Histological and molecular difference in albumen quality between post-adolescent hens and aged hens.

The decline in albumen quality resulting from aging hens poses a threat to the financial benefits of the egg industry. Exploring the underlying mechanisms from the perspective of cell molecules of albumen formation is significant for the efficient regulation of albumen quality. Two individual groups of Hy-Line Brown layers with ages of 40 (W40) and 100 (W100) wk old were used in the present study. Each group contained over 2,000 birds. This study assessed the egg quality, biochemical indicators and physiological status of hens between W40 and W100. Subsequently, a quantitative proteomic analysis was conducted to identify differences in protein abundance in magnum tissues between W40 and W100. In the W40 group, significant increases (P < 0.05) were notable for albumen quality (thick albumen solid content, albumen height, Haugh unit), serum indices (calcium, estrogen, and progesterone levels), magnum histomorphology (myosin light-chain kinase content, secretory capacity, mucosal fold, goblet cell count and proportion) as well as the total antioxidant capacity of the liver. However, the luminal diameter of the magnum, albumen gel properties and random coil of the albumen were increased (P < 0.05) in the W100 group. The activity of glutathione, superoxidase dismutase, and malondialdehyde in the liver, magnum, and serum did not vary (P > 0.05) among the groups. Proteomic analysis revealed the identification of 118 differentially expressed proteins between the groups, which comprised proteins associated with protein secretion, DNA damage and repair, cell proliferation, growth, antioxidants, and apoptosis. Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes pathway analysis revealed that BRCA2 and FBN1 were significantly downregulated in Fanconi anemia (FA) and TGF-ß signaling pathways in W100, validated through quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). In conclusion, significant age-related variations in albumen quality, and magnum morphology are regulated by proteins involved in antioxidant capacity.

Highly efficient in crystallo energy transduction of light to work.

Various mechanical effects have been reported with molecular materials, yet organic crystals capable of multiple dynamic effects are rare, and at present, their performance is worse than some of the common actuators. Here, we report a confluence of different mechanical effects across three polymorphs of an organic crystal that can efficiently convert light into work. Upon photodimerization, acicular crystals of polymorph I display output work densities of about 0.06-3.94 kJ m-3, comparable to ceramic piezoelectric actuators. Prismatic crystals of the same form exhibit very high work densities of about 1.5-28.5 kJ m-3, values that are comparable to thermal actuators. Moreover, while crystals of polymorph II roll under the same conditions, crystals of polymorph III are not photochemically reactive; however, they are mechanically flexible. The results demonstrate that multiple and possibly combined mechanical effects can be anticipated even for a simple organic crystal.

Decreased eggshell strength caused by impairment of uterine calcium transport coincide with higher bone minerals and quality in aged laying hens.

BACKGROUND: Deteriorations in eggshell and bone quality are major challenges in aged laying hens. This study compared the differences of eggshell quality, bone parameters and their correlations as well as uterine physiological characteristics and the bone remodeling processes of hens laying eggs of different eggshell breaking strength to explore the mechanism of eggshell and bone quality reduction and their interaction. A total of 240 74-week-old Hy-line Brown laying hens were selected and allocated to a high (HBS, 44.83 ± 1.31 N) or low (LBS, 24.43 ± 0.57 N) eggshell breaking strength group. RESULTS: A decreased thickness, weight and weight ratio of eggshells were observed in the LBS, accompanied with ultrastructural deterioration and total Ca reduction. Bone quality was negatively correlated with eggshell quality, marked with enhanced structures and increased components in the LBS. In the LBS, the mammillary knobs and effective layer grew slowly. At the initiation stage of eggshell calcification, a total of 130 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 122 upregulated and 8 downregulated) were identified in the uterus of hens in the LBS relative to those in the HBS. These DEGs were relevant to apoptosis due to the cellular Ca overload. Higher values of p62 protein level, caspase-8 activity, Bax protein expression and lower values of Bcl protein expression and Bcl/Bax ratio were seen in the LBS. TUNEL assay and hematoxylin-eosin staining showed a significant increase in TUNEL-positive cells and tissue damages in the uterus of the LBS. Although few DEGs were identified at the growth stage, similar uterine tissue damages were also observed in the LBS. The expressions of runt-related transcription factor 2 and osteocalcin were upregulated in humeri of the LBS. Enlarged diameter and more structural damages of endocortical bones and decreased ash were observed in femurs of the HBS. CONCLUSION: The lower eggshell breaking strength may be attributed to a declined Ca transport due to uterine tissue damages, which could affect eggshell calcification and lead to a weak ultrastructure. Impaired uterine Ca transport may result in reduced femoral bone resorption and increased humeral bone formation to maintain a higher mineral and bone quality in the LBS.

