LCGNet: Local Sequential Feature Coupling Global Representation Learning for Functional Connectivity Network Analysis with fMRI.

Analysis of functional connectivity networks (FCNs) derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has greatly advanced our understanding of brain diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Advanced machine learning techniques, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have been used to learn high-level feature representations of FCNs for automated brain disease classification. Even though convolution operations in CNNs are good at extracting local properties of FCNs, they generally cannot well capture global temporal representations of FCNs. Recently, the transformer technique has demonstrated remarkable performance in various tasks, which is attributed to its effective self-attention mechanism in capturing the global temporal feature representations. However, it cannot effectively model the local network characteristics of FCNs. To this end, in this paper, we propose a novel network structure for Local sequential feature Coupling Global representation learning (LCGNet) to take advantage of convolutional operations and self-attention mechanisms for enhanced FCN representation learning. Specifically, we first build a dynamic FCN for each subject using an overlapped sliding window approach. We then construct three sequential components (i.e., edge-to-vertex layer, vertex-to-network layer, and network-to-temporality layer) with a dual backbone branch of CNN and transformer to extract and couple from local to global topological information of brain networks. Experimental results on two real datasets (i.e., ADNI and ADHD-200) with rs-fMRI data show the superiority of our LCGNet.

HSPB1 alleviates acute-on-chronic liver failure via the P53/Bax pathway.

The mortality rate of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) remains significantly elevated; hence, this study aimed to investigate the impact of heat shock protein family B (small) member 1 (HSPB1) on ACLF in vivo and in vitro and the underlying mechanism. This study used the ACLF mouse model, and liver damage extent was studied employing Masson trichrome, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), Sirius red staining, and serum biochemical indices. Similarly, hepatocyte injury in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced L02 cells was evaluated using cell counting kit-8 assay, enzymatic activity, flow cytometry, and TUNEL assay, while the underlying mechanism was investigated using western blot. Results showed that the morphology of liver tissue in ACLF mice was changed and was characterized by cirrhosis, fibrosis, collagen fiber deposition, inflammatory cell infiltration, and elevated liver injury indices. Moreover, HSPB1 was upregulated in both ACLF patients and mice, where overexpressing HSPB1 was found to inhibit ACLF-induced liver damage. Similarly, the HSPB1 expression in LPS-treated L02 cell lines was also increased, where overexpressing HSPB1 was found to promote cell viability, inhibit liver injury-related enzyme activity, and suppress apoptosis. Mechanistic investigations revealed that HSPB1 was responsible for inhibiting p-P53 and Bax protein levels, where activated P53 counteracted HSPB1's effects on cellular behaviors. In conclusion, HSPB1 attenuated ACLF-induced liver injury in vivo and inhibited LPS-induced hepatocyte damage in vitro, suggesting that HSPB1 may be a novel target for ACLF therapy.

Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Three-Dimensional Fluorescence Spectra by Improved Parallel Factor Analysis with Internal Standard Sample Embedding.

The strategy of parallel factor analysis, combined with the internal standard method, has been increasingly applied to the qualitative and quantitative analysis of three-dimensional fluorescence spectra of unknown mixed fluorophores. Nevertheless, the disparity in the number of fluorophores included in the internal standard sample set and the number included in test samples may impact the qualitative and quantitative outcomes of parallel factor analysis. In this work, we systematically established the framework of the parallel factor analysis with internal standard sample embedding (ISSE-PARAFAC) strategy. We applied this framework to six datasets representing two scenarios and a real dataset and conducted a detailed discussion on the effects of the disparity between the number of fluorophores in the internal standard sample set and the number in the test set on both qualitative and quantitative results. Additionally, we introduced an enhancement to PARAFAC by aggregating fluorophores with similar emission wavelengths, corresponding to the peaks of emission loadings (spectra) obtained from PARAFAC, as a single fluorophore. This aggregation aimed to mitigate the strong correlation between similar fluorophores. The results imply that the presence of irrelevant fluorophores in the internal standard sample set, whether increased or decreased, does not significantly affect the qualitative and quantitative analysis of target fluorophores in the test set. Moreover, we demonstrated that the improved parallel factor analysis with internal standard sample embedding not only fully decomposes the uncorrelated mixed fluorophores for qualitative analysis but also allows the established linear concentration model for fluorescent components to predict the corresponding fluorophore concentration of test samples, enabling quantitative analysis at the ppm level (mg/L).

