Genome-wide identification of the GDSL-type esterase/lipase protein (GELP) gene family in Ricinus communis and its transcriptional regulation during germination and seedling establishment under different abiotic stresses.

GDSL-type esterase/lipase protein (GELP) genes are crucial in the specialized lipid metabolism, in the responses to abiotic stresses, and in the regulation of plant homeostasis. R. communis is an important oilseed crop species that can sustain growth and productivity when exposed to harsh environmental conditions. Herein, we raised the question of whether the GELP gene family could be involved in the acquisition of R. communis tolerance to abiotic stresses during seed germination and seedling establishment. Thus, we used bioinformatics and transcriptomics to characterize the R. communis GELP gene family. R. communis genome possesses 96 GELP genes that were characterized by extensive bioinformatics, including phylogenetic analysis, subcellular localization, exon-intron distribution, the analysis of regulatory cis-elements, tandem duplication, and physicochemical properties. Transcriptomics indicated that numerous RcGELP genes are readily responsive to high-temperature and salt stresses and might be potential candidates for genome editing techniques to develop abiotic stress-tolerant crops.

Pollution pressure drives microbial assemblages that improve the phytoremediation potential of heavy metals by Ricinus communis.

Due to the rapid expansion of industrial activity, soil pollution has intensified. Plants growing in these polluted areas have developed a rhizobiome uniquely and specially adapted to thrive in such environments. However, it remains uncertain whether pollution acts as a sufficiently selective force to shape the rhizobiome, and whether these adaptations endure over time, potentially aiding in long-term phytoremediation. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to compare whether the microbiome associated with roots from plants germinated in polluted riverbanks will improve the phytoremediation of Cd and Pb under mesocosm experiments compared with plants germinating in a greenhouse. The experimental design was a factorial 2 × 2, i.e., the origin of the plant and the presence or absence of 100 mg/L of Cd and 1000 mg/L of Pb. Our results showed that plants germinated in polluted riverbanks have the capacity to accumulate twice the amount of Pb and Cd during mesocosm experiments. The metagenomic analysis showed that plants from the river exposed to heavy metals at the end of mesocosm experiments were rich in Rhizobium sp. AC44/96 and Enterobacter sp. EA-1, Enterobacter soli, Pantoea rwandensis, Pantoea endophytica. In addition, those plants were uniquely associated with Rhizobium grahamii, which likely contributed to the differences in the levels of phytoremediation achieved. Furthermore, the functional analysis revealed an augmented functional potential related to hormones, metallothioneins, dismutases, and reductases; meanwhile, the plants germinated in the greenhouse showed an unspecific strategy to exceed heavy metal stress. In conclusion, pollution pressure drives stable microbial assemblages, which could be used in future phytostabilization and phytoremediation experiments.

Scaling of leaf area with biomass in trees reconsidered: constant metabolically active sapwood volume per unit leaf area with height growth.

Hypoallometric (slope<1) scaling between metabolic rate and body mass is often regarded as near-universal across organisms. However, there are compelling reasons to question hypoallometric scaling in woody plants, where metabolic rate is directly proportional to leaf area. This leaf area must provide carbon to the volume of the metabolically active sapwood (VMASW). Within populations of a species, variants in which VMASW increases per unit leaf area with height growth (e.g. ⅔ or ¾ scaling) would have proportionally less carbon for growth and reproduction as they grow taller. Therefore, selection should favor individuals in which, as they grow taller, leaf area scales isometrically with shoot VMASW (slope=1). Using tetrazolium staining, we measured total VMASW and total leaf area (LAtot) across 22 individuals of Ricinus communis and confirmed that leaf area scales isometrically with VMASW, and that VMASW is much smaller than total sapwood volume. With the potential of the LAtot-VMASW relationship to shape factors as diverse as the crown area-stem diameter relationship, conduit diameter scaling, reproductive output, and drought-induced mortality, our work indicates that the notion that sapwood increases per unit leaf area with height growth requires revision.

