Joint GWAS and WGCNA Identify Genes Regulating the Isoflavone Content in Soybean Seeds.

Isoflavone is a secondary metabolite of the soybean phenylpropyl biosynthesis pathway with physiological activity and is beneficial to human health. In this study, the isoflavone content of 205 soybean germplasm resources from 3 locations in 2020 showed wide phenotypic variation. A joint genome-wide association study (GWAS) and weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) identified 33 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 11 key genes associated with soybean isoflavone content. Gene ontology enrichment analysis, gene coexpression, and haplotype analysis revealed natural variations in the Glyma.12G109800 (GmOMT7) gene and promoter region, with Hap1 being the elite haplotype. Transient overexpression and knockout of GmOMT7 increased and decreased the isoflavone content, respectively, in hairy roots. The combination of GWAS and WGCNA effectively revealed the genetic basis of soybean isoflavone and identified potential genes affecting isoflavone synthesis and accumulation in soybean, providing a valuable basis for the functional study of soybean isoflavone.

QTL Detection of Salt Tolerance at Soybean Seedling Stage Based on Genome-Wide Association Analysis and Linkage Analysis.

The utilization of saline land is a global challenge, and cultivating salt-tolerant soybean varieties is beneficial for improving the efficiency of saline land utilization. Exploring the genetic basis of salt-tolerant soybean varieties and developing salt-tolerant molecular markers can effectively promote the process of soybean salt-tolerant breeding. In the study, the membership function method was used to evaluate seven traits related to salt tolerance and comprehensive salt tolerance at the soybean seedling stage; genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) was performed in a natural population containing 200 soybean materials; and linkage analysis was performed in 112 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) population to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of salt tolerance. In the GWAS, 147 SNPs were mapped, explaining 5.28-17.16% of phenotypic variation. In the linkage analysis, 10 QTLs were identified, which could explain 6.9-16.16% of phenotypic variation. And it was found that there were two co-located regions between the natural population and the RIL population, containing seven candidate genes of salt tolerance in soybean. In addition, one colocalization interval was found to contain qZJS-15-1, rs47665107, and rs4793412, all of which could explain more than 10% of phenotypic variation rates, making it suitable for molecular marker development. The physical positions of rs47665107 and rs47934112 were included in qZJS-15-1. Therefore, a KASP marker was designed and developed using Chr. 15:47907445, which was closely linked to the qZJS-15-1. This marker could accurately and clearly cluster the materials of salt-tolerant genotypes in the heterozygous population tested. The QTLs and KASP markers found in the study provide a theoretical and technical basis for accelerating the salt-tolerant breeding of soybean.

Blue light emission enhancement and robust pressure resistance of gallium oxide nanocrystals.

Exploration of pressure-resistant materials largely facilitates their operation under extreme conditions where a stable structure and properties are highly desirable. However, under extreme conditions, such as a high pressure over 30.0 GPa, fluorescence quenching generally occurs in most materials. Herein, pressure-induced emission enhancement (PIEE) by a factor of 4.2 is found in Ga2O3 nanocrystals (NCs), a fourth-generation ultrawide bandgap semiconductor. This is mainly attributed to pressure optimizing the intrinsic lattice defects of the Ga2O3 nanocrystals, which was further confirmed by first-principles calculations. Note that the bright blue emission could be stabilized even up to a high pressure of 30.6 GPa, which is of great significance in the essential components of white light. Notably, after releasing the pressure to ambient conditions, the emission of the Ga2O3 nanocrystals can completely recover, even after undergoing multiple repeated pressurizations. In addition to stable optical properties, synchrotron radiation shows that the Ga2O3 nanocrystals remain in the cubic structure described by space group Fd3m upon compression, demonstrating the structural stability of the Ga2O3 nanocrystals under high pressure. This study pays the way for the application of oxide nanomaterials in pressure anti-counterfeiting and pressure information memory devices.

A visible-light regulated luminescent switch based on a spiropyran-derived Pt(II) complex for advanced anti-counterfeiting materials.

A dual optical switch regulated by visible light has been developed through an integrated strategy, including luminescent Pt(II) and photochromic spiropyran (SP) as a triplet-sensitizer and photo-regulator building block, respectively. An efficient Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) process is achieved, along with apparent and emissive color changes under visible light irradiation and temperature stimuli, which was utilized to develop advanced anti-counterfeiting materials.

Precise Regulation the Multiemission Based on Soft Double Salt for Information Encryption.

