Self-assembled stereomutation with supramolecular chirality inversion.

Supramolecular chirality is involved not only in biological events such as gene communication, replication, and enzyme catalysis but also in artificial self-assembly systems and aggregated materials. The precise control of supramolecular chirality, and especially supramolecular chirality inversion (SMCI), would deepen the understanding of chiral transfer and regulation in both living systems and artificial self-assembly systems, providing efficient ways to construct advanced chiral materials with an optimum assembly pathway necessary for various functions. In this review, the fundamental principles of SMCI are comprehensively summarized, with a focus on the helical assemblies having opposite handedness or chiroptical properties of the compositions. Thereafter, various SMCI strategies that have been developed for chiral nanostructures and assembled materials are systematically reviewed, and the promising applications of SMCI, including chiroptical switches, chiral recognition, enantiomeric separation, asymmetric catalysis, chiral optoelectronic materials, chiral spin filters, and biomedical uses, are highlighted accordingly. Finally, the scientific challenges and future perspectives for assembling materials with SMCI are also discussed.

Engineering Tunable Ratiometric Dual Emission in Single Emitter-based Amorphous Systems.

Molecular emitters with multi-emissive properties are in high demand in numerous fields, while these properties basically depend on specific molecular conformation and packing. For amorphous systems, special molecular arrangement is unnecessary, but it remains challenging to achieve such luminescent behaviors. Herein, we present a general strategy that takes advantage of molecular rigidity and S1 -T1 energy gap balance for emitter design, which enables fluorescence-phosphorescence dual-emission properties in various solid forms, whether crystalline or amorphous. Subsequently, the amorphism of the emitters based polymethyl methacrylate films endowed an in situ regulation of the dual-emissive characteristics. With the ratiometric regulation of phosphorescence by external stimuli and stable fluorescence as internal reference, highly controllable luminescent color tuning (yellow to blue including white emission) was achieved. There properties together with a persistent luminous behavior is of benefit for an irreplaceable set of optical information combination, featuring an ultrahigh-security anti-counterfeiting ability. Our research introduces a concept of eliminating the crystal-form and molecular-conformational dependence of complex luminescent properties through emitter molecular design. This has profound implications for the development of functional materials.

Small-Diameter Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt versus Endoscopic Variceal Ligation Plus Propranolol for Variceal Rebleeding in Advanced Cirrhosis.

Background Some studies have shown that transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement within 72 hours of admission improves survival in patients at high risk who present with acute variceal bleeding. However, the role of small-diameter covered TIPS in the secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding is still debatable. Purpose To compare the efficacy of 8-mm TIPS and endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) plus propranolol in the prevention of variceal rebleeding among participants with advanced cirrhosis. Materials and Methods Between June 2015 and December 2018, participants admitted to the hospital for variceal bleeding were considered for enrollment in this randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov). Participants with Child-Pugh class B or C cirrhosis were randomly assigned to receive an 8-mm covered TIPS or EVL and propranolol. The primary end point was recurrent variceal bleeding assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve analysis. Secondary end points included survival and overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE) assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve analysis. Results A total of 100 participants were enrolled, with 50 randomly assigned to the EVL plus propranolol group (median age, 54 years; IQR, 45-60 years; 29 male, 21 female) and 50 randomly assigned to the TIPS group (median age, 49 years; IQR, 43-56 years; 32 male, 18 female). The median follow-up period was 43.4 months. In the TIPS group, variceal rebleeding risk was reduced compared with variceal rebleeding risk in the EVL plus propranolol group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.31; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.69; P = .008), but the incidence of overt HE was higher in the TIPS group (30.0% vs 16.0%, P = .03). No differences in survival were observed between the two groups (1-year survival: TIPS, 98.0%; EVL plus propranolol, 92.0%; 3-year survival: TIPS, 94.0%; EVL plus propranolol, 85.7%; HR, 0.52; 95% CI: 0.19, 1.42; P = .22). Conclusion When compared with EVL plus propranolol, 8-mm TIPS led to reduced variceal rebleeding but did not impact overall survival in participants with Child-Pugh class B or C cirrhosis. Clinical trial registration no. NCT02477384 © RSNA, 2023 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Barth in this issue.

Functional characterization of three TERMINAL FLOWER 1-like genes from Platanus acerifolia.

