Genome-Wide Characterization of DNase I-Hypersensitive Sites and Cold Response Regulatory Landscapes in Grasses.

Deep sequencing of DNase-I treated chromatin (DNase-seq) can be used to identify DNase I-hypersensitive sites (DHSs) and facilitates genome-scale mining of de novo cis-regulatory DNA elements. Here, we adapted DNase-seq to generate genome-wide maps of DHSs using control and cold-treated leaf, stem, and root tissues of three widely studied grass species: Brachypodium distachyon, foxtail millet (Setaria italica), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). Functional validation demonstrated that 12 of 15 DHSs drove reporter gene expression in transiently transgenic B. distachyon protoplasts. DHSs under both normal and cold treatment substantially differed among tissues and species. Intriguingly, the putative DHS-derived transcription factors (TFs) are largely colocated among tissues and species and include 17 ubiquitous motifs covering all grass taxa and all tissues examined in this study. This feature allowed us to reconstruct a regulatory network that responds to cold stress. Ethylene-responsive TFs SHINE3, ERF2, and ERF9 occurred frequently in cold feedback loops in the tissues examined, pointing to their possible roles in the regulatory network. Overall, we provide experimental annotation of 322,713 DHSs and 93 derived cold-response TF binding motifs in multiple grasses, which could serve as a valuable resource for elucidating the transcriptional networks that function in the cold-stress response and other physiological processes.

Emergency stress management among nurses: A lesson from the COVID-19 outbreak in China-a cross-sectional study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the level of stress response, self-efficacy and perceived social support status of working nurses during the outbreak of the COVID-19 and investigate potential factors affecting their stress. BACKGROUND: The stress level of clinical nurses directly affects their physical and mental health and work efficiency. DESIGN: This study was a cross-sectional investigation, which was performed following the STROBE checklist. The current study was conducted in February 2020 by selecting clinical nurses from the Zigong First People's Hospital for investigation. METHODS: At the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, we assessed clinical nurses with the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire, the General Self-Efficacy Scale and the Perceived Social Support Scale. Specifically, the nurses were divided into three groups: (a) nurses supporting Wuhan; (b) nurses in the department of treating the COVID-19 patients in our hospital (epidemic department); and (c) nurses in the general department without the COVID-19 patients in our hospital (non-epidemic department). RESULTS: A total of 1092 clinical nurses were surveyed with 94 nurses in Wuhan, 130 nurses treating COVID-19 patients in our hospital and 868 nurses working without direct contact with diagnosed COVID-19 patients. The mean stress score of all surveyed nurses was 33.15 (SD: 25.551). There was a statistically significant difference in stress response scores between different departments. Noticeably, the nurses who went to support in Wuhan showed a weaker stress response than the nurses who stayed in our hospital (mean: 19.98 (Wuhan) vs. 32.70 (epidemic department in our hospital) vs. 34.64 (non-epidemic department in our hospital)). In addition, stress was negatively correlated with general self-efficacy and perceived social support. CONCLUSION: The present study suggested that the stress status of second-line nurse without direct contact with diagnosed COVID-19 patients was more severe than that of first-line nurses who had direct contact with COVID-19 patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Our study indicated the importance of psychological status of second-line medical staff during the global pandemic.

Hb Hezhou [ß64(E8)Gly→Ser; HBB: c.193G>A]: A Novel Variant on the ß-Globin Gene.

We report a novel mutation on the ß-globin gene, Hb Hezhou [ß64(E8)Gly→Ser; HBB: c.193G>A] that was detected in two unrelated Chinese individuals. Patient 1 also carried an α+-thalassemia (α+-thal) -α4.2 (leftward) deletion, but hematological analyses showed no clinical consequences. Patient 2 was heterozygous for Hb Hezhou. Hemoglobin (Hb) analysis was performed using capillary electrophoresis (CE) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The Hb variant remained undetected using HPLC, while an additional peak was detected by CE. The finding of Hb Hezhou indicates that the possibilities of rare Hb variants should be alerted in the thalassemia screening program and precisely diagnosed depending on the Hb separation technique used.

Arabidopsis thaliana trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase gene TPPI enhances drought tolerance by regulating stomatal apertures.

