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A comprehensive understanding of the impact of land fragmentation on collective action is essential for rural governance in developing countries. Prior publications have argued that land fragmentation impedes the sustainable development of agricultural economies and rural societies, while the connection between humans and nature has not been considered comprehensively. Therefore, the conclusion that the impact of land fragmentation on collective action is purely negative may be one-sided. To examine this conclusion, this paper re-evaluates the relationship between land fragmentation and rural collective action from a multidisciplinary perspective. Based on a rural field survey using stratified random sampling, Oprobit regression was employed to conduct an econometric analysis on data from 798 rural households across 14 cities in the border region of Guangxi, China. The following research findings were obtained: (1) When the human–nature connection is considered, the relationship between land fragmentation and collective action follows an inverted U-shaped curve. Specifically, moderate initial increases in land fragmentation can lead to improvements in collective action; however, when the degree of land fragmentation exceeds a certain threshold, further increases in land fragmentation will decrease the collective action capacity. (2) This nonlinear relationship between land fragmentation and collective action may be realized through three pathways: agricultural production, land use patterns, and the ecological environment. Under the context of collective action, this study shows that a moderate level of land fragmentation objectively exists in reality. This insight provides a new impetus for developing countries to shift policy perspectives to increase their land use efficiency. Additionally, this paper integrates relevant findings from both social sciences and natural sciences. Thereby, it not only expands the existing understanding of key factors influencing rural household collective action but also emphasizes the potential for cross-disciplinary integration between social sciences and natural sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2,7,2′-Trihydroxy-3,4,4′7′-tetramethoxy-1,1′-biphenanthrene (1), a previously undescribed biphenanthrene, and five known phenanthrenes, i.e. 2,5-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-9,10-dihydroxyphenanthrene (2), 2,4-dihydroxy −7-methoxy-9,10-dihydroxyphenanthrene (3), 7-hydroxy-2-methoxy-phenanthrene-1,4-dione (4), 7-hydroxy-2-methoxy-9,10-dihydro-phenanthrene-1,4-dione (5), and 4,4′,7,7′-tetrahydroxy-2,2′-dimethoxy-9,9′,10,10′-tetrahydro−1,1′-biphenanthrene (6) were isolated from the whole plant (stems, leaves, roots and fruits) of Liparis nervosa (Thunb.) Lindl., which is a medicinal plant of the genus Liparis in the Orchidaceae family. The structures of isolates were identified using spectroscopic methods, including NMR and mass spectrometry. Additionally, the cytotoxic potency of all the isolates against human lung cancer A549 cell line was evaluated by an MTT assay. All the isolated compounds showed cytotoxic activities with IC50 values in the range of 10.20 ± 0.81 to 42.41 ± 2.34 μM. The obtained data highlight the importance of L. nervosa as a source of natural lead compounds for cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The cellular and molecular dynamics of human prepuce are crucial for understanding its biological and physiological functions, as well as the prevention of related genital diseases. However, the cellular compositions and heterogeneity of human prepuce at single-cell resolution are still largely unknown. Here we systematically dissected the prepuce of children and adults based on the single-cell RNA-seq data of 90,770 qualified cells. Results: We identified 15 prepuce cell subtypes, including fibroblast, smooth muscle cells, T/natural killer cells, macrophages, vascular endothelial cells, and dendritic cells. The proportions of these cell types varied among different individuals as well as between children and adults. Moreover, we detected cell-type-specific gene regulatory networks (GRNs), which could contribute to the unique functions of related cell types. The GRNs were also highly dynamic between the prepuce cells of children and adults. Our cell–cell communication network analysis among different cell types revealed a set of child-specific (e.g., CD96, EPO, IFN-1, and WNT signaling pathways) and adult-specific (e.g., BMP10, NEGR, ncWNT, and NPR1 signaling pathways) signaling pathways. The variations of GRNs and cellular communications could be closely associated with prepuce development in children and prepuce maintenance in adults. Conclusions: Collectively, we systematically analyzed the cellular variations and molecular changes of the human prepuce at single-cell resolution. Our results gained insights into the heterogeneity of prepuce cells and shed light on the underlying molecular mechanisms of prepuce development and maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytochrome (Phy)‐regulated light signalling plays important roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, its function in rice defence against sheath blight disease (ShB) remains unclear. Here, we found that PhyB mutation or shade treatment promoted rice resistance to ShB, while resistance was reduced by PhyB overexpression. Further analysis showed that PhyB interacts with phytochrome‐interacting factor‐like 15 (PIL15), brassinazole resistant 1 (BZR1), and vascular plant one‐zinc‐finger 2 (VOZ2). Plants overexpressing PIL15 were more susceptible to ShB in contrast to bzr1‐D‐overexpressing plants compared with the wild‐type, suggesting that PhyB may inhibit BZR1 to negatively regulate rice resistance to ShB. Although BZR1 is known to regulate brassinosteroid (BR) signalling, the observation that BR signalling negatively regulated resistance to ShB indicated an independent role for BZR1 in controlling rice resistance. It was also found that the BZR1 ligand NAC028 positively regulated resistance to ShB. RNA sequencing showed that cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase 8B (CAD8B), involved in lignin biosynthesis was upregulated in both bzr1‐D‐ and NAC028‐overexpressing plants compared with the wild‐type. Yeast‐one hybrid, ChIP, and transactivation assays demonstrated that BZR1 and NAC028 activate CAD8B directly. Taken together, the analyses demonstrated that PhyB‐mediated light signalling inhibits the BZR1‐NAC028‐CAD8B pathway to regulate rice resistance to ShB. Summary Statement: Phytochrome B mutation‐mediated shading condition increased rice resistance to sheath blight. In the light, Phytochrome B translocated from cytosol to nucleus where it interacts with and inhibits BZR1 function. BZR1 interacts with NAC028 to directly activate CAD8B to increase lignin contents by which rice resistance to sheath blight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Phytochrome B (PhyB), a red‐light receptor, plays important roles in diverse biological processes in plants; however, its function in NH4+ uptake and stress responses of plants is unclear. Here, we observed that mutation in indeterminate domain 10 (IDD10), which encodes a key transcription factor in NH4+ signaling, led to NH4+‐sensitive root growth in light but not in the dark. Genetic combinations