Unveiling the multifaceted roles of microRNAs in extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells: implications in tumor progression and therapeutic interventions.

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) have the capacity to migrate to tumor sites in vivo and transmit paracrine signals by secreting extracellular vesicles (EVs) to regulate tumor biological behaviors. MSC-derived EVs (MSC-EVs) have similar tumor tropism and pro- or anti-tumorigenesis as their parental cells and exhibit superior properties in drug delivery. MSC-EVs can transfer microRNAs (miRNAs) to tumor cells, thereby manipulating multiple key cancer-related pathways, and further playing a vital role in the tumor growth, metastasis, drug resistance and other aspects. In addition, tumor cells can also influence the behaviors of MSCs in the tumor microenvironment (TME), orchestrating this regulatory process via miRNAs in EVs (EV-miRNAs). Clarifying the specific mechanism by which MSC-derived EV-miRNAs regulate tumor progression, as well as investigating the roles of EV-miRNAs in the TME will contribute to their applications in tumor pharmacotherapy. This article mainly reviews the multifaceted roles and mechanism of miRNAs in MSC-EVs affecting tumor progression, the crosstalk between MSCs and tumor cells caused by EV-miRNAs in the TME. Eventually, the clinical applications of miRNAs in MSC-EVs in tumor therapeutics are illustrated.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Pattern Analysis of TIFY Family Genes Reveal Their Potential Roles in Phalaenopsis aphrodite Flower Opening.

The TIFY gene family (formerly known as the zinc finger proteins expressed in inflorescence meristem (ZIM) family) not only functions in plant defense responses but also are widely involved in regulating plant growth and development. However, the identification and functional analysis of TIFY proteins remain unexplored in Orchidaceae. Here, we identified 19 putative TIFY genes in the Phalaenopsis aphrodite genome. The phylogenetic tree classified them into four subfamilies: 14 members from JAZ, 3 members from ZML, and 1 each from PPD and TIFY. Sequence analysis revealed that all Phalaenopsis TIFY proteins contained a TIFY domain. Exon-intron analysis showed that the intron number and length of Phalaenopsis TIFY genes varied, whereas the same subfamily and subgroup genes had similar exon or intron numbers and distributions. The most abundant cis-elements in the promoter regions of the 19 TIFY genes were associated with light responsiveness, followed by MeJA and ABA, indicating their potential regulation by light and phytohormones. The 13 candidate TIFY genes screened from the transcriptome data exhibited two types of expression trends, suggesting their different roles in cell proliferation and cell expansion of floral organ growth during Phalaenopsis flower opening. Overall, this study serves as a background for investigating the underlying roles of TIFY genes in floral organ growth in Phalaenopsis.

AVBAE-MODFR: A novel deep learning framework of embedding and feature selection on multi-omics data for pan-cancer classification.

Integration analysis of cancer multi-omics data for pan-cancer classification has the potential for clinical applications in various aspects such as tumor diagnosis, analyzing clinically significant features, and providing precision medicine. In these applications, the embedding and feature selection on high-dimensional multi-omics data is clinically necessary. Recently, deep learning algorithms become the most promising cancer multi-omic integration analysis methods, due to the powerful capability of capturing nonlinear relationships. Developing effective deep learning architectures for cancer multi-omics embedding and feature selection remains a challenge for researchers in view of high dimensionality and heterogeneity. In this paper, we propose a novel two-phase deep learning model named AVBAE-MODFR for pan-cancer classification. AVBAE-MODFR achieves embedding by a multi2multi autoencoder based on the adversarial variational Bayes method and further performs feature selection utilizing a dual-net-based feature ranking method. AVBAE-MODFR utilizes AVBAE to pre-train the network parameters, which improves the classification performance and enhances feature ranking stability in MODFR. Firstly, AVBAE learns high-quality representation among multiple omics features for unsupervised pan-cancer classification. We design an efficient discriminator architecture to distinguish the latent distributions for updating forward variational parameters. Secondly, we propose MODFR to simultaneously evaluate multi-omics feature importance for feature selection by training a designed multi2one selector network, where the efficient evaluation approach based on the average gradient of random mask subsets can avoid bias caused by input feature drift. We conduct experiments on the TCGA pan-cancer dataset and compare it with four state-of-the-art methods for each phase. The results show the superiority of AVBAE-MODFR over SOTA methods.

