Alleles on locus chromosome 4B from different parents confer tiller number and the yield-associated traits in wheat.

Pleiotropy is frequently detected in agronomic traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum). A locus on chromosome 4B, QTn/Ptn/Sl/Sns/Al/Tgw/Gl/Gw.caas-4B, proved to show pleiotropic effects on tiller, spike, and grain traits using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of Qingxinmai × 041133. The allele from Qingxinmai increased tiller numbers, and the allele from line 041133 produced better performances of spike traits and grain traits. Another 52 QTL for the eight traits investigated were detected on 18 chromosomes, except for chromosomes 5D, 6D, and 7B. Several genes in the genomic interval of the locus on chromosome 4B were differentially expressed in crown and inflorescence samples between Qingxinmai and line 041133. The development of the KASP marker specific for the locus on chromosome 4B is useful for molecular marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding.

Effect of gender and age on bDMARD efficacy for axial spondyloathritis patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To study the therapeutic variations of biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs(b/tsDMARDs) between genders and across age stages in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients through meta-analysis. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published by Pubmed, Scopus, and Embase before August 10, 2023, testing the efficiency of b/tsDMARDs in axSpA, were searched and systematically reviewed. The Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society ≥40% improvement (ASAS40) response was used as the primary outcome of treatment response. RESULTS: : Only one study meet the inclusion criteria was related to tsDMARD, which was excluded from further data combination. Nine studies of bDMARDs, with the involvement of 4127 patients, were included for final analysis. When compared with placebo, both males (OR = 3.14; 95%CI, 2.66-3.70) and females (2.32; 1.82-2.82), younger (4.00; 2.50-6.40) and older (2.21; 1.15-4.22) patients, presented significantly better responses to bDMARDs. Besides, the efficacies were more evident in males (1.89; 1.56-2.30) and younger patients (2.07; 1.42-3.02). Subgroup analysis revealed that gender difference in efficacy was more obvious in non-radiographic-axSpA (nr-axSpA) patients (Pheterogeneity=0.03, I2=78.1%). Moreover, males with radiographic-axSpA (r-axSpA) and nr-axSpA shared similar responses to bDMARDs (Pheterogeneity=0.87, I2=0%), while females with r-axSpA showed greater response than those with nr-axSpA (Pheterogeneity=0.005, I2=87.4%). CONCLUSIONS: BioDMARDs were efficient in all axSpA patients regardless of gender or age stage. However, the treatment responses were more evident in male and younger patients. Besides, females with r-axSpA had greater responses than those with nr-axSpA, whereas no relevant difference was observed in males, indicating that the gender difference on efficacy was larger in nr-axSpA patients.

Resistance to Powdery Mildew Is Conferred by Different Genetic Loci at the Adult-Plant and Seedling Stages in Winter Wheat Line Tianmin 668.

Winter wheat line Tianmin 668 was crossed with susceptible cultivar Jingshuang 16 to develop 216 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) for dissecting its adult-plant resistance (APR) and all-stage resistance (ASR) against powdery mildew. The RIL population was genotyped on a 16K genotyping by target sequencing single-nucleotide polymorphism array and phenotyped in six field trials and in the greenhouse. Three loci-QPmtj.caas-2BL, QPmtj.caas-2AS, and QPmtj.caas-5AL-conferring APR to powdery mildew were detected on chromosomes 2BL, 2AS, and 5AL, respectively, of Tianmin 668. The effect of resistance to powdery mildew for QPmtj.caas-2BL was greater than that of the other two loci. A Kompetitive allele-specific PCR marker specific for QPmtj.caas-2BL was developed and verified on 402 wheat cultivars or breeding lines. Results of virulence and avirulence patterns to 17 Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici isolates, bulked segregant analysis-RNA-sequencing, and a genetic linkage mapping identified a resistance allele at locus Pm4 in Tianmin 668 based on the seedling phenotypes of the RIL population. The PCR-based DNA sequence alignment and cosegregation of the functional marker with the phenotypes of the RIL population demonstrated that Pm4d was responsible for the ASR to isolate Bgt1 in Tianmin 668. The dissection of genetic loci for APR and ASR may facilitate the application of Tianmin 668 in developing powdery mildew-resistant wheat cultivars.

Hormonal Regulation and Stimulation Response of Jatropha curcas L. Homolog Overexpression on Tobacco Leaf Growth by Transcriptome Analysis.