of idd10 and phy mutants demonstrated that phyB, but not phyA or phyC, suppressed NH4+‐sensitive root growth of idd10. PhyB mutants and PhyB overexpressors (PhyB OXs) accumulated more and less NH4+, respectively, compared with wild‐type plants. Real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) revealed that PhyB negatively regulated NH4+‐mediated induction of Ammonium transporter 1;2 (AMT1;2). AMT1 RNAi plants with suppressed AMT1;1, AMT1;2, and AMT1;3 expression exhibited shorter primary roots under NH4+ conditions. This suggested that NH4+ uptake might be positively associated with root growth. Further, PhyB interacted with and inhibited IDD10 and brassinazole‐resistant 1 (BZR1). IDD10 interacted with BZR1 to activate AMT1;2. NH4+ uptake is known to promote resistance of rice (Oryza sativa) to sheath blight (ShB) and saline–alkaline stress. Inoculation of Rhizoctonia solani demonstrated that PhyB and IDD10 negatively regulated and AMT1 and BZR1 positively regulated resistance of rice to ShB. In addition, PhyB negatively regulated and IDD10 and AMT1 positively regulated resistance of rice to saline–alkaline stress. This suggested that PhyB–IDD10–AMT1;2 signaling regulates the saline–alkaline response, whereas the PhyB–BZR1–AMT1;2 pathway modulates ShB resistance. Collectively, these data prove that mutation in the PhyB gene enhances the resistance of rice to ShB and saline–alkaline stress by increasing NH4+ uptake. Significance Statement: PhyB interacts with and inhibits the activity of IDD10 and BZR1 to increase rice (Oryza sativa) resistance to sheath blight and saline–alkaline stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Sheath blight (ShB) significantly threatens rice yield production. However, the underlying mechanism of ShB defence in rice remains largely unknown. Here, we identified a highly ShB‐susceptible mutant Ds‐m which contained a mutation at the ammonium transporter 1;1 (AMT1;1) D358N. AMT1;1 D358N interacts with AMT1;1, AMT1;2 and AMT1;3 to inhibit the ammonium transport activity. The AMT1 RNAi was more susceptible and similar to the AMT1;1 D358N mutant; however, plants with higher NH4+ uptake activity were less susceptible to ShB. Glutamine synthetase 1;1 (GS1;1) mutant gs1;1 and overexpressors (GS1;1 OXs) were more and less susceptible to ShB respectively. Furthermore, AMT1;1 overexpressor (AMT1;1 OX)/gs1;1 and gs1;1 exhibited a similar response to ShB, suggesting that ammonium assimilation rather than accumulation controls the ShB defence. Genetic and physiological assays further demonstrated that plants with higher amino acid or chlorophyll content promoted rice resistance to ShB. Interestingly, the expression of ethylene‐related genes was higher in AMT1;1 OX and lower in RNAi mutants than in wild‐type. Also, ethylene signalling positively regulated rice resistance to ShB and NH4+ uptake, suggesting that ethylene signalling acts downstream of AMT and also NH4+ uptake is under feedback control. Taken together, our data demonstrated that the AMT1 promotes rice resistance to ShB via the regulation of diverse metabolic and signalling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) seriously affects rice yield production. The discovery and application of broad-spectrum resistance genes are of great advance for disease resistance breeding. Previously, we identified that multiple receptor-like kinase (RLK) family gene deletions induced by the Ac/Ds system resulted in a lesion mimic symptom. In this study, the mutant #29 showed that this lesion mimic symptom was isolated. Further analysis identified that four RLK genes (RLK19-22) were deleted in the #29 mutant. The #29 mutant exhibited broad-spectrum resistance to Xoo and subsequent analyses identified that pathogenesis-related genes PR1a, PBZ1, and cellular H2O2 levels were significantly induced in the mutant compared to wild-type plants. A genetic analysis revealed that reconstruction of RLK20, RLK21, or RLK22 rescued the lesion mimic symptom of the #29 mutant, indicating that these three RLKs are responsible for broad-spectrum resistance in rice. Further yeast two hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays demonstrated that RLK20 interacts with RBOHB, which is a ROS producer in plants. Compared to wild-type plants, the #29 mutant was more, while #29/RLK20ox was less, susceptible to MV (methyl-viologen), an ROS inducer. Co-expression of RLK20 and RBOHB reduced RBOHB-promoted H2O2 accumulation in the cells. Taken together, our research indicated that the RLKs may inhibit RBOHB activity to negatively regulate rice resistance to Xoo. These results provide the theoretical basis and valuable information about the target genes necessary for the successful breeding of rice cultivars resistant to bacterial blight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tillering is one of the most important determinants of biomass and yield in rice (Oryza sativa L.). The capacity of plants to develop tillers from primordial meristems or buds is determined not only by the genotype but also by environmental cues. Here, we characterized the function of rice grassy tiller1 (OsGT1) and its interaction with other genetic and biological factors involved in tiller bud outgrowth in rice by generating OsGT1 RNA interference (RNAi) and overexpression (OX) lines. The tiller number was increased in OsGT1-RNAi mutants but strongly suppressed in OsGT1-OX lines. Expression analysis of OsGT1 in rice phyB mutants and in genotypes carrying various genetic combinations of GT1 RNAi and phyB demonstrated that OsGT1 is not involved in phyB-mediated suppression of tiller development in rice. Expression analysis of fine culm1 (fc1), a rice tb1 homolog, and molecular assays demonstrated that FC1 enhances the expression of OsGT1 by directly binding to its promoter. Comparison of the transcriptomic profiles of fc1 and OsGT1-RNAi mutants revealed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) common to both genotypes. Finally, analysis of tillering phenotypes of OX and RNAi seedlings treated with various phytohormones implied a possible role of OsGT1 in strigolactone-mediated tiller outgrowth. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of the diverse mechanisms of tiller development in grasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sheath blight disease (ShB) is a destructive disease affecting rice production. Previously, we have reported that Loose Plant Architecture 1 (LPA1) promotes resistance to ShB. However, the mechanisms by which LPA1 confers resistance against this disease have not been extensively investigated. Notably, interactors that regulate LPA-1 activity remain elusive. Findings: In this study, we identified the interaction of kinesin-like protein (KLP) with LPA1 in the nucleus of rice cells by yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescent complimentary (BiFC), and co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) assays. To investigate the role of KLP in promoting resistance to ShB, wild-type, klp mutant, and KLP overexpressor (KLP OX) rice plants were inoculated with Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA. The results indicated that, compared with the wild-type control, klp mutants were more susceptible while KLP OX plants were less susceptible to ShB. Since LPA1 transcriptionally activates PIN-FORMED 1a (PIN1a), we examined the expression of 8 related PIN