Transcriptomic and physiological analysis provide new insight into seed shattering mechanism in Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Liqiu'.

KEY MESSAGE: Through the histological, physiological, and transcriptome-level identification of the abscission zone of Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Liqiu', we explored the structure and the genes related to seed shattering, ultimately revealing the regulatory network of seed shattering in P. alopecuroides. Pennisetum alopecuroides is one of the most representative ornamental grass species of Pennisetum genus. It has unique inflorescence, elegant appearance, and strong stress tolerance. However, the shattering of seeds not only reduces the ornamental effect, but also hinders the seed production. In order to understand the potential mechanisms of seed shattering in P. alopecuroides, we conducted morphological, histological, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses on P. alopecuroides cv. 'Liqiu'. According to histological findings, the seed shattering of 'Liqiu' was determined by the abscission zone at the base of the pedicel. Correlation analysis showed that seed shattering was significantly correlated with cellulase, lignin, auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin and jasmonic acid. Through a combination of histological and physiological analyses, we observed the accumulation of cellulase and lignin during 'Liqiu' seed abscission. We used PacBio full-length transcriptome sequencing (SMRT) combined with next-generation sequencing (NGS) transcriptome technology to improve the transcriptome data of 'Liqiu'. Transcriptomics further identified many differential genes involved in cellulase, lignin and plant hormone-related pathways. This study will provide new insights into the research on the shattering mechanism of P. alopecuroides.

Retinoic acid mitigates the NSC319726-induced spermatogenesis dysfunction through cuproptosis-independent mechanisms.

Copper ionophore NSC319726 has attracted researchers' attention in treating diseases, particularly cancers. However, its potential effects on male reproduction during medication are unclear. This study aimed to determine whether NSC319726 exposure affected the male reproductive system. The reproductive toxicity of NSC319726 was evaluated in male mice following a continuous exposure period of 5 weeks. The result showed that NSC319726 exposure caused testis index reduction, spermatogenesis dysfunction, and architectural damage in the testis and epididymis. The exposure interfered with spermatogonia proliferation, meiosis initiation, sperm count, and sperm morphology. The exposure also disturbed androgen synthesis and blood testis barrier integrity. NSC319726 treatment could elevate the copper ions in the testis to induce cuproptosis in the testis. Copper chelator rescued the elevated copper ions in the testis and partly restored the spermatogenesis dysfunction caused by NSC319726. NSC319726 treatment also decreased the level of retinol dehydrogenase 10 (RDH10), thereby inhibiting the conversion of retinol to retinoic acid, causing the inability to initiate meiosis. Retinoic acid treatment could rescue the meiotic initiation and spermatogenesis while not affecting the intracellular copper ion levels. The study provided an insight into the bio-safety of NSC319726. Retinoic acid could be a potential therapy for spermatogenesis impairment in patients undergoing treatment with NSC319726.

Sensitivity-Enhanced, Room-Temperature Detection of NH3 with Alkalized Ti3C2Tx MXene.

A layered Ti3C2Tx MXene structure was prepared by etching MAX-phase Ti3AlC2 with hydro-fluoric acid (HF), followed by alkalization in sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solutions of varying concentrations and for varying durations. Compared to sensors utilizing unalkalized Ti3C2Tx, those employing alkalized Ti3C2Tx MXene exhibited enhanced sensitivity for NH3 detection at room temperature and a relative humidity of 40%. Both the concentration of NaOH and duration of alkalization significantly influenced sensor performance. Among the tested conditions, Ti3C2Tx MXene alkalized with a 5 M NaOH solution for 12 h exhibited optimal performance, with high response values of 100.3% and a rapid response/recovery time of 73 s and 38 s, respectively. The improved sensitivity of NH3 detection can be attributed to the heightened NH3 adsorption capability of oxygen-rich terminals obtained through the alkalization treatment. This is consistent with the observed increase in the ratio of oxygen to fluorine atoms on the surface terminations of the alkalization-treated Ti3C2Tx. These findings suggest that the gas-sensing characteristics of Ti3C2Tx MXene can be finely tuned and optimized through a carefully tailored alkalization process, offering a viable approach to realizing high-performance Ti3C2Tx MXene gas sensors, particularly for NH3 sensing applications.

