Genomic analyses of diverse wild and cultivated accessions provide insights into the evolutionary history of jujube.

The Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), a member of the Rhamnaceae family, is an important perennial fruit tree crop of substantial economic, ecological and nutritional value, and is also used as a traditional herbal medicine. Here, we report the resequencing of 493 jujube accessions, including 202 wild and 291 cultivated accessions at >16× depth. Our population genomic analyses revealed that the Shanxi-Shaanxi area of China was jujube's primary domestication centre and that jujube was then disseminated into East China before finally extending into South China. Divergence events analysis indicated that Ziziphus acidojujuba and Ziziphus jujuba diverged around 2.7 Mya, suggesting the interesting possibility that a long pre-domestication period may have occurred prior to human intervention. Using the large genetic polymorphism data set, we identified a 15-bp tandem insertion in the promoter of the jujube ortholog of the POLLEN DEFECTIVE IN GUIDANCE 1 (POD1) gene, which was strongly associated with seed-setting rate. Integrating genome-wide association study (GWAS), transcriptome data, expression analysis and transgenic validation in tomato, we identified a DA3/UBIQUITIN-SPECIFIC PROTEASE 14 (UBP14) ortholog, which negatively regulate fruit weight in jujube. We also identified candidate genes, which have likely influenced the selection of fruit sweetness and crispness texture traits among fresh and dry jujubes. Our study not only illuminates the genetic basis of jujube evolution and domestication and provides a deep and rich genomic resource to facilitate both crop improvement and hypothesis-driven basic research, but also identifies multiple agriculturally important genes for this unique perennial tree fruit species.

Sodium Tanshinone IIA Silate Alleviates High Glucose Induced Barrier Impairment of Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium through the Reduction of NF-κB Activation via the AMPK/p300 Pathway.

Purpose: The disruption of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) barrier may perform a crucial role in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). AMPK exerts several salutary effects on photoreceptors and the RPE function and improves retina abnormalities. The current study aimed to determine whether sodium tanshinone IIA silate (STS) has an inhibitory effect on ARPE-19 cell monolayer permeability under high glucose conditions, and establish the underlying mechanism.Methods: We used a model of high glucose (25 mmol glucose, HG) condition mimicking diabetes in ARPE-19 cells, to assess the protective effects of STS. The barrier function of RPE cells were measured by Transepithelial Electrical Resistance (TEER) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran permeability. The interaction of NF-κB p65 and p300 were tested using immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence assay. Protein levels were assayed using Western blot.Results: We found STS promoted the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) at T172 in RPE cells, and STS treatment thus inhibited ARPE-19 cell monolayer permeability under HG condition, similar to the permeability under normal glucose (5.5 mmol glucose, NG). Moreover, we found that STS obviously prevented the colocalization of NF-κB and p300, and significantly inhibited their binding, subsequent decreased ARPE-19 cell monolayer permeability. Notably, Compound C (CC), a specific inhibitor of AMPK, blocked STS-mediated inhibition of ARPE-19 cell monolayer permeability.Conclusions: STS inhibited HG-induced RPE permeability possibly through the reduction of NF-κB activation via the AMPK/p300 pathway. The protective effects of STS were attained through the suppression of p300-mediated NF-κB acetylation and STS might be utilized for treatment of DR, in terms of preventing inflammation.