Exogenous melatonin improves germination rate in buckwheat under high temperature stress by regulating seed physiological and biochemical characteristics.

The germinations of three common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) varieties and two Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) varieties seeds are known to be affected by high temperature. However, little is known about the physiological mechanism affecting germination and the effect of melatonin (MT) on buckwheat seed germination under high temperature. This work studied the effects of exogenous MT on buckwheat seed germination under high temperature. MT was sprayed. The parameters, including growth, and physiological factors, were examined. The results showed that exogenous MT significantly increased the germination rate (GR), germination potential (GP), radicle length (RL), and fresh weight (FW) of these buckwheat seeds under high-temperature stress and enhanced the content of osmotic adjustment substances and enzyme activity. Comprehensive analysis revealed that under high-temperature stress during germination, antioxidant enzymes play a predominant role, while osmotic adjustment substances work synergistically to reduce the extent of damage to the membrane structure, serving as the primary key indicators for studying high-temperature resistance. Consequently, our results showed that MT had a positive protective effect on buckwheat seeds exposed to high temperature stress, providing a theoretical basis for improving the ability to adapt to high temperature environments.

Development of a 10-litre pilot scale micro-nano bubble (MNB)-enhanced photocatalytic system for wastewater treatment.

A 10-litre pilot scale micro-nano bubble (MNB)-enhanced photocatalytic degradation system was developed using ZnO as the photocatalyst and salicylic acid (SA) as the model pollutant. The effectiveness of the MNB/ZnO/UV system was systematically compared with those of MNB, UV, MNB/UV, MNB/ZnO and ZnO/UV degradation systems. The effects of process parameters, including catalyst dosage, pollutant concentration, air-intake rate, pH and salt content on the degradation of SA, were comprehensively investigated. Optimum performance was obtained at neutral conditions with a catalyst dosage of 0.3 g/L and an air-intake rate of 0.1 L/min. For the degradation of SA, a kinetic constant of 0.04126/min was achieved in the MNB/ZnO/UV system, which is 4.5 times greater than that obtained in the conventional ZnO/UV system. The substantial increase in the degradation rate can be attributed to that the air MNB not only enhanced the gas-liquid mass transfer efficiency but also elevated the concentration of dissolved oxygen. A 10-litre pilot scale MNB/ZnO/UV system was successfully applied to the purification of lake water and river water, demonstrating great application potential for wastewater treatment.

PARP inhibitor plus radiotherapy reshape the immune suppressive microenvironment and potentiate the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in tumors with IDH1 mutation.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutant (IDH1mut) tumors respond poorly to immunotherapy, but are more sensitive to chemoradiotherapy and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibition (PARPi). Accordingly, some efforts have aimed to capitalize on the IDH1 mutation rather than reverse it. Moreover, radiotherapy (RT) and PARPi can stimulate antitumor immunity, raising the possibility of reversing the immunosuppression caused by IDH1 mutation while killing the tumor. To assess this possibility, we treated IDH1mut tumors and cells with RT + PARPi. RT + PARPi showed enhanced efficacy over either modality alone both in vitro and in vivo. RT + PARPi induced more DNA damage and activated the cGAS-STING pathway more. IFNß, CXCL10, and CCL5 were also more highly expressed at both the mRNA and protein levels. In two different tumor models, RT + PARPi increased infiltration and cytolytic function of CD8+ T cells, with one model also showing increased CD8+T cell proliferation. RT+PARPi also increased PD-L1 expression and enhanced checkpoint inhibition. Knocking out cGAS reversed the increased CD8+ T cell infiltration and the antitumor effect of RT+PARPi. We conclude that RT + PARPi reshapes the IDH1mut tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment, thereby augmenting checkpoint inhibition.