GALNT2 targeted by miR-139-5p promotes proliferation of clear cell renal cell carcinoma via inhibition of LATS2 activation.

Polypeptide N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (GALNTs) are critical enzymes that initiate mucin type-O glycosylation, and are closely associated with the occurrence and development of multiple cancers. However, the significance of GALNT2 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) progression remains largely undetermined. Based on public multi-omics analysis, GALNT2 was strongly elevated in ccRCC versus adjoining nontumor tissues, and it displayed a relationship with poor overall survival (OS) of ccRCC patients. In addition, GALNT2 over-expression accelerated proliferation of renal cancer cell (RCC) lines. In contrast, GALNT2 knockdown using shRNAs suppressed cell proliferation, and this was rescued by LATS2 knockdown. Similarly, GALNT2 deficiency enhanced p-LATS2/LATS2 expression. LATS2 is activated by phosphorylation (p-LATS2) and, in turn, phosphorylate the downstream substrate protein YAP. Phosphorylated YAP (p-YAP) stimulated its degradation and cytoplasmic retention, as it was unable to translocate to the nucleus. This resulted in reduced cell proliferation. Subsequently, we explored the upstream miRNAs of GALNT2. Using dual luciferase reporter assay, we revealed that miR-139-5p interacted with the 3' UTR of GALNT2. Low miR-139-5p expression was associated with worse ccRCC patient outcome. Based on our experiments, miR-139-5p overexpression inhibited RCC proliferation, and this phenotype was rescued by GALNT2 overexpression. Given these evidences, the miR-139-5p-GALNT2-LATS2 axis is critical for RCC proliferation, and it is an excellent candidate for a new therapeutic target in ccRCC.

Lipid droplets-related Perilipin-3: potential immune checkpoint and oncogene in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Lipid droplets (LDs) as major lipid storage organelles are recently reported to be innate immune hubs. Perilipin-3 (PLIN3) is indispensable for the formation and accumulation of LDs. Since cancer patients show dysregulated lipid metabolism, we aimed to elaborate the role of LDs-related PLIN3 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODS: PLIN3 expression patterns (n = 87), its immune-related landscape (n = 74) and association with B7-H2 (n = 51) were assessed by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Real-time PCR, Western blot, Oil Red O assay, immunofluorescence, migration assay, spheroid-forming assay and flow cytometry were performed for function analysis. RESULTS: Spotted LDs-like PLIN3 staining was dominantly enriched in tumor cells than other cell types. PLIN3high tumor showed high proliferation index with metastasis potential, accompanied with less CD3+CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood and in situ tissue, conferring immunosuppressive microenvironment and shorter postoperative survival. Consistently, PLIN3 knockdown in tumor cells not only reduced LD deposits and tumor migration, but benefited for CD8+ T cells activation in co-culture system with decreased B7-H2. An OSCC subpopulation harbored PLIN3highB7-H2high tumor showed more T cells exhaustion, rendering higher risk of cancer-related death (95% CI 1.285-6.851). CONCLUSIONS: LDs marker PLIN3 may be a novel immunotherapeutic target in OSCC.

Effect of Co-Doping of Al3+, In3+, and Y3+ on the Electrical Properties of Zinc Oxide Varistors under Pre-Synthesizing BiSbO4.

