Heritable changes of epialleles near genes in maize can be triggered in the absence of CHH methylation.

Trans-chromosomal interactions resulting in changes in DNA methylation during hybridization have been observed in several plant species. However, little is known about the causes or consequences of these interactions. Here, we compared DNA methylomes of F1 hybrids that are mutant for a small RNA biogenesis gene, Mop1 (Mediator of paramutation1), with that of their parents, wild-type siblings, and backcrossed progeny in maize (Zea mays). Our data show that hybridization triggers global changes in both trans-chromosomal methylation (TCM) and trans-chromosomal demethylation (TCdM), most of which involved changes in CHH methylation. In more than 60% of these TCM differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in which small RNAs are available, no significant changes in the quantity of small RNAs were observed. Methylation at the CHH TCM DMRs was largely lost in the mop1 mutant, although the effects of this mutant varied depending on the location of these DMRs. Interestingly, an increase in CHH at TCM DMRs was associated with enhanced expression of a subset of highly expressed genes and suppressed expression of a small number of lowly expressed genes. Examination of the methylation levels in backcrossed plants demonstrates that both TCM and TCdM can be maintained in the subsequent generation, but that TCdM is more stable than TCM. Surprisingly, although increased CHH methylation in most TCM DMRs in F1 plants required Mop1, initiation of a new epigenetic state of these DMRs did not require a functional copy of this gene, suggesting that initiation of these changes is independent of RNA-directed DNA methylation.

Tandemly duplicated MYB genes are functionally diverged in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in soybean.

Gene duplications have long been recognized as a driving force in the evolution of genes, giving rise to novel functions. The soybean (Glycine max) genome is characterized by a large number of duplicated genes. However, the extent and mechanisms of functional divergence among these duplicated genes in soybean remain poorly understood. In this study, we revealed that 4 MYB genes (GmMYBA5, GmMYBA2, GmMYBA1, and Glyma.09g235000)-presumably generated by tandem duplication specifically in the Phaseoleae lineage-exhibited a stronger purifying selection in soybean compared to common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). To gain insights into the diverse functions of these tandemly duplicated MYB genes in anthocyanin biosynthesis, we examined the expression, transcriptional activity, induced metabolites, and evolutionary history of these 4 MYB genes. Our data revealed that Glyma.09g235000 is a pseudogene, while the remaining 3 MYB genes exhibit strong transcriptional activation activity, promoting anthocyanin biosynthesis in different soybean tissues. GmMYBA5, GmMYBA2, and GmMYBA1 induced anthocyanin accumulation by upregulating the expression of anthocyanin pathway-related genes. Notably, GmMYBA5 showed a lower capacity for gene induction compared to GmMYBA2 and GmMYBA1. Metabolomics analysis further demonstrated that GmMYBA5 induced distinct anthocyanin accumulation in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and soybean hairy roots compared to GmMYBA2 and GmMYBA1, suggesting their functional divergence leading to the accumulation of different metabolites accumulation following gene duplication. Together, our data provide evidence of functional divergence within the MYB gene cluster following tandem duplication, which sheds light on the potential evolutionary directions of gene duplications during legume evolution.

Conserved noncoding sequences and de novo Mutator insertion alleles are imprinted in maize.

Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon in which differential allele expression occurs in a parent-of-origin-dependent manner. Imprinting in plants is tightly linked to transposable elements (TEs), and it has been hypothesized that genomic imprinting may be a consequence of demethylation of TEs. Here, we performed high-throughput sequencing of ribonucleic acids from four maize (Zea mays) endosperms that segregated newly silenced Mutator (Mu) transposons and identified 110 paternally expressed imprinted genes (PEGs) and 139 maternally expressed imprinted genes (MEGs). Additionally, two potentially novel paternally suppressed MEGs are associated with de novo Mu insertions. In addition, we find evidence for parent-of-origin effects on expression of 407 conserved noncoding sequences (CNSs) in maize endosperm. The imprinted CNSs are largely localized within genic regions and near genes, but the imprinting status of the CNSs are largely independent of their associated genes. Both imprinted CNSs and PEGs have been subject to relaxed selection. However, our data suggest that although MEGs were already subject to a higher mutation rate prior to their being imprinted, imprinting may be the cause of the relaxed selection of PEGs. In addition, although DNA methylation is lower in the maternal alleles of both the maternally and paternally expressed CNSs (mat and pat CNSs), the difference between the two alleles in H3K27me3 levels was only observed in pat CNSs. Together, our findings point to the importance of both transposons and CNSs in genomic imprinting in maize.

