The Contributions of Sub-Communities to the Assembly Process and Ecological Mechanisms of Bacterial Communities along the Cotton Soil-Root Continuum Niche Gradient.

Soil microbes are crucial in shaping the root-associated microbial communities. In this study, we analyzed the effect of the soil-root niche gradient on the diversity, composition, and assembly of the bacterial community and co-occurrence network of two cotton varieties. The results revealed that the bacterial communities in cotton soil-root compartment niches exhibited a skewed species abundance distribution, dominated by abundant taxa showing a strong spatial specificity. The assembly processes of the rhizosphere bacterial communities were mainly driven by stochastic processes, dominated by the enrichment pattern and supplemented by the depletion pattern to recruit bacteria from the bulk soil, resulting in a more stable bacterial community. The assembly processes of the endosphere bacterial communities were determined by processes dominated by the depletion pattern and supplemented by the enrichment pattern to recruit species from the rhizosphere, resulting in a decrease in the stability and complexity of the community co-occurrence network. The compartment niche shaped the diversity of the bacterial communities, and the cotton variety genotype was an important source of diversity in bacterial communities within the compartment niche. We suggest that the moderate taxa contribute to significantly more changes in the diversity of the bacterial community than the rare and abundant taxa during the succession of bacterial communities in the cotton root-soil continuum.

Synthesis of Biaryl Carboxylic Acids through a Cascade Suzuki-Miyaura Coupling/Friedel-Crafts Alkylation/Lewis-Acid-Catalyzed Rearrangement/Aromatization Process.

In this study, we present a series of 1,3-dicarbonyls that can undergo a cascade Suzuki coupling, followed by a Friedel-Crafts reaction to produce molecules containing polycyclic alcohols. These polycyclic alcohols can then be converted into biaryl carboxylic acids through ring-opening rearrangement reactions catalyzed by a Lewis acid. The Friedel-Crafts reaction exhibits selective para-positioning of the hydroxyl group and demonstrates good compatibility with functional groups with a yield of up to 82%. Substrates with substituted hydroxyl groups can also be converted into biaryl carboxylic acids through a Lewis-acid-catalyzed ring-opening rearrangement.

Pan-cancer Analysis of the Disulfidptosis-related Gene NCKAP1 and Its Prognostic Value for Lung Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The nck-associated protein 1 (NCKAP1) of the disulfidptosis-related gene is essential in programmed cell death. However, a comprehensive analysis of the biological significance of NCKAP1 in pan-cancer is lacking. METHODS: Gene expression matrices and clinical expression information of cancers were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype Tissue Expression (GTEX) databases. A comprehensive analysis of NCKAP1 expression, biological function, gene mutation, immune cell infiltration, DNA methylation, and drug sensitivity profiles in pan-cancer was performed using the Timer2.0, HPA, GEPIA, STRING, cBioPortal, UALCAN and CellMiner databases. The prognostic value of NCKAP1 was investigated based on COX regression analysis and the Kaplan-Meier(K-M) curves. A nomogram was established to verify the clinical value of NCKAP1 for LUAD. The correlation between NCKAP1 and immune cells and signaling pathways were investigated by single-sample gene set enrichment analysis(ssGSEA). Validation was performed using PCR, Western Blot (WB), and Transwell assays. RESULT: Significant differences in expression levels, mutation levels, and methylation levels of NCKAP1 between tumor and normal samples. NCKAP1 affects the prognosis of various cancers. NCKAP1 is strongly associated with microsatellite instability (MSI) and tumor mutational burden (TMB). The Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses indicate that NCKAP1 is strongly associated with cell death and tumor immunity. The expression of NCKAP1 affects the sensitivity to various drugs. Moreover, NCKAP1 is an independent predictor of prognosis in LUAD patients. The results of ssGSEA showed that elevated NCKAP1 expression was positively correlated with multiple immune-related signaling pathways. PCR analysis showed that the expression of NCKAP1 was increased in LUAD cells. Transwell invasion assay showed that overexpression of NCKAP1 resulted in enhanced invasion of LUAD cells. CONCLUSIONS: We comprehensively analyzed the relationship between NCKAP1 and pan-cancer and its potential clinical value. NCKAP1 could be a potential immune marker for various cancers (especially LUAD), providing new insights and insights for cancer therapy.

