Functional characterisation of BnaA02.TOP1α and BnaC02.TOP1α involved in true leaf biomass accumulation in Brassica napus L.

Leaves, as primary photosynthetic organs essential for high crop yield and quality, have attracted significant attention. The functions of DNA topoisomerase 1α (TOP1α) in various biological processes, including leaf development, in Brassica napus remain unknown. Here, four paralogs of BnaTOP1α, namely BnaA01.TOP1α, BnaA02.TOP1α, BnaC01.TOP1α and BnaC02.TOP1α, were identified and cloned in the B. napus inbred line 'K407'. Expression pattern analysis revealed that BnaA02.TOP1α and BnaC02.TOP1α, but not BnaA01.TOP1α and BnaC01.TOP1α, were persistently and highly expressed in B. napus true leaves. Preliminary analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana revealed that BnaA02.TOP1α and BnaC02.TOP1α paralogs, but not BnaA01.TOP1α and BnaC01.TOP1α, performed biological functions. Targeted mutations of four BnaTOP1α paralogs in B. napus using the CRISPR-Cas9 system revealed that BnaA02.TOP1α and BnaC02.TOP1α served as functional paralogs and redundantly promoted true leaf number and size, thereby promoting true leaf biomass accumulation. Moreover, BnaA02.TOP1α modulated the levels of endogenous gibberellins, cytokinins and auxins by indirectly regulating several genes related to their metabolism processes. BnaA02.TOP1α directly activated BnaA03.CCS52A2 and BnaC09.AN3 by facilitating the recruitment of RNA polymerase II and modulating H3K27me3, H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 levels at these loci and indirectly activated the BnaA08.PARL1 expression, thereby positively controlling the true leaf size in B. napus. Additionally, BnaA02.TOP1α indirectly activated the BnaA07.PIN1 expression to positively regulate the true leaf number. These results reveal the important functions of BnaTOP1α and provide insights into the regulatory network controlling true leaf biomass accumulation in B. napus.

Transcription factor DIVARICATA1 positively modulates seed germination in response to salinity stress.

Seed germination is a critical checkpoint for plant growth under unfavorable environmental conditions. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA) signaling pathways play important roles in modulating seed germination. However, the molecular links between salinity stress and ABA/GA signaling are not well understood. Herein, we showed that the expression of DIVARICATA1 (DIV1), which encodes a MYB-like transcription factor, was induced by GA and repressed by ABA, salinity, and osmotic stress in germinating seeds. DIV1 positively regulated seed germination in response to salinity stress by directly regulating the expression of DELAY OF GERMINATION 1-LIKE 3 (DOGL3) and GA-STIMULATED ARABIDOPSIS 4 (GASA4) and indirectly regulating the expression of several germination-associated genes. Moreover, NUCLEAR FACTOR-YC9 (NF-YC9) directly repressed the expression of DIV1 in germinating seeds in response to salinity stress. These results help reveal the function of the NF-YC9-DIV1 module and provide insights into the regulation of ABA and GA signaling in response to salinity stress during seed germination in Arabidopsis.

Achieving Ultra-Long Cycle Life of Zn Anode Using ZnSn(OH)6 Coating Layer via Desolvation Effect and Uniform Zn2+ Flux.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are considered as a promising energy storage system because of good safety, low cost, abundant resources, and environmental friendliness. However, the bottlenecks including dendrite growth, hydrogen evolution, and corrosion seriously limit their practical application. Herein, a novel ZnSn(OH)6 coating layer with rich hydroxyl groups is employed to achieve highly stable Zn anode. The hydroxyl groups can feasibly interact with H2O molecules, contributing to the desolvation of hydrated Zn2+ and the inhibition of side reactions on Zn anode surface. Furthermore, according to the DFT calculation, the adsorption energy of Zn2+ among various sites on the surface of ZnSn(OH)6 coating layer is relatively large, which helps the uniform distribution of Zn2+ flux and the prevention of dendrite growth. Consequently, the ZnSn(OH)6@Zn anode delivers ultra-long cycle life (6770 h), low polarization voltage (27 mV), and high Coulombic efficiency (99.2% over 800 cycles) at 1 mA cm-2, 1 mAh cm-2. Besides, the assembled NaV3O8·xH2O//ZnSn(OH)6@Zn full cell can operate stably for 1500 cycles at 2 A g-1 with a high specific capacity of 144.9 mAh g-1, demonstrating an excellent application potential. This simple and effective coating layer with high electrochemical performance provides an appealing strategy for the development of rechargeable AZIBs.

