Heterotic growth of hybrids of Arabidopsis thaliana is enhanced by elevated atmospheric CO2.

PREMISE: With the global atmospheric CO2 concentration on the rise, developing crops that can thrive in elevated CO2 has become paramount. We investigated the potential of hybridization as a strategy for creating crops with improved growth in predicted elevated atmospheric CO2. METHODS: We grew parent accessions and their F1 hybrids of Arabidopsis thaliana in ambient and elevated atmospheric CO2 and analyzed numerous growth traits to assess their productivity and underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: The heterotic increase in total dry mass, relative growth rate and leaf net assimilation rate was significantly greater in elevated CO2 than in ambient CO2. The CO2 response of net assimilation rate was positively correlated with the CO2 response of leaf nitrogen productivity and with that of leaf traits such as leaf size and thickness, suggesting that hybridization-induced changes in leaf traits greatly affected the improved performance in elevated CO2. CONCLUSIONS: Vegetative growth of hybrids seems to be enhanced in elevated CO2 due to improved photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency compared with parents. The results suggest that hybrid crops should be well-suited for future conditions, but hybrid weeds may also be more competitive.

Prevalence of Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Detected by Computed Tomography in the General Population Compared with Ultrasonography.

Objective To assess the prevalence and clinical correlates of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) identified by computed tomography (CT) in the general population compared with ultrasonography (US). Methods Four hundred and fifty-eight subjects who received health checkups at Meijo Hospital in 2021 and underwent CT within a year of US in the past decade were analyzed. The mean age was 52.3±10.1 years old, and 304 were men. Results NAFLD was diagnosed in 20.3% by CT and in 40.4% by the US. The NAFLD prevalence in men was considerably greater in subjects 40-59 years old than in those ≤39 years old and in those ≥60 years old by both CT and US. The NAFLD prevalence in women was substantially higher in the subjects 50-59 years old than in those ≤49 years old or those ≥60 years old on US, while no significant differences were observed on CT. The abdominal circumference, hemoglobin value, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, albumin level, and diabetes mellitus were independent predictors of NAFLD diagnosed by CT. The body mass index, abdominal circumference, and triglyceride level were independent predictors of NAFLD diagnosed by the US. Conclusion NAFLD was found in 20.3% of CT cases and 40.4% of US cases among recipients of health checkups. An "inverted U curve" in which the NAFLD prevalence rose with age and dropped in late adulthood was reported. NAFLD was associated with obesity, the lipid profile, diabetes mellitus, hemoglobin values, and albumin levels. Our research is the first in the world to compare the NAFLD prevalence in the general population simultaneously by CT and US.

Characterization of FLOWERING LOCUS C 5 in Brassica rapa L.

Brassica rapa L., which includes Chinese cabbage, turnip, and pak choi, has more complex flowering time regulation than does Arabidopsis thaliana due to the presence of multiple paralogous flowering time genes. FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) is one of the key genes regulating the flowering time, and B. rapa has four FLC paralogs. BrFLC5 on the reference genome is deemed a pseudogene because of a mutation (from G to A) in the splice site of the third intron, but there are some accessions with a G nucleotide in the splice site. In this study, we genotyped 310 B. rapa accessions and found that 19 had homozygous and 81 had heterozygous putative functional BrFLC5 alleles. Accessions of turnip showed the highest proportion with a functional BrFLC5 allele. BrFLC5 acts as a floral repressor when overexpressed in A. thaliana. The BrFLC5 expression level varied in pre-vernalized plants, and this transcriptional variation was not associated with the G/A polymorphism in the third intron. Three accessions having a higher BrFLC5 expression in pre-vernalized plants had a 584-bp insertion in the promoter region. Many regions homologous to this 584-bp sequence are present in the B. rapa genome, and this 584-bp inserted region has tandem duplications of an AT-rich sequence in its central region. The possibility that a high expression of a functional BrFLC5 could contribute to producing premature bolting-resistant lines in B. rapa vegetables is discussed. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-023-01405-0.