A study of temperature variability on admissions and deaths for cardiovascular diseases in Northwestern China.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of temperature variability (TV) on admissions and deaths for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). METHOD: The admissions data of CVDs were collected in 4 general hospitals in Jinchang City, Gansu Province from 2013 to 2016. The monitoring data of death for CVDs from 2013 to 2017 were collected through the Jinchang City Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) was combined to analyze the effects of TV (daily temperature variability (DTV) and hourly temperature variability (HTV)) on the admissions and deaths for CVDs after adjusting confounding effects. Stratified analysis was conducted by age and gender. Then the attribution risk of TV was evaluated. RESULTS: There was a broadly linear correlation between TV and the admissions and deaths for CVDs, but only the association between TV and outpatient and emergency room (O&ER) visits for CVDs have statistically significant. DTV and HTV have similar lag effect. Every 1 ℃ increase in DTV and HTV was associated with a 3.61% (95% CI: 1.19% ~ 6.08%), 3.03% (95% CI: 0.27% ~ 5.86%) increase in O&ER visits for CVDs, respectively. There were 22.75% and 14.15% O&ER visits for CVDs can attribute to DTV and HTV exposure during 2013-2016. Males and the elderly may be more sensitive to the changes of TV. Greater effect of TV was observed in non-heating season than in heating season. CONCLUSION: TV was an independent risk factor for the increase of O&ER visits for CVDs, suggesting effective guidance such as strengthening the timely prevention for vulnerable groups before or after exposure, which has important implications for risk management of CVDs.

rs66651343 and rs12909095 confer lung cancer risk by regulating CCNDBP1 expression.

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor with high rates of mortality and shows significant hereditary predisposition. Previous genome-wide association studies suggest that rs748404, located at promoter of TGM5 (transglutaminase 5), is associated with lung carcinoma. By analysis of 1000 genomes project data for three representative populations in the world, another five SNPs are identified to be in strong linkage disequilibrium with rs748404, thus suggesting that they may also be associated with lung carcinoma risk. However, it is ambiguous about the actually causal SNP(s) and the mechanism for the association. Dual-luciferase assay indicates that the functional SNPs are not rs748404, rs12911132 or rs35535629 but another three SNPs (rs66651343, rs12909095 and rs17779494) in lung cell. By chromosome conformation capture, it is disclosed that the enhancer encompassing the two SNPs, rs66651343 and rs12909095, can interact with the promoter of CCNDBP1 (cyclin D1 binding protein 1). RNA-seq data analysis indicates that CCNDBP1 expression is dependent on the genotype of these two SNPs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay suggests that the fragments spanning rs66651343 and rs12909095 can bind with the transcription factors, cut like homeobox 1 and SRY-box transcription factor 9, respectively. Our results establish the connection between genetic variations at this locus and lung cancer susceptibility.

rs77283072 influences breast cancer susceptibility by regulating CDKN2A expression.

Breast cancer is the cancer type with the highest morbidity rates in women, and previous genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have suggested that the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1011970 is significantly associated with this disease. An analysis of data from the 1000 Genomes Project demonstrated that there is an SNP, rs77283072, in almost complete linkage disequilibrium with rs1011970, which should therefore present the same signal in a GWAS. However, the actual causal SNP and its associated underlying mechanism have yet to be elucidated. Therefore, the present study evaluated the role of rs77283072 in terms of its association with breast cancer. A dual-luciferase assay was performed, which demonstrated that the two alleles of rs1011970 did not exhibit significantly different reporter gene activity. However, the A allele of rs77283072 exhibited a significant increase in relative luciferase activity compared with the G allele, which suggested that rs77283072 was the causal SNP for breast cancer. Chromosome conformation capture demonstrated that the enhancer containing rs77283072 interacted with the promoter of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A). Furthermore, expression quantitative trait locus analysis demonstrated that the expression of CDKN2A was dependent on the genotype of rs77283072. Taken together, the findings of the present study provided novel insights into the mechanism underlying how the genetic variation in this locus was able to influence breast cancer susceptibility and further the treatment for this disease.