Manipulation of multiemissive luminophores is meaningful for exploring luminescent materials. Herein, we report a soft double salt assembly strategy that could result in well-organized nanostructures and different luminescence based on multiple weak intermolecular interactions thanks to the existence of electrostatic attraction between the anionic and cationic platinum(II) complexes. The cationic complexes B1 and B2 can coassemble with anionic complex A, respectively, and the emission switches from monomeric and excimeric emission to the triplet metal-metal-to-ligand charge transfer (3MMLCT) along with morphology changes from 0-dimensional (0-D) nanospheres to 3-dimensional (3-D) nanostructures. It is demonstrated that an isodesmic growth mechanism is adopted during the spontaneous self-assembly process, and the relative negative ΔG values make the anionic and cationic complex molecules prefer to form aggregates based on π-π stacking, Pt···Pt interactions, and electrostatic interactions. The coassembly strategy between anionic and cationic complexes endows them with multicolor luminescent and apparent color as optical materials for advanced information encryption.

GWAS and WGCNA Analysis Uncover Candidate Genes Associated with Oil Content in Soybean.

Soybean vegetable oil is an important source of the human diet. However, the analysis of the genetic mechanism leading to changes in soybean oil content is still incomplete. In this study, a total of 227 soybean materials were applied and analyzed by a genome-wide association study (GWAS). There are 44 quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) that were identified as associated with oil content. A total of six, four, and 34 significant QTN loci were identified in Xiangyang, Hulan, and Acheng, respectively. Of those, 26 QTNs overlapped with or were near the known oil content quantitative trait locus (QTL), and 18 new QTNs related to oil content were identified. A total of 594 genes were located near the peak single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) from three tested environments. These candidate genes exhibited significant enrichment in tropane, piperidine, and pyridine alkaloid biosynthesiss (ko00960), ABC transporters (ko02010), photosynthesis-antenna proteins (ko00196), and betalain biosynthesis (ko00965). Combined with the GWAS and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), four candidate genes (Glyma.18G300100, Glyma.11G221100, Glyma.13G343300, and Glyma.02G166100) that may regulate oil content were identified. In addition, Glyma.18G300100 was divided into two main haplotypes in the studied accessions. The oil content of haplotype 1 is significantly lower than that of haplotype 2. Our research findings provide a theoretical basis for improving the regulatory mechanism of soybean oil content.

Band-Gap Narrowing and Electric Transport Regulation of Hybrid Perovskites via Pressure Engineering.

Lead-free organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites are one class of promising optoelectronic materials that have attracted much attention due to their outstanding stability and environmentally friendly nature. However, the intrinsic band gap far from the Shockley-Queisser limit and the inferior electrical properties largely limit their applicability. Here, a considerable band-gap narrowing from 2.43 to 1.64 eV with the compression rate up to 32.5% is achieved via high-pressure engineering in the lead-free hybrid perovskite MA3Sb2I9. Meanwhile, the electric transport process changes from the initial interaction of both ions and electrons to only the contribution of electrons upon compression. The alteration in electrical characteristics is ascribed to the vibration limitation of organic ions and the enhanced orbital overlap, resulting from the reduction of the Sb-I bond length through pressure-induced phase transitions. This work not only systematically investigates the correlation between the structural and optoelectronic properties of MA3Sb2I9 but also provides a potential pathway for optimizing electrical properties in lead-free hybrid perovskites.

Integrating Genome-Wide Association Study, Transcriptome and Metabolome Reveal Novel QTL and Candidate Genes That Control Protein Content in Soybean.

Protein content (PC) is crucial to the nutritional quality of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]. In this study, a total of 266 accessions were used to perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in three tested environments. A total of 23,131 high-quality SNP markers (MAF ≥ 0.02, missing data ≤ 10%) were identified. A total of 40 association signals were significantly associated with PC. Among them, five novel quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) were discovered, and another 32 QTNs were found to be overlapping with the genomic regions of known quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to soybean PC. Combined with GWAS, metabolome and transcriptome sequencing, 59 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that might control the change in protein content were identified. Meantime, four commonly upregulated differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) and 29 commonly downregulated DAMs were found. Remarkably, the soybean gene Glyma.08G136900, which is homologous with Arabidopsis hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins (HRGPs), may play an important role in improving the PC. Additionally, Glyma.08G136900 was divided into two main haplotype in the tested accessions. The PC of haplotype 1 was significantly lower than that of haplotype 2. The results of this study provided insights into the genetic mechanisms regulating protein content in soybean.