Under the premise of using the solid-phase method to pre-sinter Bi2O3 and Sb2O3 into BiSbO4 as a substitute for equal amounts of Bi2O3 and Sb2O3 in the formula, the effects of co-doping with In(NO3)3, Al(NO3)3, and Y(NO3)3 on the microstructure and electrical properties of ZnO varistors were studied. The experimental results show that with an increase in In3+-doped molar concentration, the leakage current of the ZnO varistor shows a rapid decrease and then a slow increase trend. However, the nonlinear coefficient is the opposite of it. With the combined effect of the rare earth element Y3+, the average grain size is significantly reduced, which leads to an increase in the voltage gradient. At the same time, a certain amount of doped In3+ and Al3+ is dissolved into the grains, resulting in a decrease in grain resistance and thus a low level of residual voltage. The varistor with 0.6 mol% In3+, 0.1 mol% Al3+, and 0.9 mol% Y3+ doping ratios exhibits excellent overall performance. The nonlinear coefficient is 62.2, with the leakage current being 1.46 µA/cm2 and the voltage gradient being 558 V/mm, and the residual voltage ratio is 1.73. The prepared co-doped ZnO varistors will provide better protection for metal oxide surge arresters.

Unveiling the Mutations and Conservation of InlA in Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a pathogen that is transmitted through contaminated food and causes the illness known as listeriosis. The virulence factor InlA plays a crucial role in the invasion of L. monocytogenes into the human intestinal epithelium. In addition, InlA enhances the pathogenicity of host strains, and different strains of L. monocytogenes contain varying variations of InlA. Our study analyzed a total of 4393 published L. monocytogenes genomes from 511 sequence types (STs) of diverse origins. We identified 300 unique InlA protein sequence types (PSTs) and revealed 45 highly mutated amino acid sites. The leucine-rich repeat (LRR) region was found to be the most conserved among the InlA, while the protein A (PA) region experienced the highest mutation rate. Two new types of mutations were identified in the B-repeat region of InlA. Correspondence analysis (CA) was used to analyze correlations between the lineages or 10 most common sequence types (STs) and amino acid (aa) sites. ST8 was strongly correlated with site 192_F, 454_T. ST7 exhibited a strong correlation with site 51_A, 573_E, 648_S, and 664_A, and it was also associated with ST6 and site 544_N, 671_A, 738_B, 739_B, 740_B, and 774_Y. Additionally, a strong correlation between ST1 and site 142_S, 738_N, ST2 and site 2_K, 142_S, 738_N, as well as ST87 and site2_K, 738_N was demonstrated. Our findings contribute significantly to the understanding of the distribution, composition, and conservation of InlA in L. monocytogenes. These findings also suggest a potential role of InlA in supporting molecular epidemiological tracing efforts.

Small vessel disease and cognitive reserve oppositely modulate global network redundancy and cognitive function: A study in middle-to-old aged community participants.

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) can disrupt the global brain network and lead to cognitive impairment. Conversely, cognitive reserve (CR) can improve one's cognitive ability to handle damaging effects like SVD, partly by optimizing the brain network's organization. Understanding how SVD and CR collectively influence brain networks could be instrumental in preventing cognitive impairment. Recently, brain redundancy has emerged as a critical network protective metric, providing a nuanced perspective of changes in network organization. However, it remains unclear how SVD and CR affect global redundancy and subsequently cognitive function. Here, we included 121 community-dwelling participants who underwent neuropsychological assessments and a multimodal MRI examination. We visually examined common SVD imaging markers and assessed lifespan CR using the Cognitive Reserve Index Questionnaire. We quantified the global redundancy index (RI) based on the dynamic functional connectome. We then conducted multiple linear regressions to explore the specific cognitive domains related to RI and the associations of RI with SVD and CR. We also conducted mediation analyses to explore whether RI mediated the relationships between SVD, CR, and cognition. We found negative correlations of RI with the presence of microbleeds (MBs) and the SVD total score, and a positive correlation of RI with leisure activity-related CR (CRI-leisure). RI was positively correlated with memory and fully mediated the relationships between the MBs, CRI-leisure, and memory. Our study highlights the potential benefits of promoting leisure activities and keeping brain redundancy for memory preservation in older adults, especially those with SVD.