Identification and molecular mapping of a major gene conferring resistance to Phytophthora sansomeana in soybean 'Colfax'.

KEY MESSAGE: The first single dominant resistance gene contributing major resistance to the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora sansomeana was identified and mapped from soybean 'Colfax'. Phytophthora root rot (PRR) is one of the most important diseases in soybean (Glycine max). PRR is well known to be caused by Phytophthora sojae, but recent studies showed that P. sansomeana also causes extensive root rot of soybean. Depending upon the isolate, it might produce aggressive symptoms, especially in seeds and seedlings. Unlike P. sojae which can be effectively managed by Rps genes, no known major resistance genes have yet been reported for P. sansomeana. Our previous study screened 470 soybean germplasm lines for resistance to P. sansomeana and found that soybean 'Colfax' (PI 573008) carries major resistance to the pathogen. In this study, we crossed 'Colfax' with a susceptible parent, 'Senaki', and developed three mapping populations with a total of 234 F2:3 families. Inheritance pattern analysis indicated a 1:2:1 ratio for resistant: segregating: susceptible lines among all the three populations, indicating a single dominant gene conferring the resistance in 'Colfax' (designated as Rpsan1). Linkage analysis using extreme phenotypes anchored Rpsan1 to a 30 Mb region on chromosome 3. By selecting nine polymorphic SNP markers within the region, Rpsan1 was genetically delimited into a 21.3 cM region between Gm03_4487138_A_C and Gm03_5451606_A_C, which corresponds to a 1.06 Mb genomic region containing nine NBS-LRR genes based on Gmax2.0 assembly. The mapping results were then validated using two breeding populations derived from 'E12076T-03' × 'Colfax' and 'E16099' × 'Colfax'. Marker-assisted resistance spectrum analyses with 9 additional isolates of P. sansomeana indicated that Rpsan1 may be effective towards a broader range of P. sansomeana isolates and has strong merit in protecting soybean to this pathogen in the future.

The mop1 mutation affects the recombination landscape in maize.

Meiotic recombination is a fundamental process that generates genetic diversity and ensures the accurate segregation of homologous chromosomes. While a great deal is known about genetic factors that regulate recombination, relatively little is known about epigenetic factors, such as DNA methylation. In maize, we examined the effects on meiotic recombination of a mutation in a component of the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway, Mop1 (Mediator of paramutation1), as well as a mutation in a component of the trans-acting small interference RNA biogenesis pathway, Lbl1 (Leafbladeless1). MOP1 is of particular interest with respect to recombination because it is responsible for methylation of transposable elements that are immediately adjacent to transcriptionally active genes. In the mop1 mutant, we found that meiotic recombination is uniformly decreased in pericentromeric regions but is generally increased in gene rich chromosomal arms. This observation was further confirmed by cytogenetic analysis showing that although overall crossover numbers are unchanged, they occur more frequently in chromosomal arms in mop1 mutants. Using whole genome bisulfite sequencing, our data show that crossover redistribution is driven by loss of CHH (where H = A, T, or C) methylation within regions near genes. In contrast to what we observed in mop1 mutants, no significant changes were observed in the frequency of meiotic recombination in lbl1 mutants. Our data demonstrate that CHH methylation has a significant impact on the overall recombination landscape in maize despite its low frequency relative to CG and CHG methylation.

Transcriptome analysis reveals a lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in OsRpp30-mediated disease resistance in rice.

BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in various biological processes in plants. Extensive studies utilizing high-throughput RNA sequencing have revealed that many lncRNAs are involved in plant disease resistance. Oryza sativa RNase P protein 30 (OsRpp30) has been identified as a positive regulator of rice immunity against fungal and bacterial pathogens. Nevertheless, the specific functions of lncRNAs in relation to OsRpp30-mediated disease resistance in rice remain elusive. RESULTS: We conducted a comprehensive analysis of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs expression patterns in wild type (WT), OsRpp30 overexpression (OsRpp30-OE), and OsRpp30 knockout (OsRpp30-KO) rice plants. In total, we identified 91 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), 1671 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), and 41 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) across the different rice lines. To gain further insights, we investigated the interaction between DElncRNAs and DEmRNAs, leading to the discovery of 10 trans- and 27 cis-targeting pairs specific to the OsRpp30-OE and OsRpp30-KO samples. In addition, we constructed a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network comprising differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs to elucidate their intricate interplay in rice disease resistance. The ceRNA network analysis uncovered a set of gene targets regulated by lncRNAs and miRNAs, which were found to be involved in pathogen recognition, hormone pathways, transcription factor activation, and other biological processes related to plant immunity. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides a comprehensive expression profiling of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs in a collection of defense mutants in rice. To decipher the putative functional significance of lncRNAs, we constructed trans- and cis-targeting networks involving differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs, as well as a ceRNA network incorporating differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs. Together, the findings from this study provide compelling evidence supporting the pivotal roles of lncRNAs in OsRpp30-mediated disease resistance in rice.

