Improving the interfacial stability of ultrahigh-nickel cathodes with PEO-based electrolytes by targeted chemical reactions.

Benefiting from high energy density of ultrahigh-nickel cathode materials and good safety of PEO-based electrolytes, PEO-based ultrahigh-nickel solid-state lithium batteries (SLMBs) are considered to be new-generation energy storage devices. However, the incompatibility of ultrahigh-nickel cathode materials and PEO-based electrolytes is the main challenge due to serious interfacial side reactions. Therefore, the modification of the cathode/electrolyte interface is crucial. Herein, the residual lithium on the surface of LiNi0.9Co0.06Mn0.04O2 is utilized to construct an interfacial coating layer by reacting with H3BO3. The in situ formed xLi2O-B2O3 coating layer (LBO1-NCM) with high ionic conductivity can be regulated with different crystal structures during the sintering process. Besides, an all-solid-state three-electrode cell is fabricated, which verifies that the xLi2O-B2O3 coating can effectively stabilize the interface. Astonishingly, uneven Li anode deposition is observed in SLMBs, which is caused by the breakage of PEO molecular chains due to the strong oxidation of the cathode, while this crosstalk is also suppressed by the xLi2O-B2O3 coating layer. Consequently, Li|PEO|LBO1-NCM achieves a substantially improved electrochemical performance, exhibiting 90.5% of capacity retention after 100 cycles for the coin cell and 80.3% of capacity retention after 200 cycles for the pouch cell. Apparently, the targeted modification of interfaces should be paid as much attention as electrolyte optimization in SLMBs.

Artificial intelligence in plant breeding.

Harnessing cutting-edge technologies to enhance crop productivity is a pivotal goal in modern plant breeding. Artificial intelligence (AI) is renowned for its prowess in big data analysis and pattern recognition, and is revolutionizing numerous scientific domains including plant breeding. We explore the wider potential of AI tools in various facets of breeding, including data collection, unlocking genetic diversity within genebanks, and bridging the genotype-phenotype gap to facilitate crop breeding. This will enable the development of crop cultivars tailored to the projected future environments. Moreover, AI tools also hold promise for refining crop traits by improving the precision of gene-editing systems and predicting the potential effects of gene variants on plant phenotypes. Leveraging AI-enabled precision breeding can augment the efficiency of breeding programs and holds promise for optimizing cropping systems at the grassroots level. This entails identifying optimal inter-cropping and crop-rotation models to enhance agricultural sustainability and productivity in the field.

ICG signal denoising based on ICEEMDAN and PSO-VMD methods.

Impedance cardiography (ICG) plays a crucial role in clinically evaluating cardiac systolic and diastolic functions, along with various other cardiac parameters. However, its accuracy heavily depends on precisely identifying feature points reflecting cardiac function. Moreover, traditional signal processing techniques used to mitigate random noise and breathing artifacts may inadvertently distort the amplitude and temporal characteristics of ICG signals. To address this issue, this study investigates a noise and artifact elimination method based on Improved Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (ICEEMDAN) and Particle Swarm Optimization-based Variational Mode Decomposition Algorithm (PSO-VMD). The goal is to preserve the amplitude and temporal features of ICG signals to ensure accurate feature point extraction and computation of associated cardiac parameters. Comparative analysis with signal processing methods employing various wavelet families and Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) in ICG signal processing applications reveals that the proposed method achieves superior signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and lower root-mean-square error (RMSE), while demonstrating enhanced correlation and waveform consistency with the original signal.

Customized Li+ Solvation Sheath at the Poly(ethylene oxide)-Based Electrolyte/Ultrahigh-Nickel Cathode Interface toward Room-Temperature Solid-State Lithium Batteries.