Comparative Analysis of Six Complete Plastomes of Tripterospermum spp.

The Tripterospermum, comprising 34 species, is a genus of Gentianaceae. Members of Tripterospermum are mostly perennial, entwined herbs with high medicinal value and rich in iridoids, xanthones, flavonoids, and triterpenes. However, our inadequate understanding of the differences in the plastid genome sequences of Tripterospermum species has severely hindered the study of their evolution and phylogeny. Therefore, we first analyzed the 86 Gentianae plastid genomes to explore the phylogenetic relationships within the Gentianae subfamily where Tripterospermum is located. Then, we analyzed six plastid genomes of Tripterospermum, including two newly sequenced plastid genomes and four previously published plastid genomes, to explore the plastid genomes' evolution and phylogenetic relationships in the genus Tripterospermum. The Tripterospermum plastomes have a quadripartite structure and are between 150,929 and 151,350 bp in size. The plastomes of Tripterospermum encoding 134 genes were detected, including 86 protein-coding genes (CDS), 37 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, eight ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, and three pseudogenes (infA, rps19, and ycf1). The result of the comparison shows that the Tripterospermum plastomes are very conserved, with the total plastome GC content ranging from 37.70% to 37.79%. In repeat sequence analysis, the number of single nucleotide repeats (A/T) varies among the six Tripterospermum species, and the identified main long repeat types are forward and palindromic repeats. The degree of conservation is higher at the SC/IR boundary. The regions with the highest divergence in the CDS and the intergenic region (IGS) are psaI and rrn4.5-rrn5, respectively. The average pi of the CDS and the IGS are only 0.071% and 0.232%, respectively, indicating that the Tripterospermum plastomes are highly conserved. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Gentianinae is divided into two clades, with Tripterospermum as a sister to Sinogeniana. Phylogenetic trees based on CDS and CDS + IGS combined matrices have strong support in Tripterospermum. These findings contribute to the elucidation of the plastid genome evolution of Tripterospermum and provide a foundation for further exploration and resource utilization within this genus.

The Complete Chloroplast Genomes of Bulbophyllum (Orchidaceae) Species: Insight into Genome Structure Divergence and Phylogenetic Analysis.

Bulbophyllum is one of the largest genera and presents some of the most intricate taxonomic problems in the family Orchidaceae, including species of ornamental and medical importance. The lack of knowledge regarding the characterization of Bulbophyllum chloroplast (cp) genomes has imposed current limitations on our study. Here, we report the complete cp genomes of seven Bulbophyllum species, including B. ambrosia, B. crassipes, B. farreri, B. hamatum, B. shanicum, B. triste, and B. violaceolabellum, and compared with related taxa to provide a better understanding of their genomic information on taxonomy and phylogeny. A total of 28 Bulbophyllum cp genomes exhibit typical quadripartite structures with lengths ranging from 145,092 bp to 165,812 bp and a GC content of 36.60% to 38.04%. Each genome contained 125-132 genes, encompassing 74-86 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The genome arrangements, gene contents, and length were similar, with differences observed in ndh gene composition. It is worth noting that there were exogenous fragment insertions in the IR regions of B. crassipes. A total of 18-49 long repeats and 38-80 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected and the single nucleotide (A/T) was dominant in Bulbophyllum cp genomes, with an obvious A/T preference. An analysis of relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) revealed that leucine (Leu) was the most frequently used codon, while cysteine (Cys) was the least used. Six highly variable regions (rpl32-trnLUAG > trnTUGU-trnLUAA > trnFGAA-ndhJ > rps15-ycf1 > rbcL-accD > psbI-trnSGCU) and five coding sequences (ycf1 > rps12 > matK > psbK > rps15) were identified as potential DNA markers based on nucleotide diversity. Additionally, 31,641 molecular diagnostic characters (MDCs) were identified in complete cp genomes. A phylogenetic analysis based on the complete cp genome sequences and 68 protein-coding genes strongly supported that 28 Bulbophyllum species can be divided into four branches, sects. Brachyantha, Cirrhopetalum, and Leopardinae, defined by morphology, were non-monophyly. Our results enriched the genetic resources of Bulbophyllum, providing valuable information to illustrate the complicated taxonomy, phylogeny, and evolution process of the genus.