Coating of maize seeds with acephate for precision agriculture: Safety assessment in earthworms, bees, and soil microorganisms.

Acephate is commonly used as a seed treatment (ST) in precision agriculture, but its impact on pollinators, earthworms, and soil microorganisms remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the fate of acephate seed dressing (SD) and seed coating (SC) treatments and assess potential risks to bees, earthworms, and soil microorganisms. Additionally, a follow-up study on maize seeds treated with acephate in a greenhouse was conducted to evaluate the maize growth process and the dissipation dynamics of the insecticide. The results indicated that acephate SC led to greater uptake and translocation in maize plants, resulting in lower residue levels in the soil. However, high concentrations of acephate metabolites in the soil had a negative impact on the body weight of earthworms, whereas acephate itself did not. The potential risk to bees from exposure to acephate ST was determined to be low, but dose-dependent effects were observed. Furthermore, acephate ST had no significant effect on soil bacterial community diversity and abundance compared to a control. This study provides valuable insights into the uptake and translocation of acephate SD and SC, and indicates that SC is safer than SD in terms of adverse effects on bees and nontarget soil organisms.

Chloroplast Genomes Evolution and Phylogenetic Relationships of Caragana species.

Caragana sensu lato (s.l.) includes approximately 100 species that are mainly distributed in arid and semi-arid regions. Caragana species are ecologically valuable for their roles in windbreaking and sand fixation. However, the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the genus Caragana are still unclear. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the chloroplast genomes of representative species of Caragana and reconstructed robust phylogenetic relationships at the section level. The Caragana chloroplast genome has lost the inverted repeat region and wascategorized in the inverted repeat loss clade (IRLC). The chloroplast genomes of the eight species ranged from 128,458 bp to 135,401 bp and contained 110 unique genes. All the Caragana chloroplast genomes have a highly conserved structure and gene order. The number of long repeats and simple sequence repeats (SSRs) showed significant variation among the eight species, indicating heterogeneous evolution in Caragana. Selective pressure analysis of the genes revealed that most of the protein-coding genes evolved under purifying selection. The phylogenetic analyses indicated that each section forms a clade, except the section Spinosae, which was divided into two clades. This study elucidated the evolution of the chloroplast genome within the widely distributed genus Caragana. The detailed information obtained from this study can serve as a valuable resource for understanding the molecular dynamics and phylogenetic relationships within Caragana.

Inhibition mechanism of Rhizoctonia solani by pectin-coated iron metal-organic framework nanoparticles and evidence of an induced defense response in rice.

Nanocrop protectants have attracted much attention as sustainable platforms for controlling pests and diseases and improving crop nutrition. Here, we reported the fungicidal activity and disease inhibition potential of pectin-coated metal-iron organic framework nanoparticles (Fe-MOF-PT NPs) against rice stripe blight (RSB). An in vitro bacterial inhibition assay showed that Fe-MOF-PT NPs (80 mg/L) significantly inhibited mycelial growth and nucleus formation. The Fe-MOF-PT NPs adsorbed to the surface of mycelia and induced toxicity by disrupting cell membranes, mitochondria, and DNA. The results of a nontargeted metabolomics analysis showed that the metabolites of amino acids and their metabolites, heterocyclic compounds, fatty acids, and nucleotides and their metabolites were significantly downregulated after treatment with 80 mg/L NPs. The difference in metabolite abundance between the CK and Fe-MOF-PT NPs (80 mg/L) treatment groups was mainly related to nucleotide metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, purine metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. The results of the greenhouse experiment showed that Fe-MOF-PT NPs improved rice resistance to R. solani by inhibiting mycelial invasion, enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities, activating the jasmonic acid signaling pathway, and enhancing photosynthesis. These findings indicate the great potential of Fe-MOF-PT NPs as a new RSB disease management strategy and provide new insights into plant fungal disease management.

Green synthesized lignin nanoparticles for the sustainable delivery of pyraclostrobin to control strawberry diseases caused by Botrytis cinerea.

