New insights into the all-testis differentiation in zebrafish with compromised endogenous androgen and estrogen synthesis.

The regulatory mechanism of gonadal sex differentiation, which is complex and regulated by multiple factors, remains poorly understood in teleosts. Recently, we have shown that compromised androgen and estrogen synthesis with increased progestin leads to all-male differentiation with proper testis development and spermatogenesis in cytochrome P450 17a1 (cyp17a1)-/- zebrafish. In the present study, the phenotypes of female-biased sex ratio were positively correlated with higher Fanconi anemia complementation group L (fancl) expression in the gonads of doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (dmrt1)-/- and cyp17a1-/-;dmrt1-/- fish. The additional depletion of fancl in cyp17a1-/-;dmrt1-/- zebrafish reversed the gonadal sex differentiation from all-ovary to all-testis (in cyp17a1-/-;dmrt1-/-;fancl-/- fish). Luciferase assay revealed a synergistic inhibitory effect of Dmrt1 and androgen signaling on fancl transcription. Furthermore, an interaction between Fancl and the apoptotic factor Tumour protein p53 (Tp53) was found in vitro. The interaction between Fancl and Tp53 was observed via the WD repeat domain (WDR) and C-terminal domain (CTD) of Fancl and the DNA binding domain (DBD) of Tp53, leading to the K48-linked polyubiquitination degradation of Tp53 activated by the ubiquitin ligase, Fancl. Our results show that testis fate in cyp17a1-/- fish is determined by Dmrt1, which is thought to stabilize Tp53 by inhibiting fancl transcription during the critical stage of sexual fate determination in zebrafish.

Estrogen Signaling Inhibits the Expression of anti-Müllerian hormone (amh) and gonadal-soma-derived factor (gsdf) during the Critical Time of Sexual Fate Determination in Zebrafish.

The mechanism of fish gonadal sex differentiation is complex and regulated by multiple factors. It has been widely known that proper steroidogenesis in Leydig cells and sex-related genes in Sertoli cells play important roles in gonadal sex differentiation. In teleosts, the precise interaction of these signals during the sexual fate determination remains elusive, especially their effect on the bi-potential gonad during the critical stage of sexual fate determination. Recently, all-testis phenotypes have been observed in the cyp17a1-deficient zebrafish and common carp, as well as in cyp19a1a-deficient zebrafish. By mating cyp17a1-deficient fish with transgenic zebrafish Tg(piwil1:EGFP-nanos3UTR), germ cells in the gonads were labelled with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). We classified the cyp17a1-deficient zebrafish and their control siblings into primordial germ cell (PGC)-rich and -less groups according to the fluorescence area of the EGFP labelling. Intriguingly, the EGFP-labelled bi-potential gonads in cyp17a1+/+ fish from the PGC-rich group were significantly larger than those of the cyp17a1-/- fish at 23 days post-fertilization (dpf). Based on the transcriptome analysis, we observed that the cyp17a1-deficient fish of the PGC-rich group displayed a significantly upregulated expression of amh and gsdf compared to that of control fish. Likewise, the upregulated expressions of amh and gsdf were observed in cyp19a1a-deficient fish as examined at 23 dpf. This upregulation of amh and gsdf could be repressed by treatment with an exogenous supplement of estradiol. Moreover, tamoxifen, an effective antagonist of both estrogen receptor α and ß (ERα and Erß), upregulates the expression of amh and gsdf in wild-type (WT) fish. Using the cyp17a1- and cyp19a1a-deficient zebrafish, we provide evidence to show that the upregulated expression of amh and gsdf due to the compromised estrogen signaling probably determines their sexual fate towards testis differentiation. Collectively, our data suggest that estrogen signaling inhibits the expression of amh and gsdf during the critical time of sexual fate determination, which may broaden the scope of sex steroid hormones in regulating gonadal sex differentiation in fish.