Transpiration occurs through stomata. The alteration of stomatal apertures in response to drought stress is an important process associated with water use efficiency (WUE). Trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP) family genes have been reported to participate in adjustment of stomatal aperture. However, there have been no reports of the trehalose metabolism pathway genes improving WUE, and the upstream signalling pathway modulating these genes is not clear. Here, we demonstrate that a member of the TPP gene family, AtTPPI, confers drought resistance and improves WUE by decreasing stomatal apertures and improving root architecture. The reduced expression of AtTPPI caused a drought-sensitive phenotype, while its overexpression significantly increased drought tolerance. Abscisic acid (ABA)-induced stomatal closure experiments confirmed that AtTPPI mutation increased the stomatal aperture compared with that of wild-type plants; in contrast, overexpression plants had smaller stomatal apertures than those of wild-type plants. Moreover, AtTPPI mutation also caused stunted primary root length and compromised auxin transport, while overexpression plants had longer primary root lengths. Yeast one-hybrid assays showed that ABA-responsive element-binding factor1 (ABF1), ABF2, and ABF4 directly regulated AtTPPI expression. In summary, the way in which AtTPPI responds to drought stress suggests that AtTPPI-mediated stomatal regulation is an important mechanism to cope with drought stress and improve WUE.

Characterization of a Saccharum spontaneum with a basic chromosome number of x = 10 provides new insights on genome evolution in genus Saccharum.

KEY MESSAGE: A novel tetraploid S. spontaneum with basic chromosome x = 10 was discovered, providing us insights in the origin and evolution in Saccharum species. Sugarcane (Saccharum spp., Poaceae) is a leading crop for sugar production providing 80% of the world's sugar. However, the genetic and genomic complexities of this crop such as its high polyploidy level and highly variable chromosome numbers have significantly hindered the studies in deciphering the genomic structure and evolution of sugarcane. Here, we developed the first set of oligonucleotide (oligo)-based probes based on the S. spontaneum genome (x = 8), which can be used to simultaneously distinguish each of the 64 chromosomes of octaploid S. spontaneum SES208 (2n = 8x = 64) through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). By comparative FISH assay, we confirmed the chromosomal rearrangements of S. spontaneum (x = 8) and S. officinarum (2n = 8x = 80), the main contributors of modern sugarcane cultivars. In addition, we examined a S. spontaneum accession, Np-X, with 2n = 40 chromosomes, and we found that it was a tetraploid with the unusual basic chromosome number of x = 10. Assays at the cytological and DNA levels demonstrated its close relationship with S. spontaneum with basic chromosome number x = 8 (the most common accessions in S. spontaneum), confirming its S. spontaneum identity. Population genetic structure and phylogenetic relationship analyses between Np-X and 64 S. spontaneum accessions revealed that Np-X belongs to the ancient Pan-Malaysia group, indicating a close relationship to S. spontaneum with basic chromosome number of x = 8. This finding of a tetraploid S. spontaneum with basic chromosome number of x = 10 suggested a parallel evolution path of genomes and polyploid series in S. spontaneum with different basic chromosome numbers.

Overexpression of the trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase family gene AtTPPF improves the drought tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana.

BACKGROUND: Trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatases (TPPs), which are encoded by members of the TPP gene family, can improve the drought tolerance of plants. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the dynamic regulation of TPP genes during drought stress remain unclear. In this study, we explored the function of an Arabidopsis TPP gene by conducting comparative analyses of a loss-of-function mutant and overexpression lines. RESULTS: The loss-of-function mutation of Arabidopsis thaliana TPPF, a member of the TPP gene family, resulted in a drought-sensitive phenotype, while a line overexpressing TPPF showed significantly increased drought tolerance and trehalose accumulation. Compared with wild-type plants, tppf1 mutants accumulated more H2O2 under drought, while AtTPPF-overexpressing plants accumulated less H2O2 under drought. Overexpression of AtTPPF led to increased contents of trehalose, sucrose, and total soluble sugars under drought conditions; these compounds may play a role in scavenging reactive oxygen species. Yeast one-hybrid and luciferase activity assays revealed that DREB1A could bind to the DRE/CRT element within the AtTPPF promoter and activate the expression of AtTPPF. A transcriptome analysis of the TPPF-overexpressing plants revealed that the expression levels of drought-repressed genes involved in electron transport activity and cell wall modification were upregulated, while those of stress-related transcription factors related to water deprivation were downregulated. These results indicate that, as well as its involvement in regulating trehalose and soluble sugars, AtTPPF is involved in regulating the transcription of stress-responsive genes. CONCLUSION: AtTPPF functions in regulating levels of trehalose, reactive oxygen species, and sucrose levels during drought stress, and the expression of AtTPPF is activated by DREB1A in Arabidopsis. These findings shed light on the molecular mechanism by which AtTPPF regulates the response to drought stress.