Lignin, renowned for its renewable, biocompatible, and environmentally benign characteristics, holds immense potential as a sustainable feedstock for agrochemical formulations. In this study, raw dealkaline lignin (DAL) underwent a purification process involving two sequential solvent extractions. Subsequently, an enzyme-responsive nanodelivery system (Pyr@DAL-NPs), was fabricated through the solvent self-assembly method, with pyraclostrobin (Pyr) loaded into lignin nanoparticles. The Pyr@DAL-NPs shown an average particle size of 250.4 nm, demonstrating a remarkable loading capacity of up to 54.70 % and an encapsulation efficiency of 86.15 %. Notably, in the presence of cellulase and pectinase at a concentration of 2 mg/mL, the release of Pyr from the Pyr@DAL-NPs reached 92.66 % within 120 h. Furthermore, the photostability of Pyr@DAL-NPs was significantly improved, revealing a 2.92-fold enhancement compared to the commercially available fungicide suspension (Pyr SC). Bioassay results exhibited that the Pyr@DAL-NPs revealed superior fungicidal activity against Botrytis cinerea over Pyr SC, with an EC50 value of 0.951 mg/L. Additionally, biosafety assessments indicated that the Pyr@DAL-NPs effectively declined the acute toxicity of Pyr towards zebrafish and posed no negative effects on the healthy growth of strawberry plants. In conclusion, this study presents a viable and promising strategy for developing environmentally friendly controlled-release systems for pesticides, offering the unique properties of lignin.

Ecological risk and spatial distribution, sources of heavy metals in typical purple soils, southwest China.

The identification and quantification of the ecological risks, sources and distribution of heavy metals in purple soils are essential for regional pollution control and management. In this study, geo-accumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), pollution index (PI), potential ecological risk index (RI), principal component analysis (PCA) model and geographical detector (GD) were combined to evaluate the status, ecological risk, and sources of heavy metals (HMs) in soils from a typical purple soil areas of Sichuan province. The results showed that the average contents of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn in purple soil were 7.77, 0.19, 69.5, 27.9, 0.077, 30.9, 26.5 mg/kg and 76.8 mg/kg, and the Igeo, EF and RI of topsoil Hg and Cd in designated area was the highest, and the average contents of Hg and Cd in topsoil were obviously greater than respective soil background value in Sichuan province and purple soil. The hot spots for the spatial distribution of 8 HMs were mainly focused in the southwest and northeast of the designated area, and there were also significant differences for 8 HMs distribution characteristics in the profile soil. Cu comes from both anthropogenic and natural sources, Zn, Ni and Cr mainly come from natural sources, but As, Pb, Hg and Cd mainly derived from human activities. GD results showed that soil texture (X18), altitude (X4), total nitrogen (TN), clay content (X3), sand content (X2) and silt content (X1) had the greatest explanatory power to 8 HMs spatial differentiation.This study provides a reference for understanding the status and influencing factors of HM pollution in typical purple soil, and lays a theoretical foundation for the environmental treatment of purple soil in China.

Historical climate change and vicariance events contributed to the intercontinental disjunct distribution pattern of ash species (Fraxinus, Oleaceae).

The Northern Hemisphere temperate forests exhibit a disjunct distributional pattern in Europe, North America, and East Asia. Here, to reveal the promoter of intercontinental disjunct distribution, Fraxinus was used as a model organism to integrate abundant fossil evidence with high-resolution phylogenies in a phytogeographic analysis. We constructed a robust phylogenetic tree using genomic data, reconstructed the geographic ancestral areas, and evaluated the effect of incorporating fossil information on the reconstructed biogeographic history. The phylogenetic relationships of Fraxinus were highly resolved and divided into seven clades. Fraxinus originated in western North America during Eocene, and six intercontinental dispersal events and five intercontinental vicariance events were occured. Results suggest that climate change and vicariance contributed to the intercontinental disjunct distribution pattern of Fraxinus. Moreover, results highlight the necessity of integrating phylogenetic relationship and fossil to improve the reliability of inferred biogeographic events and our understanding of the processes underlying disjunct distributions.

Mass Spectrometry Imaging Reveals the Morphology-Dependent Toxicological Effects of Nanosilvers on Multiple Organs of Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Nanosilvers with multifarious morphologies have been extensively used in many fields, but their morphology-dependent toxicity toward nontarget aquatic organisms remains largely unclear. Herein, we used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) to investigate the toxicological effects of silver nanomaterials with various morphologies on spatially resolved lipid profiles within multiple organs in adult zebrafish, especially for the gill, liver, and intestine. Integrated with histopathology, enzyme activity, accumulated Ag contents and amounts, as well as MSI results, we found that nanosilvers exhibit morphology-dependent nanotoxicity by disrupting lipid levels and producing oxidative stress. Silver nanospheres (AgNSs) had the highest toxicity toward adult zebrafish, whereas silver nanoflakes (AgNFs) exhibited greater toxicity than silver nanowires (AgNWs). Levels of differential phospholipids, such as PC, PE, PI, and PS, were associated with nanosilver morphology. Notably, we found that AgNSs induced greater toxicity in multiple organs, such as the brain, gill, and liver, while AgNWs and AgNFs caused greater toxicity in the intestine than AgNSs. Lipid functional disturbance and oxidative stress further caused inflammation and membrane damage after exposure to nanosilvers, especially with respect to sphere morphology. Taken together, these findings will contribute to clarifying the toxicological effects and mechanisms of different morphologies of nanosilvers in adult zebrafish.

