|
|
Flow cytometry in insects biosystematics
Javůrková, Jaroslava ; Šípek, Petr (advisor) ; Sadílek, David (referee)
The size of the genome, or DNA content in cells, is expressed using the so-called C-value, i.e. the weight of DNA in units of pg, or as 2C-values for the DNA content in somatic cells of diploid organisms. A simple method used, among other things, to determine the size of the genome is flow cytometry. This method has traditionally been very popular, especially among botanists, where it is mainly used in taxonomic and population studies or for determining the ploidy of individual lines. Conversely, genome size in animals and insects is relatively little studied. Of the more than a million described insect species, the genome size is known for only hundreds of them. This work provides information on the genome size of eighty-eight species of insects from selected orders of the Polyneoptera group - four species of earwigs (Dermaptera), four species of weavers (Embioptera), fourteen species of mantises (Mantodea), seventeen species of stick insects (Phasmatodea), forty-six species of grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets (Orthoptera), one species of termite (Isoptera, Blattodea) and two species of stoneflies (Plecoptera). The determined absolute genome sizes and variance rates were compared within individual orders, within the Polyneoptera group, and compared with the genome sizes of other insect taxa....
|
|
|
Flow cytometry in insects biosystematics
Javůrková, Jaroslava ; Šípek, Petr (advisor) ; Sadílek, David (referee)
The size of the genome, in other words the content of DNA in the gametic cells of organisms, is expressed using the C-value indicating the number of nuclear base pairs in units of Mpb or the mass of DNA in units of pg. A simple method used, among other things, to determine the size of the genome is flow cytometry, which in recent years has been very popular, especially among botanists. The study of insects is lagging behind in regard to the number of described species of insect numbering more than one million in comparison to the number of species whose genome size is known (only a few hundred of them). This diploma thesis therefore aims to expand the dataset on the size of the genomes of representatives of the Polyneoptera group, to compare the data found within individual orders and to help understand the links of genome size to the evolution and ecology of insects. This work provides genome size information for eighty species of insects of the Polyneoptera group. The results showed the largest insect genome measured so far - the locust Dictyophorus griseus (149.33 pg), whose genome size exceeds the previously published results by several times. Key words: flow cytometry, genome size, c-value, Polyneoptera
|
|
|
Genome size variability and its relationship towards selected biological characteristics of arachnids
Šilhavá, Veronika ; Opatová, Věra (advisor) ; Urfus, Tomáš (referee)
Genome size, also called C-value, describes the amount of DNA contained in haploid set of chromosomes in organism. Knowledge of this value can be useful for example as indicator of technical difficulty and financial cost of projects using genome seqencing, or it can be used for taxonomic purposes as well. Genome size encompasses immense variability across the animal kingdom. We also encounter variability among arachnids, even between species within the same genus. However, the relationship between genome size and biological characteristics of arachnids has not been examined so far. In this thesis, I assembled genome size data for all arachnid orders alongside with a variety of their biological characteristics. These traits were subsequently mapped onto the phylogenetics trees. In certain arachnid orders, the genome size could be related to the body size, life span and potentially also to ecology (e.g. web type, retreat). Unfortunatelly, genome size data are available only for a small portion of Arachnida diversity, which complicates the interpretation.
|
|
|
Genome size evolution in the Zingiberaceae
Pospíšilová, Monika ; Fér, Tomáš (advisor) ; Kolář, Filip (referee)
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the existing knowledge on the evolution of genome size and also to focus on genome in the phylogenetic context. Among angiosperms we find a wide range of C-values (1C = 0.63 pg ? 1C = 127.4 pg), but the modal value is 0.6 pg. We still do not know much about the nature and mechanisms of plant genome size evolution, but we are learning more and more every year. There are already dozens of studies dealing with the dynamics of genome size of smaller taxonomic groups and on four of these they demonstrate possible approaches. Researching within higher taxonomic groups such as families is difficult and so more valuable. New research on the evolution of genome size in the family Zingiberaceae has started and my master thesis dealing with the Globbeae tribe should be part of it.
|
|
|
Genome size evolution in tropical tribe Globba (Zingiberaceae)
Pospíšilová, Monika ; Fér, Tomáš (advisor) ; Zedek, František (referee)
The variability of the genome size reaches several grades even within relatively close groups of plants. The study of the genome size in the phylogenetic context provides interesting results which characterize the evolution of the individual groups of plants. In this respect, tropical plants have yet not been studied. Tropical genus Globba (ca. 100 species) belongs to an economically significant family Zingiberaceae. The diversity centre is found in Thailand but it spreads from east India and southern China up to Indonesia and the Philippines. It is a polyploid complex which exists in two cytotypes within one genus (2n = 32 a 2n = 48); it is characteristic minimally in three out of seven distinguished sections. The aim of this thesis has been a reconstruction of the group phylogeny, discovering the role of the polyploid and evaluation of the genome size evolution of the Globba genus in the phylogenetic context. To this end, modern biosystematic methods were used (flow cytometry, chromosome counting, sequencing of the nuclear and chloroplast DNA regions). Many types of software and statistical methods were used to process and interpret the data. In this group, the genome size was measured for the first time. Out of 87 individuals, the smallest size was measured with Globba nuda (2C = 1.11 pg). The...