The Flowering locus T (FT) gene encodes the florigen protein, which primarily regulates the flowering time in plants. Recent studies have shown that FT genes also significantly affect plant growth and development. The FT gene overexpression in plants promotes flowering and suppresses leaf and stem development. This study aimed to conduct a transcriptome analysis to investigate the multiple effects of Jatropha curcas L. homolog (JcFT) overexpression on leaf growth in tobacco plants. The findings revealed that JcFT overexpression affected various biological processes during leaf development, including plant hormone levels and signal transduction, lipid oxidation metabolism, terpenoid metabolism, and the jasmonic-acid-mediated signaling pathway. These results suggested that the effects of FT overexpression in plants were complex and multifaceted, and the combination of these factors might contribute to a reduction in the leaf size. This study comprehensively analyzed the effects of JcFT on leaf development at the transcriptome level and provided new insights into the function of FT and its homologous genes.

The CC-NB-LRR protein BSR1 from Brachypodium confers resistance to Barley stripe mosaic virus in gramineous plants by recognising TGB1 movement protein.

Although some nucleotide binding, leucine-rich repeat immune receptor (NLR) proteins conferring resistance to specific viruses have been identified in dicot plants, NLR proteins involved in viral resistance have not been described in monocots. We have used map-based cloning to isolate the CC-NB-LRR (CNL) Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) resistance gene barley stripe resistance 1 (BSR1) from Brachypodium distachyon Bd3-1 inbred line. Stable BSR1 transgenic Brachypodium line Bd21-3, barley (Golden Promise) and wheat (Kenong 199) plants developed resistance against BSMV ND18 strain. Allelic variation analyses indicated that BSR1 is present in several Brachypodium accessions collected from countries in the Middle East. Protein domain swaps revealed that the intact LRR domain and the C-terminus of BSR1 are required for resistance. BSR1 interacts with the BSMV ND18 TGB1 protein in planta and shows temperature-sensitive antiviral resistance. The R390 and T392 residues of TGB1ND (ND18 strain) and the G196 and K197 residues within the BSR1 P-loop motif are key amino acids required for immune activation. BSR1 is the first cloned virus resistance gene encoding a typical CNL protein in monocots, highlighting the utility of the Brachypodium model for isolation and analysis of agronomically important genes for crop improvement.

Fine mapping of powdery mildew resistance gene MlWE74 derived from wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides) in an NBS-LRR gene cluster.

KEY MESSAGE: Powdery mildew resistance gene MlWE74, originated from wild emmer wheat accession G-748-M, was mapped in an NBS-LRR gene cluster of chromosome 2BS. Wheat powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), is a globally devastating disease. Wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum var. dicoccoides) is a valuable genetic resource for improving disease resistance in common wheat. A powdery mildew resistance gene was transferred to hexaploid wheat line WE74 from wild emmer accession G-748-M. Genetic analysis revealed that the powdery mildew resistance in WE74 is controlled by a single dominant gene, herein temporarily designated MlWE74. Bulked segregant analysis (BSA) and molecular mapping delimited MlWE74 to the terminal region of chromosome 2BS flanking by markers WGGBD412 and WGGBH346 within a genetic interval of 0.25 cM and corresponding to 799.9 kb genomic region in the Zavitan reference sequence. Sequence annotation revealed two phosphoglycerate mutase-like genes, an alpha/beta-hydrolases gene, and five NBS-LRR disease resistance genes that could serve as candidates for map-based cloning of MlWE74. The geographical location analysis indicated that MlWE74 is mainly distributed in Rosh Pinna and Amirim regions, in the northern part of Israel, where environmental conditions are favorable to the occurrence of powdery mildew. Moreover, the co-segregated marker WGGBD425 is helpful in marker-assisted transfer of MlWE74 into elite cultivars.

Characterization of Pm68, a new powdery mildew resistance gene on chromosome 2BS of Greek durum wheat TRI 1796.

