In situ growth of Zr-based metal-organic frameworks on cellulose sponges for Hg2+ and methylene blue removal.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are characterised by high porosity levels and controllable structures, making them ideal adsorbents for wastewater. However, obtaining substrate materials with mechanical stability, excellent pore accessibility, and good processability for compositing MOF crystal powders to adsorb multiple pollutants in complex aqueous environments is challenging. In this study, porous MOFs@ modified cellulose sponge (MCS) composites were fabricated using MCS as a scaffold to provide anchoring sites for the coordination of Zr4+ ions and further in situ synthesis of MOFs, namely UiO-66@MCS and UiO-66-NH2@MCS, which effectively removed heavy metal ions and organic dyes. MOFs@MCS composites exhibit excellent water and dimensional stability, maintaining the pore structure by ambient drying during reuse. Compared with UiO-66@MCS composite, UiO-66-NH2@MCS composite exhibited a higher adsorption capacity of 224.5 mg·g-1 for Hg2+ and 400.9 mg·g-1 for methylene blue (MB). The adsorption of Hg2+ onto the MOFs@MCS composites followed the Langmuir and pseudo-second-order models, whereas the Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models were more suitable for MB adsorption. Moreover, the MOFs@MCS composites exhibited excellent reusability and were selective for the removal of Hg2+. Overall, this approach effectively combines Zr-based MOFs with mechanically and dimensionally stable porous cellulose sponges, rendering the approach suitable for purifying complex wastewater.

Comparison of Ticagrelor Monotherapy and Ticagrelor Plus Aspirin Among Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome Combined With High-Risk of Gastrointestinal Bleeding After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

ABSTRACT: To date, no studies have specifically examined the efficacy of P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) exhibiting a high risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This was a retrospective cohort study of ACS exhibiting a high GI bleeding risk after PCI admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of the Jiangnan University from August 2016 to December 2019. Of the 308 enrolled patients, 269 were found eligible and were assigned to the ticagrelor monotherapy (TIC) arm (n = 128) and to ticagrelor plus aspirin (TIC + ASP) arm (n = 141) treatment for a 1-year period. The primary study outcome was a composite end point, including bleeding academic research consortium (BARC) type 2, 3, or 5 bleeding and adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events; 8 (6.3%) in the TIC group and 14 (9.9%) in the combination treatment group reached the primary ischemic end point within 1 year with no significant difference between these groups. BARC type 2, 3, and 5 bleeding events affected significantly more patients in the combination group relative to the TIC group (38 [27.0%] vs. 11 [8.6%], P < 0.001). As the follow-up interval was prolonged, the cumulative BARC type 2, 3, and 5 bleeding incidence in the TIC group remained significantly below than that in the combination treatment group ( P < 0.05). These results indicate that TIC is associated with a lower risk of clinically relevant bleeding events among ACS with a high risk of GI bleeding after PCI relative to combination TIC + ASP treatment, although ischemic outcomes in these 2 groups were similar.

Efficacy and safety of intensity Modulated Radiation therapy combined with Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of Recurrent Cervical Cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of recurrent cervical cancer. Methods: This was a retrospective study. Eighty patients with recurrent cervical cancer were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group and the control group, with 40 cases in each group at The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from April, 2017 to April, 2022. Patients in the control group were only given IMRT, while those in the experimental group were given concurrent chemoradiotherapy with paclitaxel and cisplatin based on IMRT. All patients were evaluated for clinical efficacy, adverse drug reactions, and differences in the levels of SCC-Ag, CEA and CA724 and other tumor markers before and after treatment. Results: The total effective rate in the experimental group was significantly better than in the control group (p=0.02). The incidence of adverse reactions was 40% in the experimental group and 32.5% in the control group, with no statistically significant difference (p=0.48). After treatment, the levels of tumor markers in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (p=0.00). The three years survival rate was 80% in the experimental group and 55% in the control group (p=0.03). The five years survival rate was 65% in the experimental group and 42.5% in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (p=0.04). Conclusion: Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy is a safe and effective regimen for recurrent cervical cancer, boasting significant clinical efficacy, reduced tumor markers, no significant increase in adverse reactions, and significantly improved three-years and five years survival rate.