KEY MESSAGE: TFL1-like genes of the basal eudicot Platanus acerifolia have conserved roles in maintaining vegetative growth and inhibiting flowering, but may act through distinct regulatory mechanism. Three TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1)-like genes were isolated and characterized from London plane tree (Platanus acerifolia). All genes have conserved genomic organization and characteristic of the phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) family. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that two genes belong to the TFL1 clade, designated as PlacTFL1a and PlacTFL1b, while another one was grouped in the BFT clade, named as PlacBFT. qRT-PCR analysis showed that all three genes primarily expressed in vegetative phase, but the expression of PlacTFL1a was much higher and wider than that of PlacTFL1b, with the latter only detected at relatively low expression levels in apical and lateral buds in April. PlacBFT was mainly expressed in young stems of adult trees followed by juvenile tissues. Ectopic expression of any TFL1-like gene in Arabidopsis showed phenotypes of delayed or repressed flowering. Furthermore, overexpression of PlacTFL1a gene in petunia also resulted in extremely delayed flowering. In non-flowering 35:PlacTFL1a transgenic petunia plants, the FT-like gene (PhFT) gene was significantly upregulated and AP1 homologues PFG, FBP26 and FBP29 were significantly down-regulated in leaves. Yeast two-hybrid analysis indicated that only weak interactions were detected between PlacTFL1a and PlacFDL, and PlacTFL1a showed no interaction with PhFDL1/2. These results indicated that the TFL1-like genes of Platanus have conserved roles in repressing flowering, but probably via a distinct regulatory mechanism.

Comparative Analyses of Chloroplast Genome Provide Effective Molecular Markers for Species and Cultivar Identification in Bougainvillea.

Bougainvillea is popular in ornamental horticulture for its colorful bracts and excellent adaptability, but the complex genetic relationship among this genus is fuzzy due to limited genomic data. To reveal more genomic resources of Bougainvillea, we sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences of Bougainvillea spectabilis 'Splendens'. The cp genome size was 154,869 bp in length, containing 86 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNAs, and eight rRNAs. Cp genome comparison across 12 Bougainvillea species (B. spectabilis, B. glabra, B. peruviana, B. arborea, B. praecox, B. stipitata, B. campanulata, B. berberidifolia, B. infesta, B. modesta, B. spinosa, and B. pachyphylla) revealed five mutational hotspots. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that B. spectabilis published previously and B. glabra clustered into one subclade as two distinct groups, sister to the subclade of B. spectabilis 'Splendens'. We considered the phylogeny relationships between B. spectabilis and B. glabra to be controversial. Based on two hypervariable regions and three common plastid regions, we developed five molecular markers for species identification in Bougainvillea and applied them to classify 53 ornamental Bougainvillea cultivars. This study provides a valuable genetic resource for Bougainvillea breeding and offers effective molecular markers to distinguish the representative ornamental species of Bougainvillea.

Directing the Architecture of Surface-Clean Cu2O for CO Electroreduction.

Tailoring the morphology of nanocrystals is a promising way to enhance their catalytic performance. In most previous shape-controlled synthesis strategies, surfactants are inevitable due to their capability to stabilize different facets. However, the adsorbed surfactants block the intrinsic active sites of the nanocrystals, reducing their catalytic performance. For now, strategies to control the morphology without surfactants are still limited but necessary. Herein, a facile surfactant-free synthesis method is developed to regulate the morphology of Cu2O nanocrystals (e.g., solid nanocube, concave nanocube, cubic framework, branching nanocube, branching concave nanocube, and branching cubic framework) to enhance the electrocatalytic performance for the conversion of CO to n-propanol. Specifically, the Cu2O branching cubic framework (BCF-Cu2O), which is difficult to fabricate using previous surfactant-free methods, is fabricated by combining the concentration depletion effect and the oxidation etching process. More significantly, the BCF-Cu2O-derived catalyst (BCF) presents the highest n-propanol current density (-0.85 mA cm-2) at -0.45 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (VRHE), which is fivefold higher than that of the surfactant-coated Cu2O nanocube-derived catalyst (SFC, -0.17 mA cm-2). In terms of the n-propanol Faradaic efficiency in CO electroreduction, that of the BCF exhibits a 41% increase at -0.45 VRHE as compared with SFC. The high catalytic activity of the BCF that results from the clean surface and the coexistence of Cu(100) and Cu(110) in the lattice is well-supported by density functional theory calculations. Thus, this work presents an important paradigm for the facile fabrication of surface-clean nanocrystals with an enhanced application performance.