Design, optimization, and evaluation of topical gel of Cardiospermum halicacabum and Ricinus communis L. leaves extract for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

This research aims to develop and assess the anti-arthritic properties of a topically herbal gel including leaf extracts from Cardiospermum halicacabum and Ricinus communis L. in rats. Utilizing gelling agents carbopol 940 (2.5, 5, 7.5 g), nine herbal gel compositions were created. Prepared formulations were then assessed for physical appearance, spreadability, viscosity, net content, pH, extrudability, in vitro diffusion profile, and main skin irritant tests. According to the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) recommendations, the stability research for the topical herbal gel composition was completed, and Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA) induced arthritis technique was used to assess the anti-arthritic efficacy. Additional procedures included measuring the body weight, paw volume, biochemical and hematological variables, histological analysis, and in vitro serum biomarker detection. The prepared gels followed the instructions and were uniform and stable. F5 performed better than the other compositions in terms of release kinetics (97.20%). The gel proved safe and non-toxic since no erythema or edema was seen during the skin irritation test. Comparing the herbal gel F5 comprising carbopol 940 to rats with arthritis, the topical treatment showed considerable (p < .001) anti-arthritic effect. The anti-arthritic action of the gel formulations was confirmed by decreased paw volume, absence of agglutination in reacting protein and rheumatic factor, a decline in TNFα level, restoration to baseline biochemical and hematological characteristics, decrease in thymus and spleen weight, and histopathological study.

Evaluation of supplemented protein-L-isoaspartate-O-methyltransferase (PIMT) gene of Carica papaya and Ricinus communis in stress survival of Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells.

In growing plant population, effect of stress is a perturb issue affecting its physiological, biochemical, yield loss and developmental growth. Protein-L-isoaspartate-O-methyltransferase (PIMT) is a broadly distributed protein repair enzyme which actuate under stressful environment or aging. Stress can mediate damage converting protein bound aspartate (Asp) residues to isoaspartate (iso-Asp). This spontaneous and deleterious conversion occurs at an elevated state of stress and aging. Iso-Asp formation is associated with protein inactivation and compromised cellular survival. PIMT can convert iso-Asp back to Asp, thus repairing and contributing to cellular survival. The present work describes the isolation, cloning, sequencing and expression of PIMT genes of Carica papaya (Cp pimt) and Ricinus communis (Rc pimt) Using gene specific primers, both the pimts were amplified from their respective cDNAs and subsequently cloned in prokaryotic expression vector pProEXHTa. BL21(DE3) strain of E. coli cells were used as expression host. The expression kinetics of both the PIMTs were studied with various concentrations of IPTG and at different time points. Finally, the PIMT supplemented BL21(DE3) cells were evaluated against different stresses in comparison to their counterparts with the empty vector control.

Deciphering the Molecular Mechanism of the Intermediate Secondary Growth and Internode Elongation of the Castor Bean (Ricinus communis L.) by the Combined Analysis of the Transcriptome and Metabolome.

The length of internodes plays a crucial role in determining the height of the castor plant (Ricinus communis L.). However, the specific mechanisms underlying internode elongation, particularly in the main stem of the castor plant, remain uncertain. To further investigate this, we conducted a study focusing on the internode tissue of the dwarf castor variety 071113, comparing it with the control high-stalk Zhuansihao. Our study included a cytological observation, physiological measurement, transcriptome sequencing, and metabolic determination. Our integrated findings reveal that the dwarf variety 071113 undergoes an earlier lignification development in the main stem and has a more active lignin synthesis pathway during internode intermediate development. In addition, the dwarf variety exhibited lower levels of the plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which had an impact on the development process. Furthermore, we identified specific enzymes and regulators that were enriched in the pathways of the cell cycle, auxin signal transduction, and secondary cell wall synthesis. Using these findings, we developed a model that explained the intermediate secondary growth observed in castor internode elongation and enhanced our comprehension of the dwarfing mechanism of the 071113 variety. This research provides a theoretical groundwork for the future breeding of dwarf castor varieties.