Hyper-spectra imaging analysis of PLGA microspheres via machine learning enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Long-acting injectables (LAI) offer a cost-effective and patient-centric approach by reducing pill burden and improving compliance, leading to better treatment outcomes. Among various types of long-acting injectables, poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres have been extensively investigated and reported in the literature. However, microsphere formulation development is still challenging due to the complexity of PLGA polymer, formulation screening, and processing, as well as time-consuming and cumbersome physicochemical characterization. A further challenge is the limited availability of drug substances in early formulation development. Therefore, there is a need to develop novel and advanced tools that can accelerate the early formulation development. In this manuscript, a novel comprehensive physicochemical characterization approach was developed by integrating Raman microscopy and the machine learning process. The physicochemical properties such as drug loading, particle size and size distribution, content uniformity/heterogeneity, and drug polymorphism of the microspheres can be obtained in a single run, without requiring separate methods for each attribute (e.g., liquid chromatography, particle size analyzer, thermal analysis, X-ray powder diffraction). This approach is non-destructive and can significantly reduce material consumption, sample preparation, labor work, and analysis time/cost, which will greatly facilitate the formulation development of PLGA microsphere products. In addition, the approach will potentially be beneficial in enabling automated high throughput screening of microsphere formulations.

Identification and Analysis of PEPC Gene Family Reveals Functional Diversification in Orchidaceae and the Regulation of Bacterial-Type PEPC.

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) gene family plays a crucial role in both plant growth and response to abiotic stress. Approximately half of the Orchidaceae species are estimated to perform CAM pathway, and the availability of sequenced orchid genomes makes them ideal subjects for investigating the PEPC gene family in CAM plants. In this study, a total of 33 PEPC genes were identified across 15 orchids. Specifically, one PEPC gene was found in Cymbidium goeringii and Platanthera guangdongensis; two in Apostasia shenzhenica, Dendrobium chrysotoxum, D. huoshanense, Gastrodia elata, G. menghaiensis, Phalaenopsis aphrodite, Ph. equestris, and Pl. zijinensis; three in C. ensifolium, C. sinense, D. catenatum, D. nobile, and Vanilla planifolia. These PEPC genes were categorized into four subgroups, namely PEPC-i, PEPC-ii, and PEPC-iii (PTPC), and PEPC-iv (BTPC), supported by the comprehensive analyses of their physicochemical properties, motif, and gene structures. Remarkably, PEPC-iv contained a heretofore unreported orchid PEPC gene, identified as VpPEPC4. Differences in the number of PEPC homolog genes among these species were attributed to segmental duplication, whole-genome duplication (WGD), or gene loss events. Cis-elements identified in promoter regions were predominantly associated with light responsiveness, and circadian-related elements were observed in each PEPC-i and PEPC-ii gene. The expression levels of recruited BTPC, VpPEPC4, exhibited a lower expression level than other VpPEPCs in the tested tissues. The expression analyses and RT-qPCR results revealed diverse expression patterns in orchid PEPC genes. Duplicated genes exhibited distinct expression patterns, suggesting functional divergence. This study offered a comprehensive analysis to unveil the evolution and function of PEPC genes in Orchidaceae.

Organelle Genomes of Epipogium roseum Provide Insight into the Evolution of Mycoheterotrophic Orchids.

Epipogium roseum, commonly known as one of the ghost orchids due to its rarity and almost transparent color, is a non-photosynthetic and fully mycoheterotrophic plant. Given its special nutritional strategies and evolutionary significance, the mitogenome was first characterized, and three plastomes sampled from Asia were assembled. The plastomes were found to be the smallest among Orchidaceae, with lengths ranging from 18,339 to 19,047 bp, and exhibited high sequence variety. For the mitogenome, a total of 414,552 bp in length, comprising 26 circular chromosomes, were identified. A total of 54 genes, including 38 protein-coding genes, 13 tRNA genes, and 3 rRNA genes, were annotated. Multiple repeat sequences spanning a length of 203,423 bp (45.47%) were discovered. Intriguingly, six plastid regions via intracellular gene transfer and four plastid regions via horizontal gene transfer to the mitogenome were observed. The phylogenomics, incorporating 90 plastomes and 56 mitogenomes, consistently revealed the sister relationship of Epipogium and Gastrodia, with a bootstrap percentage of 100%. These findings shed light on the organelle evolution of Orchidaceae and non-photosynthetic plants.

