Identification of a Comprehensive Gene Co-Expression Network Associated with Autotetraploid Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Development Using WGCNA Analysis.

The formation and development of potato tissues and organs is a complex process regulated by a variety of genes and environmental factors. The regulatory mechanisms underlying the growth and development are still unclear. In this work, we aimed to explore the changes in gene expression patterns and genetic characteristics of potato tissues throughout different developmental stages. To achieve this, we used autotetraploid potato JC14 as an experimental subject to analyze the transcriptome of the root, stem, and leaf at the seedling, tuber formation, and tuber expansion stages. The results revealed thousands of differentially expressed genes, predominantly involved in defense response and carbohydrate metabolism according to KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed a total of 12 co-expressed gene modules, with 4 modules showing the highest correlation with potato stem development. By calculating the connectivity of genes within the module, hub genes were identified, and functional annotations were subsequently performed. A total of 40 hub genes from the four modules were identified, and their functions were found to be related to carbohydrate metabolism, defense response, and transcription factors. These findings provide important insights for further understanding of the molecular regulation and genetic mechanisms involved in potato tissue development.

Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture Combined with Yishen Granule in Elderly Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a clinical disease that is prevalent in the elderly. Traditional Chinese herbs (TCHs) and acupuncture are valuable therapeutic options for MCI. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and Yishen Granule (YSG) in restoring cognitive function in elderly patients with MCI. Methods: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, controlled trial (8-week intervention) was conducted at two tertiary hospitals in Shanghai, China. A total of 120 participants were randomly divided into four groups (n = 30 per group): A, acupuncture with YSG; B, acupuncture with placebo herbal medicine; C, sham acupuncture with YSG; D, sham acupuncture with placebo herbal medicine. The primary outcome was a change in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), while the secondary outcome was to evaluate improvement in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Assessments were conducted at baseline and weeks 4 and 8. Results: Of the 120 patients (69.17 ± 6.57 years; 71 women [59.17%] and 49 men [40.83%]) included in the study, 106 (88.33%) completed the study. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA showed that the MoCA and MMSE scores in group A were significantly different from those in group D at week 4 (P < .05). At week 8, the MoCA and MMSE scores in groups A, B, and C were significantly improved compared with those in group D (P < .001 for all), and the delayed recall score in group A was significantly greater than those in groups B and C (P < .05). Acupuncture and YSG were well tolerated and safe, and no serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: Acupuncture, YSG, and the combination of both improved cognitive function, with the combined therapy being the most effective, which can be beneficial in preventing dementia and improving the quality of life of the elderly.

Kaempferitrin, a major compound from ethanol extract of Chenopodium ambrosioides, exerts antitumour and hepatoprotective effects in the mice model of human liver cancer xenografts.

OBJECTIVES：: This study aimed to investigate antitumour effect and possible toxicity of kaempferitrin, the major compound from ethanol extract of Chenopodium ambrosioides, in the mice model of human liver cancer xenografts. METHODS：: Forty mice bearing SMMC-7721 cells xenografts were divided into control group (not treated) and three groups orally administered with ethanol extract of C. ambrosioides, kaempferol (positive control) and kaempferitrin for 30 days. Antitumour effect was evaluated by measurement of tumour growth, histological examinations of tumours, flow cytometry detection of splenic CD19+ B lymphocytes and CD161+ Natural Killer cells, biochemical measurements of serum levels of tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, interferon-γ, malonaldehyde, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenz thiazoline-6-sulphonate) radicals. Toxicity was evaluated by histological examinations of livers and measurements of serum levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, malonaldehyde and hepatic malonaldehyde level. KEY FINDINGS: Kaempferitrin significantly (P < 0.05) decreased tumour volume, mass and cell number. Antitumour effect was due to induction of tumour cells necrosis and apoptosis, stimulation of splenic B lymphocytes, decreases of radicals and malonaldehyde. Kaempferitrin did not change liver structure, and decreased serum levels of transaminases, bilirubin, malonaldehyde and hepatic malonaldehyde level. CONCLUSIONS: Kaempferitrin exerts antitumour and hepatoprotective effects.