SMYD2 induced PGC1α methylation promotes stemness maintenance of glioblastoma stem cells.

BACKGROUND: The high fatality rate of glioblastoma (GBM) is attributed to glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs), which exhibit heterogeneity and therapeutic resistance. Metabolic plasticity of mitochondria is the hallmark of GSCs. Targeting mitochondrial biogenesis of GSCs is crucial for improving clinical prognosis in GBM patients. METHODS: SMYD2-induced PGC1α methylation and followed nuclear export is confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation, cellular fractionation, and immunofluorescence. The effects of SMYD2/PGC1α/CRM1 axis on GSCs mitochondrial biogenesis is validated by OCR, ECAR and intracranial glioma model. RESULTS: PGC1α methylation causes disabled mitochondrial function to maintain the stemness, thereby enhancing radio-resistance of GSCs. SMYD2 drives PGC1α K224 methylation (K224me), which is essential for promoting the stem-like characteristics of GSCs. PGC1α K224me is preferred binding with CRM1, accelerating PGC1α nuclear export and subsequent dysfunction. Targeting PGC1α methylation exhibits significant radiotherapeutic efficacy and prolongs patient survival. CONCLUSIONS: These findings unveil a novel regulatory pathway involving mitochondria that governs stemness in GSCs, thereby emphasizing promising therapeutic strategies targeting PGC1α and mitochondria for the treatment of GBM.

IRE1α pathway: A potential bone metabolism mediator.

Osteoblasts and osteoclasts collaborate in bone metabolism, facilitating bone development, maintaining normal bone density and strength, and aiding in the repair of pathological damage. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) can disrupt the intracellular equilibrium between osteoclast and osteoblast, resulting in dysfunctional bone metabolism. The inositol-requiring enzyme-1α (IRE1α) pathway-the most conservative unfolded protein response pathway activated by ERS-is crucial in regulating cell metabolism. This involvement encompasses functions such as inflammation, autophagy, and apoptosis. Many studies have highlighted the potential roles of the IRE1α pathway in osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and osteoclasts and its implication in certain bone-related diseases. These findings suggest that it may serve as a mediator for bone metabolism. However, relevant reviews on the role of the IRE1α pathway in bone metabolism remain unavailable. Therefore, this review aims to explore recent research that elucidated the intricate roles of the IRE1α pathway in bone metabolism, specifically in osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and osteo-immunology. The findings may provide novel insights into regulating bone metabolism and treating bone-related diseases.

Gap-free X and Y chromosome assemblies of Salix arbutifolia reveal an evolutionary change from male to female heterogamety in willows, without a change in the position of the sex-determining locus.

In the Vetrix clade of Salix, a genus of woody flowering plants, sex determination involves chromosome 15, but an XY system has changed to a ZW system. We studied the detailed genetic changes involved. We used genome sequencing, with chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) and PacBio HiFi reads to assemble chromosome level gap-free X and Y of Salix arbutifolia, and distinguished the haplotypes in the 15X- and 15Y-linked regions, to study the evolutionary history of the sex-linked regions (SLRs). Our sequencing revealed heteromorphism of the X and Y haplotypes of the SLR, with the X-linked region being considerably larger than the corresponding Y region, mainly due to accumulated repetitive sequences and gene duplications. The phylogenies of single-copy orthogroups within the SLRs indicate that S. arbutifolia and Salix purpurea share an ancestral SLR within a repeat-rich region near the chromosome 15 centromere. During the change in heterogamety, the X-linked region changed to a W-linked one, while the Z was derived from the Y.

Developing a Novel Enzalutamide-Resistant Prostate Cancer Model via AR F877L Mutation in LNCaP Cells.

