Sinapis genomes provide insights into whole-genome triplication and divergence patterns within tribe Brassiceae.

Sinapis alba and Sinapis arvensis are mustard crops within the Brassiceae tribe of the Brassicaceae family, and represent an important genetic resource for crop improvement. We performed the de novo assembly of Brassica nigra, S. alba, and S. arvensis, and conducted comparative genomics to investigate the pattern of genomic evolution since an ancient whole-genome triplication event. Both Sinapis species retained evidence of the Brassiceae whole-genome triplication approximately 20.5 million years ago (Mya), with subgenome dominance observed in gene density, gene expression, and selective constraint. While S. alba diverged from the ancestor of Brassica and Raphanus at approximately 12.5 Mya, the divergence time of S. arvensis and B. nigra was approximately 6.5 Mya. S. arvensis and B. nigra had greater collinearity compared with their relationship to either Brassica rapa or Brassica oleracea. Two chromosomes of S. alba (Sal03 and Sal08) were completely collinear with two ancestral chromosomes proposed in the Ancestral Crucifer Karyotype (ACK) genomic block model, the first time this has been observed in the Brassiceae. These results are consistent with S. alba representing a relatively ancient lineage of the species evolved from the common ancestor of tribe Brassiceae, and suggest that the phylogeny of the Brassica and Sinapis genera requires some revision. Our study provides new insights into the genome evolution and phylogenetic relationships of Brassiceae and provides genomic information for genetic improvement of these plants.

Production and cytology of Brassica autoallohexaploids with two and four copies of two subgenomes.

KEY MESSAGE: Different digenomic Brassica autoallohexaploids were produced from the crosses of three allotetraploids and ancestral diploids and characterized for the cytological behavior of two subgenomes with two and four copies. Interspecific hybridization and allopolyploidization present an important pathway for plant evolution and breeding. In this study, different types of digenomic autoallohexaploids with two or four copies of two subgenomes (AAAACC, AACCCC, AAAABB, BBBBCC, BBCCCC) were synthesized by the crosses between three Brassica allotetraploids and their diploid progenitors and the chromosome doubling, and their meiotic behaviors were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). These autoallohexaploids showed some variations in pollen fertility and seed-sets and produced both euploid and aneuploid progenies with some chromosomes lost. Two subgenomes in these autoallohexaploids showed some aberrant pairings and segregations, and the degrees of meiotic regularity were negatively associated with the genome affinities. The chromosomes of the subgenome with four copies formed few quadrivalents with the average number < 2, and mainly paired as bivalents, and majority of the chromosomes from the subgenome with two copies gave the expected bivalents. The different extents of the equal and unequal segregations corresponded to the chromosome pairings. The development and cytological investigation of these autoallohexaploids provide not only the new germplasm for genetic research and breeding but also the new clues for the genome behavior and interplay between these subgenomes with different copies.

Synthesis, structures, and properties of two three-dimensional metal-organic frameworks, based on concurrent ligand extension.

A tritopic carboxylate ligand, tris(4'-carboxybiphenyl)amine (L-H(3)), has been synthesized and applied in the construction of microporous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Two novel metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), {[Zn(2)(L)(OH)]·2DMF·H(2)O}(∞) (1) and {[Cu(L-H)(DMA)]·DMA·2H(2)O}(∞) (2), have been constructed out of L-H(3), Zn(2+), and Cu(2+), respectively. 1 has a 2-fold interpenetrating three-dimensional framework formed by L connectors and the [Zn(2)(CO(2))(3)] secondary building units (SBUs). As for 1, it is worth pointing out that one µ(2)-OH group links two Zn atoms between two neighboring SBUs to produce interesting Zn-O-Zn zigzag chains in the structure. 2 has a two-dimensional grid sheet formed by L-H connectors and the typical paddle-wheel [Cu(2)(CO(2))(4)] SBUs. Two-dimensional (2D) sheets nest with each other, which finally forms a three-dimensional (3D) nested framework. Two MOFs are characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, single-crystal and elemental analyses, and powder X-ray diffraction methods. Framework 1' exhibits high permanent porosity (Langmuir surface area = 848 m(2)/g), high thermal stability (up to 450 °C), highly active properties for Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction, as well as the potential application for the CO(2) gas storage and luminescent material. The catalytic results reveal that 2' is indeed an efficient heterogeneous catalyst for olefin epoxidation reactions.

Dosage-Dependent Gynoecium Development and Gene Expression in Brassica napus-Orychophragmus violaceus Addition Lines.

