TaTIP41 and TaTAP46 positively regulate drought tolerance in wheat by inhibiting PP2A activity.

Drought is a major environmental stress limiting global wheat (Triticum aestivum) production. Exploring drought tolerance genes is important for improving drought adaptation in this crop. Here, we cloned and characterized TaTIP41, a novel drought tolerance gene in wheat. TaTIP41 is a putative conserved component of target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling, and the TaTIP41 homoeologs were expressed in response to drought stress and abscisic acid (ABA). The overexpression of TaTIP41 enhanced drought tolerance and the ABA response, including ABA-induced stomatal closure, while its downregulation using RNA interference (RNAi) had the opposite effect. Furthermore, TaTIP41 physically interacted with TaTAP46, another conserved component of TOR signaling. Like TaTIP41, TaTAP46 positively regulated drought tolerance. Furthermore, TaTIP41 and TaTAP46 interacted with type-2A protein phosphatase (PP2A) catalytic subunits, such as TaPP2A-2, and inhibited their enzymatic activities. Silencing TaPP2A-2 improved drought tolerance in wheat. Together, our findings provide new insights into the roles of TaTIP41 and TaTAP46 in the drought tolerance and ABA response in wheat, and their potential application in improving wheat environmental adaptability.

A high gauge-factor wearable strain sensor array via 3D printed mold fabrication and size optimization of silver-coated carbon nanotubes.

The development of 3D print technology provided an opportunity to achieve fast and accurate fabrication of wearable sensor arrays. In this paper, high-sensitivity flexible and stretchable silver-coated carbon nanotube (Ag@CNT) wearable strain sensor arrays are fabricated using 3D printing technology and composite nanomaterial synthesis. Ag@CNTs with uniform and compact particles were synthesized with different sizes of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using a reduction method. Strain sensor arrays were fabricated accurately and efficiently with the aid of 3D printed molds. Sensors with different Ag@CNTs were then compared comprehensively, and it was found that the Ag@CNT (short) sensor, which had a gauge factor (GF) of 62.8 in the 0% to 14.44% stretch range and a GF of 831.3 in the 14.44% to 21.11% stretch range, can significantly enhance the detection of small movements. These wearable strain sensor arrays were utilized in the application of traditional Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis and gesture recognition.

UNC119 promotes the growth and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma via Wnt/ß-catenin and TGF-ß/EMT signaling pathways.

PURPOSE: It has been reported that UNC119 is significantly up-regulated in liver cancer cells. However, the role of UNC119 in liver cancer and the clinical significance of reducing its expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profile of UNC119 in HCC and its connection with the progression of HCC. METHODS: UNC119 expression in HCC cell lines and tissues was assessed using quantitative real-time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. The biological functions of UNC119 during the proliferation, growth and other different life cycles of tumor cells were also analyzed both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: UNC119 expression was up-regulated in both HCC cell lines and tissues. A higher level of UNC119 not only promoted HCC cell proliferation, but also enhanced its ability of migration and invasion. UNC119 promoted the progression of cell cycles and significantly induced HCC cell growth through the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, UNC119 enhanced tumor migration and invasion through the TGF-ß/epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. The antibody against UNC119 (Anti- UNC119) efficiently inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells by blocking the Wnt/ß-catenin and TGF-ß/EMT signaling pathways, respectively. Anti- UNC119 not only facilitated tumor remission, but also extended long-term survival of HCC-bearing mice. CONCLUSION: UNC119 was significantly up-regulated in liver cancer cells and tissues. It promoted cell growth and migration through the Wnt/ß-catenin and TGF-ß/EMT signaling pathways, respectively. The anti-UNC119 treatment inhibited tumor cell proliferation, growth, migration and invasion by inhibiting the Wnt/ß-catenin and GF-ß/ EMT signaling pathways, respectively.

UNC119 promotes the growth and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma via Wnt/ß/catenin and TGF/ß-EMT signaling pathways.

