John Mackay
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View article: Variation in the Molecular Phenotype of <i>βglu‐1</i> , an Insect Defence‐Related Beta‐Glucosidase Gene, in Two Transcontinental <i>Picea</i> Species
Variation in the Molecular Phenotype of <i>βglu‐1</i> , an Insect Defence‐Related Beta‐Glucosidase Gene, in Two Transcontinental <i>Picea</i> Species Open
Forest trees face threats from many insect pest species, underscoring the importance of understanding their defence mechanisms for survival. In a North American conifer species, Picea glauca , gene expression of β glu‐1 produces phenolic c…
View article: Genomic models for accurate estimation of breeding values in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Bong. Carr)
Genomic models for accurate estimation of breeding values in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Bong. Carr) Open
Genomics is advancing estimation of breeding values for selective breeding. Traditional pedigree information used in the estimation of breeding values can still be competitive to genomic information when markers do not adequately capture g…
View article: Genetic diversity and population structure of pedunculate oaks ( <scp> <i>Quercus robur</i> </scp> ) in Wytham Woods
Genetic diversity and population structure of pedunculate oaks ( <span> <i>Quercus robur</i> </span> ) in Wytham Woods Open
Societal Impact Statement Genetic diversity underpins forest resilience and adaptation, yet centuries of human activity have reshaped woodland ecosystems worldwide. We studied the population genetics of pedunculate oaks ( Quercus robur ) i…
View article: Pathogen impacts and implications for species diversification in UK forestry
Pathogen impacts and implications for species diversification in UK forestry Open
With global productive forestry subject to the pressures of climate change and pest/pathogen damage, there is considerable industry focus on building resilience into commercial plantations. Diversification is a key facet of resilience and …
View article: Contrasting levels of transcriptome-wide SNP diversity and adaptive molecular variation among conifers
Contrasting levels of transcriptome-wide SNP diversity and adaptive molecular variation among conifers Open
Adaptive convergence can arise when response to natural selection involves shared molecular or functional mechanisms among multiple taxa. Conifers are archaic species of ancient origin with delayed sexual maturity related to their woody pe…
View article: Genomic exploration of Thuja plicata indicates no loss of diversity from adults to offspring in UK Woodlands
Genomic exploration of Thuja plicata indicates no loss of diversity from adults to offspring in UK Woodlands Open
Thuja plicata is a conifer tree that is valued for its cultural, ecological and wood quality features in its natural range in western North America and is used in Europe as an exotic timber species. It is increasingly used in mixed species…
View article: De novo transcriptome assembly and discovery of drought-responsive genes in white spruce (Picea glauca)
De novo transcriptome assembly and discovery of drought-responsive genes in white spruce (Picea glauca) Open
Forests face an escalating threat from the increasing frequency of extreme drought events driven by climate change. To address this challenge, it is crucial to understand how widely distributed species of economic or ecological importance …
View article: Genetic diversity and population structure of pedunculate oaks (<i>Quercus robur</i>) in Wytham Woods
Genetic diversity and population structure of pedunculate oaks (<i>Quercus robur</i>) in Wytham Woods Open
Summary Genetic diversity is fundamental for adaptation to changing environments. It is particularly important in forest trees because of their significant role in nature’s contribution to people. However, their genetic diversity has been …
View article: Contrasted NCED gene expression across conifers with rising and peaking abscisic acid responses to drought
Contrasted NCED gene expression across conifers with rising and peaking abscisic acid responses to drought Open
Conifer trees have diverse strategies to cope with drought. They accumulate the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) following a range of profiles from constantly rising to peaking and falling (R- and P-type) with direct effect on foliar tran…
View article: De novo transcriptome assembly and discovery of drought-responsive genes in eastern white spruce (Picea glauca)
De novo transcriptome assembly and discovery of drought-responsive genes in eastern white spruce (Picea glauca) Open
Background Forests face an escalating threat from the increasing frequency of extreme drought events driven by climate change. To address this challenge, it is crucial to understand how widely distributed species of economic or ecological …
View article: The community of root fungi is associated with the growth rate of Norway spruce ( <i>Picea abies</i> )
The community of root fungi is associated with the growth rate of Norway spruce ( <i>Picea abies</i> ) Open
Our study delved into the relationship between root‐associated fungi, gene expression and plant morphology in Norway spruce cuttings derived from both slow‐and fast‐growing trees. We found no clear link between the gene expression patterns…
View article: Conifers Concentrate Large Numbers of NLR Immune Receptor Genes on One Chromosome
Conifers Concentrate Large Numbers of NLR Immune Receptor Genes on One Chromosome Open
Nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) immune receptor genes form a major line of defense in plants, acting in both pathogen recognition and resistance machinery activation. NLRs are reported to form large gene clusters in…
View article: Low effective population size but high heterozygosity revealed by SNP analyses in adult and juvenile<i>Thuja plicata</i>in UK Woodlands
Low effective population size but high heterozygosity revealed by SNP analyses in adult and juvenile<i>Thuja plicata</i>in UK Woodlands Open