Membrane vesicles derived from Enterococcus faecalis promote the co-transfer of important antibiotic resistance genes located on both plasmids and chromosomes.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial membrane vesicles (BMVs) are novel vehicles of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) transfer in Gram-negative bacteria, but their role in the spread of ARGs in Gram-positive bacteria has not been defined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of MVs in the transmission of antimicrobial resistance in Gram-positive bacteria. METHODS: A linezolid-resistant Enterococcus faecalis CQ20 of swine origin was selected as the donor strain. Linezolid-susceptible E. faecalis SC032 of human origin, Enterococcus faecium BM4105 and Escherichia coli were selected as recipient strains. The presence of plasmids (pCQ20-1 and pCQ20-2) and an optrA-carrying transposon Tn6674 in CQ20, MVs and vesiculants was verified by WGS or PCR. MVs were isolated with density gradient centrifugation, and MV-mediated transformation was performed to assess the horizontal transferability of MVs. The MICs for CQ20 and its vesiculants were determined by the broth microdilution method. RESULTS: CQ20-derived MVs (CQ20-MV) were isolated, and PCR identified the presence of two plasmids and the optrA gene in the CQ20-MVs. MV-mediated transformation to E. faecalis SC032 and E. faecium BM4105 was successfully performed, and the WGS data also showed that both plasmids pCQ20-1 and pCQ20-2 and optrA-carrying transposon Tn6674 were transferred to E. faecalis SC032 and E. faecium BM4105, but failed for E. coli. Additionally, vesiculants that had acquired ARGs still had the ability to spread these genes via MVs. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first report of MV-mediated co-transfer of ARG-carrying plasmids and transposons in the Gram-positive bacterium E. faecium.

The distribution variation of pathogens and virulence factors in different geographical populations of giant pandas.

Intestinal diseases caused by opportunistic pathogens seriously threaten the health and survival of giant pandas. However, our understanding of gut pathogens in different populations of giant pandas, especially in the wild populations, is still limited. Here, we conducted a study based on 52 giant panda metagenomes to investigate the composition and distribution of gut pathogens and virulence factors (VFs) in five geographic populations (captive: GPCD and GPYA; wild: GPQIN, GPQIO, and GPXXL). The results of the beta-diversity analyzes revealed a close relationship and high similarity in pathogen and VF compositions within the two captive groups. Among all groups, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes emerged as the top three abundant phyla. By using the linear discriminant analysis effect size method, we identified pathogenic bacteria unique to different populations, such as Klebsiella in GPCD, Salmonella in GPYA, Hafnia in GPQIO, Pedobacter in GPXXL, and Lactococcus in GPQIN. In addition, we identified 12 VFs that play a role in the intestinal diseases of giant pandas, including flagella, CsrA, enterobactin, type IV pili, alginate, AcrAB, capsule, T6SS, urease, type 1 fimbriae, polar flagella, allantoin utilization, and ClpP. These VFs influence pathogen motility, adhesion, iron uptake, acid resistance, and protein regulation, thereby contributing to pathogen infection and pathogenicity. Notably, we also found a difference in virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa between GPQIN and non-GPQIN wild populations, in which the relative abundance of VFs (0.42%) of P. aeruginosa was the lowest in GPQIN and the highest in non-GPQIN wild populations (GPXXL: 23.55% and GPQIO: 10.47%). In addition to enhancing our understanding of gut pathogens and VFs in different geographic populations of giant pandas, the results of this study provide a specific theoretical basis and data support for the development of effective conservation measures for giant pandas.

Virtual Reality Visual Perceptual Plastic Training Promotes Retinal Structure and Macular Function Recovery in Glaucoma Patients.

Twenty-seven glaucoma patients (54 eyes in total) with well-controlled intraocular pressure were trained with binocular virtual reality visual software for 3 months to investigate whether virtual reality visual perceptual plastic training promotes macular retinal structure and macular function recovery in glaucoma patients. The thickness of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), macular ganglion cell layer-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL), and mean macular sensitivity (mMS) were evaluated 3 months after training. The mean value of pRNFL thickness in glaucoma patients did not change significantly (Z = 0.642, p = 0.521), nor did the mean value (t = 1.916, p = 0.061) and minimum value (Z = 1.428, p = 0.153) of mGCIPL after 3 months. However, the significant increases were found in superior temporal mGCIPL thickness (t = 2.430, p = 0.019) as well as superior mGCIPL thickness (t = 2.262, p = 0.028). Additionally, the mMS was increased (Z = 2.259, p < 0.05), with the inferior square to be a more pronounced mMS increase (Z = 2.070, p = 0.038). In conclusion, virtual reality visual perceptual plastic training can increase the thickness of retinal ganglion cells complexes in the macular area of glaucoma patients and improve the macular function of the corresponding area. Clinical Trial registration number: ChiCTR1900027909.

