Overexpression of DUSP26 gene suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of human prostate cancer cells.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is threatening the health of millions of people, the pathological mechanism of prostate cancer has not been fully elaborated, and needs to be further explored. Here, we found that the expression of DUSP26 is dramatically suppressed, and a positive connection of its expression with PCa prognosis was also observed. In vitro, overexpression of DUSP26 significantly inhibited the proliferative, migrative, and invasive capacities of PC3 cells, DUSP26 silencing presented opposite results. Tumor formation experiments in subcutaneous nude mice demonstrated that DUSP26 overexpression could significantly suppress PC3 growth in vivo. Moreover, the mechanism of DUSP26 gene and PCa was discovered by RNA-Seq analysis. We found that DUSP26 significantly inhibited MAPK signaling pathway activation, and further experiments displayed that DUSP26 could impair TAK1, p38, and JNK phosphorylation. Interestingly, treatment with the TAK1 inhibitor (iTAK1) attenuated the effect of DUSP26 on PC3 cells. Together, these results suggested that DUSP26 may serve as a novel therapeutic target for PC3 cell type PCa, the underlying mechanism may be through TAK1-JNK/p38 signaling.

IDD10-NAC079 transcription factor complex regulates sheath blight resistance by inhibiting ethylene signaling in rice.

INTRODUCTION: Rhizoctonia solani Kühn is a pathogen causing rice sheath blight (ShB). Ammonium transporter 1 (AMT1) promotes resistance of rice to ShB by activating ethylene signaling. However, how AMT1 activates ethylene signaling remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: In this study, the indeterminate domain 10 (IDD10)-NAC079 interaction model was used to investigate whether ethylene signaling is modulated downstream of ammonium signaling and modulates ammonium-mediated ShB resistance. METHODS: RT-qPCR assay was used to identify the relative expression levels of nitrogen and ethylene related genes. Yeast two-hybrid assays, Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assay were conducted to verify the IDD10-NAC079-calcineurin B-like interacting protein kinase 31 (CIPK31) transcriptional complex. Yeast one-hybrid assay, Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, and Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were used to verify whether ETR2 was activated by IDD10 and NAC079. Ethylene quantification assay was used to verify ethylene content in IDD10 transgenic plants. Genetic analysis is used to detect the response of IDD10, NAC079 and CIPK31 to ShB infestation. RESULTS: IDD10-NAC079 forms a transcription complex that activates ETR2 to inhibit the ethylene signaling pathway to negatively regulating ShB resistance. CIPK31 interacts and phosphorylates NAC079 to enhance its transcriptional activation activity. In addition, AMT1-mediated ammonium absorption and subsequent N assimilation inhibit the expression of IDD10 and CIPK31 to activate the ethylene signaling pathway, which positively regulates ShB resistance. CONCLUSION: The study identified the link between ammonium and ethylene signaling and improved the understanding of the rice resistance mechanism.

[Status and perspective of soil fauna eco-geography in China]. / ä¸­å›½åœŸå£¤åŠ¨ç‰©ç”Ÿæ€åœ°ç†å­¦ç ”ç©¶çŽ°çŠ¶ä¸Žå±•æœ›.

As regulators of the surface land processes, soil fauna communities are the vital foundations for healthy terrestrial ecosystems. Soil fauna have been studied in China for more than 70 years. Great progresses have been achieved in exploring soil fauna species composition and geographical distribution patterns. Soil fauna eco-geography, as a bridge between soil fauna geographic patterns and ecosystem services, has a new development opportunity with the deep recognition of soil fauna ecological functions. Soil fauna eco-geography research could be partitioned into four dimensions including the spatio-temporal patterns of: 1) the apparent characteristics of soil fauna community, such as species composition, richness and abundance; 2) the intrinsic characteristics of soil fauna community, such as dietary and habits; 3) soil fauna-related biotic and abiotic interactions especially those indicating drivers of soil fauna community structure or shaping the roles of soil fauna in ecosystems; and 4) soil fauna-related or -regulated key ecological processes. Current studies focus solely on soil fauna themselves and their geographical distributions. To link soil fauna geography more closely with ecosystem services, we suggested that: 1) converting the pure biogeography studies to those of revealing the spatio-temporal patterns of the soil fauna-related or regulated key relationships and ecological processes;2) expanding the temporal and spatial scales in soil fauna geographical research;3) exploring the integrated analysis approach for soil fauna-related data with multi-scales, multi-factors, and multi-processes;and 4) establishing standard reference systems for soil fauna eco-geographical researches. Hence, the change patterns of ecological niche of soil fauna communities could be illustrated, and precision mani-pulations of soil fauna communities and their ecological functions would become implementable, which finally contributes to ecosystem health and human well-being.