A closed-loop process for spent washing solution from multi-metal contaminated soil: EDTA reclamation and recycling.

The proper disposal of spent soil washing solution is a great challenge to ethylenediamine tetraacetate (EDTA)-base soil washing technologies, particularly when the solution contains multi-metals. In this paper, we proposed an environmentally friendly disposal of multi-metal spent washing solution, in which the multi-metals were concentrated as hazardous precipitates for further safe disposal, and EDTA was reclaimed and recycled to further wash contaminated soil together with the cleansed process water. The results showed that Cr3+ was poorly removed by sole heavy-metal-capturing agent (HMCA) chelation because of the high solubility of HMCA-Cr, which also yielded a low percentage of EDTA reclamation in the multi-metal spent washing solution. We established a closed-loop process for the disposal of multi-metal spent washing solution by combining coagulation-flocculation-sedimentation and HMCA chelation. The novel recycling process was able to remove 99.67% Cu, 99.62% Pb, 92.48% Cd, 88.19% Sb, 84.38% As, and 82.39% Cr as precipitates from the real spent washing solution, and up to 95.64% of EDTA was reclaimed in the cleansed process water. On the average, the overall efficiency of the reclaimed EDTA solution could reach 65% of the fresh EDTA solution in extracting various HMs from contaminated soil. The recycling method provides an efficient and promising alternative for spent soil washing solution with both EDTA and process water reusage in a closed-loop process.

From molecule to cell: the expanding frontiers of plant immunity.

In recent years, the field of plant immunity has witnessed remarkable breakthroughs. During the co-evolution between plants and pathogens, plants have developed a wealth of intricate defense mechanisms to safeguard their survival. Newly identified immune receptors have added unexpected complexity to the surface and intracellular sensor networks, enriching our understanding of the ongoing plant-pathogen interplay. Deciphering the molecular mechanisms of resistosome shapes our understanding of these mysterious molecules in plant immunity. Moreover, technological innovations are expanding the horizon of the plant-pathogen battlefield into spatial and temporal scales. While the development provides new opportunities for untangling the complex realm of plant immunity, challenges remain in uncovering plant immunity across spatiotemporal dimensions from both molecular and cellular levels.

A self-assembling split Nano luciferase-based assay for investigating Pseudomonas syringae effector secretion.

Many Gram-negative pathogens employ the type III secretion system (T3SS) to deliver effector proteins into host cells, thereby modulating host cellular processes and suppressing host immunity to facilitate pathogenesis and colonization. In this study, we developed a straightforward, rapid, and quantitative method for detecting T3SS-mediated translocation of Pseudomonas syringae effectors using a self-assembling split Nano luciferase (Nluc)-based reporter system. It was demonstrated that this system can detect effector secretion in vitro with an exceptionally high signal-to-noise ratio and sensitivity, attributed to the strong affinity between the split domains of Nluc and the intense luminescence generated by functional Nluc. During natural infections, effectors fused to a small C-terminal fragment of Nluc were successfully translocated into plant cells and retained their virulence functions. Furthermore, upon infection of plants expressing the N-terminal fragment of Nluc with these P. syringae strains, functional Nluc proteins were spontaneously assembled and produced bright luminescence, demonstrating that this system enables the straightforward and rapid assessment of P. syringae T3SS-mediated effector translocation during natural infections. In conclusion, the self-assembling split Nluc-based reporting system developed in this study is suitable for efficient in vitro and in planta detection of effectors secreted via T3SS.

