Enhancing grain shape, thermotolerance, and alkaline tolerance via Gγ protein manipulation in rice.

KEY MESSAGE: Our findings highlight a valuable breeding resource, demonstrating the potential to concurrently enhance grain shape, thermotolerance, and alkaline tolerance by manipulating Gγ protein in rice. Temperate Geng/Japonica (GJ) rice yields have improved significantly, bolstering global food security. However, GJ rice breeding faces challenges, including enhancing grain quality, ensuring stable yields at warmer temperatures, and utilizing alkaline land. In this study, we employed CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to knock out the GS3 locus in seven elite GJ varieties with superior yield performance. Yield component measurements revealed that GS3 knockout mutants consistently enhanced grain length and reduced plant height in diverse genetic backgrounds. The impact of GS3 on the grain number per panicle and setting rate depended on the genetic background. GS3 knockout did not affect milling quality and minimally altered protein and amylose content but notably influenced chalkiness-related traits. GS3 knockout indiscriminately improved heat and alkali stress tolerance in the GJ varieties studied. Transcriptome analysis indicated differential gene expression between the GS3 mutants and their wild-type counterparts, enriched in biological processes related to photosynthesis, photosystem II stabilization, and pathways associated with photosynthesis and cutin, suberine, and wax biosynthesis. Our findings highlight GS3 as a breeding resource for concurrently improving grain shape, thermotolerance, and alkaline tolerance through Gγ protein manipulation in rice.

Equilibrium Phase Relations of a SiO2-Al2O3-FeO x System with 10 wt % CaO Addition for the Production of Continuous Basalt Fibers.

The continuous basalt fibers have been regarded as one of the most promising green materials in modern society; however, key thermodynamic equilibrium data are insufficient for a better understanding of the crystallization mechanism during the fiber forming process. In the present study, the equilibrium phase relations of the core SiO2-Al2O3-FeO x subsystem with fixed 10 wt % CaO were experimentally determined using the classic equilibrium-quenching technique with the scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis. All samples were presented as liquid-silica coexisting within the basalt composition range. The 1300 and 1400 °C isotherms were constructed based on the experimental results. However, significant discrepancies were confirmed with further comparison of the experimental results with FactSage predictions, indicating that more efforts are needed for the optimization of the basalt oxide-related thermodynamic databases.

[Blood lipid adsorption of polyethylene glycol/montmorillonite nanocomposite].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of polyethylene glycol/montmorillonite (PEG/MMT) nanocomposite material in adsorption of triglyceride (TG), cholesterin and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C). METHODS: The structure of PEG/MMT nanocomposite was analyzed by means of X ray diffraction and its effect of blood lipid and albumin adsorption was evaluated in comparison with Na-MMT. RESULTS: The interval distance was larger when the PEG of greater molecular weight was used for preparing the nanocomposite, and PEG/MMT nanocomposite had greater adsorption rate of TG, cholesterin and LDL-C in serum than that of serum albumin. MMT material had poor adsorption effect. CONCLUSION: PEG/MMT nanocomposite possesses the potential as a novel adsorbent of blood lipid for clinical use.