Efficacy and safety of Yi Shen Fang granules in elderly people with MCI: study protocol for a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional state between normal ageing and dementia. Most MCI patients will progress to dementia within 5 years; therefore, early intervention for MCI is important for delaying the occurrence and progression of dementia. Yi Shen Fang (YSF) granules are a promising traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment that shows great neuroprotective potential against cognitive impairment, as evidenced in clinical and basic studies. This trial aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of YSF granules in elderly people with MCI. METHODS: This study is a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, controlled trial. Based on the results of previous clinical trials, 280 elderly patients with MCI will be randomly divided into a treatment group (n = 140) and control group (n = 140). The study will last 33 weeks, including 1 week of screening, 8 weeks of intervention, and 24 weeks of follow-up. The primary outcomes will be the changes in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Memory and Executive Screening (MES) scores before and after the intervention. The secondary outcome measures will be homocysteine (HCY) levels, Functional Assessment Questionnaire (FAQ) scores and event-related potential (ERP) detection in typical cases. The TCM symptom scale is a combined measure of syndrome differentiation and treatment. During this study, the classifications and characteristics of adverse events, the times of occurrence and disappearance, the measures of treatment, their impact on the primary disease, and outcomes will be reported truthfully. DISCUSSION: This study will provide valuable clinical evidence that YSF can help to improve the cognitive function of elderly people with MCI, and the results will be disseminated via conferences and publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000036807. Registered on August 25, 2020.

Based on network pharmacology and bioinformatics to analyze the mechanism of action of Astragalus membranaceus in the treatment of vitiligo and COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is spreading rapidly around the world. However, the treatment of vitiligo combined with COVID-19 has not been reported. Astragalus membranaceus (AM) has a therapeutic effect on patients with vitiligo and COVID-19. This study aims to discover its possible therapeutic mechanisms and provide potential drug targets. Using the Chinese Medicine System Pharmacological Database (TCMSP), GEO database and Genecards websites and other databases, AM target, vitiligo disease target, and COVID-19 related gene set were established. Then find the crossover genes by taking the intersection. Then use GO, KEGG enrichment analysis, and PPI network to discover its underlying mechanism. Finally, by importing drugs, active ingredients, crossover genes, and enriched signal pathways into Cytoscape software, a "drug-active ingredient-target signal pathway-" network is constructed. TCMSP screened and obtained 33 active ingredients including baicalein (MOL002714), NEOBAICALEIN (MOL002934), Skullcapflavone II (MOL002927), and wogonin (MOL000173), which acted on 448 potential targets. 1166 differentially expressed genes for vitiligo were screened by GEO. CIVID-19 related genes were screened by Genecards. Then by taking the intersection, a total of 10 crossover genes (PTGS2, CDK1, STAT1, BCL2L1, SCARB1, HIF1A, NAE1, PLA2G4A, HSP90AA1, and HSP90B1) were obtained. KEGG analysis found that it was mainly enriched in signaling pathways such as IL-17 signaling pathway, Th17 cell differentiation, Necroptosis, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. Five core targets (PTGS2, STAT1, BCL2L1, HIF1A, and HSP90AA1) were obtained by analyzing the PPI network. The network of "active ingredients-crossover genes" was constructed by Cytoscape, and the 5 main active ingredients acting on the 5 core crossover genes acacetin, wogonin, baicalein, bis2S)-2-ethylhexyl) benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate and 5,2'-Dihydroxy-6,7,8-trimethoxyflavone. The core crossover genes obtained by PPI and the core crossover genes obtained by the "active ingredient-crossover gene" network are intersected to obtain the three most important core genes (PTGS2, STAT1, HSP90AA1). AM may act on PTGS2, STAT1, HSP90AA1, etc. through active components such as acacetin, wogonin, baicalein, bis2S)-2-ethylhexyl) benzene-1,2-dicarboxylate and 5,2'-Dihydroxy-6,7,8-trimethoxyflavone to activate IL-17 signaling pathway, Th17 cell differentiation, Necroptosis, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus infection, and VEGF signaling pathway and other signaling pathways to achieve the effect of treating vitiligo and COVID-19.

Antitumor effects of polysaccharides from Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg via regulation of intestinal flora and enhancing immunomodulatory effects in vivo.