Clinical study of interstitial brachytherapy for 72 cases of recurrent cervical cancer.

Objective: To determine the application value of interstitial brachytherapy in the treatment of recurrent cervical cancer. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 72 patients with recurrent cervical cancer admitted to The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from September 2017 to April 2022. They were divided into two groups according to different brachytherapy methods: conventional after-load radiotherapy group and interstitial brachytherapy group. After treatment, regular outpatient reviews or telephone follow-ups were conducted to evaluate the efficacy, related toxic and side effects and prognostic factors. Results: The short-term efficacy of the interstitial brachytherapy group was significantly higher than that of the interstitial brachytherapy group (p<0.05). The one-year LC and two-year LC of the interstitial brachytherapy group were 94% and 90.6%, respectively, while those of the conventional after-load group were 74.5% and 67.8%, respectively, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). The clinical efficacy of peripheral recurrence was 13.9% in the interstitial brachytherapy group, and that in the conventional after-load group was 2.7%, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in late toxic and side effects between the two groups (p<0.05). Prognostic factors: Multivariate analysis of the COX regression model showed that only the maximum tumor diameter was an independent prognostic factor for OS and PFS, while the recurrence site and brachytherapy method were the independent prognostic factors for LC. Conclusion: Interstitial brachytherapy radiotherapy touts various benefits in the treatment of patients with recurrent cervical cancer, such as good short-term efficacy, high local control rate, reduced incidence of advanced bladder and rectal toxicity, and improved quality of life.

A Novel Effector, FSE1, Regulates the Pathogenicity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 to Banana by Targeting the MYB Transcription Factor MaEFM-Like.

Phytopathogenic fungi secretes a range of effectors to manipulate plant defenses. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) is a soil-borne pathogen that causes destructive banana wilt disease. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind Foc TR4 effectors and their regulation of pathogenicity is helpful for developing disease control strategies. In the present study, we identified a novel effector, Fusarium special effector 1 (FSE1), in Foc TR4. We constructed FSE1 knock-out and overexpression mutants and investigated the functions of this effector. In vitro assays revealed that FSE1 was not required for vegetative growth and conidiation of Foc TR4. However, inoculation analysis of banana plantlets demonstrated that knock-out of FSE1 increased the disease index, while overexpression of FSE1 decreased it. Microscope analysis suggested that FSE1 was distributed in the cytoplasm and nuclei of plant cells. Furthermore, we identified an MYB transcription factor, MaEFM-like, as the target of FSE1, and the two proteins physically interacted in the nuclei of plant cells. In addition, Transient expression of MaEFM-like induced cell death in tobacco leaves. Our findings suggest that FSE1 is involved in the pathogenicity of Foc TR4 by targeting MaEFM-like.

Separation and compensation of nonlinear errors in sub-nanometer grating interferometers.

In this paper, to separate and compensate the nonlinear error in the grating interferometer, we analyze the source and generation mechanism of this error, deduce the nonlinear error model of the measured signal and the calculated phase signal, and study the characteristics of the established nonlinear error model. The reason why the frequency multiples of ideal phase signals and higher-order nonlinear errors caused by ghost reflections and angular errors of the laser's z-axis are not integers is explained. Then, a nonlinear error separation and compensation method based on cross-correlation coefficient is proposed. Experiments show that the frequency multiplier relationship between the high-order nonlinear error and the ideal interference signal is close to but not equal to 3-fold. The peak-to-peak value of the compensated nonlinear error is reduced from 17.40 nm to 7.05 nm.

Effects of Eugenol on Water Quality and the Metabolism and Antioxidant Capacity of Juvenile Greater Amberjack (Seriola dumerili) under Simulated Transport Conditions.