Effectiveness of lumacaftor/ivacaftor initiation in children with cystic fibrosis aged 2 through 5 years on disease progression: Interim results from an ongoing registry-based study.

BACKGROUND: Lumacaftor/ivacaftor (LUM/IVA) has been shown to be safe and efficacious in people with cystic fibrosis (CF) ≥1 year of age. To assess the impact of early LUM/IVA initiation on CF disease progression, a 6-year observational study leveraging data from existing CF patient registries is being conducted in children with CF homozygous for F508del (F/F genotype) who were aged 2 through 5 years at treatment initiation. Here we present interim results from this study focusing on data from the European CF Society Patient Registry (ECFSPR). METHODS: The LUM/IVA cohort included children in the ECFSPR who started LUM/IVA between 15 January 2019 and 31 December 2020. Longitudinal trends in growth parameters, pulmonary exacerbations, hospitalizations, safety outcomes, and other effectiveness outcomes in the LUM/IVA cohort were compared to those in two modulator-naïve cohorts: (i) matched concurrent cohort heterozygous for F508del and a minimal function mutation (F/MF concurrent comparator cohort) and (ii) matched concurrent cohort with the F/F genotype from countries without commercial access to LUM/IVA as of 2020 (F/F concurrent comparator cohort). RESULTS: The LUM/IVA cohort matched to the F/MF concurrent comparator cohort had 681 children and the LUM/IVA cohort matched to the F/F concurrent comparator cohort had 183 children. LUM/IVA cohorts had increases in body mass index percentiles relative to the matched F/MF and F/F concurrent comparator cohorts (mean difference in change from baseline: 8.4 [95% CI: 5.5, 11.3] and 11.8 [95% CI: 5.9, 17.7], respectively). Increases in height and weight percentiles were also observed in the LUM/IVA cohort relative to the F/MF and F/F concurrent comparator cohorts. Reductions in pulmonary exacerbations and hospitalizations relative to baseline and the F/F concurrent comparator cohort were seen in 2021. CONCLUSIONS: This interim analysis showed favorable trends in clinical outcomes, including growth parameters, pulmonary exacerbations, and hospitalizations, suggesting an early beneficial effect of LUM/IVA treatment in children aged 2 through 5 years at treatment initiation.

High Homocysteine-Thiolactone Leads to Reduced MENIN Protein Expression and an Impaired DNA Damage Response: Implications for Neural Tube Defects.

DNA damage is associated with hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) and neural tube defects (NTDs). Additionally, HHcy is a risk factor for NTDs. Therefore, this study examined whether DNA damage is involved in HHcy-induced NTDs and investigated the underlying pathological mechanisms involved. Embryonic day 9 (E9) mouse neuroectoderm cells (NE4C) and homocysteine-thiolactone (HTL, active metabolite of Hcy)-induced NTD chicken embryos were studied by Western blotting, immunofluorescence. RNA interference or gene overexpression techniques were employed to investigate the impact of Menin expression changes on the DNA damage. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to investigate the epigenetic regulation of histone modifications. An increase in γH2AX (a DNA damage indicator) was detected in HTL-induced NTD chicken embryos and HTL-treated NE4C, accompanied by dysregulation of phospho-Atr-Chk1-nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. Further investigation, based on previous research, revealed that disruption of NER was subject to the epigenetic regulation of low-expressed Menin-H3K4me3. Overexpression of Menin or supplementation with folic acid in HTL-treated NE4C reversed the adverse effects caused by high HTL. Additionally, by overexpressing the Mars gene, we tentatively propose a mechanism whereby HTL regulates Menin expression through H3K79hcy, which subsequently influences H3K4me3 modifications, reflecting an interaction between histone modifications. Finally, in 10 human fetal NTDs with HHcy, we detected a decrease in the expression of Menin-H3K4me3 and disorder in the NER pathway, which to some extent validated our proposed mechanism. The present study demonstrated that the decreased expression of Menin in high HTL downregulated H3K4me3 modifications, further weakening the Atr-Chk1-NER pathway, resulting in the occurrence of NTDs.