Genome-wide association study identifies GhSAL1 affects cold tolerance at the seedling emergence stage in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

KEY MESSAGE: Genomic analysis of upland cotton revealed that cold tolerance was associated with ecological distribution. GhSAL1 on chromosome D09 negatively regulated cold tolerance of upland cotton. Cotton can undergo low-temperature stress at the seedling emergence stage, which adversely affects growth and yield; however, the regulatory mechanism underlying cold tolerance remains nebulous. Here, we analyze the phenotypic and physiological parameters in 200 accessions from 5 ecological distributions under constant chilling (CC) and diurnal variation of chilling (DVC) stresses at the seedling emergence stage. All accessions were clustered into four groups, of which Group IV, with most germplasms from the northwest inland region (NIR), had better phenotypes than Groups I-III under the two kinds of chilling stresses. A total of 575 significantly associated single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) were identified, and 35 stable genetic quantitative trait loci (QTL) were obtained, of which 5 were associated with traits under CC and DVC stress, respectively, while the remaining 25 were co-associated. The accumulation of dry weight (DW) of seedling was associated with the flavonoid biosynthesis process regulated by Gh_A10G0500. The emergence rate (ER), DW, and total length of seedling (TL) under CC stress were associated with the SNPs variation of Gh_D09G0189 (GhSAL1). GhSAL1HapB was the elite haplotype, which increased ER, DW, and TL by 19.04%, 11.26%, and 7.69%, respectively, compared with that of GhSAL1HapA. The results of virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) experiment and determination of metabolic substrate content preliminarily illustrated that GhSAL1 negatively regulated cotton cold tolerance through IP3-Ca2+ signaling pathway. The elite haplotypes and candidate genes identified in this study could be used to improve cold tolerance at the seedling emergence stage in future upland cotton breeding.

Distilling functional variations for human UGT2B4 upstream region based on selection signals and implications for phenotypes of Neanderthal and Denisovan.

Our previous work identified one region upstream human UGT2B4 (UDP glucuronosyltransferase family 2 member B4) which is associated with breast cancer and under balancing selection. However, the distribution, functional variation and molecular mechanism underlying breast cancer and balancing selection remain unclear. In current study, the two haplotypes with deep divergence are described by analyzing 1000 genomes project data and observed to be with high frequencies in all human populations. Through population genetics analysis and genome annotation, the potential functional region is identified and verified by reporter gene assay. Further mutagenesis indicates that the functional mutations are rs66862535 and rs68096061. Both SNPs can alter the interaction efficiency of transcription factor POU2F1 (POU class 2 homeobox 1). Through chromosome conformation capture, it is identified that the enhancer containing these two SNPs can interact with UGT2B4 promoter. Expression quantitative trait loci analysis indicates that UGT2B4 expression is dependent on the genotype of this locus. The common haplotype in human is lost in four genomes of archaic hominins, which suggests that Neanderthal and Denisovan should present relatively lower UGT2B4 expression and further higher steroid hormone level. This study provides new insight into the contribution of ancient population structure to human phenotypes.

GhMYB102 promotes drought resistance by regulating drought-responsive genes and ABA biosynthesis in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

The MYB transcription factor (TF) family is among the largest TF families and plays an important role in plant growth and stress response. However, few studies have investigated the role of the MYB gene in drought resistance in cotton. In this study, we analysed the drought transcriptomic data of cotton and identified that the GhMYB102 gene was significantly upregulated in upland cotton during the early stages of drought stress. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the amino acid sequence encoded by GhMYB102 contained two highly conserved MYB binding domains belonging to R2R3-MYB TFs. GhMYB102 was most closely related to AtMYB102. GhMYB102 is mainly expressed in roots and is induced by abiotic stresses and abscisic acid (ABA); it is localised in the nucleus and has transcriptional activation activity. Silencing of GhMYB102 decreased plant drought resistance. In addition, dual-luciferase assays and yeast single hybridisation analysis showed that GhMYB102 could directly bind the MYB motif elements in the promoter regions of GhNCED1 and GhZAT10. These results indicate that GhMYB102 plays a positive role in drought tolerance by regulating the expression of GhNCED1 and GhZAT10. Thus, GhMYB102 enhances drought resistance by participating in ABA biosynthesis or regulating the expression of drought-responsive genes.