LINC00869 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis via Protrusion Formation.

Coordination of filament assembly and membrane remodeling is required for the directional migration of cancer cells. The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) recruits the actin-related protein (ARP) 2/3 complex to assemble branched actin networks. The goal of our study was to assess the potential regulatory role exerted by the novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00869 on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. We used HCC cells to overexpress or knockdown LINC00869, analyzed patient data from publicly available databases and Cancer Hospital Affiliated with Zhengzhou University, and used a xenograft mouse model of HCC to study the molecular mechanism associated with LINC00869 expression. We found that high levels of LINC00869 expression were associated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC. Next, we detected an interaction between LINC00869 and both WASP and ARP2 in HCC cells, and observed a modulatory effect of LINC00869 on the phosphorylation of WASP at Y291 and the activity of cell division control protein 42 (CDC42). These modulatory roles were required for WASP/CDC42 activity on F-actin polymerization to enhance membrane protrusion formation and maintain persistent cell polarization. This, in turn, promoted the migration and invasion abilities of HCC cells. Finally, we confirmed the role of LINC00869in vivo, using the tumor xenograft mouse model; and identified a positive correlation between LINC00869 expression levels and the phosphorylation levels of WASP in HCC samples. Overall, our findings suggest a unique mechanism by which LINC00869 orchestrates membrane protrusion during migration and invasion of HCC cells. IMPLICATIONS: LncRNA LINC00869 regulates the activity of CDC42-WASP pathway and positively affects protrusion formation in HCC cells, which expands the current understanding of lncRNA functions as well as gives a better understanding of carcinogenesis.

Comparative and phylogenetic analysis of Chiloschista (Orchidaceae) species and DNA barcoding investigation based on plastid genomes.

BACKGROUND: Chiloschista (Orchidaceae, Aeridinae) is an epiphytic leafless orchid that is mainly distributed in tropical or subtropical forest canopies. This rare and threatened orchid lacks molecular resources for phylogenetic and barcoding analysis. Therefore, we sequenced and assembled seven complete plastomes of Chiloschista to analyse the plastome characteristics and phylogenetic relationships and conduct a barcoding investigation. RESULTS: We are the first to publish seven Chiloschista plastomes, which possessed the typical quadripartite structure and ranged from 143,233 bp to 145,463 bp in size. The plastomes all contained 120 genes, consisting of 74 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes and eight rRNA genes. The ndh genes were pseudogenes or lost in the genus, and the genes petG and psbF were under positive selection. The seven Chiloschista plastomes displayed stable plastome structures with no large inversions or rearrangements. A total of 14 small inversions (SIs) were identified in the seven Chiloschista plastomes but were all similar within the genus. Six noncoding mutational hotspots (trnNGUU-rpl32 > rpoB-trnCGCA > psbK-psbI > psaC-rps15 > trnEUUC-trnTGGU > accD-psaI) and five coding sequences (ycf1 > rps15 > matK > psbK > ccsA) were selected as potential barcodes based on nucleotide diversity and species discrimination analysis, which suggested that the potential barcode ycf1 was most suitable for species discrimination. A total of 47-56 SSRs and 11-14 long repeats (> 20 bp) were identified in Chiloschista plastomes, and they were mostly located in the large single copy intergenic region. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Chiloschista was monophyletic. It was clustered with Phalaenopsis and formed the basic clade of the subtribe Aeridinae with a moderate support value. The results also showed that seven Chiloschista species were divided into three major clades with full support. CONCLUSION: This study was the first to analyse the plastome characteristics of the genus Chiloschista in Orchidaceae, and the results showed that Chiloschista plastomes have conserved plastome structures. Based on the plastome hotspots of nucleotide diversity, several genes and noncoding regions are suitable for phylogenetic and population studies. Chiloschista may provide an ideal system to investigate the dynamics of plastome evolution and DNA barcoding investigation for orchid studies.