Multiple amino acid transporters as carriers load L-valine-phenazine-1-carboxylic acid conjugate into Ricinus sieve tubes for the phloem translocation.

Some transporters play important roles in the uptake and acropetal xylem translocation of vectorized agrochemicals. However, it is poorly understood the basipetally phloem-loading functions of transporters toward vectorized agrochemicals. Here, L-Val-PCA (L-valine-phenazine-1-carboxylic acid conjugate) uptake was demonstrated carrier-mediated. RcAAP2, RcANT7, and RcLHT1 showed a similarly up-regulated expression pattern from 62 transporter coding genes in Ricinus at 1 h after L-Val or L-Val-PCA treatment. Subcellular localization revealed that fusion RcAAP2-eGFP, RcANT7-eGFP and RcLHT1-eGFP proteins were expressed in the plasma membrane of mesophyll and phloem cells. Yeast assays found that RcAAP2, RcANT7, and RcLHT1 facilitated L-Val-PCA uptake. To further demonstrate the phloem-loading functions, using vacuum infiltration strategy, an Agrobacterium-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) protocol was constructed in seedlings. HPLC detection indicated that L-Val-PCA phloem sap concentrations were significantly decreased 54.5 %, 27.6 %, and 41.6 % after silencing for 72 h and increased 48.3 %, 52.6 %, and 52.4 % after overexpression, respectively. In conclusion, the plasma membrane-located RcAAP2, RcANT7, and RcLHT1 can loaded L-Val-PCA into Ricinus sieve tubes for the phloem translocation, which may aid in the utilization of transporters and molecular design of phloem-mobile fungicides target root or vascular pathogens.

Molecular genetics, seed morphology and fatty acids diversity in castor (Ricinus communis L., Euphorbiaceae) Iranian populations.

BACKGROUND: Castor (Ricinus communis L.) seeds contain a large amount of oil that has several biological activities. In the current research, phytogeographic distribution, seed morphological characteristics, molecular genetic diversity and structure, and fatty acid composition were investigated in nine Iranian castor populations. METHODS AND RESULTS: The cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) protocol was used to extract the nuclear genomes. These were later amplified using 13 SCoT molecular primers. The phytogeographic distribution was determined based on the Zohary mapping, GC apparatus determined the fatty acid composition of the seeds. GenAlex, STRUCTURE, GenoDive, PopGene, and PopART software were used for the statistical analyzes. On phytogeographic mapping, the harvested populations belonged to different districts of the Euro-Siberian and Irano-Turanian regions (Holarctic kingdom). Most of the quantitative morphological traits of the seeds differed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) between the populations. The AMOVA test demonstrated a large proportion of significant genetic diversity assigned among populations, which were approved by some estimated parameters of genetic diversity such as Nm, Ht, Hs, and Gst. Nei's genetic distance and structure analysis confirmed the existence of two main genotype groups and some intermediates. However, there was no isolation by distance between the genotypes. Unsaturated fatty acids were detected as the main component of seed oil with linoleic and ricinoleic acids. Significant correlations were detected between the main fatty acids of seed oil with seed morphological traits, geographic distance and the geographic parameters of habitats. According to the composition of the seed fatty acids, four chemotypes groups were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The classification patterns of the populations based on molecular genetic data, fatty acid composition, and phytogeographic mapping were not identical. These findings indicated that Iranian castor populations had unusual seed fatty acid composition which strongly depended on habitat geographic factors and seed morphological traits. However, the identified chemotypes and genotypes can be used in future breeding programs.

Bio/phyremediation potential of Leptospirillum ferrooxidans and Ricinus communis on metal contaminated mine sludge.