Endogenous biosynthesis of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) regulates fish oocyte maturation by promoting pregnenolone production.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), particularly docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA), play crucial roles in the reproductive health of vertebrates, including humans. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism related to this phenomenon remains largely unknown. In this study, we employed two zebrafish genetic models, i.e., elovl2 -/- mutant as an endogenous DHA-deficient model and fat1 (omega-3 desaturase encoding gene) transgenic zebrafish as an endogenous DHA-rich model, to investigate the effects of DHA on oocyte maturation and quality. Results show that the elovl2 -/- mutants had much lower fecundity and poorer oocyte quality than the wild-type controls, while the fat1 zebrafish had higher fecundity and better oocyte quality than wild-type controls. DHA deficiency in elovl2 -/- embryos led to defects in egg activation, poor microtubule stability, and reduced pregnenolone levels. Further study revealed that DHA promoted pregnenolone synthesis by enhancing transcription of cyp11a1, which encodes the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme, thereby stabilizing microtubule assembly during oogenesis. In turn, the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis was enhanced by DHA. In conclusion, using two unique genetic models, our findings demonstrate that endogenously synthesized DHA promotes oocyte maturation and quality by promoting pregnenolone production via transcriptional regulation of cyp11a1.

COP9 signalosome-mediated deneddylation of CULLIN1 is necessary for SCFEBF1 assembly in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Functions of the SKP1-CUL1-F box (SCF) ubiquitin E3 ligases are essential in plants. The F box proteins (FBPs) are substrate receptors that recruit substrates and assemble an active SCF complex, but the regulatory mechanism underlying the FBPs binding to CUL1 to activate the SCF cycle is not fully understood. We show that Arabidopsis csn1-10 is defective in SCFEBF1-mediated PIF3 degradation during de-etiolation, due to impaired association of EBF1 with CUL1 in csn1-10. EBF1 preferentially associates with un-neddylated CUL1 that is deficient in csn1-10 and the EBF1-CUL1 binding is rescued by the neddylation inhibitor MLN4924. Furthermore, we identify a subset of FBPs with impaired binding to CUL1 in csn1-10, indicating their assembly to form SCF complexes may depend on COP9 signalosome (CSN)-mediated deneddylation of CUL1. This study reports that a key role of CSN-mediated CULLIN deneddylation is to gate the binding of the FBP-substrate module to CUL1, thus initiating the SCF cycle of substrate ubiquitination.

Multi-omics reveals aging-related pathway in natural aging mouse liver.

Aging is associated with gradual changes in liver structure, altered metabolites and other physiological/pathological functions in hepatic cells. However, its characterized phenotypes based on altered metabolites and the underlying biological mechanism are unclear. Advancements in high-throughput omics technology provide new opportunities to understand the pathological process of aging. Here, in our present study, both metabolomics and phosphoproteomics were applied to identify the altered metabolites and phosphorylated proteins in liver of young (the WTY group) and naturally aged (the WTA group) mice, to find novel biomarkers and pathways, and uncover the biological mechanism. Analysis showed that the body weights, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) increased in the WTA group. The grips decreased with age, while the triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (TC) did not change significantly. The increase of fibrosis, accumulation of inflammatory cells, hepatocytes degeneration, the deposition of lipid droplets and glycogen, the damaged mitochondria, and deduction of endoplasmic reticulum were observed in the aging liver under optical and electron microscopes. In addition, a network of metabolites and phosphorylated proteomes of the aging liver was established. Metabolomics detected 970 metabolites in the positive ion mode and 778 metabolites in the negative ion mode. A total of 150 pathways were pooled. Phosphoproteomics identified 2618 proteins which contained 16621 phosphosites. A total of 164 pathways were detected. 65 common pathways were detected in two omics. Phosphorylated protein heat shock protein HSP 90-alpha (HSP90A) and v-raf murine viral oncogene homolog B1(BRAF), related to cancer pathway, were significantly upregulated in aged mice liver. Western blot verified that protein expression of MEK and ERK, downstream of BRAF pathway were elevated in the liver of aging mice. However, the protein expression of BRAF was not a significant difference. Overall, these findings revealed a close link between aging and cancer and contributed to our understanding of the multi-omics changes in natural aging.

Genetic analysis of basal stalk rot resistance introgressed from wild Helianthus petiolaris into cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) using an advanced backcross population.