The matching of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based electrolytes with ultrahigh-nickel cathode materials is crucial for designing new-generation high-energy-density solid-state lithium metal batteries (SLMBs), but it is limited by serious interfacial side reactions between PEO and ultrahigh-nickel materials. Here, a high-concentration electrolyte (HCE) interface with a customized Li+ solvation sheath is constructed between the cathode and the electrolyte. It induces the formation of an anion-regulated robust cathode/electrolyte interface (CEI), reduces the unstable free-state solvent, and finally achieves the compatibility of PEO-based electrolytes with ultrahigh-nickel cathode materials. Meanwhile, the corrosion of the Al current collector caused by lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) ions is prevented by lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiDFOB) ions. The synergistic effect of the double lithium salt is achieved by a well-tailored ratio of TFSI- and DFOB- in the first solvation sheath of Li+. Compared with reported PEO-based SLMBs matched with ultrahigh-nickel (Ni ≥ 90%) cathodes, the SLMB in this work delivers a high discharge specific capacity of 216.4 mAh g-1 (0.1C) even at room temperature. This work points out a direction to optimize the cathode/electrolyte interface.

Ni-Rich Layered Oxide Cathodes/Sulfide Electrolyte Interface in Solid-State Lithium Battery.

Because of the high specific capacity and low cost, Ni-rich layered oxide (NRLO) cathodes are one of the most promising cathode candidates for the next high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. However, they face structure and interface instability challenges, especially the battery safety risk caused by using an intrinsic flammable organic liquid electrolyte. In this regard, a solid electrolyte with high safety is of great significance to promote the development of energy storage. Among them, sulfide electrolytes are considered to be the most potential substitutes for liquid electrolytes because of their high ionic conductivity and good processing properties. Nevertheless, the interfacial incompatibility between the sulfide electrolyte and NRLO cathode is the critical challenge for high-performance sulfide all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). In this review, we summarize the problems of the Ni-rich cathode/sulfide solid electrolyte interface and the strategies to improve the interface stability. On the basis of these insights, we highlight the scientific problems and technological challenges that need to be resolved urgently and propose several potential directions to further improve the interface stability. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive understanding and insightful recommendations for the enhancement of the sulfide ASSLBs with NRLO cathode.

Identification of the coexisting virus-derived siRNA in maize and rice infected by rice black-streaked dwarf virus.

Rice black-streaked dwarf virus is transmitted by small brown planthoppers, which causes maize rough dwarf disease and rice black-streaked dwarf disease. This virus leads to slow growth or death of the host plants. During the co-evolutionary arms race between viruses and plants, virus-derived small interfering RNAs challenge the plant's defense response and inhibit host immunity through the RNA silencing system. However, it is currently unknown if rice black-streaked dwarf virus can produce the same small interfering RNAs to mediate the RNA silencing in different infected species. In this study, four small RNA libraries and four degradome libraries were constructed by extracting total RNAs from the leaves of the maize (Zea mays) inbred line B73 and japonica rice (Oryza sativa) variety Nipponbare exposed to feeding by viruliferous and non-viruliferous small brown planthoppers. We analyzed the characteristics of small RNAs and explored virus-derived small interfering RNAs in small RNA libraries through high-throughput sequencing. On analyzing the characteristics of small RNA, we noted that the size distributions of small RNAs were mainly 24-nt (19.74%-62.00%), whereas those of virus-derived small interfering RNAs were mostly 21-nt (41.06%-41.87%) and 22-nt (39.72%-42.26%). The 5'-terminal nucleotides of virus-derived small interfering RNAs tended to be adenine or uracil. Exploring the distribution of virus-derived small interfering RNAs hot spots on the viral genome segments revealed that the frequency of hot spots in B73 was higher than those in Nipponbare. Meanwhile, hotspots in the S9 and S10 virus genome segments were distributed similarly in both hosts. In addition, the target genes of small RNA were explored by degradome sequencing. Analyses of the regulatory pathway of these target genes unveiled that viral infection affected the ribosome-related target genes in maize and target genes in metabolism and biosynthesis pathways in rice. Here, 562 and 703 virus-derived small interfering RNAs were separately obtained in maize and rice, and 73 virus-derived small interfering RNAs named as co-vsiRNAs were detected in both hosts. Stem-loop PCR and RT-qPCR confirmed that co-vsiRNA 3.1 and co-vsiRNA 3.5 derived from genome segment S3 simultaneously play a role in maize and rice and inhibited host gene expression. The study revealed that rice black-streaked dwarf virus can produce the same small interfering RNAs in different species and provides a new direction for developing the new antiviral strategies.

