Preferentially expressed endosperm genes reveal unique activities in wheat endosperm during grain filling.

BACKGROUND: Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) endosperm contains starch and proteins, which determine the final yield, quality, and nutritional value of wheat grain. The preferentially expressed endosperm genes can precisely provide targets in the endosperm for improving wheat grain quality and nutrition using modern bioengineering technologies. However, the genes specifically expressed in developing endosperms remain largely unknown. RESULTS: In this study, 315 preferentially expressed endosperm genes (PEEGs) in the spring wheat landrace, Chinese Spring, were screened using data obtained from an open bioinformatics database, which reveals a unique grain reserve deposition process and special signal transduction in a developing wheat endosperm. Furthermore, transcription and accumulation of storage proteins in the wheat cultivar, XC26 were evaluated. The results revealed that 315 PEEG plays a critical role in storage protein fragment deposition and is a potential candidate for modifying grain quality and nutrition. CONCLUSION: These results provide new insights into endosperm development and candidate genes and promoters for improving wheat grain quality through genetic engineering and plant breeding techniques.

Ca2+-responsive phospholipid-binding BONZAI genes confer a novel role for cotton resistance to Verticillium wilt.

Verticillium wilt which produced by the soil-borne fungus Verticillium dahliae is an important biotic threat that limits cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) growth and agricultural productivity. It is very essential to explore new genes for the generation of V. dahliae resistance or tolerance cotton varieties. Ca2+ signaling as a secondary messenger is involved in pathogen stress response. Despite Ca2+-responsive phospholipid-binding BONZAI (BON) genes have intensively been investigated in Arabidopsis, their function has not still been characterized in cotton. Here, we showed that three copies of GhBON1, two copies of GhBON2 and GhBON3 were found from the genome sequences of upland cotton. The expression of GhBON1 was inducible to V. dahliae. Knocking down of GhBON1, GhBON2 and GhBON3 using virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) each increased up-regulation of defense responses in cotton. These GhBON1, GhBON2 and GhBON3-silenced plants enhanced resistance to V. dahliae accompanied by higher burst of hydrogen peroxide and decreased cell death and had more effect on the up-regulation of defense response genes. Further analysis revealed that GhBON1 could interacts with BAK1-interacting receptor-like kinase 1 (GhBIR1) and pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) receptor regulator BAK1 (GhBAK1) at plasma membrane. Our study further reveals that plant Ca2+ -responsive phospholipid-binding BONZAI genes negatively regulate Verticillium wilt with the conserved function in response to disease resistance or plant immunity.

Effects of vegetation patterns on soil nitrogen and phosphorus losses on the slope-gully system of the Loess Plateau.

The slope-gully system, the erosion unit on the Loess Plateau, suffers from severe soil erosion and loss of soil nutrients. Restoring vegetation can effectively reduce soil erosion, thereby reducing the loss of nitrogen and phosphorus. In the Loess Plateau, owing to the shortage of water resources and the adverse effects of over-revegetation, the restoration of vegetation in large areas is limited. To efficiently prevent the loss of soil nutrients and reduce non-point source pollution, vegetation patterns need to be reasonably restored. However, it is currently not clear as to how this can be achieved. Different slope-gully systems were established in this study, including pattern A (no vegetation), pattern B (up-slope vegetation), pattern C (middle-slope vegetation), and pattern D (down-slope vegetation). Then, the effects of vegetation patterns on soil total nitrogen (TN) and soil total phosphorus (TP) losses associated with runoff and sediment processes was quantitatively evaluated through the simulated rainfall. The results showed that (1) vegetation pattern markedly affected the yields of runoff, sediment, soil nitrogen, and soil phosphorus, resulting in the following order: pattern A > pattern B > pattern C > pattern D. (2) The correlation between TN and runoff was higher than that between TN and sediment; conversely, TP was more strongly correlated with sediment than with runoff. (3) Nitrogen loss with runoff was the main source of TN (58.76-90.74%), while phosphorus loss with sediment was the main source of TP (48.51-89.30%). Compared with other vegetation patterns, the down-slope can more effectively reduce the yields of runoff and sediment, thereby reducing the loss of TN and TP. Therefore, it was suggested that the lower part of the slope should be considered when revegetating.