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum Diels et Gilg is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with high medicinal value, and antitumor, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory biological activities. However, while several studies have focused on flavonoids in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum tubers, there are few studies on the enhanced immune effect of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum polysaccharides (THP). In this study, we evaluated the antitumor effect of THP in a lung tumor model and explored the mechanism of antitumor activity through intestinal flora. In addition, a cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppression model was used to declare the immunomodulatory effect of THP in the immunosuppressive state induced by antitumor drugs. The results showed that THP increased the content of ileum secreted immunoglobulin A (SIgA) and cecum short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and improved microbial community diversity, regulating the relative abundance of dominant microbiota flora from the phylum level to the genus level, and recovering the intestinal microflora disorder caused by tumors. Additionally, THP can increase the organ indices and improve immune organ atrophy. THP can upregulate routine blood counts and stimulate the production of the serum cytokines. THP also promoted the macrophage phagocytic index, NK-cell activation, and complement and immunoglobulin (IgG, IgA, IgM) levels. The detection of Splenic lymphocyte proliferation and T lymphocyte subsets also sideways reflects that THP can restore CTX-induced immune inhibition in mice. In conclusion, this study suggests that THP can effectively achieve the enhanced antitumor effects, regulate gut microbiota and improve the immunosuppression induced by antitumor drugs. Therefore, THP can enhance the immune capacity and provide novel immunomodulatory and antineoplastic adjuvant agents.

An allergenic plant calmodulin from Artemisia pollen primes human DCs leads to Th2 polarization.

Artemisia pollen is the major cause of seasonal allergic respiratory diseases in the northern hemisphere. About 28.57% of Artemisia allergic patients' IgE can recognize ArtCaM, a novel allergenic calmodulin from Artemisia identified in this study. These patients exhibited stronger allergic reactions and a longer duration of allergic symptoms. However, the signaling mechanism that triggers these allergic reactions is not fully understood. In this study, we found that extracellular ArtCaM directly induces the maturation of human dendritic cells (DCs), which is attributed to a series of Ca2+ relevant cascades, including Ca2+/NFAT/CaMKs. ArtCaM alone induces inflammatory response toward Th1, Th17, and Treg. Interestingly, a combination of ArtCaM and anti-ArtCaM IgE led to Th2 polarization. The putative mechanism is that anti-ArtCaM IgE partially blocks the ArtCaM-induced ERK signal, but does not affect Ca2+-dependent cascades. The crosstalk between ERK and Ca2+ signal primes DCs maturation and Th2 polarization. In summary, ArtCaM related to clinical symptoms when combined with anti-ArtCaM IgE, could be a novel allergen to activate DCs and promote Th2 polarization. Such findings provide mechanistic insights into Th2 polarization in allergic sensitization and pave the way for novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for efficient management of such pollen allergic disease.

AP1/2ß-mediated exocytosis of tapetum-specific transporters is required for pollen development in Arabidopsis thaliana.

AP-1 and AP-2 adaptor protein (AP) complexes mediate clathrin-dependent trafficking at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and the plasma membrane, respectively. Whereas AP-1 is required for trafficking to plasma membrane and vacuoles, AP-2 mediates endocytosis. These AP complexes consist of four subunits (adaptins): two large subunits (ß1 and γ for AP-1 and ß2 and α for AP-2), a medium subunit µ, and a small subunit σ. In general, adaptins are unique to each AP complex, with the exception of ß subunits that are shared by AP-1 and AP-2 in some invertebrates. Here, we show that the two putative Arabidopsis thaliana AP1/2ß adaptins co-assemble with both AP-1 and AP-2 subunits and regulate exocytosis and endocytosis in root cells, consistent with their dual localization at the TGN and plasma membrane. Deletion of both ß adaptins is lethal in plants. We identified a critical role of ß adaptins in pollen wall formation and reproduction, involving the regulation of membrane trafficking in the tapetum and pollen germination. In tapetal cells, ß adaptins localize almost exclusively to the TGN and mediate exocytosis of the plasma membrane transporters such as ATP-binding cassette (ABC)G9 and ABCG16. This study highlights the essential role of AP1/2ß adaptins in plants and their specialized roles in specific cell types.

Evaluation of Ecological Suitability and Quality Suitability of Panax notoginseng Under Multi-Regionalization Modeling Theory.

