VPS26 Moonlights as a ß-Arrestin-like Adapter for a 7-Transmembrane RGS Protein in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Extracellular signals perceived by 7-transmembrane (7TM)-spanning receptors initiate desensitization that involves the removal of these receptors from the plasma membrane. Agonist binding often evokes phosphorylation in the flexible C-terminal region and/or intracellular loop 3 of many 7TM G-protein-coupled receptors in animal cells, which consequently recruits a cytoplasmic intermediate adaptor, ß-arrestin, resulting in clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) and downstream signaling such as transcriptional changes. Some 7TM receptors undergo CME without recruiting ß-arrestin, but it is not clear how. Arrestins are not encoded in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, yet Arabidopsis cells have a well-characterized signal-induced CME of a 7TM protein, designated Regulator of G Signaling 1 (AtRGS1). Here we show that a component of the retromer complex, Vacuolar Protein Sorting-Associated 26 (VPS26), binds the phosphorylated C-terminal region of AtRGS1 as a VPS26A/B heterodimer to form a complex that is required for downstream signaling. We propose that VPS26 moonlights as an arrestin-like adaptor in the CME of AtRGS1.

Flexible wafer-scale bifunctional metasurface based on nanoimprinting.

Metasurfaces have demonstrated remarkable capabilities in manipulating light fields across diverse applications. However, current research tends to examine these functionalities in isolation, prompting a growing interest in integrating different functionalities within a singular metasurface device. In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a bifunctional metasurface capable of providing concealment and sensing functions simultaneously. Specifically, the proposed nanostructure effectively operates as a one-way mirror, exhibiting an average reflection rate of approximately 90% under external illumination, alongside an absorption rate of 87.9% from the opposite direction of incidence. This functionality renders it suitable for privacy-enhancing building windows. Meanwhile, this nanostructure also integrates liquid sensing capabilities boasting a sensitivity of 464 nm/RIU, which is particularly valuable for monitoring liquid-based corrosion. The experimental performance of the prepared 6-inch nanohole-patterned metasurface closely aligns with the simulations, and the utilization of flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, coupled with nanoimprint lithography technology, enables a direct and cost-effective manufacturing process that can be scaled up for widespread applications.

Types of vegetables shape composition, diversity, and co-occurrence networks of soil bacteria and fungi in karst areas of southwest China.

BACKGROUND: Microorganisms are of significant importance in soil. Yet their association with specific vegetable types remains poorly comprehended. This study investigates the composition of bacterial and fungal communities in soil by employing high-throughput sequencing of 16 S rRNA genes and ITS rRNA genes while considering the cultivation of diverse vegetable varieties. RESULTS: The findings indicate that the presence of cultivated vegetables influenced the bacterial and fungal communities leading to discernible alterations when compared to uncultivated soil. In particular, the soil of leafy vegetables (such as cabbage and kale) exhibited higher bacterial α-diversity than melon and fruit vegetable (such as cucumber and tomato), while fungal α-diversity showed an inverse pattern. The prevailing bacterial phyla in both leafy vegetable and melon and fruit vegetable soils were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, Actinobacteriota, and Chloroflexi. In leafy vegetable soil, dominant fungal phyla included Ascomycota, Olpidiomycota, Mortierellomycota, and Basidiomycota whereas in melon and fruit vegetable soil. Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, Basidiomycota, and Rozellomycota held prominence. Notably, the relative abundance of Ascomycota was lower in leafy vegetable soil compared to melon and fruit vegetable soil. Moreover, leafy vegetable soil exhibited a more complex and stable co-occurrence network in comparison to melon and fruit vegetable soil. CONCLUSION: The findings enhance our understanding of how cultivated soil bacteria and fungi respond to human disturbance, thereby providing a valuable theoretical basis for soil health in degraded karst areas of southwest China.

Long-infrared dual-wavelength linear-polarization-multiplexed confocal metalens based on an all-silicon dielectric.

The metalens has vast applications in biomedicine and industrial manufacturing due to their ultrathin structure and vital ability to manipulate the properties of light waves for long-infrared systems. However, it is difficult for metalens to achieve the confocal function with high focusing efficiency, wide wavelength bandwidth, and low structural complexity. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate an all-silicon dielectric metalens composed of arrays of minimalist meta-atoms with a single rectangular nanopillar arranged on a periodic square lattice substrate, which realizes the confocal function of the orthogonal-linear-polarized light with wavelengths of 10.6 µm and 9.3 µm, with focusing efficiencies of 64.94% and 60.03%, respectively. Also, it reveals nearly the diffraction-limited focusing performance. In addition, the metalens can realize precise long-infrared thermal imaging. Moreover, the proposed metalens is compatible with the standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor processes, which can effectively reduce the manufacturing cost and provide a feasible solution for developing planar integrated multifunctional micro-nanophotonic devices in the long-infrared field.

