Protocol to study the photosynthetic response of maize to the CO2-temperature coupling effect at ear stage using a specialized designed gradient.

Global warming will change the photosynthesis and transpiration of plants greatly and ultimately affect water use efficiency (WUE). Here, we present a protocol to investigate the response of maize WUE to the coupling effect of CO2 and temperature at ear stage using a specialized designed gradient. We describe steps for plant culture, parameter measurements, model fitting, and statistical analysis. This protocol holds potential for studying the response of WUE and CO2 adaptation across various plant species. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sun et al.1.

Rapeseed PP2C37 Interacts with PYR/PYL Abscisic Acid Receptors and Negatively Regulates Drought Tolerance.

Global water deficit is a severe abiotic stress threatening the yielding and quality of crops. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone that mediates drought tolerance. Protein kinases and phosphatases function as molecular switches in eukaryotes. Protein phosphatases type 2C (PP2Cs) are a major family that play essential roles in ABA signaling and stress responses. However, the role and underlying mechanism of PP2C in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) mediating drought response has not been reported yet. Here, we characterized a PP2C family member, BnaPP2C37, and its expression level was highly induced by ABA and dehydration treatments. It negatively regulates drought tolerance in rapeseed. We further identified that BnaPP2C37 interacted with multiple PYR/PYL receptors and a drought regulator BnaCPK5 (calcium-dependent protein kinase 5) through yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays. Specifically, BnaPYL1 and BnaPYL9 repress BnaPP2C37 phosphatase activity. Moreover, the pull-down assay and phosphatase assays show BnaPP2C37 interacts with BnaCPK5 to dephosphorylate BnaCPK5 and its downstream BnaABF3. Furthermore, a dual-luciferase assay revealed BnaPP2C37 transcript level was enhanced by BnaABF3 and BnaABF4, forming a negative feedback regulation to ABA response. In summary, we identified that BnaPP2C37 functions negatively in drought tolerance of rapeseed, and its phosphatase activity is repressed by BnaPYL1/9 whereas its transcriptional level is upregulated by BnaABF3/4.

Dracotangusions A and B, two new sesquiterpenes from Dracocephalum tanguticum Maxim. with anti-inflammatory activity.

Two new guaiane sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the dried aerial parts of Dracocephalum tanguticum Maxim., named as dracotangusions A (1) and B (2), together with four known sesquiterpenoids, which were identified as Curcumenone (3), (4Z,7Z,9Z)-11-Hydroxy-4,7,9-germacratriene-1,6-dione (4), Kobusone (5), and (1S,10S), (4S, 5S)-(+)-germacrone-1(10)-4-diepoxide (6). The structures of isolates were determined by UV, IR, HR-ESI-MS, and NMR analysis. What is noteworthy is that four known sesquiterpenoids were isolated for the first time from the genus of Dracocephalum L. All compounds inhibited the extremely significant difference (p < 0.01) in anti-inflammatory activity, suggesting that these compounds may be promising candidates as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Response of WUE of maize at ear stage to the coupling effect of CO2 and temperature.

In the face of global warming, the photosynthesis and transpiration of plants will change greatly, which will ultimately affect the water use efficiency (WUE) of plants. In order to study the coupling effects of CO2 and temperature on WUE of maize at ear stage, 'Zhengdan 958' was taken as the research object, and 5 temperatures (20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C, 35 °C and 40 °C) and 11 CO2 concentration (400, 300, 200, 150, 100, 50, 400, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 µmol mol-1) were set to measure the parameters such as net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (Gs) and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) of single leaves. The response of WUE (Pn/Tr) to CO2 and temperature was evaluated by a CO2 response model. The results show that at the same temperature, Pn and WUE increased with CO2 level, while Tr decreased as CO2 level increases; at the same CO2 concentration, Pn and Tr were both positively correlated with temperature, while WUE decreased with the increase of temperature. The maximum value of WUE was obtained when the CO2 concentration was 1000 µmol mol-1 and the temperature was 20.0 °C. The results suggest that global warming will not improve WUE of maize, which will bring more severe challenges to water-saving agriculture and food security.

Assembly and comparative analysis of the first complete mitochondrial genome of a traditional Chinese medicine Angelica biserrata (Shan et Yuan) Yuan et Shan.

