Tomato MED25 regulates fruit ripening by interacting with EIN3-like transcription factors.

Fruit ripening relies on the precise spatiotemporal control of RNA polymerase II (Pol II)-dependent gene transcription, and the evolutionarily conserved Mediator (MED) coactivator complex plays an essential role in this process. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), a model climacteric fruit, ripening is tightly coordinated by ethylene and several key transcription factors. However, the mechanism underlying the transmission of context-specific regulatory signals from these ripening-related transcription factors to the Pol II transcription machinery remains unknown. Here, we report the mechanistic function of MED25, a subunit of the plant Mediator transcriptional coactivator complex, in controlling the ethylene-mediated transcriptional program during fruit ripening. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that MED25 physically interacts with the master transcription factors of the ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE 3 (EIN3)/EIN3-LIKE (EIL) family, thereby playing an essential role in pre-initiation complex formation during ethylene-induced gene transcription. We also show that MED25 forms a transcriptional module with EIL1 to regulate the expression of ripening-related regulatory as well as structural genes through promoter binding. Furthermore, the EIL1-MED25 module orchestrates both positive and negative feedback transcriptional circuits, along with its downstream regulators, to fine-tune ethylene homeostasis during fruit ripening.

Sucrose phosphate synthase 8 is required for the remobilization of carbon reserves in rice stems during grain filling.

Carbon reserve remobilization in stems is closely related to rice grain filling. Sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) is highly associated with carbon reserve remobilization. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern of SPS genes in various rice tissues, and found that SPS8 is the major SPS isoform in rice stems during the grain-filling stage. We then constructed sps8 mutants using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The SPS activity of the sps8 mutants was markedly reduced in the stems. In addition, the sps8 mutants exhibited significant starch accumulation in stems. 14C-labelling experiments revealed that the remobilization of non-structural carbohydrates from rice stems to grains was impaired in the sps8 mutants. In the sps8 mutants, grain filling was delayed and yield decreased by 15% due to a reduced percentage of ripened grains. RNA sequencing and quantitative PCR analyses indicated that the genes involved in starch synthesis and degradation were up-regulated in the sps8 mutant stems. In addition, the activity of the enzymes involved in starch synthesis and degradation was increased in the sps8 stems. These results demonstrate that SPS8 is required for carbon reserve remobilization from rice stems to grains, and that its absence may enhance 'futile cycles' of starch synthesis and degradation in rice stems.

The role of IL-1 family of cytokines in the pathogenesis and therapy of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and irreversible neurological condition that occurs with age and poses a significant global public health concern, is distinguished by the degeneration of neurons and synapses in various regions of the brain. While the exact processes behind the neurodegeneration in AD are not completely known, it is now acknowledged that inflammation may have a significant impact on the beginning and advancement of AD neurodegeneration. The severity of many neurological illnesses can be influenced by the equilibrium between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators. The IL-1 family of cytokines is linked to innate immune responses, which are present in both acute inflammation and chronic inflammatory diseases. Research on the role of the IL-1 family in chronic neurological disease has been concentrated on AD. In this context, there is indirect evidence suggesting its involvement in the development of the disease. This review aims to provide a summary of the contribution of every IL-1 family member in AD pathogenesis, current immunotherapies in AD disease, and present treatment possibilities for either targeting or boosting these cytokines.

Rapid generation of a tomato male sterility system and its feasible application in hybrid seed production.

KEY MESSAGE: A practical approach for the rapid generation and feasible application of green hypocotyl male-sterile (GHMS) tm6 dfr lines in tomato hybrid breeding was established. Male sterility enables reduced cost and high seed purity during hybrid seed production. However, progress toward its commercial application has been slow in tomato due to the disadvantages of most natural male-sterile mutants. Here, we developed a practical method for efficient tomato hybrid seed production using a male-sterile system with visible marker, which was rapidly generated by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing. Two closely linked genes, TM6 and DFR, which were reported to be candidates of ms15 (male sterile-15) and aw (anthocyanin without) locus, respectively, were knocked out simultaneously in two elite tomato inbred lines. Mutagenesis of both genes generated green hypocotyl male-sterile (GHMS) lines. The GHMS lines exhibited male sterility across different genetic backgrounds and environmental conditions. They also showed green hypocotyl due to defective anthocyanin accumulation, which serves as a reliable visible marker for selecting male-sterile plants at the seedling stage. We further proposed a strategy for multiplying the GHMS system and verified its high efficiency in stable male sterility propagation. Moreover, elite hybrid seeds were produced using GHMS system for potential side effects evaluation, and no adverse influences were found on seed yield, seed quality as well as important agronomic traits. This study provides a practical approach for the rapid generation and feasible application of male sterility in tomato hybrid breeding.