Higher intracranial arterial pulsatility is associated with presumed imaging markers of the glymphatic system: An explorative study.

BACKGROUND: Arterial pulsation has been suggested as a key driver of paravascular cerebrospinal fluid flow, which is the foundation of glymphatic clearance. However, whether intracranial arterial pulsatility is associated with glymphatic markers in humans has not yet been studied. METHODS: Seventy-three community participants were enrolled in the study. 4D phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to quantify the hemodynamic parameters including flow pulsatility index (PIflow) and area pulsatility index (PIarea) from 13 major intracerebral arterial segments. Three presumed neuroimaging markers of the glymphatic system were measured: including dilation of perivascular space (PVS), diffusivity along the perivascular space (ALPS), and volume fraction of free water (FW) in white matter. We explored the relationships between PIarea, PIflow, and the presumed glymphatic markers, controlling for related covariates. RESULTS: PIflow in the internal carotid artery (ICA) C2 segment (OR, 1.05; 95 % CI, 1.01-1.10, per 0.01 increase in PI) and C4 segment (OR, 1.05; 95 % CI, 1.01-1.09) was positively associated with the dilation of basal ganglia PVS, and PIflow in the ICA C4 segment (OR, 1.06, 95 % CI, 1.02-1.10) was correlated with the dilation of PVS in the white matter. ALPS was associated with PIflow in the basilar artery (ß, -0.273, p, 0.046) and PIarea in the ICA C2 (ß, -0.239, p, 0.041) and C7 segments (ß, -0.238, p, 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial arterial pulsatility was associated with presumed neuroimaging markers of the glymphatic system, but the results were not consistent across different markers. Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Large-scale genetic analysis and biological traits of two SigB factors in Listeria monocytogenes: lineage correlations and differential functions.

Introduction: Listeria monocytogenes is a globally distributed bacterium that exhibits genetic diversity and trait heterogeneity. The alternative sigma factor SigB serves as a crucial transcriptional regulator essential for responding to environmental stress conditions and facilitating host infection. Method: We employed a comprehensive genetic analysis of sigB in a dataset comprising 46,921 L. monocytogenes genomes. The functional attributes of SigB were evaluated by phenotypic experiments. Results: Our study revealed the presence of two predominant SigB factors (SigBT1 and SigBT2) in L. monocytogenes, with a robust correlation between SigBT1 and lineages I and III, as well as SigBT2 and lineage II. Furthermore, SigBT1 exhibits superior performance in promoting cellular invasion, cytotoxicity and enhancing biofilm formation and cold tolerance abilities under minimally defined media conditions compared to SigBT2. Discussion: The functional characteristics of SigBT1 suggest a potential association with the epidemiology of lineages I and III strains in both human hosts and the natural environment. Our findings highlight the important role of distinct SigB factors in influencing the biological traits of L. monocytogenes of different lineages, thus highlighting its distinct pathogenic and adaptive attributes.

Pathological mechanisms of type 1 diabetes in children: investigation of the exosomal protein expression profile.

Introduction: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a serious autoimmune disease with high morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and treatment remain unsatisfactory. While the potential for development of T1D biomarkers in circulating exosomes has attracted interest, progress has been limited. This study endeavors to explore the molecular dynamics of plasma exosome proteins in pediatric T1D patients and potential mechanisms correlated with T1D progression. Methods: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with tandem mass tag (TMT)6 labeling was used to quantify exosomal protein expression profiles in 12 healthy controls and 24 T1D patients stratified by age (≤ 6 years old and > 6 years old) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (> 7% or > 7%). Integrated bioinformatics analysis was employed to decipher the functions of differentially expressed proteins, and Western blotting was used for validation of selected proteins' expression levels. Results: We identified 1035 differentially expressed proteins (fold change > 1.3) between the T1D patients and healthy controls: 558 in those ≤ 6-year-old and 588 in those > 6-year-old. In those who reached an HbA1c level < 7% following 3 or more months of insulin therapy, the expression levels of most altered proteins in both T1D age groups returned to levels comparable to those in the healthy control group. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that differentially expressed exosome proteins are primarily related to immune function, hemostasis, cellular stress responses, and matrix organization. Western blotting confirmed the alterations in RAB40A, SEMA6D, COL6A5, and TTR proteins. Discussion: This study delivers valuable insights into the fundamental molecular mechanisms contributing to T1D pathology. Moreover, it proposes potential therapeutic targets for improved T1D management.