This study investigated the effects of added eugenol on water quality and the metabolism and antioxidant capacity of the liver and gills of the greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) during simulated transport. The juvenile fish (10.34 ± 1.33 g) were transported in sealed plastic bags containing different eugenol concentrations at a density of 24.79 kg/m3 for 8 h. The different eugenol concentrations were divided into five groups: 0 µL/mL (control group), 0.0125 µL/mL, 0.025 µL/mL, 0.0375 µL/mL, and 0.05 µL/mL, with three replicates of each. The results showed that 0.05 µL/mL of eugenol could significantly increase dissolved oxygen, but 0.025 µL/mL-0.0375 µL/mL resulted in a significant decrease in dissolved oxygen and significant increases in NH4+-N and NO2--N. It was found that 0.05 µL/mL of eugenol caused significant up-regulation of the relative expression of CPT-1 in the liver, significant down-regulation of the relative expression of FAS and PK in the liver and gills, a significant increase in glycogen concentration, and a significant decrease in glucose concentration. This suggests that 0.05 µL/mL of eugenol could reduce the metabolic capacity of fish. In addition, 0.05 µL/mL of eugenol caused significant up-regulation of the relative expression of CAT and a significant decrease of MDA concentration in the liver. Meanwhile, the gills showed significant up-regulation of CAT relative expression, significant down-regulation of Keap1 relative expression, and a significant increase in GSH activity, resulting in a significant increase in MDA concentration when the concentration of eugenol reached or exceeded 0.025 µL/mL. This suggests that 0.05 µL/mL eugenol could improve the antioxidant capacity of fish and lipid peroxidation levels in the gills. In conclusion, the addition of 0.05 µL/mL eugenol could improve water quality, and the metabolic and antioxidant capacities of liver and gills, but it could also increase lipid peroxidation levels in the gills under transport conditions.

Click chemistry-induced modification of acrylated cellulose nanocrystals for application in PVA-based nanocomposites.

The surface functionalization of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) is crucial for promoting their diverse applications, especially regarding their use as sustainable biobased polymer reinforcements. In this study, we develop poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-CNC composites with improved tensile strength and gas-barrier performance using CNC-based nanofillers. Acrylated CNCs (ACNCs) were prepared from cellulose via one-pot acid hydrolysis/Fischer esterification; subsequently, surface modification was performed through a thiol-ene reaction to obtain surface-thiolated ACNCs, namely, DACNC, MACNC, and PACNC. The various functional groups on the surface-thiolated ACNCs not only affect the dispersion stability but also alter their interfacial interactions with the PVA matrix, thus realizing the PVA nanocomposites with tailored properties, including the thermal properties, mechanical properties, and gas barrier performance. This study demonstrates that surface-thiolated ACNCs with appropriate surface chemistry and loading levels can serve as excellent nanofillers for PVA, forming biobased composites with desired properties.

Flexure-resistant and additive-free poly (L-lactic acid) hydrophobic membranes fabricated by slow phase separation.

PLLA membranes with excellent ductility were successfully prepared by a simple solvent evaporation-induced precipitation method, without any additive. The excellent mechanical properties are mainly attributed to the interconnecting pore morphology and the plastic deformation of the pore wall during the stretching process. The interconnecting pore morphology is determined by delaying non-solvent diffusion and molecular chain pre-nucleation. It was found that the average pore size gradually decreased from 19.25 µm to 6.71 µm as the concentration of the polymer solution increased from 0.03 g/ml to 0.10 g/ml, and the elongation at break of the membrane can reach 130.8%. The crystallinity is between 33.4% and 44.5%, and the crystal form is a perfect α crystal. Membrane with interconnecting pore structure contributes to the formation of 91.2% porosity. Furthermore, the solvent evaporation-induced precipitation method can also form surfaces containing micro-nano structures which significantly improves surface hydrophobicity. The combination of high porosity and hydrophobicity makes the membrane potentially applicable to the field of oil-water separation.

Aliphatic chains grafted cellulose nanocrystals with core-corona structures for efficient toughening of PLA composites.