IDD16 negatively regulates stomatal initiation via trans-repression of SPCH in Arabidopsis.

In Arabidopsis, the initiation and proliferation of stomatal lineage cells is controlled by SPEECHLESS (SPCH). Phosphorylation of SPCH at the post-translational level has been reported to regulate stomatal development. Here we report that IDD16 acts as a negative regulator for stomatal initiation by directly regulating SPCH transcription. In Arabidopsis, IDD16 overexpression decreased abaxial stomatal density in a dose-dependent manner. Time course analysis revealed that the initiation of stomatal precursor cells in the IDD16-OE plants was severely inhibited. Consistent with these findings, the transcription of SPCH was greatly repressed in the IDD16-OE plants. In contrast, IDD16-RNAi transgenic line resulted in enhanced stomatal density, suggesting that IDD16 is an intrinsic regulator of stomatal development. ChIP analysis indicated that IDD16 could directly bind to the SPCH promoter. Furthermore, Arabidopsis plants overexpressing IDD16 exhibited significantly increased drought tolerance and higher integrated water use efficiency (WUE) due to reduction in leaf transpiration. Collectively, our results established that IDD16 negatively regulates stomatal initiation via trans-repression of SPCH, and thus provide a practical tool for increasing plant WUE through the manipulation of IDD16 expression.

Cl--Templated Assembly of Novel Peanut-like Ln40Ni44 Heterometallic Clusters Exhibiting a Large Magnetocaloric Effect.

Two novel and fascinating high-nuclearity lanthanide-transition (4f-3d) heterometallic clusters were obtained based on an anion-template (Cl-) and ligand-controlled approach, formulated as [Gd40Ni44(CO3)12(CH3COO)4(IDA)44(C2O4)(µ2-O)4(µ3-OH)60(µ3-O)6(H2O)12]·Cl10·20H2O (abbreviated as Gd40Ni44, 1) and [Eu40Ni44(CO3)12(CH3COO)6(IDA)44(C2O4)(µ2-O)4(µ3-OH)62(µ3-O)4(H2O)12]·Cl10·23H2O (abbreviated as Eu40Ni44, 2), where H2IDA = iminodiacetic acid and H2C2O4 = oxalic acid. Structural analysis exhibits that the compounds 1 and 2 were both constructed by two enticing bowl-like anion units Ln20Ni22, featuring peanut-like structures. Besides, the assembly of Ln20Ni22 was templated by five Cl- ions. Magnetically, compound 1 shows a significant magnetocaloric effect, with -ΔSm = 36.05 J kg-1 K-1 at 3 K for ΔH = 7 T.

Polyoxometalate-Based Well-Defined Rodlike Structural Multifunctional Materials: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties.

The unpredictability of the polyoxometalate (POM) coordination model and the diversity of organic ligands provide more possibilities for the exploration and fabrication of various novel POM-based materials. In this work, a series of POM-based lanthanide (Ln)-Schiff base nanoclusters, [Ln(H2O)2(DAPSC)]2[Ln(H2O)3(DAPSC)]2[(SiW12O40)]3·15H2O (Ln = Sm, 1; Eu, 2; Tb, 3), have been successfully isolated by the reaction of classical Keggin POMs, a Ln3+ ion, and a Schiff-base ligand [2,6-diacetylpyridine bis(semicarbazone), abbreviated as DAPSC]. Both the hindrance effect of the organic ligand and charge balance endow the cluster with fascinating structural features of discrete and linear arrangement. The title compounds with dimensions of ca. 4 × 1 × 1 nm3 are first trimeric polyoxometalate-based nanosized compounds, constructed by saturated POM anions (SiW12O404-, denoted as SiW12). Moreover, the properties (stability, electrochemistry, third-order nonlinear optics, and magnetism) of the compounds have also been studied.

