Biology subjects

Partridge, C. G.

Publications and source records attributed to Partridge, C. G..

5 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2020

Examining the molecular mechanisms contributing to the success of an invasive species across different ecosystems

Invasive species provide an opportune system to investigate how populations respond to new environments. Babys breath (Gypsophila paniculata) was introduced to North America in the 1800s and has since spread throughout the United States and western Canada. We used an RNA-seq approach to explore how molecular processes contribute to the success of invasive populations with similar genetic backgrounds across distinct habitats. Transcription profiles were constructed from seedlings collected from a sand dune ecosystem in Petoskey, MI (PSMI) and a sagebrush ecosystem in Chelan, WA (CHWA). We assessed differential gene expression and identified SNPs within differentially expressed genes. We identified 1,146 differentially expressed transcripts across all sampled tissues between the two populations. GO processes enriched in PSMI were associated with nutrient starvation, while enriched processes in CHWA were associated with abiotic stress. Only 7.4% of the differentially expressed transcripts contained SNPs differing in allele frequencies of at least 0.5 between populations. Common garden studies found the two populations differed in germination rate and seedling emergence success. Our results suggest the success of G. paniculata in these two environments is likely due to plasticity in specific molecular processes responding to different environmental conditions, although some genetic divergence may be contributing to these differences.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Old Meets New: Combining Herbarium Databases with Genetic Methods to Evaluate the Invasion Status of Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila paniculata) in North America

AimThis paper aims to inform our knowledge of common babys breaths (Gypsophila paniculata) current population structure and invasion status using a combination of contemporary genetic methods and historical herbarium data.\n\nTaxonGypsophila paniculata (Angiosperms: Eudicot, Caryophyllaceae)\n\nLocationSamples were collected from seven locations spanning a portion of the plants North American range: Washington, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Michigan, United States.\n\nMethodsTo analyze contemporary population structure, individuals of G. paniculata from 7 distinct sampling locations were collected and genotyped at 14 microsatellite loci. Population structure was inferred using both Bayesian and multivariate methods. To investigate G. paniculatas invasion status, public herbarium databases were searched for mention of the species. Records were combined, resulting in a database of 307 herbarium collections dating from the late 1800s to current day. Using this database, invasion curves were created at different geospatial scales.\n\nResultsResults of genetic analyses suggest the presence of at least two genetic clusters spanning our seven sampling locations. Sampling locations in Washington, North Dakota, Minnesota, and northwestern Michigan form one genetic cluster, distinct from our two more southern sampling locations in Michigan, which form a second cluster with increased relative genetic diversity. Invasion curves created for these two clusters show different time periods of invasion. An invasion curve created for North America suggests G. paniculatas range may still be expanding.\n\nMain conclusionsGypsophila paniculata has likely undergone at least two distinct invasions in North America, and its range may still be expanding. Restricted genetic diversity seen across a wide geographic area could be a signature of limited seed distributors present during the early period of this garden ornamentals invasion.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Genetic structure of invasive babys breath (Gypsophila paniculata) populations in a freshwater Michigan dune system

Coastal sand dunes are dynamic ecosystems with elevated levels of disturbance, and as such they are highly susceptible to plant invasions. One such invasion that is of major concern to the Great Lakes dune systems is that of perennial babys breath (Gypsophila paniculata). The invasion of babys breath negatively impacts native species such as the federal threatened Pitchers thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) that occupy the open sand habitat of the Michigan dune system. Our research goals were to (1) quantify the genetic diversity of invasive babys breath populations in the Michigan dune system, and (2) estimate the genetic structure of these invasive populations. We analyzed 12 populations at 14 nuclear and 2 chloroplast microsatellite loci. We found strong genetic structure among populations of babys breath sampled along Michigans dunes (global FST = 0.228), and also among two geographic regions that are separated by the Leelanau peninsula. Pairwise comparisons using the nSSR data among all 12 populations yielded significant FST values. Results from a Bayesian clustering analysis suggest two main population clusters. Isolation by distance was found over all 12 populations (R = 0.755, P < 0.001) and when only cluster 2 populations were included (R = 0.523, P = 0.030); populations within cluster 1 revealed no significant relationship (R = 0.205, P = 0.494). Private nSSR alleles and cpSSR haplotypes within each cluster suggest the possibility of at least two separate introduction events to Michigan.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Microsatellite primer development for invasive perennial herb, Gypsophila paniculata (Caryophyllaceae)

O_LIPremise of the study: Gypsophila paniculata L. (babys breath) is an herbaceous perennial that has invaded much of northern and western United States and Canada, outcompeting and crowding out native and endemic species. Microsatellite primers were developed to analyze the genetic structure of invasive populations.\nC_LIO_LIMethods and Results: We have identified 16 polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci for G. paniculata out of 73 loci that successfully amplified from a primer library created using Illumina sequencing technology. The developed primers amplified microsatellite loci in 3 invasive populations in Michigan. Primers amplified di-, tri-, and tetra-nucleotide repeats.\nC_LIO_LIConclusions: These markers will be useful in characterizing the genetic structure of invasive populations throughout North America to aid targeted management efforts, and in native Eurasian populations to better understand invasion history. Five of these developed primers also amplified in G. elegans.\nC_LI

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2017

Identification and characterization of Gypsophila paniculata color morphs in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI, USA.

BackgroundGypsophila paniculata (babys breath) is an invasive species found throughout much of the northwest United States and western Canada. Recently, plants exhibiting a different color morphology were identified within the coastal dunes along eastern Lake Michigan. The common babys breath (G. paniculata) typically produces stems that are purple in color (purple morph), while the atypical morph has stems that are green-yellow (green-yellow morph). The purpose of this study was to characterize these newly identified morphs and determine if they are genetically distinct species from the common babys breath in order to assess whether alternative management strategies should be employed to control these populations.\n\nMethodsWe sequenced two chloroplast regions, rbcL and matK, and one nuclear region, ITS2, from the purple morphs and green-yellow morphs collected from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI, USA (SBDNL). Sequences were aligned to the reference sequences from other Gypsophila species obtained from the Barcode of Life (BOLD) and GenBank databases. We also collected seeds from wild purple morph and wild green-yellow morph plants in SBDNL. We grew the seeds in a common garden setting and characterized the proportion of green-yellow individuals produced from the two color morphs after five-months of growth.\n\nResultsPhylogenetic analyses based upon rbcL, matK, and ITS2 regions suggest that the two color morphs are not distinct species and they both belong to G. paniculata. Seeds collected from wild green-yellow morphs produced a significantly higher proportion of green-yellow individuals compared to the number produced by seeds collected from wild purple morphs. However, seeds collected from both color morphs produced more purple morphs than green-yellow morphs.\n\nDiscussionBased upon these results, we propose that the two color morphs are variants of G. paniculata. Given the significant difference in the number of green-yellow morphs produced from the seeds of each morph type, we also suggest that this color difference has some genetic basis. We propose that current management continue to treat the two color morphs in a similar manner in terms of removal to prevent the further spread of this species.

plant biology↗