The Pseudomonas syringae type III effector HopG1 triggers necrotic cell death that is attenuated by AtNHR2B.

The plant pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000) has become a paradigm to investigate plant-bacteria interactions due to its ability to cause disease in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Pst DC3000 uses the type III secretion system to deliver type III secreted effectors (T3SEs) directly into the plant cytoplasm. Pst DC3000 T3SEs contribute to pathogenicity by suppressing plant defense responses and targeting plant's physiological processes. Although the complete repertoire of effectors encoded in the Pst DC3000 genome have been identified, the specific function for most of them remains to be elucidated. Among those effectors, the mitochondrial-localized T3E HopG1, suppresses plant defense responses and promotes the development of disease symptoms. Here, we show that HopG1 triggers necrotic cell death that enables the growth of adapted and non-adapted pathogens. We further showed that HopG1 interacts with the plant immunity-related protein AtNHR2B and that AtNHR2B attenuates HopG1- virulence functions. These results highlight the importance of HopG1 as a multi-faceted protein and uncover its interplay with AtNHR2B.

Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) plays for AvrRpt2-triggered immunity and RIN4 cleavage in Arabidopsis under endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

Many stresses induce the accumulation of unfolded and misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum, a phenomenon known as ER stress. In response to ER stress, cells initiate a protective response, known as unfolded protein response (UPR), to maintain cellular homeostasis. The UPR sensor, inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1), catalyzes the cytoplasmic splicing of bZIP transcription factor-encoding mRNAs to activate the UPR signaling pathway. Recently, we reported that pretreatment of Arabidopsis thaliana plants with tunicamycin, an ER stress inducer, increased their susceptibility to bacterial pathogens; on the other hand, IRE1 deficient mutants were susceptible to Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola (Psm) and failed to induce salicylic acid (SA)-mediated systemic acquired resistance. However, the functional relationship of IRE1 with the pathogen and TM treatment remains unknown. In the present study, we showed that bacterial pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) induced IRE1 expression; however, PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) response such as callose deposition, PR1 protein accumulation, or Pst DC3000 hrcC growth was not altered in ire1 mutants. We observed that IRE1 enhanced plant immunity against the bacterial pathogen P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000) under ER stress. Moreover, TM-pretreated ire1 mutants were more susceptible to the avirulent strain Pst DC3000 (AvrRpt2) and showed greater cell death than wild-type plants during effector-triggered immunity (ETI). Additionally, Pst DC3000 (AvrRpt2)-mediated RIN4 degradation was reduced in ire1 mutants under TM-induced ER stress. Collectively, our results reveal that IRE1 plays a pivotal role in the immune signaling pathway to activate plant immunity against virulent and avirulent bacterial strains under ER stress.

SDE5, a putative RNA export protein, participates in plant innate immunity through a flagellin-dependent signaling pathway in Arabidopsis.

In eukaryotes, RNA silencing, mediated by small interfering RNAs, is an evolutionarily widespread and versatile silencing mechanism that plays an important role in various biological processes. Increasing evidences suggest that various components of RNA silencing pathway are involved in plant defense machinery against microbial pathogens in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we show genetic and molecular evidence that Arabidopsis SDE5 is required to generate an effective resistance against the biotrophic bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 and for susceptibility to the necrotrophic bacteria Erwinia caratovora pv. caratovora. SDE5, encodes a putative mRNA export factor that is indispensable for transgene silencing and the production of trans-acting siRNAs. SDE5 expression is rapidly induced by exogenous application of phytohormone salicylic acid (SA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), phytopathogenic bacteria, and flagellin. We further report that SDE5 is involved in basal plant defense and mRNA export. Our genetic data suggests that SDE5 and Nonexpressor of PR Gene1 (NPR1) may contribute to the same SA-signaling pathway. However, SDE5 over-expressing transgenic plant exhibits reduced defense responsive phenotype after flagellin treatment. Taken together, these results support the conclusion that SDE5 contributes to plant innate immunity in Arabidopsis.

A Two-Step Absorber Deposition Approach To Overcome Shunt Losses in Thin-Film Solar Cells: Using Tin Sulfide as a Proof-of-Concept Material System.

As novel absorber materials are developed and screened for their photovoltaic (PV) properties, the challenge remains to reproducibly test promising candidates for high-performing PV devices. Many early-stage devices are prone to device shunting due to pinholes in the absorber layer, producing "false-negative" results. Here, we demonstrate a device engineering solution toward a robust device architecture, using a two-step absorber deposition approach. We use tin sulfide (SnS) as a test absorber material. The SnS bulk is processed at high temperature (400 °C) to stimulate grain growth, followed by a much thinner, low-temperature (200 °C) absorber deposition. At a lower process temperature, the thin absorber overlayer contains significantly smaller, densely packed grains, which are likely to provide a continuous coating and fill pinholes in the underlying absorber bulk. We compare this two-step approach to the more standard approach of using a semi-insulating buffer layer directly on top of the annealed absorber bulk, and we demonstrate a more than 3.5× superior shunt resistance Rsh with smaller standard error σRsh. Electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) measurements indicate a lower density of pinholes in the SnS absorber bulk when using the two-step absorber deposition approach. We correlate those findings to improvements in the device performance and device performance reproducibility.

Making Record-efficiency SnS Solar Cells by Thermal Evaporation and Atomic Layer Deposition.