Systematic analysis of the sugar accumulation mechanism in sucrose- and hexose- accumulating cherry tomato fruits.

BACKGROUND: Sugar content is an important indicator of fruit quality. Except for a few wild tomato species that accumulate sucrose in the fruits, most cultivated tomato species accumulate hexose. Although several studies have focused on wild sucrose-accumulating tomato, the sucrose accumulation mechanism is still unclear. RESULTS: Here, two homozygous inbred cherry tomato lines ('TB0023' and 'TB0278', which accumulated sucrose and hexose, respectively) were selected to analyze the sugar accumulation mechanism. Carbohydrate analysis, cytological observation, gene expression and enzyme activity analysis and proteomics methods were used in this study. The results indicated that glucose and fructose were absolutely dominant in the soluble sugar content of hexose-accumulating cherry tomato fruit, while sucrose and a certain proportion of hexose were the main forms of soluble sugar in sucrose-accumulating cherry tomato fruit. The phloem unloading pathway of the hexose-accumulating cherry tomato fruit switched from symplastic to apoplastic during fruit development, and the sucrose-accumulating cherry tomato probably had a mixed unloading pathway involving the symplastic and apoplastic. High activity of acid invertase (AI), sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), sucrose synthase (SS) and sugar transporters LeSUT1, SlSWEET2a and SlSWEET12c were important factors for hexose accumulation in the hexose-accumulating cherry tomato fruit, while LeSUT2, SPS, SS, SlSWEET1b, SlSWEET5b, SlSWEET11b, SlSWEET7a, SlSWEET14 were responsible for solute sugar accumulation in the sucrose-accumulating cherry tomato. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides detailed evidence for elucidation of the tomato sugar accumulation mechanism from the perspective of cell structure, physiology and molecular biology, providing a theoretical basis for the improvement of tomato quality and aiding the utilization of tomato genetic resources.

A biotechnology-based male-sterility system for hybrid seed production in tomato.

Incorporating male sterility into hybrid seed production reduces its cost and ensures high varietal purity. Despite these advantages, male-sterile lines have not been widely used to produce tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) hybrid seeds. We describe the development of a biotechnology-based breeding platform that utilized genic male sterility to produce hybrid seeds. In this platform, we generated a novel male-sterile tomato line by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9)-mediated mutagenesis of a stamen-specific gene SlSTR1 and devised a transgenic maintainer by transforming male-sterile plants with a fertility-restoration gene linked to a seedling-colour gene. Offspring of crosses between a hemizygous maintainer and the homozygous male-sterile plant segregated into 50% non-transgenic male-sterile plants and 50% male-fertile maintainer plants, which could be easily distinguished by seedling colour. This system has great practical potential for hybrid seed breeding and production as it overcomes the problems intrinsic to other male-sterility systems and can be easily adapted for a range of tomato cultivars and diverse vegetable crops.

L2, a chloroplast metalloproteinase, regulates fruit ripening by participating in ethylene autocatalysis under the control of ethylene response factors.

Although autocatalytic ethylene biosynthesis plays an important role in the ripening of climacteric fruits, our knowledge of the network that promotes it remains limited. We identified white fruit (wf), a tomato mutant that produces immature fruit that are white and that ripen slowly. We found that an inversion on chromosome 10 disrupts the LUTESCENT2 (L2) gene, and that white fruit is allelic to lutescent2. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology we knocked out L2 in wild type tomato and found that the l2-cr mutants produced phenotypes that were very similar to white fruit (lutescent2). In the l2-cr fruit, chloroplast development was impaired and the accumulation of carotenoids and lycopene occurred more slowly than in wild type. During fruit ripening in l2-cr mutants, the peak of ethylene release was delayed, less ethylene was produced, and the expression of ACO genes was significantly suppressed. We also found that exogenous ethylene induces the expression of L2 and that ERF.B3, an ethylene response factor, binds to the promoter of the L2 gene and activates its transcription. Thus, the expression of L2 is regulated by exogenous ethylene. Taken together, our results indicate that ethylene may affect the expression of L2 gene and that L2 participates in autocatalytic ethylene biosynthesis during tomato fruit ripening.

MYC2 Orchestrates a Hierarchical Transcriptional Cascade That Regulates Jasmonate-Mediated Plant Immunity in Tomato.