Comparative Analysis of Plastomes in Elsholtzieae: Phylogenetic Relationships and Potential Molecular Markers.

The Elsholtzieae, comprising ca. 7 genera and 70 species, is a small tribe of Lamiaceae (mint family). Members of Elsholtzieae are of high medicinal, aromatic, culinary, and ornamentals value. Despite the rich diversity and value of Elsholtzieae, few molecular markers or plastomes are available for phylogenetics. In the present study, we employed high-throughput sequencing to assemble two Mosla plastomes, M. dianthera and M. scabra, for the first time, and compared with other plastomes of Elsholtzieae. The plastomes of Elsholtzieae exhibited a quadripartite structure, ranging in size from 148,288 bp to 152,602 bp. Excepting the absence of the pseudogene rps19 in Elsholtzia densa, the exhaustive tally revealed the presence of 132 genes (113 unique genes). Among these, 85 protein-coding genes (CDS), 37 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 2 pseudogenes (rps19 and ycf1) were annotated. Comparative analyses showed that the plastomes of these species have minor variations at the gene level. Notably, the E. eriostchya plastid genome exhibited increased GC content regions in the LSC and SSC, resulting in an increased overall GC content of the entire plastid genome. The E. densa plastid genome displayed modified boundaries due to inverted repeat (IR) contraction. The sequences of CDS and intergenic regions (IGS) with elevated variability were identified as potential molecular markers for taxonomic inquiries within Elsholtzieae. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that four genera formed monophyletic entities, with Mosla and Perilla forming a sister clade. This clade was, in turn, sister to Collinsonia, collectively forming a sister group to Elsholtzia. Both CDS, and CDS + IGS could construct a phylogenetic tree with stronger support. These findings facilitate species identification and DNA barcoding investigations in Elsholtzieae and provide a foundation for further exploration and resource utilization within this tribe.

Characterization and Comparative Analysis of the Complete Plastomes of Five Epidendrum (Epidendreae, Orchidaceae) Species.

Epidendrum, one of the three largest genera of Orchidaceae, exhibits significant horticultural and ornamental value and serves as an important research model in conservation, ecology, and evolutionary biology. Given the ambiguous identification of germplasm and complex evolutionary relationships within the genus, the complete plastome of this genus (including five species) were firstly sequenced and assembled to explore their characterizations. The plastomes exhibited a typical quadripartite structure. The lengths of the plastomes ranged from 147,902 bp to 150,986 bp, with a GC content of 37.16% to 37.33%. Gene annotation revealed the presence of 78-82 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs. A total of 25-38 long repeats and 130-149 SSRs were detected. Analysis of relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) indicated that leucine (Leu) was the most and cysteine (Cys) was the least. The consistent and robust phylogenetic relationships of Epidendrum and its closely related taxa were established using a total of 43 plastid genomes from the tribe Epidendreae. The genus Epidendrum was supported as a monophyletic group and as a sister to Cattleya. Meanwhile, four mutational hotspots (trnCGCA-petN, trnDGUC-trnYGUA, trnSGCU-trnGUCC, and rpl32-trnLUAG) were identified for further phylogenetic studies. Our analysis demonstrates the promising utility of plastomes in inferring the phylogenetic relationships of Epidendrum.

Characteristics and Comparative Analysis of Seven Complete Plastomes of Trichoglottis s.l. (Aeridinae, Orchidaceae).