PURPOSE: It has been reported that UNC119 is significantly up-regulated in liver cancer cells. However, the role of UNC119 in liver cancer and the clinical significance of reducing its expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression profile of UNC119 in HCC and its connection with the progression of HCC. METHODS: UNC119 expression in HCC cell lines and tissues was assessed using quantitative real-time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. The biological functions of UNC119 during the proliferation, growth and other different life cycles of tumor cells were also analyzed both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: UNC119 expression was up-regulated in both HCC cell lines and tissues. A higher level of UNC119 not only promoted HCC cell proliferation, but also enhanced its ability of migration and invasion. UNC119 promoted the progression of cell cycles and significantly induced HCC cell growth through the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, UNC119 enhanced tumor migration and invasion through the TGF-ß/epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. The antibody against UNC119 (Anti- UNC119) efficiently inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells by blocking the Wnt/ß-catenin and TGF-ß/EMT signaling pathways, respectively. Anti- UNC119 not only facilitated tumor remission, but also extended long-term survival of HCC-bearing mice. CONCLUSION: UNC119 was significantly up-regulated in liver cancer cells and tissues. It promoted cell growth and migration through the Wnt/ß-catenin and TGF-ß/EMT signaling pathways, respectively. The anti-UNC119 treatment inhibited tumor cell proliferation, growth, migration and invasion by inhibiting the Wnt/ß-catenin and GF-ß/ EMT signaling pathways, respectively.

UNC119 promoted cell growth and migration by Wnt/ß-catenin signal and TGF-ß/EMT signal pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: UNC119 was reported to be significantly up-regulated in hepatic cancer cells. However, the clinical significance of target UNC119 to reduce UNC119 expression and mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not well understood. Our purpose was to study how UNC119 is expressed in HCC and its connection with HCC progression. METHODS: UNC119 expression was assessed with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot and immunohistochemical analyses in HCC cell lines and in tissues. The biological function of UNC119 for proliferation, growth and cell cycle of tumor cells were also analyzed both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: UNC119 expression was up-regulated both in HCC cell lines as well as in tissues through comparison with normal liver cells and tissues. Higher concentration level of UNC119 not only promoted proliferation, but also enhanced migration and invasion of HCC cells. UNC119 promoted the progression of cell cycle and significantly promoted HCC cells growth through Wnt/ß-catenin signal pathway and enhanced tumor migration and invasion via TGF-ß/epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. Antibody for UNC119 (Anti-UNC119) efficiently inhibited HCC cells proliferation, migration and invasion by blocking Wnt/ß-catenin and TGF-ß/EMT signal pathway, respectively. Anti-UNC119 was not only beneficial for tumor remission, but also contributed to long-term survival of HCC-bearing mice. CONCLUSION: UNC119 is significantly up-regulated and promoted cell growth and migration in hepatic cancer cells and tissues via Wnt/ß-catenin signal pathway and TGF-ß/EMT signal pathway, respectively. Anti-UNC119 treatment inhibited cell proliferation, growth, migration and invasion through inhibition of Wnt/ß-catenin and GF-ß/EMT signal pathway, respectively.

PCNT is a prognostic biomarker correlated with tumor immune microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma and promotes tumor progression by inhibiting cell cycle arrest.

Pericentrin (PCNT), a core pericentriolar material protein during mitosis, is involved in tumorigenesis and development in various cancers. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Based on public databases and a cohort with 174 HCC patients, we found that PCNT mRNA and protein expression were elevated in HCC tissues and correlated with unfavorable clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis. In vitro experiments demonstrated that knockdown PCNT expression inhibited the cell viability, migration, and invasion capacity of HCC cells. Multivariate regression analysis suggested that a high PCNT level was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis. In addition, mutation analysis suggested that PCNT was positively correlated to TMB and MSI but negatively correlated to tumor purity. Moreover, PCNT was significantly negatively correlated with ESTIMATE, immune, and Stromal scores in HCC patients. The PCNT expression level was correlated with immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint-related gene expression in the tumor microenvironment. The single-cell sequencing analysis suggested that higher PCNT expression level was detected in the malignant cells and immune cells (dendritic cells, monocytes, and macrophages cells) in HCC tissues. Enrichment analysis and functional experiments revealed PCNT promoted tumor progression by inhibiting cell cycle arrest. In conclusion, our studies suggested that PCNT can be a potential prognostic indicator correlated with tumor immune microenvironment, suggesting that PCNT can serve as a novel therapeutic target for HCC.