Genome-wide association study reveals that GhTRL1 and GhPIN8 affect cotton root development.

KEY MESSAGE: Two regions located at chromosome A05 and D04 were found to be significantly associated with 0-0.5 mm and 0.5-2 mm diameter roots, respectively, and two candidate genes related to root development were identified. Roots absorb water and nutrients, and play an important role in plant growth. However, there are few genetic developmental studies on cotton root structural traits. In this study, we used 200 upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) varieties to analyze the phenotypic variation of 43 traits. A total of 2001 related single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites located within or near 1046 genes were detected through a genome-wide association study (GWAS). The 32 root traits were linked to SNPs that corresponded to 317 nonrepetitive genes. For SNPs associated with root length and 0-0.5 mm diameter root traits, a significant peak appeared on chromosome A05 (between 21.91 and 22.24 Mb). For SNPs associated with root surface area, root volume and 0.5-2 mm diameter root traits, a significant peak appeared on chromosome D04 (between 7.35 and 7.70 Mb). Within these two key regions, SNPs were detected in the promoter and coding regions of two candidate genes, GhTRL1-A05 and GhPIN8-D04. The expression levels of these two genes also changed significantly according to transcriptome sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). After silencing the GhTRL1 and GhPIN8 genes via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), we found that the plants expressing TRV2::GhTRL1 and TRV2::GhPIN8 had a reduced root length, surface area. Moreover, the contents of cis-12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (cis-OPDA), isopentenyl adenosine (iPR) and cis-zeatin (cZ) in the roots of the plants expressing TRV2::GhTRL1 decreased. This study contributes to the cultivation and improvement of cotton varieties.

Structural and Potential Functional Properties of Alkali-Extracted Dietary Fiber From Antrodia camphorata.

Antrodia camphorata is rich in a variety of bioactive ingredients; however, the utilization efficiency of the residue of A. camphorata is low, resulting in serious waste. It is necessary to deeply study the functional components of A. camphorata residues to achieve high-value utilization. In this study, the components, structural characteristics, and functional properties of alkali-extracted dietary fiber extracted from residues of A. camphorata (basswood and dish cultured fruiting body, respectively) were investigated. There were similar components and structural characteristics of ACA-DK (extract from basswood cultured) and ACA-DF (extract from dish cultured). The two alkali-extracted dietary fiber were composed of mainly cellulose and xylan. However, ACA-DK has better adsorption capacities than ACA-DF on lipophilic substances such as oil (12.09 g/g), cholesterol (20.99 mg/g), and bile salts (69.68 mg/g). In vitro immunomodulatory assays stated that ACA-DK had a good effect on promoting the proliferation of RAW 264.7 cells and can activate cell phagocytosis, NO synthesis, and other immune capabilities. The edible fungus A. camphorata is a good source of functional dietary fiber. The alkali-extracted dietary fiber of A. camphorata might be used as a functional ingredient in the medicine and food industry.

Convergent Evidence Supports TH2LCRR as a Novel Asthma Susceptibility Gene.

Asthma is a common, complex disease with apparent genetic predispositions, and previous genome-wide association studies suggest that rs1295686 within the IL13 (IL-13) gene is significantly associated with asthma. Analysis of the data provided by the 1,000 Genomes Project indicated an additional four SNPs in nearly complete linkage disequilibrium with rs1295686 in White people. However, the causal SNPs and the associated mechanism remain unclear. To investigate this issue, functional genomics approaches were utilized to analyze the functions of these SNPs. Dual-luciferase assays indicated that the functional SNP is not rs1295686 but a haplotype consisting of three other SNPs: rs1295685, rs848, and rs847. Through chromosome conformation capture, it was found that the enhancer containing the three functional SNPs interacts with the promoter of TH2LCRR (T helper type 2 locus control region associated RNA), a recently identified long noncoding RNA. RNA-seq data analysis indicated that TH2LCRR expression is significantly increased in patients with asthma and is dependent on the genotype at this locus, indicating that TH2LCRR is a novel susceptibility gene for asthma and that these SNPs confer asthma risk by regulating TH2LCRR expression. By chromatin immunoprecipitation, the related transcription factors that bind in the region surrounding these three SNPs were identified, and their interactions were investigated by functional genomics approaches. Our effort identified a novel mechanism through which genetic variations at this locus could influence asthma susceptibility.