Indoor feeding combined with restricted grazing time improves body health, slaughter performance, and meat quality in Huang-huai sheep.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of three feeding systems, i.e., indoor feeding (CON), indoor feeding with 4-h daily access to grazing artificial pasture (ITGP), and indoor feeding with 8-h daily access to grazing artificial pasture (IEGP), on the plasma antioxidant and immunological capacity, slaughter characteristics, meat quality and economic efficiency of Huang-huai lambs. METHODS: Thirty-three healthy Huang-huai rams with similar body weight (approximately 5 mo of age, 28.96±1.01 kg) were assigned equally to three experimental groups. When finished fattening, six lambs from each group were collect blood samples for plasma analyses and then slaughtered to determine slaughter characteristics and obtain biceps brachii muscle for further analysis of meat quality and fatty acid profile. RESULTS: Compared to CON group, animals submitted to ITGP and IEGP groups resulted in greater contents of serum glutathione peroxidase, immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, and IgM), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), n-6 PUFA, and PUFA/saturated fatty acid (FA) ratio and lower palmitic /oleic acid ratio (p<0.05). Moreover, animals in ITGP group exhibited a higher (p<0.05) loin eye area, content of meat crude protein (CP), and eicosetrienoic acid compared to CON group, while slaughter performance was superior (p<0.05) to that of the IEGP group. The economic efficiency of ITGP group was 70.12% higher than that of CON group, while the IEGP group exhibited a decrease of 92.54% in economic efficiency compared to the CON group. CONCLUSION: Restricted grazing time combined with indoor feeding was more effective in conferring superior body health, carcass traits and economic efficiency in Huang-huai lambs, as well as higher CP content and healthier FA composition in the resulting meat.

Biotemplated precise assembly approach toward ultra-scaled high-performance electronics.

Structural DNA nanotechnology can be programmed into complex designer structures with molecular precision for directing a wide range of inorganic and biological materials. However, the use of DNA-templated approaches for the fabrication and performance requirements of ultra-scaled semiconductor electronics is limited by its assembly disorder and destructive interface composition. In this protocol, using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as model semiconductors, we provide a stepwise process to build ultra-scaled, high-performance field-effect transistors (FETs) from micron-scale three-dimensional DNA templates. We apply the approach to assemble CNT arrays with uniform pitches scaled between 24.1 and 10.4 nm with yields of more than 95%, which exceeds the resolution limits of conventional lithography. To achieve highly clean CNT interfaces, we detail a rinsing-after-fixing step to remove residual DNA template and salt contaminations present around the contact and the channel regions, without modifying the alignment of the CNT arrays. The DNA-templated CNT FETs display both high on-state current (4-15 µA per CNT) and small subthreshold swing (60-100 mV per decade), which are superior to previous examples of biotemplated electronics and match the performance metrics of high-performance, silicon-based electronics. The scalable assembly of defect-free three-dimensional DNA templates requires 1 week and the CNT arrays can be synthesized within half a day. The interface engineering requires 1-2 d, while the fabrication of high-performance FET and logic gate circuits requires 2-4 d. The structural and performance characterizations of molecular-precise DNA self-assembly and high-performance electronics requires 1-2 d. The protocol is suited for users with expertise in DNA nanotechnology and semiconductor electronics.

Case Report: MR-LINAC-guided adaptive radiotherapy for gastric cancer.

Background: The stomach is one of the most deformable organs. Its shape can be easily affected by breathing movements, and daily diet, and it also varies when the body position is different. The susceptibility of stomach has made it challenging to treat gastric cancer using the conventional image-guided radiotherapy, i.e., the techniques based on kilovoltage X-ray imaging. The magnetic resonance imaging guided radiotherapy (MRgRT) is usually implemented using a hybrid system MR-LINAC. It is feasible to implement adaptive radiotherapy using MR-LINAC for deformable organs such as stomach. In this case report, we present our clinical experience to treat a gastric cancer patient using MR-LINAC. Case description: The patient is a 58-year-old male who started having black stools with no apparent cause a year ago. Gastroscopy result showed pancreatic cancer, pathology: adenocarcinoma on gastric cancer biopsy, adenocarcinoma on gastric body minor curvature biopsy. The patient was diagnosed with gastric cancer (adenocarcinoma, cTxN+M1, stage IV, HER-2 positive). The patient was treated in 25 fractions with radiotherapy using MR-LINAC with online adaptive treatment plans daily. The target area in daily MR images varied considerably when compared with the target area on the CT simulation images. During the course of treatment, there have even been instances where the planned target area where the patient received radiotherapy did not cover the lesion of the day. Conclusion: Online adaptive MRgRT can be a meaningful innovation for treating malignancies in the upper abdomen. The results in the current study are promising and are indicative for further optimizing online adaptive MRgRT in patients with inoperable tumors of the upper abdomen.