Trichoglottis exhibits a range of rich variations in colors and shapes of flower and is a valuable ornamental orchid genus. The genus Trichoglottis has been expanded by the inclusion of Staurochilus, but this Trichoglottis sensu lato (s.l.) was recovered as a non-monophyletic genus based on molecular sequences from one or a few DNA regions. Here, we present phylogenomic data sets, incorporating complete plastome sequences from seven species (including five species sequenced in this study) of Trichoglottis s.l. (including two species formerly treated as Staurochilus), to compare plastome structure and to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of this genus. The seven plastomes possessed the typical quadripartite structure of angiosperms and ranged from 149,402 bp to 149,841 bp with a GC content of 36.6-36.7%. These plastomes contain 120 genes, which comprise 74 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes, all ndh genes were pseudogenized or lost. A total of 98 (T. philippinensis) to 134 (T. ionosma) SSRs and 33 (T. subviolacea) to 46 (T. ionosma) long repeats were detected. The consistent and robust phylogenetic relationships of Trichoglottis were established using a total of 25 plastid genomes from the Aeridinae subtribe. The genus Trichoglottis s.l. was strongly supported as a monophyletic group, and two species formerly treated as Staurochilus were revealed as successively basal lineages. In addition, five mutational hotspots (trnNGUU-rpl32, trnLUAA, trnSGCU-trnGUCC, rbcL-accD, and trnTGGU-psbD) were identified based on the ranking of PI values. Our research indicates that plastome data is a valuable source for molecular identification and evolutionary studies of Trichoglottis and its related genera.

Fast Diffusion Characterization by Multiphoton Excited Fluorescence Recovery while Photobleaching.

Multiphoton-excited fluorescence recovery while photobleaching (FRWP) is demonstrated as a method for quantitative measurements of rapid molecular diffusion over microsecond to millisecond timescales. Diffusion measurements are crucial in assessing molecular mobility in cell biology, materials science, and pharmacology. Optical and fluorescence microscopy techniques enable non-invasive rapid analysis of molecular diffusion but can be challenging for systems with diffusion coefficients exceeding ∼100 µm2/s. As an example, fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) operates on the implicit assumption of a comparatively fast photobleaching step prior to a relatively slow recovery and is not generally applicable for systems exhibiting substantial recovery during photobleaching. These challenges are exacerbated in multiphoton excitation by the lower excitation efficiency and competing effects from local heating. Herein, beam-scanning FRWP with patterned line-bleach illumination is introduced as a technique that addresses FRAP limitations and further extends its application range by measuring faster diffusion events. In FRWP, the recovery of fluorescence is continuously probed after each pass of a fast-scanning mirror, and the upper bound of measurable diffusion rates is, therefore, only limited by the mirror scanning frequency. A theoretical model describing transient fluctuations in fluorescence intensity arising as a result of combined contributions from photobleaching and localized photothermal effect is introduced along with a mathematical framework for quantifying fluorescence intensity temporal curves and recovering room-temperature diffusion coefficients. FRWP is then tested by characterization of normal diffusion of rhodamine-labeled bovine serum albumin, green fluorescence protein, and immunoglobulin G molecules in aqueous solutions of varying viscosity.

Comparative Phylogenetic Analysis for Aerides (Aeridinae, Orchidaceae) Based on Six Complete Plastid Genomes.

Aerides Lour. (Orchidaceae, Aeridinae) is a group of epiphytic orchids with high ornamental value, mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical forests, that comprises approximately 20 species. The species are of great value in floriculture and garden designing because of their beautiful flower shapes and colors. Although the morphological boundaries of Aerides are clearly defined, the relationship between Aerides and other closely related genera is still ambiguous in terms of phylogeny. To better understand their phylogenetic relationships, this study used next-generation sequencing technology to investigate the phylogeny and DNA barcoding of this taxonomic unit using genetic information from six Aerides plastid genomes. The quadripartite-structure plastomes ranged from 147,244 bp to 148,391 bp and included 120 genes. Among them, 74 were protein coding genes, 38 were tRNA genes and 8 were rRNA genes, while the ndh genes were pseudogenized or lost. Four non-coding mutational hotspots (rpl20-rpl33, psbM, petB, rpoB-trnCGCA, Pi > 0.06) were identified. A total of 71-77 SSRs and 19-46 long repeats (>30 bp) were recognized in Aerides plastomes, which were mostly located in the large single-copy region. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Aerides was monophylic and sister to Renanthera. Moreover, our results confirmed that six Aerides species can be divided into three major clades. These findings provide assistance for species identification and DNA barcoding investigation in Aerides, as well as contributes to future research on the phylogenomics of Orchidaceae.