Distant hybridization usually leads to female sterility of the hybrid but the mechanism behind this is poorly understood. Complete pistil abortion but normal male fertility was shown by one Brassica napus-Orychophragmus violaceus monosomic alien addition line (MA, AACC + 1 IO, 2n = 39) produced previously. To study the effect of a single O. violaceus chromosome addition on pistil development in different genetic backgrounds, hybrids between the MA and B. carinata (BBCC), B. juncea (AABB), and two synthetic hexaploids (AABBCC) were firstly produced in this study which show complete female sterility. A microspore culture was further performed to produce the haploid monosomic alien addition line (HMA, AC + 1 IO, 2n = 20) and disomic addition line (DA, AACC + 2 IO, 2n = 40) together with haploid (H, AC, 2n = 19) and double haploid (DH, AACC, 2n = 38) plants of B. napus from MA to investigate the dosage effect of the alien O. violaceus chromosome on pistil development and gene expression. Compared to MA, the development of the pistils of DA and HMA was completely or partially recovered, in which the pistils could swell and elongate to a normal shape after open pollination, although no seeds were produced. Comparative RNA-seq analyses revealed that the numbers of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly different, dosage-dependent, and consistent with the phenotypic difference in pairwise comparisons of HMA vs. H, DA vs. DH, MA vs. DH, MA vs. DA, and MA vs. HMA. The gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of DEGs showed that a number of genes involved in the development of the gynoecium, embryo sac, ovule, and integuments. Particularly, several common DEGs for pistil development shared in HMA vs. H and DA vs. DH showed functions in genotoxic stress response, auxin transport, and signaling and adaxial/abaxial axis specification. The results provided updated information for the molecular mechanisms behind the gynoecium development of B. napus responding to the dosage of alien O. violaceus chromosomes.

Genome-Wide Gene Expression Disturbance by Single A1/C1 Chromosome Substitution in Brassica rapa Restituted From Natural B. napus.

Alien chromosome substitution (CS) lines are treated as vital germplasms for breeding and genetic mapping. Previously, a whole set of nine Brassica rapa-oleracea monosonic alien addition lines (MAALs, C1-C9) was established in the background of natural B. napus genotype "Oro," after the restituted B. rapa (RBR) for Oro was realized. Herein, a monosomic substitution line with one alien C1 chromosome (Cs1) in the RBR complement was selected in the progenies of MAAL C1 and RBR, by the PCR amplification of specific gene markers and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Cs1 exhibited the whole plant morphology similar to RBR except for the defective stamens without fertile pollen grains, but it produced some seeds and progeny plants carrying the C1 chromosome at high rate besides those without the alien chromosome after pollinated by RBR. The viability of the substitution and its progeny for the RBR diploid further elucidated the functional compensation between the chromosome pairs with high homoeology. To reveal the impact of such aneuploidy on genome-wide gene expression, the transcriptomes of MAAL C1, Cs1 and euploid RBR were analyzed. Compared to RBR, Cs1 had sharply reduced gene expression level across chromosome A1, demonstrating the loss of one copy of A1 chromosome. Both additional chromosome C1 in MAAL and substitutional chromosome C1 in Cs1 caused not only cis-effect but also prevalent trans-effect differentially expressed genes. A dominant gene dosage effects prevailed among low expressed genes across chromosome A1 in Cs1, and moreover, dosage effects for some genes potentially contributed to the phenotype deviations. Our results provided novel insights into the transcriptomic perturbation and gene dosage effects on phenotype in CS related to one naturally evolved allopolyploid.

A novel asymmetric di-Ni(II) system as a highly efficient functional model for phosphodiesterase: synthesis, structures, physicochemical properties and catalytic kinetics.

A novel asymmetric phenol-based 'end-off' dinucleating ligand 2-{[(2-piperidylmethyl)amino]methyl}-4-bromo-6-[(1-methylhomopiperazine-4-yl)methyl]phenol (HL) and three dinuclear nickel(II) complexes, [Ni2L(µ-OH)] (ClO4)2 (1), [Ni2L(DNBA)2(CH3CN)2]BPh4 (2) and [Ni2L(BPP)2(CH3CN)2]BPh4 (3) have been synthesized and characterized by a variety of techniques including: NMR, infrared and UV-vis spectroscopies, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, molar conductivity, thermal analysis, magnetochemistry and single-crystal X-ray diffractometry. The UV-vis spectrum of complex 1 exhibits a strong peak at 510 nm, a characteristic absorption of a d-d transition of the square-planar four-coordinated Ni(II) center. Utilizing this feature, the stepwise formation of mono- and dinickel centers in solution can be monitored. Phosphodiesterase activity of a dinuclear Ni(II) system (complex 1), formed in situ by a 2 : 1 mixture of Ni(2+) ions and the ligand HL, was investigated using bis(4-nitrophenyl)phosphate (BNPP) as the substrate. The pH dependence of the BNPP cleavage in water-ethanol (1 : 1, v/v) reveals a bell-shaped pH-k(obs) profile with an optimum at about pH 8.3 which is parallel to the formation of the dinuclear species [Ni2L(µ-OH)](2+), according to the increase of the peak at 510 nm in the UV-vis absorption spectrum . These studies reveal that the di-Ni(II) system shows the highest catalytic activity reported so far, with an acceleration rate 1.28 × 107 times faster than the uncatalyzed reaction. The bridging hydroxyl group in [Ni2L(µ-OH)](2+) is responsible for the hydrolysis reaction. The possible mechanism for the BNPP cleavage promoted by di-Ni(II) system is proposed on the basis of kinetic and spectral analyses. This study provides a less common example of the asymmetric phosphodiesterase model, which is like the active sites of most native metallohydrolases.