The Response of Growth and Transcriptome Profiles of Tea Grey Blight Disease Pathogen Pestalotiopsis theae to the Variation of Exogenous L-Theanine.

Tea grey blight disease is one of the most destructive diseases that infects tea and is caused by the pathogen Pestalotiopsis theae (Sawada) Steyaert. L-theanine is a unique non-protein amino acid of the tea plant. Different concentrations of L-theanine exhibit significant inhibitory effects on the growth and sporulation ability of the pathogen causing tea grey blight disease. To understand the effect mechanism of L-theanine on P. theae, transcriptome profiling was performed on the pathogenic mycelium treated with three different concentrations of L-theanine: no L-theanine treatment (TH0), 20 mg/mL theanine treatment (TH2), and 40 mg/mL theanine treatment (TH4). The colony growths were significantly lower in the treatment with L-theanine than those without L-theanine. The strain cultured with a high concentration of L-theanine produced no spores or only a few spores. In total, 2344, 3263, and 1158 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected by RNA-sequencing in the three comparisons, Th2 vs. Th0, Th4 vs. Th0, and Th4 vs. Th2, respectively. All DEGs were categorized into 24 distinct clusters. According to GO analysis, low concentrations of L-theanine primarily affected molecular functions, while high concentrations of L-theanine predominantly affected biological processes including external encapsulating structure organization, cell wall organization or biogenesis, and cellular amino acid metabolic process. Based on KEGG, the DEGs of Th2 vs. Th0 were primarily involved in pentose and glucuronate interconversions, histidine metabolism, and tryptophan metabolism. The DEGs of Th4 vs. Th0 were mainly involved in starch and sucrose metabolism, amino sugar, and nucleotide sugar metabolism. This study indicated that L-theanine has a significant impact on the growth and sporulation of the pathogen of tea grey blight disease and mainly affects amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and cellular structure-related biosynthesis processes of pathogenic fungi. This work provides insights into the direct control effect of L-theanine on pathogenic growth and also reveals the molecular mechanisms of inhibition of L-theanine to P. theae.

Relationship between fatty acid intake and aging: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have previously shown a possible link between fatty acids and aging-related diseases, raising questions about its health implications. However, the causal relationship between the two remains uncertain. METHODS: Univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to analyze the relationship between five types of fatty acids-polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), saturated fatty acid (SFA), Omega-6 fatty acid (Omega-6 FA), and Omega-3 fatty acid (Omega-3 FA) and three markers of aging: telomere length (TL), frailty index (FI), and facial aging (FclAg). The primary approach for Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis involved utilizing the inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, with additional supplementary methods employed. RESULTS: Univariate MR analysis revealed that MUFA, PUFA, SFA, and Omega-6 fatty acids were positively associated with TL (MUFA OR: 1.019, 95% CI: 1.006-1.033; PUFA OR: 1.014, 95% CI: 1.002-1.026; SFA OR: 1.016, 95% CI: 1.002-1.031; Omega-6 FAs OR=1.031, 95% CI: 1.006-1.058). PUFA was also associated with a higher FI (OR: 1.033, 95% CI: 1.009-1.057). In multivariate MR analysis, after adjusting for mutual influences among the five fatty acids, MUFA and PUFA were positively independently associated with TL (MUFA OR: 1.1508, 95% CI = 1.0724-1.2350; PUFA OR: 1.1670, 95% CI = 1.0497-1.2973, while SFA was negatively correlated (OR: 0.8005, 95% CI: 0.7045-0.9096). CONCLUSIONS: Our research presents compelling evidence of a causal association between certain fatty acids and indicators of the aging process. In particular, MUFA and PUFA may play a role in slowing down the aging process, while SFAs may contribute to accelerated aging. These findings could have significant implications for dietary recommendations aimed at promoting healthy aging.

DescribePROT in 2023: more, higher-quality and experimental annotations and improved data download options.