Simple Strategy for Benzo[g]chromene Synthesis via a Photochemical Intramolecular Cyclization Reaction.

Photochemical reactions are often a desirable strategy for organic synthesis because they do not require toxic and expensive reagents and produce less waste than thermal reactions. Herein, a facile photochemical strategy is described to synthesize benzo[g]chromene derivatives. This strategy utilizes the photoredox reaction of quinones, which allows C-H bond oxidation in the vicinity of the photoexcited quinone carbonyl group. The reaction mechanism was investigated using 1H NMR analysis. The intramolecular cyclization reaction proceeded via the formation of 1,3-dioxole compounds as intermediates by the photoredox reaction of p-quinone, followed by re-cyclization. The synthesized benzo[g]chromene derivatives are important heterocyclic skeletons with useful biological and pharmacological properties.

Differences in the transcriptional immune response to Albugo candida between white rust resistant and susceptible cultivars in Brassica rapa L.

Albugo candida causing white rust disease decreases the yield of Brassica rapa vegetables greatly. Resistant and susceptible cultivars in B. rapa vegetables have different immune responses against A. candida inoculation, however, the mechanism of how host plants respond to A. candida is still unknown. Using RNA-sequencing, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between A. candida inoculated [48 and 72 h after inoculation (HAI)] and non-inoculated samples in resistant and susceptible cultivars of komatsuna (B. rapa var. perviridis). Functional DEGs differed between the resistant and susceptible cultivars in A. candida inoculated samples. Salicylic acid (SA) responsive genes tended to be changed in their expression levels by A. candida inoculation in both resistant and susceptible cultivars, but different genes were identified in the two cultivars. SA-dependent systemic acquired resistance (SAR) involving genes were upregulated following A. candida inoculation in the resistant cultivar. Particular genes categorized as SAR that changed expression levels overlapped between A. candida and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans inoculated samples in resistant cultivar, suggesting a role for SAR in defense response to both pathogens particularly in the effector-triggered immunity downstream pathway. These findings will be useful for understanding white rust resistance mechanisms in B. rapa.

Corrigendum: Will epigenetics be a key player in crop breeding?

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.958350.].

MR vessel wall enhancement in a pediatric focal cerebral arteriopathy.

BACKGROUND: Focal cerebral arteriopathy (FCA) is a common cause of childhood arterial ischemic stroke in previously healthy children. Although its mechanisms are poorly understood, recent studies have suggested inflammatory processes. Magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (VWI) is a potential imaging biomarker of inflammation. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe the case of a 7-year-old Japanese girl with right hemiplegia and dysarthria for 3 days. Brain MRI showed acute infarct in the left basal ganglia, and MRA and conventional cerebral angiogram detected vascular stenosis in the left distal internal carotid artery, left M1 and A1 segments. VWI revealed marked vessel wall enhancement and thickening in the left carotid artery, M1, and A2 segments. Based on imaging findings, she was diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke caused by FCA. Because VWI findings were thought to suggest vessel wall inflammation, high-dose steroid therapy was administered in addition to neuroprotective care and antithrombotic therapy. Although her clinical symptoms improved immediately, cerebral arteriopathy worsened on MRA a month after the onset. Subsequently, after 3 months of steroid therapy, vessel wall enhancement on VWI decreased, while arterial stenosis partially improved. At the follow-up 9 months after the onset, she had no recurrent stroke, her arteriopathy had stabilized. DISCUSSION: Definitive evidence of inflammatory mechanisms in FCA is limited, and appropriate management and treatment strategies for FCA are undefined. VWI attempts to demonstrate pathologic processes within the vessel wall, and reversible wall enhancement observed in our patient suggested the presence of inflammation. VWI would help in the evaluation of disease activity in FCA. CONCLUSION: VWI may contribute to the appropriate diagnosis and treatment for FCA to reflect active inflammation. Further work is needed to assess the utility of VWI in pediatric FCA.

Will epigenetics be a key player in crop breeding?

