AtSNU13 modulates pre-mRNA splicing of RBOHD and ALD1 to regulate plant immunity.

Pre-mRNA splicing is a significant step for post-transcriptional modifications and functions in a wide range of physiological processes in plants. Human NHP2L binds to U4 snRNA during spliceosome assembly; it is involved in RNA splicing and mediates the development of human tumors. However, no ortholog has yet been identified in plants. Therefore, we report At4g12600 encoding the ortholog NHP2L protein, and AtSNU13 associates with the component of the spliceosome complex; the atsnu13 mutant showed compromised resistance in disease resistance, indicating that AtSNU13 is a positive regulator of plant immunity. Compared to wild-type plants, the atsnu13 mutation resulted in altered splicing patterns for defense-related genes and decreased expression of defense-related genes, such as RBOHD and ALD1. Further investigation shows that AtSNU13 promotes the interaction between U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP-specific 27 K and the motif in target mRNAs to regulate the RNA splicing. Our study highlights the role of AtSNU13 in regulating plant immunity by affecting the pre-mRNA splicing of defense-related genes.

Rational Design of F-Modified Polyester Electrolytes for Sustainable All-Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) are one of the most practical candidates for solid-state batteries owing to their high flexibility and low production cost, but their application is limited by low Li+ conductivity and a narrow electrochemical window. To improve performance, it is necessary to reveal the structure-property relationship of SPEs. Here, 23 fluorinated linear polyesters were prepared by editing the coordination units, flexible linkage segments, and interface passivating groups. Besides the traditionally demonstrated coordinating capability and flexibility of polymer chains, the molecular asymmetry and resulting interchain aggregation are observed critical for Li+ conductivity. By tailoring the molecular asymmetry and coordination ability of polyesters, the Li+ conductivity can be raised by 10 times. Among these polyesters, solvent-free poly(pentanediol adipate) delivers the highest room-temperature Li+ conductivity of 0.59 × 10-4 S cm-1. The chelating coordination of oxalate and Li+ leads to an electron delocalization of alkoxy oxygen, enhancing the antioxidation capability of SPEs. To lower the cost, high-value LiTFSI in SPEs is recycled at 90%, and polyesters can be regenerated at 86%. This work elucidates the structure-property relationship of polyester-based SPEs, displays the design principles of SPEs, and provides a way for the development of sustainable solid-state batteries.

Stereoselective Crystallization of Chiral Pharmaceuticals Aided by Cellulose Derivatives through Helical Pattern Matching.

Stereoselective inhibition aided by "tailor-made" polymeric additives is an efficient approach to obtain enantiopure compounds through conglomerate crystallization. The chemical and configurational match between the side groups of polymers and the molecules of undesired enantiomer is considered to be a necessary condition for successful stereoseparation. Whereas in this contribution, we present an effective resolution of chiral pharmaceuticals by using cellulose acetates as the additives, which stereoselectively reside on the specific crystal faces of one enantiomer and inhibit its crystal nucleation and growth through helical pattern and supramolecular interaction complementarity. An investigation of nimodipine serves as a case study to highlight the novelty of this strategy wherein R-crystals exhibiting an impressive enantiomeric excess value of 97 % can be attained by employing a mere 0.01 wt % cellulose acetate. Guaifenesin and phenyl lactic acid are also well-resolved by utilizing this methodology. Our work not only brings about a brand-new design strategy for "tailor-made" additives, but will also promote the further exploration of the endless potential for utilizing natural biomolecules in chiral recognition and resolution.

S100 calcium­binding protein A16 suppresses the osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by inhibiting SMAD family member 4 signaling.

Osteogenesis is a complex process of bone formation regulated by various factors, yet its underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. The present study aimed to investigate the role of S100A16, a novel member of the S100 protein family, in the osteogenic differentiation of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and uncover a novel Smad4-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling axis. In the present study, the expression level of S100A16 in bone tissues and BMSCs from ovariectomized rats was evaluated and then the impact of S100A16 silencing on osteogenic differentiation was examined. Increased S100A16 expression was observed in bone tissues and BMSCs from ovariectomized rats, and S100A16 silencing promoted osteogenic differentiation. Further transcriptomic sequencing revealed that the Smad4 pathway was involved in S100A16 silencing-induced osteogenesis. The results of western blot analysis revealed that S100A16 overexpression not only downregulated Smad4 but also activated MAPK/JNK signaling, which was validated by treatment with MAPK and JNK inhibitors U0126 and SP600125. Overall, in the present study, the novel regulatory factors influencing osteogenic differentiation were elucidated and mechanistic insights that could aid in the development of targeted therapeutic strategies for patients with osteoporosis were provided.

Plant Biostimulant as an Environmentally Friendly Alternative to Modern Agriculture.

Ensuring the safety of crop production presents a significant challenge to humanity. Pesticides and fertilizers are commonly used to eliminate external interference and provide nutrients, enabling crops to sustain growth and defense. However, the addition of chemical substances does not meet the environmental standards required for agricultural production. Recently, natural sources such as biostimulants have been found to help plants with growth and defense. The development of biostimulants provides new solutions for agricultural product safety and has become a widely utilized tool in agricultural. The review summarizes the classification of biostimulants, including humic-based biostimulant, protein-based biostimulant, oligosaccharide-based biostimulant, metabolites-based biostimulants, inorganic substance, and microbial inoculant. This review attempts to summarize suitable alternative technology that can address the problems and analyze the current state of biostimulants, summarizes the research mechanisms, and anticipates future technological developments and market trends, which provides comprehensive information for researchers to develop biostimulants.