To promote the replacement of nondegradable petrochemical-based polymers with green polylactic acid (PLA) materials, aliphatic chains-grafted cellulose nanocrystals (ECNCs) were prepared and used as nanofillers to overcome the disadvantage of poor toughness of PLA. ECNCs with core-corona structures were obtained by modifying cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) with valeryl chloride, octanoyl chloride, dodecanoyl chloride, and stearoyl chloride. ECNCs consists of a cellulose crystalline core and a soft esterified corona layer with aliphatic chains. Among the diverse ECNCs, the obtained EOCNC by esterification of octanoyl chloride exhibited most efficient enhancement of the toughness of PLA. Specifically, PLA/EOCNC-1% film displayed the best elongation at breakage of 108%, which was 6.4 times that of pure PLA. The esterified outer layer of ECNCs, which improves the interfacial compatibility, is one of the key factors contributing to toughening of PLA. These ECNCs with core-corona structure open up new directions for the application of PLA advanced composites.

Circular RNA intraflagellar transport 80 facilitates endometrial cancer progression through modulating miR-545-3p/FAM98A signaling.

OBJECTIVE: Endometrial cancer (ECa) is a common gynecological malignancy. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been identified as key regulators of human tumorigenesis and development. Herein, we explored the role and mechanism of circular RNA intraflagellar transport 80 (circ-IFT80, also called circ_0067835) in ECa. METHODS: Circ-IFT80, microRNA-545-3p (miR-545-3p), and family with sequence similarity 98 member A (FAM98A) were quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. The biological characteristics of ECa cells were evaluated via Cell Counting Kit-8, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine, transwell, tube formation and flow cytometry assays. Dual-luciferase reporter assay or RNA pull-down assay was employed to verify the binding relationship between miR-545-3p and circ-IFT80 or FAM98A. Xenograft assays were conducted to analyze the effect of circ-IFT80 in vivo. RESULTS: Circ-IFT80 and FAM98A were up-regulated, and miR-545-3p was down-regulated in ECa tissues and cells. Knockdown of circ-IFT80 blocked proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis and promoted apoptosis in ECa cells. Moreover, circ-IFT80 harbored a binding site for miR-545-3p, and the effects of circ-IFT80 were mediated by miR-545-3p. FAM98A was a direct target of miR-545-3p, and miR-545-3p hindered ECa cell progression via targeting FAM98A. Circ-IFT80 induced FAM98A expression through miR-545-3p. Furthermore, silence of circ-IFT80 suppressed tumor growth in vivo. CONCLUSION: Circ-IFT80 may promote the malignant progression of ECa cells at least in part by modulating miR-545-3p/FAM98A axis, providing a potential therapeutic target for ECa.

SMYD2 suppresses p53 activity to promote glucose metabolism in cervical cancer.

Reprogrammed energy metabolism, especially the Warburg effect, is emerged as a hallmark of cancer. The protein lysine methyltransferase SMYD2 functions as an oncogene and is implicated in various malignant phenotypes of human cancers. However, the role of SMYD2 in tumor metabolism is still largely unknown. Here, we report that SMYD2 is highly expressed in human cervical cancer and its aberrant expression is linked to a poor prognosis. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a novel link between SMYD2 expression and aerobic glycolysis. Through loss-of-function experiments, we demonstrated that SMYD2 knockdown or inhibition induced a metabolic shift from aerobic glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation, as evidenced by glucose uptake, lactate production, extracellular acidification, and the oxygen consumption rate. In contrast, SMYD2 overexpression promoted glycolytic metabolism in cervical cancer cells. Moreover, SMYD2 was required for tumor growth in cervical cancer and this oncogenic activity was largely glycolysis-dependent. Mechanistically, SMYD2 altered the methylation status of p53 and inhibited its transcriptional activity. Genetic silencing of p53 largely abrogated the effects of SMYD2 in promoting aerobic glycolysis. Taken together, our findings reveal a novel function of SMYD2 in regulating the Warburg effect in cervical cancer.

Isolation and characterization of nanocellulose crystals via acid hydrolysis from agricultural waste-tea stalk.

