Identification of Novel Locus RsCr6 Related to Clubroot Resistance in Radish (Raphanus sativus L.).

Clubroot is a devastating disease that causes substantial yield loss worldwide. However, the inheritance and molecular mechanisms of clubroot resistance during pathogen infection in radish remain largely unclear. In this study, we investigated the inheritance of clubroot resistance in the F2 population derived from crossing clubroot-resistant (CR) and clubroot-susceptible inbred lines "GLX" and "XNQ," respectively. Genetic analysis revealed that a single dominant gene controlled the clubroot resistance of "GLX" with a Mendelian ratio of resistance and susceptibility of nearly 3:1. Bulked segregant analysis combined with whole-genome resequencing (BSA-seq) was performed to detect the target region of RsCr6 on chromosome Rs8. Linkage analysis revealed that the RsCr6 locus was located between two markers, HB321 and HB331, with an interval of approximately 92 kb. Based on the outcomes of transcriptome analysis, in the RsCr6 locus, the R120263140 and R120263070 genes with a possible relation to clubroot resistance were considered candidate genes. In addition, three core breeding materials containing the two reported quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and our novel locus RsCr6 targeting clubroot resistance were obtained using marker-assisted selection (MAS) technology. This study reveals a novel locus responsible for clubroot resistance in radishes. Further analysis of new genes may reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying the clubroot resistance of plants and provide a theoretical basis for radish resistance breeding.

Starch content changes and metabolism-related gene regulation of Chinese cabbage synergistically induced by Plasmodiophora brassicae infection.

Clubroot is one of the major diseases adversely affecting Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) yield and quality. To precisely characterize the Plasmodiophora brassicae infection on Chinese cabbage, we developed a dual fluorescent staining method for simultaneously examining the pathogen, cell structures, and starch grains. The number of starch (amylopectin) grains increased in B. rapa roots infected by P. brassicae, especially from 14 to 21 days after inoculation. Therefore, the expression levels of 38 core starch metabolism genes were investigated by quantitative real-time PCR. Most genes related to starch synthesis were up-regulated at seven days after the P. brassicae inoculation, whereas the expression levels of the starch degradation-related genes increased at 14 days after the inoculation. Then genes encoding the core enzymes involved in starch metabolism were investigated by assessing their chromosomal distributions, structures, duplication events, and synteny among Brassica species. Genome comparisons indicated that 38 non-redundant genes belonging to six core gene families related to starch metabolism are highly conserved among Arabidopsis thaliana, B. rapa, Brassica nigra, and Brassica oleracea. Genome sequencing projects have revealed that P. brassicae obtained host nutrients by manipulating plant metabolism. Starch may serve as a carbon source for P. brassicae colonization as indicated by the histological observation and transcriptomic analysis. Results of this study may elucidate the evolution and expression of core starch metabolism genes and provide researchers with novel insights into the pathogenesis of clubroot in B. rapa.

Dimerization and Isomerism Effects on Two-Photon Absorption of Tetraphenylethene Derivatives and Molecular Design for Two-Photon Absorption Materials.

The two-photon absorption (TPA) properties of a new tetraphenylethene derivative and its covalent dimers have been calculated employing the density functional response theory. It is found that linear arrangement of branches can give rise to a cooperative TPA behavior. Partial planarity and linear arrangement are the possible reasons for the observed aggregation-induced TPA enhancement. On the basis of the model molecule, we have designed a series of tetraphenylethene derivatives which differ by donor moieties, connection modes, or central bridges after taking the structure-property relationship of TPA mechanism into account. The TPA spectra of the designed molecules have been calculated, and their TPA properties are analyzed at length. Our results suggest that the change of the connection mode of the carbazole group and the introduction of a vinylene or ethynylene linkage into a molecule can enhance TPA intensity greatly. It can be expected that all of the designed molecules could possess high TPA features. This research is helpful for the design of efficient TPA materials.

Synthesis and pharmacological investigation of aralkyl diamine derivatives as potential triple reuptake inhibitors.

A series of aralkyl diamine derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their triple reuptake inhibitory abilities. Compounds 18c (5-HT, NE, DA, IC50 = 389, 69, 238 nM), 36a (5-HT, NE, DA, IC50 = 378, 477, 247 nM), and 36d (5-HT, NE, DA, IC50 = 501, 206, 357 nM) showed in vivo activities in the rat forced swim test at 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg PO. 36a was identified as the most promising candidate in this study. Specifically, 36a exhibited high selectivity for monoamine transporters over a number of CNS-related targets. Furthermore, 36a showed a good pharmacokinetic properties and acceptable safety profile in preclinical studies.