Complete Chloroplast Genomes and Comparative Analyses of Three Paraphalaenopsis (Aeridinae, Orchidaceae) Species.

Paraphalaenopsis, a genus of perennial herbs from the family Orchidaceae, contains a number of ornamental species. However, there is no information on the chloroplast genomes of Paraphalaenopsis, which limits our studies of this genus. In this study, we reported the chloroplast genomes of three species of Paraphalaenopsis (P. labukensis, P. denevel, and P. laycockii 'Semi-alba') and performed comprehensive comparative analysis. These three chloroplast genomes showed a typical quadripartile structure. Their lengths ranged from 147,311 bp to 149,240 bp. Each genome contained 120 unique genes, including 74 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Comparative analysis revealed major differences in sequence divergence in the three chloroplast genomes. In addition, six hypervariable regions were identified (psbM-trnDGUC, psbB, ccsA, trnKUUU, trnSGCU-trnGUCC, rps16-trnQUUG) that can be used as DNA molecular markers. Phylogenetic relationships were determined using the chloroplast genomes of 28 species from 12 genera of Aeridinae. Results suggested that Paraphalaenopsis was a clade of Aeridinae that was sister to the Holcoglossum-Vanda clade, with 100% bootstrap support within Aeridinae. The findings of this study provided the foundation for future studies on the phylogenetic analysis of Aeridinae.

Genome-Wide Identification of the YABBY Gene Family in Dendrobium Orchids and Its Expression Patterns in Dendrobium chrysotoxum.

The small plant-specific YABBY gene family plays key roles in diverse developmental processes in plants. Dendrobium chrysotoxum, D. huoshanense, and D. nobile are perennial herbaceous plants belonging to Orchidaceae with a high ornamental value. However, the relationships and specific functions of the YABBY genes in the Dendrobium species remain unknown. In this study, six DchYABBYs, nine DhuYABBYs, and nine DnoYABBYs were identified from the genome databases of the three Dendrobium species, which were unevenly distributed on five, eight, and nine chromosomes, respectively. The 24 YABBY genes were classified into four subfamilies (CRC/DL, INO, YAB2, and FIL/YAB3) based on their phylogenetic analysis. A sequence analysis showed that most of the YABBY proteins contained conserved C2C2 zinc-finger and YABBY domains, while a gene structure analysis revealed that 46% of the total YABBY genes contained seven exons and six introns. All the YABBY genes harbored a large number of Methyl Jasmonate responsive elements, as well as anaerobic induction cis-acting elements in the promoter regions. Through a collinearity analysis, one, two, and two segmental duplicated gene pairs were identified in the D. chrysotoxum, D. huoshanense, and D. nobile genomes, respectively. The Ka/Ks values of these five gene pairs were lower than 0.5, indicating that the Dendrobium YABBY genes underwent negative selection. In addition, an expression analysis revealed that DchYABBY2 plays a role in ovary and early-stage petal development, while DchYABBY5 is essential for lip development and DchYABBY6 is crucial for early sepal formation. DchYABBY1 primarily regulates sepals during blooming. Furthermore, there is the potential involvement of DchYABBY2 and DchYABBY5 in gynostemium development. The results of a comprehensive genome-wide study would provide significant clues for future functional investigations and pattern analyses of YABBY genes in different flower parts during flower development in the Dendrobium species.