genes. The results showed that only the expression of PIN1a and PIN3b coincided with KLP expression levels. In addition, a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that KLP bound directly to the promoter region of PIN1a but not of PIN3b. Transient expression assays confirmed that LPA1 and KLP transcriptionally activate PIN1a, and that coexpression of KLP and LPA1 had an additive effect on the activation of PIN1a, suggesting that KLP enhances LPA1 transcriptional activation activity. Conclusions: Taken together, our results show that KLP is a novel LPA1 interactor that promotes resistance of rice to ShB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it is known that brassinosteroids (BRs) play pleiotropic roles in plant growth and development, their roles in plant nutrient uptake remain unknown. Here, we hypothesized that BRs directly regulate ammonium uptake by activating the expression of rice AMT1 -type genes. Exogenous BR treatment upregulated both AMT1;1 and AMT1;2 expression, while this induction was impaired in the BR-receptor gene BRI1 mutant d61-1. We then focused on brassinazole-resistant 1 (BZR1), a central hub of the BR signaling pathway, demonstrating the important role of this signaling pathway in regulating AMT1 expression and rice roots NH4+ uptake. The results showed that BR-induced expression of AMT1;2 was suppressed in BZR1 RNAi plants but was increased in bzr1-D , a gain-of-function BZR1 mutant. Further EMSA and ChIP analyses showed that BZR1 bound directly to the BRRE motif located in the promoter region of AMT1;2. Moreover, cellular ammonium contents, 15NH4+ uptake, and the regulatory effect of methyl-ammonium on root growth are strongly dependent on the levels of BZR1. Overexpression lines of BRI1 and BZR1 and Genetic combination of them mutants showed that BZR1 activates AMT1;2 expression downstream of BRI1. In conclusion, the findings suggest that BRs regulation of NH4+ uptake in rice involves transcription regulation of ammonium transporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An a priori analysis of subfilter-scale (SFS) species structure important to estimate chemical reaction rates in large-eddy simulation (LES) is performed using direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a turbulent premixed flame at a turbulence Reynolds number R e 0 = 329 and Karlovitz number K a 0 = 7.23 with semi-detailed finite-rate chemistry. Differences between the complete chemical reaction rates extracted from DNS and those estimated from LES-filtered variables are quantified. The spatial distributions of these differences are found to be localized in regions surrounding the flame front for representative reactions. Within these regions, variations in the localization relative to the flame, scale, and magnitude of the SFS species concentrations are quantified, and mean SFS structure is determined. SFS species structure is found in two groupings: "single-banded" structure characterized by one distinct peak and "double-banded" structure characterized by two peaks of opposite signs. Species that are produced and consumed within the flame such as CH 2 O and HCO are observed to have single-banded structure, and species displaying a frontal behavior such as n-C7H16 and OH are found to have double-banded structure, on average. The local SFS structure surrounding the flame is impacted by neighboring flame-flame interactions as well as by variations in flame curvature. The impacts of the flame-flame interactions are strong when the SFS species structure has "large" length scales with concentration peaks significantly displaced from the flame front. Curvature effects are shown to be strong in high curvature regions of the flame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study is to characterize key multidimensional relationships between coherent structures in physical vs Fourier/scale space representations of flame–turbulence interactions, as a basis for future analysis of the nonlinear couplings between key resolved scale (RS) and subfilter scale (SFS) motions in large-eddy simulation (LES) of premixed turbulent combustion. However, applying the bounded Fourier transform (FTF) in the nonperiodic flame-normal direction requires the removal of nonphysical Fourier content from the boundary discontinuities. To this end, we have developed a broadly applicable "discontinuity pollution removal" procedure for application to the FTF of multidimensional signals with a single nonperiodic direction. The procedure balances periodization of the signal near the boundaries with minimization of signal modification away from the boundaries. We applied the procedure in a physical–Fourier space analysis of the interactions between a flame and single-scale eddies modeled as the impact of a train of two-dimensional (2D) vortices on an initially planar premixed flame. We find that a specific spectrally broad localized coherent structure in Fourier space connects RS to SFS fluctuations in thermal energy and species concentration that, in physical space, are localized to the corrugations in the flame front in response to eddy–flame interactions. Within the RS fluctuations of energy and species concentration, the flame corrugation structure in physical space is found to be localized to sub-volumes within the RS region of 2D Fourier space. This new understanding of physical–Fourier space relationships categorizes classes of RS–SFS interactions relevant to SFS modeling in LES of premixed turbulent combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An a priori assessment of the disparities in estimating the filtered chemical reaction rates in Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) is performed using two Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) of turbulent premixed flames. DNS of turbulent premixed flames with the same turbulent Reynolds number but different Karlovitz numbers are carried out using semi-detailed finite-rate chemistry to represent different flame conditions. The sensitivities of the differences between the LES-filtered chemical reaction rates and those constructed using LES-filtered thermochemical variables (referred to as 'disparity' below) to reaction types, species characteristics, and flame conditions are systematically investigated. The sensitivity to reaction type is examined by quantifying the disparity in the filtered temperature-dependent reaction rate constant as a function of kinetic rate parameters. The sensitivity to species characteristics is examined by quantifying the disparity in the filtered law of mass action as a function of species chemical time scales and formation location. The sensitivity to flame conditions is examined by contrasting the results obtained from the two simulations. These disparities are compared to characterise distinct reaction/species categories with different levels of disparity in estimating the filtered chemical reaction rates in LES. For both flames, it is found that the rate constants estimated using LES-filtered temperature severely under-predict the LES-filtered rate constants, especially for reactions with high activation energies. The law of mass action estimated using LES-filtered species concentrations severely over-predicts the LES-filtered law of mass action, especially for reactions involving reactants with small chemical time scales. The combined effects are found to lead to