The heavy metal pollution is a serious environmental pollution around the globe and threatens the ecosystem. The physicochemical traits (pH, Electrical conductivity, hardness, NPK, Al, Fe, Cd, Cr, Pb, Mg, and Mn) of soil sample collected from the polluted site were analyzed and found that the most of the metal contents were beyond the acceptable limits of national standards. The metals such as Mn (1859.37 ± 11.25 mg kg-1), Cd (24.86 ± 1.85 mg kg-1), Zn (795.64 ± 9.24 mg kg-1), Pb (318.62 ± 5.85 mg kg-1), Cr (186.84 ± 6.84 mg kg-1), and Al (105.84 ± 5.42 mg kg-1) were crossing the permissible limits. The pre-isolated L. ferrooxidans showed considerable metal tolerance to metals such as Al, Cd, Cr, Pb, Mg, and Mn at up to the concentration of 750 µg mL-1 and also have remediation potential on polluted soil in a short duration of treatment. The greenhouse study demonstrated that the bio/phytoremediation potential of metal tolerant L. ferrooxidans and R. communis under various remediation (A, B, and C) groups. Surprisingly, remediation group C demonstrated greater phytoextraction potential than the other remediation groups (A and B). These results strongly suggest that coexistence of L. ferrooxidans and R. communis had a significant positive effect on phytoextraction on metal-contaminated soil.

Dynamic QTL mapping revealed primarily the genetic structure of photosynthetic traits in castor (Ricinus communis L.).

High photosynthetic efficiency is the basis of high biomass and high harvest index in castor (Ricinus communis L.). Understanding the genetic law of photosynthetic traits will facilitate the breeding for high photosynthetic efficiency. In this study, the dynamic QTL mapping was performed with the populations F2 and BC1 derived from 2 parents with significant difference in net photosynthetic rate (Pn) at 3 stages, in order to reveal the genetic structure of photosynthetic traits. In F2 population, 26 single-locus QTLs were identified, including 3/3/1 (the QTL number at stage I/II/III, the same below), 1/2/0, 1/2/2, 1/3/1, 0/1/1, and 1/1/2 QTLs conferring Pn, water use efficiency (Wue), transpiration rate (Tr), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) and chlorophyll content (Cc), with a phenotypic variation explained (PVE) of 8.40%/8.91%/6.17%, 5.36%/31.74%/0, 7.31%/12.80%/15.15%, 1.60%/6.44%/0.02%, 0/1.10%/0.70% and 2.77%/3.96%/6.50% respectively. And 53 epistatic QTLs (31 pairs) were identified, including 2/2/5, 5/6/3, 4/4/2, 6/3/2, 3/2/0 and 4/0/0 ones conferring the above 6 traits, with a PVE of 6.52%/6.47%/19.04%, 16.72%/15.67%/14.12%, 18.57%/15.58%/7.34%, 21.72%/8.52%/7.13%, 13.33%/4.94%/0 and 7.84%/0/0 respectively. The QTL mapping results in BC1 population were consistent with those in F2 population, except fewer QTLs detected. Most QTLs identified were minor-effect ones, only a few were main-effect ones (PVE > 10%), focused on 2 traits, Wue and Tr, such as qWue1.1, qWue1.2, FqTr1.1, FqTr6, BqWue1.1 and BqTr3; The epistatic effects, especially those related to the dominance effects were the main genetic component of photosynthetic traits, and all the epistatic QTLs had no single-locus effects except qPn1.2, FqGs1.2, FqCi1.2 and qCc3.2; The detected QTLs underlying each trait varied at different stages except stable QTLs qGs1.1, detected at 3 stages, qWue2, qTr1.2 and qCc3.2, detected at 2 stages; 6 co-located QTLs were identified, each of which conferring 2-5 different traits, demonstrated the gene pleiotropy between photosynthetic traits; 2 QTL clusters, located within the marker intervals RCM1842-RCM1335 and RCM523-RCM83, contained 15/5 (F2/BC1) and 4/4 (F2/BC1) QTLs conferring multiple traits, including co-located QTLs and main-effect QTLs. The above results provided new insights into the genetic structure of photosynthetic traits and important references for the high photosynthetic efficiency breeding in castor plant.

Proteomics profiling and in silico analysis of peptides identified during Fusarium oxysporum infection in castor (Ricinus communis).