Introduction: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a serious pathogen causing severe basal stalk rot (BSR) disease on cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) that leads to significant yield losses due to insufficient resistance. The wild annual sunflower species H. petiolaris, commonly known as prairie sunflower is known for its resistance against this pathogen. Sunflower resistance to BSR is quantitative and determined by many genes with small effects on the resistance phenotype. The objective of this study was to identify loci governing BSR resistance derived from H. petiolaris using a quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping approach. Methods: BSR resistance among lines of an advanced backcross population (AB-QTL) with 174 lines developed from a cross of inbred line HA 89 with H. petiolaris PI 435843 was determined in the field during 2017-2019, and in the greenhouse in 2019. AB-QTL lines and the HA 89 parent were genotyped using genotyping-by-sequencing and a genetic linkage map was developed spanning 997.51 cM and using 1,150 SNP markers mapped on 17 sunflower chromosomes. Results and discussion: Highly significant differences (p<0.001) for BSR response among AB-QTL lines were observed disease incidence (DI) in all field seasons, as well as disease rating (DR) and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) in the greenhouse with a moderately high broad-sense heritability (H 2) of 0.61 for the tested resistance parameters. A total of 14 QTL associated with BSR resistance were identified on nine chromosomes, each explaining a proportion of the phenotypic variation ranging from 3.5% to 28.1%. Of the 14 QTL, eight were detected for BSR resistance in the field and six were detected under greenhouse conditions. Alleles conferring increased BSR resistance were contributed by the H. petiolaris parent at 11 of the 14 QTL.

Proteomics and ß-hydroxybutyrylation Modification Characterization in the Hearts of Naturally Senescent Mice.

Aging is widely accepted as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), which contributes to increasing morbidity and mortality in the elderly population. Lysine ß-hydroxybutyrylation (Kbhb) is a novel post-translational modification (PTM), wherein ß-hydroxybutyrate is covalently attached to lysine ε-amino groups. Recent studies have revealed that histone Kbhb contributes to tumor progression, diabetic cardiomyopathy progression, and postnatal heart development. However, no studies have yet reported a global analysis of Kbhb proteins in aging hearts or elucidated the mechanisms underlying this modification in the process. Herein, we conducted quantitative proteomics and Kbhb PTM omics to comprehensively elucidate the alterations of global proteome and Kbhb modification in the hearts of aged mice. The results revealed a decline in grip strength and cardiac diastolic function in 22-month-old aged mice compared to 3-month-old young mice. High-throughput liquid chromatogram-mass spectrometry analysis identified 1710 ß-hydroxybutyrylated lysine sites in 641 proteins in the cardiac tissue of young and aged mice. Additionally, 183 Kbhb sites identified in 134 proteins exhibited significant differential modification in aged hearts (fold change (FC) > 1.5 or <1/1.5, p < 0.05). Notably, the Kbhb-modified proteins were primarily detected in energy metabolism pathways, such as fatty acid elongation, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Furthermore, these Kbhb-modified proteins were predominantly localized in the mitochondria. The present study, for the first time, provides a global proteomic profile and Kbhb modification landscape of cardiomyocytes in aged hearts. These findings put forth novel possibilities for treating cardiac aging and aging-related CVDs by reversing abnormal Kbhb modifications.

A geraniol synthase regulates plant defense via alternative splicing in tea plants.

Geraniol is an important contributor to the pleasant floral scent of tea products and one of the most abundant aroma compounds in tea plants; however, its biosynthesis and physiological function in response to stress in tea plants remain unclear. The proteins encoded by the full-length terpene synthase (CsTPS1) and its alternative splicing isoform (CsTPS1-AS) could catalyze the formation of geraniol when GPP was used as a substrate in vitro, whereas the expression of CsTPS1-AS was only significantly induced by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Neopestalotiopsis sp. infection. Silencing of CsTPS1 and CsTPS1-AS resulted in a significant decrease of geraniol content in tea plants. The geraniol content and disease resistance of tea plants were compared when CsTPS1 and CsTPS1-AS were silenced. Down-regulation of the expression of CsTPS1-AS reduced the accumulation of geraniol, and the silenced tea plants exhibited greater susceptibility to pathogen infection than control plants. However, there was no significant difference observed in the geraniol content and pathogen resistance between CsTPS1-silenced plants and control plants in the tea plants infected with two pathogens. Further analysis showed that silencing of CsTPS1-AS led to a decrease in the expression of the defense-related genes PR1 and PR2 and SA pathway-related genes in tea plants, which increased the susceptibility of tea plants to pathogens infections. Both in vitro and in vivo results indicated that CsTPS1 is involved in the regulation of geraniol formation and plant defense via alternative splicing in tea plants. The results of this study provide new insights into geraniol biosynthesis and highlight the role of monoterpene synthases in modulating plant disease resistance via alternative splicing.