Multi-omics analysis reveals novel loci and a candidate regulatory gene of unsaturated fatty acids in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr).

BACKGROUND: Soybean is a major oil crop; the nutritional components of soybean oil are mainly controlled by unsaturated fatty acids (FA). Unsaturated FAs mainly include oleic acid (OA, 18:1), linoleic acid (LLA, 18:2), and linolenic acid (LNA, 18:3). The genetic architecture of unsaturated FAs in soybean seeds has not been fully elucidated, although many independent studies have been conducted. A 3 V multi-locus random single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-effect mixed linear model (3VmrMLM) was established to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and QTL-by-environment interactions (QEIs) for complex traits. RESULTS: In this study, 194 soybean accessions with 36,981 SNPs were calculated using the 3VmrMLM model. As a result, 94 quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) and 19 QEIs were detected using single-environment (QTN) and multi-environment (QEI) methods. Three significant QEIs, namely rs4633292, rs39216169, and rs14264702, overlapped with a significant single-environment QTN. CONCLUSIONS: For QTNs and QEIs, further haplotype analysis of candidate genes revealed that the Glyma.03G040400 and Glyma.17G236700 genes were beneficial haplotypes that may be associated with unsaturated FAs. This result provides ideas for the identification of soybean lipid-related genes and provides insights for breeding high oil soybean varieties in the future.

Self-Trapped Exciton Emission Enhancement in 3D Cationic Lead Halide Hybrids Via Phase Transition Engineering.

Three-dimensional (3D) cationic lead halide hybrids constructed by organic ions and inorganic networks via coordination bonds are a promising material for solid-state lighting due to their exceptional environmental stability and broad-spectrum emission. Nevertheless, their fluorescence properties are hindered by the limited lattice distortion from extensive connectivity within the inorganic network. Here, a dramatic 100-fold enhancement of self-trapped exciton (STE) emission is achieved in 3D hybrid material [Pb2Br2][O2C(CH2)4CO2] via pressure-triggered phase transition. Notably, pressure-treated material exhibits a 110 nm redshift with 1.5-fold enhancement compared to the initial state after pressure was completely released. The irreversible structural phase transition intensifies the [PbBr3O3] octahedral distortion, which is highly responsible for the optimization of quenched emission. These findings present a promising strategy for improving the optical properties of 3D halide hybrids with relatively high stability and thus facilitate their practical applications by pressure-driven phase transition engineering.

Rapid weather changes are associated with daily hospital visitors for atrial fibrillation accompanied by abnormal ECG repolarization: a case-crossover study.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is highly prevalent in the population, yet the factors contributing to AF events in susceptible individuals remain partially understood. The potential relationship between meteorological factors and AF, particularly with abnormal electrocardiograph (ECG) repolarization, has not been adequately studied. This case-crossover study aims to investigate the association between meteorological factors and daily hospital visits for AF with abnormal ECG repolarization in Shanghai, China. METHODS: The study cohort comprised 10,325 patients with ECG-confirmed AF who sought treatment at Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital between 2015 and 2018. Meteorological and air pollutant concentration data were matched with the patient records. Using a case-crossover design, we analyzed the association between meteorological factors and the daily count of hospital visitors for AF with abnormal ECG repolarization at our AF center. Lag analysis models were applied to examine the temporal relationship between meteorological factors and AF events. RESULTS: The analysis revealed statistically significant associations between AF occurrence and specific meteorological factors. AF events were significantly associated with average atmospheric pressure (lag 0 day, OR 0.9901, 95% CI 0.9825-0.9977, P < 0.05), average temperature (lag 1 day, OR 0.9890, 95% CI 0.9789-0.9992, P < 0.05), daily pressure range (lag 7 days, OR 1.0195, 95% CI 1.0079-1.0312, P < 0.01), and daily temperature range (lag 5 days, OR 1.0208, 95% CI 1.0087-1.0331, P < 0.01). Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between daily pressure range and daily temperature range with AF patients, particularly those with abnormal ECG repolarization, as evident in the case-crossover analysis. CONCLUSION: This study highlights a significant correlation between meteorological factors and daily hospital visits for AF accompanied by abnormal ECG repolarization in Shanghai, China. In addition, AF patients with abnormal ECG repolarization were found to be more vulnerable to rapid daily changes in pressure and temperature compared to AF patients without such repolarization abnormalities.