Castor is industrially important non-edible oil seeds crop severely affected by soil borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ricini which causes heavy economic losses among the castor growing states in India and worldwide. The development of Fusarium wilt resistant varieties in castor is also challenging because the genes identified for resistance are recessive in nature. Unlike transcriptomics and genomics, proteomics is always a method of choice for quick identification of novel proteins expressed during biological events. Therefore, comparative proteomic approach was employed for identification of proteins released in resistant genotype during Fusarium infection. Protein was extracted from inoculated 48-1 resistant and JI-35 susceptible genotype and subjected to 2D-gel electrophoresis coupled with RPLC-MS/MS. This analysis resulted in 18 unique peptides in resistant genotype and 8 unique peptides in susceptible genotype were identified through MASCOT search database. The real time expression study showed that 5 genes namely CCR 1, Germin like protein 5-1, RPP8, Laccase 4 and Chitinase like 6 was found highly up-regulated during Fusarium oxysporum infection. Furthermore, end point PCR analysis of c-DNA showed amplification of three genes namely Chitinase 6 like, RPP8 and ß-glucanase exclusively in resistant genotype indicating that these genes may be involved in resistance phenomenon in castor. Up-regulation of CCR-1 and Laccase 4 involved in lignin biosynthesis provides mechanical strength and may help to prevent the entry of fungal mycelia and protein Germin like 5-1 helps to neutralized ROS by SOD activity. The clear role of these genes can be further confirmed through functional genomics for castor improvement and also for development of transgenic in different crops for wilt resistance.

Cloning and Functional Verification of Endogenous U6 Promoters for the Establishment of Efficient CRISPR/Cas9-Based Genome Editing in Castor (Ricinus communis).

Castor (Ricinus communis) seeds are rich in a type of hydroxy fatty acid called ricinoleic acid, which is in high demand for the production of plant-based plastics, lubricants, and hydraulic oils. However, the high content of ricin, a toxic protein, in these seeds has restricted further expansion in the area of castor cultivation. Therefore, the development of ricin-free castor is needed. Genome editing technology, although successfully applied in several plant species, is still in the developing stages in castor and awaits the identification of an endogenous U6 promoter with robust function. Here, we searched for U6 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) genes in the castor genome. This led to the identification of six U6 snRNA genes. The promoters of these U6 snRNA genes were cloned, and their function was examined in castor cells using the particle delivery method. The results showed that a U6 promoter length of approximately 300 bp from the transcription start site was sufficient to activate gene expression. This study provides insights into the endogenous castor U6 promoter sequences and outlines a method for verifying the function of U6 promoters in plants using the particle delivery system.

Genome-wide identification of core components of ABA signaling and transcriptome analysis reveals gene circuits involved in castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) response to drought.

Castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) can withstand long periods of water deficit and high temperatures, and therefore has been recognized as a drought-resistant plant species, allowing the study of gene networks involved in drought response and tolerance. The identification of genes networks related to drought response in this plant may yield important information in the characterization of molecular mechanisms correlating changes in the gene expression with the physiological adaptation processes. In this context, gene families related to abscisic acid (ABA) signaling play a crucial role in developmental and environmental adaptation processes of plants to drought stress. However, the families that function as the core components of ABA signaling, as well as genes networks related to drought response, are not well understood in castor bean. In this study 7 RcPYL, 63 RcPP2C, and 6 RcSnRK2 genes were identified in castor bean genome, which was further supported by chromosomal distribution, gene structure, evolutionary relationships, and conserved motif analyses. The castor bean general expression profile was investigated by RNAseq in root and leaf tissues in response to drought stress. These analyses allowed the identification of genes differentially expressed, including genes from the ABA signaling core, genes related to photosynthesis, cell wall, energy transduction, antioxidant response, and transcription factors. These analyses provide new insights into the core components of ABA signaling in castor bean, allow the identification of several molecular responses associated with the high physiological adaptation of castor bean to drought stress, and contribute to the identification of candidate genes for genetic improvement.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 in vitro potential of castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) leaf extract: in-silico virtual evidence.