M1 macrophage-derived exosomes promote autoimmune liver injury by transferring long noncoding RNA H19 to hepatocytes.

Exosomes mediate intercellular communication by transmitting active molecules. The function of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) H19 in autoimmune liver injury is unclear. Concanavalin A (ConA)-induced liver injury is well-characterized immune-mediated hepatitis. Here, we showed that lncRNA H19 expression was increased in the liver after ConA treatment, accompanied by increased exosome secretion. Moreover, injection of AAV-H19 aggravated ConA-induced hepatitis, with an increase in hepatocyte apoptosis. However, GW4869, an exosome inhibitor, alleviated ConA-induced liver injury and inhibited the upregulation of lncRNA H19. Intriguingly, lncRNA H19 expression in the liver was significantly downregulated, after macrophage depletion. Importantly, the lncRNA H19 was primarily expressed in type I macrophage (M1) and encapsulated in M1-derived exosomes. Furthermore, H19 was transported from M1 to hepatocytes via exosomes, and exosomal H19 dramatically induced hepatocytes apoptosis both in vitro and vivo. Mechanistically, H19 upregulated the transcription of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), which accumulated in the cytoplasm and mediated hepatocyte apoptosis by upregulating p53. M1-derived exosomal lncRNA H19 plays a pivotal role in ConA-induced hepatitis through the HIF-1α-p53 signaling pathway. These findings identify M1 macrophage-derived exosomal H19 as a novel target for the treatment of autoimmune liver diseases.

Quantifying the Two-Dimensional Driving Patterns of Chemisorbed Oxygen and Particle Size on NO Reduction Activity and Mechanism.

Quantification in the driving patterns of activity descriptors on structure-activity relationships and reaction mechanisms over heterogeneous catalysts is still a great challenge and needs to be addressed urgently. Herein, with the example of typical Mn-based catalysts, based on the activity regularity and many characterizations, the chemisorbed oxygen density (ρOß) and particle size (dTEM) have been proposed as the two-dimensional descriptors for selective catalytic reduction of NO, whose role is in quantifying the contents of vacancy defects and the amounts of active sites located on terraces or interfaces, respectively. They can be utilized to construct and quantify the driving patterns for the structure-activity relationships and reaction mechanisms of NO reduction. As a consequence, a complementary modulation for Ea by ρOß and dTEM is described quantitatively in terms of the fitted functions. Moreover, based on the structure-activity relationships and the quantification laws of in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS), the reaction efficiency (RE) of the specific combined NOx-intermediate is identified as the trigger to drive the Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism and modulated by the descriptors complementally and collaboratively following the fitted quantification functions. Either of the two descriptors at its lower values plays a dominant role in regulating Ea and RE, and the dominant factor evolves progressively: dTEM ↔ coupling dTEM with ρOß â†” ρOß, when the dependency of Ea and RE on the descriptors is adopted to identify the dominant factor and domains. Therefore, this work has quantitatively accounted for the essence of activity modulation and may provide insight into the quantitative driving patterns for reaction activity and mechanism.

Fast construction of SARS-CoV-2 associated plasmid library using parallel cloning method.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a significant impact on global health. To address the urgent need for plasmids containing SARS-CoV-2 sequences in research, we have developed a high-throughput FastCloning platform for the construction of associated plasmids. Our platform uses a FastCloning method to construct a plasmid library from 29 ORFs of the virus and 20 commonly used vectors in the lab. The library contains 536 recombinant vectors, with a highly positive clone success rate of 92.4%. Our study provides a rapid and efficient approach to constructing a large plasmid library for SARS-CoV-2 research.