The DescribePROT database of amino acid-level descriptors of protein structures and functions was substantially expanded since its release in 2020. This expansion includes substantial increase in the size, scope, and quality of the underlying data, the addition of experimental structural information, the inclusion of new data download options, and an upgraded graphical interface. DescribePROT currently covers 19 structural and functional descriptors for proteins in 273 reference proteomes generated by 11 accurate and complementary predictive tools. Users can search our resource in multiple ways, interact with the data using the graphical interface, and download data at various scales including individual proteins, entire proteomes, and whole database. The annotations in DescribePROT are useful for a broad spectrum of studies that include investigations of protein structure and function, development and validation of predictive tools, and to support efforts in understanding molecular underpinnings of diseases and development of therapeutics. DescribePROT can be freely accessed at http://biomine.cs.vcu.edu/servers/DESCRIBEPROT/.

Advanced treatment and Resource recovery of brewery wastewater by Co-cultivation of filamentous microalga Tribonema aequale and autochthonous Bacteria.

To use unicellular microalgae to remove waste nutrients from brewery wastewater while converting them into algal biomass has been explored but high-cost treatment and low-value biomass associated with current technologies have prevented this concept from further attempts. In this study, a filamentous microalga Tribonema aequale was introduced and the alga can grow vigorously in brewery wastewater and algal biomass concentration could be as high as 6.45 g L-1 which can be harvested by a cost-effective filtration method. The alga together with autochthonous bacteria removed majority of waste nutrients from brewery wastewater. Specifically, 85.39% total organic carbon (TOC), 79.53% total dissolved nitrogen (TN), 93.38% ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and 71.33% total dissolved phosphorus (TP) in brewery wastewater were rapidly removed by co-cultivation of T. aequale and autochthonous bacteria. Treated wastewater met the national wastewater discharge quality, and resulting algal biomass contained large amounts of high-value products chrysolaminarin, palmitoleic acid (PLA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). It is anticipated that reduced cost of algal harvesting coupled with value-added biomass could make T. aequale as a promising candidate for brewery wastewater treatment and resource utilization.

Comparison of the basic processes of aerobic, anaerobic, and aerobic-anaerobic coupling composting of Chinese medicinal herbal residues.

Chinese medicinal herbal residues (CMHRs) are waste generated after extracting Chinese medicinal materials, and they can be used as a renewable bioresource. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of aerobic composting (AC), anaerobic digestion (AD), and aerobic-anaerobic coupling composting (AACC) for the treatment of CMHRs. CMHRs were mixed with sheep manure and biochar, and composted separately under AC, AD, and AACC conditions for 42 days. Physicochemical indices, enzyme activities, and bacterial communities were monitored during composting. Results showed that AACC- and AC-treated CMHRs were well-rotted, with the latter exhibiting the lowest C/N ratio and maximal germination index (GI) values. Higher phosphatase and peroxidase activities were detected during the AACC and AC treatments. Better humification was observed under AACC based on the higher catalase activities and lower E4/E6. AC treatment was effective in reducing compost toxicity. This study provides new insights into biomass resource utilisation.

Characterization and antivibrio activity of chitosan-citral Schiff base calcium complex for a calcium citrate sustained release antibacterial agent.

Vibrio parahemolyticus is the "Number one killer" of seafood products. Anti-vibrio agents having low cost and high-safety are urgently needed to supplement the application needs. This work attempted to prepare CS-CT-CCa complex with citral (CT), chitosan (CS) and calcium citrate (CCa) as raw material by microwave-assisted high-pressure homogenization. Additionally the coordination structure and morphology of Bridge-CS-CT-Schiff base/OH-CCa were verified. The prepared CS-CT-CCa had a well-dispersed property (the size: 3.55~9.33 µm and the zeta potential: +38.7~+67.5 mV) and an excellent sustained released ability (sustained release up to 180 min). MIC, Glucose assay, MDA assay, biofilm formation inhibition assay, SEM, swimming and swarming motility assay demonstrated that CS-CT-CCa had strong (MIC of 128 µg/mL) and sustained (more than 12 h) inhibitory effects against V. parahaemolyticus. Meanwhile, CS-CT-CCa could increase the membrane permeability of V. parahaemolyticus and inhibit their biofilm-forming ability in a dose-dependent manner. It could be inferred that the antibacterial activities against V. parahaemolyticus caused inhibition of biofilm formation, swimming and swarming motilities. This study provided necessary data for the further design and development of chitosan antibacterial agents, food and feed additives.