Comprehensive analysis of PTEN-related ceRNA network revealing the key pathways WDFY3-AS2 - miR-21-5p/miR-221-3p/miR-222-3p - TIMP3 as potential biomarker in tumorigenesis and prognosis of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma.

Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is one of the most common malignancies, and there is still a lack of effective biomarkers for early detection and prognostic prediction. In here, we compared the characteristics of RNA sequencing data sets of KIRC samples based on the tumor suppressor gene phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). The 1016 long noncoding RNAs, 48 microRNAs (miRNAs), and 2104 messenger RNAs associated with PTEN were identified and these genes were differentially expressed between tumor and paracancerous tissues. The most relevant pathway was found to be WDFY3-AS2 - miR-21-5p/miR-221-3p/miR-222-3p - TIMP3 according to the rules of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulation. WDFY3-AS2 and TIMP3 expression were positively correlated and reduced in KIRC samples, while miR-21-5p, miR-221-3p, and miR-222-3p were relatively highly expressed. The relatively low expression of WDFY3-AS2 and TIMP3 in KIRC were associated with poor prognosis in KIRC patients, while higher expression of miR-21-5p, miR-221-3p, and miR-222-3p predicted reduced survival (p < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that lower expression of WDFY3-AS2 and TIMP3 was significantly related to tumor grade, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and TNM stage. The expression of TIMP3 in KIRC tissues was also verified by immunohistochemistry, and the results were consistent with our analytical data. In summary, this study constructed a new model with clinical predictive value and identified the WDFY3-AS2/TIMP3 pathway that was closely associated with the prognosis of KIRC, which could serve as a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of KIRC.

Polymeric Emissive Materials Based on Dynamic Covalent Bonds.

Dynamic covalent polymers, composed of dynamic covalent bonds (DCBs), have received increasing attention in the last decade due to their adaptive and reversible nature compared with common covalent linked polymers. Incorporating the DCBs into the polymeric material endows it with advanced performance including self-healing, shape memory property, and so forth. However, the emissive ability of such dynamic covalent polymeric materials has been rarely reviewed. Herein, this review has summarized DCBs-based emissive polymeric materials which are classified according to the different types of DCBs, including imine bond, acylhydrazone bond, boronic ester bond, dynamic C-C bond, as well as the reversible bonds based on Diels-Alder reaction and transesterification. The mechanism of chemical reactions and various stimuli-responsive behaviors of DCBs are introduced, followed by typical emissive polymers resulting from these DCBs. By taking advantage of the reversible nature of DCBs under chemical/physical stimuli, the constructed emissive polymeric materials show controllable and switchable emission. Finally, challenges and future trends in this field are briefly discussed in this review.

Positive effect of compound amino acid chelated calcium from the shell and skirt of scallop in an ovariectomized rat model of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis has become an important public health issue with the increase of aging population, and afflicts millions of people worldwide, particularly elderly or postmenopausal women. In the present study, we prepared compound amino acid chelated calcium (CAA-Ca) from processing by-products of Chlamys farreri, and evaluated its effect on postmenopausal osteoporosis with an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model. RESULTS: A 60-day treatment of OVX rats with CAA-Ca significantly enhanced the bone mineral density (BMD) and the bone calcium content. Meanwhile, some bone morphometric parameters, trabecular bone number (Tb.N), trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular bone thickness (Tb.Th) and cortical bone wall thickness (Ct.Th), were also increased by 8.20%, 118.18%, 32.99% and 19.10%, respectively. In addition, the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in serum were significantly reduced after CAA-Ca treatment, while the blood calcium levels were increased. Mechanistically, CAA-Ca down-regulated the levels of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB (RANK) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), and up-regulated osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels in osteoclasts, inhibiting bone resorption and bone loss. Meanwhile, CAA-Ca treatment raised ß-catenin levels and lowered Dickkopf1 (DKK1) levels in the Wnt signaling pathway of osteoblasts, which can promote calcium absorption and bone formation. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that CAA-Ca promoted bone formation, inhibited bone resorption and improved bone microstructure. Therefore, this study contributes to the potential application of CAA-Ca as a functional food resource in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

miR156/157 Targets SPLs to Regulate Flowering Transition, Plant Architecture and Flower Organ Size in Petunia.