The Heterogeneity in the Landscape of Gene Dominance in Maize is Accompanied by Unique Chromatin Environments.

Subgenome dominance after whole-genome duplication (WGD) has been observed in many plant species. However, the degree to which the chromatin environment affects this bias has not been explored. Here, we compared the dominant subgenome (maize1) and the recessive subgenome (maize2) with respect to patterns of sequence substitutions, genes expression, transposable element accumulation, small interfering RNAs, DNA methylation, histone modifications, and accessible chromatin regions (ACRs). Our data show that the degree of bias between subgenomes for all the measured variables does not vary significantly when both of the WGD genes are located in pericentromeric regions. Our data further indicate that the location of maize1 genes in chromosomal arms is pivotal for maize1 to maintain its dominance, but location has a less effect on maize2 homoeologs. In addition to homoeologous genes, we compared ACRs, which often harbor cis-regulatory elements, between the two subgenomes and demonstrate that maize1 ACRs have a higher level of chromatin accessibility, a lower level of sequence substitution, and are enriched in chromosomal arms. Furthermore, we find that a loss of maize1 ACRs near their nearby genes is associated with a reduction in purifying selection and expression of maize1 genes relative to their maize2 homoeologs. Taken together, our data suggest that chromatin environment and cis-regulatory elements are important determinants shaping the divergence and evolution of duplicated genes.

Analysis of CACTA transposase genes unveils the mechanism of intron loss and distinct small RNA silencing pathways underlying divergent evolution of Brassica genomes.

In comparison with retrotransposons, DNA transposons make up a smaller proportion of most plant genomes. However, these elements are often proximal to genes to affect gene expression depending on the activity of the transposons, which is largely reflected by the activity of the transposase genes. Here, we show that three AT-rich introns were retained in the TNP2-like transposase genes of the Bot1 (Brassica oleracea transposon 1) CACTA transposable elements in Brassica oleracea, but were lost in the majority of the Bot1 elements in Brassica rapa. A recent burst of transposition of Bot1 was observed in B. oleracea, but not in B. rapa. This burst of transposition is likely related to the activity of the TNP2-like transposase genes as the expression values of the transposase genes were higher in B. oleracea than in B. rapa. In addition, distinct populations of small RNAs (21, 22 and 24 nt) were detected from the Bot1 elements in B. oleracea, but the vast majority of the small RNAs from the Bot1 elements in B. rapa are 24 nt in length. We hypothesize that the different activity of the TNP2-like transposase genes is likely associated with the three introns, and intron loss is likely reverse transcriptase mediated. Furthermore, we propose that the Bot1 family is currently undergoing silencing in B. oleracea, but has already been silenced in B. rapa. Taken together, our data provide new insights into the differentiation of transposons and their role in the asymmetric evolution of these two closely related Brassica species.

Transposable elements employ distinct integration strategies with respect to transcriptional landscapes in eukaryotic genomes.

Transposable elements (TEs) are ubiquitous DNA segments capable of moving from one site to another within host genomes. The extant distributions of TEs in eukaryotic genomes have been shaped by both bona fide TE integration preferences in eukaryotic genomes and by selection following integration. Here, we compare TE target site distribution in host genomes using multiple de novo transposon insertion datasets in both plants and animals and compare them in the context of genome-wide transcriptional landscapes. We showcase two distinct types of transcription-associated TE targeting strategies that suggest a process of convergent evolution among eukaryotic TE families. The integration of two precision-targeting elements are specifically associated with initiation of RNA Polymerase II transcription of highly expressed genes, suggesting the existence of novel mechanisms of precision TE targeting in addition to passive targeting of open chromatin. We also highlight two features that can facilitate TE survival and rapid proliferation: tissue-specific transposition and minimization of negative impacts on nearby gene function due to precision targeting.

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles loaded with fluorescent coumarin-5-fluorouracil conjugates as mitochondrial-targeting theranostic probes for tumor cells.