CENPB promotes the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma and is directly regulated by miR-29a.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant global health concern as it ranks as the sixth most common malignant tumor and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. In this study, we analyzed the expression of centromere protein B (CENPB) mRNA in HCC using TCGA and GEO datasets. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to determine CENPB protein levels in 490 HCC patients. Our findings revealed higher expression of CENPB mRNA in HCC tissues across the three datasets. Additionally, as the pathological stage and histological grade advanced, CENPB expression increased. Patients with elevated levels of CENPB mRNA and protein demonstrated shorter overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (OS). Notably, CENPB protein showed prognostic value in patients with stage I/II, AFP levels below 400 ng/ml, and tumor size less than 5 cm. Using multivariate regression analysis in 490 HCC patients, we developed nomograms to predict 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year OS and RFS. Knockdown of CENPB in Hep3B and MHCC97 cell lines resulted in significant inhibition of cell proliferation and invasion. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis identified miR-29a as a potential negative regulator of CENPB expression, which was validated through a dual-luciferase reporter assay. In conclusion, our findings suggest that CENPB may serve as an oncogenic factor in HCC and is directly regulated by miR-29a, highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic target.

Chloroplast genome structure and phylogenetic analysis of Juniperus chinensis.

The chloroplast genome of Juniperus chinensis L. was assembled and annotated in this research. The size of the chloroplast genome is 127,811 bp. It contains a 91,322 bp large single-copy region and a 35,960 bp small single-copy region; it does not contain inverted repeats. The genome encodes 82 protein-encoding genes, 33 tRNAs, and four rRNAs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that J. chinensis was closer to congeneric species than those of Cupressaceae. These results provide a genomic basis for further evolutionary research on conifers.

Elevated Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Polypeptide an Expression Correlated With Poor Prognosis and Immune Infiltrates in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Elevated Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Polypeptide A (SNRPA) can enhance tumor cell growth and proliferation in various cancers. However, rarely studies focus on the comprehensive analysis of SNRPA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: TCGA and GEO databases were used to analyze the mRNA expression of SNRPA in HCC. Protein expression of SNAPA was validated using immunohistochemistry. Stably transfected HCC cells were used to investigate the role of SNRPA in the progression of HCC. The functional enrichment analysis was utilized for the biological function prediction. The CIBERSORT and ssGSEA algorithms were used to evaluate the composition of the tumor microenvironment and immunocyte infiltration ratio. Results: The SNRPA expression was upregulated in HCC and positively correlated with tumor stage and grade. SNRPA overexpression were independent risk factors for poor overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). In patients with early-stage disease, low alpha-fetoprotein expression, and better differentiation, SNRPA still exhibited the excellent prognostic value. Knockdown of SNRPA inhibited the proliferation and migration while promoting the apoptosis of HCC cells. Higher methylation of the CpG site cg16596691 correlated with longer OS in HCC patients. Genes co-expressed with SNRPA were overexpressed in HCC and correlated with shorter OS. The GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that SNRPA expression was related to mRNA splicing, spliceosome signaling. GSEA demonstrated that the main enrichment pathway of SNRPA-related differential genes was spliceosome signaling, cell cycle signaling, P53 signaling pathway, T cell receptor signaling pathway, natural killer cell-mediated signaling. CIBERSORT and ssGSEA algorithm revealed that SNRPA was mainly associated with the higher proportion of CD8+T cells, T cells follicular helper, T cells regulatory, Macrophages M0, and the lower proportion of T cells CD4 memory resting, NK cells resting, Monocytes, and Mast cells resting. Conclusion: Elevated SNRPA enhances tumor cell proliferation and correlated with poor prognosis and immune infiltrates in patients with HCC.

High cathepsin A protein expression predicts poor prognosis and tumor recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma patients after curative hepatectomy.

Cathepsin A (CTSA) is overexpressed in various types of cancer and is linked to poor clinical outcomes. However, the clinical application of CTSA in HCC has not been explored. In this study, we examined the protein level of CTSA in the archived HCC samples from 161 patients by Immunohistochemistry (IHC). The high protein level of CTSA was significantly correlated to the poor clinicopathological parameters, such as TNM stage, serum AFP level, tumor differentiation, liver cirrhosis, Child-Pugh class, vascular invasion, tumor encapsulation, tumor recurrence, and patient death. In addition, multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that high CTSA expression was an independent prognostic factor of OS and RFS. We also analyzed the area under the curve (AUC) of the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) of CTSA expression for 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS and RFS prediction. Furthermore, we constructed a nomogram that exhibited excellent prediction performance, which was validated by the calibration curve and decision curve analysis. Together, our study demonstrated that CTSA protein level is strongly associated with poor clinical outcome of HCC patients and may be used as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in HCC.

Correlations of carbon isotope discrimination with element and ash contents in two Sabina evergreen trees in northwest China: patterns and implications.