Nanocellulose crystals (NCCs) were successfully prepared via acid hydrolysis from an abundant agricultural waste (tea stalk) in China. The effective factors for NCC yield were modeled by the response surface methodology (RSM). The RSM determined the reaction conditions (H2SO4 concentration, hydrolysis temperature, and reaction time) that optimized the yield of tea stalk NCCs (TNCCs). Under the optimized operating conditions, the fundamental properties of TNCCs were characterized via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), laser diffraction particle-size analyzer, and scanning probe microscopy (SPM). Wood NCCs (WNCCs) and microcrystalline NCCs (MNCCs) were simultaneously prepared from common wood and microcrystalline cellulose under the same conditions. The results show that TNCCs not only shows similar physical and chemical properties with WNCCs and MNCCs, but also has better stability. Therefore, this study offers novel routes for high-valued utilization of tea stalk and provides some theoretical guidance for utilizing cellulose obtained from tea stalk.

Isolation and Characterization of Nanocellulose with a Novel Shape from Walnut (Juglans Regia L.) Shell Agricultural Waste.

Herein, walnut shell (WS) was utilized as the raw material for the production of purified cellulose. The production technique involves multiple treatments, including alkaline treatment and bleaching. Furthermore, two nanocellulose materials were derived from WS by 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO) oxidation and sulfuric acid hydrolysis, demonstrating the broad applicability and value of walnuts. The micromorphologies, crystalline structures, chemical functional groups, and thermal stabilities of the nanocellulose obtained via TEMPO oxidation and sulfuric acid hydrolysis (TNC and SNC, respectively) were comprehensively characterized. The TNC exhibited an irregular block structure, whereas the SNC was rectangular in shape, with a length of 55-82 nm and a width of 49-81 nm. These observations are expected to provide insight into the potential of utilizing WSs as the raw material for preparing nanocellulose, which could address the problems of the low-valued utilization of walnuts and pollution because of unused WSs.

The effector SIX8 is required for virulence of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense tropical race 4 to Cavendish banana.

Plant pathogens employ effectors as molecular weapons to manipulate host immunity and facilitate colonization. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense is the agent of wilt disease in banana plantlets and four races of the pathogen have been identified based on the cultivar specificity. A total of 9 SIX genes have been detected in the genome of Foc TR4 and 6 genes detected in Foc1. Among these SIX genes, SIX2 and SIX8 are only detected in Foc TR4, not identified in Foc1. Expression profiles analysis revealed that SIX genes of Foc TR4 are highly induced after inoculation to Cavendish banana plantlets. Virulence analysis of the SIX2 and SIX8 knock-out mutants showed that SIX8 is required for the virulence of Foc TR4 while SIX2 has no obvious functions. Over expression of SIX8-FLAG proteins in the SIX8 knock-out mutant partly restored the virulence. Western blot analysis suggested that SIX8 could be secreted into the extracellular space and a signal peptide resided the N-terminal polypeptide sequence. This study provides some clues for further research on mechanism of SIX8 in regulating virulence of Foc TR4.

Synthesis of AuPd nanoparticle-decorated graphene-coated ZnO nanorod arrays with enhanced photoelectrochemical performance and stability.

AuPd nanoparticle-decorated graphene-coated ZnO nanorod (ZNR) array electrodes (ZNR@Gr/AuPd) were synthesized via electrostatic self-assembly followed by solution reduction methods. The morphologies of ZNR@Gr/AuPd were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), which indicated that ZNR was well-coated by graphene with 3-5 layers and uniformly decorated with AuPd nanoparticles (about 5 nm). UV-Vis diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence spectra were obtained to analyze the optical properties. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties were also evaluated; the results indicated that the photocurrent density was 2.27 mA cm-2 at 0.8 V versus Ag/AgCl, which was 7.1 times that of bare ZNR. The sample also displayed enhanced PEC stability (91.3%), which prevented photocorrosion. Finally, a proposed PEC mechanism of ZNR@Gr/AuPd was illustrated to explain the charge transfer and the role of graphene and AuPd nanoparticles in the improvement of PEC performance and stability. The ZNR@Gr/AuPd electrode shows excellent PEC performance and stability, exhibiting promising potential in the generation of H2.

BAS2 Is Required for Conidiation and Pathogenicity of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides from Hevea brasiliensis.