A study on pulmonary function in children with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pulmonary function of children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. METHODS: A total of 328 children aged 3 to 12 years old who were evaluated for a sleep disorder from January 2022 to June 2023 were selected as the observation group, classified into mild, moderate, and severe categories based on the apnea hypopnea index. The number of children with mild, moderate, and severe obstructive sleep apnea is 228, 62, and 28 respectively. Additionally, 126 healthy individuals aged 3 to 13 years old undergoing health examinations during the same period were selected as the control group. All subjects underwent sleep respiratory monitoring, pulmonary function tests, and impulse oscillometry. Comparative analysis was performed on pulmonary function indices (forced vital capacity, maximum ventilation, inspiratory capacity, total lung capacity, and inspiratory reserve volume), and respiratory impedance indices (resonant frequency, total respiratory impedance, viscous resistance at 5 Hz, 20 Hz, and 35 Hz). Pulmonary function indices were also compared among patients in the observation group with mild, moderate, and severe conditions. RESULTS: In the observation group, the FVC pre% of patients decreased by 10.5 ± 5.99 compared to the control group. The MVV of the control group decreased by 28.10 ± 2.22 compared to patients in the observation group. The IC of the control group decreased by 0.68 ± 0.44 compared to patients in the observation group. The TLC of the control group decreased by 1.354 ± 0.51 compared to patients in the observation group. The ERV of the control group decreased by 0.53 ± 0.30 compared to patients in the observation group. Additionally, the Fres, Zrs, R5, R20, and R35 of the observation group were higher than those of the control group by 10.73 ± 0.18, 1.78 ± 0.24, 0.11 ± 0.17, 0.86 ± 0.13, and 0.02 ± 0.21, respectively. In sum, the pulmonary function indices of the observation group were significantly lower than those of the control group, while the respiratory impedance indices were higher (P < 0.05). Within the observation group, the pulmonary function indices of severe patients were lower than those of moderate and mild patients, and moderate patients had lower pulmonary function indices than mild patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The pulmonary function of children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is impaired and varies in severity. There are significant differences in pulmonary function, underscoring the importance of monitoring pulmonary function in these children for clinical assessment and treatment prognosis.

Carbon nanosol promotes plant growth and broad-spectrum resistance.

Carbon nanosol (CNS) is a carbon-based nanomaterial capable of promoting plant growth while the underlying mechanism involved in this process remains unknown. This study demonstrates that CNS promotes rice seedling growth under restricted concentrations. Macroelement transporter mutants were investigated to further investigate the CNS-mediated promotion of rice seedling growth. The genetic and physiological findings revealed that nitrate transporter 1.1B (NRT1.1B) and ammonium transporter 1 (AMT1) mutants inhibited the CNS-induced growth development of rice seedlings, whereas potassium transporter (AKT1) and phosphate transporter 8 (PT8) did not exhibit any inhibitory effects. Further investigations demonstrated the inhibition of CNS-mediated growth promotion via glutamine synthetase 1;1 (gs1;1) mutants. Additionally, the administration of CNS resulted in enhanced accumulation of chlorophyll in plants, and the promotion of CNS-induced growth was inhibited by yellow-green leaf 8 (YGL8) mutants and the chlorophyll biosynthetic gene divinyl reductase (DVR) mutants. According to these findings, the CNS promotes plant growth by stimulating chlorophyll biosynthesis. Furthermore, the presence of CNS enhanced the ability of rice to withstand blast, sheath blight (ShB), and bacterial blight. The nrt1.1b, amt1, dvr, and ygl8 mutants did not exhibit a broad spectrum effect. The positive regulation of broad-spectrum resistance in rice by GS1;1 suggests the requirement of N assimilation for CNS-mediated broad-spectrum resistance. In addition, an in vitro assay demonstrated that CNS inhibits the growth of pathogens responsible for blast, ShB, and bacterial blight, namely Magnaporthe oryzae, Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA, and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. Oryzae, respectively. CNS application may also induce broad-spectrum resistance against bacterial and fungal pathogens, indicating that in addition to its antifungal and antibacterial properties, CNS application may also stimulate N assimilation. Collectively, the results indicate that CNS may be a potential nano-therapeutic agent for improved plant growth promotion while also providing broad-spectrum resistance.