The MYB59 transcription factor negatively regulates salicylic acid- and jasmonic acid-mediated leaf senescence.

Leaf senescence is the final stage of leaf development and is affected by various exogenous and endogenous factors. Transcriptional regulation is essential for leaf senescence, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear. In this study, we report that the transcription factor MYB59, which was predominantly expressed in early senescent rosette leaves, negatively regulates leaf senescence in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). RNA sequencing revealed a large number of differentially expressed genes involved in several senescence-related biological processes in myb59-1 rosette leaves. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and transient dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that MYB59 directly repressed the expression of SENESCENCE ASSOCIATED GENE 18 and indirectly inhibited the expression of several other senescence-associated genes to delay leaf senescence. Moreover, MYB59 was induced by salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA). MYB59 inhibited SA production by directly repressing the expression of ISOCHORISMATE SYNTHASE 1 and PHENYLALANINE AMMONIA-LYASE 2 and restrained JA biosynthesis by directly suppressing the expression of LIPOXYGENASE 2, thus forming two negative feedback regulatory loops with SA and JA and ultimately delaying leaf senescence. These results help us understand the novel function of MYB59 and provide insights into the regulatory network controlling leaf senescence in Arabidopsis.

Involvement of Scratch2 in GalR1-mediated depression-like behaviors in the rat ventral periaqueductal gray.

Galanin receptor1 (GalR1) transcript levels are elevated in the rat ventral periaqueductal gray (vPAG) after chronic mild stress (CMS) and are related to depression-like behavior. To explore the mechanisms underlying the elevated GalR1 expression, we carried out molecular biological experiments in vitro and in animal behavioral experiments in vivo. It was found that a restricted upstream region of the GalR1 gene, from -250 to -220, harbors an E-box and plays a negative role in the GalR1 promoter activity. The transcription factor Scratch2 bound to the E-box to down-regulate GalR1 promoter activity and lower expression levels of the GalR1 gene. The expression of Scratch2 was significantly decreased in the vPAG of CMS rats. Importantly, local knockdown of Scratch2 in the vPAG caused elevated expression of GalR1 in the same region, as well as depression-like behaviors. RNAscope analysis revealed that GalR1 mRNA is expressed together with Scratch2 in both GABA and glutamate neurons. Taking these data together, our study further supports the involvement of GalR1 in mood control and suggests a role for Scratch2 as a regulator of depression-like behavior by repressing the GalR1 gene in the vPAG.

Genome-Wide Analysis of Aquaporins Gene Family in Populus euphratica and Its Expression Patterns in Response to Drought, Salt Stress, and Phytohormones.