Duhuo, a member of the Angelica family, is widely used to treat ailments such as rheumatic pain. It possesses a diverse array of bioactivities, including anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties, as recent pharmacological research has revealed. Nevertheless, the mtDNA of Angelica species remains relatively unexplored. To address this gap, we sequenced and assembled the mtDNA of A. biserrata to shed light on its genetic mechanisms and evolutionary pathways. Our investigation indicated a distinctive multi-branched conformation in the A. biserrata mtDNA. A comprehensive analysis of protein-coding sequences (PCGs) across six closely related species revealed the presence of 11 shared genes in their mitochondrial genomes. Intriguingly, positive selection emerged as a significant factor in the evolution of the atp4, matR, nad3, and nad7 genes. In addition, our data highlighted a recurring trend of homologous fragment migration between chloroplast and mitochondrial organelles. We identified 13 homologous fragments spanning both chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes. The phylogenetic tree established a close relationship between A. biserrata and Saposhnikovia divaricata. To sum up, our research would contribute to the application of population genetics and evolutionary studies in the genus Acanthopanax and other genera in the Araliaceae family.

Creating glassy states of dicarboxylate-bridged coordination polymers.

We report the direct formation of dicarboxylate-based coordination polymer glasses through thermal dehydration. The rearrangement of the coordination networks caused by dehydration was monitored by in situ powder X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and synchrotron X-ray characterizations. The microporosity and mechanical properties of these glasses were investigated.

Quinary RuRhPdPtAu high-entropy alloy as an efficient electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction.

Quinary RuRhPdPtAu high-entropy alloy nanoparticles (HEA-NPs) were prepared for the first time from a deep eutectic solvent by an electrochemical method. Owing to the benefits of high entropy and abundant surface active sites, the RuRhPdPtAu HEA-NPs exhibit outstanding electrocatalytic performance for the hydrogen evolution reaction.

Extraction, Isolation, and Component Analysis of Turmeric-Derived Exosome-like Nanoparticles.

As one kind of plant-derived extracellular vesicle, turmeric-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (TELNs) are composed of proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and small-molecule compounds, which possess good biocompatibility and safety. They are especially rich in information from the "mother plant", which provides more applications in biological fields. In this study, we isolated and purified TELNs using differential centrifugation and ultracentrifugation and systematically detected their physicochemical properties using multi-omics. The TELNs possessed a typical teacup-like exosome morphology, and the extraction rate was approximately 1.71 ± 0.176 mg/g. The average particle size was 183.2 ± 10.9 nm, and the average zeta potential was -17.6 ± 1.19 mV. They were rich in lipids, mainly phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (17.4%), triglyceride (TG) (12.3%), phosphatidylinositol (PI) (9.82%), and phosphatidylcholine (PC) (7.93%). All of them are the key lipids in the exosomes. The protein content was approximately 12% (M/M), mainly curcumin synthase and other proteins involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis. In addition, there are critical essential genes for curcumin biosynthesis, such as curcumin synthase (CURS) and diketocoenzyme A synthase (DCS). More importantly, a greater variety of small-molecule compounds, primarily curcumin and curcumin analogs such as demethoxycurcumin and volatile oleoresins such as curcuminoids, have now been revealed. In conclusion, TELNs were successfully isolated, containing 0.17% (M/M) turmeric and a large amount of chemical information, the same as the parent-of-origin plant. This is the first time combining multi-omics to analyze the characteristics and nature of the TELNs, which laid a solid material foundation for the further development of turmeric.

Synthesizing Interpenetrated Triazine-based Covalent Organic Frameworks from CO2.

Crystalline triazine-based covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are aromatic nitrogen-rich porous materials. COFs typically show high thermal/chemical stability, and are promising for energy applications, but often require harsh synthesis conditions and suffer from low crystallinity. In this work, we propose an environmentally friendly route for the synthesis of crystalline COFs from CO2 molecules as a precursor. The mass ratio of CO2 conversion into COFs formula unit reaches 46.3 %. The synthesis consists of two steps; preparation of 1,4-piperazinedicarboxaldehyde from CO2 and piperazine, and condensation of the dicarboxaldehyde and melamine to construct the framework. The CO2 -derived COF has a 3-fold interpenetrated structure of 2D layers determined by powder X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and select-area electron diffraction. The structure shows a high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of 945 m2 g-1 and high stability against strong acid (6 M HCl), base (6 M NaOH), and boiling water over 24 hours. Post-modification of the framework with oxone has been demonstrated to modulate hydrophilicity, and it exhibits proton conductivity of 2.5×10-2  S cm-1 at 85 °C, 95 % of relative humidity.

A Dual-Signaling Electrochemical Aptasensor Based on an In-Plane Gold Nanoparticles-Black Phosphorus Heterostructure for the Sensitive Detection of Patulin.