miR156/157 plays multiple pivotal roles during plant growth and development. In this study, we identified 11 miR156- and 5 miR157-encoding loci from the genome of Petunia axillaris and Petunia inflata, designated as PaMIR0156/157s and PiMIR0156/157s, respectively. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis indicated that PhmiR156/157 was expressed predominantly in cotyledons, germinating seeds, flower buds, young fruits and seedlings. PhmiR156/157 levels declined in shoot apical buds and leaves of petunia before flowering as the plant ages; moreover, the temporal expression patterns of most miR156/157-targeted PhSPLs were complementary to that of PhmiR156/157. Ectopic expression of PhMIR0157a in Arabidopsis and petunia resulted in delayed flowering, dwarf plant stature, increased branches and reduced organ size. However, PhMIR0156f-overexpressing Arabidopsis and petunia plants showed only delayed flowering. In addition, downregulation of PhmiR156/157 level by overexpressing STTM156/157 led to taller plants with less branches, longer internodes and precocious flowering. qRT-PCR analysis indicated that PhmiR156/157 modulates these traits mainly by downregulating their PhSPL targets and subsequently decreasing the expression of flowering regulatory genes. Our results demonstrate that the PhmiR156/157-PhSPL module has conserved but also divergent functions in growth and development, which will help us decipher the genetic basis for the improvement of flower transition, plant architecture and organ development in petunia.

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Biologically Relevant 3,3- Dihydroxyphenyloxindoles via para-Quinone Methides Derived from Isatins.

The first asymmetric synthetic approach to biologically relevant 3,3-diphenyloloxindoles was developed using para-quinone methides derived from isatins and phenols. Chiral phosphoric acid efficiently catalyzed the reaction and delivered 3,3-diphenyloloxindoles under mild conditions with up to an equivalent yield and excellent enantioselectivity (up to >99% ee). The chirality was maintained in further synthesis.

A mitochondria-targeting fluorescent sensor for on-off-on response to Cu2+ and ATP in cells and zebrafish.

Cupric ion (Cu2+) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) are functionally important in mitochondria and play essential roles in many important biological processes. In this work, a mitochondria-targeting fluorescent molecule Mito-A was used as a probe to detect Cu2+ and ATP. The results showed remarkable fluorescence quenching of Mito-A in the presence of Cu2+, and then the quenched fluorescence solution gradually recovered due to the ATP binding to Cu2+ from the structure of the molecule. Mito-A has high sensitivity to Cu2+ and ATP, with limits of detection (LOD) close to 40 nM and 0.43 µM, respectively. Cell imaging experiments showed that Mito-A has good mitochondria-targeting capabilities, and can be successfully employed for imaging Cu2+ and ATP in living cells and zebrafish.

Circularly Polarized Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (C-FRET) for Efficient Chirality Transmission within an Intermolecular System.

The occurrence and transmission of chirality is a fascinating characteristic of nature. However, the intermolecular transmission efficiency of circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) remains challenging due to poor through-space energy transfer. We report a unique CPL transmission from inducing the achiral acceptor to emit CPL within a specific liquid crystal (LC)-based intermolecular system through a circularly polarized fluorescence resonance energy transfer (C-FRET), wherein the luminescent cholesteric LC is employed as the chirality donor, and rationally designed achiral long-wavelength aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorophore acts as the well-assembled acceptor. In contrast to photon-release-and-absorption, the chirality transmission channel of C-FRET is highly dependent upon the energy resonance in the highly intrinsic chiral assembly of cholesteric LC, as verified by deliberately separating the achiral acceptor from the chiral donor to keep it far beyond the resonance distance. This C-FRET mode provides a de novo strategy concept for high-level information processing for applications such as high-density data storage, combinatorial logic calculation, and multilevel data encryption and decryption.