Unambiguous identification of γ-aminobutyric acid adducts as novel plant biomarkers and their ultra-sensitive detection by UPLC-MS/MS for retrospective analyses of nitrogen mustards exposure.

Plants are widely existing in the environments and have been considered as potential sentinel species of toxic chemicals' exposure. In this study, the deadly toxic chemicals of three nitrogen mustards (NMs, including NH1, NH2 and NH3) were selected as the investigated targets. First, the reactivities of common endogenous plant components with NMs were examined in vitro. Then, the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana Domin was exposed to NMs. Three γ-aminobutyric acid-nitrogen mustard adducts (GABA-NMs) were identified in the living plant by high resolution mass spectrometry and comparison with the synthesized references. A sensitive detection method with the limits of quantification of 0.0500 ng mL-1 was developed using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The GABA-NMs could be detected after 120 days of the exposure and even in the dead leaves without obvious decrease. Furthermore, 20 different plant species grown in diverse climate zones were exposed to HN1, and the adduct of GABA-HN1 was identified in all the leaves. The results showed the good universality and specificity of GABA-NMs as plant biomarkers for NMs exposure. This work provides a new approach for the pollution investigation of toxic chemicals through analysing biomarkers in plant materials.

Ecological niche shift and suitable area expansion of a globally invasive species Phthorimaea operculella.

Phthorimaea operculella is a major potato pest of global importance, early warning and detection of which are of significance. In this study, we analyzed the climate niche conservation of P. operculella during its invasion by comparing the overall climate niche from three dimensions, including the differences between native range (South America) and entire invaded region (excluding South America), the differences bwtween native range (South America) and five invaded continents (North America, Oceania, Asia, Africa, and Europe), as well as the differences between native region (South America) and an invaded region (China). We constructed ecological niche models for its native range (South America) and invaded region (China). The results showed that the climatic niche of the pest has expanded to varying degrees in different regions, indicating that the pest could well adapt to new environments during the invasion. Almost all areas of South America are suitable for P. operculella. In China, its suitable area is mainly concentrated in Shandong, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Henan, Hubei, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hainan, northern Guangxi, southern Hunan, Anhui, Guangdong, Jiangsu, southern Shanxi, and southern Shaanxi. With increasing greenhouse gas emissions and global temperature, its suitable area will decrease at low latitude and increase gradually at high latitude. Specifically, the northern boundary will extend to Liaoning, Jilin, and the southeastern region of Inner Mongolia, while the western boundary extends to Sichuan and the southeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The suitable area in the southeast Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Hainan Island, and the south of Yangtze River, will gradually decrease. The total suitable habitat area for P. operculella in China is projected to increase under future climate condition. From 2081 to 2100, under the three greenhouse gas emissions scenarios of ssp126, ssp370, and ssp585, the suitable area is expected to increase by 27.78, 165.54, and 140.41 hm2, respectively. Therefore, it is crucial to strengtehen vigilance and implement strict measures to prevent the further expansion of P. operculella.

Gene pyramiding of ZmGLK36 and ZmGDIα-hel for rough dwarf disease resistance in maize.