In this study, a nanodrug carrier (mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN)-SS-cysteamine hydrochloride (CS)-hyaluronic acid (HA)) for targeted drug delivery was prepared using MSNs, in which HA was used as a targeting ligand and blocking agent to control drug release. Coumarin is a fluorescent molecule that targets mitochondria. Two conjugates (XDS-DJ and 5-FUA-4C-XDS) were synthesized by chemically coupling nitrogen mustard and 5-fluorouracil with coumarin, which was further loaded into MSN-SS-CS-HA nanocarriers. MTT analysis demonstrated that the nanocomposite MSN-SS-CS@5-FUA-4C-XDS/HA displayed stronger cytotoxicity toward HCT-116 cells than HeLa or QSG-7701 cells. Furthermore, MSN-SS-CS@5-FUA-4C-XDS/HA was able to target the mitochondria of HCT-116 cells, causing decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and excessive production of reactive oxygen species. These results indicate that MSN-SS-CS@5-FUA-4C-XDS/HA has the potential to be a nanodrug delivery system for the treatment of colon cancer.

Patterns and Consequences of Subgenome Differentiation Provide Insights into the Nature of Paleopolyploidy in Plants.

Polyploidy is an important feature of plant genomes, but the nature of many polyploidization events remains to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that the evolutionary fates of the subgenomes in maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max) have followed different trajectories. One subgenome has been subject to relaxed selection, lower levels of gene expression, higher rates of transposable element accumulation, more small interfering RNAs and DNA methylation around genes, and higher rates of gene loss in maize, whereas none of these features were observed in soybean. Nevertheless, individual gene pairs exhibit differentiation with respect to these features in both species. In addition, we observed a higher number of chromosomal rearrangements and higher frequency of retention of duplicated genes in soybean than in maize. Furthermore, soybean "singletons" were found to be more frequently tandemly duplicated than "duplicates" in soybean, which may, to some extent, counteract the genome imbalance caused by gene loss. We propose that unlike in maize, in which two subgenomes were distinct prior to the allotetraploidization event and thus experienced global differences in selective constraints, in soybean, the two subgenomes were far less distinct prior to polyploidization, such that individual gene pairs, rather than subgenomes, experienced stochastic differences over longer periods of time, resulting in retention of the majority of duplicates.

Plasticity and innovation of regulatory mechanisms underlying seed oil content mediated by duplicated genes in the palaeopolyploid soybean.

Many plants have undergone whole genome duplication (WGD). However, how regulatory networks underlying a particular trait are reshaped in polyploids has not been experimentally investigated. Here we show that the regulatory pathways modulating seed oil content, which involve WRINKLED1 (WRI1), LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1), and LEC2 in Arabidopsis, have been modified in the palaeopolyploid soybean. Such modifications include functional reduction of GmWRI1b of the GmWRI1a/GmWRI1b homoeologous pair relevant to WRI1, complementary non-allelic dosage effects of the GmLEC1a/GmLEC1b homoeologous pair relevant to LEC1, pseudogenization of the singleton GmLEC2 relevant to LEC2, and the rise of the LEC2-like function of GmABI3b, contrasting to its homoeolog GmABI3a, which maintains the ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE 3 (ABI3)-like function in modulating seed maturation and dormancy. The function of GmABI3b in modulating seed oil biosynthesis was fulfilled by direct binding to a RY (CATGCA) cis-regulatory element in the GmWRI1a promoter, which was absent in the GmWRI1b promoter, resulting in reduction of the GmWRI1b expression. Nevertheless, the three regulators each exhibited similar intensities of purifying selection to their respective duplicates since these pairs were formed by a WGD event that is proposed to have occurred approximately 13 million years ago (mya), suggesting that the differentiation in spatiotemporal expression between the duplicated genes is more likely to be the outcome of neutral variation in regulatory sequences. This study thus exemplifies the plasticity, dynamics, and novelty of regulatory networks mediated by WGD.

Evolutionary patterns and coevolutionary consequences of MIRNA genes and microRNA targets triggered by multiple mechanisms of genomic duplications in soybean.