If food and feed production are to keep up with world demand in the face of climate change, continued progress in understanding and utilizing both genetic and epigenetic sources of crop variation is necessary. Progress in plant breeding has traditionally been thought to be due to selection for spontaneous DNA sequence mutations that impart desirable phenotypes. These spontaneous mutations can expand phenotypic diversity, from which breeders can select agronomically useful traits. However, it has become clear that phenotypic diversity can be generated even when the genome sequence is unaltered. Epigenetic gene regulation is a mechanism by which genome expression is regulated without altering the DNA sequence. With the development of high throughput DNA sequencers, it has become possible to analyze the epigenetic state of the whole genome, which is termed the epigenome. These techniques enable us to identify spontaneous epigenetic mutations (epimutations) with high throughput and identify the epimutations that lead to increased phenotypic diversity. These epimutations can create new phenotypes and the causative epimutations can be inherited over generations. There is evidence of selected agronomic traits being conditioned by heritable epimutations, and breeders may have historically selected for epiallele-conditioned agronomic traits. These results imply that not only DNA sequence diversity, but the diversity of epigenetic states can contribute to increased phenotypic diversity. However, since the modes of induction and transmission of epialleles and their stability differ from that of genetic alleles, the importance of inheritance as classically defined also differs. For example, there may be a difference between the types of epigenetic inheritance important to crop breeding and crop production. The former may depend more on longer-term inheritance whereas the latter may simply take advantage of shorter-term phenomena. With the advances in our understanding of epigenetics, epigenetics may bring new perspectives for crop improvement, such as the use of epigenetic variation or epigenome editing in breeding. In this review, we will introduce the role of epigenetic variation in plant breeding, largely focusing on DNA methylation, and conclude by asking to what extent new knowledge of epigenetics in crop breeding has led to documented cases of its successful use.

Long-Term Persisting Donor-Derived Human Leukocyte Antigen Antibody as a Possible Passenger Lymphocyte Syndrome Following Lung Transplantation: A Case Report.

Herein, we reported the transfer of donor-derived antihuman leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies in 2 recipients after lung transplantation. Case 1: A 39-year-old woman with pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis underwent a single brain-dead donor lung transplantation. Antibody screening 36 days after transplantation demonstrated high levels of de novo nondonor HLA class I-specific antibodies. The antibody screening in the donor serum revealed that the donor demonstrated a largely overlapping antibody profile. Importantly, the donor serum also included high-level HLA-specific antibodies against the recipient HLA-specific antigens, which were not detected in the recipient sera after transplantation. Donor-derived anti-HLA antibodies were still detected in the recipient 39 months after transplantation, without causing any complications such as graft-vs-host disease. Case 2: A 47-year-old woman underwent living-donor lobar lung transplantation for pulmonary complications after bone marrow transplantation with a right lower lobe from her husband and the left lower lobe from her sister. On postoperative day 39, the recipient's anti-HLA-class I antibody profile was found to be similar to that of the highly sensitized left lung donor. These donor-derived anti-HLA antibodies remained to be produced in the recipient 66 months after transplantation, without the development of complications.

Resource Screening and Inheritance Analysis of Fusarium oxysporum sp. conglutinans Race 2 Resistance in Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata).

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) Fusarium wilt (CFW) is a disease that poses a critical threat to global cabbage production. Screening for resistant resources in order to support the breeding of resistant cultivars is the most reliable approach to control this disease. CFW is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans (Foc), which consists of two physiological races (race 1 and 2). While many studies have focused on resistance screening, gene mining, and inheritance-based research associated with resistance to Foc race 1, there have been few studies specifically analyzing resistance to Foc race 2, which is a potential threat that can overcome type A resistance. Here, 166 cabbage resources collected from around the world were evaluated for the resistance to both Foc races, with 46.99% and 38.55% of these cabbage lines being resistant to Foc race 1 and race 2, respectively, whereas 33.74% and 48.80% were susceptible to these two respective races. Of these 166 analyzed cabbage lines, 114 (68.67%) were found to be more susceptible to race 2 than to race 1, and 28 of them were resistant to race 1 while susceptible to race 2, underscoring the highly aggressive nature of Foc race 2. To analyze the inheritance of Foc race 2 resistance, segregated populations derived from the resistant parental line 'Badger Inbred 16' and the susceptible one '01-20' were analyzed with a major gene plus polygene mixed genetic model. The results of this analysis revealed Foc race 2-specific resistance to be under the control of two pairs of additive-dominant-epistatic major genes plus multiple additive-dominant-epistatic genes (model E). The heritability of these major genes in the BC1P1, BC1P2, and F2 generations were 32.14%, 72.80%, and 70.64%, respectively. In summary, these results may aid in future gene mining and breeding of novel CFW-resistant cabbage cultivars.