Wumei Wan attenuates angiogenesis and inflammation by modulating RAGE signaling pathway in IBD: Network pharmacology analysis and experimental evidence.

BACKGROUND: Wumei Wan (WMW) has been used to address digestive disorder for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. Previous studies have demonstrated its anti-colitis efficacy, but the underlying mechanism of its action remains to be further clarified. PURPOSE: To investigate the underlying mechanisms of WMW in the treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis (UC) through network pharmacology and experimental validation. METHODS: Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP) platform were used to identify the ingredients and potential targets of WMW. The microarray gene data GSE75214 datasets from GEO database was used to define UC-associated targets. Cytoscape3.7.2 was employed to construct the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and compounds-disease targets network. GO enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway analysis were performed by R software for functional annotation. UPLC-TOF-MS/MS method was used to quantitatively analyze the active ingredients of WMW. For experimental validation, three cycles of 2% dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS) were used to construct chronic colitis model. The hub targets and signal pathway were detected by qPCR, ELISA, western blotting , immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Through network analysis, 104 active ingredients were obtained from WMW, and 47 of these ingredients had potential targets for UC. A total of 41 potential targets of WMW and 13 hub targets were identified. KEGG analysis showed that WMW involved in advanced glycation end products-receptor of advanced glycation end products (AGE-RAGE) signaling pathway. Taxifolin, rutaecarpine, kaempferol, quercetin, and luteolin of WMW were the more highly predictive components related to the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway. In vivo validation, WMW improved DSS-induced colitis, reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Notably, it significantly decreased the mRNA expression of Spp1, Serpine1, Mmp2, Mmp9, Ptgs2, Nos2, Kdr and Icam1, which were associated with angiogenesis. In addition, we confirmed WMW inhibited RAGE expression and diminished DSS-induced epithelial barrier alterations CONCLUSION: Our results initially demonstrated the effective components and the strong anti-angiogenic activity of WMW in experimental chronic colitis. Sufficient evidence of the satisfactory anti-colitis action of WMW was verified in this study, suggesting its potential as a quite prospective agent for the therapy of UC.

Traditional Chinese medicine extracts as novel corrosion inhibitors for AZ91 magnesium alloy in saline environment.

Zingiber officinale Roscoe extract, Raphanus sativus L. extract, Rheum palmatum extract, Coptis chinensis extract, Glycyrrhiza uralensis extract (GUE), Potentilla discolor extract (PDE) and Taraxacum officinale extract (TOE) were screened for the green corrosion inhibitors of AZ91 alloy in saline environment. The experiment results demonstrated that GUE, PDE and TOE can significantly enhance the corrosion resistance of AZ91 alloy by 73.4, 87.6 and 84.6%, respectively. Surface characterization using FTIR, UV-Vis and XPS revealed that the organic compounds of GUE, PDE and TOE can interact with the alloy surface to form a protective physisorbed film, effectively mitigating the corrosion process of AZ91 alloy. The present results may be helpful to discover the new green inhibitors with high inhibition efficiency for AZ91 alloy.

[Vinegar-processed Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix improves intestinal flora disorder and reduces colon toxicity].

The present study investigated the effect of Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix(EPR) on intestinal flora structure before and after vinegar processing and explored the detoxification mechanism of vinegar-processed EPR. In this study, the extraction efficiency of casbane diterpenes from EPR with different solvents was investigated, and the optimal solvent was selected to enrich these components. After 14 days of intragastric administration of total diterpene extract of EPR and vinegar-processed EPR, 16 S rDNA sequencing technology was used to detect the structural changes of intestinal flora. The flora related to the intestinal toxicity of EPR was screened out based on the results of intestinal pathological damage by correlation analysis. The results showed that Soxhlet extraction with chloroform as extraction solvent could enrich Casbane diterpenes in EPR. As revealed by 16 S rDNA sequencing results, EPR could significantly change the structure of intestinal flora, which could be reversed by vinegar-processing EPR. Some intestinal flora candidates might be related to detoxification of vinegar processing. The correlation analysis of intestinal flora candidates and indexes related to intestinal mucosal injury showed that compared with EPR, vinegar-processed EPR could down-regulate the abundance of some pathogenic bacteria such as Mucispirillum, Bilophila, and Ruminiclostridium, and up-regulated some probiotics such as Enterorhabdus, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Barnesiella, and Candidatus. The intestinal toxicity caused by EPR may be related to the disturbance of intestinal flora, and vinegar-processed EPR can improve intestinal flora disorder by up-regulating the abundance of probiotics and down-regulating the abundance of pathogenic bacteria to remodel the intestinal mucosal barrier and reduce toxicity.