Ricinus communis L. is a medicinal plant that displays valuable pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, analgesic, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. This study targeted to isolate and identify some constituents of R. communis leaves using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectroscopy (UPLC-MS/MS) and different chromatographic techniques. In vitro anti-MERS and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity for different fractions and for two pure isolated compounds, lupeol (RS) and ricinine (RS1) were evaluated using a plaque reduction assay with three different mechanisms and IC50 based on their cytotoxic concentration (CC50) from an MTT assay using Vero E6 cell line. Isolated phytoconstituents and remdesivir are assessed for in-silico anti-COVID-19 activity using molecular docking tools. The methylene chloride extract showed pronounced virucidal activity against SARS-CoV-2 (IC50 = 1.76 µg/ml). It was also shown that ricinine had superior potential activity against SARS-CoV-2, (IC50 = 2.5 µg/ml). Lupeol displayed the most potency against MERS, (IC50 = 5.28 µg/ml). Ricinine appeared to be the most biologically active compound. The study showed that R. communis and its isolated compounds have potential natural virucidal activity against SARS-COV-2; however, additional exploration is necessary and study for their in vivo activity.

An efficient method for protoplast-mediated production of transformed castor bean (Ricinus communis) lines.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop a method for the isolation, culture, and PEG-mediated protoplast transfection from leaves of in vitro-grown plants of Ricinus communis. RESULTS: Factors such as the enzymatic composition and the incubation time were evaluated. The enzymatic solution, containing 1.6% Cellulase-R10 and 0.8% Macerozyme-R10, with 16 h of incubation, was the best condition to achieve a high protoplast yield (481.16 × 104 protoplasts/g FW) with a high percentage of viability (95%). The combination and concentration of enzymes have been shown to affect the protoplast isolation efficiency significantly. Furthermore, we found that a higher number of protoplasts (8.5 × 105 protoplast/g FW) was obtained at a longer incubation time, but their viability decreased. We obtained a simple and efficient protocol to isolate protoplast from Ricinus communis leaves and culture. A PEG-mediated protoplast transfection protocol was also established to introduce plasmid DNA into Ricinus communis genotypes cultivated in Colombia. Thus, strengthening advances in the genetic improvement processes for this crop are presented.

Analysis of the Physiological Response and Reactive Oxygen Species in Castor Oil Plant (Ricinus Communis) in the Phytoremediation Processes with Plant Growth Promoter Bacteria (PGPB).

In the phytoremediation processes of mine tailings with Ricinus communis inoculated with PGPB, it was found that the Serratia K120 bacterium favors the translocation of Al, As, Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, and Mn to the aerial part of the plant, with a significant difference (p < 0.05) concerning for the control. The bioaccumulation factor (BF) was > 1 in Al with all the bacteria, Pb, Serratia K120, Fe, Pantoea 113, Cu, Pb, Cd, Mn in Serratia MC119 and Serratia K120, Fe and As in Serratia K120 and Pantoea 134, indicating that Ricinus communis inoculated with PGPB functions as a hyper accumulating plant. The PGPB help to reduce the stress in the plants generated by the heavy metals, decreasing the H2O2, and increasing the activity of the enzymes SOD, CAT, APX, POX, and GR, for which the bacteria Serratia K120 and Pantoea 113 can be used as bioinoculants to favor phytoremediation processes.

The root-associated Fusarium isolated based on fungal community analysis improves phytoremediation efficiency of Ricinus communis L. in multi metal-contaminated soils.