KEY MESSAGE: New powdery mildew resistance gene Pm68 was found in the terminal region of chromosome 2BS of Greek durum wheat TRI 1796. The co-segregated molecular markers could be used for MAS. Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum Desf.) is not only an important cereal crop for pasta making, but also a genetic resource for common wheat improvement. In the present study, a Greek durum wheat TRI 1796 was found to confer high resistance to all 22 tested isolates of Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt). Inheritance study on the F1 plants and the F2 population derived from the cross TRI 1796/PI 584832 revealed that the resistance in TRI 1796 was controlled by a single dominant gene, herein designated Pm68. Using the bulked segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq) analysis combined with molecular analysis, Pm68 was mapped to the terminal part of the short arm of chromosome 2B and flanked by markers Xdw04 and Xdw12/Xdw13 with genetic distances of 0.22 cM each. According to the reference genome of durum wheat cv. Svevo, the corresponding physical region spanned the Pm68 locus was about 1.78-Mb, in which a number of disease resistance-related genes were annotated. This study reports the new powdery mildew resistance gene Pm68 that would be a valuable resource for improvement of both common wheat and durum wheat. The co-segregated markers (Xdw05-Xdw11) developed here would be useful tools for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in breeding.

Molecular Characterization of All-Stage and Adult-Plant Resistance Loci Against Powdery Mildew in Winter Wheat Cultivar Liangxing 99 Using BSR-Seq Technology.

Winter wheat cultivar Liangxing 99, which carries gene Pm52, is resistant to powdery mildew at both seedling and adult-plant stages. An F2:6 recombinant inbred line population from cross Liangxing 99 × Zhongzuo 9504 was phenotyped with Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici isolate Bgt27 at the adult-plant stage in four field tests and the seedling stage in a greenhouse test. The analysis of bulk segregant RNA sequencing (BSR-Seq) identified a single-nucleotide polymorphism-enriched locus, Qaprpm.caas.2B, on chromosome 2BL in the same genomic interval of Pm52 associated with the all-stage resistance (ASR) and Qaprpm.caas.7A on chromosome 7AL associated with the adult-plant resistance (APR) against the disease. Qaprpm.caas.2B was detected in a 1.3 cM genetic interval between markers Xicscl726 and XicsK128 in which Pm52 was placed with a range of logarithm of odds (LOD) values from 28.1 to 34.6, and the phenotype variations explained in terms of maximum disease severity (MDS) ranged from 45 to 52%. The LOD peak of Qaprpm.caas.7A was localized in a 4.6 cM interval between markers XicsK7A8 and XicsK7A26 and explained the phenotypic variation of MDS ranging from 13 to 16%. The results of this study confirmed Pm52 for ASR and identified Qaprpm.caas.7A for APR to powdery mildew in Liangxing 99.

Atherogenic diet-diminished endothelial glycocalyx contributes to impaired vasomotor properties in rat.

Hypercholesterolemia- and atherosclerosis-caused vasomotor property dysfunction may be involved in many clinic manifestations of atherosclerosis, including angina, acute myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death. However, its underlying mechanism is not clear. The endothelial glycocalyx is a protective surface layer on the endothelial cells, serving as a molecular sieve, cell adhesion modulator, and mechanosensor for blood flow. In the present study, we demonstrated by confocal microscopy in Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats fed a 12-wk high-cholesterol diet (HC) compared with the normal diet (NC) that the dimension of the endothelial glycocalyx reduced significantly in both the common carotid artery (2.89 ± 0.41 µm and 3.25 ± 0.44 µm, respectively) and the internal sinus region (2.35 ± 0.07 µm and 3.46 ± 0.86 µm, respectively). Furthermore, we showed by real-time PCR that this dimension modification of endothelial glycocalyx may be attributed to a significant downregulation of heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG)-related genes, including syndecan-3, glypican-1, and EXT1, not resulting from an enhanced shedding of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs) from the vessel wall to the plasma. Meanwhile, the mean contraction and relaxation forces of the common carotid artery with responses to norepinephrine (NE) and acetylcholine (ACh) decreased ~0.34- and 0.13-fold, respectively, accompanied by a lower level of nitric oxide (NO) release. These findings suggest that the atherogenic high cholesterol diet diminished endothelial glycocalyx and disturbed the local NO release, thus contributing to the impaired vasomotor properties of the vessel.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Twelve-week high-cholesterol (HC) diet reduces the thickness of the endothelial glycocalyx in Sprague-Dawley (SD) male rats, which is mainly attributed to a downregulation of heparan sulfate proteoglycan-related genes (syndecan-3, glypican-1, EXT1), not resulting from an enhanced shedding of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (sGAGs) into the plasma. HC-diminished glycocalyx may disturb its mechanotransduction of local shear stress, lower nitric oxide (NO) release, and impair vasomotor responses to norepinephrine (NE) and acetylcholine (ACh).