Vasoprotective Effects of Hyperoside against Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats: Activation of Large-Conductance Ca2+-Activated K+ Channels.

Hyperoside (Hyp), a kind of Chinese herbal medicine, exerts multiple therapeutic effects on many diseases. However, the role and mechanisms of Hyp in vascular pathophysiology in ischemic stroke need to be further established. The study aimed to investigate the role of (large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+) BK channels on the vasoprotection of Hyp against cerebral ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. The concentration gradient of Hyp was pretreated in both the middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion model and oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model of primary vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in rats. A series of indicators were detected, including neurological deficit score, infarct volume, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), cerebral blood flow (CBF), cell viability, membrane potential, and BK channels α- and ß1-subunits expression. The results showed that Hyp significantly reduced infarct volume and ameliorated neurological dysfunction in I/R-injured rats. Besides, the effects of I/R-induced reduction of BK channels α- and ß1-subunits expression were significantly reversed by Hyp in endothelial-denudated cerebral basilar arteries. Furthermore, the protective effect against I/R-induced increases of MDA and reduction of SOD as well as CBF induced by Hyp was significantly reversed by iberiotoxin (IbTX). In OGD/R-injured VSMCs, downregulated cellular viability and BK channels ß1-subunits expression were remarkably reversed by Hyp. However, neither OGD/R nor Hyp affected BK channels α-subunits expression, and Hyp failed to induced hyperpolarization of VSMCs. Moreover, the protective effect against OGD/R-induced reduction of cell viability and SOD level and increases of MDA production induced by Hyp was significantly reversed by IbTX in VSMCs. The study indicates that Hyp has the therapeutic potential to improve vascular outcomes, and the mechanism is associated with suppressing oxidative stress and improving CBF through upregulating BK channels.

The phospholipase effector Tle1Vc promotes Vibrio cholerae virulence by killing competitors and impacting gene expression.

Vibrio cholerae utilizes the Type VI secretion system (T6SS) to gain an advantage in interbacterial competition by delivering anti-prokaryotic effectors in a contact-dependent manner. However, the impact of T6SS and its secreted effectors on physiological behavior remains poorly understood. In this study, we present Tle1Vc, a phospholipase effector in atypical pathogenic V. cholerae E1 that is secreted by T6SS via its interaction with VgrG1E1. Tle1Vc contains a DUF2235 domain and belongs to the Tle1 (type VI lipase effector) family. Bacterial toxicity assays, lipase activity assays and site-directed mutagenesis revealed that Tle1Vc possessed phospholipase A1 activity and phospholipase A2 activity, and that Tle1Vc-induced toxicity required a serine residue (S356) and two aspartic acid residues (D417 and D496). Cells intoxication with Tle1Vc lead to membrane depolarization and alter membrane permeability. Tli1tox-, a cognate immunity protein, directly interacts with Tle1Vc to neutralize its toxicity. Moreover, Tle1Vc can kill multiple microorganisms by T6SS and promote in vivo fitness of V. cholerae through mediating antibacterial activity. Tle1Vc induces bacterial motility by increasing the expression of flagellar-related genes independently of functional T6SS and the tit-for-tat (TFT) response, where Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses its T6SS-H1 cluster to counterattack other offensive attackers. Our study also demonstrated that the physical puncture of E1 T6SS can induce a moderate TFT response, which is essential to the Tle1Vc-mediated strong TFT response, maximizing effector functions. Overall, our study characterized the antibacterial mechanism of phospholipase effector Tle1Vc and its multiple physiological significance.

Stall-Feeding of Sheep on Restricted Grazing: Effects on Performance and Serum Metabolites, Ruminal Fermentation, and Fecal Microbiota.

This study investigated the effects of three feeding systems, indoor feeding (CONT), indoor feeding with time-restricted grazing artificial pasture (4 h/day, G4H), and indoor feeding with an eight-hour daily grazing artificial pasture (G8H), on the growth performance, serum metabolites, ruminal fermentation, and fecal microbiota composition of lambs. Average daily gain showed a tendency (p = 0.081) to be higher for the G4H group compared with the CONT group. Moreover, feeding systems did not have a significant effect on most of the serum biochemical indicators in lambs. Concentrations of serum glutathione peroxidase and immunoglobulins (IgA, gG, and IgM) were significantly lower (p < 0.01) in the CONT group. Additionally, a tendency towards higher levels of volatile fatty acids, acetate, and butyrate was found in animals of the G4H group compared to the CONT group. Furthermore, fecal microbiota composition was altered in G4H and G8H groups, resulting in the increased relative abundance of Firmicutes and Ruminococcaceae UCG-005, as well as the decreased relative abundance of Ruminobacter compared with the CONT group. Overall, these results suggest that indoor feeding with restricted grazing time does not significantly affect fattening performance or rumen fermentation but enhances antioxidation and immune function activity and also alters fecal microbiota composition.