Maize rough dwarf disease (MRDD) caused by pathogenic viruses in the genus Fijivirus in the family Reoviridae is one of the most destructive diseases in maize. The pyramiding of effective resistance genes into maize varieties is a potential approach to reduce the damage resulting from the disease. Two major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) (qMrdd2 and qMrdd8) have been previously identified. The resistance genes ZmGLK36 and ZmGDIα-hel have also been cloned with the functional markers Indel-26 and IDP25K, respectively. In this study, ZmGLK36 and ZmGDIα-hel were introgressed to improve MRDD resistance of maize lines (Zheng58, Chang7-2, B73, Mo17, and their derived hybrids Zhengdan958 and B73 × Mo17) via marker-assisted selection (MAS). The converted lines and their derived hybrids, carrying one or two genes, were evaluated for MRDD resistance using artificial inoculation methods. The double-gene pyramiding lines and their derived hybrids exhibited increased resistance to MRDD compared to the monogenic lines and the respective hybrids. The genetic backgrounds of the converted lines were highly similar (90.85-98.58%) to the recurrent parents. In addition, agronomic trait evaluation demonstrated that pyramiding lines with one or two genes and their derived hybrids were not significantly different from the recurrent parents and their hybrids under nonpathogenic stress, including period traits (tasseling, pollen shedding, and silking), yield traits (ear length, grain weight per ear and 100-kernel weight) and quality traits (protein and starch content). There were differences in plant architecture traits between the improved lines and their hybrids. This study illustrated the successful development of gene pyramiding for improving MRDD resistance by advancing the breeding process. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-024-01466-9.

ZmADF5, a Maize Actin-Depolymerizing Factor Conferring Enhanced Drought Tolerance in Maize.

Drought stress is seriously affecting the growth and production of crops, especially when agricultural irrigation still remains quantitatively restricted in some arid and semi-arid areas. The identification of drought-tolerant genes is important for improving the adaptability of maize under stress. Here, we found that a new member of the actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF) family; the ZmADF5 gene was tightly linked with a consensus drought-tolerant quantitative trait locus, and the significantly associated signals were detected through genome wide association analysis. ZmADF5 expression could be induced by osmotic stress and the application of exogenous abscisic acid. Its overexpression in Arabidopsis and maize helped plants to keep a higher survival rate after water-deficit stress, which reduced the stomatal aperture and the water-loss rate, as well as improved clearance of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, seventeen differentially expressed genes were identified as regulated by both drought stress and ZmADF5, four of which were involved in the ABA-dependent drought stress response. ZmADF5-overexpressing plants were also identified as sensitive to ABA during the seed germination and seedling stages. These results suggested that ZmADF5 played an important role in the response to drought stress.

Screening of hair follicle telogen-associated circRNAs in sheep and construction of their ceRNA network.

Sheep breeds with hair-shedding traits have many advantages over non-shedding sheep breeds, not only because of reduced shearing labor and feeding management costs but also because it reduces in vitro parasites and improves adaptability to summer heat stress. The wool of Dorper sheep naturally sheds in spring due to the periodic growth of hair follicles. CircRNAs primarily regulate the morphogenesis of hair follicles through the ceRNA mechanism. In this study, five 2-year-old Dorper ewes with extreme hair-shedding phenotype (S) and three Dorper ewes with non-shedding (N) phenotype were selected for subsequent analyses. For RNA extraction, skin tissues were collected on 27th September 2019 (S1, N1), 3rd January 2020 (S2, N2), and 17th March 2020 (S3, N3), which were then subjected to RNA-seq. RNA-seq technology revealed 20,185 novel circRNAs in the hair follicles of Dorper sheep. Among them, 1450 circRNAs were differentially expressed (DE). Clustering heatmap and expression pattern analyses were performed on DE circRNAs, which indicated 78 circRNAs with T pattern (Telogen, highly expressed in telogen), and the source genes for candidate circRNAs were further screened by functional enrichment analysis, which identified 13 crucial genes enriched in pathways associated with hair follicle development. Additionally, a ceRNA regulatory network comprising 4 circRNAs, 11 miRNAs, and 13 target genes was constructed. Overall, this study screened circRNAs that may be associated with the telogen phase of hair follicles in sheep, providing a relevant theoretical basis for wool shedding in sheep and for breeding Dorper sheep with automatic wool shedding.

BF4- Tailoring Solvation Chemistry of Ether-Based Electrolytes to Construct Stable Electrode/Electrolyte Interfaces for Sodium-Ion Full Batteries.