Aquaporins (AQPs) play an essential role in membrane water transport during plant responses to water stresses centered on conventional upstream signals. Phytohormones (PHs) regulate plant growth and yield, working with transcription factors to help plants withstand environmental challenges and regulate physiological and chemical processes. The AQP gene family is important, so researchers have studied its function and regulatory system in numerous species. Yet, there is a critical gap the understanding of many of their molecular features, thus our full knowledge of AQPs is far-off. In this study, we undertook a broad examination of the AQP family gene in Populus euphratica via bioinformatics tools and analyzed the expression patterns of certain members in response to drought, salt, and hormone stress. A total of 22 AQP genes were examined in P. euphratica, and were categorized into four main groups, including TIPs, PIPs, SIPs, and NIPs based on phylogenetic analysis. Comparable exon-intron gene structures were found by gene structure examination, and similarities in motif number and pattern within the same subgroup was determined by motif analysis. The PeuAQP gene family has numerous duplications, and there is a distinct disparity in how the members of the PeuAQP family react to post-translational modifications. Abiotic stress and hormone responses may be mediated by AQPs, as indicated by the abundance of stress response elements found in 22 AQP genes, as revealed by the promoter's cis-elements prediction. Expression pattern analysis reveals that selected six AQP genes from the PIP subgroup were all expressed in the leaves, stem, and roots with varying expression levels. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis discovered that the majority of the selected AQP members were up- or down-regulated in response to hormone treatment and abiotic stress. Remarkably, PeuAQP14 and PeuAQP15 appeared to be highly responsive to drought stress and PeuAQP15 exhibited a high response to salt stress. The foliar application of the phytohormones (SA, IAA, GA3, MeJA, and ABA) were found to either activate or inhibit PeuAQP, suggesting that they may mitigate the effects of water shortage of poplar water stress. The present work enhances our knowledge of the practical roles of AQPs in stress reactions and offers fundamental information for the AQP genes in poplar species. It also highlights a direction for producing new varieties of poplar species with drought, salt, and hormone tolerance and holds substantial scientific and ecological importance, offering a potential contribution to the conservation of poplar species in arid regions.

The dominant influencing factors of desertification and ecological risk changes in Qinghai Area of Qilian Mountains National Park: Climate change or human activity?

Transitional features of desert environments partially determine the risks associated with ecosystems. Influenced by climate change and human activities, the variability and uncertainty of desertification levels and ecological risks in the Qinghai Area of Qilian Mountain National Park (QMNPQA) has become increasingly prominent. As a critical ecological barrier in northwest China, monitoring desertification dynamics and ecological risks is crucial for maintaining ecosystem stability. This study identifies the optimal monitoring model from four constructed desertification monitoring models and analyzes spatiotemporal changes in desertification. The spatial and temporal changes in ecological risks and their primary driving factors were analyzed using methods such as raster overlay calculation, geographic detector, cloud model, and trend analysis. The main conclusions are as follows: The desertification feature spatial model based on GNDVI-Albedo demonstrates better applicability in the study area, with an inversion accuracy of 81.24%. The levels of desertification and ecological risks in QMNPQA exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity, with a gradual decrease observed from northwest to southeast. From 2000 to 2020, there is an overall decreasing trend in desertification levels and ecological risks, with the decreasing trend area accounting for 89.82% and 85.71% respectively, mainly concentrated in the southeastern and northwestern parts of the study area. The proportion of areas with increasing trends is 4.49% and 7.05% respectively, scattered in patches in the central and southern edge areas. Surface temperature (ST), Digital Elevation Map (DEM), and Green normalized difference vegetation index (GNDVI) are the most influential factors determining the spatial distribution of ecological risks in QMNPQA. The effects of management and climatic factors on ecological risks demonstrate a significant antagonistic effect, highlighting the positive contributions of human activities in mitigating the driving effects of climate change on ecological risks. The research results can provide reference for desertification prevention and ecological quality improvement in QMNPQA.

Antagonistic MADS-box transcription factors SEEDSTICK and SEPALLATA3 form a transcriptional regulatory network that regulates seed oil accumulation.