Prostate cancer is a leading diagnosis and major cause of cancer-related deaths in men worldwide. As a typical hormone-responsive disease, prostate cancer is commonly managed with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to curb its progression and potential metastasis. Unfortunately, progression to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), a notably more aggressive phase of the disease, occurs within a timeframe of 2-3 years following ADT. Enzalutamide, a recognized androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, has been employed as a standard of care for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) since it was first approved in 2012, due to its ability to prolong survival. However, scientific evidence suggests that sustained treatment with AR antagonists may induce acquired AR mutations or splice variants, such as AR F877L, T878A, and H875Y, leading to drug resistance and thereby diminishing the therapeutic efficacy of these agents. Thus, the establishment of prostate cancer models incorporating these particular mutations is essential for developing new therapeutic strategies to overcome such resistance and evaluate the efficacy of next-generation AR-targeting drugs. We have developed a CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-based knock-in technology to introduce an additional F877L mutation in AR into the human prostate cell line LNCaP. This article provides comprehensive descriptions of the methodologies for cellular gene editing and establishment of an in vivo model. Using these methods, we successfully identified an enzalutamide-resistant phenotype in both in vitro and in vivo models. We also assessed the efficacy of target protein degraders (TPDs), such as ARV-110 and ARV-667, in both models, and the corresponding validation data are also included here. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Generation of AR F877L-mutated LNCaP cell line using CRISPR technology Basic Protocol 2: Validation of drug resistance in AR F877L-mutated LNCaP cell line using the 2D CTG assay Support Protocol: Testing of sgRNA efficiency in HEK 293 cells Basic Protocol 3: Validation of drug resistance in AR F877L-mutated LNCaP cell line in vivo.

KIAA1429-mediated RXFP1 attenuates non-small cell lung cancer tumorigenesis via N6-methyladenosine modification.

BACKGROUND: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification has been associated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumorigenesis. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the functions of Vir-like m6A methyltransferase-associated (KIAA1429) and relaxin family peptide receptor 1 (RXFP1) in NSCLC. METHODS: A quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the mRNA levels of KIAA1429 and RXFP1 in NSCLC. After silencing KIAA1429 or RXFP1 in NSCLC cells, changes in the malignant phenotypes of NSCLC cells were assessed using cell counting kit-8, colony formation, and transwell assays. Finally, the m6A modification of RXFP1 mediated by KIAA1429 was confirmed using luciferase, methylated RNA immunoprecipitation, and western blot assays. RESULTS: KIAA1429 and RXFP1 were upregulated and downregulated in NSCLC, respectively. Silencing of KIAA1429 attenuated the viability, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells, whereas silencing of RXFP1 showed the opposite function in NSCLC cells. Moreover, RXFP1 expression was inhibited by KIAA1429 via m6A-modification. Therefore, silencing RXFP1 reversed the inhibitory effect of KIAA1429 knockdown in NSCLC cells. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirmed that the KIAA1429/RXFP1 axis promotes NSCLC tumorigenesis. This is the first study to reveal the inhibitory function of RXFP1 in NSCLC via KIAA1429-mediated m6A-modification. These findings may help identify new biomarkers for targeted NSCLC therapy.

IRE1α inhibits osteogenic differentiation of mouse embryonic fibroblasts by limiting Shh signaling.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the effect of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress sensor inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α) on the sonic hedgehog N-terminus (N-Shh)-enhanced-osteogenic differentiation process in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Osteogenesis of MEFs was observed by alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, alizarin red staining, and Von Kossa staining assays. Activation of unfolded protein response and Shh signaling were examined using real-time quantitative PCR and western blot assays. IRE1α-deficient MEFs were used to explore the effect of IRE1α on N-Shh-driven osteogenesis. RESULTS: N-Shh increased ALP activity, matrix mineralization, and the expression of Alp and Col-I in MEFs under osteogenic conditions; notably, this was reversed when combined with the ER stress activator Tm treatment. Interestingly, the administration of N-Shh decreased the expression of IRE1α. Abrogation of IRE1α increased the expression of Shh pathway factors in osteogenesis-induced MEFs, contributing to the osteogenic effect of N-Shh. Moreover, IRE1α-deficient MEFs exhibited elevated levels of osteogenic markers. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the IRE1α-mediated unfolded protein response may alleviate the ossification of MEFs by attenuating Shh signaling. Our research has identified a strategy to inhibit excessive ossification, which may have clinical significance in preventing temporomandibular joint bony ankylosis.