Comparative transcriptome analysis during tuberous stem formation in Kohlrabi (B. oleracea var. gongylodes) at early growth periods (seedling stages).

Tuberous stem of kohlrabi is an important agronomic trait, however, the molecular basis of tuberization is poorly understood. To elucidate the tuberization mechanism, we conducted a comparative transcriptomic analysis between kohlrabi and broccoli at 10 and 20 days after germination (DAG) as tuberous stem initiated between these time points. A total of 5580 and 2866 differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) were identified between genotypes (kohlrabi vs. broccoli) and growth stages (10 DAG vs. 20 DAG), respectively, and most of the DETs were down-regulated in kohlrabi. Gene ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses showed that the DETs between genotypes are involved in cell wall loosening and expansion, cell cycle and division, carbohydrate metabolism, hormone transport, hormone signal transduction and in several transcription factors. The DETs identified in those categories may directly/indirectly relate to the initiation and development of tuberous stem in kohlrabi. In addition, the expression pattern of the hormone synthesis related DETs coincided with the endogenous IAA, IAAsp, GA, ABA, and tZ profiles in kohlrabi and broccoli seedlings, that were revealed in our phytohormone analysis. This is the first report on comparative transcriptome analysis for tuberous stem formation in kohlrabi at early growth periods. The resulting data could provide significant insights into the molecular mechanism underlying tuberous stem development in kohlrabi as well as in other tuberous organ forming crops.

Whole-Genome DNA Methylation Analysis in Brassica rapa subsp. perviridis in Response to Albugo candida Infection.

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mark associated with several mechanisms in plants including immunity mechanisms. However, little is known about the regulatory role of DNA methylation in the resistance response of Brassica species against fungal diseases. White rust, caused by the fungus Albugo candida, is one of the most widespread and destructive diseases of all the cultivated Brassica species, particularly Brassica rapa L. and Brassica juncea (L.) Czern and Coss. Here, we investigate whole-genome DNA methylation modifications of B. rapa subsp. perviridis in response to white rust. As a result, 233 and 275 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the susceptible cultivar "Misugi" and the resistant cultivar "Nanane" were identified, respectively. In both cultivars, more than half of the DMRs were associated with genes (DMR-genes). Gene expression analysis showed that 13 of these genes were also differentially expressed between control and infected samples. Gene ontology enrichment analysis of DMR genes revealed their involvement in various biological processes including defense mechanisms. DMRs were unevenly distributed around genes in susceptible and resistant cultivars. In "Misugi," DMRs tended to be located within genes, while in "Nanane," DMRs tended to be located up and downstream of the genes. However, CG DMRs were predominantly located within genes in both cultivars. Transposable elements also showed association with all three sequence contexts of DMRs but predominantly with CHG and CHH DMRs in both cultivars. Our findings indicate the occurrence of DNA methylation modifications in B. rapa in response to white rust infection and suggest a potential regulatory role of DNA methylation modification in defense mechanisms which could be exploited to improve disease resistance.

Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Complicated with Occlusion of Bilateral Common Iliac Arteries.