Transcriptional regulation is essential for balancing multiple metabolic pathways that influence oil accumulation in seeds. Thus far, the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that govern seed oil accumulation remain largely unknown. Here, we identified the transcriptional regulatory network composed of MADS-box transcription factors SEEDSTICK (STK) and SEPALLATA3 (SEP3), which bridges several key genes to regulate oil accumulation in seeds. We found that STK, highly expressed in the developing embryo, positively regulates seed oil accumulation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Furthermore, we discovered that SEP3 physically interacts with STK in vivo and in vitro. Seed oil content is increased by the SEP3 mutation, while it is decreased by SEP3 overexpression. The chromatin immunoprecipitation, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and transient dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that STK positively regulates seed oil accumulation by directly repressing the expression of MYB5, SEP3, and SEED FATTY ACID REDUCER 4 (SFAR4). Moreover, genetic and molecular analyses demonstrated that STK and SEP3 antagonistically regulate seed oil production and that SEP3 weakens the binding ability of STK to MYB5, SEP3, and SFAR4. Additionally, we demonstrated that TRANSPARENT TESTA 8 (TT8) and ACYL-ACYL CARRIER PROTEIN DESATURASE 3 (AAD3) are direct targets of MYB5 during seed oil accumulation in Arabidopsis. Together, our findings provide the transcriptional regulatory network antagonistically orchestrated by STK and SEP3, which fine tunes oil accumulation in seeds.

Demographics, pattern of practice and clinical outcomes in rectal squamous cell carcinoma.

AIM: The aim of this study was to describe the baseline clinical features, treatment patterns and outcomes in rectal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHOD: This is a retrospective study of patients with rectal SCC treated at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (Toronto, Canada) between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 2020. Clinical factors associated with locoregional failure (LRF), distant metastases (DM), disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), such as age, sex, HIV status, T-category, nodal status, grade and primary treatment, were investigated with univariate analysis (UVA). RESULTS: Twenty nine patients with rectal SCC were analysed with a median follow-up of 7.4 years (range 0.3-20.4 years). The median age at diagnosis was 52 years, with the majority presenting with clinical T3 disease or higher (n = 21, 72%) and positive regional lymph nodes (n = 16, 55%), while more than quarter of patients (28%) had metastatic disease. Definitive chemoradiation was the treatment modality of choice in more than half of all cases (n = 17, 59%) with a response rate of 100%. The 10-year cumulative incidence of LRF and DM was, respectively, 12% (95% CI 1.8%-32.9%) and 31% (95% CI: 12.0%-52.6%). The 5- and 10-year OS was 82% (95% CI 66.1%-100%). UVA revealed a trend towards an association of male gender (hazard ratio = 4.65, 95% CI 0.9%-24.1; p = 0.067) and primary surgical treatment (hazard ratio = 0.76, 95% CI 0.09-6.34; p = 0.061) with DFS. CONCLUSION: Definitive chemoradiation is an effective and preferred treatment for rectal SCC allowing for sphincter preservation with complete clinical response observed in all patients.

Genome-Wide Identification of PAP1 Direct Targets in Regulating Seed Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis.

Anthocyanins are widespread water-soluble pigments in the plant kingdom. Anthocyanin accumulation is activated by the MYB-bHLH-WD40 (MBW) protein complex. In Arabidopsis, the R2R3-MYB transcription factor PAP1 activates anthocyanin biosynthesis. While prior research primarily focused on seedlings, seeds received limited attention. This study explores PAP1's genome-wide target genes in anthocyanin biosynthesis in seeds. Our findings confirm that PAP1 is a positive regulator of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis seeds. PAP1 significantly increased anthocyanin content in developing and mature seeds in Arabidopsis. Transcriptome analysis at 12 days after pollination reveals the upregulation of numerous genes involved in anthocyanin accumulation in 35S:PAP1 developing seeds. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase reporter assays demonstrate PAP1's direct promotion of ten key genes and indirect upregulation of TT8, TTG1, and eight key genes during seed maturation, thus enhancing seed anthocyanin accumulation. These findings enhance our understanding of PAP1's novel role in regulating anthocyanin accumulation in Arabidopsis seeds.

Enolase2 regulates seed fatty acid accumulation via mediating carbon partitioning in Arabidopsis thaliana.

