources will enable the development of molecular markers associated with many important quantitative trait loci, deciphering the genomic variations in various germplasms towards the development of climate-smart and disease resistant sweet cherries. Furthermore, an integrated approach based on a full range of plant omics sciences and their outcomes would result in the development of efficient genomics-based trait selection and identification of allelic variations involved in flowering time, dormancy and defence reactions against pathogens. Especially climate change alters dramatically the susceptibility of sweet cherry cultivars to rapidly evolved pathogens, and although the recent advances in genomics resources, there are still only a few reports of genomics applications for diseases resistance evaluation in germplasm collections. In this chapter, we discuss and summarize the advances through genomics-assisted breeding towards improvement of climate-smart traits and diseases resistance in sweet cherry.

Grass and Forage Science

The phenotypic and genotypic diversity of natural populations of Lotus corniculatus from three lo... more The phenotypic and genotypic diversity of natural populations of Lotus corniculatus from three locations in northern Greece was investigated. The collection locations were about 100–140 km apart at altitudes ranging from 50 to 900 m and therefore differed in bioclimatic conditions. The collected plants were transplanted and maintained under the same conditions before their phenotypic and genetic assessment. Plants from high altitudes differed from the low- or moderate-altitude plants in terms of leaf characteristics (smaller leaf area: 1.1 cm2 compared to 1.5 cm2 from the low and moderate altitudes) and internode length (shorter internodes: 2.7 cm compared to 3.2 and 13.1 cm from the low and moderate altitudes respectively). At the genetic level, application of the Inter-Specific Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) molecular markers led to distinct placement of the three populations into different clades of a dendrogram, thus revealing regional diversity. The phytogeographic distinction was also supported by principal components analysis. The results showed that even though phenotypic characters could be close, or even indistinguishable, as in the case of plants from the low and middle altitudes, the genetic background could be different. Therefore, assessment of the natural diversity of L. corniculatus requires a combined and integrative approach involving morphological description and molecular characterization. The natural populations of L. corniculatus constitute valuable germplasm for the development of improved and adapted cultivars.

Advances in Crop Science and Technology, 2013

In recent years, high volatility in oil prices and global climate change led to an increased inte... more In recent years, high volatility in oil prices and global climate change led to an increased interest in biofuel production to reduce dependency on foreign fossil fuel. Domestically produced plant feedstocks are environmentally friendly renewable substitutes for fossil-derived fuel and are expected to stabilize fuel prices. Plant-derived energy can offer rural development and other environmental, social and energy security benefits for local societies. Crops, grasses, trees, forest-residues and aquatic plants, all can be used as potential biofuel feedstocks. To meet the increased global and regional demand for bioenergy, evaluation and improvement of current and emergent plant feedstocks is urgently needed to reduce the cost of the resulting biofuels.

Methods in Molecular Biology

Molecules

Naphthodianthrones such as fagopyrin and hypericin found mainly in buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.) and... more Naphthodianthrones such as fagopyrin and hypericin found mainly in buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.) and St. John’s wort (SJW) (Hypericum perforatum L.) are natural photosensitizers inside the cell. The effect of photosensitizers was studied under dark conditions on growth, morphogenesis and induction of death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Fagopyrin and hypericin induced a biphasic and triphasic dose response in cellular growth, respectively, over a 10-fold concentration change. In fagopyrin-treated cells, disruptions in the normal cell cycle progression were evident by microscopy. DAPI staining revealed several cells that underwent premature mitosis without budding, a striking morphological abnormality. Flow Cytometric (FC) analysis using a concentration of 100 µM showed reduced cell viability by 41% in fagopyrin-treated cells and by 15% in hypericin-treated cells. FC revealed the development of a secondary population of G1 cells in photosensitizer-treated cultures characterized by small s...

Plant Cell Reports

Key message This review illustrates how far we have come since the emergence of GE technologies a... more Key message This review illustrates how far we have come since the emergence of GE technologies and how they could be applied to obtain superior and sustainable crop production. Abstract The main challenges of today’s agriculture are maintaining and raising productivity, reducing its negative impact on the environment, and adapting to climate change. Efficient plant breeding can generate elite varieties that will rapidly replace obsolete ones and address ongoing challenges in an efficient and sustainable manner. Site-specific genome editing in plants is a rapidly evolving field with tangible results. The technology is equipped with a powerful toolbox of molecular scissors to cut DNA at a pre-determined site with different efficiencies for designing an approach that best suits the objectives of each plant breeding strategy. Genome editing (GE) not only revolutionizes plant biology, but provides the means to solve challenges related to plant architecture, food security, nutrient conte...