The hormone jasmonate (JA), which functions in plant immunity, regulates resistance to pathogen infection and insect attack through triggering genome-wide transcriptional reprogramming in plants. We show that the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor (TF) MYC2 in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) acts downstream of the JA receptor to orchestrate JA-mediated activation of both the wounding and pathogen responses. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) coupled with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) assays, we identified 655 MYC2-targeted JA-responsive genes. These genes are highly enriched in Gene Ontology categories related to TFs and the early response to JA, indicating that MYC2 functions at a high hierarchical level to regulate JA-mediated gene transcription. We also identified a group of MYC2-targeted TFs (MTFs) that may directly regulate the JA-induced transcription of late defense genes. Our findings suggest that MYC2 and its downstream MTFs form a hierarchical transcriptional cascade during JA-mediated plant immunity that initiates and amplifies transcriptional output. As proof of concept, we showed that during plant resistance to the necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea, MYC2 and the MTF JA2-Like form a transcription module that preferentially regulates wounding-responsive genes, whereas MYC2 and the MTF ETHYLENE RESPONSE FACTOR.C3 form a transcription module that preferentially regulates pathogen-responsive genes.

High-density genetic map construction and QTL mapping of first flower node in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.).

BACKGROUND: First flower node (FFN) is an important trait for evaluating fruit earliness in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The trait is controlled by quantitative trait loci (QTL); however, studies have been limited on QTL mapping and genes contributing to the trait. RESULTS: In this study, we developed a high density genetic map using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq), a high-throughput strategy for de novo single nucleotide polymorphism discovery, based on 146 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from an intraspecific cross between PM702 and FS871. The map contained 9328 SLAF markers on 12 linkage groups (LGs), and spanned a total genetic distance of 2009.69 centimorgan (cM) with an average distance of 0.22 cM. The sequencing depth for the map was 72.39-fold in the male parent, 57.04-fold in the female parent, and 15.65-fold in offspring. Using the genetic map, two major QTLs, named Ffn2.1 and Ffn2.2, identified on LG02 were strongly associated with FFN, with a phenotypic variance explanation of 28.62 and 19.56%, respectively. On the basis of the current annotation of C. annuum cv. Criollo de Morelos (CM334), 59 candidate genes were found within the Ffn2.1 and Ffn2.2 region, but only 3 of 59 genes were differentially expressed according to the RNA-seq results. Eventually we identified one gene associated with the FFN based on the function through GO, KEGG, and Swiss-prot analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our research showed that the construction of high-density genetic map using SLAF-seq is a valuable tool for fine QTL mapping. The map we constructed is by far the most saturated complete genetic map of pepper, and using it we conducted fine QTL mapping for the important trait, FFN. QTLs and candidate genes obtained in this study lay a good foundation for the further research on FFN-related genes and other genetic applications in pepper.

Polyphenols and Alkaloids in Byproducts of Longan Fruits (Dimocarpus Longan Lour.) and Their Bioactivities.

The longan industry produces a large amount of byproducts such as pericarp and seed, resulting in environmental pollution and resource wastage. The present study was performed to systematically evaluate functional components, i.e., polyphenols (phenolics and flavonoids) and alkaloids, in longan byproducts and their bioactivities, including antioxidant activities, nitrite scavenging activities in simulated gastric fluid and anti-hyperglycemic activities in vitro. Total phenolic and total flavonoid contents in pericarp were slightly higher than those in seeds, but seeds possessed higher alkaloid content than pericarp. Four polyphenolic substances, i.e., gallic acid, ethyl gallate, corilagin and ellagic acid, were identified and quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Among these polyphenolic components, corilagin was the major one in both pericarp and seed. Alkaloid extract in seed showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity and oxygen radical absorbance capacity. Nitrite scavenging activities were improved with extract concentration and reaction time increasing. Flavonoids in seed and alkaloids in pericarp had potential to be developed as anti-hyperglycemic agents. The research result was a good reference for exploring longan byproducts into various valuable health-care products.

A genome-wide association study of seed composition traits in wild soybean (Glycine soja).