We report a case of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm complicated with occlusion of bilateral common iliac arteries. A 68-year-old man complained of sudden onset of lower abdominal and back pain. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm of about 80 mm in diameter and a giant retroperitoneal hematoma, as well as occlusion of both common iliac arteries. We performed Y-grafting, concomitant with thrombectomy of both iliac arteries from inside the aneurysm. Postoperative course was uneventful without ischemic findings of the legs and the patient was discharged on the 17th postoperative day.

Anion gap-opening metabolic acidosis and urinary findings in the early diagnosis of ethylene glycol poisoning: A case report.

Causative agent identification is important in the treatment of poisoning. We report the case of a patient who presented with an altered level of consciousness after drinking a fluorescent pink liquid. Upon measuring the anion gap and urinary calcium oxalate level, the patient was diagnosed with early ethylene glycol poisoning.

Development of a New DNA Marker for Fusarium Yellows Resistance in Brassica rapa Vegetables.

In vegetables of Brassica rapa L., Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. rapae (For) or F. oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans (Foc) cause Fusarium yellows. A resistance gene against Foc (FocBr1) has been identified, and deletion of this gene results in susceptibility (focbr1-1). In contrast, a resistance gene against For has not been identified. Inoculation tests showed that lines resistant to Foc were also resistant to For, and lines susceptible to Foc were susceptible to For. However, prediction of disease resistance by a dominant DNA marker on FocBr1 (Bra012688m) was not associated with disease resistance of For in some komatsuna lines using an inoculation test. QTL-seq using four F2 populations derived from For susceptible and resistant lines showed one causative locus on chromosome A03, which covers FocBr1. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of FocBr1 between susceptible and resistant alleles (FocBr1 and FocBo1) showed that six amino acid differences were specific to susceptible lines. The presence and absence of FocBr1 is consistent with For resistance in F2 populations. These results indicate that FocBr1 is essential for For resistance, and changed amino acid sequences result in susceptibility to For. This susceptible allele is termed focbr1-2, and a new DNA marker (focbr1-2m) for detection of the focbr1-2 allele was developed.

Characterization of Histone H3 Lysine 4 and 36 Tri-methylation in Brassica rapa L.

Covalent modifications of histone proteins act as epigenetic regulators of gene expression. We report the distribution of two active histone marks (H3K4me3 and H3K36me3) in 14-day leaves in two lines of Brassica rapa L. by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing. Both lines were enriched with H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 marks at the transcription start site, and the transcription level of a gene was associated with the level of H3K4me3 and H3K36me3. H3K4me3- and H3K36me3-marked genes showed low tissue-specific gene expression, and genes with both H3K4me3 and H3K36me3 had a high level of expression and were constitutively expressed. Bivalent active and repressive histone modifications such as H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 marks or antagonistic coexistence of H3K36me3 and H3K27me3 marks were observed in some genes. Expression may be susceptible to changes by abiotic and biotic stresses in genes having both H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 marks. We showed that the presence of H3K36me3 marks was associated with different gene expression levels or tissue specificity between paralogous paired genes, suggesting that H3K36me3 might be involved in subfunctionalization of the subgenomes.

Genome-wide analysis of long noncoding RNAs, 24-nt siRNAs, DNA methylation and H3K27me3 marks in Brassica rapa.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNA fragments that generally do not code for a protein but are involved in epigenetic gene regulation. In this study, lncRNAs of Brassica rapa were classified into long intergenic noncoding RNAs, natural antisense RNAs, and intronic noncoding RNAs and their expression analyzed in relation to genome-wide 24-nt small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), DNA methylation, and histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation marks (H3K27me3). More than 65% of the lncRNAs analyzed consisted of one exon, and more than 55% overlapped with inverted repeat regions (IRRs). Overlap of lncRNAs with IRRs or genomic regions encoding for 24-nt siRNAs resulted in increased DNA methylation levels when both were present. LncRNA did not overlap greatly with H3K27me3 marks, but the expression level of intronic noncoding RNAs that did coincide with H3K27me3 marks was higher than without H3K27me3 marks. The Brassica genus comprises important vegetables and oil seed crops grown across the world. B. rapa is a diploid (AA genome) thought to be one of the ancestral species of both B. juncea (AABB genome) and B. napus (AACC) through genome merging (allotetrapolyploidization). Complex genome restructuring and epigenetic alterations are thought to be involved in these allotetrapolyploidization events. Comparison of lncRNAs between B. rapa and B. nigra, B. oleracea, B. juncea, and B. napus showed the highest conservation with B. oleracea. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the epigenome structure of B. rapa at multi-epigenetic levels (siRNAs, DNA methylation, H3K27me3, and lncRNAs) and identified a suite of candidate lncRNAs that may be epigenetically regulated in the Brassica genus.