considerable differences between the LES-filtered chemical reaction rates and those constructed using LES-filtered thermochemical quantities for all reaction types involving different classes of reactants typically included in combustion reaction mechanisms. The details and explanations of these differences provide test cases useful to the improvement of key LES modelling approximations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sheath blight disease (ShB) severely affects rice production; however, the details of defense against ShB remain unclear. To understand the rice defense mechanism against ShB, an RNA sequencing analysis was performed using Rhizoctonia solani inoculated rice leaves after 48 h of inoculation. Among them, 3417 genes were upregulated and 2532 were downregulated when compared with the control group (> twofold or < 1/2). In addition, the differentially expressed genes were classified via Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and MapMan analyses. Fifty-nine GO terms and seven KEGG pathways were significantly enriched. A MapMan analysis demonstrated that the phytohormone and metabolic pathways were significantly altered. Interestingly, the expression levels of 359 transcription factors, including WRKY, MYB, and NAC family members, as well as 239 transporter genes, including ABC, MFS, and SWEET, were significantly changed in response to R. solani AG1-IA inoculation. Additionally, OsWRKY53 and OsAKT1 negatively regulate the defense response in rice against R. solani via gain of function study for OsWRKY53 and loss of function study for OsAKT1, respectively. Furthermore, several differentially expressed genes contain R. solani-responsive cis acting regulatory elements in their promoter regions. Taken together, our analyses provide valuable information for the additional study of the defense mechanisms against ShB, and the candidate genes identified in this study will be useful resource for future breeding to enhance resistance against ShB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AMT1 family comprises major ammonium transporters in rice roots. In this study, we utilized AMT1 RNAi mutants (amt1) to explore how AMT1 affects NH4+- and NO3–-mediated morphological development and NH4+-responsive gene expression in roots. In the presence of NH4+, amt1 showed inhibition of NO3–- dependent lateral root development. The inhibitory action of NH4+ on lateral root growth was independent of the NO3– concentrations supplied to amt1 roots. The results of split root assays indicated that NH4+ exerts systemic action in inhibiting NO3–-dependent lateral root development in amt1. Further study with NAA and NOA, a potent auxin flux inhibitor, suggested that perturbation of membrane dynamics might not be the primary cause of the inhibitory action of NH4+ on NO3–-mediated lateral root growth in amt1 mutants. RNA-seq analysis of NH4+-responsive genes showed that approximately half of DEGs observed in wild-type roots were not detected in the DEGs of amt1 roots. Gene ontology enrichment analysis suggested that the expression of specific functional gene groups were affected by amt1 during the early response to NH4+. Auxin-responsive gene expression and root gravity responses were altered in amt1. This study demonstrated that AMT1 affects the interactions not only between ammonium and nitrate in lateral root growth but also between auxin and NH4+ in rice roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we propose a physics-based scaling theory for the evolution of small-scale turbulence eddies in the unburnt mixture when they travel across the preheat zone of a premixed flame. This scaling theory is developed to explicitly account for the effects of viscous diffusion on the length and velocity scales of turbulence eddies that are smaller than the inner reaction zone thickness of a premixed flame. This scaling suggests that both the length and velocity scales of the turbulence eddies are significantly altered as they pass through the preheat zone. The applicability of the scaling is assessed using a series of detailed numerical simulations of flame-vortex interactions with finite-rate chemistry and detailed molecular transport. The scaling estimates of eddy evolution are compared to simulation predictions with reasonable agreement. The proposed scaling is then applied to estimate the required length and velocity scales of turbulence eddies in the unburnt mixture of a turbulent premixed flame to potentially create significant perturbation of the reaction zone by local mixing after passing through the preheat zone. These requirements are translated into a minimum estimated Karlovitz number (Ka) of approximately 10 4 in the unburnt mixture of a turbulent premixed flame to potentially achieve distributed combustion. This estimated minimum Ka is significantly higher than the classical scaling estimate ( K a ∼ 10 2 ) for turbulent premixed flames, which supports the observations in recent experimental and Direct Numerical Simulation studies. The proposed scaling analysis implies that it is unlikely that turbulence eddies on the unburnt side of realistic turbulent premixed flames can be simultaneously sufficiently small and sufficiently strong to significantly alter the structure of the inner reaction zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Loose Plant Architecture 1 (LPA1), an indeterminate domain (IDD) protein, exhibits almost no expression in the leaves, but the overexpression of LPA1 significantly increases the resistance of rice to sheath blight disease (ShB) via the activation of PIN-FORMED 1a (PIN1a). Results: In this study, we determined that Rhizoctonia solani infection significantly induced LPA1 expression in the leaves, and lpa1 was more susceptible to R. solani compared with the wild-type and revertant plants. In addition, infection with R. solani altered the expression of IDD3, IDD5, IDD10, and IDD13, and yeast two-hybrid, split-GFP, and coimmunoprecipitation assays showed that LPA1 interacts with IDD3 and IDD13. IDD13 RNAi plants were more susceptible, while IDD13 overexpressors were less susceptible to ShB compared with the wild-type. In parallel, idd3 exhibited no significant differences, while IDD3 overexpressors were more susceptible compared to the wild-type response to ShB. Additional chromatin-immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assay experiments indicated that IDD13 and IDD3 bound to the PIN1a promoter, and the transient assay indicated that IDD13 and IDD3 positively and negatively regulate PIN1a expression, respectively. Moreover, IDD13, IDD3, and LPA1 form a transcription factor complex that regulates PIN1a. A genetic study showed that the LPA1 repressor lines were similar to lpa1/IDD13 RNAi and were more susceptible than the lpa1 and IDD13 RNAi plants in response to ShB. The overexpression of IDD13 increased resistance to ShB in the lpa1 background. Conclusions: Taken together, our analyses established that IDD3, IDD13, and LPA1 form a transcription factor complex to regulate the defense of rice against ShB possibly via the regulation of PIN1a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims INDETERMINATE DOMAIN 10 (IDD10) is a key transcription factor gene that activates the expression of a large number of NH4+-responsive genes including AMMONIUM TRANSPORTER 1;2 (AMT1;2). Primary root growth of rice (Oryza sativa) idd10 