Inhibitory effect of resveratrol on swimming motility and adhesion ability against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. typhimurium) is a common Gram-negative foodborne pathogen that threatens public health and hinders the development of livestock industry. Resveratrol, an important component in grape fruits and seeds, has been shown to possess multiple biological activities, but its potential effects on S. typhimurium-mediated virulence have been rarely reported. In this study, we investigated the effect of resveratrol on S. typhimurium flagella -mediated virulence. The results showed that resveratrol significantly reduced the transcription of flagella genes and swimming motility of S. typhimurium, and also inhibited the transcription of T3SS-related virulence genes with varying degrees inhibiting bacterial growth. Simultaneously, resveratrol significantly reduced the adhesion of S. typhimurium to HeLa cells. Unfortunately, resveratrol does not improve the survival rate of S. typhimurium-infected mice, but it reduces the bacterial load in the liver and spleen of infected mice, and it also has a certain degree of anti-inflammatory activity. In summary, these results indicated that resveratrol has the potential to be developed as an alternative drug or antibacterial agent to prevent Salmonella infection.

Electrical Energy Consumption of Multiscale UV-AOP Reactors for Micropollutant Removal in Drinking Water: Facilitated Prediction by Reaction Rate Constants Measured on a Mini-Fluidic Photoreaction System.

Electrical energy consumption per order (EEO) is an important figure-of-merit for the selection and optimization of ultraviolet (UV)-based advanced oxidation processes (UV-AOPs). However, EEO applications are limited by the lack of an accurate and facilitative evaluation method because EEO presents reactor property dependence. In this study, we developed an EEO prediction method for multiscale UV-AOP reactors for micropollutant removal in water. The method utilized the reaction rate constants determined in a reference reactor (e.g., mini-fluidic photoreaction system), complemented by a scale-up method that clarified the dependence of EEO on reactor properties. The predicted results of various UV-AOPs were verified experimentally in four bench/pilot-scale reactors in laboratory and a full-scale flow-through reactor (FFR) in field using sulfamethazine as a model micropollutant. For example, EEO values of 0.105 and 0.058 kWh m-3 order-1 were predicted in the FFR at H2O2 doses of 5 and 10 mg L-1, respectively, which generally agreed with verification results. Additionally, the developed method could assist the identification of appropriate reactors in the laboratory for EEO measurements, providing a valuable supplement for the EEO prediction in practice. The developed method presents acceptable accuracy, convenience, and low cost, which would significantly facilitate EEO evaluations for practical UV-AOP applications.

Investigation of the inhibitory effect and mechanism of epigallocatechin-3-gallate against Streptococcus suis sortase A.

AIMS: Streptococcus suis seriously harms people and animals, and importantly, causes great economic losses in the pig industry. Similar to most Gram-positive pathogenic bacteria, sortase A (SrtA) of S. suis can mediate the anchoring of a variety of virulence factors that contain specific sorting sequences to the surface of the bacterial cell wall envelope and participate in pathogenicity. The purpose of this study is to clarify the molecular mechanism of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) inhibiting S. suis SrtA and provide more evidence for the development of novel anti-S. suis infections drugs. METHODS AND RESULTS: Through the SrtA substrate cleavage experiment, we found that the main component of green tea, EGCG, can effectively inhibit the enzyme activity of S. suis SrtA. Further, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were used to clarify the molecular mechanism of its inhibitory effect, demonstrating that EGCG mainly interacts with amino acids at 113 and 115 to exert its inhibitory function. It was previously found that EGCG can inhibit the growth of S. suis and reduce the activity of suilysin and inhibit its expression. Our research reveals a new function of EGCG in S. suis infection. CONCLUSIONS: Our research proves that EGCG can effectively inhibit the transpeptidase activity of SrtA. We also clarify the accompanying molecular mechanism, providing more sufficient evidence for the use of EGCG as a potential lead compound against S. suis infection.

Different composites inhibit Cd accumulation in grains under the rice-oilseed rape rotation mode of karst area: A field study.