BACKGROUND: Cultivated soybean (Glycine max) is a major agricultural crop that provides a crucial source of edible protein and oil. Decreased amounts of saturated palmitic acid and increased amounts of unsaturated oleic acid in soybean oil are considered optimal for human cardiovascular health and therefore there has considerable interest by breeders in discovering genes affecting the relative concentrations of these fatty acids. Using a genome-wide association (GWA) approach with nearly 30,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we investigated the genetic basis of protein, oil and all five fatty acid levels in seeds from a sample of 570 wild soybeans (Glycine soja), the progenitor of domesticated soybean, to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting these seed composition traits. RESULTS: We discovered 29 SNPs located on ten different chromosomes that are significantly associated with the seven seed composition traits in our wild soybean sample. Eight SNPs co-localized with QTLs previously uncovered in linkage or association mapping studies conducted with cultivated soybean samples, while the remaining SNPs appeared to be in novel locations. Twenty-four of the SNPs significantly associated with fatty acid variation, with the majority located on chromosomes 14 (6 SNPs) and seven (8 SNPs). Two SNPs were common for two or more fatty acids, suggesting loci with pleiotropic effects. We also identified some candidate genes that are involved in fatty acid metabolism and regulation. For each of the seven traits, most of the SNPs produced differences between the average phenotypic values of the two homozygotes of about one-half standard deviation and contributed over 3% of their total variability. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first GWA study conducted on seed composition traits solely in wild soybean populations, and a number of QTLs were found that have not been previously discovered. Some of these may be useful to breeders who select for increased protein/oil content or altered fatty acid ratios in the seeds. The results also provide additional insight into the genetic architecture of these traits in a large sample of wild soybean, and suggest some new candidate genes whose molecular effects on these traits need to be further studied.

Closely related NAC transcription factors of tomato differentially regulate stomatal closure and reopening during pathogen attack.

To restrict pathogen entry, plants close stomata as an integral part of innate immunity. To counteract this defense, Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato produces coronatine (COR), which mimics jasmonic acid (JA), to reopen stomata for bacterial entry. It is believed that abscisic acid (ABA) plays a central role in regulating bacteria-triggered stomatal closure and that stomatal reopening requires the JA/COR pathway, but the downstream signaling events remain unclear. We studied the stomatal immunity of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and report here the distinct roles of two homologous NAC (for NAM, ATAF1,2, and CUC2) transcription factors, JA2 (for jasmonic acid2) and JA2L (for JA2-like), in regulating pathogen-triggered stomatal movement. ABA activates JA2 expression, and genetic manipulation of JA2 revealed its positive role in ABA-mediated stomatal closure. We show that JA2 exerts this effect by regulating the expression of an ABA biosynthetic gene. By contrast, JA and COR activate JA2L expression, and genetic manipulation of JA2L revealed its positive role in JA/COR-mediated stomatal reopening. We show that JA2L executes this effect by regulating the expression of genes involved in the metabolism of salicylic acid. Thus, these closely related NAC proteins differentially regulate pathogen-induced stomatal closure and reopening through distinct mechanisms.

Role of tomato lipoxygenase D in wound-induced jasmonate biosynthesis and plant immunity to insect herbivores.

In response to insect attack and mechanical wounding, plants activate the expression of genes involved in various defense-related processes. A fascinating feature of these inducible defenses is their occurrence both locally at the wounding site and systemically in undamaged leaves throughout the plant. Wound-inducible proteinase inhibitors (PIs) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) provide an attractive model to understand the signal transduction events leading from localized injury to the systemic expression of defense-related genes. Among the identified intercellular molecules in regulating systemic wound response of tomato are the peptide signal systemin and the oxylipin signal jasmonic acid (JA). The systemin/JA signaling pathway provides a unique opportunity to investigate, in a single experimental system, the mechanism by which peptide and oxylipin signals interact to coordinate plant systemic immunity. Here we describe the characterization of the tomato suppressor of prosystemin-mediated responses8 (spr8) mutant, which was isolated as a suppressor of (pro)systemin-mediated signaling. spr8 plants exhibit a series of JA-dependent immune deficiencies, including the inability to express wound-responsive genes, abnormal development of glandular trichomes, and severely compromised resistance to cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) and Botrytis cinerea. Map-based cloning studies demonstrate that the spr8 mutant phenotype results from a point mutation in the catalytic domain of TomLoxD, a chloroplast-localized lipoxygenase involved in JA biosynthesis. We present evidence that overexpression of TomLoxD leads to elevated wound-induced JA biosynthesis, increased expression of wound-responsive genes and, therefore, enhanced resistance to insect herbivory attack and necrotrophic pathogen infection. These results indicate that TomLoxD is involved in wound-induced JA biosynthesis and highlight the application potential of this gene for crop protection against insects and pathogens.