A novel role of the cotton calcium sensor CBL3 was involved in Verticillium wilt resistance in cotton.

BACKGROUND: Verticillium wilt, causes mainly by the soilborne pathogen Verticillium dahliae, is a devastated vascular disease resulting in huge financial losses in cotton, so research on improving V. dahliae stress tolerance in cotton is the utmost importance. Calcium as the second messenger acts as a crucial role in plant innate immunity. Cytosolic Ca2+during the pathogen infection is a significant increase in plant immune responses. Calcineurin B-like (CBL) proteins are widely known calcium sensors that regulate abiotic stress responses. However, the role of cotton CBLs in response to V. dahliae stress remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To discover and utilize the gene to Verticillium wilt resistance and defense response mechanism of cotton. METHODS: Through screening the gene to Verticillium wilt resistance in cotton, four GhCBL3 copies were obtained from the current common cotton genome sequences. The protein domain and phylogenetic analyses of GhCBL3 were performed using NCBI Blast, DNAMAN, and MotifScan programs. Real-time RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of GhCBL3 gene in cotton seedlings under various stress treatments. The expression construct including GhCBL3 cDNA was transduced into Agrobacterium tumefaciens (GV3101) by heat shock method and transformed into cotton plants by Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) method. The results of silencing of GhCBl3 on ROS accumulation and plant disease resistance in cotton plants were assessed. RESULTS: A member of calcineurin B-like proteins (defined as GhCBL3) in cotton was obtained. The expression of GhCBL3 was significantly induced and raised by various stressors, including dahliae, jasmonic acid (JA) and H2O2 stresses. Knockdown GhCBL3 in cotton by Virus-Induced Gene Silencing analysis enhanced Verticillium wilt tolerance and changed the occurrence of reactive oxygen species. Some disease-resistant genes were increased in GhCBL3-silencing cotton lines. CONCLUSION: GhCBL3 may function on regulating the Verticillium dahliae stress response of plants.

Physiological and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal the Effects of Fertilization on the Yield of Winter Wheat and on the Photosynthetic Performance of Leaves during the Flowering Period.

Fertilization significantly affects the growth and development of wheat. However, the precise mechanisms underlying gene regulation during flowering in response to fertilization deficiency remain elusive. In this study, fertilization (F) and non-fertilization (CK) ) treatments were set up to reveal examine the effect of fertilization on the photosynthetic capacity of winter wheat during the flowering period through physiological, biochemical, and transcriptome analyses. Upon analyzing analysing their yield, leaf photosynthetic system exchange parameters during flowering, antioxidant enzyme activity, and endogenous hormone parameters, we found that the F treatment resulted in higher net photosynthetic rates during flowering periods than the CK treatment. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) (83.92%), peroxidase (POD) (150.75%), and catalase (CAT) (22.74%) activities of leaves in treated with F during the flowering period were notably elevated compared to those of CK-treated leaves. Abscisic acid (ABA) (1.86%) and gibberellin acid (GA3) (33.69%) levels were reduced, whereas Auxin auxin (IAA) (98.27%) content was increasedwas increased under F treatment compared to those the results under the CK treatment. The chlorophyll a (32.53%), chlorophyll b (56%), total chlorophyll (37.96%), and carotenoid contents (29.80%) under F treatment were also increased compared to CK., exceeded exceeding those obtained under the CK treatment. Furthermore, transcriptional differences between the F and CK conditions were analyzed, and key genes were screened and validated by using q-PCR. Transcriptome analysis identified 2281 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with enriched pathways related to photosynthesis and light harvesting. DEGs were subjected to cluster simulation, which revealed that 53 DEGS, both up- and down-regulated, responded to the F treatment. qRT-PCR-based validation confirmed the differential expression of genes associated with carbohydrate transport and metabolism, lipid transport, and signal transduction. This study revealed distinctive transcriptional patterns and crucial gene regulation networks in wheat during flowering under fertilization, providing transcriptomic guidance for the precise regulation of wheat breeding.