In many higher plants, fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis is coordinately regulated at multiple levels by intricate regulatory networks. However, the factors and their regulatory mechanisms underlying seed oil accumulation are still limited. Here, we identified that loss of glycolytic metalloenzyme enolase2 (AtENO2) activity increased the contents of total FAs and salicylic acid (SA) but reduced the accumulation of flavonoids and mucilage by regulating the expression of key genes involved in their biosynthesis pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana seeds. AtENO2 physically interacts with the transcription factor AtTGA5, which may participate in the regulation of SA levels. Non-targeted metabolomics analysis of eno2- and WT also showed that the levels of three flavonoids, quercetin-3-galactoside, quercitrin, and epicatechin, were significantly decreased in eno2- , and the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway was also enriched in the KEGG analysis. Meanwhile, the mutation of AtENO2 delayed silique ripening, thereby prolonging silique photosynthesis time, allowing siliques to generate more photosynthesis products for FA biosynthesis. These results reveal a molecular mechanism by AtENO2 to regulate seed oil accumulation in A. thaliana, providing potential targets for improving crop seed oil quality.

Clinical characteristics of reflux esophagitis among patients with liver cirrhosis: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Reflux esophagitis (RE) can cause esophageal varices bleeding and largely reduce life quality of liver cirrhosis (LC) patients. AIMS: To clarify the prevalence, severity and risk factors of RE among LC patients. METHODS: A case-control study that enrolled 420 endoscopy-confirmed LC patients with RE as a case cohort and 409 LC patients without RE as a control group was conducted. Logistic regression was used to determine the risk factors for RE among LC patients. RESULTS: The 10-year cumulative incidence rate of RE was 4.79% among the LC patients. The severity of RE among the LC patients was higher than that among the non-LC patients (p<.05). The LC patients with RE patients were older (56 years vs. 53 years) and had higher rates of male patients (77.14% vs. 65.77%), smoking (46.90% vs. 32.76%), alcohol intake (50.24% vs. 41.08%), past endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) (9.05% vs. 4.65%), endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) (16.19% vs. 2.69%), hiatus hernia (7.14% vs. 0.13%) and portal vein thrombosis (PVT) (14.05% vs. 4.01%). Logistic regression demonstrated that hiatus hernia, past EIS, PVT, smoking, white blood cell count, age, spleen thickness and platelet (PLT) count were risk factors for RE among the LC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with LC tended to have severer RE than non-LC patients. The special risk factors of RE among LC patients included past EIS and PVT, which deserved extra attention for hepatologists as well as gastroenterologists to prevent.

Effect of Overexpression of γ-Tocopherol Methyltransferase on α-Tocopherol and Fatty Acid Accumulation and Tolerance to Salt Stress during Seed Germination in Brassica napus L.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an important oil crop and a major source of tocopherols, also known as vitamin E, in human nutrition. Enhancing the quality and composition of fatty acids (FAs) and tocopherols in seeds has long been a target for rapeseed breeding. The gene γ-Tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) encodes an enzyme catalysing the conversion of γ-tocopherol to α-tocopherol, which has the highest biological activity. However, the genetic basis of γ-TMT in B. napus seeds remains unclear. In the present study, BnaC02.TMT.a, one paralogue of Brassica napus γ-TMT, was isolated from the B. napus cultivar "Zhongshuang11" by nested PCR, and two homozygous transgenic overexpression lines were further characterised. Our results demonstrated that the overexpression of BnaC02.TMT.a mediated an increase in the α- and total tocopherol content in transgenic B. napus seeds. Interestingly, the FA composition was also altered in the transgenic plants; a reduction in the levels of oleic acid and an increase in the levels of linoleic acid and linolenic acid were observed. Consistently, BnaC02.TMT.a promoted the expression of BnFAD2 and BnFAD3, which are involved in the biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids during seed development. In addition, BnaC02.TMT.a enhanced the tolerance to salt stress by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) during seed germination in B. napus. Our results suggest that BnaC02.TMT.a could affect the tocopherol content and FA composition and play a positive role in regulating the rapeseed response to salt stress by modulating the ROS scavenging system. This study broadens our understanding of the function of the Bnγ-TMT gene and provides a novel strategy for genetic engineering in rapeseed breeding.