Foliar carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) is widely used as an integrator of physiological plant responses to environmental change. However, the relationship between foliar Δ and mineral nutrient accumulation is still not well-known. The foliar Δ, K, Ca, Mg, Si and ash contents of S. przewalskii Kom. (SP) and S. chinensis (Lin.) Ant. (SC), two over-winter trees distributed on high altitude plateaux and lower altitude plains, respectively, were measured at monthly intervals over two years under the same growing conditions to examine the genetic and seasonal variation in foliar nutrient concentrations in relation to foliar Δ. The foliar Δ, Mg, K and ash contents were markedly lower in SP than in SC, and the foliar Si content was significantly higher in SP than SC, while the differences in Ca contents between the two Sabina trees were not significant. There was higher foliar Δ in winter than in summer for both Sabina trees. Close negative correlations of foliar Δ with K and Mg content, and significant positive correlations between foliar Δ and Si contents, were observed in SP but not in SC. Thus, higher water-use efficiency of SP than of SC is related to higher Si and lower Mg and K contents that have positive effects on the reduction of transpiration rates or stomatal conductances. The results obtained by the present study will advance the understanding of the adaptive strategies of mineral nutrition and water use in harsh environments.

GNG7 and ADCY1 as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for pancreatic adenocarcinoma through bioinformatic-based analyses.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is one of the most lethal malignant tumors in the world. The GSE55643 and GSE15471 microarray datasets were downloaded to screen the diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for PAAD. 143 downregulated genes and 118 upregulated genes were obtained. Next, we performed gene ontology (GO) and The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis on these genes and constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. We screened out two important clusters of genes, including 13 upregulated and 5 downregulated genes. After the survival analysis, 3 downregulated genes and 10 upregulated genes were identified as the selected key genes. The KEGG analysis on 13 selected genes showed that GNG7 and ADCY1 enriched in the Pathway in Cancer. Next, the diagnostic and prognostic value of GNG7 and ADCY1 was investigated using independent cohort of the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), GSE84129 and GSE62452. We observed that the expression of the GNG7 and ADCY1 was decreased in PAAD. The diagnostic receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that the GNG7 and ADCY1 could serve as sensitive diagnostic markers in PAAD. Survival analysis suggested that expression of GNG7, ADCY1 were significantly associated with PAAD overall survival (OS). The multivariate cox regression analysis showed that the expression of GNG7, ADCY1 were independent risk factors for PAAD OS. Our study indicated GNG7 and ADCY1 may be potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in patients with PAAD.

Below-Ground Growth of Alpine Plants, Not Above-Ground Growth, Is Linked to the Extent of Its Carbon Storage.

Understanding carbon allocation in plants is essential for explaining their growth strategies during environmental adaptation. However, the role of mobile carbon in plant growth and its response to habitat conditions is still disputed. In degraded meadow (alpine sandy grassland) and non-degraded meadow (typical alpine meadow and swamp meadow) on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we measured the monthly averages of above-ground biomass (AGB) and below-ground biomass (BGB) of the investigated species in each meadow and the average concentration of non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs), an indicator of carbon storage. Below-ground organs had higher concentrations and showed more seasonal variation in NSCs than above-ground organs. BGB had a positive correlation with below-ground NSCs levels. However, AGB had no clear relationship with above-ground NSCs levels. Plants in sandy grasslands had higher total NSC, soluble sugars, fructose, and sucrose concentrations and lower starch concentrations in below-ground organs than plants in alpine or swamp meadows. Overall, NSCs storage, particularly soluble sugars, is a major process underlying the pattern of below-ground growth, but not above-ground growth, in the meadow ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and degraded meadow strengthens this process. These results suggest that the extent of carbon storage in non-photosynthetic organs of alpine herbs impacts their growth and habitat adaptation.

Similar potential of foliar δ13C and silicon levels for inferring local climate information in the Tibetan Plateau region.

Stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) are widely used as climate proxies for assessing and predicting climatic information at an annual resolution. However, the detailed information in the isotopes that results from intra-annual climate scenarios and is associated with mineral accumulation remains unclear. Combined with investigations of elements and ash contents, variations in foliar δ13C in relation to annual, winter and summer climate scenarios were investigated in a dendroclimatologically important tree species Sabina przewalskii Kom. Foliar δ13C exhibited a significant negative correlation with mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation and mean annual relative humidity as well as significant positive correlations with elevation. Climatic factors in winter and summer have opposite effects on the variation of δ13C. The beneficial mineral element Si had a significant positive correlation with foliar δ13C, whereas the essential mineral elements K, Ca, and Mg did not. Specifically, Si and δ13C have similar correlations with climate factors and elevation. These results suggest that measurement of Si content has a similar potential to δ13C for use as an alternative climate indicator when detailed climatic information may otherwise be limited and provide a basis for understanding the integration of δ13C in plant responses to climate.