A CNL protein in wild emmer wheat confers powdery mildew resistance.

Powdery mildew, a fungal disease caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), has a serious impact on wheat production. Loss of resistance in cultivars prompts a continuing search for new sources of resistance. Wild emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides, WEW), the progenitor of both modern tetraploid and hexaploid wheats, harbors many powdery mildew resistance genes. We report here the positional cloning and functional characterization of Pm41, a powdery mildew resistance gene derived from WEW, which encodes a coiled-coil, nucleotide-binding site and leucine-rich repeat protein (CNL). Mutagenesis and stable genetic transformation confirmed the function of Pm41 against Bgt infection in wheat. We demonstrated that Pm41 was present at a very low frequency (1.81%) only in southern WEW populations. It was absent in other WEW populations, domesticated emmer, durum, and common wheat, suggesting that the ancestral Pm41 was restricted to its place of origin and was not incorporated into domesticated wheat. Our findings emphasize the importance of conservation and exploitation of the primary WEW gene pool, as a valuable resource for discovery of resistance genes for improvement of modern wheat cultivars.

A rare single nucleotide variant in Pm5e confers powdery mildew resistance in common wheat.

Powdery mildew poses severe threats to wheat production. The most sustainable way to control this disease is through planting resistant cultivars. We report the map-based cloning of the powdery mildew resistance allele Pm5e from a Chinese wheat landrace. We applied a two-step bulked segregant RNA sequencing (BSR-Seq) approach in developing tightly linked or co-segregating markers to Pm5e. The first BSR-Seq used phenotypically contrasting bulks of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) to identify Pm5e-linked markers. The second BSR-Seq utilized bulks of genetic recombinants screened from a fine-mapping population to precisely quantify the associated genomic variation in the mapping interval, and identified the Pm5e candidate genes. The function of Pm5e was validated by transgenic assay, loss-of-function mutants and haplotype association analysis. Pm5e encodes a nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich-repeat-containing (NLR) protein. A rare nonsynonymous single nucleotide variant (SNV) within the C-terminal leucine rich repeat (LRR) domain is responsible for the gain of powdery mildew resistance function of Pm5e, an allele endemic to wheat landraces of Shaanxi province of China. Results from this study demonstrate the value of landraces in discovering useful genes for modern wheat breeding. The key SNV associated with powdery mildew resistance will be useful for marker-assisted selection of Pm5e in wheat breeding programs.

Identification and fine mapping of spot blotch (Bipolaris sorokiniana) resistance gene Sb4 in wheat.

KEY MESSAGE: A new spot blotch (Bipolaris sorokiniana) resistance gene Sb4 was mapped in a genomic interval of 1.34 Mb on wheat chromosome 4BL. Spot blotch, caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana, has emerged as a serious concern for cultivation of wheat in warmer and humid regions of the world, which results in substantial yield losses and descends with quality. In this study, we identified and mapped a spot blotch resistance gene, designated as Sb4, against B. sorokiniana in wheat. Bulked segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq) analysis and single-nucleotide polymorphism mapping showed that Sb4 is located on the long arm of chromosome 4B. A genetic linkage map of Sb4 was constructed using an F4 mapping population developed from the cross between 'GY17' and 'Zhongyu1211,' and Sb4 was delimited in a 7.14-cM genetic region on 4BL between markers B6811 and B6901. Using the Chinese Spring reference sequences of chromosome arm 4BL, 13 new polymorphic markers were developed. Finally, Sb4 was mapped in a 1.19-cM genetic interval corresponding to a 1.34-Mb physical genomic region of Chinese Spring chromosome 4BL containing 21 predicted genes. This study provides a foundational step for further cloning of Sb4 using a map-based approach.

Identification of a Recessive Gene PmQ Conferring Resistance to Powdery Mildew in Wheat Landrace Qingxinmai Using BSR-Seq Analysis.