The ether-based electrolytes show excellent performance on anodes in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), but they still show poor compatibility with the cathodes. Here, ether electrolytes with NaBF4 as the main salt or additive were applied in NFM//HC full cells and showed enhanced performance than the electrolyte with NaPF6. Then, BF4- was found to have a stronger interaction with Na+, which could reduce the solvation of Na+ with the solvent, thus inducing the formation of the cathode electrolyte interface (CEI) and solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layers rich in inorganic species. Moreover, the morphology, structure, composition, and solubility of CEI and SEI were explored, concluding that NaBF4 could induce more stable CEI and SEI layers rich in B-containing species and inorganics. This work proposes using NaBF4 as the main salt or additive to improve the performance of ether electrolytes in NFM//HC full cells, which provides a strategy to improve the compatibility of ether-based electrolytes and cathodes.

The maize PLASTID TERMINAL OXIDASE (PTOX) locus controls the carotenoid content of kernels.

Carotenoids perform a broad range of important functions in humans; therefore, carotenoid biofortification of maize (Zea mays L.), one of the most highly produced cereal crops worldwide, would have a global impact on human health. PLASTID TERMINAL OXIDASE (PTOX) genes play an important role in carotenoid metabolism; however, the possible function of PTOX in carotenoid biosynthesis in maize has not yet been explored. In this study, we characterized the maize PTOX locus by forward- and reverse-genetic analyses. While most higher plant species possess a single copy of the PTOX gene, maize carries two tandemly duplicated copies. Characterization of mutants revealed that disruption of either copy resulted in a carotenoid-deficient phenotype. We identified mutations in the PTOX genes as being causal of the classic maize mutant, albescent1. Remarkably, overexpression of ZmPTOX1 significantly improved the content of carotenoids, especially ß-carotene (provitamin A), which was increased by ~threefold, in maize kernels. Overall, our study shows that maize PTOX locus plays an important role in carotenoid biosynthesis in maize kernels and suggests that fine-tuning the expression of this gene could improve the nutritional value of cereal grains.

Combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis reveals breed-specific regulatory mechanisms in Dorper and Tan sheep.

BACKGROUND: Dorper and Tan sheep are renowned for their rapid growth and exceptional meat quality, respectively. Previous research has provided evidence of the impact of gut microbiota on breed characteristics. The precise correlation between the gastrointestinal tract and peripheral organs in each breed is still unclear. Investigating the metabolic network of the intestinal organ has the potential to improve animal growth performance and enhance economic benefits through the regulation of intestinal metabolites. RESULTS: In this study, we identified the growth advantage of Dorper sheep and the high fat content of Tan sheep. A transcriptome study of the brain, liver, skeletal muscle, and intestinal tissues of both breeds revealed 3,750 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The genes PPARGC1A, LPL, and PHGDH were found to be highly expressed in Doper, resulting in the up-regulation of pathways related to lipid oxidation, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and amino acid anabolism. Tan sheep highly express the BSEP, LDLR, and ACHE genes, which up-regulate the pathways involved in bile transport and cholesterol homeostasis. Hindgut content analysis identified 200 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). Purines, pyrimidines, bile acids, and fatty acid substances were more abundant in Dorper sheep. Based on combined gene and metabolite analyses, we have identified glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, bile secretion, cholesterol metabolism, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction as key factors contributing to the differences among the breeds. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that different breeds of sheep exhibit unique breed characteristics through various physiological regulatory methods. Dorper sheep upregulate metabolic signals related to glycine, serine, and threonine, resulting in an increase in purine and pyrimidine substances. This, in turn, promotes the synthesis of amino acids and facilitates body development, resulting in a faster rate of weight gain. Tan sheep accelerate bile transport, reduce bile accumulation in the intestine, and upregulate cholesterol homeostasis signals in skeletal muscles. This promotes the accumulation of peripheral and intramuscular fat, resulting in improved meat quality. This work adopts a joint analysis method of multi-tissue transcriptome and gut metabolome, providing a successful case for analyzing the mechanisms underlying the formation of various traits.