Integrating Suitable Linkage of Covalent Organic Frameworks into Covalently Bridged Inorganic/Organic Hybrids toward Efficient Photocatalysis.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are excellent platforms with tailored functionalities in photocatalysis. There are still challenges in increasing the photochemical performance of COFs. Therefore, we designed and prepared a series of COFs for photocatalytic hydrogen generation. Varying different ratios of ß-ketoenamine to imine moieties in the linkages could differ the ordered structure, visible light harvesting, and bandgap. Overall, ß-ketoenamine-linked COFs exhibited much better photocatalytic activity than those COFs having both ß-ketoenamine and imine moieties on account of a nonquenched excited state and more favorable HOMO level in the photoinduced oxidation reaction from the former. Specifically, after in situ growth of ß-ketoenamine-linked COFs onto NH2-Ti3C2Tx MXene via covalent connection, the heterohybrid showed an obvious improvement in photocatalytic H2 evolution because of strong covalent coupling, electrical conductivity, and efficient charge transfer. This integrated linkage evolution and covalent hybridization approach advances the development of COF-based photocatalysts.

Linkage Engineering by Harnessing Supramolecular Interactions to Fabricate 2D Hydrazone-Linked Covalent Organic Framework Platforms toward Advanced Catalysis.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are an emerging class of crystalline porous polymers with tailor-made structures and functionalities. To facilitate their utilization for advanced applications, it is crucial to develop a systematic approach to control the properties of COFs, including the crystallinity, stability, and functionalities. However, such an integrated design is challenging to achieve. Herein, we report supramolecular strategy-based linkage engineering to fabricate a versatile 2D hydrazone-linked COF platform for the coordination of different transition metal ions. Intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding as well as electrostatic interactions in the antiparallel stacking mode were first utilized to obtain two isoreticular COFs, namely COF-DB and COF-DT. On account of suitable nitrogen sites in COF-DB, the further metalation of COF-DB was accomplished upon the complexation with seven divalent transition metal ions M(II) (M = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pd, and Cd) under mild conditions. The resultant M/COF-DB exhibited extended π-conjugation, improved crystallinity, enhanced stability, and additional functionalities as compared to the parent COF-DB. Furthermore, the dynamic nature of the coordination bonding in M/COF-DB allows for the easy replacement of metal ions through a postsynthetic exchange. In particular, the coordination mode in Pd/COF-DB endows it with excellent catalytic activity and cyclic stability as a heterogeneous catalyst for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction, outperforming its amorphous counterparts and Pd/COF-DT. This strategy provides an opportunity for the construction of 2D COFs with designable functions and opens an avenue to create COFs as multifunctional systems.

Silver(I) Coordination Polymers: Photocatalytic Properties and Enhanced Treatment Activity of Haloperidol on Children Tic Disorder by Regulating Neurotransmitter Content.

In this article, the characterization, synthesis, as well as the photocatalysis dye degradation performance of two novel silver(I) coordination polymers, namely, [Ag(L)(Hbdc)]n (1, L = 1,4-Bis(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazol-1-yl)butane, H2bdc = 1,4-Benzenedicarboxylic acid) and [Ag2(L)(hip)]n (2, H2hip = 5-Hydroxyisophthalic acid), were investigated. Fascinatingly, the photocatalytic performance of Complexes 1 and 2 have been investigated, wherein Complex 2 is considered an excellent photocatalyst for degrading Rhodamine B/methyl violet/methylene blue mixed organic dyes. Furthermore, the treatment activities of Complexes 1 and 2 on Tic disorder (TD) were assessed when used with haloperidol, and biochemical studies were conducted to reveal the mechanism in detail. Initially, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was carried out to determine the dopamine and high vanillic acid contents in the striatum of the TD animal model. Subsequently, the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was utilized to determine the relative expression of dopamine 1 and 2 receptor.

Superior temperature sensing of small-sized upconversion nanocrystals for simultaneous bioimaging and enhanced synergetic therapy.

The upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) exhibit versatility applications aiming at biological domains for decades on account of superior optical characteristics. Nevertheless, the UCNPs are confronted with tremendous difficulties in biological field owing to large grain size, low fluorescence efficiency, and single function. Herein, the small-sized CaF2: Yb3+/Er3+ UCNPs coated with NaGdF4 shells (activator and inert, UCNPs-RBHA-Pt-PEG) not only burst out strong fluorescence, but also provide prominent diagnosability by taking advantage of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging as well as temperature sensing and inhibiting capability for CT26 tumor tissues based on synergetic therapy modality of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemotherapy. Ultimately, the tumor sizes decrease visibly after injected with UCNPs-RBHA-Pt-PEG and simultaneously irradiated with near infrared (NIR) light at low power density (0.35 W/cm2, 6 min). In summary, the small-sized and strong-fluorescent single nanoparticles with multi-functions may provide a valuable enlightenment for diagnosis and treatment of cancer in the future.