|
|
|
Genome size studies in plants - from intraspecific variation to ecological consequences
Lučanová, Magdalena ; Trávníček, Pavel (advisor) ; Leitch, Ilia (referee) ; Šmarda, Petr (referee)
Nuclear DNA content (genome size) is one of the basic characteristics of living organisms. In the Angiosperms, the range of genome size is 2,300-fold, which raises questions about the causes and consequences of this tremendous variation. This thesis deals with genome size in plants from the level of intraspecific homoploid variation, through intraspecific ploidy variation, to interspecies comparisons. On various study systems we investigated the dynamics and ranges of genome size variation, tried to reveal possible associations between genome size and selected biological traits, and assessed the extent to which differences in genome size are manifested at the ecological and evolutionary level. As a means of estimating genome size we applied flow cytometry (FCM). In Taraxacum stenocephalum we conducted a detailed study of its enormous genome size variation. We carried out crossings of parents with various genome sizes and compared these parental genome sizes with those of F1 offspring. We also attempted to reveal the association of genome size with various growth traits. In Galium valdepilosum and Arabidopsis arenosa we carried out an extensive flow-cytometric ploidy level screening and compared the distribution and ecological preferences of detected cytotypes. We studied the Andean genus...
|
|
|
Genome size studies in plants - from intraspecific variation to ecological consequences
Lučanová, Magdalena
Nuclear DNA content (genome size) is one of the basic characteristics of living organisms. In the Angiosperms, the range of genome size is 2,300-fold, which raises questions about the causes and consequences of this tremendous variation. This thesis deals with genome size in plants from the level of intraspecific homoploid variation, through intraspecific ploidy variation, to interspecies comparisons. On various study systems we investigated the dynamics and ranges of genome size variation, tried to reveal possible associations between genome size and selected biological traits, and assessed the extent to which differences in genome size are manifested at the ecological and evolutionary level. As a means of estimating genome size we applied flow cytometry (FCM). In Taraxacum stenocephalum we conducted a detailed study of its enormous genome size variation. We carried out crossings of parents with various genome sizes and compared these parental genome sizes with those of F1 offspring. We also attempted to reveal the association of genome size with various growth traits. In Galium valdepilosum and Arabidopsis arenosa we carried out an extensive flow-cytometric ploidy level screening and compared the distribution and ecological preferences of detected cytotypes. We studied the Andean genus...
|
|
|
Genome size in the evolution of cockroaches
Stuchlíková, Magdalena ; Janšta, Petr (advisor) ; Vít, Petr (referee)
Genome size or nuclear DNA content is a a trait which varies greatly among living organisms, with no apparent relashionship between genome size and organismal complexity. It is usually described using the C-value as either a number of base pairs or picograms of DNA. Unresolved questions regarding mechanisms influencing genome size and relationships between genome size and other organismal traits are together known as the C-value enigma. Genome size is known to positively correlate with cell size and negatively with developmental and cell division rate. A maximum constraint of 2 pg has also been proposed for haploid genome sizes of holometabolous insects. Despite the fact that there are about one million described insect species, genome sizes are only known in a fraction of them. This thesis thus aims to extend the dataset of known insect genome sizes by as many species of cockroaches (Blattodea) as possible. Another aim is to compare results with known phylogeny and also to compare difference in genome size between sexes. Flow cytometry was used for genome size estimations, which is a rapid, simple and effective method, also suitable for study of ploidy levels and other cellular charasteristics.
|
|
|
Genome size estimation in protists
Lukeš, Jiří ; Čertnerová, Dora (advisor) ; Veselská, Tereza (referee)
This bachelor's thesis presents the current knowledge of the size of the genome in protists with a focus on the description and comparison of individual methods that were used to solve this issue. Genome size is a characteristic trait of all living organisms and other physiological features related to genome size are also mentioned. Of the selected methods, the greatest emphasis is placed on the flow cytometry, which is considered reliable and currently provides the most data on the size of protist genomes. In addition to flow cytometry, the contribution of whole genome sequencing to understanding the size of protist genomes is mentioned. Problems with estimating the size of protist genomes results from the heterogeneity of protists as a study group and from the non-uniform procedures within individual methods, which make possible comparisons difficult. Protists are evaluated in the work as an insufficiently studied group, within which the size of the genome varies by approximately 200,000×. The conclusion of the thesis summarizes the current knowledge about the genome size of relatively studied groups of protists. Key Words: Genome size, C-value, Protists, Flow cytometry, whole-genome sequencing, pulsed field gel electrophoresis, Feulgen densitometry, microspectrophotometry
|
|
|
Genome size studies in plants - from intraspecific variation to ecological consequences
Lučanová, Magdalena
Nuclear DNA content (genome size) is one of the basic characteristics of living organisms. In the Angiosperms, the range of genome size is 2,300-fold, which raises questions about the causes and consequences of this tremendous variation. This thesis deals with genome size in plants from the level of intraspecific homoploid variation, through intraspecific ploidy variation, to interspecies comparisons. On various study systems we investigated the dynamics and ranges of genome size variation, tried to reveal possible associations between genome size and selected biological traits, and assessed the extent to which differences in genome size are manifested at the ecological and evolutionary level. As a means of estimating genome size we applied flow cytometry (FCM). In Taraxacum stenocephalum we conducted a detailed study of its enormous genome size variation. We carried out crossings of parents with various genome sizes and compared these parental genome sizes with those of F1 offspring. We also attempted to reveal the association of genome size with various growth traits. In Galium valdepilosum and Arabidopsis arenosa we carried out an extensive flow-cytometric ploidy level screening and compared the distribution and ecological preferences of detected cytotypes. We studied the Andean genus...
|
guest ::