Breaking the Solubility Limit of LiNO3 in Carbonate Electrolyte Assisted by BF3 to Construct a Stable SEI Film for Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium (Li) metal is regarded as a potential candidate for the next generation of lithium secondary batteries, but it has poor cycling stability with the broadly used carbonate-based electrolytes due to the uncontrollable dendritic growth and low Coulombic efficiency (CE). LiNO3 is an effective additive and its limited solubility (<800 ppm) in carbonate-based electrolytes is still a challenge, as reported. Herein, using BF3 (Lewis acid) is proposed to enhance the solubility of LiNO3 in carbonate-based electrolytes. The dissolved NO3 - can be involved in the first solvation shell of Li+, reducing the coordination number of PF6 - and EC (ethylene carbonate). In addition, the NO3 - is proved to be preferentially reduced on Li metal by differential electrochemical mass spectrometry so that the decomposition of PF6 - and EC is suppressed. Therefore, a SEI layer containing Li3N can be obtained, which exhibits high lithium-ion conductivity, achieving even and dense Li deposits. Consequently, the CE of Li||Cu cell with BF3/LiNO3 can be increased to 98.07%. Moreover, the capacity retention of Li||LiFePO4 with a low N/P ratio (3:1) is as high as 90% after 300 cycles (≈1500 h). This work paved a new way for incorporating LiNO3 into carbonate-based electrolytes and high-performance lithium metal batteries.

Investigations of Single-Subunit tRNA Methyltransferases from Yeast.

tRNA methylations, including base modification and 2'-O-methylation of ribose moiety, play critical roles in the structural stabilization of tRNAs and the fidelity and efficiency of protein translation. These modifications are catalyzed by tRNA methyltransferases (TRMs). Some of the TRMs from yeast can fully function only by a single subunit. In this study, after performing the primary bioinformatic analyses, the progress of the studies of yeast single-subunit TRMs, as well as the studies of their homologues from yeast and other types of eukaryotes and the corresponding TRMs from other types of organisms was systematically reviewed, which will facilitate the understanding of the evolutionary origin of functional diversity of eukaryotic single-subunit TRM.

Epigenetic mechanism of Gtl2-miRNAs causes the primitive sheep characteristics found in purebred Merino sheep.

BACKGROUND: It is not uncommon for some individuals to retain certain primitive characteristics even after domestication or long-term intensive selection. Wild ancestors or original varieties of animals typically possess strong adaptability to environmental preservation, a trait that is often lacking in highly artificially selected populations. In the case of the Merino population, a world-renowned fine wool sheep breed, a phenotype with primitive coarse wool characteristic has re-emerged. It is currently unclear whether this characteristic is detrimental to the production of fine wool or whether it is linked to the adaptability of sheep. The underlying genetic/epigenetic mechanisms behind this trait are also poorly understood. RESULTS: This study identified lambs with an ancestral-like coarse (ALC) wool type that emerged during the purebred breeding of Merino fine wool sheep. The presence of this primitive sheep characteristic resulted in better environmental adaptability in lambs, as well as improved fine wool yield in adulthood. Reciprocal cross experiments revealed that the ALC phenotype exhibited maternal genetic characteristics. Transcriptomic SNP analysis indicated that the ALC phenotype was localized to the imprinted Gtl2-miRNAs locus, and a significant correlation was found between the ALC wool type and a newly identified short Interstitial Telomeric Sequences (s-ITSs) at this locus. We further confirmed that a novel 38-nt small RNA transcribed from these s-ITSs, in combination with the previously reported 22-nt small RNAs cluster from the Gtl2-miRNAs locus, synergistically inhibited PI3K/AKT/Metabolic/Oxidative stress and subsequent apoptotic pathways in wool follicle stem cells, resulting in the ALC wool type. The necessity of Gtl2-miRNAs in controlling primary hair follicle morphogenesis, as well as the wool follicle type for ALC wool lambs, was verified using intergenic differentially methylated region-knockout mice. CONCLUSION: The ALC wool type of Merino sheep, which does not reduce wool quality but increases yield and adaptability, is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms in the imprinted Gtl2-miRNAs region on sheep chromosome 18, with the maternally expressed imprinted gene responsible for the ALC phenotype. This study highlights the significance of epigenetic regulation during embryonic and juvenile stages and emphasizes the advantages of early adaptation breeding for maternal parents in enhancing the overall performance of their offspring.