Gibberellic acid signaling promotes resistance to saline-alkaline stress by increasing the uptake of ammonium in rice.

Gibberellic acid (GA) plays important roles in diverse biological processes in plants. However, its function in rice (Oryza sativa) resistance to saline-alkaline (SAK) stress is unclear. This study showed that SAK stimuli changed GA signaling gene expression levels. Genetic analyses using the mutants of key GA signaling regulators, Slender rice 1 (SLR1) and Dwarf 1(D1), demonstrated that SLR1 negatively, while D1 positively regulated the resistance of rice to SAK stress, suggesting that the GA signaling positively regulates the resistance of rice to SAK. Further analyses revealed that SLR1 interacted with and inhibited the transcription activation activity of IDD10 and bZIP23. Furthermore, IDD10 interacted with bZIP23 to activate Ammonium transporter 1;2 (AMT1;2), and slr1, IDD10 OX and bZIP23 OX accumulated more ammonium (NH4+), while idd10 and bzip23 accumulated less NH4+ than the wild-type (WT). In addition, the bzip23 mutant was more sensitive to SAK, while bZIP23 OX was less sensitive compared with the WT, suggesting that bZIP23 positively regulates the resistance of rice to SAK. These findings demonstrate that GA signaling promoted rice's SAK resistance by regulating NH4+ uptake through the SLR1-IDD10-bZIP23 pathway.

Genetic features of antimicrobial drug-susceptible extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli pandemic sequence type 95.

IMPORTANCE: Despite the increasing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli strains that cause urinary tract and bloodstream infections, a major pandemic lineage of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) ST95 has a comparatively low frequency of drug resistance. We compared the genomes of 1,749 ST95 isolates to identify genetic features that may explain why most strains of ST95 resist becoming drug-resistant. Identification of such genomic features could contribute to the development of novel strategies to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes and devise new measures to control antibiotic-resistant infections.

Effect of right stellate ganglion block on shoulder pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy / 临床麻醉学杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of right stellate ganglion block(SGB)on postoper-ative shoulder pain in patients receiving laparoscopic cholecystectomy(LC).Methods A total of 104 pa-tients scheduled for LC from April to August 2022,32 males and 72 females,aged 18-64 years,ASA phys-ical status Ⅰ orⅡ,were selected and randomized into two groups:the stellate ganglion block group(group S,n = 51)and the control group(group C,n = 53).Immediately after intubation,0.2%ropivacaine 4 ml was used for ultrasound-guided right SGB in group S,and saline 4 ml was injected at the same site in group C.The number of cases of post-laparoscopic shoulder pain(PLSP)and the duration of PLSP were re-corded within 48 hours after operation.The VAS pain scores of PLSP were recorded to assess the level of PLSP immediately after operation(T1),2 hours after operation(T2),6 hours after operation(T3),12 hours after operation(T4),24 hours after operation(T5),and 48 hours after operation(T6).The number of effective compressions of the PCIA pump and the salvage analgesia were recorded.The adverse reactions such as nausea,vomiting,and abdominal distension were recorded.Results The incidence of PLSP and the rate of patients with PLSP lasting more than 10 hours in group S was significantly lower than those in group C(P＜0.05),and the degree of PLSP in group S was significantly lower than that in group C at T3-T5(P＜0.05).The number of effective compressions of the PCIA pump and the salvage analgesia rate in group S was significantly lower than those in group C(P＜0.05).The incidence of nausea in group S was significantly lower than that in group C(P＜0.05).Conclusion Right stellate ganglion block can reduce the incidence of PLSP in patients receiving LC,relieve the pain degree of PLSP,and reduce the incidence of adverse reactions.