Cloning and molecular characterization of phospholipase D (PLD) delta gene from longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.).

Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) is a non-climacteric fruit with a short postharvest life. The regulation of phospholipase D (PLD) activity closely relates to postharvest browning and senescence of longan fruit. In this study, a novel cDNA clone of longan PLDδ (LgPLDδ) was obtained and registered in GenBank (accession No. JF791814). The deduced amino acid sequence possessed all of the three typical domains of plant PLDs, a C2 domain and two catalytic HxKxxxxD motifs. The tertiary structure of LgPLDδ was further predicted. The western blot result showed that the LgPLDδ protein was specifically recognized by PLDδ antibody. The Q-RT-PCR (real-time quantitative PCR) result showed that the level of LgPLDδ mRNA expression was higher in senescent tissues than in developing tissues, which was also high in postharvest fruit. The western-blotting result further certified the different expression of LgPLDδ. These results provided a scientific basis for further investigating the mechanism of postharvest longan fruit adapting to environmental stress.

Antioxidant and nitrite-scavenging capacities of phenolic compounds from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) tops.

Sugarcane tops were extracted with 50% ethanol and fractionated by petroleum ether, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and n-butyl alcohol successively. Eight phenolic compounds in EtOAc extracts were purified through silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies, and then identified by nuclear magnetic resonance and electrospray ionization mass spectra. The results showed that eight phenolic compounds from EtOAc extracts were identified as caffeic acid, cis-p-hydroxycinnamic acid, quercetin, apigenin, albanin A, australone A, moracin M, and 5'-geranyl-5,7,2',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone. The antioxidant and nitrite-scavenging capacities of different solvent extracts correlated positively with their total phenolic (TP) contents. Amongst various extracts, EtOAc extracts possessed the highest TP content and presented the strongest oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), 1,1'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging capacity, 2,2'-azobis-3-ethylbenthiaazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical-scavenging capacity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and nitrite-scavenging capacity. Thus, sugarcane tops could be promoted as a source of natural antioxidant.

Nematocidal Potential of Phenolic Acids: A Phytochemical Seed-Coating Approach to Soybean Cyst Nematode Management.

Soybeans, one of the most valuable crops worldwide, are annually decimated by the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, resulting in massive losses in soybean yields and economic revenue. Conventional agricultural pesticides are generally effective in the short term; however, they pose growing threats to human and environmental health; therefore, alternative SCN management strategies are urgently needed. Preliminary findings show that phenolic acids are significantly induced during SCN infection and exhibit effective nematocidal activities in vitro. However, it is unclear whether these effects occur in planta or elicit any negative effects on plant growth traits. Here, we employed a phytochemical-based seed coating application on soybean seeds using phenolic acid derivatives (4HBD; 2,3DHBA) at variable concentrations and examined SCN inhibition against two SCN types. Moreover, we also examined plant growth traits under non-infected or SCN infected conditions. Notably, 2,3DHBA significantly inhibited SCN abundance in Race 2-infected plants with increasingly higher chemical doses. Interestingly, neither compound negatively affected soybean growth traits in control or SCN-infected plants. Our findings suggest that a phytochemical-based approach could offer an effective, more environmentally friendly solution to facilitate current SCN management strategies and fast-track the development of biopesticides to sustainably manage devastating pests such as SCN.

Selenium-Rich Black Soldier Fly Supplementation Enriches Serum Indexes and Egg Selenium Content in Laying Hens.

A certain amount of selenium (Se) is usually added to the diet of laying hens to improve the quality and nutritional value of eggs. The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of selenium-rich black soldier fly (BSF) supplementation in diets on laying production performance, egg quality, serum indexes, and egg selenium content of Hy-line variety brown laying hens. A total of 288 at 49-week-old healthy laying hens were divided into 3 treatment groups with 6 replicates per group and 16 hens per replicate using a single-factor completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of (1) control (basal diet without supplemental Se), (2) 0.30 mg/kg supplemental Se, (Se as sodium selenite, SS), and (3) 0.30 mg/kg supplemental Se (Se as selenium-rich black soldier fly, SE-BSF). Laying performance was not affected by dietary Se. There was no effect of selenium-rich BSF on egg quality (P > 0.05). The contents of malonaldehyde (MDA) were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). On the contrary, dietary Se supplementation increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD, P < 0.05) and catalase (CAT, P < 0.05) and increased the concentration of reduced glutathione (P < 0.05). In addition, selenium-rich BSF supplementation significantly increased the Se content of eggs (P < 0.05). These results indicate that Se supplementation did not affect laying production performance and egg quality of laying hens, but the supplementation could improve antioxidant capacity and increased the Se content of eggs.

