Bulked Segregant RNA-Seq Reveals Different Gene Expression Patterns and Mutant Genes Associated with the Zigzag Pattern of Tea Plants (Camellia sinensis).

The unique zigzag-patterned tea plant is a rare germplasm resource. However, the molecular mechanism behind the formation of zigzag stems remains unclear. To address this, a BC1 genetic population of tea plants with zigzag stems was studied using histological observation and bulked segregant RNA-seq. The analysis revealed 1494 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the upright and zigzag stem groups. These DEGs may regulate the transduction and biosynthesis of plant hormones, and the effects on the phenylpropane biosynthesis pathways may cause the accumulation of lignin. Tissue sections further supported this finding, showing differences in cell wall thickness between upright and curved stems, potentially due to lignin accumulation. Additionally, 262 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 38 genes were identified as key SNPs, and 5 genes related to zigzag stems were identified through homologous gene function annotation. Mutations in these genes may impact auxin distribution and content, resulting in the asymmetric development of vascular bundles in curved stems. In summary, we identified the key genes associated with the tortuous phenotype by using BSR-seq on a BC1 population to minimize genetic background noise.

Developing an Assessment Tool for Enhancing Interprofessional Education of Patient Safety.

The increasing recognition of the value of effective interprofessional collaboration has promoted interprofessional education (IPE) among healthcare professionals. The IPE pilot program initiative at UTHealth matriculated students from the disciplines of biomedical informatics, biomedical sciences, dentistry, medicine, nursing and public health. There has been a pressing need for developing an assessment tool in reflecting how IPE participants recognize and understand the other disciplines including clinical informatics in nowadays' practice. This paper reports our development process of the assessment tool, which is still under an iterative, in-depth refinement and aiming at greater collaborations.