Panax notoginseng is an important medicinal plant in China, but there are some limitations in the ecological suitability study, such as incomplete investigation of species distribution, single regionalization modeling, and lack of collaborative evaluation of ecological suitability, and quality suitability. In this study, the maximum entropy model was used to analyze the ecological suitability of P. notoginseng under current and future climates. The multi-source chemical information of samples was collected to evaluate the uniformity between quality and ecology. The results showed that the current suitable habitat was mainly in southwest China. In the future climate scenarios, the high suitable habitat will be severely degraded. Modeling based on different regionalization could predict larger suitable habitat areas. The samples in the high suitable habitat had both quality suitability and ecological suitability, and the accumulation of chemical components had different responses to different environmental factors. Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy combined with deep learning could achieve rapid identification of samples from different suitable habitats. In conclusion, global warming is not conducive to the distribution and spread of P. notoginseng. The high suitable habitat was conducive to the cultivation of high-quality medicinal materials. Actual regionalization modeling had more guiding significance for the selection of suitable habitats in a small area. The multi-regionalization modeling theory proposed in this study could provide a new perspective for the ecological suitability study of similar medicinal plants. The results provided a reference for the introduction and cultivation, and lay the foundation for the scientific and standardized production of high-quality P. notoginseng.

A Novel Multi-Preprocessing Integration Method for the Qualitative and Quantitative Assessment of Wild Medicinal Plants: Gentiana rigescens as an Example.

Until now, the over-exploitation of wild resources has increased growing concern over the quality of wild medicinal plants. This led to the necessity of developing a rapid method for the evaluation of wild medicinal plants. In this study, the content of total secoiridoids (gentiopicroside, swertiamarin, and sweroside) of Gentiana rigescens from 37 different regions in southwest China were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) was adopted to trace the geographical origin (331 individuals) and predict the content of total secoiridoids (273 individuals). In the traditional FT-IR analysis, only one scatter correction technique could be selected from a series of preprocessing candidates to decrease the impact of the light correcting effect. Nevertheless, different scatter correction techniques may carry complementary information so that using the single scatter correction technique is sub-optimal. Hence, the emerging ensemble approach to preprocessing fusion, sequential preprocessing through orthogonalization (SPORT), was carried out to fuse the complementary information linked to different preprocessing methods. The results suggested that, compared with the best results obtained on the scatter correction modeling, SPORT increased the accuracy of the test set by 12.8% in qualitative analysis and decreased the RMSEP by 66.7% in quantitative analysis.

Study on the identification and evaluation of growth years for Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis using deep learning combined with 2DCOS.

Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis, as perennial plants, its quality is closely related to growth period. Different harvest years determine the dry matter accumulation of its medicinal parts and the dynamic accumulation of active ingredients, as well as its economic value and medicinal value. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a systematic evaluation method for the identification and evaluation of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis with different growth years. Deep learning has a powerful ability in recognition. This study extends it to the identification analysis of medicinal plants from the perspective of spectrum. For the first time, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) based on the attenuated total reflection Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) combined with residual neural network (Resnet) was used to identify growth years. 525 samples were collected, 4725 2DCOS images were drawn, and the dry matter accumulation in rhizomes of different growth years and different sampling sites were briefly analyzed. The results show that the eight-year-old P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis in Dali has higher economic value and medicinal value. The synchronous 2DCOS models based on ATR-FTIR can realize the identification of growth years with accuracy of 100%. Synchronous 2DCOS are more suitable for the identification of medicinal plants with complex systems. 2DCOS images with different colors and second derivative processing cannot optimize the modeling results. In summary, the method we established is innovative and feasible. It not only solved the identification of growth years, expanded the application field of deep learning, but could also be extended to further research on other medicinal plants.

Characterization and Quantification of Luteolin-Metal Complexes in Aqueous Extract of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and Huangshan Wild Chrysanthemum.

Luteolin is a flavonoid compound widely found in vegetables, fruits, and medicinal plants. In this study, the reaction conditions for luteolin and five metal ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Fe3+, and Cu2+) to form complexes in hot water were optimized, which was at a molar ratio of 1 : 1 for luteolin and metal ions at 90°C in a volume of 20 mL for 2 h, and the ability of luteolin to form complexes with Cu2+ was the strongest. The DPPH scavenging test showed that luteolin exerted a dose-dependent effect on the clearance of free radicals; luteolin-Cu2+ complexes and luteolin-Fe3+ complexes accentuated the clearance of free radicals. Furthermore, we used high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to analyze luteolin in samples from two medicinal plants, obtained from the dissolution of aqueous extracts in two different solvents. The results showed that the peak areas for luteolin in the samples dissolved in 20% formic acid-methanol were significantly larger than those from the samples dissolved in methanol alone, with increases in the peak area being 135.6% (Lonicerae Japonicae Flos), and 161.16% (Huangshan wild chrysanthemum). The aforementioned results indicate that complexes formed from organic compounds and metal ions are present in the decoction of a plant.