Comparison of the transcriptome and metabolome of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) proteins content during grain formation provides insight.

Introduction: Wheat is a food crop with a large global cultivation area, and the content and quality of wheat glutenin accumulation are important indicators of the quality of wheat flour. Methods: To elucidate the gene expression regulation and metabolic characteristics related to the gluten content during wheat grain formation, transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were performed for the high gluten content of the Xinchun 26 cultivar and the low proteins content of the Xinchun 34 cultivar at three periods (7 d, 14 d and 21 d) after flowering. Results: Transcriptomic analysis revealed that 5573 unique differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were divided into two categories according to their expression patterns during the three periods. The metabolites detected were mainly divided into 12 classes. Lipid and lipid-like molecule levels and phenylpropanoid and polyketide levels were the highest, and the difference analysis revealed a total of 10 differentially regulated metabolites (DRMs) over the three periods. Joint analysis revealed that the DEGs and DRMs were significantly enriched in starch and sucrose metabolism; the citrate cycle; carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms; and alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism pathways. The genes and contents of the sucrose and gluten synthesis pathways were analysed, and the correlation between gluten content and its related genes was calculated. Based on weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), by constructing a coexpression network, a total of 5 specific modules and 8 candidate genes that were strongly correlated with the three developmental stages of wheat grain were identified. Discussion: This study provides new insights into the role of glutenin content in wheat grain formation and reveals potential regulatory pathways and candidate genes involved in this developmental process.

Effects of Prior Influenza Exposure on Immunogenicity of Influenza Vaccine.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigated the effects of prior influenza exposure on vaccine-elicited humor immune responses to circulating influenza variants. METHOD: We randomly selected 360 participants in previous clinical trials stratified by age. Blood samples were collected and tested by hemagglutination-inhibition tests during the 2015-2016 influenza seasons in China. The antigenic map was plotted and antigenic distance was calculated. RESULTS: Subjects with H1-priming had higher cross-reactive antibodies titers against A/JiangsuTinghu/11019/2015(H3N2) compared with subjects with B-priming did (P adjusted = .038). Subjects with H1-priming also had higher cross-reactive antibodies titers against A/Jiangsu Qinhuai/11059/2015(H3N2) than subjects with both H1 and B priming (P adjusted = .036). Nevertheless, subjects with no H1 and B-priming had higher cross-reactive antibodies titers against A/Jiangsu Qinhuai/11059/2015(H3N2) than subjects with both H1 and B priming (P adjusted = .012). Antigenic distance was well matched with serological results. Moeover, age-specific differences in human postvaccination responses against the identical circulating strain was noted. In addition, children had the most cross-reactive response to both H3N2 and B-yamagata subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that prior exposure to H1 or B influenza virus may influence cross-reactivity of H3-specific postvaccination responses and consequently could influence the vaccine effectiveness. Our findings also support that there are age-specific differences in human postvaccination responses.

Preparation and Characterization of Mesoporous Magnesium Silicate Gels and Application for Cobalt(II) Removal.