Patulin (PAT), a type of mycotoxin existing in foodstuffs, is harmful to food safety and human health. Thus, it is necessary to develop sensitive, selective and reliable analytical methods for PAT detection. In this study, a sensitive aptasensor based on a dual-signaling strategy was fabricated, in which a methylene-blue-labeled aptamer and ferrocene monocarboxylic acid in the electrolyte acted as a dual signal, for monitoring PAT. To improve the sensitivity of the aptasensor, an in-plane gold nanoparticles-black phosphorus heterostructure (AuNPs-BPNS) was synthesized for signal amplification. Due to the combination of AuNPs-BPNS nanocomposites and the dual-signaling strategy, the proposed aptasensor has a good analytical performance for PAT detection with the broad linear range of 0.1 nM-100.0 µM and the low detection limit of 0.043 nM. Moreover, the aptasensor was successfully employed for real sample detection, such as apple, pear and tomato. It is expected that BPNS-based nanomaterials hold great promise for developing novel aptasensors and may provide a sensing platform for food safety monitoring.

Plant Exosome-like Nanoparticles as Biological Shuttles for Transdermal Drug Delivery.

Exosomes act as emerging transdermal drug delivery vehicles with high deformability and excellent permeability, which can be used to deliver various small-molecule drugs and macromolecular drugs and increase the transdermal and dermal retention of drugs, improving the local efficacy and drug delivery compliance. At present, there are many studies on the use of plant exosome-like nanoparticles (PELNVs) as drug carriers. In this review, the source, extraction, isolation, and chemical composition of plant exosomes are reviewed, and the research progress on PELNVs as drug delivery systems in transdermal drug delivery systems in recent years has elucidated the broad application prospect of PELNVs.

Coordination polymer-forming liquid Cu(2-isopropylimidazolate).

The structure of the melt state of one-dimensional (1D) coordination polymer crystal Cu(isopropylimidazolate) (melting temperature T m = 143 °C) was characterized by DSC, variable temperature PXRD, solid-state NMR (SSNMR), viscoelastic measurements, XAS, and DFT-AIMD calculations. These analyses suggested "coordination polymer-forming liquid" formation with preserved coordination bonds above T m. Variable chain configurations and moderate cohesive interaction in adjacent chains are the keys to the rarely observed polymer-forming liquid. The melt structure is reminiscent of the common 1D organic polymer melts such as entanglement or random coil structures.

Photoluminescent coordination polymer bulk glasses and laser-induced crystallization.

We synthesized luminescent coordination polymer glasses composed of d10 metal cyanides and triphenylphosphine through melt-quenching and mechanical milling protocols. Synchrotron X-ray total scattering measurements and solid-state NMR revealed their one-dimensional chain structures and high structural dynamics. Thermodynamic and photoluminescence properties were tunable by the combination of heterometallic ions (Ag+, Au+, and Cu+) in the structures. The glasses are moldable and thermally stable, and over centimeter-sized glass monoliths were fabricated by the hot-press technique. They showed high transparency over 80% from the visible to near-infrared region and strong green emission at room temperature. Furthermore, the glass-to-crystal transformation was demonstrated by laser irradiation through the photothermal effect of the glasses.

The complete chloroplast genome of Saussurea medusa maxim. (Asteraceae), an alpine Tibetan herb.

Saussurea medusa is an important traditional Tibetan medicinal plant in China. In this study, we assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of S. medusa. The complete S. medusa chloroplast genome is a circular molecular structure of 152,257 bp in length with coding GC 37.93%, consisting of two inverted repeats (25,204 bp) separated by a large single-copy region (83,334 bp) and a small single-copy region (18,515 bp). The complete chloroplast genome of S. medusa contained 130 genes, including 87 protein-coding genes, 35 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis shows that S. medusa is most closely related to Saussurea inversa and Saussurea pseudoleucoma. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of S. medusa facilitates the phylogenetic studies of Asteraceae.

One-Pot Synthesis of B/P-Codoped Co-Mo Dual-Nanowafer Electrocatalysts for Overall Water Splitting.

Exploring electrocatalysts with satisfactory activity and durability has remained a long-lasting target for electrolyzing water, which is particularly significant for sustainable hydrogen fuel production. Here, we report a quaternary B/P-codoped transition metal Co-Mo hybrid as an efficient alternative catalyst for overall water splitting. The Co-Mo-B-P/CF dual nanowafers were deposited on a copper foam by double-pulse electrodeposition, which is favorable for achieving a nanocrystalline structure. The Co-Mo-B-P/CF catalyst shows a high catalytic activity along with good long-term stability in 1.0 M KOH solutions for both the hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions, requiring 48 and 275 mV to reach 10 mA cm-2, respectively. The synergetic effect between Co-Mo and doped B and P elements is mainly attributed to the excellent bifunctional catalysis performance, while the dual-nanowafer structure endows Co-Mo-B-P with numerous catalytical active sites enhancing the utilization efficiency of atoms. Moreover, the catalytic capability of Co-Mo-B-P/CF as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for the overall water splitting is proved, with the current density of 10 mA cm-2 accomplished at 1.59 V. After the stability test for overall water splitting at 1.59 V for 24 h, the activity almost remains unchanged. The features of excellent electrocatalytic activity, simple preparation, and inexpensive raw materials for Co-Mo-B-P/CF as a bifunctional catalyst hold great potentials for overall water splitting.