Fitness of Chassis Cells and Metabolic Pathways for l-Cysteine Overproduction in Escherichia coli.

l-Cysteine is a ubiquitous and unique sulfur-containing amino acid with numerous applications in agricultural and food industries. The efficient production of l-cysteine via microbial fermentation has received a great deal of attention. In this study, the fitness of different Escherichia coli K-12 strains harboring plasmid pLH03 was investigated. The enhancement of the precursor synthetic pathway and thiosulfate assimilation pathway resulted in the good performance of the E. coli BW25113 strain. The expression levels of synthetic pathway genes were optimized by two constitutive promoters to assess their effects on cysteine production. In conjunction, the main degradation pathway genes were also deleted for more efficient production of cysteine. l-Cysteine production was further increased through the manipulation of the sulfur transcription regulator cysB and sulfur supplementation. After process optimization in a 1.5 L bioreactor, LH2A1M0BΔYTS-pLH03 [BW25113 Ptrc2-serA Ptrc1-cysMPtrc-cysBΔyhaMΔtnaAΔsdaA-(pLH03)] accumulated 8.34 g/L cysteine, laying a foundation for application in the cysteine fermentation industry.

The efficacy and safety of 'antianxiety granule' for anxiety disorder: a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent class of lifetime disorders in China, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common but frequently overlooked anxiety disorders. Conventional pharmacological treatments for GAD have varying degrees of side effects, dependency, and/or withdrawal syndromes. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is considered a valuable therapeutic option for anxiety disorders and a potentially effective technique to reduce the side effects associated with antipsychotic drugs. This trial aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Antianxiety Granule, a granular Chinese medicine compound, for treatment of GAD. METHODS/DESIGN: The current work is a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial with a 6-week treatment schedule. The study consists of three periods: a 1-7-day screening period, a 6-week primary treatment period, and a 1-week follow-up period. Follow-up assessments will be conducted 1 week after the last visit with a face-to-face interview or by telephone. The clinical efficacy of Antianxiety Granule for the treatment of GAD will be evaluated by examining the change in the Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) score, state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) score, and TCM symptom scale in patients with GAD who receive daily TCM treatment. Moreover, an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis will also be used in this randomized controlled trial (RCT). DISCUSSION: Our study is a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Antianxiety Granule for the treatment of GAD. The results of this trial will provide valuable clinical evidence for the treatment of GAD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800016039. Registered on 8 May 2018.

Enhancement of Sulfur Conversion Rate in the Production of l-Cysteine by Engineered Escherichia coli.

Cysteine is a commercially important sulfur-containing amino acid widely used as a supplement in the agricultural and food industries. It is extremely desirable to achieve a high sulfur conversion rate in the fermentation-based cysteine production. Here, the metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli was performed to enhance the sulfur conversion rate in cysteine biosynthesis. Accordingly, the reduction of sulfur loss by the regulator decR and its yhaOM operons were deleted. serACB was integrated into chromosome with constitutive promoter to coordinately increase sulfur utilization. The sulfur assimilation pathways and sulfur transcriptional regulator cysB were overexpressed to regulate sulfur metabolism and enhance sulfur conversion significantly. After the process optimization in fed-batch fermentation, LH16 [SLH02 ΔyhaM Ptrc1-serACB-cysM-nrdH-(pLH03, pTrc99a-cysB)] produced 7.5 g/L of cysteine with a sulfur conversion rate of 90.11%. These results indicate that cysteine production by LH16 is a valuable process in the agricultural and food industries.

The complete plastome genome and its inference on the phylogenetic position of Bletilla formosana (Orchidaceae).