Exploring the Performance Improvement of Magnetocaloric Effect Based Gd-Exclusive Cluster Gd60.

Despite wide potential applications of Gd-clusters in magnetocaloric effect (MCE) owing to f7 electron configuration of Gd(III), the structural improvement in order to enhance MCE remains difficult. A new approach of the situ hydrolysis of acetonitrile is reported, and the slow release of small ligand CH3COO- is realized in the design and synthesis of high-nuclearity lanthanide clusters. A large lanthanide-exclusive cluster complex, [Gd60(CO3)8(CH3COO)12(µ2-OH)24(µ3-OH)96(H2O)56](NO3)15Br12(dmp)5·30CH3OH·20Hdmp (1-Gd60), was isolated under solvothermal conditions. To the best our knowledge, cluster 1 possesses the high metal/ligand ratio (magnetic density) and the largest magnetic entropy change (- Δ Smmax = 48.0 J kg-1 K-1 at 2 K for Δ H = 7 T) among previously reported high-nuclearity lanthanide clusters.

Two Pairs of Chiral "Tower-Like" Ln4 Cr4 (Ln=Gd, Dy) Clusters: Syntheses, Structure, and Magnetocaloric Effect.

Two pairs of novel chiral chromium lanthanide compounds, formulated as l- and d-[Gd4 Cr4 (IN)10 (µ3 -OH)4 (µ4 -O)4 (H2 O)12 ]⋅[IN]2 ⋅8 H2 O (1 and 3), and l- and d-[Dy4 Cr4 (IN)11 (µ3 -OH)4 (µ4 -O)4 (H2 O)8 ]⋅[IN]⋅1.5 H2 O (2 and 4) (HIN=isonicotinic acid) have been successfully synthesized and characterized. Structural analysis reveals that four Ln3+ ions and four Cr3+ ions connect with each other and yield a "tower-like" [Ln4 Cr4 ] skeleton. Apart from the above featuring an aesthetically charming structure, circular dichroism (CD) spectra confirm that compounds 1 and 3, 2 and 4 are enantiomers. To the best of our knowledge, these are the largest chiral chromium lanthanide compounds. In addition, magnetic interaction shows that Gd (the mixture of 1 and 3) exhibits significant cryogenic magnetocaloric effect (MCE) with -ΔSm =18.08 J kg-1 K-1 (34.69 mJ cm-3 K-1 ). Also, the observed second-harmonic generation efficiencies of [Gd4 Cr4 (IN)10 (µ3 -OH)4 (µ4 -O)4 (H2 O)12 ]⋅[IN]2 ⋅8 H2 O and [Dy4 Cr4 (IN)11 (µ3 -OH)4 (µ4 -O)4 (H2 O)8 ]⋅[IN]⋅1.5 H2 O are 0.3 and 0.4 times that of urea, respectively.

A Series of Lanthanide Compounds Constructed from Ln8 Rings Exhibiting Large Magnetocaloric Effect and Interesting Luminescence.

A series of lanthanide compounds, [Ln8(CH2OHCH2OH)8(SO4)12]· m(C2H7N)· nH2O (Ln = Gd (1), Sm (2), Tb (3), La (5), m = 2, n = 2; Ln = Eu (4), m = 0, n = 8), which contain Ln8 rings by sulfate and glycol as the ligand have been synthesized and characterized. Besides, small organic amine and l-tartaric acid act as dual templating roles during the synthetic process. Magnetic investigation of compound 1 reveals the existence of weak antiferromagnetic interactions between GdIII ions and the data of magnetic entropy change (-Δ Sm) is 36.86 J K-1 kg-1 (108.55 mJ cm-3 K-1) for Δ H = 7 T at 2.0 K, which is comparatively large among GdIII based compounds. Additionally, because of the excellent luminescence properties of SmIII, TbIII, and EuIII, compounds 2-4 were investigated.