Plant Protection Science

The phytopathogenic oomycetes of the genus Phytophthora cause devastating economic losses worldwi... more The phytopathogenic oomycetes of the genus Phytophthora cause devastating economic losses worldwide.Naphthodianthrone compounds, present in plant extracts of buckwheat and Saint John’s wort act as photosensitiseragents and exhibit antimicrobial activity against a number of pathogens. In this study, we investigated the potentialinhibitory effects of fagopyrin and hypericin on Phytophthora citrophthora (R.E. Sm. & E.H. Sm.) Leonian 1906, themain causal agent of rot diseases in deciduous trees. Fagopyrin had the highest inhibitory effect in the colony growthat a concentration of 2% of a stock solution (3 mg/mL), inducing clubbed hyphae with round tips. Notably, hypericinalso inhibited the radial colony growth and increased the hyphal branching at the subapical region, while also promotingthe formation of enlarged cells with irregular shapes growing collectively as biofilm-like structures. In terms of themycelial dry weight, although both photosensitisers had considerable inhibitory eff...

Industrial Crops and Products

Plant Growth Regulation, Sep 14, 2017

emphasis in seed maturation stages, showed that all family members varied widely in their express... more emphasis in seed maturation stages, showed that all family members varied widely in their expression across tissues suggesting distinct biological roles. In silico promoter analysis revealed several cis acting elements associated with drought responses indicating an epigenetic mechanism of regulation for the drought response by means of a methylation/demethylation switch. Consequent quantitative PCR analysis revealed that although C5-MTase genes were differentially expressed under drought stress, all the demethylase genes analyzed in this study (RcDME, RcDML-3 and RcROS1) were significantly upregulated suggesting finetuning of DNA methylation and demethylation events. The detection and organization of putative transposable elements (ΤΕs) along promoter regions of most of the genes indicates a possible role in transcriptional control. The current results set the foundation for functional studies of the C5-MTase and DNA demethylase gene families in castor plant.

Springer eBooks, 1999

Abscission of floral organs after pollination is a common phenomenon in many plant species. The t... more Abscission of floral organs after pollination is a common phenomenon in many plant species. The time between induction and completion of the abscission process varies widely among species. Generally completion of abscission of floral structures is faster than abscission of leaves and fruits (2.5–8 h vs 10–48 h) [2]. Anatomical studies in the abscission zone (AZ) reveal cell separation in the middle lamella and extensive swelling and disorganization of the semicrystalline bundles, microfibrils, in the primary wall of the abscission zone cells. It has become evident that hormones participate and have a regulatory role in abscission. The plant hormone ethylene increases cell expansion, which generates mechanical forces facilitating cell separation, and increases expression of genes associated with abscission. Cell wall hydrolases such as cellulases are commonly associated with abscission [3]. In geranium (Pelargonium xhortorum), exogenous application of ethylene induces petal abscission within 2 hours of treatment [1]. In the present study, the expression of three cellulases, PCX10, PCX59 and PCX102 was investigated in geranium tissues including petal abscission zone. The effect of ethylene on the mRNA levels of the three cellulases was also determined.

Biomass and Bioenergy, 2017

Castor bean (Ricinus communis) is an important non-edible oilseed crop and source of castor oil w... more Castor bean (Ricinus communis) is an important non-edible oilseed crop and source of castor oil which has multiple applications ranging from cosmetics to biofuels industry. However, the extraction of castor oil generates large amounts of de-oiled castor cake containing ricin, a highly toxic glycoprotein that requires treatment prior to its valorization. In this study, biochar was produced by slow pyrolysis at 550 C from castor stalks and de-oiled castor cake, both by-products of castor oil production, in view of sustainable valorisation of a potential large scale cultivation of castor beans in Greece. The produced biochars were highly alkaline and had significant differences in terms of surface area, morphology, nutrients content and ratios of atomic C:N and H:C. The biochars were added to potting mix at different rates (0, 1 and 5% mass fraction of the dry mix) for the cultivation of tomato and castor seedlings, and their growth was monitored over a period of two months without fertilization. Based on the results, castor biochars improved castor seed germination, achieving 90% success rate earlier when compared to control. On the contrary, biochar did not affect significantly the germination of tomato seedlings. However, in both species, the biochar treatments promoted lateral root initiation but increased the developmental rate only in castor. In addition, biochars affected soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), PO 4 , total N and P, K, Na, Ca, and Al levels.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Mar 2, 2022