The relationship between protein modified folding molecular network and Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis based on BAG2-HSC70-STUB1-MAPT expression patterns analysis.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and cognitive decline, while its pathological mechanism remains unclear. Tauopathies is one of the most widely accepted hypotheses. In this study, the molecular network was established and the expression pattern of the core gene was analyzed, confirming that the dysfunction of protein folding and degradation is one of the critical factors for AD. Methods: This study analyzed 9 normal people and 22 AD patients' microarray data obtained from GSE1297 in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The matrix decomposition analysis was used to identify the correlation between the molecular network and AD. The mathematics of the relationship between the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the expression level of the genes involved in the molecular network was found by Neural Network (NN). Furthermore, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) model was for classification according to the expression value of genes. Results: The difference of eigenvalues is small in first three stages and increases dramatically in the severe stage. For example, the maximum eigenvalue changed to 0.79 in the severe group from 0.56 in the normal group. The sign of the elements in the eigenvectors of biggest eigenvalue reversed. The linear function of the relationship between clinical MMSE and gene expression values was observed. Then, the model of Neural Network (NN) is designed to predict the value of MMSE based on the linear function, and the predicted accuracy is up to 0.93. For the SVM classification, the accuracy of the model is 0.72. Conclusion: This study shows that the molecular network of protein folding and degradation represented by "BAG2-HSC70-STUB1-MAPT" has a strong relationship with the occurrence and progression of AD, and this degree of correlation of the four genes gradually weakens with the progression of AD. The mathematical mapping of the relationship between gene expression and clinical MMSE was found, and it can be used in predicting MMSE or classification with high accuracy. These genes are expected to be potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and treatment of AD.

Integrated metabolomics and phosphoproteomics reveal the protective role of exosomes from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in naturally aging mouse livers.

BACKGROUND: Aging is characterized by a general decline in cellular function, which ultimately affects whole body homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSC-exos) on the livers of naturally aging mice. METHOD: Twenty-two-month-old C57BL6 mice were used as a natural aging animal model, divided into a saline-treated wild-type aged control group (WT-AC) and a hUCMSC-exo-treated group (WT-AEX), and then detected by morphology, metabolomics and phosphoproteomics. RESULTS: Morphological analysis showed that hUCMSC-exos ameliorated structural disorder and decreased markers of senescence and genome instability in aging livers. Metabolomics showed that hUCMSC-exos decreased the contents of saturated glycerophospholipids, palmitoyl-glycerols and eicosanoid derivatives associated with lipotoxicity and inflammation, consistent with the decreased phosphorylation of metabolic enzymes, such as propionate-CoA ligase (Acss2), at S267 detected by phosphoproteomics. Moreover, phosphoproteomics indicated that hUCMSC-exos reduced the phosphorylation of proteins participating in nuclear transport and cancer signaling, such as heat shock protein HSP90-beta (Hsp90ab1) at S226 and nucleoprotein TPR (Tpr) at S453 and S379, while increasing those involved in intracellular communication, such as calnexin (Canx) at S563 and PDZ domain-containing protein 8 (Pdzd8). Finally, phosphorylated HSP90ß and Tpr were verified predominantly in hepatocytes. CONCLUSION: HUCMSC-exos improved metabolic reprogramming and genome stability mainly associated with phosphorylated HSP90ß in hepatocytes in natural aging livers. This work provides a comprehensive resource of biological data by omics to support future investigations of hUCMSC-exos in aging.

Overwintering Camelina and Canola/Rapeseed Show Promise for Improving Integrated Weed Management Approaches in the Upper Midwestern U.S.