The Degree of Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Cardiovascular Diseases as Assessed Using a Mobile App: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Depression and anxiety are common comorbidities in cardiovascular clinic outpatients. Timely identification and intervention of these mental and psychological disorders can contribute to correct diagnosis, better prognosis, less medical expenses, and improved quality of life. The convenience of online doctor-patient communication platforms has increasingly attracted patients to online consultations. However, online health care and offline health care are very different. Research on how to identify psychological disorders in patients who engage in an online cardiology consultation is lacking. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of using a self-rating scale to assess mental illness among patients who consult with a cardiologist online and to compare the differences in anxiety and depression between online and offline patients. METHODS: From June 2022 to July 2022, we conducted follow-up visits with 10,173 patients on the Haodf platform. We conducted detailed consultations with 286 patients who visited the same cardiologist in the outpatient department. We used the self-rated Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scales to assess anxiety and depression, respectively. We analyzed the influencing factors related to the degree of coordination of online patients. We also compared the prevalence of anxiety or depression between online and offline patients and analyzed the factors related to anxiety or depression. RESULTS: Of the 10,173 online consultation patients, only 186 (1.8%) responded effectively. The response rate of the offline consultation patients was 96.5% (276/286). Frequent online communication and watching live video broadcasts were significantly related to effective responses from online patients (P<.001). The prevalence of anxiety (70/160, 43.7% vs 69/266, 25.8%; P<.001) or depression (78/160, 48.7% vs 74/266, 27.7%; P<.001) in online consultation patients was significantly higher than that in offline patients. In bivariate analyses, the factors related to anxiety included female sex, unemployment, no confirmed cardiovascular disease, and the online consultation mode, while smokers and those who underwent COVID-19 quarantine were less likely to present with anxiety. The factors related to depression included female sex, divorced or separated individuals, and the online consultation mode. COVID-19 quarantine was related with a lower likelihood of depression. BMI was negatively correlated with depression. In multiple ordered logistic regression analysis, women were more likely than men to present with anxiety (odds ratio [OR] 2.181, 95% CI 1.365-3.486; P=.001). Women (OR 1.664, 95% CI 1.082-2.559; P=.02) and online patients (OR 2.631, 95% CI 1.305-5.304; P=.007) were more likely to have depression. CONCLUSIONS: Online patients had more anxiety or depression than offline patients. Anxiety was more prevalent in women, the unemployed, and those without confirmed cardiovascular disease. Women and divorced or separated individuals were more prone to depression. Increasing the frequency of doctor-patient communication and participating in video interactions can help improve patient cooperation.

Enhanced biodegradation of phenol by microbial collaboration: Resistance, metabolite utilization, and pH stabilization.

Mixed culture of microorganisms is an effective method to remove high concentration of phenol from wastewater. Currently, the mechanism of how microorganisms collaborate to enhance the biodegradation of phenol is still a challenge. In this study, the isolated Bacillus subtilis ZWB1 and Bacillus velezensis ZWB2 were co-cultured to enhance phenol biodegradation, and the mechanism of microbial collaboration was further explored. The co-culture of strains could significantly increase the rate (16.7 mg/L·h, 1000 mg/L) and concentration of phenol degradation (1500 mg/L), comparing with mono-culture of ZWB1 (4.2 mg/L·h, 150 mg/L) and ZWB2 (6.9 mg/L·h, 1000 mg/L), among which the highest degraded concentration of phenol for ZWB1 and ZWB2 was 150 and 1000 mg/L. Further, the mechanism of microbial collaboration to enhance phenol biodegradation was raised: the decrease of antioxidant enzymes, and increase of degrading enzymes and surfactants on content after co-culture, assisted the microorganisms in withstanding phenol; Bacillus subtilis ZWB1 used the metabolites of Bacillus velezensis ZWB2 to promote its growth, and further to degrade phenol rapidly; Bacillus subtilis ZWB1 alleviated the damage, which resulted from the pH drop (5.8) of the fermentation broth during phenol degradation that inhibited the growth and degraded ability of Bacillus velezensis ZWB2, making the pH of fermentation broth stable at 7. Metabolic analysis showed that co-culture of strains could produce more alkaline and buffering compounds and pairs, to stabilize pH and reduce the toxicity of acidity on ZWB2, thus increasing the degradation rate. This study explains the mechanism of microbial collaboration on phenol biodegradation from multiple perspectives, especially pH stabilization, which provides a theoretical basis for the degradation of pollutants by co-culture microorganisms.