Effectiveness of S-1-Based Chemoradiotherapy in Patients 70 Years and Older With Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Double-agent intravenous chemotherapy concurrent with radiotherapy is the standard of care for patients with inoperable esophageal cancer. However, patients tend to tolerate intravenous chemotherapy less well with age and comorbidities. It is essential to find a better treatment modality that improves survival outcomes without reducing the quality of life. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of simultaneous integrated boost radiotherapy (SIB-RT) with concurrent and consolidated oral S-1 chemotherapy for patients aged 70 years and older with inoperable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter, phase III randomized clinical trial was conducted between March 2017 and April 2020 in 10 centers in China. Patients with inoperable, locally advanced, clinical stage II to IV ESCC were enrolled and randomized to receive SIB-RT concurrent with and followed by oral S-1 chemotherapy (CRTCT group) or SIB-RT alone (RT group). Data analysis was completed on March 22, 2022. Interventions: In both groups, the planning gross tumor volume was administered with radiation dose of 59.92 Gy and the planning target volume was administered with radiation dose of 50.4 Gy, in 28 fractions each. In the CRTCT group, concurrent S-1 was administered on radiotherapy days, and consolidated S-1 was administered at 4 to 8 weeks after SIB-RT. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was overall survival (OS) of the intent-to-treat population. Secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS) and toxicity profile. Results: A total of 330 patients (median [IQR] age, 75.5 [72-79] years; 220 [66.7%] male patients) were included, with 146 patients randomized to the RT group and 184 randomized to the CRTCT group. A total of 107 patients (73.3%) in the RT group and 121 patients (67.9%) in the CRTCT group were clinically diagnosed with stage III to IV disease. At the time of analysis of the 330 patients in the intent-to treat-population (March 22, 2022), OS was improved in the CRTCT group compared with the RT group at 1 year (72.2% vs 62.3%) and 3 years (46.2% vs 33.9%; log-rank P = .02). PFS was similarly improved in the CRTCT group compared with the RT group at 1 year (60.8% vs 49.3%) and 3 years (37.3% vs 27.9%; log-rank P = .04). There was no significant difference in the incidence of treatment-related toxic effects higher than grade 3 between the 2 groups. Grade 5 toxic effects occurred in each group, including 1 patient who experienced myelosuppression and 4 patients with pneumonitis in the RT group and 3 patients with pneumonitis and 2 patients with fever in the CRTCT group. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that oral S-1 chemotherapy administered with SIB-RT should be considered as an alternative treatment option for patients aged 70 years and older with inoperable ESCC, since it improved survival outcomes without additional treatment-related toxic effects compared with SIB-RT alone. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02979691.

Origin and diversification of a Himalayan orchid genus Pleione.

Pleione is an orchid endemically distributed in high mountain areas across the Hengduan Mountains (HDM), Himalayas, Southeast Asia and South of China. The unique flower shapes, rich colors and immense medicinal importance of Pleione are valuable ornamental and economic resources. However, the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary history of the genus have not yet been comprehensively resolved. Here, the evolutionary history of Pleione was investigated using single-copy gene single nucleotide polymorphisms and chloroplast genome datasets. The data revealed that Pleione could be divided into five clades. Discordance in topology between the two phylogenetic trees and network and D-statistic analyses indicated the occurrence of reticulate evolution in the genus. The evolution could be attributed to introgression and incomplete lineage sorting. Ancestral area reconstruction suggested that Pleione was originated from the HDM. Uplifting of the HDM drove rapid diversification by creating conditions favoring rapid speciation. This coincided with two periods of consolidation of the Asian monsoon climate, which caused the first rapid diversification of Pleione from 8.87 to 7.83 Mya, and a second rapid diversification started at around 4.05 Mya to Pleistocene. The interaction between Pleione and climate changes, especially the monsoons, led to the current distribution pattern and shaped the dormancy characteristic of the different clades. In addition to revealing the evolutionary relationship of Pleione with orogeny and climate changes, the findings of this study provide insights into the speciation and diversification mechanisms of plants in the East Asian flora.

The role of mitochondrial quality surveillance in skin aging: Focus on mitochondrial dynamics, biogenesis and mitophagy.

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and the first line of defense against environmental hazards. Many factors, including internal factors such as natural aging and external factors such as ultraviolet radiation and air pollution, can lead to skin aging. Mitochondria provide sufficient energy to maintain the high-speed turnover capacity of the skin, so the quality control of mitochondria plays an indispensable role in this process. Mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy are the key steps in mitochondrial quality surveillance. They are coordinated to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis and restore damaged mitochondrial function. All of the mitochondrial quality control processes are related to skin aging caused by various factors. Therefore, fine-tuning regulation of the above process is of great significance to the skin aging problem that needs to be solved urgently. This article mainly reviews the physiological and environmental factors causing skin aging, the effects of mitochondrial dynamics, mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy on skin aging, as well as their specific regulatory mechanisms. Finally, mitochondrial biomarkers for diagnosis of skin aging, and therapeutic approaches of skin aging via mitochondrial quality control were illustrated.