Genome-wide association study identifies variants of GhSAD1 conferring cold tolerance in cotton.

Cold stress is a major environmental factor affecting plant growth and development. Although some plants have developed resistance to cold stress, the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. Using genome-wide association mapping with 200 cotton accessions collected from different regions, we identified variations in the short chain alcohol dehydrogenase gene, GhSAD1, that responds to cold stress. Virus-induced gene silencing and overexpression in Arabidopsis revealed that GhSAD1 fulfils important roles in cold stress responses. Ectopic expression of a haploid genotype of GhSAD1 (GhSAD1HapB) in Arabidopsis increased cold tolerance. Silencing of GhSAD1HapB resulted in a decrease in abscisic acid (ABA) content. Conversely, overexpression of GhSAD1HapB increased ABA content. GhSAD1HapB regulates cold stress responses in cotton through modulation of C-repeat binding factor activity, which regulates ABA signalling. GhSAD1HapB induces the expression of COLD-REGULATED (COR) genes and increases the amount of metabolites associated with cold stress tolerance. Overexpression of GhSAD1HapB partially complements the phenotype of the Arabidopsis ABA2 mutant, aba2-1. Collectively, these findings increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying GhSAD1-mediated cold stress responses in cotton.

Effect of memantine on the survival of an ischemic random skin flap and the underlying mechanism.

BACKGROUND: Skin flap transplantation is a common wound repair method in orthopedic surgery, but skin flap necrosis remains problematic. Memantine, an excitatory amino acid receptor antagonist, is currently used in the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease, due to its ability to promote angiogenesis and reduce oxidative stress. This study investigated the effect of memantine on the survival of random skin flaps in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty six male SD rats were divided into control, high-dose (20 mg/kg per day), and low-dose (10 mg/kg per day) groups and underwent a McFarland flap procedure. Seven days later, the survival of the flap was evaluated, The microvascular density and neutrophil density were measured by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Lead angiography was used to detect angiogenesis, and laser Doppler was used to detect blood perfusion. Expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB) and Mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK）were detected by immunohistochemistry. Oxidative stress was evaluated by measuring the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the flap survival area of memantine group, especially the high-dose group, was larger, VEGF expression, microvascular density, angiogenesis, blood perfusion, and superoxide dismutase in the flap were higher in the Memantine-H group than in the Memantine-L and control groups (P < 0.01). In addition, levels of neutrophil density, IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, TLR4, NF-κB, MAPK and malondialdehyde decreased significantly in the Memantine-H group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Memantine can promote the survival of skin flap in rats by improving the blood supply, promoting angiogenesis, inhibiting the inflammatory response, and reducing ischemia-reperfusion injury.

A fast and direct iodide-catalyzed oxidative 2-selenylation of tryptophan.

A metal-free 2-selenylation of tryptophan derivatives is reported, where the use of iodide as the catalyst and oxone as the oxidant is key to obtain high yields. Various functional groups within the di-seleny and the indole ring are tolerated, and no racemization is generally observed.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Provides Insights into the Seed Germination in Cotton in Response to Chilling Stress.