GmPLP1 negatively regulates soybean resistance to high light stress by modulating photosynthetic capacity and reactive oxygen species accumulation in a blue light-dependent manner.

High light stress is an important factor limiting crop yield. Light receptors play an important role in the response to high light stress, but their mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we found that the abundance of GmPLP1, a positive blue light receptor protein, was significantly inhibited by high light stress and mainly responded to high blue light. GmPLP1 RNA-interference soybean lines exhibited higher light energy utilization ability and less light damage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in leaves under high light stress, while the phenotype of GmPLP1:GmPLP1-Flag overexpression soybean showed the opposite characteristics. Then, we identified a protein-protein interaction between GmPLP1 and GmVTC2, and the intensity of this interaction was primarily affected by sensing the intensity of blue light. More importantly, overexpression of GmVTC2b improved soybean tolerance to high light stress by enhancing the ROS scavenging capability through increasing the biosynthesis of ascorbic acid. This regulation was significantly enhanced after interfering with a GmPLP1-interference fragment in GmVTC2b-ox soybean leaves, but was weakened when GmPLP1 was transiently overexpressed. These findings demonstrate that GmPLP1 regulates the photosynthetic capacity and ROS accumulation of soybean to adapt to changes in light intensity by sensing blue light. In summary, this study discovered a new mechanism through which GmPLP1 participates in high light stress in soybean, which has great significance for improving soybean yield and the adaptability of soybean to high light.

Field Measurements of Wind-Induced Responses of the Shanghai World Financial Center during Super Typhoon Lekima.

In this paper, the wind-induced responses of the Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC) under Super Typhoon Lekima are measured using the health monitoring system. Based on the measurements, the characteristics of vibration, including probability density distribution of accelerations, power spectra, and mode shapes are studied. The curve method and the standard deviation method are used to analyze the relationship of the first- and second-order natural frequencies and damping ratios with amplitudes and the mean wind speed. The results show the following: (1) The structural wind-induced responses in the X and Y directions have high consistencies, and the vibration signals exhibit a peak state; moreover, response amplitudes and acceleration signals disperse when the floor height increases. (2) The first- and second-order natural frequencies in the X and Y directions decrease with the increasing amplitudes and are negatively correlated with mean wind speed; the maximum decrease in natural frequency is 5.794%. The first- and second-order damping ratios in the X and Y directions increase with the increasing amplitudes and are positively correlated with the mean wind speed; the maximum increase in damping ratio is 95.7%. (3) The curve method and the standard deviation method are similar in identifying dynamic characteristic parameters, but the discreteness of the natural frequencies obtained by the curve method is lesser. (4) Under excitations of various typhoons, the mode shapes of SWFC are basically the same, and the mode shapes in the X and Y directions increase with the height and have nonlinearity.

Supramolecular Strategy to Achieve Distinct Optical Characteristics and Boosted Chiroptical Enhancement Based on the Closed Conformation of Platinum(II) Complexes.

Synthesis of chiral molecules for understanding and revealing the expression, transfer, and amplification of chirality is beneficial to explore effective chiral medicines and high-performance chiroptical materials. Herein, we report a series of square-planar phosphorescent platinum(II) complexes adopting a dominantly closed conformation that exhibit efficient chiroptical transfer and enhancement due to the nonclassical intramolecular C-H···O or C-H···F hydrogen bonds between bipyridyl chelating and alkynyl auxiliary ligands as well as the intermolecular π-π stacking and metal-metal interactions. The spectroscopic and theoretical calculation results demonstrate that the chirality and optic properties are regulated from the molecular level to hierarchical assemblies. Notably, a 154 times larger gabs value of the circular dichroism signals is obtained. This study provides a feasible design principle to achieve large chiropticity and control the expression and transfer of the chirality.