Morphologic reproducibility in 6 regions of the 3-dimensional facial models acquired by a standardized procedure: An in vivo study.

INTRODUCTION: A standardized procedure was proposed to control involuntary motion and other factors during the capture of structural light scanning that could influence the morphology of 3-dimensional facial models; interoperator reproducibility was evaluated. METHODS: Twenty subjects volunteered for facial scanning. Three researchers scanned each volunteer 3 times on the same day using the FaceScan structural light scanning system (Isravision, Darmstadt, Germany) and after the proposed procedure. Captures were done at 5-minute intervals. The 3 facial scans acquired by the same researcher were compared by reverse engineering software (Geomagic; 3D Systems, Rock Hill, SC). Six facial regions, including forehead, nose, paranasal, upper lip, lower lip and chin, and cheek, were divided. With the first scan as a reference, the other 2 scans were registered, and surface-to-surface distance maps were acquired to calculate the mean, standard deviation, and root mean squares (RMS) between 2 surfaces. The reproducibility between 3 researchers was then evaluated by a 1-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: The mean of 6 facial regions was close to 0. The RMS of lip regions were largest (0.48-0.53 mm), the forehead was smallest (0.21 mm), and the others ranged 0.37 mm to 0.42 mm. The standard deviation was slightly smaller than RMS and had the same trend of change. There was no significant difference in RMS among the 3 researchers (P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: With the constraint of the standardized procedure, the morphologic reproducibility of facial models in 6 regions was satisfying.

Balanced strength-toughness, thermal conductivity and self-cleaning properties of PMMA composites enabled by terpolymer grafted carbon nanotube.

Achieving a balanced strength-toughness in polymer composites is a challenge largely because of poor interfacial interaction between the fillers and matrix. Here, we report that terpolymer grafted multi-wall carbon nanotubes (Ter-CNT) imparted good dispersion of CNT in matrix and strong CNT-matrix interaction. With the addition of 2 vol% filler into polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) matrix, the composite exhibited simultaneously a balanced strength-toughness property with flexural strength of 72.3 MPa, toughness of 10.1 MJ m-3, which increased by 40.1% and 578% compared with those of pure PMMA. In addition, the composite also shows a high static contact angle (110.3°), and thermal conductivity (0.50 Wm K-1), which endow the composite with good self-cleaning and thermal management capabilities. Thus, this preparation process shows guidance for the design of polymer composite with integrated high strength-toughness, thermal conductivity and good self-cleaning.

Regulatory Mechanisms of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Apple and Pear.

Anthocyanins contribute to the quality and flavour of fruits. They are produced through the phenylpropanoid pathway, which is regulated by specific key genes that have been identified in many species. The dominant anthocyanin forms are reversibly transformed at different pH states, thus forming different colours in aqueous solutions. In plants, anthocyanins are controlled by specific factors of the biosynthetic pathway: light, temperature, phytohormones and transcription factors. Although great progress in research on anthocyanin structures and the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis has been made, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of anthocyanin biosynthesis in different plants remain less clear. In addition, the co-regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis is poorly understood. In this review, we summarise previous findings on anthocyanin biosynthesis, including the biochemical and biological features of anthocyanins; differences in anthocyanin biosynthesis among fruit species, i.e., apple, red pear, and the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana; and the developmental and environmental regulation of anthocyanin accumulation. This review reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis in different plant species and provides valuable information for the development of anthocyanin-rich red-skinned and red-fleshed apple and pear varieties.

The pip1s Quintuple Mutants Demonstrate the Essential Roles of PIP1s in the Plant Growth and Development of Arabidopsis.

Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) transport water, CO2 and small neutral solutes across the plasma membranes. In this study, we used the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein 9 system (CRISPR/Cas9) to mutate PIP1;4 and PIP1;5 in a pip1;1,2,3 triple mutant to generate a pip1;1,2,3,4,5 (pip1s-) quintuple mutant. Compared to the wild-type (WT) plant, the pip1s- mutants had smaller sized rosette leaves and flowers, less rosette leaf number, more undeveloped siliques, shorter silique and less seeds. The pollen germination rate of the pip1s- mutant was significantly lower than that of the WT and the outer wall of the pip1s- mutant's pollen was deformed. The transcriptomic analysis showed significant alterations in the expression of many key genes and transcription factors (TFs) in the pip1s- mutant which involved in the development of leaf, flower and pollen, suggesting that the mutant of PIP1s not only directly affects hydraulics and carbon fixation, but also regulates the expression of related genes to affect plant growth and development.

Comparison of mandibular cross-sectional morphology between Class I and Class II subjects with different vertical patterns: based on CBCT images and statistical shape analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study is aimed to (1) investigate the influence of sagittal and vertical patterns on mandibular cross-sectional morphology and to (2) provide visualized mandibular cross-sectional morphology in different groups with General Procrustes Analysis (GPA), canonical variance analysis (CVA) and discriminant function analysis (DFA). METHODS: 324 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were collected to analyze mandibular cross-sectional morphology and were categorized into 12 groups according to sagittal and vertical pattern and gender. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the difference among the groups. Thirty equidistant points were marked along the contour of mandibular cross-section and GPA, CVA and DFA were applied. RESULTS: (1) Mandibular height in hyperdivergent groups was significantly higher than that in normodivergent and hypodivergent groups (P < 0.05). (2) Hypodivergent groups showed significantly wider upper third of mandibular width from symphysis to molar region than that in hyperdivergent group (P < 0.05), except for the premolar and molar regions in male groups (P > 0.05). (3) Class II hyperdivergent group showed narrowest lower third width in the molar region, with the mean value of 12.03 mm in females and 11.98 mm in males. (4) For males and females, the ratio between height and lower third width at symphysis was significantly higher in Class II hyperdivergent group than that in Class I hyperdivergent group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: (1) The influence of vertical facial patterns on mandibular cross-sectional morphology is more obvious than that of sagittal skeletal pattern. (2) Subjects with increased vertical dimension presented with a remarkable "slimer" mandibular cross-sectional morphology at symphysis. (3) A deeper curve along the anterior contour of symphysis in Class II hyperdivergent group was noted with GPA.

Biological functions of Arabidopsis thaliana MBP-1-like protein encoded by ENO2 in the response to drought and salt stresses.

Arabidopsis thaliana ENO2 (AtENO2) plays an important role in plant growth and development. It encodes two proteins, a full-length AtENO2 and a truncated version, AtMBP-1, alternatively translated from the second start codon of the mRNA. The AtENO2 mutant (eno2- ) exhibited reduced leaf size, shortened siliques, a dwarf phenotype and higher sensitivity to abiotic stress. The objectives of this study were to analyze the regulatory network of the ENO2 gene in plant growth development and understand the function of AtENO2/AtMBP-1 to abiotic stresses. An eno2- /35S:AtENO2-GFP line and an eno2- /35S:AtMBP-1-GFP line of Arabidopsis were obtained. Results of sequencing by 454 GS FLX identified 578 upregulated and 720 downregulated differential expressed genes (DEGs) in a pairwise comparison (WT-VS-eno2- ). All the high-quality reads were annotated using the Gene Ontology (GO) terms. The DEGs with KEGG pathway annotations occurred in 110 pathways. The metabolic pathways and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites contained more DEGs. Moreover, the eno2- /35S:AtENO2-GFP line returned to the wild-type (WT) phenotype and was tolerant to drought and salt stresses. However, the eno2- /35S:AtMBP-1-GFP line was not able to recover the WT phenotype but it has a higher tolerance to drought and salt stresses. Results from this study demonstrate that AtENO2 is critical for the growth and development, and the AtMBP-1 coded by AtENO2 is important in tolerance of Arabidopsis to abiotic stresses.