New insight into Ca2+ -permeable channel in plant immunity.

Calcium ions (Ca2+ ) are crucial intracellular second messengers in eukaryotic cells. Upon pathogen perception, plants generate a transient and rapid increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels, which is subsequently decoded by Ca2+ sensors and effectors to activate downstream immune responses. The elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ is commonly attributed to Ca2+ influx mediated by plasma membrane-localized Ca2+ -permeable channels. However, the contribution of Ca2+ release triggered by intracellular Ca2+ -permeable channels in shaping Ca2+ signaling associated with plant immunity remains poorly understood. This review discusses recent advances in understanding the mechanism underlying the shaping of Ca2+ signatures upon the activation of immune receptors, with particular emphasis on the identification of intracellular immune receptors as non-canonical Ca2+ -permeable channels. We also discuss the involvement of Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum in generating Ca2+ signaling during plant immunity.

Electrochemical Synthesis of Phenothiazinone as Fluorophore and Its Application in Bioimaging.

Phenothiazinone is a promising yet underutilized fluorophore, possibly due to the lack of a general accessibility. This study reports a robust and scalable TEMPO-mediated electrochemical method to access a variety of phenothiazinones from 2-aminothiophenols and quinones. The electrosynthesis proceeds in a simple cell architecture under mild condition, and notably carbon-halogen bond in quinones remains compared to conventional methods, enabling orthogonal downstream functionalization. Mechanistic studies corroborate that TEMPO exerts a protective effect in avoiding product decomposition at the cathode. In particular, benzophenothiazinones show intriguing luminescence in both solid and solution state, and thus their photophysical properties are scrutinized in detail. Further bio-imaging of the lipid droplets in living cells highlights the considerable promise of benzophenothiazinones as fluorescent dye in the biomedical fields.

PIF3 is phosphorylated by MAPK to modulate plant immunity.

Surface-localized pattern recognition receptors perceive pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) to activate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) represents a major PTI response. Here, we report that Arabidopsis thaliana PIF3 negatively regulates plant defense gene expression and resistance to Pseudomonas syringae DC3000. PAMPs trigger phosphorylation of PIF3. Further study reveals that PIF3 interacts with and is phosphorylated by MPK3/6. By mass spectrometry and site-directed mutagenesis, we identified the corresponding phosphorylation sites which fit for SP motif. We further show that a phospho-mimicking PIF3 variant (PIF36D /pifq) conferred increased susceptibility to P. syringae DC3000 and caused lower levels of defense gene expression in plants. Together, this study reveals that PIF3 is phosphorylated by MPK3/6 and phosphorylation of the SP motif residues is required for its negative regulation on plant immunity.

WeiTsing, a pericycle-expressed ion channel, safeguards the stele to confer clubroot resistance.

Plant roots encounter numerous pathogenic microbes that often cause devastating diseases. One such pathogen, Plasmodiophora brassicae (Pb), causes clubroot disease and severe yield losses on cruciferous crops worldwide. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of WeiTsing (WTS), a broad-spectrum clubroot resistance gene from Arabidopsis. WTS is transcriptionally activated in the pericycle upon Pb infection to prevent pathogen colonization in the stele. Brassica napus carrying the WTS transgene displayed strong resistance to Pb. WTS encodes a small protein localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and its expression in plants induces immune responses. The cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of WTS revealed a previously unknown pentameric architecture with a central pore. Electrophysiology analyses demonstrated that WTS is a calcium-permeable cation-selective channel. Structure-guided mutagenesis indicated that channel activity is strictly required for triggering defenses. The findings uncover an ion channel analogous to resistosomes that triggers immune signaling in the pericycle.