Winter oilseed cash cover crops are gaining popularity in integrated weed management programs for suppressing weeds. A study was conducted at two field sites (Fargo, North Dakota, and Morris, Minnesota) to determine the freezing tolerance and weed-suppressing traits of winter canola/rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and winter camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] in the Upper Midwestern USA. The top 10 freezing tolerant accessions from a phenotyped population of winter canola/rapeseed were bulked and planted at both locations along with winter camelina (cv. Joelle) as a check. To phenotype our entire winter B. napus population (621 accessions) for freezing tolerance, seeds were also bulked and planted at both locations. All B. napus and camelina were no-till seeded at Fargo and Morris at two planting dates, late August (PD1) and mid-September (PD2) 2019. Data for winter survival of oilseed crops (plants m-2) and their corresponding weed suppression (plants m-2 and dry matter m-2) were collected on two sampling dates (SD) in May and June 2020. Crop and SD were significant (p < 0.05) for crop plant density at both locations, and PD in Fargo and crop x PD interaction in Morris were significant for weed dry matter. At Morris and Fargo, PD1 produced greater winter B. napus survival (28% and 5%, respectively) and PD2 produced higher camelina survival (79% and 72%, respectively). Based on coefficient of determination (r2), ~50% of weed density was explained by camelina density, whereas ≤20% was explained by B. napus density at both locations. Camelina from PD2 suppressed weed dry matter by >90% of fallow at both locations, whereas weed dry matter in B. napus was not significantly different from fallow at either PD. Genotyping of overwintering canola/rapeseed under field conditions identified nine accessions that survived at both locations, which also had excellent freezing tolerance under controlled conditions. These accessions are good candidates for improving freezing tolerance in commercial canola cultivars.

Strong synergy between gold nanoparticles and cobalt porphyrin induces highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

The reaction efficiency of reactants near plasmonic nanostructures can be enhanced significantly because of plasmonic effects. Herein, we propose that the catalytic activity of molecular catalysts near plasmonic nanostructures may also be enhanced dramatically. Based on this proposal, we develop a highly efficient and stable photocatalytic system for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by compositing a molecular catalyst of cobalt porphyrin together with plasmonic gold nanoparticles, around which plasmonic effects of localized electromagnetic field, local heating, and enhanced hot carrier excitation exist. After optimization, the HER rate and turn-over frequency (TOF) reach 3.21 mol g-1 h-1 and 4650 h-1, respectively. In addition, the catalytic system remains stable after 45-hour catalytic cycles, and the system is catalytically stable after being illuminated for two weeks. The enhanced reaction efficiency is attributed to the excitation of localized surface plasmon resonance, particularly plasmon-generated hot carriers. These findings may pave a new and convenient way for developing plasmon-based photocatalysts with high efficiency and stability.

Effect of the Radial Velocity Distribution on the Loss Generation of a Contra-Rotating Fan in a Ventilation System.

Quantification of the loss generation of ducted contra-rotating fan (CRF) blades is difficult to achieve, since there are no guide vanes between rotors. A blade design program was established to investigate the relationship between radial velocity distribution and incurred loss. Numerical and experimental techniques were used to confirm the optimal configuration's overall performance. The relationship between loss and velocity distribution under the impact of spanwise load distribution was confirmed by the entropy contour from various perspectives. The appropriate radial velocity distribution can improve the operating efficiency of a CRF by reducing the entropy around the annulus under design and near-stall conditions. This regularity could provide some strategies in the design of contra-rotating blades.

Genome-wide association analyses of leaf rust resistance in cultivated emmer wheat.

KEY MESSAGE: Fifteen and eleven loci, with most loci being novel, were identified to associate with seedling and adult resistances, respectively, to the durum-specific races of leaf rust pathogen in cultivated emmer. Leaf rust, caused by Puccinia triticina (Pt), constantly threatens durum (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) production worldwide. A Pt race BBBQD detected in California in 2009 poses a potential threat to durum production in North America because resistance source to this race is rare in durum germplasm. To find new resistance sources, we assessed a panel of 180 cultivated emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum) accessions for seedling resistance to BBBQD and for adult resistance to a mixture of durum-specific races BBBQJ, CCMSS, and MCDSS in the field, and genotyped the panel using genotype-by-sequencing (GBS) and the 9 K SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) Infinium array. The results showed 24 and nine accessions consistently exhibited seedling and adult resistance, respectively, with two accessions providing resistance at both stages. We performed genome-wide association studies using 46,383 GBS and 4,331 9 K SNP markers and identified 15 quantitative trait loci (QTL) for seedling resistance located mostly on chromosomes 2B and 6B, and 11 QTL for adult resistance on 2B, 3B and 6A. Of these QTL, one might be associated with leaf rust resistance (Lr) gene Lr53, and two with the QTL previously reported in durum or hexaploid wheat. The remaining QTL are potentially associated with new Lr genes. Further linkage analysis and gene cloning are necessary to identify the causal genes underlying these QTL. The emmer accessions with high levels of resistance will be useful for developing mapping populations and adapted durum germplasm and varieties with resistance to the durum-specific races.