The association between air pollution and the daily hospital visits for atrial fibrillation recorded by ECG: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between air pollution and atrial fibrillation (AF) recorded by electrocardiograph (ECG) has not yet been illustrated which worsens AF precaution and treatment. This research evaluated the association between air pollution and daily hospital visits for AF with ECG records. METHODS: The study enrolled 4933 male and 5392 female patients whose ECG reports indicated AF from 2015 to 2018 in our hospital. Such data were then matched with meteorological data, including air pollutant concentrations, collected by local weather stations. A case-crossover study was performed to assess the relationship between air pollutants and daily hospital visits for AF recorded by ECG and to investigate its lag effect. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed statistically significant associations between AF occurrence and demographic data, including age and gender. This effect was stronger in female (k = 0.02635, p < 0.01) and in patients over 65 y (k = 0.04732, p < 0.01). We also observed a hysteretic effect that when exposed to higher nitrogen dioxide(NO2), counting AF cases recorded by ECG may elevate at lag 0 with a maximum odds ratio(OR) of 1.038 (95% CI 1.014-1.063), on the contrary, O3 reduced the risk of daily visits for AF and its maximum OR was at lag 2, and the OR value was 0.9869 (95% CI 0.9791-0.9948). Other air pollutants such as PM2.5, PM10, and SO2 showed no clear relationship with the recorded AF. CONCLUSION: The associations between air pollution and AF recorded with ECG were preliminarily discovered. Short-term exposure to NO2 was significantly associated with daily hospital visits for AF management.

Genome-wide identification and analysis of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase family reveals the role of GmGAPDH14 to improve salt tolerance in soybean (Glycine max L.).

Introduction: Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is an essential key enzyme in the glycolytic pathway and plays an important role in stress responses. Although GAPDH family genes have been found in different plant species, the determination of their gene family analysis and their functional roles in soybean are still unknown. Methods: In this study, gene sequence and expression data were obtained using online tools, and systematic evolution, expression profile analysis, and qRT-PCR analysis were conducted. Results and Discussion: Here a total of 16 GmGAPDH genes were identified on nine chromosomes, which were classified into three clusters. Additionally, all GmGAPDH genes harbor two highly conserved domains, including Gp_dh_N (PF00044) and Gp_dh_C (PF02800). The qRTPCR analysis also showed that most GmGAPDH genes significantly responded to multiple abiotic stresses, including NaHCO3, polyethylene glycol, cold, and salt. Among them, GmGAPDH14 was extraordinarily induced by salt stress. The GmGAPDH14 gene was cloned and overexpressed through soybean hair roots. The overexpressed transgenic soybean plants of the GmGAPDH14 gene have also shown better growth than that of control plants. Moreover, the overexpressed transgenic plants of GmGAPDH14 gene had higher activities of superoxide dismutase but lower malonaldehyde (MDA) content than those of control plants under salt stress. Meanwhile, a total of four haplotypes were found for the GmGAPDH14 gene, and haplotypes 2, 3, and 4 were beneficial for the tolerance of soybean to salt stress. These results suggest that the GmGAPDH14 gene might be involved in the process of soybean tolerance to salt stress. The results of this study will be valuable in understanding the role of GAPDH genes in the abiotic stress response of soybean.

Metformin suppresses cardiac fibroblast proliferation under high-glucose conditions via regulating the mitochondrial complex I protein Grim-19 involved in the Sirt1/Stat3 signaling pathway.

Hyperglycemia associated with myocardial oxidative stress and fibrosis is the main cause of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Currently, no approved drug is available for preventing or treating diabetes-induced cardiac fibrosis. Metformin has been reported to improve glycemic control and ameliorate diabetic cardiomyopathy. This study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanism of metformin on diabetes-induced cardiac fibrosis and high glucose-induced proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). In this study, db/db mice were treated with metformin [250 mg/kg⋅d, gavage]. CFs were cultured in high-glucose medium to mimic an in vitro diabetes model and then subjected to treatment with or without metformin. Cardiac fibrosis was analyzed using immunohistochemistry, Masson's trichrome staining, and Western blot analysis. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays and cell colony formation assays were used to examine cell proliferation capacity. Transwell and scratch-wound assays were used to detect the migration ability of CFs. Retinoid-interferon-induced mortality-19 (Grim-19), sirtuin1 (Sirt1), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) were detected using Western blot analysis. The genes downstream of the Stat3 pathway were detected using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT‒PCR). Metformin treatment markedly attenuated cardiac fibrosis in db/db mice and the proliferation and migration of CFs under high-glucose conditions. Mechanistically, we found an intersection between metformin and Grim-19 using bioinformatics. Metformin was found to suppress the expression of p-Stat3 and elevate the expression of mitochondrial complex I protein Grim-19 and Sirt1, thus inhibiting the proliferation and migration of CFs under high-glucose conditions. Our data suggested that metformin inhibited the proliferation and migration of CFs by regulating the expression of mitochondrial complex I Grim-19 protein involved in the Sirt1/Stat3 signaling pathway under high-glucose conditions, thus providing new ideas for treating diabetes-induced cardiac fibrosis.