mutants is hypersensitive to NH4+. The involvement of CALCINEURIN B-LIKE INTERACTING PROTEIN KINASE (CIPK) genes in the action of IDD10 on NH4+-mediated root growth was investigated. Methods Quantitative reverse transcription–PCR was used to analyse NH4+- and IDD10 -dependent expression of CIPK genes. IDD10 -regulated CIPK target genes were identified using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation and transient transcription assays. Root growth rate, ammonium content and 15N uptake of cipk mutants were measured to determine their sensitivity to NH4+ and to compare these phenotypes with those of idd10. The genetic relationship between CIPK9 OX and idd10 was investigated by crosses between the CIPK9 and IDD10 lines. Key Results AMT1;2 was overexpressed in idd10 to determine whether NH4+-hypersensitive root growth of idd10 resulted from limitations in NH4+ uptake or from low cellular levels of NH4+. High NH4+ levels in idd10/AMT1;2 OX did not rescue the root growth defect. Next, the involvement of CIPK genes in NH4+-dependent root growth and interactions between IDD10 and CIPK genes was investigated. Molecular analysis revealed that IDD10 directly activated transcription of CIPK9 and CIPK14. Expression of CIPK8 , 9 , 14/15 and 23 was sensitive to exogenous NH4+. Further studies revealed that cipk9 and idd10 had almost identical NH4+-sensitive root phenotypes, including low efficiency of 15NH4+ uptake. Analysis of plants containing both idd10 and CIPK9 OX showed that CIPK9 OX could rescue the NH4+-dependent root growth defects of idd10. Conclusions CIPK9 was involved in NH4+-dependent root growth and appeared to act downstream of IDD10. This information will be useful in future explorations of NH4+ signalling in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the role of the vesicle-associated membrane proteins (VAMPs) and the plant growth materials to regulate the Brassinosteroids (BRs) BRI1 plasma membrane targeting to control plant growth in Arabidopsis. It discusses Brassinosteroids as the bioactive steroid molecules that act as plant hormones. It mentions the SYP22, plant growth hormone for overexpressing transgenic plants.

In this paper, we computationally study the effects of large Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) (more than two aromatic rings) on soot yield and distribution in turbulent flames, when they are considered as nucleating species for soot formation. This is examined in two turbulent non-premixed sooting jet flames using ethylene and a jet fuel (JP-8) surrogate as fuels. For each flame, two Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) are performed with two different soot nucleation strategies. In the first strategy, a range of PAH from naphthalene to cyclopenda[cd]pyrene are considered as nucleating species, while in the second strategy, naphthalene is considered as the only soot nucleating species and the effects of larger PAH are represented entirely by naphthalene. Flamelet-based chemistry-tabulation is used for the major thermochemical quantities, such as density, temperature, and major species mass fractions. Turbulence-chemistry interactions for PAH are accounted for by transporting their mass fractions and using a recently developed PAH relaxation model for their source term closure. The effects of large PAH on soot are highlighted by comparing the PAH profiles, soot nucleation rate, and soot volume fraction distributions obtained from both simulations for each test flame. These results are also compared against experimental measurements, when available. From these comparisons, it is first shown that naphthalene is predominantly formed along the flame centerline, and larger PAH species with more than two aromatic rings are primarily formed away from the centerline. Further, it is found that these larger PAH species only contribute to around of the overall soot nucleation rate along the flame centerline but their contributions are more substantial (up to) away from the centerline. Finally, it is shown that representing the effects of these large PAH species by naphthalene leads to an under-prediction of around for the soot volume fraction magnitude along the flame centerline. Away from the centerline, this under-prediction can be as much as 100 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DEP1-Myc + LPA1-GFP or DEP1-Myc + GFP were transfected into tobacco leaves. Mutation of G-protein subunit DEP1 increases planting density and resistance to sheath blight disease in rice (q) LPA1-GFP protein levels in LPA1-GFP and dep1-ko/LPA1-GFP transgenic plants were examined. Keywords: DEP1; tiller angle; sheath blight disease; LPA1; rice EN DEP1 tiller angle sheath blight disease LPA1 rice 418 420 3 03/15/21 20210301 NES 210301 One of the important goals of crop breeding is yield improvement. [Extracted from the article]

Tissue-specific activation of DOF11 promotes rice resistance to sheath blight disease and increases grain weight via activation of SWEET14 (iii) One-thousand-grain weight of WT, sweet14, DOF11-VP16 and sweet14/DOF11-VP16 plants. (u) Western blot analysis was performed to detect DOF11-VP16-Myc levels using anti-Myc antibody in WT, dof11 and dof11/DOF11-VP16-Myc plants (#1, #2). Keywords: SWEET14; yield; sheath blight disease; DOF11; rice EN SWEET14 yield sheath blight disease DOF11 rice 409 411 3 03/15/21 20210301 NES 210301 Sugar will eventually be exported transporter (SWEET) is a family of sugar transporters that plays a critical role during host and pathogen interaction (Bezrutczyk I et al i ., 2018). [Extracted from the article]

In this work, we investigate numerically the temporal evolution of Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE) of a chemically-reacting n-heptane and air mixture in statistically Homogeneous Isotropic Turbulence (HIT). Our specific focus is on the concurrent view of TKE evolution in both physical and scale (Fourier) spaces to identify the impact of reaction-induced heat release on turbulence. The simulation parameters are selected to represent the combustion characteristics of heavy hydrocarbon fuels under engine conditions. Results indicate that pressure dilatation work dominates the TKE evolution during the period of strong heat release and its dominance is attributed to the strong volumetric dilatation associated with the presence of reaction fronts in physical space. Viscous dissipation and viscous dilatation terms become much stronger with increasing heat release, primarily due to the increase in strain-rate and dilatation at the vicinity of the reaction fronts, but their magnitudes are still small compared to that of pressure dilatation work. In addition, the analysis in Fourier space shows that pressure dilatation work dominates the evolution of TKE not only in the mean, but also over a wide range of scales. The spectrum of pressure dilatation shows a power-law behavior, which is a direct consequence of the localized sheet-like reaction fronts in physical space. It is also shown that viscous dissipation spectrum initially removes kinetic energy at small scales when heat release is weak, but starts to remove kinetic energy at intermediate and later at large scales due to the presence of localized reaction fronts during the strong heat release period. More interestingly, it is observed that the inter-scale kinetic energy transfer spectrum moves energy from less dissipative scales (small scales) to scales where kinetic energy is more effectively removed by viscous dissipation work (large scales) during the period of strong heat release, which indicates possible up-scale kinetic energy transfer in Fourier space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Pathogen–host interaction is a complicated process; pathogens mainly infect host plants to acquire nutrients, especially sugars. Rhizoctonia solani, the causative agent of sheath blight disease, is a major pathogen of rice. However, it is not known how this pathogen obtains sugar from rice plants. In this study, we found that the rice sugar transporter OsSWEET11 is involved in the pathogenesis of sheath blight disease. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and β‐ d‐glucuronidase expression analyses showed that R. solani infection significantly enhanced OsSWEET11 expression in leaves amongst the clade III SWEET members. The analyses of transgenic plants revealed that Ossweet11 mutants were less susceptible, whereas plants overexpressing OsSWEET11 were more susceptible, to sheath blight compared with wild‐type controls, but the yield of OsSWEET11 mutants and overexpressors was reduced. SWEETs become active on oligomerization. Split‐ubiquitin yeast two‐hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation and co‐immunoprecipitation assays showed that mutated OsSWEET11 interacted with normal OsSWEET11. In addition, expression of conserved residue mutated AtSWEET1 inhibited normal AtSWEET1 activity. To analyse whether inhibition of OsSWEET11 function in mesophyll cells is related to defence against this disease, mutated OsSWEET11 was expressed under the control of the Rubisco promoter, which is specific for green tissues. The resistance of transgenic plants to sheath blight disease, but not other disease, was improved, whereas yield production was not obviously affected. Overall, these results suggest that R. solani might acquire sugar from rice leaves by the activation of OsSWEET11 expression. The plants can be protected from infection by manipulation of the expression of OsSWEET11 without affecting the crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat stem rust was once the most destructive plant disease, but it has been largely controlled. However, to prevent future problems, the ongoing development of resistant wheat varieties requires knowledge of the changing virulence patterns for Pgt virulence of the fungus that causes wheat stem rust and the detection of new races. Surveys were conducted from 2013–2014 to determine the races of the Pgt present in China. Low levels of stem rust infections were found in China during this investigation and 11 Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt) samples were obtained. In addition, 22 Pgt samples collected from the alternate host (Berberis) were obtained and have been reported for the first time. Fifty-three isolates were obtained from all samples. Four race groups, including 13 physiological races, were identified. They included the most prevalent races, 34C3MTGQM and 34C6MRGQM, with 13.2% predominance, followed by 34C0MRGQM at 11.3%. Six new races that were virulent against the resistance genes, Sr5 + Sr11, were found for the first time in China, namely 34C0MRGQM, 34C3MTGQM, 34C3MKGQM, 34C3MKGSM, 34C6MTGSM, and 34C6MRGQM, with a predominance of 11.3, 13.2, 9.4, 9.4, 1.9, and 13.2%, respectively. Most of the genes studied were ineffective against one or more of the tested isolates, except Sr9e, Sr21, Sr26, Sr31, Sr33, Sr38, Sr47, and SrTt3. Genes Sr35, SrTmp, Sr30, Sr37, Sr17, and Sr36 were effective in 92.5, 86.8, 84.9, 84.9, 79.3, and 77.4% of the tested isolates, respectively. In contrast, all of the isolates were virulent against Sr6, Sr7b, Sr9a, Sr9b, Sr9d, Sr9g, and SrMcN. Our results indicate that remarkable differences exist among the categories of the races in this study (i.e., their known virulence gene spectra) and the Pgt races reported previously. In addition, the sexual cycle of Pgt may contribute to its diversity in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NH4+ is an important nitrogen resource for rice plants in paddy soil. Therefore, it is likely that NH4+-triggered plant growth interacts with phytohormone-mediated developmental mechanisms. Our previous transcriptomic analysis revealed that many genes involved in auxin signaling and efflux are sensitive to NH4+. In the current study, we found that NH4+ treatment causes a delayed gravity response in rice roots. To further elucidate the interlocking relationship between NH4+ and auxin signaling during root development, we utilized mutants and overexpressors of a key NH4+ signaling transcription factor INDETERMINATE DOMAIN 10 (IDD10), encoding a transcription factor that regulates the expression of NH4+ uptake and N-assimilation genes. We obtained several lines of evidence that auxin affects NH4+-mediated gene expression and root development in rice plants via IDD10. First, the gravity response was delayed in idd10 roots and accelerated in IDD10 overexpressor (IDD10 OX) roots in the absence and (especially) presence of NH4+. Second, idd10 plants showed strong root coiling only in the presence of NH4+. However, treatment of 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA), a polar auxin transport inhibitor suppressed the NH4+-specific root phenotype of idd10. Third, the expression of NH4+-responsive auxin-related genes was affected in idd10 and IDD10 overexpressors. Finally, IDD10 expression was induced by IAA and suppressed by NPA. These findings suggest that the gene expression patterns and phenotypes triggered by NH4+ are influenced by the actions of auxin during root development, pointing to a regulatory circuit between NH4+ and auxin signaling that functions in root development in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Defects in the human glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor biosynthetic pathway are associated with inherited glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-deficiencies characterized by a broad range of clinical phenotypes including multiple congenital anomalies, dysmorphic faces, developmental delay, hypotonia, and epilepsy. Biallelic variants in PIGN, encoding phosphatidylinositol-glycan biosynthesis class N have been recently associated with multiple congenital anomalies hypotonia seizure syndrome. Case presentation: Our patient is a 2 year old male with hypotonia, global developmental delay, and focal epilepsy. Trio whole-exome sequencing revealed heterozygous variants in PIGN, c.181G > T (p.Glu61*) and c.284G > A (p.Arg95Gln). Analysis of FLAER and anti-CD59 by flow-cytometry demonstrated a shift in this patient's granulocytes, confirming a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-biosynthesis defect, consistent with PIGN-related disease. Conclusions: To date, a total of 18 patients have been reported, all but 2 of whom have congenital anomalies and/or obvious dysmorphic features. Our patient has no significant dysmorphic features or multiple congenital anomalies, which is consistent with recent reports linking non-truncating variants with a milder phenotype, highlighting the importance of functional studies in interpreting sequence variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the first atomistic-scale based method for calculating ignition front propagation speed and