Efficacy of three-dimensional computed tomography volumetry for recipients in downsizing oversized grafts in brain-dead donor lung transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: Brain-dead donor lung transplantation frequently requires reduction in the size of oversized lung grafts for patients with a small chest cavity. We focused on the role of three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) volumetry for recipients on downsizing oversized lung grafts. METHODS: We performed 53 brain-dead donor bilateral lung transplantations, including 15 lobar lung transplants (Lobar group) and 38 standard lung transplants with full-sized grafts (Full group), between December 2010 and December 2018. Recipient chest volume before transplantation was measured using 3D-CT volumetry, and donor lung volume was evaluated by predicted total lung capacity. Post-transplant outcomes and pulmonary function were retrospectively compared between the groups. RESULTS: The ratio of the recipient chest volume to the donor lung volume was significantly lower in the Lobar group (0.42 ± 0.15) than in the Full group (0.77 ± 0.30, P < 0.01). The calculated size matching between the donor and recipient after downsizing the grafts was significantly correlated to the ratio of the recipient chest volume to the donor lung volume (Spearman r = 0.69; P < 0.01). Early post-transplant outcomes did not significantly differ between the groups. Although the Full group showed slightly better pulmonary function after transplantation, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were similar to the Lobar group (100%, 93%, and 81% in the Lobar group vs. 92%, 78%, and 70% in the Full group; P = 0.50). CONCLUSIONS: Brain-dead donor lobar lung transplantation showed favorable post-transplant outcomes. The assessment of recipient chest cavity volume using 3D-CT volumetry may help surgeons precisely downsize oversized lung grafts prior to transplantation.

The transcriptional response to salicylic acid plays a role in Fusarium yellows resistance in Brassica rapa L.

KEY MESSAGE: Fusarium yellows resistant and susceptible lines in Brassica rapa showed different salicylic acid responses; the resistant line showed a similar response to previous reports, but the susceptible line differed. Fusarium yellows caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans (Foc) is an important disease. Previous studies showed that genes related to salicylic acid (SA) response were more highly induced following Foc infection in Brassica rapa Fusarium yellows resistant lines than susceptible lines. However, SA-induced genes have not been identified at the whole genome level and it was unclear whether they were up-regulated by Foc inoculation. Transcriptome analysis with and without SA treatment in the B. rapa Fusarium yellows susceptible line 'Misugi' and the resistant line 'Nanane' was performed to obtain insights into the relationship between SA sensitivity/response and Fusarium yellows resistance. 'Nanane's up-regulated genes were related to SA response and down-regulated genes were related to jasmonic acid (JA) or ethylene (ET) response, but differentially expressed genes in 'Misugi' were not. This result suggests that Fusarium yellows resistant and susceptible lines have a different SA response and that an antagonistic transcription between SA and JA/ET responses was found only in a Fusarium yellows resistant line. SA-responsive genes were induced by Foc inoculation in Fusarium yellows resistant (RJKB-T23) and susceptible lines (RJKB-T24). By contrast, 39 SA-induced genes specific to RJKB-T23 might function in the defense response to Foc. In this study, SA-induced genes were identified at the whole genome level, and the possibility, the defense response to Foc observed in a resistant line could be mediated by SA-induced genes, is suggested. These results will be useful for future research concerning the SA importance in Foc or other diseases resistance in B. rapa.