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization and Expression Analysis of TCP Transcription Factors in Petunia.

The plant-specific TCP transcription factors are well-characterized in both monocots and dicots, which have been implicated in multiple aspects of plant biological processes such as leaf morphogenesis and senescence, lateral branching, flower development and hormone crosstalk. However, no systematic analysis of the petunia TCP gene family has been described. In this work, a total of 66 petunia TCP genes (32 PaTCP genes in P. axillaris and 34 PiTCP genes in P. inflata) were identified. Subsequently, a systematic analysis of 32 PaTCP genes was performed. The phylogenetic analysis combined with structural analysis clearly distinguished the 32 PaTCP proteins into two classes-class Ι and class Ⅱ. Class Ⅱ was further divided into two subclades, namely, the CIN-TCP subclade and the CYC/TB1 subclade. Plenty of cis-acting elements responsible for plant growth and development, phytohormone and/or stress responses were identified in the promoter of PaTCPs. Distinct spatial expression patterns were determined among PaTCP genes, suggesting that these genes may have diverse regulatory roles in plant growth development. Furthermore, differential temporal expression patterns were observed between the large- and small-flowered petunia lines for most PaTCP genes, suggesting that these genes are likely to be related to petal development and/or petal size in petunia. The spatiotemporal expression profiles and promoter analysis of PaTCPs indicated that these genes play important roles in petunia diverse developmental processes that may work via multiple hormone pathways. Moreover, three PaTCP-YFP fusion proteins were detected in nuclei through subcellular localization analysis. This is the first comprehensive analysis of the petunia TCP gene family on a genome-wide scale, which provides the basis for further functional characterization of this gene family in petunia.

Exploring potential proteins associated with cyclin B 3'UTR in Procambarus clarkii oocytes.

Cyclin B is a ubiquitous regulatory molecule and has been implicated in mitosis and meiosis in oocytes. Phenomenon that differ in the length of cyclin B 3'UTR in crustacean has attracted much attention, although molecular details are poorly understood. The study of 3'UTR-interacting proteins could yield much information in translational regulation and the mRNA localization process. Previous studies on crayfish suggested that the 3'UTR (1300 bp) probably contains the potential regulatory sequence/motifs such as CPEs and K-box et al. In present study, using pull-down assay coupled with mass spectrometry approach allowing us to explore the potential proteins associated with the 3'UTR. We finally identified four candidate proteins including Hspg 2, Vtg, eef1a and Tuba1a, which annotated as significant roles involved in cell differentiation, lipid transporter activity, and meiotic cell cycle process. The preliminary results will contribute to the advance in understanding the translational activation of cyclin B in oocyte maturation regulation in crustacean.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of the ALOG gene family in Petunia.

BACKGROUND: The ALOG (Arabidopsis LSH1 and Oryza G1) family of proteins, namely DUF640 (domain of unknown function 640) domain proteins, were found in land plants. Functional characterization of a few ALOG members in model plants such as Arabidopsis and rice suggested they play important regulatory roles in plant development. The information about its evolution, however, is largely limited, and there was no any report on the ALOG genes in Petunia, an important ornamental species. RESULTS: The ALOG genes were identified in four species of Petunia including P. axillaris, P. inflata, P. integrifolia, and P. exserta based on the genome and/or transcriptome databases, which were further confirmed by cloning from P. hybrida 'W115' (Mitchel diploid), a popular laboratorial petunia line susceptible to genetic transformation. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Petunia ALOG genes (named as LSHs according to their closest Arabidopsis homologs) were grouped into four clades, which can be further divided into eight groups, and similar exon-intron structure and motifs are reflected in the same group. The PhLSH genes of hybrid petunia 'W115' were mainly derived from P. axillaris. The qPCR analysis revealed distinct spatial expression patterns among them suggesting potentially functional diversification. Moreover, over-expressing PhLSH7a and PhLSH7b in Arabidopsis uncovered their functions in the development of both vegetative and reproductive organs. CONCLUSIONS: Petunia genome includes 11 ALOG genes that can be divided into eight distinct groups, and they also show different expression patterns. Among these genes, PhLSH7b and PhLSH7a play significant roles in plant growth and development, especially in fruit development. Our results provide new insight into the evolution of ALOG gene family and have laid a good foundation for the study of petunia LSH gene in the future.