Gossypium hirsutum L., is a widely cultivated cotton species around the world, but its production is seriously threatened by its susceptibility to chilling stress. Low temperature affects its germination, and the underlying molecular mechanisms are rarely known, particularly from a transcriptional perspective. In this study, transcriptomic profiles were analyzed and compared between two cotton varieties, the cold-tolerant variety KN27-3 and susceptible variety XLZ38. A total of 7535 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Among them, the transcripts involved in energy metabolism were significantly enriched during germination based on analysis of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, such as glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle), and glyoxylate cycle (GAC). Results from further GO enrichment analysis show the earlier appearance of DNA integration, meristem growth, cotyledon morphogenesis, and other biological processes in KN27-3 compared with XLZ38 under chilling conditions. The synthesis of asparagine, GDP-mannose, and trehalose and the catabolic process of raffinose were activated. DEGs encoding antioxidants (spermidine) and antioxidase (CAT1, GPX4, DHAR2, and APX1) were much more up-regulated in embryos of KN27-3. The content of auxin (IAA), cis-zeatin riboside (cZR), and trans-zeatin riboside (tZR) in KN27-3 are higher than that in XLZ38 at five stages (from 12 h to 54 h). GA3 was expressed at a higher level in KN27-3 from 18 h to 54 h post imbibition compared to that in XLZ38. And abscisic acid (ABA) content of KN27-3 is lower than that in XLZ38 at five stages. Results from hormone content measurements and the related gene expression analysis indicated that IAA, CTK, and GA3 may promote germination of the cold-tolerant variety, while ABA inhibits it. These results expand the understanding of cottonseed germination and physiological regulations under chilling conditions by multiple pathways.

A Comparative Study of Finger Pulp Reconstruction Using Free Distal Ulnar Artery Perforator Flaps and Reverse Dorsal Homodigital Island Flaps.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare and analyze the outcomes of finger reconstruction using free distal ulnar artery perforator (FDUAP) and reverse dorsal homodigital island (RDHI) flaps. METHODS: The study included 27 patients with finger pulp defects that were reconstructed using FDUAP or RDHI flaps. Standardized assessment of outcomes included objective sensory recovery, duration of operation, range of motion in the repaired fingers, pain at the reconstructed finger pulps and donor sites, and recovery time before returning to work. Subjective assessment of outcomes included the cold intolerance, aesthetic appearance, and functional recovery. RESULTS: All flaps in the series showed complete survival. The average surgical time for the RDHI flaps was significantly smaller than that for the FDUAP flaps. Sensory recovery was significantly better with FDUAP flaps than with RAHI flaps. No significant differences were detected between the 2 procedures regarding range of motion, cold intolerance, or pain of the injured finger pulps and donor sites. The outcomes of aesthetic result and functional recovery satisfied all patients. Optimal cosmetic satisfaction was obtained in the FDUAP flap group. CONCLUSIONS: Although both types of flaps offer a satisfactory approach for finger reconstruction with small-to-medium defects, FDUAP flaps are more suitable for such operations because of the better sensory reconstruction and aesthetic results.

Transcriptome analysis and identification of genes associated with fruiting branch internode elongation in upland cotton.

BACKGROUND: Appropriate plant architecture can improve the amount of cotton boll opening and allow increased planting density, thus increasing the level of cotton mechanical harvesting and cotton yields. The internodes of cotton fruiting branches are an important part of cotton plant architecture. Thus, studying the molecular mechanism of internode elongation in cotton fruiting branches is highly important. RESULTS: In this study, we selected internodes of cotton fruiting branches at three different stages from two cultivars whose internode lengths differed significantly. A total of 76,331 genes were detected by transcriptome sequencing. By KEGG pathway analysis, we found that DEGs were significantly enriched in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway. The transcriptional data and qRT-PCR results showed that members of the GH3 gene family, which are involved in auxin signal transduction, and CKX enzymes, which can reduce the level of CKs, were highly expressed in the cultivar XLZ77, which has relatively short internodes. Genes related to ethylene synthase (ACS), EIN2/3 and ERF in the ethylene signal transduction pathway and genes related to JAR1, COI1 and MYC2 in the JA signal transduction pathway were also highly expressed in XLZ77. Plant hormone determination results showed that the IAA and CK contents significantly decreased in cultivar XLZ77 compared with those in cultivar L28, while the ACC (the precursor of ethylene) and JA contents significantly increased. GO enrichment analysis revealed that the GO categories associated with promoting cell elongation, such as cell division, the cell cycle process and cell wall organization, were significantly enriched, and related genes were highly expressed in L28. However, genes related to the sphingolipid metabolic process and lignin biosynthetic process, whose expression can affect cell elongation, were highly expressed in XLZ77. In addition, 2067 TFs were differentially expressed. The WRKY, ERF and bHLH TF families were the top three largest families whose members were active in the two varieties, and the expression levels of most of the genes encoding these TFs were upregulated in XLZ77. CONCLUSIONS: Auxin and CK are positive regulators of internode elongation in cotton branches. In contrast, ethylene and JA may act as negative regulators of internode elongation in cotton branches. Furthermore, the WRKY, ERF and bHLH TFs were identified as important inhibitors of internode elongation in cotton. In XLZ77(a short-internode variety), the mass synthesis of ethylene and amino acid conjugation of auxin led to the inhibition of plant cell elongation, while an increase in JA content and degradation of CKs led to a slow rate of cell division, which eventually resulted in a phenotype that presented relatively short internodes on the fruiting branches. The results of this study not only provide gene resources for the genetic improvement of cotton plant architecture but also lay a foundation for improved understanding of the molecular mechanism of the internode elongation of cotton branches.