CD155 and its receptors in cancer immune escape and immunotherapy.

In recent years, there have been multiple breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy, with immune checkpoint inhibitors becoming the most promising treatment strategy. However, available drugs are not always effective. As an emerging immune checkpoint molecule, CD155 has become an important target for immunotherapy. This review describes the structure and function of CD155, its receptors TIGIT, CD96, and CD226, and summarizes that CD155 expressed by tumor cells can upregulate its expression through the DNA damage response pathway and Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK signaling pathway. This review also elaborates the mechanism of immune escape after binding CD155 to its receptors TIGIT, CD96, and CD226, and summarizes the current progress of immunotherapy research regarding CD155 and its receptors. Besides, it also discusses the future direction of checkpoint immunotherapy.

Preoperative serum CA125 level is a good prognostic predictor in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after hepatectomy: A single-center retrospective study.

Serum carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) is associated with the prognosis of various malignancies, including ovarian and pancreatic cancer. The relationship between preoperative serum CA125 level and the survival of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has not been fully studied. The aim of this study was to explore the prognostic value of CA125 in ICC after hepatectomy. We retrospectively reviewed the clinicopathological data of 178 ICC patients who underwent hepatic resection. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed to estimate the relationships of serum CA125, α-fetoprotein, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 with the prognosis of ICC. The predictive value of CA125 for the prognosis of ICC patients was demonstrated by univariate analyses and Cox proportional hazards models. CA125 was correlated with tumor size, differentiation, capsulation, tumor node-metastasis stage, recurrence, and CEA. Univariate analysis indicated that CA125, sex, tumor number, tumor size, differentiation, surgical resection margin, tumor node metastasis stage, and CEA were risk factors for both the overall survival and the disease-free survival of ICC patients. Cox proportional hazards models showed that preoperative elevated CA125, a tumor size > 5 cm, and an R1 surgical resection margin were independent prognostic predictors of overall survival and disease-free survival. CA125 also had strong predictive value for the prognosis of different ICC subgroups, including patients without lymph node metastasis and with elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels. Preoperative elevated serum CA125 level is a noninvasive, simple, and reliable indicator of the prognosis of ICC patients after hepatectomy.

Chromosome-level reference genome assembly provides insights into the evolution of Pennisetum alopecuroides.

Pennisetum alopecuroides is an important forage grass resource, which plays a vital role in ecological environment improvement. Therefore, the acquisition of P. alopecuroides genome resources is conducive to the study of the adaptability of Pennisetum species in ecological remediation and forage breeding development. Here we assembled a P. alopecuroides cv. 'Liqiu' genome at the chromosome level with a size of approximately 845.71 Mb, contig N50 of 84.83Mb, and genome integrity of 99.13% as assessed by CEGMA. A total of 833.41-Mb sequences were mounted on nine chromosomes by Hi-C technology. In total, 60.66% of the repetitive sequences and 34,312 genes were predicted. The genomic evolution analysis showed that P. alopecuroides cv. 'Liqiu' was isolated from Setaria 7.53-13.80 million years ago and from Cenchrus 5.33-8.99 million years ago, respectively. The whole-genome event analysis showed that P. alopecuroides cv. 'Liqiu' underwent two whole-genome duplication (WGD) events in the evolution process, and the duplication events occurred at a similar time to that of Oryza sativa and Setaria viridis. The completion of the genome sequencing of P. alopecuroides cv. 'Liqiu' provides data support for mining high-quality genetic resources of P. alopecuroides and provides a theoretical basis for the origin and evolutionary characteristics of Pennisetum.