Inhibition of glutathione synthesis decreases chilling tolerance in Chorispora bungeana callus.

The possible roles of reduced glutathione (GSH) in chilling tolerance were studied in callus generated from a representative alpine plant, Chorispora bungeana Fisch. & C.A. Mey (C. bungeana). The callus grew well under low-temperature and chilling treatment led only to slight injury, as indicated by a low level of ion leakage (IL). Malondialdehyde measurements also were not elevated, however GSH was. Exogenously application of l-buthionine-(S R)-sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-ECS), arrested the GSH accumulation induced by chilling and resulted in a significant decrease in cell growth and an increase in IL and malondialdehyde. These results implied that C. bungeana is a plant with a strong low-temperature tolerance mechanism, and the tolerance of C. bungeana may be associated with GSH accumulation. Under chilling treatment, the proportion of unsaturated fatty acid in the plasma membrane (PM) increased significantly in callus of C. bungeana mainly due to increases in C18:2 and C18:3, the membrane fluidity (indicated by DPH fluorescent polarization) however was maintained. High PM H(+)-ATPase activities were also induced by chilling. Exogenously application of BSO blocked the effects of chilling treatments on the changes of fatty acids and PM H(+)-ATPase activities, reducing the PM membrane fluidity. On the other hand, simultaneous application of GSH and BSO to callus under chilling treatments reversed the effects of BSO on the changes of fatty acids, PM fluidity and PM H(+)-ATPase activities. These results suggested that GSH induced by low-temperature treatments may confer chilling tolerance to C. bungeana, probably by increasing unsaturated fatty acid compositions and maintaining PM fluidity and high enzymatic activity.

The potential of residues of furfural and biogas as calcareous soil amendments for corn seed production.

Intensive corn seed production in Northwest of China produced large amounts of furfural residues, which represents higher treatment cost and environmental issue. The broad calcareous soils in the Northwest of China exhibit low organic matter content and high pH, which led to lower fertility and lower productivity. Recycling furfural residues as soil organic and nutrient amendment might be a promising agricultural practice to calcareous soils. A 3-year field study was conducted to evaluate the effects of furfural as a soil amendment on corn seed production on calcareous soil with compared to biogas residues. Soil physical-chemical properties, soil enzyme activities, and soil heavy metal concentrations were assessed in the last year after the last application. Corn yield was determined in each year. Furfural residue amendments significantly decreased soil pH and soil bulk density. Furfural residues combined with commercial fertilizers resulted in the greater cumulative on soil organic matter, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, available potassium, and cation exchange capacity than that of biogas residue. Simultaneously, urease, invertase, catalase, and alkaline phosphatase increased even at the higher furfural application rates. Maize seed yield increased even with lower furfural residue application rates. Furfural residues resulted in lower Zn concentration and higher Cd concentration than that of biogas residues. Amendment of furfural residues led to higher soil electrical conductivity (EC) than that of biogas residues. The addition of furfural residues to maize seed production may be considered to be a good strategy for recycling the waste, converting it into a potential resource as organic amendment in arid and semi-arid calcareous soils, and may help to reduce the use of mineral chemical fertilizers in these soils. However, the impact of its application on soil health needs to be established in long-term basis.

[Seasonal changes in foliar micro-and ultra structure of two Sabina species and their relationships with cold tolerance].

In this paper, the foliar micro-and ultra structure of Sabina przewalskii and S. chinensis during growth and dormancy seasons was observed under microscope and transmission electron microscope, and the foliar soluble sugar content was measured, aimed to probe into their relationships with cold tolerance. The results showed that the foliar surface cells of these two Sabina species were covered with thick cuticular membrane, and the well-developed arenchyma appeared in the mesophyll. In growth season, starch grains accumulated in chloroplasts, but in dormancy season, the accumulated starch grains disappeared or diminished, while soluble sugar content had a larger increase. In wintertime, the chloroplasts of S. chinensis were injured, with some abnormal chloroplasts, increased plastoglobuli and some lipid drops, while those of S. przewalskii were not obviously injured. It was suggested that the cold tolerance of the two Sabina species was related to their well-developed arenchyma, accumulation of starch grains in growth season, and increase of soluble sugar content in dormancy season. S. przewalskii had more marked increase of soluble sugar content, and its chloroplasts were more stable than S. chinensis.