Effects of adiponectin on random pattern skin flap survival in rats.

BACKGROUND: Random flaps are commonly used to repair wounds and improve the clinical appearance. However, flap necrosis is frequently encountered in the clinical setting. Adiponectin is a biologically active endogenous polypeptide secreted by adipocytes that can reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. This study was performed to explore the effects of adiponectin on the survival of random flaps in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six healthy rats were divided into two groups, i.e., an adiponectin group and a control group. A modified McFarlane flap was created on the backs of the rats. The area of flap survival was gauged after sacrifice of the rats on day 7 after surgery, and the tissue samples were subjected to histological analysis. Angiogenesis was assessed by oxide-gelatin angiography, laser Doppler imaging, and immunohistochemistry. Pathological changes in the flaps were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The level of oxidative stress was evaluated using malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) kits. RESULTS: The adiponectin group had a larger tissue survival area and less edema compared with the control group. VEGF expression and SOD activity were markedly increased, but the MDA level was significantly decreased, in the adiponectin group. Histological analysis showed that adiponectin promoted angiogenesis and inhibited inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Adiponectin is useful for improving random skin flap survival.

Analysis of Drought Tolerance and Associated Traits in Upland Cotton at the Seedling Stage.

(1) Background: Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is the most important natural fiber worldwide, and it is extensively planted and plentifully used in the textile industry. Major cotton planting regions are frequently affected by abiotic stress, especially drought stress. Drought resistance is a complex, quantitative trait. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) constitutes an efficient method for dissecting the genetic architecture of complex traits. In this study, the drought resistance of a population of 316 upland cotton accessions was studied via GWAS. (2) Methods: GWAS methodology was employed to identify relationships between molecular markers or candidate genes and phenotypes of interest. (3) Results: A total of 8, 3, and 6 SNPs were associated with the euphylla wilting score (EWS), cotyledon wilting score (CWS), and leaf temperature (LT), respectively, based on a general linear model and a factored spectrally transformed linear mixed model. For these traits, 7 QTLs were found, of which 2 each were located on chromosomes A05, A11, and D03, and of which 1 was located on chromosome A01. Importantly, in the candidate regions WRKY70, GhCIPK6, SnRK2.6, and NET1A, which are involved in the response to abscisic acid (ABA), the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and the calcium transduction pathway were identified in upland cotton at the seedling stage under drought stress according to annotation information and linkage disequilibrium (LD) block analysis. Moreover, RNA sequencing analysis showed that WRKY70, GhCIPK6, SnRK2.6, and NET1A were induced by drought stress, and the expression of these genes was significantly different between normal and drought stress conditions. (4) Conclusions: The present study should provide some genomic resources for drought resistance in upland cotton. Moreover, the germplasm of the different phenotypes, the detected SNPs and, the potential candidate genes will be helpful for molecular marker-assisted breeding studies about increased drought resistance in upland cotton.