Knockout of SlDCL2b attenuates the resistance of tomato to potato spindle tuber viroid infection.

RNA interference, or RNA silencing, is an important defence mechanism against viroid infection in plants. Plants encode multiple DICER-LIKE (DCL) proteins that are key components of the RNA silencing pathway. However, the roles of different DCLs in defence responses against viroid infection remain unclear. Here, we determined the function of tomato DCL2b (SlDCL2b) in defence responses against potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) infection using SlDCL2b loss-of-function tomato mutant plants. Compared with wild-type plants, mutant plants were more susceptible to PSTVd infection, developing more severe symptoms earlier and accumulating higher levels of PSTVd RNAs. Moreover, we verified the feedback mechanism for the regulation of SlDCL2b expression by miR6026. Functional blocking of tomato miR6026, by expressing its target mimics, can enhance resistance to PSTVd infection in tomato plants. These findings deepen the current understanding of RNAi-based resistance against viroid infection and provide a potentially new strategy for viroid control.

Molecular and Biological Characteristics of a Peach Latent Mosaic Viroid PC Isolate in Peach from China: Base Mutations in Hairpin Stems and Implications for Symptomatology.

Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) infects peach trees in China and induces a conspicuous albino phenotype (peach calico, PC) that is closely associated with variants containing a 12-to-14 nucleotide hairpin insertion capped by a U-rich loop. Initially, PC disease distribution was limited to parts of Italy, and it was first detected in the field in China in 2019. To explore the molecular and biological characteristics of PLMVd PC isolates in peach in China, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of disease phenotype development and investigated the data-associated pathogenicity and in vivo dynamics of the Chinese isolate PC-A2 using slash-inoculation into GF-305 peach seedlings. Inoculated seedlings displayed PC symptoms much earlier following topping treatment, and PLMVd infectivity was further assessed using bioassay and semiquantitative RT-PCR experiments. Evolutionary analysis showed that the PC isolate and its progeny variants clustered into a single phylogroup distinct from reference PC-C40 isolates from Italy and PC-K1 and PC-K2 from South Korea. Some PC-A2 progeny variants from green leaves of PC-expressing seedlings showed unbalanced point mutations in hairpin stems compared with the PC-C40 reference sequence and constituted a new stem insertion type. The results reveal associations between the recessive phenotypes of peach albino symptoms and base variation in hairpin stem insertions relative to the PC-C40/chloroplastic heat shock protein 90 reference sequence.

The Amino Acid Transporter PtCAT7 and Ammonium Nutrition Enhance the Uptake of Thiamethoxam in Citrus Rootstock Seedlings.

Thiamethoxam (THX), when applied to the soil, can be taken up by citrus roots and subsequently transported to the leaves, providing effective protection of plants against the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama). In this study, the field experiments showed that the coapplication of THX and nitrogen fertilizer (AN) did not affect THX uptake in six-year-old citrus plants. However, their coapplication promoted THX uptake in three-year-old Potassium trifoliate rootstocks and relieved the inhibition of AN at a higher level on plant growth characteristics, including biomass and growth of root and stem. RNA-seq analysis found that THX induced upregulation of a cationic amino acid transporter (PtCAT7) in citrus leaves. PtCAT7 facilitated THX uptake in the yeast strain to inhibit its growth, and the PtCAT7 protein was localized on the plasma membrane. Our results demonstrate that THX and N fertilizer can be coapplied and PtCAT7 may be involved in THX uptake in citrus.

Phylogenomics reveal Populusgonggaensis as a hybrid between P.lasiocarpa and P.cathayana (Salicaceae).

High levels of intra-specific polymorphism and frequent hybridisation make it difficult to define species and correctly apply their scientific names. Populus L. is a challenging genus with plentiful natural and artificial hybrids. This study is a part of the project 'Flora of Pan-Himalaya' and aims to determine the taxonomic identity of P.gonggaensis N. Chao & J.R. He and to find out whether it is of hybrid origin. Whole-genome sequencing data were obtained from 57 samples. The SNP matrix was developed for phylogenetic reconstruction, ABBA-BABA statistics, PCA and ADMIXTURE analysis. The results indicate that P.gonggaensis is a spontaneous hybrid between P.lasiocarpa and P.cathayana. This study points out the importance of SNP data and comprehensive analyses for discovering the potential interspecific hybridisation and clarifies the usage of the name. In addition, the lectotype of P.gonggaensis was designated.