The genome of low-chill Chinese plum "Sanyueli" (Prunus salicina Lindl.) provides insights into the regulation of the chilling requirement of flower buds.

Chinese plum (Prunus salicina Lindl.) is a stone fruit that belongs to the Prunus genus and plays an important role in the global production of plum. In this study, we report the genome sequence of the Chinese plum "Sanyueli", which is known to have a low-chill requirement for flower bud break. The assembled genome size was 282.38 Mb, with a contig N50 of 1.37 Mb. Over 99% of the assembly was anchored to eight pseudochromosomes, with a scaffold N50 of 34.46 Mb. A total of 29,708 protein-coding genes were predicted from the genome and 46.85% (132.32 Mb) of the genome was annotated as repetitive sequence. Bud dormancy is influenced by chilling requirement in plum and partly controlled by DORMANCY ASSOCIATED MADS-box (DAM) genes. Six tandemly arrayed PsDAM genes were identified in the assembled genome. Sequence analysis of PsDAM6 in "Sanyueli" revealed the presence of large insertions in the intron and exon regions. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the expression of PsDAM6 in the dormant flower buds of "Sanyueli" was significantly lower than that in the dormant flower buds of the high chill requiring "Furongli" plum. In addition, PsDAM6 expression was repressed by chilling treatment. The genome sequence of "Sanyueli" plum provides a valuable resource for elucidating the molecular mechanisms responsible for the regulation of chilling requirements, and it is also useful for the identification of the genes involved in the control of other important agronomic traits and molecular breeding in plum.

Development of a compound microbial agent beneficial to the composting of Chinese medicinal herbal residues.

This study was aimed at developing a compound microbial agent to facilitate the composting of Chinese medicinal herbal residues (CMHRs). Different microbial agents were inoculated into a mixture of CMHRs, sheep manure, and biochar and composted for 42 days. The results demonstrated that the compound microbial agent (K1 + P1 + N4) inoculated in T1 can extend the thermophilic period during composting. Compared with control check (CK), the total nutrient contents of the vaccinated groups increased by 5.45-28.54%, and T1 had the highest value. The total organic carbon degradation rate and germination index of T1 were 1.95 and 1.03 times higher than those of the control. Moreover, significant increases in the abundance and diversity of the microbial community were also found in T1. Consequently, using K1 + P1 + N4 as a microbial agent for the composting of CMHRs is recommended, and this research provides a new idea to solve the problem of waste of CMHRs.

A novel cytotoxic flavonoid C-glycoside from premna fulva.

Premna fulva Craib, locally known as "Zhangu" in China, is a kind of traditional medicinal plant. A phytochemical investigation on this plant led to the isolation of a novel flavonoid glycoside along with three known analogues. The chemical structure of the new compound was determined by spectral and chemical analysis as apigenin 8-C-ß-D-xylopyranoside (1). Compound 1 showed weak inhibitory activities in vitro against to four tumor cell lines (HL-60, Bcap37, SMMC7721, and P388) with IC50 values of 12.58, 19.31, 31.02, and 48.19 µg/mL, respectively. The result might be helpful to explain the application of P. fulva in Traditional Chinese Medicine.[Figure: see text].

Genomic survey and gene expression analysis of the MYB-related transcription factor superfamily in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.).