Wheat powdery mildew is caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), a biotrophic fungal species. It is very important to mine new powdery mildew (Pm) resistance genes for developing resistant wheat cultivars to reduce the deleterious effects of the disease. This study was carried out to characterize the Pm gene in Qingxinmai, a winter wheat landrace from Xinjiang, China. Qingxinmai is resistant to many Bgt isolates collected from different wheat fields in China. F1, F2, and F2:3 generations of the cross between Qingxinmai and powdery mildew susceptible line 041133 were developed. It was confirmed that a single recessive gene, PmQ, conferred the seedling resistance to a Bgt isolate in Qingxinmai. Bulked segregant analysis-RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq) was performed on the bulked homozygous resistant and susceptible F2:3 families, which detected 57 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants that were enriched in a 40 Mb genomic interval on chromosome arm 2BL. Based on the flanking sequences of the candidate SNPs extracted from the Chinese Spring reference genome, 485 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were designed. Six polymorphic SSR markers, together with nine markers that were anchored on chromosome arm 2BL, were used to construct a genetic linkage map for PmQ. This gene was placed in a 1.4 cM genetic interval between markers Xicsq405 and WGGBH913 corresponding to 4.9 Mb physical region in the Chinese Spring reference genome. PmQ differed from most of the other Pm genes identified on chromosome arm 2BL based on its position and/or origin. However, this gene and Pm63 from an Iranian common wheat landrace were located in a similar genomic region, so they may be allelic.

Molecular characterization of a novel TaGL3-5A allele and its association with grain length in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

KEY MESSAGE: We isolated a novel allele associated with grain length and grain weight in wheat, TaGL3-5A-G. The TaGL3-5A-G allele frequency is low in wheat, so it has potential for breeding. Selection of large-grain wheat showing big grain sink potential and strong sink activity is becoming an important objective in breeding programs. Here, we cloned a wheat TaGL3-5A gene that was orthologous to rice GL3 and was phylogenetically clustered with both monocot PPKL1 and its expression pattern was similar to grain size change at early and middle stages of seed development. The isolated TaGL3-5A genomic sequence was 10,227 bp long and included 21 exons and 20 introns. Alignment of the TaGL3-5A sequences in Beinong 6 and Yanda 1817 showed a G/A substitution in the 11th exon (position 5946) that would lead to an amino acid change (Met/Ile). Subsequently, a KASP marker was designed based on this SNP. Genotyping of RILs showed that TaGL3-5A was located on the wheat 5AL chromosome and was colocated with a significant grain length QTL in three independent environments and mean value. Association analysis revealed that the TaGL3-5A-G allele was significantly correlated with longer grains and higher thousand-kernel weight. Haplotype association analysis indicated that TaGL3-5A-G could enhance grain traits in combination with TaGS5-3A and TaGW2-6B. The frequency of TaGL3-5A-G was higher in modern cultivars than in landraces but was still low in major Chinese wheat production areas. Additionally, the frequency of the TaGL3-5A-G allele in hexaploid wheat was slightly lower than in Triticum dicoccoides and much lower than in Triticum turgidum. Hence, T. dicoccoides and T. turgidum represent valuable resources for transferring the TaGL3-5A-G allele into common wheat, which should lead to longer grain length.

Cloning, characterization of TaGS3 and identification of allelic variation associated with kernel traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

BACKGROUND: Grain weight is an important yield component. Selection of advanced lines with heavy grains show high grain sink potentials and strong sink activity, which is an increasingly important objective in wheat breeding programs. Rice OsGS3 has been identified as a major quantitative trait locus for both grain weight and grain size. However, allelic variation of GS3 has not been characterized previously in hexaploid wheat. RESULTS: We cloned 2445, 2393, and 2409 bp sequences of the homologs TaGS3-4A, TaGS3-7A, and TaGS3-7D in wheat 'Changzhi 6406', a cultivar that shows high grain weight. The TaGS3 genes each contained five exons and four introns, and encoded a deduced protein of 170, 169, and 169 amino acids, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of plant GS3 protein sequences revealed GS3 to be a monocotyledon-specific gene and the GS3 proteins were resolved into three classes. The length of the atypical Gγ domain and the cysteine-rich region was conserved within each class and not conserved between classes. A single-nucleotide polymorphism in the fifth exon (at position 1907) of TaGS3-7A leads to an amino acid change (ALA/THR) and showed different frequencies in two pools of Chinese wheat accessions representing extremes in grain weight. Association analysis indicated that the TaGS3-7A-A allele was associated with higher grain weight in the natural population. The TaGS3-7A-A allele was favoured in global modern wheat cultivars but the allelic frequency varied among different wheat-production regions of China, which indicated that this allele is of potential utility to improve wheat grain weight in certain wheat-production areas of China. CONCLUSIONS: The novel molecular information on wheat GS3 homologs and the KASP functional marker designed in this study may be useful in marker-assisted breeding for genetic improvement of wheat.

