Single-nucleus RNA-seq reveals that MBD5, MBD6, and SILENZIO maintain silencing in the vegetative cell of developing pollen.

Silencing of transposable elements (TEs) drives the evolution of numerous redundant mechanisms of transcriptional regulation. Arabidopsis MBD5, MBD6, and SILENZIO act as TE repressors downstream of DNA methylation. Here, we show, via single-nucleus RNA-seq of developing male gametophytes, that these repressors are critical for TE silencing in the pollen vegetative cell, a companion cell important for fertilization that undergoes chromatin decompaction. Instead, other silencing mutants (met1, ddm1, mom1, morc) show loss of silencing in all pollen nucleus types and somatic cells. We show that TEs repressed by MBD5/6 gain chromatin accessibility in wild-type vegetative nuclei despite remaining silent, suggesting that loss of DNA compaction makes them sensitive to loss of MBD5/6. Consistently, crossing mbd5/6 to histone 1 mutants, which have decondensed chromatin in leaves, reveals derepression of MBD5/6-dependent TEs in leaves. MBD5/6 and SILENZIO thus act as a silencing system particularly important when chromatin compaction is compromised.

Comparison of efficacy of herbal disinfectants with chlorhexidine mouthwash on decontamination of toothbrushes: An experimental trial.

BACKGROUND: Toothbrushes in regular use can become heavily contaminated with microorganisms, which can cause infection or reinfection. There is a need for toothbrush disinfection methods, which are rapidly effective, cost-effective, nontoxic, and that can be easily implemented. AIM: To compare the efficacy of 3% neem, garlic of concentration 4.15 mg/mL and green tea of concentration 40 mg/mL with 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash as toothbrush disinfectants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was a parallel in vitro comparative experimental trial conducted among 75 randomly selected boys aged between 18 years and 21 years. The subjects were divided into five groups, namely, Group I, Group II, Group III, Group IV, and Group V. They were provided with a new set of precoded toothbrushes and nonfluoridated tooth pastes. After 14 days of tooth brushing, the toothbrushes were immersed in antimicrobial solution for 12 h [Group I--distilled water (control), Group II--3% neem, Group III--garlic of concentration 4.15 mg/mL, Group IV--green tea of concentration 40 mg/mL, and Group V--0.2% chlorhexidine] and then subjected to microbial analysis to check the presence of Streptococcus mutans. The t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 16. RESULTS: All test solutions showed a statistically significant reduction of Streptococcus mutans count (P < 0.001). There was no statistical difference between the efficacies of neem, garlic, and green tea when compared with chlorhexidine mouthwash (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Neem, garlic, and green tea are equally efficacious as chlorhexidine and these herbal products can be used as potent alternatives to chlorhexidine as disinfectant for toothbrushes.

Commercial-scale biotherapeutics manufacturing facility for plant-made pharmaceuticals.

Rapid, large-scale manufacture of medical countermeasures can be uniquely met by the plant-made-pharmaceutical platform technology. As a participant in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Blue Angel project, the Caliber Biotherapeutics facility was designed, constructed, commissioned and released a therapeutic target (H1N1 influenza subunit vaccine) in <18 months from groundbreaking. As of 2015, this facility was one of the world's largest plant-based manufacturing facilities, with the capacity to process over 3500 kg of plant biomass per week in an automated multilevel growing environment using proprietary LED lighting. The facility can commission additional plant grow rooms that are already built to double this capacity. In addition to the commercial-scale manufacturing facility, a pilot production facility was designed based on the large-scale manufacturing specifications as a way to integrate product development and technology transfer. The primary research, development and manufacturing system employs vacuum-infiltrated Nicotiana benthamiana plants grown in a fully contained, hydroponic system for transient expression of recombinant proteins. This expression platform has been linked to a downstream process system, analytical characterization, and assessment of biological activity. This integrated approach has demonstrated rapid, high-quality production of therapeutic monoclonal antibody targets, including a panel of rituximab biosimilar/biobetter molecules and antiviral antibodies against influenza and dengue fever.