Phytoremediation is a widely accepted bioremediation method of treating heavy metal contaminated soils. Nevertheless, the remediation efficiency in multi-metal contaminated soils is still unsatisfactory attributable to susceptibility to different metals. To isolate root-associated fungi for improving phytoremediation efficiency in multi-metal contaminated soils, the fungal flora in root endosphere, rhizoplane, rhizosphere of Ricinus communis L. in heavy metal contaminated soils and non-heavy metal contaminated soils were compared by ITS amplicon sequencing, and then the critical fungal strains were isolated and inoculated into host plants to improve phytoremediation efficiency in Cd, Pb, and Zn-contaminated soils. The fungal ITS amplicon sequencing analysis indicated that the fungal community in root endosphere was more susceptible to heavy metals than those in rhizoplane and rhizosphere soils and Fusarium dominated the endophytic fungal community of R. communis L. roots under heavy metal stress. Three endophytic strains (Fusarium sp. F2, Fusarium sp. F8, and Fusarium sp. F14) isolated from Ricinus communis L. roots showed high resistances to multi-metals and possessed growth-promoting characteristics. Biomass and metal extraction amount of R. communis L. with Fusarium sp. F2, Fusarium sp. F8, and Fusarium sp. F14 inoculation in Cd-, Pb- and Zn-contaminated soils were significantly higher than those without the inoculation. The results suggested that fungal community analysis-guided isolation could be employed to obtain desired root-associated fungi for enhancing phytoremediation of multi-metal contaminated soils.

Process optimization and technoeconomic assessment of biodiesel production by one-pot transesterification of Ricinus communis seed oil.

In the present study, Ricinus communis seed oil with high free fatty acid content was utilized for the one-pot biodiesel production using 1-(2,3-dihydroxy)-propyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroxide, a basic ionic liquid catalyst. The 97.83% biodiesel yield was obtained at the optimized conditions of 6.26 % (w/w) of catalyst concentration, 10.51:1 M ratio of methanol to oil, 57.87 °C temperature and reaction time of 61.01 min. The transesterification of Ricinus communis seed oil to biodiesel exhibited an activation energy of 37.60 kJ/mol. The technoeconomic analysis, the profitability and the sensitivity analysis were investigated for the simulated process design. The technoeconomic analysis reported a total revenue of 20,455,431 $/yr, with gross margins, ROI, payback period, IRR, and NPV of 23.54%, 35.72%, 2.8 years, 28.20%, and 19,287,000 $, respectively. According to the sensitivity analysis, the two most important factors determining the economic viability of the simulated process are Ricinus communis seed oil cost and biodiesel selling price.

Substrate profiling of the Arabidopsis Ca2+-dependent protein kinase AtCPK4 and its Ricinus communis ortholog RcCDPK1.

AtCPK4 and AtCPK11 are Arabidopsis thaliana Ca2+-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) paralogs that have been reported to positively regulate abscisic acid (ABA) signal transduction by phosphorylating ABA-responsive transcription factor-4 (AtABF4). By contrast, RcCDPK1, their closest Ricinus communis ortholog, participates in the control of anaplerotic carbon flux in developing castor oil seeds by catalyzing inhibitory phosphorylation of bacterial-type phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase at Ser451. LC-MS/MS revealed that AtCPK4 and RcCDPK1 transphosphorylated several common, conserved residues of AtABF4 and its castor ortholog, TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR RESPONSIBLE FOR ABA REGULATON. Arabidopsis atcpk4/atcpk11 mutants displayed an ABA-insensitive phenotype that corroborated the involvement of AtCPK4/11 in ABA signaling. A kinase-client assay was employed to identify additional AtCPK4/RcCDPK1 targets. Both CDPKs were separately incubated with a library of 2095 peptides representative of Arabidopsis protein phosphosites; five overlapping targets were identified including PLANT INTRACELLULAR RAS-GROUP-RELATED LEUCINE-RICH REPEAT PROTEIN-9 (AtPIRL9) and the E3-ubiquitin ligase ARABIDOPSIS TOXICOS EN LEVADURA 6 (AtATL6). AtPIRL9 and AtATL6 residues phosphorylated by AtCPK4/RcCDPK1 conformed to a CDPK recognition motif that was conserved amongst their respective orthologs. Collectively, this study provides evidence for novel AtCPK4/RcCDPK1 substrates, which may help to expand regulatory networks linked to Ca2+- and ABA-signaling, immune responses, and central carbon metabolism.