Integrated network pharmacology and transcriptomics to reveal the mechanism of Passiflora against depressive disorder: An observational study.

Relevant studies have pointed out that Passiflora could relieve depressive disorder (DD) related symptoms, such as anxiety and insomnia, but its mechanism in DD has not been reported. In this study, DD-related transcriptome data was extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Subsequently, 50 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened by "limma," and the enrichment analysis of these DEGs revealed that they were associated with neuro-inflammatory-related signaling pathways, including IL-17, TNF, NF-kappa B, etc signaling pathways. Then, CCDC58, CXCL5, EGR1, LOC101929855, SCML1, and THBS1 were screened as biomarkers of DD by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis. Moreover, Harmaline, Harmine, Quercetin, and Kaempferol were the key chemically active ingredients of Passiflora. Noticeable, THBS1 and Quercetin were connected closely. In addition, the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) confirmed that the key biomarkers (EGR1 and THBS1) were significantly lowly expressed in DD samples. In summary, we identified 2 key biomarkers of DD and 4 key chemically active ingredients of Passiflora. The potential mechanism of antidepressant effect of DD associated with neuro-inflammatory responses and neurotransmitter function. These might related to the synergistic activity of its key active ingredients with TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, etc, which work with EGR1 and THBS1 to regulate IL-17, NF-kappa B, TNF, etc signaling pathways. These findings might help to deepen the understanding of the mechanism of Passiflora in clinical treatment of DD.

A comparison study on polysaccharides extracted from banana flower using different methods: Physicochemical characterization, and antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activities.

This work investigated and compared the physicochemical characteristics, and antioxidant and antihyperglycemic properties in vitro of polysaccharides from a single banana flower variety (BFPs) extracted by different methods. BFPs extracted using hot water (HWE), acidic (CAE), alkaline (AAE), enzymatic (EAE), ultrasonic (UAE) and hot water-alkaline (HAE) methods showed different chemical composition, monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, chain conformation and surface morphology, but similar infrared spectra characteristic, main glycosidic residues, crystalline internal and thermal stability, suggesting that six methods have diverse impacts on the degradation of BFPs without changing the main structure. Then, among six BFPs, the stronger antioxidant activity in vitro was found in BFP extracted by HAE, which was attributed to its maximum uronic acid content (21.67 %) and phenolic content (0.73 %), and moderate molecular weight (158.48 kDa). The highest arabinose and guluronic acid contents (18.59 % and 1.31 % in molar ratios, respectively) and the lowest uronic acid content (14.30 %) in BFP extracted by HWE contributed to its better α-glucosidase inhibitory activity in vitro (66.55 %). The data offered theoretical evidence for choosing suitable extraction methods to acquire BFPs with targeted biological activities for applications, in which HAE and HWE could serve as beneficial methods for preparing antioxidant BFP and antihyperglycemic BFP, respectively.

A fast and genotype-independent in planta Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method for soybean.

Efficient genotype-independent transformation and genome editing are highly desirable for plant biotechnology research and product development efforts. We have developed a novel approach to enable fast, high-throughput, and genotype-flexible Agrobacterium-mediated transformation using the important crop soybean as a test system. This new method is called GiFT (genotype-independent fast transformation) and involves only a few simple steps. The method uses germinated seeds as explants, and DNA delivery is achieved through Agrobacterium infection of wounded explants as in conventional in vitro-based methods. Following infection, the wounded explants are incubated in liquid medium with a sublethal level of selection and then transplanted directly into soil. The transplanted seedlings are then selected with herbicide spray for 3 weeks. The time required from initiation to fully established healthy T0 transgenic events is about 35 days. The GiFT method requires minimal in vitro manipulation or use of tissue culture media. Because the regeneration occurs in planta, the GiFT method is highly flexible with respect to genotype, which we demonstrate via successful transformation of elite germplasms from diverse genetic backgrounds. We also show that the soybean GiFT method can be applied to both conventional binary vectors and CRISPR-Cas12a vectors for genome editing applications. Analyses of T1 progeny demonstrate that the events have a high inheritance rate and can be used for genome engineering applications. By minimizing the need for tissue culture, the novel approach described here significantly improves operational efficiency while greatly reducing personnel and supply costs. It is the first industry-scale transformation method to utilize in planta selection in a major field crop.