In this study, the presence of microbial communities in the building materials of the Holy Aedicu... more In this study, the presence of microbial communities in the building materials of the Holy Aedicule via amplicon metagenomics is established. Ten samples in total are examined consisting of five mortar samples, two marble samples and three Holy Rock samples. They all are of high importance from a historical perspective, and they are collected from various locations of the Holy Tomb Chamber. This is the first time that samples from the Holy Aedicule have been analysed by metagenomics, and the documented microbial communities can serve as a benchmark of the monument's state at the time of sampling and can therefore be used in any future works regarding the sustainability of the monument. It is observed that all the examined samples are colonized by certain common and more importantly distinctive microbial communities, from several genera. Particularly, the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Chroococcidiopsis thermalis PCC 7203, Loriellopsis cavernicola, Zhihengliuella somnathii, Massilia atriviolacea and Massilia aurea display the highest relative abundances in all the examined samples, compared to the rest of the identified species. Furthermore, a machine learning method is implemented to rank, at the genus level, the most characteristic low abundance microbiota communities among the examined samples, while a cluster analysis, based on the kind and the abundance of all the species identified in each sample, is also performed. The above-mentioned bioinformatics approaches offer additional insights featuring samples interrelation, and they are interpreted using building materials data, archaeometry data, as well as historical evidence, presented in previous works. Thus, a new potential about the microbiota characterization in built cultural heritage is highlighted and suggested.

CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research - Zenodo, Nov 29, 2021

New technologies of DNA sequencing can provide valuable insights into the identity of archaeobota... more New technologies of DNA sequencing can provide valuable insights into the identity of archaeobotanical remains, early human-environment interactions and an understanding of social and religious activities. In the Late Bronze archaeological site of Kastrouli, Phokis (Greece), plant biomass remains in a ceramic vessel of the Mycenaean period are analysed. To determine the identity of the biomass, a high throughput sequencing technology was used to obtain whole genome sequencing (WGS) of plant, bacterial and fungal genomes. Whole genome analysis (WGS) of ancient DNA (aDNA) showed that despite the small DNA fragments recovered from the plant remains several reads were assigned to reference plant genomes The molecular analyses in the archaeobotanical and medicinal plant remains identified 10 agronomically important plant species (oak, Eucalyptus, tobacco, grape, cotton, cowpea, conyza) and characterized a diverse microbial community associated with the plant biomass. Surprising is the detection of wild tobacco, tomato and cotton. The taxa represented by plant parts, provide socio-cultural insight on plant use by the inhabitants of the settlement. A complementary microscopic analysis of the plant biomass revealed floral parts and leaves of different morphologies belonging to different taxa. In particular, the microbial community within the vessel environment had distinct associations with plant, rhizosphere, soil, marine and water ecosystems; which are evident in Kastrouli environs. The sequencing information recovered from the approaximately 3000-year-old biological samples revealed unexpected findings on biocultural diversity, early agriculture and species domestication in this corner of the Mediterranean basin.

Scientific Culture, 2022

In this study, the presence of microbial communities in the building materials of the Holy Aedicu... more In this study, the presence of microbial communities in the building materials of the Holy Aedicule via amplicon metagenomics is established. Ten samples in total are examined consisting of five mortar samples, two marble samples and three Holy Rock samples. They all are of high importance from a historical perspective, and they are collected from various locations of the Holy Tomb Chamber. This is the first time that samples from the Holy Aedicule have been analyzed by metagenomics, and the documented microbial communities can serve as a benchmark of the monument's state at the time of sampling and can therefore be used in any future works regarding the sustainability of the monument. It is observed that all the examined samples are colonized by certain common and more importantly distinctive microbial communities, from several genera. Particularly, the species Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Chroococcidiopsis thermalis PCC 7203, Loriellopsis cavernicola, Zhihengliuella somnathii, Massilia atriviolacea and Massilia aurea display the highest relative abundances in all the examined samples, compared to the rest of the identified species. Furthermore, a machine learning method is implemented to rank, at the genus level, the most characteristic low abundance microbiota communities among the examined samples, while a cluster analysis, based on the kind and the abundance of all the species identified in each sample, is also performed. The above-mentioned bioinformatics approaches offer additional insights featuring samples interrelation, and they are interpreted using building materials data, archaeometry data, as well as historical evidence, presented in previous works. Thus, a new potential about the microbiota characterization in built cultural heritage is highlighted and suggested.

Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry 21(3):229-247, 2021

New technologies of DNA sequencing can provide valuable insights into the identity of archaeobota... more New technologies of DNA sequencing can provide valuable insights into the identity of archaeobotanical remains, early human-environment interactions and an understanding of social and religious activities. In the Late Bronze archaeological site of Kastrouli, Phokis (Greece), plant biomass remains in a ceramic vessel of the Mycenaean period are analysed. To determine the identity of the biomass, a high throughput sequencing technology was used to obtain whole genome sequencing (WGS) of plant, bacterial and fungal genomes. Whole genome analysis (WGS) of ancient DNA (aDNA) showed that despite the small DNA fragments recovered from the plant remains several reads were assigned to reference plant genomes The molecular analyses in the archaeobotanical and medicinal plant remains identified 10 agronomically important plant species (oak, Eucalyptus, tobacco, grape, cotton, cowpea, conyza) and characterized a diverse microbial community associated with the plant biomass. Surprising is the detection of wild tobacco, tomato and cotton. The taxa represented by plant parts, provide socio-cultural insight on plant use by the inhabitants of the settlement. A complementary microscopic analysis of the plant biomass revealed floral parts and leaves of different morphologies belonging to different taxa. In particular, the microbial community within the vessel environment had distinct associations with plant, rhizosphere, soil, marine and water ecosystems; which are evident in Kastrouli environs. The sequencing information recovered from the approaximately 3000-year-old biological samples revealed unexpected findings on biocultural diversity, early agriculture and species domestication in this corner of the Mediterranean basin.

Strains used in this study BY4741 his3-1 leu2-2 met15-0 ura3-0

Genomic Designing of Climate-Smart Fruit Crops, 2020

The recent sequencing of many Rosaceae complete genomes, including that of sweet cherry (Prunus a... more The recent sequencing of many Rosaceae complete genomes, including that of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.), along with the availability of high-throughput resources offers new challenges and opportunities for cherry breeders in the genomic era towards improvement of climate-smart traits and diseases resistance against the main pathogens, which are consistently plagued the crop. Conventional breeding approaches are laborious, time-consuming and inefficient to fulfil increasing demands, especially in terms of climate change. The advances both in marker-assisted and genomics-assisted breeding, high-throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics tools should enable the sweet cherry breeding at a faster pace. These genomics technologies will certainly generate a large amount of data, and this new knowledge might be efficiently employed in cherry breeding towards the development of varieties with elevated adaptation to climatic challenges, including disease resistance against pathogens. The rapidly accumulating genomic resources will enable the development of molecular markers associated with many important quantitative trait loci, deciphering the genomic variations in various germplasms towards the development of climate-smart and disease resistant sweet cherries. Furthermore, an integrated approach based on a full range of plant omics sciences and their outcomes would result in the development of efficient genomics-based trait selection and identification of allelic variations involved in flowering time, dormancy and defence reactions against pathogens. Especially climate change alters dramatically the susceptibility of sweet cherry cultivars to rapidly evolved pathogens, and although the recent advances in genomics resources, there are still only a few reports of genomics applications for diseases resistance evaluation in germplasm collections. In this chapter, we discuss and summarize the advances through genomics-assisted breeding towards improvement of climate-smart traits and diseases resistance in sweet cherry.