Panax notoginseng saponins alleviated oxidative stress damage of renal tubular epithelial cells induced by hydrogen peroxide / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To observe the protective effect of Panax notoginseng total saponins(PNS)on oxidative stress damage induced by hydrogen peroxide(H 2O 2)in human renal tubular epithelial cells(HK-2)and its mechanism. Methods:HK-2 was cultured and divided into experimental groups: Normal group(without any intervention factors), H 2O 2 group(400 μmol/L H 2O 2 was added into the cell culture system for 6 h)and PNS group(which was divided into three groups: PNS 25 μg/ml, 50 μg/ml and 100 μg/ml were added into the cell culture system for 4 h, and then 400 μmol/l H 2O 2 was added into the cell culture system for 6 h), and the apoptosis of HK-2 induced by H 2O 2 was observed. Results:Compared with the normal group, the cell survival rate of H 2O 2 group decreased to(45.67±2.52)% and the cell apoptosis rate increased to(19.23±1.63)%(all P<0.01), while the cell survival rate of PNS group was(55.12±2.33)%, (65.37±4.72)% and(83.46±1.52)%, and the apoptosis rate was reduced to(15.53±0.70)%, (12.53±1.30)% and(7.17±0.35)%, respectively.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in HK-2 cells in 50 μg/ml and 100 μg/ml PNS groups were(845.7±17.79)and(353.3±26.1), respectively.With the increase of PNS dose, super oxide dismutase(SOD)and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)activities increased and malonic dialdehyde(MDA)production decreased in the 3 PNS groups, compared with the H 2O 2 group, the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.01). Conclusions:PNS can protect HK-2 cells against oxidative damage by enhancing the activity of intracellular antioxidant enzymes, the effect is enhanced with the increase of the dose.

Effects of esketamine combined with sufentanil on postoperative analgesia and depression after hip arthroplasty / 局解手术学杂志

Objective To evaluate the effects of ketamine combined with sufentanil on postoperative analgesia and depression in patients undergoing hip arthroplasty.Methods A total of 60 patients who underwent elective hip arthroplasty were selected and divided into the S group,the SK1 group and the SK2 group according to the patient-controlled intravenous analgesia regimen,with 20 cases in each group.Patients in the S group were received 2 μg/kg of sufentanil for postoperative analgesia,patients in the SK1 group were received 1 mg/kg of esketamine and 2 μg/kg of sufentanil for postoperative analgesia,and patients in the SK2 group were received 2 mg/kg of esketamine and 2 μg/kg of sufentanil for postoperative analgesia.At 1,4,24,and 48 hours after surgery,the analgesic effect of patients was evaluated using the numeric rating scale(NRS),and the sedation effect of patients was evaluated using the Ramsay sedation score.Depression of patients before and 48 hours after surgery was assessed by self-rating depression scale(SDS).The adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting,dizziness and headache,respiratory depression,and mental symptoms within 48 hours after surgery of patients were recorded.Results The NRS scores 1,4,and 24 hours after surgery of patients in the SK1 group and the SK2 group were lower than those in the S group(P<0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the NRS scores 48 hours after surgery of patients among the three groups(P>0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in the NRS scores at different postoperative points of patients between the SK1 and SK2 groups(P>0.05).The SDS scores 48 hours after surgery of patients in each group were lower than those before surgery(P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the Ramsay scores at different postoperative points of patients among the three groups(P>0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions 48 hours after surgery in the SK2 group was higher than those in the S group and the SK1 group(P<0.05).Conclusion Using 1 mg/kg of esketamine combined with 2 μg/kg of sufentanil after hip arthroplasty has a good analgesic effect without obvious increase of adverse reactions or significant effect on improving depression of patients.

Stability study of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells formulation in large-scale production / 药学学报

Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) have been widely used in regenerative medicine, but there is limited research on the stability of UC-MSCs formulation during production. This study aims to assess the stability of the cell stock solution and intermediate product throughout the production process, as well as the final product following reconstitution, in order to offer guidance for the manufacturing process and serve as a reference for formulation reconstitution methods. Three batches of cell formulation were produced and stored under low temperature (2-8 ℃) and room temperature (20-26 ℃) during cell stock solution and intermediate product stages. The storage time intervals for cell stock solution were 0, 2, 4, and 6 h, while for intermediate products, the intervals were 0, 1, 2, and 3 h. The evaluation items included visual inspection, viable cell concentration, cell viability, cell surface markers, lymphocyte proliferation inhibition rate, and sterility. Additionally, dilution and culture stability studies were performed after reconstitution of the cell product. The reconstitution diluents included 0.9% sodium chloride injection, 0.9% sodium chloride injection + 1% human serum albumin, and 0.9% sodium chloride injection + 2% human serum albumin, with dilution ratios of 10-fold and 40-fold. The storage time intervals after dilution were 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 h. The reconstitution culture media included DMEM medium, DMEM + 2% platelet lysate, 0.9% sodium chloride injection, and 0.9% sodium chloride injection + 1% human serum albumin, and the culture duration was 24 h. The evaluation items were viable cell concentration and cell viability. The results showed that the cell stock solution remained stable for up to 6 h under both low temperature (2-8 ℃) and room temperature (20-26 ℃) conditions, while the intermediate product remained stable for up to 3 h under the same conditions. After formulation reconstitution, using sodium chloride injection diluted with 1% or 2% human serum albumin maintained a viability of over 80% within 4 h. It was observed that different dilution factors had an impact on cell viability. After formulation reconstitution, cultivation in medium with 2% platelet lysate resulted in a cell viability of over 80% after 24 h. In conclusion, the stability of cell stock solution within 6 h and intermediate product within 3 h meets the requirements. The addition of 1% or 2% human serum albumin in the reconstitution diluent can better protect the post-reconstitution cell viability.