Novel Impregnation-Deposition Method to Synthesize a Presulfided MoS2/Al2O3 Catalyst and Its Application in Hydrodesulfurization.

A novel impregnation-deposition method was applied to prepare presulfided MoS2/Al2O3 catalysts with large surface areas for the application of hydrodesulfurization (HDS). The synthesized catalysts were characterized systematically, and their catalytic performances were evaluated by the HDS of dibenzothiophene (DBT). It is found that the impregnation-deposition method improves the surface area of the synthesized catalysts by eliminating the micropores of the alumina support and adding mesostructured MoS2 particles within the support. Moreover, this method enhances the reducibility of the sulfided Mo species, as characterized by temperature-programed reduction (TPR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Compared to the impregnation method, the impregnation-deposition method leads to the formation of more active sites as proved by TPR and CO-Fourier-transform infrared analyses. Hence, the reaction conversion rates and the hydrogenation/direct-desulfurization ratios of the DBT on the catalysts synthesized by the impregnation-deposition method are 1.3 times and 1.5 times as high as those of the catalysts made by the conventional impregnation method, respectively.

Mass Production of Sulfur-Tuned Single-Atom Catalysts for Zn-Air Batteries.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) show great potential for rechargeable Zn-air batteries (ZABs); however, scalable production of SACs from sustainable resources is difficult owing to poor control of the local coordination environment. Herein, lignosulfonate, a by-product of the papermaking industry, is utilized as a multifunctional bioligand for the mass production of SACs with highly active MN4 S sites (M represents Fe, Cu, and Co) via strong metalnitrogen/sulfur coordination. This effectively adjusts the charge distribution and promotes the catalytic performance, leading to highly durable and excellent performance in oxygen reduction and evolution reactions for ZABs. This study paves the way for the industrial production of cost-effective SACs in a sustainable manner.

Quantification and Proteomic Characterization of ß-Hydroxybutyrylation Modification in the Hearts of AMPKα2 Knockout Mice.

AMP-activated protein kinase alpha 2 (AMPKα2) regulates energy metabolism, protein synthesis, and glucolipid metabolism myocardial cells. Ketone bodies produced by fatty acid ß-oxidation, especially ß-hydroxybutyrate, are fatty energy-supplying substances for the heart, brain, and other organs during fasting and long-term exercise. They also regulate metabolic signaling for multiple cellular functions. Lysine ß-hydroxybutyrylation (Kbhb) is a ß-hydroxybutyrate-mediated protein posttranslational modification. Histone Kbhb has been identified in yeast, mouse, and human cells. However, whether AMPK regulates protein Kbhb is yet unclear. Hence, the present study explored the changes in proteomics and Kbhb modification omics in the hearts of AMPKα2 knockout mice using a comprehensive quantitative proteomic analysis. Based on mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, the number of 1181 Kbhb modified sites in 455 proteins were quantified between AMPKα2 knockout mice and wildtype mice; 244 Kbhb sites in 142 proteins decreased or increased after AMPKα2 knockout (fold change >1.5 or <1/1.5, p < 0.05). The regulation of Kbhb sites in 26 key enzymes of fatty acid degradation and tricarboxylic acid cycle was noted in AMPKα2 knockout mouse cardiomyocytes. These findings, for the first time, identified proteomic features and Kbhb modification of cardiomyocytes after AMPKα2 knockout, suggesting that AMPKα2 regulates energy metabolism by modifying protein Kbhb.