The evolutionary dynamics of duplicated protein-encoding genes (PEGs) is well documented. However, the evolutionary patterns and consequences of duplicated MIRNAs and the potential influence on the evolution of their PEG targets are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate the evolution of plant MIRNAs subsequent to a recent whole-genome duplication. Overall, the retention of MIRNA duplicates was correlated to the retention of adjacent PEG duplicates, and the retained MIRNA duplicates exhibited a higher level of interspecific preservation of orthologs than singletons, suggesting that the retention of MIRNA duplicates is related to their functional constraints and local genomic stability. Nevertheless, duplication status, rather than local genic collinearity, was the primary determinant of levels of nucleotide divergence of MIRNAs. In addition, the retention of duplicated MIRNAs appears to be associated with the retention of their corresponding duplicated PEG targets. Furthermore, we characterized the evolutionary novelty of a legume-specific microRNA (miRNA) family, which resulted from rounds of genomic duplication, and consequent dynamic evolution of its NB-LRR targets, an important gene family with primary roles in plant-pathogen interactions. Together, these observations depict evolutionary patterns and novelty of MIRNAs in the context of genomic duplication and evolutionary interplay between MIRNAs and their PEG targets mediated by miRNAs.

Dt2 is a gain-of-function MADS-domain factor gene that specifies semideterminacy in soybean.

Similar to Arabidopsis thaliana, the wild soybeans (Glycine soja) and many cultivars exhibit indeterminate stem growth specified by the shoot identity gene Dt1, the functional counterpart of Arabidopsis TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1). Mutations in TFL1 and Dt1 both result in the shoot apical meristem (SAM) switching from vegetative to reproductive state to initiate terminal flowering and thus produce determinate stems. A second soybean gene (Dt2) regulating stem growth was identified, which, in the presence of Dt1, produces semideterminate plants with terminal racemes similar to those observed in determinate plants. Here, we report positional cloning and characterization of Dt2, a dominant MADS domain factor gene classified into the APETALA1/SQUAMOSA (AP1/SQUA) subfamily that includes floral meristem (FM) identity genes AP1, FUL, and CAL in Arabidopsis. Unlike AP1, whose expression is limited to FMs in which the expression of TFL1 is repressed, Dt2 appears to repress the expression of Dt1 in the SAMs to promote early conversion of the SAMs into reproductive inflorescences. Given that Dt2 is not the gene most closely related to AP1 and that semideterminacy is rarely seen in wild soybeans, Dt2 appears to be a recent gain-of-function mutation, which has modified the genetic pathways determining the stem growth habit in soybean.

Gradient Coating of Polydopamine via CDR.

Surfaces with gradient properties are of central importance for a number of chemical and biological processes. Here, we report rapid generation of a polydopamine (PDA) gradient on hydrophobic surfaces by a simple, low cost, and general technology, cyclic draining-replenishing (CDR). Due to the unique surface chemistry of PDA, it enables continuous and precise control of surface wettability and subsequent deposition of organic and inorganic compounds. Using kanamycin as a model compound, we show that the gradient PDA membrane potentially can be used to prepare minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test strips for quantifying resistance of antimicrobial agents from microorganisms. Because CDR is experimentally simple, scalable, fast, and does not require specialized reagents or instruments, we envision this platform can be easily adopted to create a variety of functional surfaces.

Fine mapping and candidate gene analysis of two loci conferring resistance to Phytophthora sojae in soybean.

KEY MESSAGE: RpsUN1 and RpsUN2 were fine mapped to two genomic regions harboring disease resistance-like genes. The haplotypes and instability of the regions and candidate genes for the two resistance loci were characterized. Phytophthora root and stem rot caused by Phytophthora sojae, is one of the most destructive diseases of soybean. Deploying soybean cultivars carrying race-specific resistance conferred by Rps genes is the most practical approach to managing this disease. Previously, two Rps genes, RpsUN1 and RpsUN2 were identified in a landrace PI 567139B and mapped to a 6.5 cM region on chromosome 3 and a 3.0 cM region on chromosome 16, corresponding to 1387 and 423 kb of the soybean reference genome sequences. By analyzing recombinants defined by genotypic and phenotypic screening of the 826 F2:3 families derived from two reciprocal crosses between the two parental lines, RpsUN1 and RpsUN2, were further narrowed to a 151 kb region that harbors five genes including three disease resistance (R)-like genes, and a 36 kb region that contains four genes including five R-like genes, respectively, according to the reference genome. Expressional changes of these nine genes before and after inoculation with the pathogen, as revealed by RNA-seq, suggest that Glyma.03g034600 in the RpsUN1 region and Glyma.16g215200 and Glyma.16g214900 in the RpsUN2 region of PI 567139B may be associated with the resistance to P. sojae. It is also suggested that unequal recombination between/among R-like genes may have occurred, resulting in the formation of two recombinants with inconsistent genotypic and phenotypic observations. The haplotype variation of genomic regions where RpsUN1 and RpsUN2 reside in the entire soybean germplasm deposited in the US soybean germplasm collection suggests that RpsUN1 and RpsUN2 are most likely novel genes.