Tin sulfide (SnS) is a candidate absorber material for Earth-abundant, non-toxic solar cells. SnS offers easy phase control and rapid growth by congruent thermal evaporation, and it absorbs visible light strongly. However, for a long time the record power conversion efficiency of SnS solar cells remained below 2%. Recently we demonstrated new certified record efficiencies of 4.36% using SnS deposited by atomic layer deposition, and 3.88% using thermal evaporation. Here the fabrication procedure for these record solar cells is described, and the statistical distribution of the fabrication process is reported. The standard deviation of efficiency measured on a single substrate is typically over 0.5%. All steps including substrate selection and cleaning, Mo sputtering for the rear contact (cathode), SnS deposition, annealing, surface passivation, Zn(O,S) buffer layer selection and deposition, transparent conductor (anode) deposition, and metallization are described. On each substrate we fabricate 11 individual devices, each with active area 0.25 cm(2). Further, a system for high throughput measurements of current-voltage curves under simulated solar light, and external quantum efficiency measurement with variable light bias is described. With this system we are able to measure full data sets on all 11 devices in an automated manner and in minimal time. These results illustrate the value of studying large sample sets, rather than focusing narrowly on the highest performing devices. Large data sets help us to distinguish and remedy individual loss mechanisms affecting our devices.

3.88% efficient tin sulfide solar cells using congruent thermal evaporation.

Tin sulfide (SnS), as a promising absorber material in thin-film photovoltaic devices, is described. Here, it is confirmed that SnS evaporates congruently, which provides facile composition control akin to cadmium telluride. A SnS heterojunction solar cell is demons trated, which has a power conversion efficiency of 3.88% (certified), and an empirical loss analysis is presented to guide further performance improvements.

Non-Markovian quantum jumps in excitonic energy transfer.

We utilize the novel non-Markovian quantum jump (NMQJ) approach to stochastically simulate exciton dynamics derived from a time-convolutionless master equation. For relevant parameters and time scales, the time-dependent, oscillatory decoherence rates can have negative regions, a signature of non-Markovian behavior and of the revival of coherences. This can lead to non-Markovian population beatings for a dimer system at room temperature. We show that strong exciton-phonon coupling to low frequency modes can considerably modify transport properties. We observe increased exciton transport, which can be seen as an extension of recent environment-assisted quantum transport concepts to the non-Markovian regime. Within the NMQJ method, the Fenna-Matthew-Olson protein is investigated as a prototype for larger photosynthetic complexes.

Some new aspects of the Boyer reaction.

[reaction: see text] The reaction outcome of 2-azidoethanol and aliphatic aldehyde is found to be dependent on the catalyst and the structure of the azido alcohol. Under the catalysis of Cu(II) triflate, the corresponding acetal is obtained. A similar reaction between 2-aryl-2-azidoethanol and aldehyde catalyzed by BF3 yields a mixture of 3-oxazoline and 2-oxazoline. The latter reaction has been used for the preparation of 3-oxazolines in good enantioselectivity.

Microbial transformation of baccatin VI and 1beta-hydroxy baccatin I by Aspergillus niger.

The biotransformation of baccatin VI (1) and 1beta-hydroxybaccatin I (2) with the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger produced four new taxane diterpenoids taxumairol S(1) (3), taxumairol T(1) (4) and taxumairol S (5), taxumairol T (6), respectively. 1beta-Dehydroxybaccatin VI (7) remained unreacted under the same condition.

Isolation of sesquiterpenoids from sponge Dysidea avara and chemical modification of avarol as potential antitumor agents.

The marine sponge Dysidea avara contained avarol (1) and avarone (2). Avarol on acylation yielded 2',5'-O-dibenzoylavarol (3); 2,5'-O-(4-chlorobenzoyl)avarol (4); 2,5'-O-dicinnamoylavarol (5); 2,5'-O-(4-bromobenzoyl)avarol(6); 2',5'-O-dioctanoylavarol (7); 2',5'-O-(4-fluorobenzoyl)avarol (8) and diacetylavarol (9). The structural elucidation of all the compounds 1-9 have been done by spectral analysis. The cytotoxicity of these compounds were also determined and evaluated. Compounds 6 and 9 showed selective cytotoxicity against Hepa (human hepatoma) and KB cell lines respectively.

New taxane diterpenoids from the leaves and twigs of Taxus sumatrana.

Two new taxoids, taxumairol Q (1) and 13-O-acetyl wallifoliol (2), have been isolated from the leaves and twigs of Taxus sumatrana. Taxuspine F and wallifoliol (10) have been isolated for the first time from the yew T. sumatrana. Seventeen known taxoid diterpenoids have also been isolated. The new derivatives, 9,13-diacetyltaxumairol W (3), 10,13-dibenzoyltaxacustin (4), 7,13-diacetylwallifoliol (5), 7,13-dibenzoylwallifoliol (6), and 7,9-dibenzoyltaxumairol P (7), have been prepared by acylation of a crude mixture of taxoids. All structures were established primarily on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR techniques, including DEPT, COSY, and HMBC experiments, as well as chemical correlation with known compounds. Wallifoliol (10) exhibited significant cytotoxicities against both Hepa 59 T/VGH (human liver carcinoma) and KB (human oral epidermoid carcinoma) tumor cells. Taxuspine F and compound 5 possessed moderate activity against Hepa cells only, while 3, 6, 7, and 10-deacetylbaccatin III showed only marginal activity against Hepa cells.