Treatment of Work Type II Congenital First Branchial Cleft Anomalies: A Summary of 35 Cases.

Objective: This study aims to summarize the data and treatment of 35 children with Work type II congenital first branchial cleft anomalies (CFBCAs) to provide significant insights into the correlation between these anomalies and the facial nerve. Methods: A total of 35 children diagnosed with Work type II CFBCAs who received treatment at the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Shenzhen Children's Hospital from August 2017 to March 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. Pearson chi-square tests and Fisher's exact tests were used to examine the relationship between clinical characteristics and the location of the lesion, which included the superficial and deep surfaces as well as the area between the branches of the facial nerve. Results: All 35 children underwent open incision and complete resection of fistulae. During the surgery, the lesions were found to be in the superficial facial nerve in 12 (34.3%) cases, between branches in 5 (14.3%) cases, and in the deep facial nerve in 18 (51.4%) cases. In those patients, lesions in females, with a lower edge of the lesion located below the angle of the mandible and the presence of a tympanic membranous attachment, are more likely to be located deep to the facial nerve or between its branches. The difference is statistically significant (P = .007, .032, .015). Conclusion: The treatment principle of Work type II CFBCAs consists of achieving a quiescent stage of inflammation, followed by a complete resection of the lesion on the premise of preserving facial nerve function. Certain clinical features of this disease can predict the relationship between the lesion and the facial nerve. The lesions in females, with a lower edge of the lesion located below the angle of the mandible, non-cystic type of Olsen, and the presence of tympanic membranous attachment, tend to be located deep to the facial nerve or between its branches.

Association Between CTSK Gene Polymorphisms and Response to Alendronate Treatment in Postmenopausal Chinese Women with Low Bone Mineral Density.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the association between CTSK polymorphisms and the response to alendronate treatment in postmenopausal Chinese women with low bone mineral density. Patients and Methods: In this study, 460 postmenopausal women from Shanghai were included. All of them were treated with weekly oral alendronate 70 mg, daily calcium 600 mg and vitamin D 125 IU for a year. Four tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CTSK gene were genotyped. Bone mineral densities of lumbar spine (L1-L4), femoral neck and total hip were measured at baseline and after 12 months of treatment, respectively. Results: After 1-year of treatment, there was no significant differences in BMI between baseline and follow-up. After alendronate treatment, the BMD of L1-4, femoral neck and total hip all increased significantly (all P < 0.001), with average increases of 4.33 ± 6.42%, 1.85 ± 4.20%, and 2.36 ± 3.79%, respectively. There was no significant difference in BMD at L1-L4, the femoral neck and total hip between different genotype groups at baseline (P>0.05). After 1-year treatment with alendronate, rs12746973 and rs10847 were associated with the % change of BMD at L1-L4 (P=0.038) and % change of BMD at femoral neck (P=0.038), respectively. Furthermore, rs10847 was associated with BMD response at femoral neck (P=0.013). However, the associations were not significant after Bonferroni correction. Conclusion: We concluded that the common variations of CTSK gene were potentially associated with the therapeutic response to alendronate treatment in Chinese women with low bone mineral density. However, further validation is needed.

