Herbivore-induced volatiles reduce the susceptibility of neighboring tomato plants to transmission of a whitefly-borne begomovirus.

Plant viruses exist in a broader ecological community that includes non-vector herbivores that can impact vector abundance, behavior, and virus transmission within shared host plants. However, little is known about the effects of non-vector herbivore infestation on virus transmission by vector insects on neighboring plants through inter-plant airborne chemicals. In this study, we investigated how volatiles emitted from tomato plants infested with the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) affect the infection of neighboring plants by tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) transmitted by whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). Exposure of neighboring tomato plants to volatiles released from T. urticae-infested tomato plants reduced subsequent herbivory as well as TYLCV transmission and infection, and the jasmonic acid signaling pathway was essential for generation of the inter-plant defense signals. We also demonstrated that (E)-ß-ocimene and methyl salicylic acid were two volatiles induced by T. urticae that synergistically attenuated TYLCV transmission and infection in tomato. Thus, our findings suggest that plant-plant communication via volatiles likely represents a widespread defensive mechanism that substantially contributes to plant fitness. Understanding such phenomena may help us to predict the occurrence and epidemics of multiple herbivores and viruses in agroecosystems, and ultimately to manage pest and virus outbreaks.

Factors associated with benefit finding and mental health of patients with cancer: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: This systematic review was performed to identify the association between benefit finding (BF) and anxiety, depression, and distress, as well as to find factors related to BF in adult cancer patients. METHODS: Five English databases and four Chinese databases were searched to identify eligible articles about BF in adult cancer patients from inception to 4 July 2021. Literature screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were carried out by two reviewers independently according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Qualitative synthesis was used to summarize the results. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies involving 9601 cancer patients were included in this study. Qualitative analysis showed that BF was negatively related to anxiety, depression, and distress. Factors associated with BF included sociodemographic factors, disease-related factors, and psychological and environmental factors. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare providers should pay attention to the summarized factors of BF and construct intervention programs based on the controllable factors to improve BF in adult cancer patients, thus promoting the recovery of patients.

Gene cloning, expression, and characterization of a novel phytase from Dickeya paradisiaca.

A novel phytase gene, appA, was isolated by degenerate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR from Dickeya paradisiaca. The full-length appA comprises 1278 bp and encodes 425 amino acid residues, including a 23-residue putative N-terminal signal peptide. The deduced amino acid sequence of appA reveals the conserved motifs RHGXRXP and HD, which are typical of histidine acid phosphatases; significantly, APPA shows maximum identity (49%) to a phytase from Klebsiella pneumoniae. To characterize the properties of APPA, appA was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. The purified recombinant APPA has two pH optima at pH 4.5 and 5.5, optimum temperature at 55 degrees C, specific activity of 769 U/mg, and good pH stability. The K(m) value for the substrate sodium phytate is 0.399 mM with a Vmax of 666 U/mg. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a phytase or phytase gene isolated from Dickeya.

[Gene cloning, expression and characterization of a novel phytase from Hafnia alvei].

A gene appA encoding a novel phytase was firstly cloned from Hafnia alvei by PCR and sequenced. The gene was consisted of 1335 bp, encoding 444 amino acids. The calculated molecular weight of the mature APPA was about 45.2 kD. The gene appA was expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). Recombinant APPA was purified and its enzymatic properties were determined. The optimum pH for the enzyme was 4.5 and the optimum temperature was 60 degrees C. The pH stability of r-APPA is good, the relative phytase activity was above 80% after treated in buffers of pH 2.0-10.0. The specific activity of r-APPA is 356.7 U/mg, and the Km value was 0.49 mmol/L and Vmax of 238 U/mg. The enzyme showed resistance to pepsin and trypsin treatment.

[Mutation research on Q23L and Q23LG272E in phytase derivated from Aspergillus fumigatus].

Aspergillus fumigatus wild-type phytase has many favorable properties, such as a good thermorstability and a broad pH optimum. However, the specific activity of the enzyme is relative low. A. fumigatus Q23L phytase resulted in a remarkable increase in specific activity around pH4.5 - 7.0, but the pH stability of Q23L was lower than A. fumigatus wild-type phytase. To increase the pH stability of Q23L, the mutant Q23LG272E was constructed by site-directed mutagenesis with PCR. The gene of A. fumigatus wild-type phytase and the mutant genes encoding the Q23LG272E and the Q23L were correctly expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115. Enzymes were purified and their enzymatic properties were determined. The results revealed that the specific activity of the Q23L improved remarkably, which increased from 51 u/mg of the wild type to 109 u/mg at pH5.5. Meanwhile, the pH stability of Q23L, decreased evidently, especially from pH3.0 to pH4.0.The pH stability of Q23LG272E in pH3.0 - 4.5 and pH6.5 - 7.0 has been improved compared with Q23L. The specific activity of Q23LG272E basically maintained at the level of Q23L. Analysis of 3-D structure and sequence similarity were used to reveal the presumable factors influencing the enzymatic properties of Q23LG272E, and discussion for the relationship between structure and function of phytase was given.