Incorporation of Silicon-Oxygen Tetrahedron into Novel High-Nuclearity Nanosized 3d-4f Heterometallic Clusters.

By the anionic template strategy, we have, for the first time, succeeded in introducing SiO44- into 3d-4f huge clusters, obtaining two novel nanosized clusters with interesting nanosized cores of [Ln78Ni64(62)Si6] (1, Ln = Gd; 2, Ln = Eu). To the best of our knowledge, they are the largest heterometallic clusters incorporated with Si-O tetrahedra. In addition, compound 1 shows a maximum magnetic entropy (-Δ Sm) of 40.63 J kg-1 K-1 at 3.0 K at 7 T.

Chromosome Nomenclature and Cytological Characterization of Sacred Lotus.

Sacred lotus is a basal eudicot plant that has been cultivated in Asia for over 7,000 years for its agricultural, ornamental, religious, and medicinal importance. A notable characteristic of lotus is the seed longevity. Extensive endeavors have been devoted to dissect its genome assembly, including the variety China Antique, which germinated from a 1,300-year-old seed. Here, cytogenetic markers representing the 10 largest megascaffolds, which constitute approximately 70% of the lotus genome assembly, were developed. These 10 megascaffolds were then anchored to the corresponding lotus chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization using these cytogenetic markers, and a set of chromosome-specific cytogenetic markers that could unambiguously identify each of the 8 chromosomes was generated. Karyotyping was conducted, and a nomenclature based on chromosomal length was established for the 8 chromosomes of China Antique. Comparative karyotyping revealed relatively conserved chromosomal structures between China Antique and 3 modern cultivars. Interestingly, significant variations in the copy number of 45S rDNA were detected between China Antique and modern cultivars. Our results provide a comprehensive view on the chromosomal structure of sacred lotus and will facilitate further studies and the genome assembly of lotus.

A tetratricopeptide repeat domain-containing protein SSR1 located in mitochondria is involved in root development and auxin polar transport in Arabidopsis.

Auxin polar transport mediated by a group of Pin-formed (PIN) transporters plays important roles in plant root development. However, the mechanism underlying the PIN expression and targeting in response to different developmental and environmental stimuli is still not fully understood. Here, we report a previously uncharacterized gene SSR1, which encodes a mitochondrial protein with tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domains, and show its function in root development in Arabidopsis thaliana. In ssr1-2, a SSR1 knock-out mutant, the primary root growth was dramatically inhibited due to severely impaired cell proliferation and cell elongation. Significantly lowered level of auxin was found in ssr1-2 roots by auxin measurement and was further supported by reduced expression of DR5-driven reporter gene. As a result, the maintenance of the root stem cell niche is compromised in ssr1-2. It is further revealed that the expression level of several PIN proteins, namely, PIN1, PIN2, PIN3, PIN4 and PIN7, were markedly reduced in ssr1-2 roots. In particular, we showed that the reduced protein level of PIN2 on cell membrane in ssr1-2 is due to impaired retrograde trafficking, possibly resulting from a defect in retromer sorting system, which destines PIN2 for degradation in vacuoles. In conclusion, our results indicated that SSR1 is functioning in root development in Arabidopsis, possibly by affecting PIN protein expression and subcellular targeting.

The RING Finger E3 Ligase SpRing is a Positive Regulator of Salt Stress Signaling in Salt-Tolerant Wild Tomato Species.

Protein ubiquitination in plants plays critical roles in many biological processes, including adaptation to abiotic stresses. Previously, RING finger E3 ligase has been characterized during salt stress response in several plant species, but little is known about its function in tomato. Here, we report that SpRing, a stress-inducible gene, is involved in salt stress signaling in wild tomato species Solanum pimpinellifolium 'PI365967'. In vitro ubiquitination assay revealed that SpRing is an E3 ubiquitin ligase and the RING finger conserved region is required for its activity. SpRing is expressed in all tissues of wild tomato and up-regulated by salt, drought and osmotic stresses, but repressed by low temperature. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion analysis showed that SpRing is localized at the endoplasmic reticulum. Silencing of SpRing through a virus-induced gene silencing approach led to increased sensitivity to salt stress in wild tomato. Overexpression of SpRing in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in enhanced salt tolerance during seed germination and early seedling development. The expression levels of certain key stress-related genes are altered both in SpRing-overexpressing Arabidopsis plants and virus-induced gene silenced tomato seedlings. Taken together, our results indicate that SpRing is involved in salt stress and functions as a positive regulator of salt tolerance.