Ensuring the safe production of food and oil crops in soils with elevated cadmium (Cd) content in karst regions is crucial. We tested a field experiment to examine the long-term remediation effects of compound microorganisms (CM), strong anion exchange adsorbent (SAX), processed oyster shell (POS), and composite humic acids (CHA) on Cd contamination in paddy fields under a rice-oilseed rape rotation system. In comparison to the control group (CK), the application of amendments significantly increased soil pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and soil organic matter (SOM) content while markedly decreasing the content of available Cd (ACd). During the rice cultivation season, Cd was predominantly concentrated in the roots. Relative to the control (CK), the Cd content in each organ was significantly reduced. The Cd content in brown rice decreased by 19.18-85.45%. The Cd content in brown rice following different treatments exhibited the order of CM > POS > CHA > SAX, which was lower than the Chinese Food Safety Standard (GB 2762-2017) (0.20 mg/kg). Intriguingly, during the oilseed rape cultivation season, we discovered that oilseed rape possesses potential phytoremediation capabilities, with Cd mainly accumulating in roots and stems. Notably, CHA treatment alone significantly decreased the Cd content in oilseed rape grains to 0.156 mg/kg. CHA treatment also maintained soil pH and SOM content, consistently reduced soil ACd content, and stabilized Cd content in RSF within the rice-oilseed rape rotation system. Importantly, CHA treatment not only enhances crop production but also has a low total cost (1255.230 US$/hm2). Our research demonstrated that CHA provides a consistent and stable remediation effect on Cd-contaminated rice fields within the crop rotation system, as evidenced by the analysis of Cd reduction efficiency, crop yield, soil environmental change, and total cost. These findings offer valuable guidance for sustainable soil utilization and safe production of grain and oil crops in the context of high Cd concentrations in karst mountainous regions.

Identification of the Major Effector StSROs in Potato: A Potential StWRKY-SRO6 Regulatory Pathway Enhances Plant Tolerance to Cadmium Stress.

SIMILAR TO RCD-ONE (SRO) family members and transcription factors (TFs) often improve plant antioxidant capacity through interaction and co-regulation and participate in plant resistance to drought and high-salt stress. However, whether SROs are involved in the response to heavy metal stress, especially SRO genes with a specific response and tolerance characteristics to cadmium (Cd) stress, remains unclear. We first identified six SRO genes in the potato genome by PARP and RST domains. Special and conserved StSROs were found, and the spatio temporal tissue-specific expression patterns and co-expression network diagrams of StSROs under the stress of 5 heavy metals were constructed. Second, we identified StSRO6 as a major effector gene (StSRO6-MEG) and StSRO5 as a secondary effector gene (StSRO5-SEG) through a comprehensive analysis. Interestingly, they may hold true for various physiological or stress responses in plants. In addition, using systematic genomics and comparative omics techniques, the key gene StSRO6 that affects the difference in Cd accumulation was discovered, cloned in the low-Cd accumulation "Yunshu 505", and transformed into the yeast mutant ycf1 for overexpression. The results proved that StSRO6 could confer Cd tolerance. Finally, through transient expression and in vitro culture tests, we hypothesized that StSROs 5/6 are regulated by the transcription factor StWRKY6 and mediates the reactive oxygen species (ROS) system to confer Cd tolerance. These findings offer a new perspective for understanding the mechanisms underlying Cd tolerance in plants, and simultaneously provide clues for the development of biological agents for preventing and controlling Cd migration and transformation.

Nickel-vanadium layered double hydroxide nanosheets as the saturable absorber for a passively Q-switched 2 µm solid-state laser.

Nickel-vanadium (NiV)-layered double hydroxide (LDH) was fabricated into a novel saturable absorber (SA) by the liquid phase exfoliation method and utilized as the laser modulator for the first time, to our best knowledge. We investigated a passive Q-switched Tm:YAG ceramic laser at 2 µm with the NiV-LDH SA. Under an absorbed pump power of 7.2 W, the shortest pulse width of 398 ns was obtained with an average output power of 263 mW and a pulse repetition frequency of 101.8 kHz, corresponding to a single pulse energy at 2.30 µJ. The results indicate that the NiV-LDH SA has great research potential in the field of laser modulation.

Revealing photon transmission in an ultraviolet reactor: Advanced approaches for measuring fluence rate distribution in water for model validation.