Cancer Cell Glycocalyx and Its Significance in Cancer Progression.

Cancer is a malignant tumor that threatens the health of human beings, and has become the leading cause of death in urban and rural residents in China. The glycocalyx is a layer of multifunctional glycans that covers the surfaces of a variety of cells, including vascular endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, stem cells, epithelial, osteocytes, as well as cancer cells. The glycosylation and syndecan of cancer cell glycocalyx are unique. However, heparan sulfate (HS), hyaluronic acid (HA), and syndecan are all closely associated with the processes of cancer progression, including cell migration and metastasis, tumor cell adhesion, tumorigenesis, and tumor growth. The possible underlying mechanisms may be the interruption of its barrier function, its radical role in growth factor storage, signaling, and mechanotransduction. In the later sections, we discuss glycocalyx targeting therapeutic approaches reported in animal and clinical experiments. The study concludes that cancer cells' glycocalyx and its role in cancer progression are beginning to be known by more groups, and future studies should pay more attention to its mechanotransduction of interstitial flow-induced shear stress, seeking promising therapeutic targets with less toxicity but more specificity.

Mapping stripe rust resistance gene YrZH22 in Chinese wheat cultivar Zhoumai 22 by bulked segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq) and comparative genomics analyses.

KEY MESSAGE: A stripe rust resistance gene YrZH22 was mapped by combined BSR-Seq and comparative genomics analyses to a 5.92 centimorgan (cM) genetic interval spanning a 4 Mb physical genomic region on wheat chromosome 4BL1. Stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (PST), is one of the most destructive diseases of wheat and severely threatens wheat production worldwide. The widely grown Chinese wheat cultivar Zhoumai 22 is highly resistant to the current prevailing PST race CYR34 (V26). Genetic analysis of F5:6 and F6:7 recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations indicated that adult-plant stripe rust resistance in Zhoumai 22 is controlled by a single gene, temporarily designated YrZH22. By applying bulked segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq), 7 SNP markers were developed and SNP mapping showed that YrZH22 is located between markers WGGB105 and WGGB112 on chromosome arm 4BL. The corresponding genomic regions of the Chinese Spring 4BL genome assembly and physical map of Aegilops tauschii 4DL were selected for comparative genomics analyses to develop nine new polymorphic markers that were used to construct a high-resolution genetic linkage map of YrZH22. YrZH22 was delimited in a 5.92 cM genetic interval between markers WGGB133 and WGGB146, corresponding to 4.1 Mb genomic interval in Chinese Spring 4BL and a 2.2 Mb orthologous genomic region in Ae. tauschii 4DL. The genetic linkage map of YrZH22 will be valuable for fine mapping and positional cloning of YrZH22, and can be used for marker-assisted selection in wheat breeding.

Factors associated with syphilis treatment failure and reinfection: a longitudinal cohort study in Shenzhen, China.

BACKGROUND: The treatment failure and reinfection rates among syphilis patients are high, and relevant studies in China are limited. The aim of this study was to detect the rates of treatment failure and reinfection after syphilis treatment and to explore the potential associated factors. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal cohort study in a sexually transmitted disease clinic, the Department of Dermatology and Venereology in Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control. Serological testing was performed at baseline and throughout the 2-year follow-up for syphilis patients. To identify potential predictors of treatment outcomes, multivariate logistics analyses were utilized to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with serological failure/reinfection to those with serological cure/serofast. RESULTS: From June 2011 to June 2016, a total of 1133 patients were screened for syphilis. Among the 770 patients who completed the 2-year follow-up, 510 first-diagnosed patients were included in the final analysis. Multivariate logistics analysis revealed the stage of syphilis (secondary syphilis VS. primary syphilis: adjusted odds ratio, 3.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-15.47; p = 0.04), HIV status (positive VS. negative: adjusted odds ratio, 3.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-8.04; p = 0.02) and frequency of condom use (always use VS. never use: adjusted odds ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval 0.08-0.75; p = 0.02) were significantly associated with the serological outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical implications of our findings suggest that it is very important to perform regular clinical and serologic evaluations after treatment. Health counseling and safety education on sex activity should be intensified among HIV-infected patients and secondary syphilis patients after treatment.