Feeding regimens affecting carcass and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat - A comprehensive review.

Sheep and goats can efficiently convert low quality forage into high-quality meat which contains specific nutrients and quality traits. Carcass traits and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat depend upon several factors and one of most effective strategies amongst these is feeding regimens. In this review, the major aspects of feeding regimens affecting growth rate, carcass traits and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat are thoroughly discussed, with a particular focus on physical-chemical composition, flavor profile, and fatty acid (FA) profile. Grazing lambs and kids receiving concentrate or under stall-feeding systems had greater average daily gain and carcass yield compared with animals reared on pasture only. However, growth rate was higher in lambs/kids grazing on pastures of improved quality. Moreover, the meat of grazing lambs receiving concentrate had more intense flavor, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and unhealthy FA composition, but comparable color, tenderness, juiciness, and protein content compared to that of lambs grazed on grass only. In contrast, meat of concentrate-fed lambs had more intense color, greater tenderness and juiciness, IMF and protein contents, and lower flavor linked to meat. Additionally, the meat of kids grazed on concentrate supplementation had higher color coordinates, tenderness, IMF content and unhealthy FA composition, whereas juiciness and flavor protein content were similar. In contrast, kids with concentrate supplementation had superior color coordinates, juiciness, IMF content and unhealthy FA composition, but lower tenderness and flavor intensity compared to pasture-grazed kids. Thus, indoor-finished or supplemented grazing sheep/goats had higher growth rate and carcass quality, higher IMF content and unhealthy FA composition compared to animals grazed on grass only. Finally, supplementation with concentrate increased flavor intensity in lamb meat, and improved color and tenderness in kid meat, whereas indoor-fed sheep/goats had improved color and juiciness as well as reduced flavor compared to pasture-grazed animals.

Pan-cancer survey of lncRNA rewiring and functional alternation in tumor-infiltrating T cell by scLNC.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to involve in diverse biological processes, including tumor immunity. Since lncRNAs are expressed with high cell-type specificity, investigation of lncRNAs at the single-cell level will unveil the cell-type-specific functions of lncRNAs. However, at the single-cell level, a systematic pan-cancer analysis of lncRNA functions in tumor immune microenvironments (TIMEs) remains lacking. Here, we performed pan-cancer single-cell profiling of lncRNA functions in TIMEs and developed a tool, scLNC, tailored for lncRNA functional characterization at the single-cell level. scLNC enabled the comparison of lncRNA function from the levels of lncRNA-mRNA pairs, lncRNA regulatory unit activity and unit function in a cell-type-specific manner. Applying scLNC, our analysis depicted the cross-tumor and tumor-specific lncRNA regulatory profiles in the T cell subtypes and revealed the new regulatory units that lncRNAs established in tumor-infiltrating T cells, particularly in the tumor-enriched T cells. We further characterized the activity and functional alternations of lncRNAs through their regulatory units. Overall, our findings suggested that lncRNAs played an important role in the regulation of cytokine production, cell activation and migration in tumor-enriched T cells and further in immunotherapy.

Hot-Exciton Mechanism and AIE Effect Boost the Performance of Deep-Red Emitters in Non-Doped OLEDs.

Luminescent materials possessing a "hot-exciton" mechanism and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) qualities are well-suited for use as emitting materials in nondoped organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), particularly in deep-red regions where their ground state and singlet excited state surfaces are in proximity, leading to the formation of multiple nonradiative channels. However, designing molecules that artificially combine the hot-exciton mechanism and AIE attributes remains a formidable task. In this study, a versatile strategy is presented to achieve hot-exciton fluorescence with AIE property by increasing the first singlet excited (S1 ) state through modulation of the conjugation length of the newly created acceptor unit, matching the energy level of high-lying triplet (Tn ) states, and enhancing exciton utilization efficiency by employing suitable donor moieties. This approach reduces the aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) in the aggregate state, resulting in the proof-of-concept emitter DT-IPD, which produces an unprecedented external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 12.2% and Commission Internationale de I'Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of (0.69, 0.30) in a deep-red non-doped OLED at 685 nm, representing the highest performance among all deep-red OLEDs based on materials with hot-exciton mechanisms. This work provides novel insights into the design of more efficient hot-exciton emitters with AIE properties.