Fluence rate (FR) distribution (optical field) is of great significance in the optimal design of ultraviolet (UV) reactors for disinfection or oxidation processes in water treatment. Since the 1970s, various simulation models have been developed, which can be combined with computational fluidic dynamic software to calculate the fluence delivered in a UV reactor. These models strive for experimental validation and further improvement, which is a major challenge for UV technology in water treatment. Herein, a review of the simulation models of the FR distribution in a UV reactor and the applications of the current main experimental measurement approaches including conventional flat-type UV detector, spherical actinometer, and micro-fluorescent silica detector (MFSD), is presented. Moreover, FR distributions in a UV reactor are compared between various simulation models and MFSD measurements. In addition, the main influential factors on the FR distribution, including inner-wall reflection, refraction and shadowing effects of adjacent lamps, and turbidity effect are discussed, which is helpful for improving the accuracy of the simulation models and avoiding dark regions in the reactor design. This paper provides an overview on the simulation models and measurement approaches for the FR distribution, which is helpful for the model selection in fluence calculations and gives high confidence on the optimal design of UV reactors in regard to present methods.

Multi-layered black phosphorus as saturable absorber for pulsed Cr:ZnSe laser at 2.4 µm.

A high-quality black phosphorus (BP) saturable-absorber mirror (SAM) was successfully fabricated with the multi-layered BP, prepared by liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) method. The modulation depth and saturation power intensity of BP absorber were measured to be 10.7% and 0.96 MW/cm(2), respectively. Using the BP-SAM, we experimentally demonstrated the mid-infrared (mid-IR) pulse generation from a BP Q-switched Cr:ZnSe laser for the first time to our best knowledge. Stable Q-switched pulse as short as 189 ns with an average output power of 36 mW was realized at 2.4 µm, corresponding to a repetition rate of 176 kHz and a single pulse energy of 205 nJ. Our work sufficiently validated that multi-layer BP could be used as an optical modulator for mid-IR pulse laser sources.

759 fs pulse generation with Nd3+-doped CNGS ordered crystal based on a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror.

A diode-pumped passively continuous wave mode-locked laser at 1064.2 nm based on an ordered Nd:CNGS crystal has been experimentally investigated (for the first time, to our knowledge). Stable mode-locked pulses with a duration of 759 fs were produced at a repetition rate of 43.2 MHz. It is the shortest pulse generation of mode-locked lasers based on Nd3+-doped ordered crystal, as far as we know. A maximum average mode-locked output power of 133 mW was obtained at the absorbed pumped power of 6.7 W, and corresponding single-pulse energy and peak power were determined to be 3.1 nJ and 4.1 kW, respectively. The results indicate that the Nd:CNGS as an ordered crystal is indeed a potential candidate as a femtosecond laser gain medium.

Exfoliated layers of black phosphorus as saturable absorber for ultrafast solid-state laser.

High-quality black phosphorus (BP) saturable absorber mirror (SAM) was successfully fabricated with few-layered BP (phosphorene). By employing the prepared phosphorene SAM, we have demonstrated ultrafast pulse generation from a BP mode-locked bulk laser for the first time to our best knowledge. Pulses as short as 6.1 ps with an average power of 460 mW were obtained at the central wavelength of 1064.1 nm. Considering the direct and flexible band gap for different layers of phosphorene, this work may provide a possible method for fabricating BP SAM to achieve ultrafast solid-state lasers in IR and mid-IR wavelength region.

Passively Q-switched mode-locking of Tm:YAP laser based on Cr:ZnS saturable absorber.

Using a Cr:ZnS wafer as the saturable absorber, diode-pumped passively Q-switched mode-locking of a Tm:YAP laser at 1976 nm has been realized for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, and nearly 100% modulation depth of Q-switched mode-locking was achieved. The width of the mode-locked pulse was estimated to be about 980 ps with a repetition rate of 350 MHz within a roughly 300-ns-long Q-switched pulse envelope. A maximum output power of 940 mW was obtained, corresponding to the Q-switched pulse energy of 0.55 mJ. The emission wavelength evolution between the continuous-wave and Q-switched mode-locked operations was presented and discussed. The experimental results indicate that the Cr:ZnS absorber is a promising saturable absorber for passively Q-switched mode-locking operation around 2 µm.

Whispering gallery mode nanodisk resonator based on layered metal-dielectric waveguide.

