Integrative analysis of metabolome and transcriptome reveals the improvements of seed quality in vegetable soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.).

Vegetable soybean is derived from grain soybean. Seeds of vegetable soybean are bigger, sweeter, and have smoother texture and better flavor than those of grain soybean. To better understand the improvements of seed quality in vegetable soybean, comparative metabolome and transcriptome analyses were performed in the developing seeds between grain (Williams 82) and vegetable (Jiaoda 133) soybeans. A total of 299 differential metabolites were identified between two genotypes, with an increase in free amino acids, carbohydrates, sterols, and flavonoids and a decrease in fatty acid in vegetable soybean. Thousands of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by transcriptome analysis. DEGs were used for weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), yielding 16 co-expression modules. The expression patterns of DEGs within these modules were distinct between two genotypes. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that metabolic pathways, including alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, fatty acid degradation, starch and sucrose metabolism, sucrose transport, and flavonoid biosynthesis, were up-regulated, whereas photosynthesis, arginine biosynthesis, arginine and proline metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and fatty acid biosynthesis were down-regulated in vegetable soybean. Reasonably, the alterations of metabolic pathways corresponding to DEGs partly explained the formation of differential metabolites. These findings provide a better understanding of seed development and breeding improvements of vegetable soybean.

TMT-based quantitative proteomics analyses of sterile/fertile anthers from a genic male-sterile line and its maintainer in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

Genetic male sterility (GMS) in cotton is important for utilization of heterosis. However, the molecular mechanism of GMS is poorly known. In this study, cytological and proteomics analyses of anthers were conducted in three stages (stage 3 to 5) between GMS line (GA18) and its maintainer (GA18M). The cross-section observation revealed that the tapetal layer in stage 3 was thinner in GA18 compared to GA18M, and the tapetum cells did not degrade in stage 4 in GA18, thus providing no material for microspore development. A total of 1952 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified between GA18 and GA18M anthers. They were annotated to 52 gene ontology (GO) terms and enriched in 115 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, which formed several complex regulator networks, and dozens of important nodes were identified. Moreover, DEPs were also identified between two consecutive stages of GA18 and GA18M, with functional analyses indicating that numerous developmental differences existed between fertile and sterile anthers. The metabolic pathways were significantly altered, including decreased carbohydrate metabolism, ribosome defects, disturbed protein synthesis, disrupted flavonoids synthesis, etc., that may be involved in male sterility. Overall, these results provide genetic resources that help decipher the molecular mechanisms behind GMS. SIGNIFICANCE: Male sterility is a common phenomenon in flowering plant species, and plays a role in the application of heterosis. However, the molecular mechanism of it remains to be elucidated. Using cytological and proteomics approaches, we found that the tapetal layer development retardation may be the reason of male sterility, which was different from the delayed degradation described in previous studies. More than one thousand differentially expressed proteins were identified between male sterile line and its maintainer, forming a complex regulatory network, and the key nodes were remarked that could be used as candidate proteins related to male sterility in future study. Dozens of metabolic pathways were significantly altered, among them, ribosome defects was a novel pathway that may be involved in male sterility. These results enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanism governing male sterility and lay a foundation for clone of genes association with male sterility.

[Influence of drought on leaf photosynthetic capacity and root growth of soybeans at grain filling stage].

A drought-resistant soybean cultivar Jinda 70 and a drought-sensitive soybean cultivar Jindou 26 were taken as test materials. At the grain filling stage, the cultivars were subject to three water treatments including sufficient water supply, light drought stress, and severe drought stress by using pot experiments for research on influence of drought on leaf photosynthetic capacity and root growth of soybeans. The results showed that as the degree of drought stress was aggravated, all of the indices including leaf area, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rates (Pn), stomatal conductance (g(s)), transpiration rate (Tr), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), plant mass, plant height, seed yield, and harvest index in the two cultivars declined. The root length and root mass increased under light drought stress, and decreased under severe drought stress. Root-shoot ratio ascended as the degree of drought stress was aggravated. Under severe drought stress, the increase of root-shoot ratio of the drought-resistant soybean cultivar Jinda 70 was up to 135.7%, which was higher than the that (116.7%) of the drought-sensitive soybean cultivar Jindou 26. Simultaneously, leaf area and chlorophyll content in Jinda 70 were respectively 69.3% and 85.5% of those in the control, which were better than those of Jindou 26. g(s) and Pn of Jinda 70 respectively declined 67.9% and 77.9%, but still lower than those of Jindou 26. Therefore, the decline range of harvest index of Jinda 70 was 43.8%, which was lower than the range of 78.8% of Jindou 26. The Biplot revealed that under different dry treatments, there were significant positive correlations among the six indexes including leaf area, chlorophyll content, Pn, g(s), Tr, and Ci of the two cultivars. There were also significant positive correlations among the six indices including plant mass, plant height, root length, root mass, seed yield, and harvest index. Root-shoot ratio only had significant positive correlation with root mass and had significant negative correlations with other five indices.

Sparsomycin-linezolid conjugates can promote ribosomal translocation.

Sparsomycin is an antibiotic that targets the peptidyl transferase center of the ribosome and has the ability to promote ribosomal translocation in the absence of EF-G and GTP. Here we show that changes in the configurations at the two chiral centers of sparsomycin, especially at the chiral carbon, can greatly affect its capability to promote ribosomal translocation. More importantly, the incorporation of the pseudo-uracil moiety of sparsomycin into linezolid through a covalent linkage conferred on linezolid derivatives the ability to promote translocation, thus indicating the importance of interactions between this pseudo-uracil moiety, rRNA, and tRNA for promoting translocation. In addition, these translocation promoters can also effectively inhibit spontaneous reverse translocation; this suggests that they might promote forward translocation by trapping the ribosome in the post-translocation state and shifting the equilibrium between the pre- and post-translocation ribosome in the forward direction.