The Isolation, Genetic Analysis and Biofilm Characteristics of Listeria spp. from the Marine Environment in China.

Listeria monocytogenes is an important pathogen that can cause listeriosis. Despite the growing recognition of Listeria spp. as a foodborne and environmental pathogen, the understanding of its prevalence and characteristics of Listeria spp. in the marine environment remains unknown. In this study, we first investigated the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of Listeria species isolated in a coastal city in China. The findings revealed that the sequence type 87 (ST87) L. monocytogenes, a prevalent clinical and seafood strain in China, dominates in recreational beach sands and possesses a notable biofilm-forming capacity in seawater. The presence of ST87 L. monocytogenes in coastal environments indicates the potential health risks for both recreational activities and seafood consumption. Moreover, the ST121 isolates from sand had a versatile plasmid encoding multifunctional genes, including uvrX for UV resistance, gbuC for salt resistance, and npx for oxidative resistance and multiple transposases, which potentially aid in survival under natural environments. Black-headed gulls potentially facilitate the spread of L. monocytogenes, with similar ST35 strains found in gulls and beach sand. As a reservoir of microbes from marine environments and human/animal excrement, coastal sand would play an important role in the spread of L. monocytogenes and is an environmental risk for human listeriosis.

Optimizing Straw-Rotting Cultivation for Sustainable Edible Mushroom Production: Composting Spent Mushroom Substrate with Straw Additions.

In recent years, the optimization of straw-rotting formulations for cultivating edible mushrooms and the management of the resulting spent mushroom substrate have emerged as new challenges. This study aimed to investigate the composting of spent mushroom substrate produced from mushroom cultivation with various straw additions, under conditions where chicken manure was also used. Parameters measured during the composting process included temperature, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), germination index (GI), moisture, and total nitrogen content. Additionally, changes in nutrient content within the compost piles before and after composting were determined, and the variations in bacterial and fungal communities across different treatments before and after composting were analyzed using 16S rRNA and ITS sequencing. The results indicated that the spent mushroom substrate produced by adding 20% straw during mushroom cultivation was more suitable for composting treatment. The findings suggest that incorporating an appropriate amount of straw in mushroom cultivation can facilitate subsequent composting of spent mushroom substrate, providing an effective strategy for both environmental protection and cost reduction.

Analysis of the RNA Editing Sites and Orthologous Gene Function of Transcriptome and Chloroplast Genomes in the Evolution of Five Deutzia Species.

In this study, the chloroplast genomes and transcriptomes of five Deutzia genus species were sequenced, characterized, combined, and analyzed. A phylogenetic tree was constructed, including 32 other chloroplast genome sequences of Hydrangeoideae species. The results showed that the five Deutzia chloroplast genomes were typical circular genomes 156,860-157,025 bp in length, with 37.58-37.6% GC content. Repeat analysis showed that the Deutzia species had 41-45 scattered repeats and 199-201 simple sequence repeats. Comparative genomic and pi analyses indicated that the genomes are conservative and that the gene structures are stable. According to the phylogenetic tree, Deutzia species appear to be closely related to Kirengeshoma palmata and Philadelphus. By combining chloroplast genomic and transcriptomic analyses, 29-31 RNA editing events and 163-194 orthologous genes were identified. The ndh, rpo, rps, and atp genes had the most editing sites, and all RNA editing events were of the C-to-U type. Most of the orthologous genes were annotated to the chloroplast, mitochondria, and nucleus, with functions including energy production and conversion, translation, and protein transport. Genes related to the biosynthesis of monoterpenoids and flavonoids were also identified from the transcriptome of Deutzia spp. Our results will contribute to further studies of the genomic information and potential uses of the Deutzia spp.