Grass and Forage Science

The phenotypic and genotypic diversity of natural populations of Lotus corniculatus from three lo... more The phenotypic and genotypic diversity of natural populations of Lotus corniculatus from three locations in northern Greece was investigated. The collection locations were about 100–140 km apart at altitudes ranging from 50 to 900 m and therefore differed in bioclimatic conditions. The collected plants were transplanted and maintained under the same conditions before their phenotypic and genetic assessment. Plants from high altitudes differed from the low- or moderate-altitude plants in terms of leaf characteristics (smaller leaf area: 1.1 cm2 compared to 1.5 cm2 from the low and moderate altitudes) and internode length (shorter internodes: 2.7 cm compared to 3.2 and 13.1 cm from the low and moderate altitudes respectively). At the genetic level, application of the Inter-Specific Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) molecular markers led to distinct placement of the three populations into different clades of a dendrogram, thus revealing regional diversity. The phytogeographic distinction was also supported by principal components analysis. The results showed that even though phenotypic characters could be close, or even indistinguishable, as in the case of plants from the low and middle altitudes, the genetic background could be different. Therefore, assessment of the natural diversity of L. corniculatus requires a combined and integrative approach involving morphological description and molecular characterization. The natural populations of L. corniculatus constitute valuable germplasm for the development of improved and adapted cultivars.

Advances in Crop Science and Technology, 2013

In recent years, high volatility in oil prices and global climate change led to an increased inte... more In recent years, high volatility in oil prices and global climate change led to an increased interest in biofuel production to reduce dependency on foreign fossil fuel. Domestically produced plant feedstocks are environmentally friendly renewable substitutes for fossil-derived fuel and are expected to stabilize fuel prices. Plant-derived energy can offer rural development and other environmental, social and energy security benefits for local societies. Crops, grasses, trees, forest-residues and aquatic plants, all can be used as potential biofuel feedstocks. To meet the increased global and regional demand for bioenergy, evaluation and improvement of current and emergent plant feedstocks is urgently needed to reduce the cost of the resulting biofuels.

Methods in Molecular Biology

Molecules

Naphthodianthrones such as fagopyrin and hypericin found mainly in buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.) and... more Naphthodianthrones such as fagopyrin and hypericin found mainly in buckwheat (Fagopyrum spp.) and St. John’s wort (SJW) (Hypericum perforatum L.) are natural photosensitizers inside the cell. The effect of photosensitizers was studied under dark conditions on growth, morphogenesis and induction of death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Fagopyrin and hypericin induced a biphasic and triphasic dose response in cellular growth, respectively, over a 10-fold concentration change. In fagopyrin-treated cells, disruptions in the normal cell cycle progression were evident by microscopy. DAPI staining revealed several cells that underwent premature mitosis without budding, a striking morphological abnormality. Flow Cytometric (FC) analysis using a concentration of 100 µM showed reduced cell viability by 41% in fagopyrin-treated cells and by 15% in hypericin-treated cells. FC revealed the development of a secondary population of G1 cells in photosensitizer-treated cultures characterized by small s...

Plant Cell Reports

Key message This review illustrates how far we have come since the emergence of GE technologies a... more Key message This review illustrates how far we have come since the emergence of GE technologies and how they could be applied to obtain superior and sustainable crop production. Abstract The main challenges of today’s agriculture are maintaining and raising productivity, reducing its negative impact on the environment, and adapting to climate change. Efficient plant breeding can generate elite varieties that will rapidly replace obsolete ones and address ongoing challenges in an efficient and sustainable manner. Site-specific genome editing in plants is a rapidly evolving field with tangible results. The technology is equipped with a powerful toolbox of molecular scissors to cut DNA at a pre-determined site with different efficiencies for designing an approach that best suits the objectives of each plant breeding strategy. Genome editing (GE) not only revolutionizes plant biology, but provides the means to solve challenges related to plant architecture, food security, nutrient conte...

Plant Protection Science

The phytopathogenic oomycetes of the genus Phytophthora cause devastating economic losses worldwi... more The phytopathogenic oomycetes of the genus Phytophthora cause devastating economic losses worldwide.Naphthodianthrone compounds, present in plant extracts of buckwheat and Saint John’s wort act as photosensitiseragents and exhibit antimicrobial activity against a number of pathogens. In this study, we investigated the potentialinhibitory effects of fagopyrin and hypericin on Phytophthora citrophthora (R.E. Sm. & E.H. Sm.) Leonian 1906, themain causal agent of rot diseases in deciduous trees. Fagopyrin had the highest inhibitory effect in the colony growthat a concentration of 2% of a stock solution (3 mg/mL), inducing clubbed hyphae with round tips. Notably, hypericinalso inhibited the radial colony growth and increased the hyphal branching at the subapical region, while also promotingthe formation of enlarged cells with irregular shapes growing collectively as biofilm-like structures. In terms of themycelial dry weight, although both photosensitisers had considerable inhibitory eff...

Industrial Crops and Products