Review of Feeding Systems Affecting Production, Carcass Attributes, and Meat Quality of Ovine and Caprine Species.

Growth rate, carcass attributes, and meat quality traits of small ruminants (i.e., sheep and goats) depend on various factors, among which the feeding system is one of the most important factors. However, how feeding systems affect these parameters differ between sheep and goats. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the differences in how different feeding systems affect the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of sheep and goats. It also explored the effects of a new finishing strategy-time-limited grazing with supplements on these traits. Compared with stalled feeding, finishing lambs/kids on pasture-only feed reduced the average daily gain (ADG) and carcass yield, while supplemented-grazing lambs/kids had near-equivalent or higher ADG and carcass attributes. Pasture-grazing increased the meat flavor intensity and healthy fatty acid content (HFAC) of lamb/kid meat. Supplemental grazing lambs had comparable or superior meat sensory attributes and increased meat protein and HFAC compared to stall-fed ones. In contrast, supplemental grazing only improved the meat color of kids but had little effect on other meat qualities. Moreover, time-limited grazing with supplemental concentrates increased the carcass yield and meat quality in lamb meat. Overall, the effects of different feeding systems on growth performance and carcass traits were comparable between sheep and goats but differed in terms of the meat quality.

Trichoderma and its role in biological control of plant fungal and nematode disease.

Trichoderma is mainly used to control soil-borne diseases as well as some leaf and panicle diseases of various plants. Trichoderma can not only prevent diseases but also promotes plant growth, improves nutrient utilization efficiency, enhances plant resistance, and improves agrochemical pollution environment. Trichoderma spp. also behaves as a safe, low-cost, effective, eco-friendly biocontrol agent for different crop species. In this study, we introduced the biological control mechanism of Trichoderma in plant fungal and nematode disease, including competition, antibiosis, antagonism, and mycoparasitism, as well as the mechanism of promoting plant growth and inducing plant systemic resistance between Trichoderma and plants, and expounded on the application and control effects of Trichoderma in the control of various plant fungal and nematode diseases. From an applicative point of view, establishing a diversified application technology for Trichoderma is an important development direction for its role in the sustainable development of agriculture.

Genome-wide analysis of NBS-LRR genes revealed contribution of disease resistance from Saccharum spontaneum to modern sugarcane cultivar.

Introduction: During plant evolution, nucleotide-binding sites (NBS) and leucine-rich repeat (LRR) genes have made significant contributions to plant disease resistance. With many high-quality plant genomes sequenced, identification and comprehensive analyses of NBS-LRR genes at whole genome level are of great importance to understand and utilize them. Methods: In this study, we identified the NBS-LRR genes of 23 representative species at whole genome level, and researches on NBS-LRR genes of four monocotyledonous grass species, Saccharum spontaneum, Saccharum officinarum, Sorghum bicolor and Miscanthus sinensis, were focused. Results and discussion: We found that whole genome duplication, gene expansion, and allele loss could be factors affecting the number of NBS-LRR genes in the species, and whole genome duplication is likely to be the main cause of the number of NBS-LRR genes in sugarcane. Meanwhile, we also found a progressive trend of positive selection on NBS-LRR genes. These studies further elucidated the evolutionary pattern of NBS-LRR genes in plants. Transcriptome data from multiple sugarcane diseases revealed that more differentially expressed NBS-LRR genes were derived from S. spontaneum than from S. officinarum in modern sugarcane cultivars, and the proportion was significantly higher than the expected. This finding reveals that S. spontaneum has a greater contribution to disease resistance for modern sugarcane cultivars. In addition, we observed allelespecific expression of seven NBS-LRR genes under leaf scald, and 125 NBS-LRR genes responding to multiple diseases were identified. Finally, we built a plant NBS-LRR gene database to facilitate subsequent analysis and use of NBSLRR genes obtained here. In conclusion, this study complemented and completed the research of plant NBS-LRR genes, and discussed how NBS-LRR genes responding to sugarcane diseases, which provided a guide and genetic resources for further research and utilization of NBS-LRR genes.