Phytophthora sojae boosts host trehalose accumulation to acquire carbon and initiate infection.

Successful infection by pathogenic microbes requires effective acquisition of nutrients from their hosts. Root and stem rot caused by Phytophthora sojae is one of the most important diseases of soybean (Glycine max). However, the specific form and regulatory mechanisms of carbon acquired by P. sojae during infection remain unknown. In the present study, we show that P. sojae boosts trehalose biosynthesis in soybean through the virulence activity of an effector PsAvh413. PsAvh413 interacts with soybean trehalose-6-phosphate synthase 6 (GmTPS6) and increases its enzymatic activity to promote trehalose accumulation. P. sojae directly acquires trehalose from the host and exploits it as a carbon source to support primary infection and development in plant tissue. Importantly, GmTPS6 overexpression promoted P. sojae infection, whereas its knockdown inhibited the disease, suggesting that trehalose biosynthesis is a susceptibility factor that can be engineered to manage root and stem rot in soybean.

CPR5 positively regulates pattern-triggered immunity via a mediator protein.

Plant cells possess a two-layered immune system consisting of pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI), mediated by cell surface pattern-recognition receptors and intracellular nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptors (NLRs), respectively. The CONSTITUTIVE EXPRESSION OF PR GENES 5 (CPR5) nuclear pore complex protein negatively regulates ETI, including ETI-associated hypersensitive response. Here, we show that CPR5 is essential for the activation of various PTI responses in Arabidopsis, such as resistance to the non-adapted bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 hrcC- . In a forward-genetic screen for suppressors of cpr5, we identified the mediator protein MED4. Mutation of MED4 in cpr5 greatly restored the defective PTI of cpr5. Our findings reveal that CPR5 plays opposite roles in regulating PTI and ETI, and genetically regulates PTI via MED4.

14-3-3 proteins facilitate the activation of MAP kinase cascades by upstream immunity-related kinases.

Activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) cascades is essential for plant immunity. Upon activation by surface-localized immune receptors, receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) in the cytoplasm phosphorylate MAP kinase kinase kinases (MAPKKKs) to initiate MAP kinase activation. Surprisingly, we found that both the phosphorylation of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) MAPKKKs and the subsequent activation of MAP kinase cascades require the λ and κ isoforms of 14-3-3 proteins, which directly interact with multiple RLCKs and MAPKKKs. The N- and C-termini of MAPKKK5 interact intramolecularly to inhibit the access to the C terminus by RLCKs, whereas the 14-3-3 proteins relieve this inhibition and facilitate the interaction of RLCKs with the C-terminus of MAPKKK5. This enables the phosphorylation of MAPKK5 at Ser599 and Ser682, thus promoting MAP kinase activation and enhancing plant disease resistance. Our study reveals a role of 14-3-3 proteins as scaffolds and activators in the regulation of the RLCK-MAPKKK5 module and provides insight into the mechanism of plant immune signaling.

SHOU4/4L link cell wall cellulose synthesis to pattern-triggered immunity.

Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are plasma membrane-localised proteins that sense molecular patterns to initiate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). Receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) function downstream of PRRs to propagate signal transduction via the phosphorylation of substrate proteins. The identification and characterisation of RLCK-regulated substrate proteins are critical for our understanding of plant immunity. We showed that SHOU4 and SHOU4L are rapidly phosphorylated upon various patterns elicitation and are indispensable for plant resistance to bacterial and fungal pathogens. Protein-protein interaction and phosphoproteomic analysis revealed that BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE 1, a prominent protein kinase of RLCK subfamily VII (RLCK-VII), interacted with SHOU4/4L and phosphorylated multiple serine residues on SHOU4L N-terminus upon pattern flg22 treatment. Neither phospho-dead nor phospho-mimic SHOU4L variants complemented pathogen resistance and plant development defect of the loss-of-function mutant, suggesting that reversible phosphorylation of SHOU4L is critical to plant immunity and plant development. Co-immunoprecipitation data revealed that flg22 induced SHOU4L dissociation from cellulose synthase 1 (CESA1) and that a phospho-mimic SHOU4L variant inhibited the interaction between SHOU4L and CESA1, indicating the link between SHOU4L-mediated cellulose synthesis and plant immunity. This study thus identified SHOU4/4L as new components of PTI and preliminarily revealed the mechanism governing SHOU4L regulation by RLCKs.