The MYB transcription factors (TFs) comprise a major TF family in the plant kingdom. Studies increasingly show that MYB-related genes drive physiological functions in plants. However, little is known regarding their regulatory networks and downstream pathways in potato. We conducted a genome-wide analysis of MYB TFs and related proteins in potato (Solanum tuberosum, abbreviated as St), and identified 138 StMYB-related TFs that were phylogenetically classified into three distinct subgroups based on highly conserved gene structures, consensus motifs and protein domain architecture. Segmental duplication events were detected in the StMYB-related gene family by collinearity analysis, which likely contributed to the expansion of this family. Synteny analysis indicated that 41 StMYB-related genes were orthologous to Arabidopsis and 24 to wheat. In addition, RNA-seq analysis identified several tissue-specific and abiotic stress-responsive StMYB-related genes. To determine a potential role of these genes in anthocyanin biosynthesis and drought response, we analyzed the transcriptomes of the white, pigmented, drought-sensitive ('Atlantic') and drought-resistant ('Qingshu No.9') tetraploid potato cultivars from three flowering stages: early, peak (full blooms) and late (foliage falling). The interaction networks of StMYB-related proteins that were differentially expressed between pigmented versus white, as well as the drought-tolerant versus sensitive cultivars were also predicted. Our findings lay the foundation for prospective functional studies of potato StMYB-related TFs.

Identification of α-Amyrin 28-Carboxylase and Glycosyltransferase From Ilex asprella and Production of Ursolic Acid 28-O-ß-D-Glucopyranoside in Engineered Yeast.

Ilex asprella is a medicinal plant that is used extensively in southern China. The plant contains ursane-type triterpenoids and triterpenoid saponins which are known to be responsible for its pharmacological activities. Previously, a transcriptomic analysis of I. asprella was carried out and the gene IaAS1, which is important in the formation of the core structure α-amyrin, was identified. However, the genes related to the subsequent derivatization of the core structures of the triterpenoid remain largely unknown. Herein, we describe the cloning and functional characterization of an amyrin 28-carboxylase IaAO1 (designated as IaCYP716A210) and a glycosyltransferase IaAU1 (designated as UGT74AG5), based on transcriptomic data. The expression of IaAO1 in an α-amyrin producing yeast strain led to the accumulation of ursolic acid. An enzyme assay using recombinant protein IaAU1 purified from E. coli revealed that IaAU1 can catalyze the conversion of ursolic acid to ursolic acid 28-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside. IaAU1 has regiospecificity for catalyzing the 28-O-glucosylation of ursane-/oleanane-type triterpene acids, as it can also catalyze the conversion of oleanolic acid, hederagenin, and ilexgenin A to their corresponding glycosyl compounds. Moreover, co-expression of IaAO1 and IaAU1 in the α-amyrin-producing yeast strain led to the production of ursolic acid 28-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, although in relatively low amounts. Our study reveals that IaAO1 and IaAU1 might play a role in the biosynthesis of pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins in I. asprella and provides insights into the potential application of metabolic engineering to produce ursane-type triterpene glycosides.

Promoting Aromatic Hydrocarbon Formation via Catalytic Pyrolysis of Polycarbonate Wastes over Fe- and Ce-Loaded Aluminum Oxide Catalysts.

Converting polycarbonate (PC) plastic waste into value-added chemicals and/or fuel additives by catalytic pyrolysis is a promising approach to dispose of solid wastes. In this study, a series of Fe-Ce@Al2O3 metal oxides were prepared by coprecipitation, impregnation, and a direct mixing method. The synthesized catalysts were then employed to investigate the catalytic conversion of PC wastes to produce aromatic hydrocarbons. Experimental results indicated that Fe-Ce@Al2O3 prepared by coprecipitation possessed superior catalytic activity because of its high content of weak acid sites, large pore volume, high surface area, and well dispersion of Fe and Ce active species, leading to an ∼3-fold increase in targeted monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons compared to that achieved noncatalytically. Moreover, an increase in the catalyst to feedstock (C/F) mass ratio was beneficial to the production of aromatic hydrocarbons at the expense of phenolic products, and elevating the C/F ratio from 1:1 to 3:1 considerably increased the benzene formation as the enhancement factor was increased from 2.3 to 8.8.