hypothesize that this quantity is related to laminar flame speed. This method is based on atomistic-level molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with the ReaxFF reactive force field. Results reported in this study are for supercritical (P = 55 MPa and Tu = 1800 K) combustion of hydrocarbons as elevated pressure and temperature are required to accelerate the dynamics for reactive MD simulations. These simulations are performed for different types of hydrocarbons, including alkyne, alkane, and aromatic, and are able to successfully reproduce the experimental trend of reactivity of these hydrocarbons. Moreover, our results indicate that the ignition front propagation speed under supercritical conditions has a strong dependence on equivalence ratio, similar to experimentally measured flame speeds at lower temperatures and pressures which supports our hypothesis that ignition front speed is a related quantity to laminar flame speed. In addition, comparisons between results obtained from ReaxFF simulation and continuum simulations performed under similar conditions show good qualitative, and reasonable quantitative agreement. This demonstrates that ReaxFF based MD-simulations are a promising tool to study flame speed/ignition front speed in supercritical hydrocarbon combustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate computation of molecular diffusion coefficients in chemically reacting flows can be an expensive procedure, and the use of constant non-unity Lewis numbers has been adopted often as a cheaper alternative. The goal of the current work is to explore the validity and the limitations of the constant non-unity Lewis number approach in the description of molecular mixing in laminar and turbulent flames. To carry out this analysis, three test cases have been selected, including a lean, highly unstable, premixed hydrogen/air flame, a lean turbulent premixedn-heptane/air flame, and a laminar ethylene/air coflow diffusion flame. For the hydrogen flame, both a laminar and a turbulent configuration have been considered. The three flames are characterised by Lewis numbers which are less than unity, greater than unity, and close to unity, respectively. For each flame, mixture-averaged transport simulations are carried out and used as reference data. The current analysis suggests that, for numerous combustion configurations, the constant non-unity Lewis number approximation leads to small errors when the set of Lewis numbers is chosen properly. For the selected test cases and our numerical framework, the reduction of computational cost is found to be minimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High blood sugar is a symptom of diabetes mellitus (DM). Vascular endothelial cells (VECs) directly contact the blood and are damaged when blood sugar levels are high. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this process remains elusive. To analyze the effects of DM on migration, we simulated DM by applying high glucose (HG) to the human VEC. HG delayed cell migration and induced phosphorylation of MAPKs (JNK and ERK). By contrast, in presence of bFGF, cell migration was promoted and MAPK phosphorylation levels were reduced. Furthermore, treatment with JNK and ERK inhibitors rescued HG-mediated delay of cell migration. Molecular and cell biological studies demonstrated that HG increased ROS production, whereas treatment with bFGF or JNK/ERK inhibitors blocked HG-induced ROS accumulation. Addition of MnTMPyP, a ROS scavenger, reduced HG-induced ROS production and accelerated cell migration, suggesting that the influence of HG on bFGF–MAPK signaling causes accumulation of ROS, which in turn regulate cell migration. This is the first study to elucidate the molecular mechanism of HG-mediated VEC migration; these findings could facilitate the development of novel therapies for DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NH4+ is an important N-source which regulates plant growth and development. However, the underlying mechanism of NH4+ uptake and its-mediated signaling is poorly understood. Here, we performed phosphoproteomic studies using the titanium dioxide (TiO2)-mediated phosphopeptides collection method together with LC-MS analysis. The results indicated that phosphorylation levels of 23 and 43 peptides/proteins involved in diverse aspects, including metabolism, transport and signaling pathway, were decreased and increased respectively after NH4+ treatment in rice roots. Among 23 proteins detected, IDD10, a key transcription factor in ammonium signaling, was identified to reduce phosphorylation level of S313 residue. Further biochemical analysis using IDD10-GFP transgenic plants and immunoprecipitation assay confirmed that NH4+ supply reduces IDD10 phosphorylation level. Phosphorylation of ammonium transporter 1;1 (AMT1;1) was increased upon NH4+ treatment. Interestingly, phosphorylation of T446, a rice specific residue against Arabidopsis was identified. It was also established that phosphorylation of T452 is conserved with T460 of Arabidopsis AMT1;1. Yeast complementation assay with transformation of phosphomimic forms of AMT1;1 (T446/D and T452/D) into 31019b strain revealed that phosphorylation at T446 and T452 residues abolished AMT1;1 activity, while their plasma membrane localization was not changed. Our analyses show that many proteins were phosphorylated or dephosphorylated by NH4+ that may provide important evidence for studying ammonium uptake and its mediated signaling by which rice growth and development are regulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soluble N-ethyl-maleimide sensitive factor attachment adaptor protein receptor (SNARE) domain-containing proteins were mainly involved in vesicle-associated membrane fusion. Genetic screening has revealed the function of SNARE in different aspects of plant biology. Among them, Synthaxin-22 (SYP22) a Qa-SNARE has been reported to have a pleiotropic function in plant development including regulation of leaf waving, shoot gravitropism and flowering time. In this study, we identified a new role of SYP22 in regulation of brassinosteroid (BR) signaling, especially in the dark. SYP22 interacts with BR receptor, brassinosteroid insensitive 1 (BRI1), and overexpression of SYP22 enhanced a weak BRI1 mutant bri1-5 phenotype. syp22 mutant exhibits short hypocotyl and it is sensitive to exogenously treated BR while slightly insensitive to BR-biosynthesis inhibitor propiconazole (PCZ) in the dark. Expression levels of BR signaling maker genes ACS5, SAUR15 and IAA19 were slightly higher, while BR6OX2, a BR biosynthesis marker gene, was lower in syp22 compared to the wild-type. In addition, syp22 was sensitive to 2,4-D, a synthetic auxin, in the dark. In conclusion, SYP22 is involved in BR- and auxin-mediated hypocotyl growth inhibition in the dark, which might be via interaction with BR and auxin key regulators to alter their internalization in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated the mechanisms by which licochalcone C induces apoptosis of T24 human malignant bladder cancer cells. Cell viability was evaluated using an MTT assay. Apoptosis was investigated using a morphological assay, flow cytometry and a caspase-3 activity assay. Alterations in the gene expression levels of Bcl-2 family members were measured by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assays. The