Thuja plicata is a conifer tree that is appreciated for its cultural, ecological and wood quality features in its natural range in western North America. It is also used in Europe and the UK for timber production. Some T. Plicata plantatio…
View article: High-density genetic linkage mapping in Sitka spruce advances the integration of genomic resources in conifers
High-density genetic linkage mapping in Sitka spruce advances the integration of genomic resources in conifers Open
In species with large and complex genomes such as conifers, dense linkage maps are a useful resource for supporting genome assembly and laying the genomic groundwork at the structural, populational, and functional levels. However, most of …
View article: Conifers concentrate large numbers of NLR immune receptor genes on one chromosome
Conifers concentrate large numbers of NLR immune receptor genes on one chromosome Open
Research conductedNucleotide-binding domain and Leucine-rich Repeat (NLR) immune receptor genes form a major line of defence in plants, acting in both pathogen recognition and resistance machinery activation. NLRs are reported to form larg…
View article: Contrasting levels of transcriptome-wide SNP diversity and decoupled patterns of molecular and functional adaptive variation in conifers
Contrasting levels of transcriptome-wide SNP diversity and decoupled patterns of molecular and functional adaptive variation in conifers Open
Adaptive convergence can arise when response to natural selection involves shared molecular or functional mechanisms among multiple taxa. Conifers are of ancient origin with delayed sexual maturity related to their woody perennial nature. …
View article: Expansion of natural infection of Japanese larch by <i>Phytophthora ramorum</i> shows trends associated with seasonality and climate
Expansion of natural infection of Japanese larch by <i>Phytophthora ramorum</i> shows trends associated with seasonality and climate Open
Phytophthora ramorum is an invasive oomycete pathogen that has been causing significant mortality of larch trees ( Larix spp.) in the United Kingdom since 2009. This is the first multiyear study of the natural infection processes of P . ra…
View article: A horizon scan of issues affecting UK forest management within 50 years
A horizon scan of issues affecting UK forest management within 50 years Open
Forests are in the spotlight: they are expected to play a pivotal role in our response to society’s greatest challenges, such as the climate and biodiversity crises. Yet, the forests themselves, and the sector that manages them, face a ran…
View article: Conifers concentrate large numbers of NLR immune receptor genes on one chromosome
Conifers concentrate large numbers of NLR immune receptor genes on one chromosome Open
Nucleotide-binding domain and Leucine-rich Repeat (NLR) immune receptor genes form a major line of defence in plants, acting in both pathogen recognition and resistance machinery activation. NLRs are reported to form large gene clusters in…
View article: Maps between relatively hyperbolic spaces and between their boundaries
Maps between relatively hyperbolic spaces and between their boundaries Open
We study relations between maps between relatively hyperbolic groups/spaces and quasisymmetric embeddings between their boundaries. More specifically, we establish a correspondence between (not necessarily coarsely surjective) quasi-isomet…
View article: High-density genetic linkage mapping in Sitka spruce advances the integration of genomic resources in conifers
High-density genetic linkage mapping in Sitka spruce advances the integration of genomic resources in conifers Open
In species with large and complex genomes such as conifers, dense linkage maps are a useful for supporting genome assembly and laying the genomic groundwork at the structural, populational and functional levels. However, most of the 600+ e…
View article: Long-insert sequence capture detects high copy numbers in a defence-related beta-glucosidase gene β<i>glu-1</i>with large variations in white spruce but not Norway spruce
Long-insert sequence capture detects high copy numbers in a defence-related beta-glucosidase gene β<i>glu-1</i>with large variations in white spruce but not Norway spruce Open
Conifers are long-lived and slow-evolving, thus requiring effective defences against their fast-evolving insect natural enemies. The copy number variation (CNV) of two key acetophenone biosynthesis genes Ugt5 / Ugt5b and β glu-1 may provid…
View article: Range-wide differential adaptation and genomic offset in critically endangered Asian rosewoods
Range-wide differential adaptation and genomic offset in critically endangered Asian rosewoods Open
In the billion-dollar global illegal wildlife trade, rosewoods have been the world’s most trafficked wild product since 2005. Dalbergia cochinchinensis and Dalbergia oliveri are the most sought-after rosewoods in the Greater Mekong Subregi…
View article: Comparing DNA isolation methods for forest trees: quality, plastic footprint, and time- efficiency
Comparing DNA isolation methods for forest trees: quality, plastic footprint, and time- efficiency Open
Background Genetic and genomic studies are seeing an increase in sample sizes together with a wider range of species investigated in response to environmental change concerns. In turn, these changes may come with challenges including the t…
View article: Index
Index Open
While the careers of secret agents have inspired many genres of popular culture, relatively little research has been carried out until now on spying as a profession. Through the lens of personnel management, the authors offer a unique and …
View article: NCEDs drive Rising but not Peaking abscisic acid profiles in diverging conifer species
NCEDs drive Rising but not Peaking abscisic acid profiles in diverging conifer species Open
Climate change poses one of the greatest threats to forest ecosystem integrity. An improved understanding of how trees respond to extreme climatic events is crucial to find new ways of managing forests in the face of global warming. In thi…