Adjuvant 131I-metuximab for hepatocellular carcinoma after liver resection: a randomised, controlled, multicentre, open-label, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Effective adjuvant treatment after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an important area of research. Radioactive iodine (131I)-labelled metuximab is a radiolabelled monoclonal antibody against the CD147 (also known as basigin or HAb18G) antigen that is expressed in HCC. We aimed to examine the role of 131I-metuximab as an adjuvant therapy after HCC resection. METHODS: This randomised, controlled, multicentre, open-label, phase 2 trial was done at five medical centres in China. Patients aged 18-75 years who underwent curative-intent resection of histologically confirmed HCC expressing CD147 were randomly assigned (1:1) by a computer-generated random sequence, stratified by centre, to receive either adjuvant transarterial injection of one dose of 27·75 MBq/kg 131I-metuximab 4-6 weeks after the hepatectomy (treatment group) or no adjuvant treatment (control group). Patients and physicians were not masked to the study groups. The primary outcome was 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00819650. FINDINGS: Between April 1, 2009, and Nov 30, 2012, 485 patients were screened for eligibility. 329 (68%) of these patients were excluded and 156 (32%) were randomly assigned to receive either 131I-metuximab (n=78) or no adjuvant treatment (n=78). The median follow-up was 55·9 months (IQR 18·6-79·4). In the intention-to-treat population, the 5-year RFS was 43·4% (95% CI 33·6-55·9) in the 131I-metuximab group and 21·7% (14·2-33·1) in the control group (hazard ratio 0·49 [95% CI 0·34-0·72]; Z=2·96, p=0·0031). 131I-metuximab-associated adverse events occurred within the first 4 weeks in 34 (45%) of 76 patients, seven (21%) of whom had grade 3 or 4 adverse events. These adverse events were all resolved with appropriate treatment within 2 weeks of being identified. INTERPRETATION: Adjuvant 131I-metuximab treatment significantly improved the 5-year RFS of patients after hepatectomy for HCC tumours expressing CD147. This treatment was well tolerated by patients. FUNDING: State Key Project on Infectious Diseases of China.

Genome-wide analysis and expression profiles of the StR2R3-MYB transcription factor superfamily in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.).

MYB transcription factors comprise one of the largest families in plant kingdom, which play a variety of functions in plant developmental processes and defence responses, the R2R3-MYB members are the predominant form found in higher plants. In the present study, a total of 111 StR2R3-MYB transcription factors were identified and further phylogenetically classified into 31 subfamilies, as supported by highly conserved gene structures and motifs. Collinearity analysis showed that the segmental duplication events played a crucial role in the expansion of StR2R3-MYB gene family. Synteny analysis indicated that 37 and 13 StR2R3-MYB genes were orthologous to Arabidopsis and wheat (Triticum aestivum), respectively, and these gene pairs have evolved under strong purifying selection. RNA-seq data from different tissues and abiotic stresses revealed tissue-preferential and abiotic stress-responsive StR2R3-MYB genes. We further analyzed StR2R3-MYB genes might be involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis and drought stress by using RNA-seq data of pigmented tetraploid potato cultivars and drought-sensitive and -tolerant tetraploid potato cultivars under drought stress, respectively. Moreover, EAR motifs were found in 21 StR2R3-MYB proteins and 446 pairs of proteins were predicted to interact with 21 EAR motif-containing StR2R3-MYB proteins by constructing the interaction network with medium confidence (0.4). Additionally, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of the 21 EAR motif-containing StR2R3-MYB proteins was performed to further investigate their functions. This work will facilitate future biologically functional studies of potato StR2R3-MYB transcription factors and enrich the knowledge of MYB superfamily genes in plant species.