Single-Atom Catalysts Derived from Metal-Organic Frameworks for Electrochemical Applications.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have received tremendous attention due to their extraordinary catalytic performances. The synthesis of this kind of catalysts is highly desired and challenging. In the last few years, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been demonstrated as a promising precursor for fabricating SACs. In this review, the progress and recent advances in the synthesis of MOF-derived SACs and their electrochemical applications are summarized. First, the synthetic approaches based on MOFs and accessible characterization techniques for SACs as well as their advantages/disadvantages are discussed. Then, the electrochemical applications of these MOF-derived SACs including the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), CO2 reduction reaction (CO2 RR), nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), and other energy-related reactions are reviewed. Finally, insights into the current challenges and future prospects of this field are briefly presented.

Ordered Macroporous Superstructure of Nitrogen-Doped Nanoporous Carbon Implanted with Ultrafine Ru Nanoclusters for Efficient pH-Universal Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

The electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is an attractive technology for the mass production of hydrogen. Ru-based materials are promising electrocatalysts owing to the similar bonding strength with hydrogen but much lower cost than Pt catalysts. Herein, an ordered macroporous superstructure of N-doped nanoporous carbon anchored with the ultrafine Ru nanoclusters as electrocatalytic micro/nanoreactors is developed via the thermal pyrolysis of ordered macroporous single crystals of ZIF-8 accommodating Ru(III) ions. Benefiting from the highly interconnected reticular macro-nanospaces, this superstrucure affords unparalleled performance for pH-universal HER, with order of magnitude higher mass activity compared to the benchmark Pt/C. Notably, an exceptionally low overpotential of only 13 mV@10 mA cm-2 is required for HER in alkaline solution, with a low Tafel slope of 40.41 mV dec-1 and an ultrahigh turnover frequency value of 1.6 H2 s-1 at 25 mV, greatly outperforming Pt/C. Furthermore, the hydrogen generation rates are almost twice those of Pt/C during practical overall alkaline water splitting. A solar-to-hydrogen system is also demonstrated to further promote the application. This research may open a new avenue for the development of advanced electrocatalytic micro/nanoreactors with controlled morphology and excellent performance for future energy applications.

Correction: Electrochemically shape-controlled synthesis of great stellated dodecahedral Au nanocrystals with high-index facets for nitrogen reduction to ammonia.

Correction for 'Electrochemically shape-controlled synthesis of great stellated dodecahedral Au nanocrystals with high-index facets for nitrogen reduction to ammonia' by Yu-Chen Jiang et al., Chem. Commun., 2020, DOI: 10.1039/d0cc04326e.

Multiple catalytic sites in MOF-based hybrid catalysts for organic reactions.

Hybrid catalysis provides an effective pathway to improve the catalytic efficiency and simplify the synthesis operation, but multiple catalytic sites are required. Catalysts with multiple functions based on/derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have received growing attention in organic synthesis due to their wide variety and outstanding designability. This review provides an overview of significant advances in the field of organic reactions by MOF-based hybrid catalysts with emphasis on multiple catalytic sites and their synergies, including inherent sites on host frameworks, sites of MOF composites and metal sites in/on MOF-derived hybrid catalysts.

A Zinc-Dual-Halogen Battery with a Molten Hydrate Electrolyte.

Halogen redox couples offer several advantages for energy storage such as low cost, high solubility in water, and high redox potential. However, the operational complexity of storing halogens at the oxidation state via liquid-phase media hampers their widespread application in energy-storage devices. Herein, an aqueous zinc-dual-halogen battery system taking the advantages of redox flow batteries (inherent scalability) and intercalation chemistry (high capacity) is designed and fabricated. To enhance specific energy, the designed cell exploits both bromine and chlorine as the cathode redox couples that are present as halozinc complexes in a newly developed molten hydrate electrolyte, which is distinctive to the conventional zinc-bromine batteries. Benefiting from the reversible uptake of halogens at the graphite cathode, exclusive reliance on earth-abundant elements, and membrane-free and possible flow-through configuration, the proposed battery can potentially realize high-performance massive electric energy storage at a reasonable cost.