Metabolic Engineering of Escherichia coli for the Biosynthesis of 3-Phenylpropionic Acid and 3-Phenylpropyl Acetate.

3-Phenylpropionic acid (3PPA) and its derivative 3-phenylpropyl acetate (3PPAAc) are important aromatic compounds with broad applications in the cosmetics and food industries. In this study, we constructed a plasmid-free 3PPA-producing Escherichia coli strain and designed a novel 3PPAAc biosynthetic pathway. A module containing tyrosine ammonia lyase and enoate reductase, evaluated under the control of different promoters, was combined with phenylalanine-overproducing strain E. coli ATCC31884, enabling the plasmid-free de novo production of 218.16 ± 43.62 mg L-1 3PPA. The feasibility of the pathway was proved by screening four heterologous alcohol acetyltransferases, which catalyzed the transformation of 3-phenylpropyl alcohol into 3PPAAc. Afterward, 94.59 ± 16.25 mg L-1 3PPAAc was achieved in the engineered E. coli strain. Overall, we have not only demonstrated the potential of de novo synthesis of 3PPAAc in microbes for the first time but also provided a platform for the future of biosynthesis of other aromatic compounds.

A 3D extra-large-pore zeolite enabled by 1D-to-3D topotactic condensation of a chain silicate.

Zeolites are microporous silicates with a large variety of applications as catalysts, adsorbents, and cation exchangers. Stable silica-based zeolites with increased porosity are in demand to allow adsorption and processing of large molecules but challenge our synthetic ability. We report a new, highly stable pure silica zeolite called ZEO-3, which has a multidimensional, interconnected system of extra-large pores open through windows made by 16 and 14 silicate tetrahedra, the least dense polymorph of silica known so far. This zeolite was formed by an unprecedented one-dimensional to three-dimensional (1D-to-3D) topotactic condensation of a chain silicate. With a specific surface area of more than 1000 square meters per gram, ZEO-3 showed a high performance for volatile organic compound abatement and recovery compared with other zeolites and metal-organic frameworks.

[Retracted] MicroRNA­625 inhibits the progression of non­small cell lung cancer by directly targeting HOXB5 and deactivating the Wnt/ß­catenin pathway.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editors' attention by a concerned reader that certain of the flow cytometric data shown in Fig. 2C and the images of tumors shown in Fig. 7B were strikingly similar to data appearing in different form in other articles by different authors. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been published elsewhere, or were already under consideration for publication, prior to its submission to International Journal of Molecular Medicine, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. Independently of this investigation, the authors also requested a retraction of this article owing to the fact that the manuscript had been published without permission from one of the authors. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [the original article was published in International Journal of Molecular Medicine 44: 346­356, 2019; DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2019.4203].

The Arabidopsis thaliana trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase gene AtTPPI regulates primary root growth and lateral root elongation.

Roots are the main organs through which plants absorb water and nutrients. As the key phytohormone involved in root growth, auxin functions in plant environmental responses by modulating auxin synthesis, distribution and polar transport. The Arabidopsis thaliana trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase gene AtTPPI can improve root architecture, and tppi1 mutants have significantly shortened primary roots. However, the mechanism underlying the short roots of the tppi1 mutant and the upstream signaling pathway and downstream genes regulated by AtTPPI are unclear. Here, we demonstrated that the AtTPPI gene could promote auxin accumulation in AtTPPI-overexpressing plants. By comparing the transcriptomic data of tppi1 and wild-type roots, we found several upregulations of auxin-related genes, including GH3.3, GH3.9 and GH3.12, may play an important role in the AtTPPI gene-mediated auxin transport signaling pathway, ultimately leading to changes in auxin content and primary root length. Moreover, increased AtTPPI expression can regulate primary root growth and lateral root elongation under different concentration of nitrate conditions. Overall, constitutive expression of AtTPPI increased auxin contents and improved lateral root elongation, constituting a new method for improving the nitrogen utilization efficiency of plants.