Cyanine-Assisted Exfoliation of Covalent Organic Frameworks in Nanocomposites for Highly Efficient Chemo-Photothermal Tumor Therapy.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have received considerable interest because of their advanced applications. However, their low dispersibility and aqueous stability are intractable issues limiting their biomedical application. To address the issue, water-dispersible nanocomposites (COF@IR783) produced through the assembly of cyanines and COFs are proposed and prepared. Therefore, a strategy of "killing three birds with one stone" is developed. First, the nanocomposites exhibit superior dispersibility and aqueous stability compared to COFs. The nanocomposites have a nanosized morphology and negative charges, which are in favor of improving the blood circulation and enhanced permeability and retention-mediated tumor-targeting delivery therapy for in vivo application. Second, the nanocomposites have enhanced photothermal therapy (PTT) ability in the near-infrared region compared to cyanines. The nanocomposites also have a photoacoustic imaging ability, which can guide the antitumor therapy in vivo. Lastly, the nanocomposites can be further used as drug-delivery carriers for loading the anticancer cis-aconityl-doxorubicin (CAD) prodrug. In comparison with individual PTT or chemotherapy, the combination of PTT and chemotherapy achieved with COF@IR783@CAD synergistically induced the death of cancer cells in vitro, and an intravenous injection of COF@IR783@CAD in mice resulted in significant tumor ablation. This work indicates that the dispersibility and aqueous stability of COFs can be appropriately overcome through a rational design and can further expand the biomedical applications of COFs.

StMYB44 negatively regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis at high temperatures in tuber flesh of potato.

High temperatures are known to reduce anthocyanin accumulation in a number of diverse plant species. In potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), high temperature significantly reduces tuber anthocyanin pigment content. However, the mechanism of anthocyanin biosynthesis in potato tuber under heat stress remains unknown. Here we show that high temperature causes reduction of anthocyanin biosynthesis in both potato tuber skin and flesh, with white areas forming between the vasculature and periderm. Heat stress reduced the expression of the R2R3 MYB transcription factors (TFs) StAN1 and StbHLH1, members of the transcriptional complex responsible for coordinated regulation of the skin and flesh pigmentation, as well as anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway genes in white regions. However, the core phenylpropanoid pathway, lignin, and chlorogenic acid (CGA) pathway genes were up-regulated in white areas, suggesting that suppression of the anthocyanin branch may result in re-routing phenylpropanoid flux into the CGA or lignin biosynthesis branches. Two R2R3 MYB TFs, StMYB44-1 and StMYB44-2, were highly expressed in white regions under high temperature. In transient assays, StMYB44 represses anthocyanin accumulation in leaves of Nicotiana tabacum and N. benthamiana by directly suppressing the activity of the dihydroflavonol reductase (DFR) promoter. StMYB44-1 showed stronger repressive capacity than StMYB44-2, with both predicted proteins containing the repression-associated EAR motif with some variation. StMYB44-1 conferred repression without a requirement for a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) partner, suggesting a different repression mechanism from that of reported anthocyanin repressors. We propose that temperature-induced reduction of anthocyanin accumulation in potato flesh is caused by down-regulation of the activating anthocyanin regulatory complex, by enhancing the expression of flesh-specific StMYB44 and alteration of phenylpropanoid flux.

Insecticidal Activities and Chemical Composition of the Essential Oils of Ajania nitida and Ajania nematoloba from China.

In this work, we investigated insecticidal and repellent activities of the essential oils extracted from Ajania nitida and Ajania nematoloba against Tribolium castaneum and Lasioderma serricorne adults. The components of essential oils were analyzed by GC-MS. The main components of A. nitida oil were camphor (20.76%), thujone (18.64%), eucalyptol (13.42%), borneol (8.32%) and those of A. nematoloba oil were ß-pinene (34.72%), eucalyptol (24.97%) and verbenol (20.39%). The results showed that the two essential oils possessed insecticidal and repellent activities against two species of insects. A. nitida oil possessed contact and fumigant toxicity against T. castaneum (LD50 = 30.10 µg/adult and LC50 = 21.07 mg/L air) and L.serricorne (LD50 = 17.51 µg/adult and LC50 = 11.23 mg/L air). A.nematoloba oil showed contact and fumigant toxicity against T. castaneum (LD50 = 102.29µg/adult and LC50 = 69.45 mg/L air) and contact toxicity against L.serricorne (LD50 = 53.43 µg/adult), but no obvious fumigant effect was observed against L.serricorne. Both of essential oils possessed strong repellent activity against T. castaneum and certain repellent activity against L.serricorne. Especially, A. nematoloba oil showed the same level percentage repellency as DEET(the positve control) against T. castaneum. The results indicated that the essential oils of A. nitida and A. nematoloba had the potential to be developed as natural insecticides and repellents for the control of T. castaneum and L.serricorne.