This paper proposes a layered metal-dielectric waveguide consisting of a stack of alternating metal and dielectric films which enables an ultracompact mode confinement. The properties of whispering gallery modes supported by disk resonators based on such waveguides are investigated for achieving a large Purcell factor. We show that by stacking three layers of 10 nm thick silver with two layers of 50 nm dielectric layers (of refractive index n) in sequence, the disk radius can be as small as 61 nm ∼λ(0)/(7n) and the mode volume is only 0.0175(λ(0)/(2n))(3). When operating at 40 K, the cavity's Q-factor can be ~670; Purcell factor can be as large as 2.3×10(4), which is more than five times larger than that achievable in a metal-dielectric-metal disk cavity in the same condition. When more dielectric layers with smaller thicknesses are used, even more compact confinement can be achieved. For example, the radius of a cavity consisting of seven dielectric-layer waveguide can be shrunk down to λ(0)/(13.5n), corresponding to a mode volume of 0.005λ(0)/(2n))(3), and Purcell factor can be enhanced to 7.3×10(4) at 40 K. The influence of parameters like thicknesses of dielectric and metal films, cavity size, and number of dielectric layers is also comprehensively studied. The proposed waveguide and nanodisk cavity provide an alternative for ultracompact light confinement, and can find applications where a strong light-matter interaction is necessary.

Photothermally tunable silicon-microring-based optical add-drop filter through integrated light absorber.

An optically pumped thermo-optic (TO) silicon ring add-drop filter with fast thermal response is experimentally demonstrated. We propose that metal-insulator-metal (MIM) light absorber can be integrated into silicon TO devices, acting as a localized heat source which can be activated remotely by a pump beam. The MIM absorber design introduces less thermal capacity to the device, compared to conventional electrically-driven approaches. Experimentally, the absorber-integrated add-drop filter shows an optical response time of 13.7 µs following the 10%-90% rule (equivalent to a exponential time constant of 5 µs) and a wavelength shift over pump power of 60 pm/mW. The photothermally tunable add-drop filter may provide new perspectives for all-optical routing and switching in integrated Si photonic circuits.

All-optical switching of silicon disk resonator based on photothermal effect in metal-insulator-metal absorber.

Efficient narrowband light absorption by a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure can lead to high-speed light-to-heat conversion at a micro- or nanoscale. Such a MIM structure can serve as a heater for achieving all-optical light control based on the thermo-optical (TO) effect. Here we experimentally fabricated and characterized a novel all-optical switch based on a silicon microdisk integrated with a MIM light absorber. Direct integration of the absorber on top of the microdisk reduces the thermal capacity of the whole device, leading to high-speed TO switching of the microdisk resonance. The measurement result exhibits a rise time of 2.0 µs and a fall time of 2.6 µs with switching power as low as 0.5 mW; the product of switching power and response time is only about 1.3 mW·µs. Since no auxiliary elements are required for the heater, the switch is structurally compact, and its fabrication is rather easy. The device potentially can be deployed for new kinds of all-optical applications.

Passively Q-switched 2 µm Tm:YAP laser based on graphene saturable absorber mirror.

Using high-quality single-layer graphene as a saturable absorber, Tm:YAlO3 (Tm:YAP) crystal as the gain medium, we demonstrated a laser-diode-pumped, compact, passively Q-switched (PQS) solid-state laser in the 2 µm region. The maximum average output power was 362 mW, with the corresponding largest pulse repetition rate and pulse energy of 42.4 kHz and 8.5 µJ, respectively. Under the same pump power, the pulse width of 735 ns was obtained, which is, to our best knowledge, the shortest pulse width among Tm-doped solid-state PQS lasers using graphene saturable absorber mirrors.

Multiomics Combined with Expression Pattern Analysis Reveals the Regulatory Response of Key Genes in Potato Jasmonic Acid Signaling Pathways to Cadmium Stress.

Jasmonic acid (JA) is an endogenous phytohormone that regulates plant physiological metabolism and stress response processes, either independently or through hormone crosstalk. Our phytohormone assay and transcriptome-metabolome analysis revealed the key genes and metabolites involved in the JA pathway in response to 0-250 µM cadmium (Cd) in potato seedlings. Transcriptome gene set enrichment and gene ontology analysis indicated that JA-related genes were significantly enriched. Specifically, members from the StOPR and StJAZ gene families showed pronounced responses to Cd stress and methyl jasmonate treatment. As a negative regulatory transcription factor of the JA signaling pathway, StJAZ14 exhibited a decreasing trend under Cd stress. Yeast two-hybrid assay identified an interaction between StJAZ14 and StBZR1, which is located on the brassinolide pathway. In addition to unveiling the critical role of the JA pathway in regulating potato response to Cd stress, the functional mechanism was preliminarily explored.