Two new mesoporous magnesium silicate gel adsorbents, MgO x 2SiO2 and MgO x 6SiO2, have been successfully prepared by hydrothermal method. The synthetic factors including reaction pH, temperature, time and calcination temperature were studied. The aiming products were characterized by N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms, FT-IR spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The adsorption behaviors for cobalt ions were also systematically investigated. The results show that the reaction pH was the decisive factor for Si/Mg mole ratios. The special surface areas are 534.29 m2 x g(-1) for MgO x 2SiO2 and 181.61 m2 x g(-1) for MgO x 6SiO2, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities of MgO x 2SiO2 and MgO x 6SiO2 for cobalt ions are 135.5 and 52.5 mg x g(-1). Furthermore, the experimental data are well described by pseudo-second order adsorption and Langmuir isotherm models. The experiment would afford one excellent adsorbent for solving the wastewater pollution and also providing metal cobalt for modern industry including new energy car.

Two distinctive energy migration pathways of monolayer molecules on metal nanoparticle surfaces.

Energy migrations at metal nanomaterial surfaces are fundamentally important to heterogeneous reactions. Here we report two distinctive energy migration pathways of monolayer adsorbate molecules on differently sized metal nanoparticle surfaces investigated with ultrafast vibrational spectroscopy. On a 5 nm platinum particle, within a few picoseconds the vibrational energy of a carbon monoxide adsorbate rapidly dissipates into the particle through electron/hole pair excitations, generating heat that quickly migrates on surface. In contrast, the lack of vibration-electron coupling on approximately 1 nm particles results in vibrational energy migration among adsorbates that occurs on a twenty times slower timescale. Further investigations reveal that the rapid carbon monoxide energy relaxation is also affected by the adsorption sites and the nature of the metal but to a lesser extent. These findings reflect the dependence of electron/vibration coupling on the metallic nature, size and surface site of nanoparticles and its significance in mediating energy relaxations and migrations on nanoparticle surfaces.

Supporting palladium metal on gold nanoparticles improves its catalysis for nitrite reduction.

Nitrate (NO3(-)) and nitrite (NO2(-)) anions are often found in groundwater and surface water as contaminants globally, especially in agricultural areas due to nitrate-rich fertilizer use. One popular approach to studying the removal of nitrite/nitrate from water has been their degradation to dinitrogen via Pd-based reduction catalysis. However, little progress has been made towards understanding how the catalyst structure can improve activity. Focusing on the catalytic reduction of nitrite in this study, we report that Au NPs supporting Pd metal ("Pd-on-Au NPs") show catalytic activity that varies with volcano-shape dependence on Pd surface coverage. At room temperature, in CO2-buffered water, and under H2 headspace, the NPs were maximally active at a Pd surface coverage of 80%, with a first-order rate constant (k(cat) = 576 L g(Pd)(-1) min(-1)) that was 15x and 7.5x higher than monometallic Pd NPs (~4 nm; 40 L g(Pd)(-1) min(-1)) and Pd/Al2O3 (1 wt% Pd; 76 L g(Pd)(-1) min(-1)), respectively. Accounting only for surface Pd atoms, these NPs (576 L g(surface-Pd)(-1) min(-1)) were 3.6x and 1.6x higher than monometallic Pd NPs (160 L g(surface-Pd)(-1) min(-1)) and Pd/Al2O3 (361 L g(surface-Pd)(-1) min(-1)). These NPs retained ~98% of catalytic activity at a chloride concentration of 1 mM, whereas Pd/Al2O3 lost ~50%. The Pd-on-Au nanostructure is a promising approach to improve the catalytic reduction process for nitrite and, with further development, also for nitrate anions.

Measurement on physical parameters of raindrop energy.

Rainfall erosivity factor (R) is one of the most commonly used factors in soil erosion models. While rainfall energy (E) is the most elementary physical parameter to predict R. Based on comparative analysis of previous soil erosion models and rainfall erosivity factor measuring methods, integrated application of modern photogrammetric techniques, image analytic methods and automatic control theories, this paper provided a new method based on image analytic to calculate the rainfall energy and R factor, which obtains raindrop's volume and velocity by means of modern photogrammetric technique. Results show that this method can improve both efficiency and accuracy of rainfall energy calculation and other rainfall physical parameters measurement.