Parametric and energy consumption optimization of Basic Red 2 removal by electrocoagulation/egg shell adsorption coupling using response surface methodology in a batch system.

In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) model was applied for optimization of Basic Red 2 (BR2) removal using electrocoagulation/eggshell (ES) coupling process in a batch system. Central composite design was used to evaluate the effects and interactions of process parameters including current density, reaction time, initial pH and ES dosage on the BR2 removal efficiency and energy consumption. The analysis of variance revealed high R(2) values (≥85%) indicating that the predictions of RSM models are adequately applicable for both responses. The optimum conditions when the dye removal efficiency of 93.18% and energy consumption of 0.840 kWh/kg were observed were 11.40 mA/cm(2) current density, 5 min and 3 s reaction time, 6.5 initial pH and 10.91 g/L ES dosage.

Pericentromeric effects shape the patterns of divergence, retention, and expression of duplicated genes in the paleopolyploid soybean.

The evolutionary forces that govern the divergence and retention of duplicated genes in polyploids are poorly understood. In this study, we first investigated the rates of nonsynonymous substitution (Ka) and the rates of synonymous substitution (Ks) for a nearly complete set of genes in the paleopolyploid soybean (Glycine max) by comparing the orthologs between soybean and its progenitor species Glycine soja and then compared the patterns of gene divergence and expression between pericentromeric regions and chromosomal arms in different gene categories. Our results reveal strong associations between duplication status and Ka and gene expression levels and overall low Ks and low levels of gene expression in pericentromeric regions. It is theorized that deleterious mutations can easily accumulate in recombination-suppressed regions, because of Hill-Robertson effects. Intriguingly, the genes in pericentromeric regions-the cold spots for meiotic recombination in soybean-showed significantly lower Ka and higher levels of expression than their homoeologs in chromosomal arms. This asymmetric evolution of two members of individual whole genome duplication (WGD)-derived gene pairs, echoing the biased accumulation of singletons in pericentromeric regions, suggests that distinct genomic features between the two distinct chromatin types are important determinants shaping the patterns of divergence and retention of WGD-derived genes.

Genome-wide characterization of nonreference transposons reveals evolutionary propensities of transposons in soybean.

Preferential accumulation of transposable elements (TEs), particularly long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs), in recombination-suppressed pericentromeric regions seems to be a general pattern of TE distribution in flowering plants. However, whether such a pattern was formed primarily by preferential TE insertions into pericentromeric regions or by selection against TE insertions into euchromatin remains obscure. We recently investigated TE insertions in 31 resequenced wild and cultivated soybean (Glycine max) genomes and detected 34,154 unique nonreference TE insertions mappable to the reference genome. Our data revealed consistent distribution patterns of the nonreference LTR-RT insertions and those present in the reference genome, whereas the distribution patterns of the nonreference DNA TE insertions and the accumulated ones were significantly different. The densities of the nonreference LTR-RT insertions were found to negatively correlate with the rates of local genetic recombination, but no significant correlation between the densities of nonreference DNA TE insertions and the rates of local genetic recombination was detected. These observations suggest that distinct insertional preferences were primary factors that resulted in different levels of effectiveness of purifying selection, perhaps as an effect of local genomic features, such as recombination rates and gene densities that reshaped the distribution patterns of LTR-RTs and DNA TEs in soybean.

Binding modes and interaction mechanism between different base pairs and methylene blue trihydrate: a quantum mechanics study.

Different quantum mechanic methods have been evaluated for the calculation of binding modes and interactions between intercalators with different DNA base pairs by comparing with the results of MP2, which is very expensive, indicating that WB97XD method under 6-311+G* basis set is able to efficiently reproduce MP2 results. We discovered that the methylene blue trihydrate intercalated into the DNA base pairs, and DNA intercalation increased the distance between DNA base pairs, depending on the types of DNA bases. According to the binding energy results, it was found that the intercalation of methylene blue trihydrate into AA-TT base pair was more favorable in the orientation of nitrogen than other directions and intercalation, and the electric charge was transferred from methylene blue trihydrate to the AA-TT base pair. The analysis of change in the charge density shows that changes often take place in the heavy atom in the middle of the system which the charge density changes most remarkable.