A transcription factor ZmGLK36 confers broad resistance to maize rough dwarf disease in cereal crops.

Maize rough dwarf disease (MRDD), caused by maize rough dwarf virus (MRDV) or rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV), seriously threatens worldwide production of all major cereal crops, including maize, rice, wheat and barley. Here we report fine mapping and cloning of a previously reported major quantitative trait locus (QTL) (qMrdd2) for RBSDV resistance in maize. Subsequently, we show that qMrdd2 encodes a G2-like transcription factor named ZmGLK36 that promotes resistance to RBSDV by enhancing jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis and JA-mediated defence response. We identify a 26-bp indel located in the 5' UTR of ZmGLK36 that contributes to differential expression and resistance to RBSDV in maize inbred lines. Moreover, we show that ZmDBF2, an AP2/EREBP family transcription factor, directly binds to the 26-bp indel and represses ZmGLK36 expression. We further demonstrate that ZmGLK36 plays a conserved role in conferring resistance to RBSDV in rice and wheat using transgenic or marker-assisted breeding approaches. Our results provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of RBSDV resistance and effective strategies to breed RBSDV-resistant cereal crops.

LncRNAs regulate the cyclic growth and development of hair follicles in Dorper sheep.

Introduction: Hair follicles in Dorper sheep are characterized by seasonal cyclic growth and development, consequently resulting in hair shedding during spring. The cyclic growth and development of hair follicles are regulated by several influencing factors such as photoperiods, hormones, age of the animal, genes, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and signaling pathways. Methods: In the present study, skin samples of five shedding sheep (S), used as experimental animals, and three non-shedding sheep (N), used as controls, were collected at three time points (September 27, 2019; January 3, 2020; and March 17, 2020) for RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology. Nine different groups (S1-vs-S2, S1-vs-S3, S2-vs-S3, N1- vs-N2, N1-vs-N3, N2-vs-N3, S1-vs-N1, S2-vs-N2, and S3-vs-N3) were compared using FDR < 0.05 and log 21 FC >as thresholds to assess the differences in the expression of lncRNAs. Results and discussion: In total, 395 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs were screened. Cluster heatmap analysis identified two types of expression patterns, namely, high expression during the anagen phase (A pattern) and high expression during the telogen phase (T pattern). Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed that the target genes were largely enriched in the Estrogen signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, Fc gamma R-mediated phagocytosis, and cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), which are associated with hair follicle cyclic growth and development-related pathways. In addition, 17 pairs of lncRNAs-target genes related to hair follicle cyclic growth and development were screened, and a regulatory network was constructed. Altogether, candidate lncRNAs and their regulated target genes were screened that contributed to sheep hair follicle cyclic growth and development. We believe these findings will provide useful insights into the underlying regulatory mechanisms.

Uncovering the Redox Shuttle Degradation Mechanism of Ether Electrolytes in Sodium-Ion Batteries and its Inhibition Strategy.

Ether-based electrolytes exhibit excellent performance when applied in different anode materials of sodium ion batteries (SIBs), but their exploration on cathode material is deficient and the degradation mechanism is still undiscovered. Herein, various battery systems with different operation voltage ranges are designed to explore the electrochemical performance of ether electrolyte. It is found for the first time that the deterioration mechanism of ether electrolyte is closely related to the "redox shuttle" between cathode and low-potential anode. The "shuttle" is discovered to occur when the potential of anodes is below 0.57 V, and the gas products coming from "shuttle" intermediates are revealed by differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS). Moreover, effective inhibition strategies by protecting low-potential anodes are proposed and verified; ethylene carbonate (EC) is found to be very effective as an additive by forming an inorganics-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on low-potential anodes, thereby suppressing the deterioration of ether electrolytes. This work reveals the failure mechanism of ether-based electrolytes applied in SIBs and proposes effective strategies to suppress the "shuttle," which provides a valuable guidance for advancing the application of ether-based electrolytes in SIBs.