Bletilla formosana is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb and recently threatened by overexploitation owing to the increasing demand. In present study, we sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genomes of this species. The plastome genome is a typical quadripartite circle molecule with the total lenth of 158,968 bp and overall GC content of 37.3%. We predicted 104 genes in the cp genome, including 80 protein coding gens, 20 tRNA and 4 rRNA. Phylogenetic analysis shows that B. formosana is sister to B. striata.

Sex allocation in gynodioecious Cyananthus delavayi differs between gender morphs and soil quality.

KEY MESSAGE: Sex allocation in Cyananthus delavayi. Gynodioecy, where females and hermaphrodites coexist in the same natural population, is particularly suitable for predicting the ecological pressures that drive the stability of gender polymorphism. Since females have a disadvantage in that they only contribute to the next generation via ovules, they should gain an advantage via other means, of which resource allocation is an important component. Thus, to study their sex allocation is very helpful to understand how the dimorphic sexual system is maintained in natural systems. We studied the sex allocation patterns and reproductive output of the gynodioecious Cyananthus delavayi in three populations with different soil qualities (organic matter, N, P and K). The hermaphroditic flowers and pistils were much larger than those of female individuals. Although both gender morphs invested similar biomass in the pistils, females allocated more of their resource pool to the seed production, while hermaphrodites allocated more to pollinator advertisement. The pollen production of hermaphrodites did not differ between populations, suggesting that pollen production by hermaphrodites was not limited by soil nutrients. Fruit set of females, but not hermaphrodites, decreased with declining soil quality, whereas seeds per fruit of both females and hermaphrodites were highest in poor soils. Overall, this study shows that females achieve greater reproductive success by allocating more of their resource pool to enhancing seed production, which should favor their presence in gynodioecious populations. The hermaphrodites achieve reproductive success from both pollen and seed production, and unnecessarily reduce their allocation to pollen production. Soil quality should explain, at least partially, the sexual allocation patterns. Furthermore, some of our findings contradict previous hypotheses, thus adding a new example to the body of research on plant sex allocation and the development of future theories.

Evaluation and quantitative analysis of different growth periods of herb-arbor intercropping systems using HPLC and UV-vis methods coupled with chemometrics.

As a result of the pressure from population explosion, agricultural land resources require further protecting and rationally utilizing. Intercropping technique has been widely applied for agricultural production to save cultivated area, improve crop quality, and promote agriculture economy. In this study, we employed high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) combined with chemometrics for determination and qualitative evaluation of several kinds of intercropping system with Gentiana rigescens Franch. ex Hemsl. (GR), which is used as an hepatic protector in local communities in China. Results revealed that GR in a Camellia sinensis intercropping system contained most gentiopicroside, sweroside, and total active constituents (six chemical indicators), whose content reached 91.09 ± 3.54, 1.03 ± 0.06, and 104.05 ± 6.48 mg g(-1), respectively. The two applied quantitative and qualitative methods reciprocally verified that GR with 2 years of growth period performed better in terms of quality than 1 year, collectively.

Secretome analysis of Pleurotus eryngii reveals enzymatic composition for ramie stalk degradation.

Pleurotus eryngii (P. eryngii) can secrete large amount of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes to degrade lignocellulosic biomass. In spite of several researches on the individual lignolytic enzymes, a direct deconstruction of lignocellulose by enzyme mixture is not yet possible. Identifying more high-performance enzymes or enzyme complexes will lead to efficient in vitro lignocelluloses degradation. In this report, secretomic analysis was used to search for the new or interesting enzymes for lignocellulose degradation. Besides, the utilization ability of P. eryngii to ramie stalk substrate was evaluated from the degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in medium and six extracellular enzymes activities during different growth stages were discussed. The results showed that a high biological efficiency of 71% was obtained; cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin decomposition rates of P. eryngii were 29.2, 26.0, and 51.2%, respectively. Enzyme activity showed that carboxymethyl cellulase, xylanase, laccase, and peroxidase activity peaks appeared at the primordial initiation stage. In addition, we profiled a global view of the secretome of P. eryngii cultivated in ramie stalk media to understand the mechanism behind lignocellulosic biomass hydrolysis. Eighty-seven nonredundant proteins were identified and a diverse group of enzymes, including cellulases, hemicellulases, pectinase, ligninase, protease, peptidases, and phosphatase implicated in lignocellulose degradation were found. In conclusion, the information in this report will be helpful to better understand the lignocelluloses degradation mechanisms of P. eryngii.