Transcriptome Analysis of Reciprocal Hybrids Between Crassostrea gigas and C. angulata Reveals the Potential Mechanisms Underlying Thermo-Resistant Heterosis.

Heterosis, also known as hybrid vigor, is widely used in aquaculture, but the molecular causes for this phenomenon remain obscure. Here, we conducted a transcriptome analysis to unveil the gene expression patterns and molecular bases underlying thermo-resistant heterosis in Crassostrea gigas ♀ × Crassostrea angulata ♂ (GA) and C. angulata ♀ × C. gigas ♂ (AG). About 505 million clean reads were obtained, and 38,210 genes were identified, of which 3779 genes were differentially expressed between the reciprocal hybrids and purebreds. The global gene expression levels were toward the C. gigas genome in the reciprocal hybrids. In GA and AG, 95.69% and 92.00% of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) exhibited a non-additive expression pattern, respectively. We observed all gene expression modes, including additive, partial dominance, high and low dominance, and under- and over-dominance. Of these, 77.52% and 50.00% of the DEGs exhibited under- or over-dominance in GA and AG, respectively. The over-dominance DEGs common to reciprocal hybrids were significantly enriched in protein folding, protein refolding, and intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway, while the under-dominance DEGs were significantly enriched in cell cycle. As possible candidate genes for thermo-resistant heterosis, GRP78, major egg antigen, BAG, Hsp70, and Hsp27 were over-dominantly expressed, while MCM6 and ANAPC4 were under-dominantly expressed. This study extends our understanding of the thermo-resistant heterosis in oysters.

Structural origins of two-dimensional elastic bending in a nonaromatic organic molecular crystal.

Mechanically flexible crystals are generally obtained based on weak interactions in the aromatic systems. Here, we reported the remarkable 2D elastic bending behaviors in a nonaromatic organic molecular crystal. The strong hydrogen bonding interactions are also verified to play a crucial role in the reversible bending.

Yeast cell-wall polysaccharides improve immunity and attenuate inflammatory response via modulating gut microbiota in LPS-challenged laying hens.

Effects of dietary supplementation of yeast cell-wall polysaccharides (YCWP) on production performance, ileal microbial composition, immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-challenged laying hens, were evaluated. A total of 288 35-week-old Hy-Line Brown layers were randomly assigned into 4 dietary treatments: 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg YCWP, respectively. After a 12-week feeding period, a total of 32 birds were selected from the control (n = 16) and 1000 mg/kg YCWP group (n = 16). For each group, half (n = 8) received Escherichia coli LPS and half (n = 8) received PBS at 1 mg/kg body weight, intravenously. Results showed that YCWP enhanced feed efficiency and egg production linearly, with optimal laying performance notable in the 1000 mg/kg YCWP group. Dietary YCWP enhanced serum IgM and expression of ileal avian ß-defensin, alleviated the LPS-induced elevated levels of serum IL-6 and IL-1ß and the up-regulated expression of IL-1ß, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-6 in spleen and/or ileal mucosa. Furthermore, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of YCWP were linked with its enhancement effect on microbial diversity, proliferation of Bifidobacteriaceae, Lactocillus, Candidatus_Arthromitus, Streptomyces, Bacillaceae, and Desulfovibrio, and reduced abundance of Shigella. Therefore, YCWP has the potentials to be utilized as safe prebiotics and gut enhancer in laying hens.