The hemibiotrophic fungi Colletotrichum gloeosporioides can cause anthracnose in rubber trees. By searching the genome of the fungal pathogen, the BAS2 encoding a biotrophy-associated secreted protein was identified. In the present study, the knockout mutants of BAS2 were constructed and the functions of BAS2 were investigated. The in vitro assays showed that BAS2 was not necessary for vegetative growth but was important for normal asexual reproduction in C. gloeosporioides. Pathogenicity assays suggested that BAS2 was involved in the process of the pathogen penetrating into the host tissue. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that BAS2 showed secretional characteristics in the fungi, and BAS2 mainly function as a cytoplasmic protein after being secreted into the host cell. Extracellular proteomics analysis revealed that BAS2 was required for the secretion of a series of proteins, which were important for the pathogenicity of C. gloeosporioides. These data lead to a better understanding of the biotrophy-associated secreted protein in regulating the pathogenesis of C. gloeosporioides.

SGE1 is involved in conidiation and pathogenicity of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense.

The ascomycete fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense race 4 (Foc TR4) causes vascular wilt diseases in banana (Musa spp.). In the present study, the role of SGE1 in regulating growth, conidiation, and pathogenicity of Foc TR4 was investigated. Deletion of SGE1 did not influence vegetative growth but impaired the conidiation of Foc TR4. Besides, the SGE1 deletion mutant basically lost pathogenicity on banana plantlets. Observation under the microscope indicated that the penetration and colonization processes were severely impaired in the SGE1 deletion mutant. Proteomics analysis suggested that SGE1 regulated the production of a series of proteins of Foc TR4. Taken together, our results suggest that SGE1 plays an important role in regulating conidiation and pathogenicity in fungal pathogen Foc TR4.

Illustration of charge transfer in graphene-coated hexagonal ZnO photocatalysts using Kelvin probe force microscopy.

A graphene coated hexagonal ZnO (HZO@Gr) with enhanced activity in photocatalysis was synthesized. However, the photoinduced charge transfer behavior and the beneficial role of graphene in promoting photocatalytic reactions have not been sufficiently investigated experimentally. In this paper, the surface potentials of the ±(0001)-polar plane of HZO (Zn-polar plane and O-polar plane), graphene, graphene/Zn-polar plane and graphene/O-polar plane were measured using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). On the basis of the KPFM results, the respective Fermi levels were calculated and the internal electric field (IEF) of HZO was confirmed. Taking the IEF of HZO into consideration, the three-dimensional band diagrams of the HZO@Gr composites in methyl blue (MB) solution in the dark and under UV-visible irradiation after equilibrium were proposed. Accordingly, it is found that there could emerge different interactions between graphene and HZO at the ±(0001)-polar plane of HZO. Furthermore, the photogenerated holes and electrons tend to migrate to opposite directions. With the participation of graphene and IEF, the composites show a decrease in possibility of charge recombination. As a result, the active groups, namely ˙OH and ˙O2 - radicals, could be mainly generated at/near the O-polar plane and Zn-polar plane, respectively. This work can serve as a supplemental explanation of the charge transfer during the photocatalytic process at the polar ZnO/graphene composite surface.

Dicer-like Proteins Regulate the Growth, Conidiation, and Pathogenicity of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides from Hevea brasiliensis.

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides from Hevea brasiliensis is the hemibiotrophic fungi which could cause anthracnose in rubber trees. Dicer like proteins (DCL) were the core enzymes for generation of small RNAs. In the present study, the knocking-out mutants of two dicer like proteins encoding genes of C. gloeosporioides were constructed; and functions of two proteins were investigated. The results showed that DCL play important roles in regulating the growth, conidiation and pathogenicity of C. gloeosporioides; and there is a functional redundancy between DCL1 and DCL2. Microscopy analysis and DAB staining revealed that loss of penetration ability into the host cells, instead of the decreased growth rate, was the main cause for the impaired pathogenicity of the ΔDcl1ΔDcl2 double mutant. Proteomics analysis suggested that DCL proteins affected the expression of functional proteins to regulating multiple biological processes of C. gloeosporioides. These data lead to a better understanding of the functions of DCL proteins in regulating the development and pathogenesis of C. gloeosporioides.