protein levels of pro-caspase-3 and cleaved poly(ADP ribose) polymerase were measured using western blotting. The results indicated that licochalcone C induced T24 cell apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. Licochalcone C treatment reduced the levels of the anti-apoptotic mRNAs (Bcl-2, Bcl-w and Bcl-XL) and increased expression of the pro-apoptotic mRNAs (Bax and Bim). The Bcl-2 family inhibitor (ABT-737) reduced apoptosis induced by licochalcone C in T24 cells. The current study demonstrated that licochalcone C may be a potential adjuvant therapeutic agent for bladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closely-located transposable elements (TEs) can induce chromosomal breakage and rearrangements via alternative transposition (AT) reactions. Our previous study showed that diverse chromosomal rearrangements were induced by two inversely-oriented Ds elements at the OsRLG5 ( Oryza sativa receptor-like kinase gene 5) locus in regenerated rice plants. Here, several novel chromosomal rearrangements were identified in a population of tissue culture regenerants, and their proposed Ac/Ds-transposition mechanisms were discussed. In the first type of event, AT was induced by the same Ds element on each of two sister chromatids and resulted in the inversion of genomic DNA flanking the Ds element. In the second type of event, DNA segments of the inter-transposon segment (ITS) region were deleted or inverted. This novel local rearrangement likely resulted from an AT reaction of two directly-oriented Ds elements located on the same chromatid. The 5' and 3' termini of two Ds elements were re-inserted into two different sites inside the ITS, which generated the subsequent deletion and inversion. In the third type of event, two inversely-oriented Ds elements induced homologous recombination and chromosomal translocation. Together, these results showed the diversity of Ac/Ds-mediated chromosomal rearrangements and demonstrated the utility of the experimental system for examining the mechanisms underlying Ac/Ds AT reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a significant pest in soybean-growing regions and is native to eastern Asia. The life cycle of the aphid is complex with different physical forms and two types of host plants that are targeted. The winged females are produced on buckthorn ( Rhamnus spp.) in the spring and migrate into the soybean fields approximately 2 weeks before the soybeans emerge. This phenomenon suggests that A. glycines could infest other hosts (transitional hosts) during the period before soybean emergence. To verify the availability of transitional hosts, eggs of aphids were collected from Rhamnus davurica Pallus (Rhamnales: Rhamnaceae), the hatched aphids were reared, and the subsequent winged generation was transferred onto several candidate hosts. The possible transitional hosts of A. glycines were Capsella bursa- pastoris (L.) Medic (Capparales: Brassicaceae), Metaplexis japonica (Thunb.) Makino (Gentianales: Asclepiadaceae), and Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit (Asterales: Compositae). The aphids found on M. japonica were identified as A. glycines, and the aphids found on the other hosts were identified as the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover. Thus, M. japonica is likely the transitional host of A. glycines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) act against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), organic peroxides, and peroxynitrite. Thermococcus kodakaraensis KOD1, an anaerobic archaeon, contains many antioxidant proteins, including three Prxs (Tk0537, Tk0815, and Tk1055). Only Tk0537 has been found to be induced in response to heat, osmotic, and oxidative stress. Tk0537 was found to belong to a 1-Cys Prx6 subfamily based on sequence analysis and was named 1-Cys TkPrx. Using gel filtration chromatography, electron microscopy, and blue-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, we observed that 1-Cys TkPrx exhibits oligomeric forms with reduced peroxide reductase activity as well as decameric and dodecameric forms that can act as molecular chaperones by protecting both proteins and DNA from oxidative stress. Mutational analysis showed that a cysteine residue at the N-terminus (Cys46) was responsible for the peroxide reductase activity, and cysteine residues at the C-terminus (Cys205 and Cys211) were important for oligomerization. Based on our results, we propose that interconversion between different oligomers is important for regulating the different functions of 1-Cys TkPrx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive studies have been performed to elucidate the role of brassinosteroids (BRs), an important class of phy-tohormone in plant growth, development, and photomorphogenesis. Different wavelengths of light recognized by photoreceptors play a crucial role in plant development. The role of different photoreceptors in BR signaling has not been analyzed. Here we used photoreceptor single mutants, double mutants and even a quadruple mutant to analyze BR-dependent hypocotyl growth and gene regulation. All the photoreceptor mutants differed from the controls in their response to BR, and hypocotyl elongation as well as BR marker gene regulation were inhibited by application of propiconazole (PCZ), a BR biosynthesis inhibitor. In addition, altered Phytochrome and Cryptochrome expression in brassinosteroid insensitive 1 mutant bri1-5 and brassinazole-resistant 1 dominant mutant bzr1-D indicated that BR negatively regulates photoreceptors in transcriptional levels. This is the first study to investigate the connections between BR and photoreceptors in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major symptoms of diabetes mellitus (DM) is delayed wound healing, which affects large populations of patients worldwide. However, the underlying mechanism behind this illness remains elusive. Skin wound healing requires a series of coordinated processes, including fibroblast cell proliferation and migration. Here, we simulate DM by application of high glucose (HG) in human foreskin primary fibroblast cells to analyze the molecular mechanism of DM effects on wound healing. The results indicate that HG, at a concentration of 30 mM, delay cell migration, but not cell proliferation. bFGF is known to promote cell migration that partially rescues HG effects on cell migration. Molecular and cell biology studies demonstrated that HG enhanced ROS production and repressed JNK phosphorylation, but did not affect Rac1 activity. JNK and Rac1 activation were known to be important for bFGF regulated cell migration. To further confirm DM effects on skin repair, a type 1 diabetic rat model was established, and we observed the efficacy of bFGF on both normal and diabetic rat skin repair. Furthermore, proteomic studies identified an increase of Annexin A2 protein nitration in HG-stressed fibroblasts and the nitration was protected by activation of bFGF signaling. Treatment with FGFR1 and JNK inhibitors delayed cell migration and increased Annexin A2 nitration levels, indicating that Annexin A2 nitration is modulated by bFGF signaling via activation of JNK. Together with these results, our data suggests that the HG-mediated delay of cell migration is linked to the inhibition of bFGF signaling, specifically through JNK suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]