Chinese mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy for upper urinary calculi under local infiltration anesthesia.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is generally performed under general or regional anesthesia; however, it is rarely performed under local infiltration anesthesia (LIA). This study aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of Chinese mini percutaneous nephrolithotomy (MPCNL) for upper urinary calculi under LIA. A retrospective analysis of 52 patients with upper urinary stones who underwent MPCNL under LIA from April 2019 to May 2022 was performed. Pethidine and Phenergan were intramuscularly injected 30 minutes preoperatively. Oxybuprocaine hydrochloride gel was applied to the urethra for lubricating and mucosal anesthesia. Ropivacaine hydrochloride and lidocaine were injected into the whole percutaneous channel for local anesthesia. An 8/9.8F ureteroscope and an 18F vacuum-assisted access sheath were applied in MPCNL. All 52 patients tolerated procedures and underwent operations successfully; none of them converted the anesthesia method or required additional analgesia. The mean visual analogue scale scores intraoperatively and at 6 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours after surgery were 3.25 ± 0.52, 3.13 ± 0.69, 2.25 ± 0.56, and 1.58 ± 0.50, respectively. The stone free rate was 84.6%. Complications were seen in 6 (11.5%) patients, including fever in 2 patients (Clavien I), renal colic in 1 patient (Clavien I), clinically insignificant bleeding in 2 patients (Clavien I), and urinary tract infection in 1 patient (Clavien II). No severe complications were observed in any patients. Chinese MPCNL under LIA was a feasible option and achieved good outcomes in appropriately selected patients, and it may become the routine procedure for general patients.

Whole-Genome Sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates from Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

The association of tuberculosis and type 2 diabetes mellitus has been a recognized re-emerging challenge in management of the convergence of the two epidemics. Though much of the literature has studied this association, there is less knowledge in the field of genetic diversities that might occur in strains infecting tuberculosis patients with and without diabetes. Our study focused on determining the extent of diversity of genotypes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in both these categories of patients. We subjected 55 M. tuberculosis isolates from patients diagnosed with pulmonary TB with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus to whole-genome sequencing on Illumina Hi Seq platform. The most common lineage identified was lineage 1, the Indo-Oceanic lineage (n = 22%), followed by lineage 4, the Euro-American lineage (n = 18, 33%); lineage 3, the East-African Indian lineage (n = 13, 24%); and lineage 2, the East-Asian lineage (n = 1, 2%). There were no significant differences in the distribution of lineages in both diabetics and non-diabetics in the South Indian population, and further studies involving computational analysis and comparative transcriptomics are needed to provide deeper insights.

ß-Glucanase Family Genes Promote Resistance to Sheath Blight in Rice by Inhibiting the Permeability of Plasmodesmata.

Rice sheath blight (ShB) caused by Rhizoctonia solani is one of the most serious diseases that threatens rice (Oryza sativa) production. However, the mechanisms of defense against ShB in rice remain largely unknown. In this study, we identified that the expression levels of ß-glucanase (OsBGL) family genes sensitively respond to infection by R. solani, and OsBGLs positively regulate rice resistance to ShB. In addition, OsBGL2 colocalized with AtPDCB1 at the plasmodesmata (PD) and limited the PD permeability. The level of callose accumulation in osbgls mutants and overexpressors was examined, and OsBGLs were found contribute to callose accumulation. Taken together, these data suggest that OsBGLs can regulate the deposition of callose at the PD to reduce its permeability to defend itself against ShB. Through the identification of these genes and the elucidation of their functions, this research fills the gap in the mechanism of PD permeability in rice ShB resistance.

bZIP23 interacts with NAC028 to modulate rice resistance to sheath blight disease.

Rice sheath blight disease (ShB) is a serious threat to rice production, and breeding ShB-resistance varieties is the most effective strategy for ShB control. However, the molecular mechanisms of rice resistance to ShB are largely unknown. In this study, the NAC transcription factor NAC028 was shown to be sensitive to ShB infection. ShB inoculation assays revealed that NAC028 is a positive regulator of ShB resistance. To elucidate the molecular basis of NAC028-mediated ShB resistance, another transcription factor (bZIP23) was identified as a NAC028-interacting protein. Results of the transcriptome and qRT-PCR analyses demonstrated that CAD8B, a key enzyme for lignin biosynthesis and ShB resistance, is regulated by both bZIP23 and NAC028. The combination of the yeast-one hybrid, ChIP-qPCR, and transactivation assays illustrated that both bZIP23 and NAC028 directly bind the CAD8B promoter and activate its expression. The transcriptional connection between bZIP23 and NAC028 was also investigated and the results of in vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that NAC028 was one of the target genes of bZIP23, but not vice versa. The results presented here provide new insights into the molecular basis of ShB resistance and contribute to the potential targets for the ShB resistance breeding program.