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Abstract Background The formation of shoots plays a pivotal role in plant organogenesis and productivity. Despite its significance, the underlying molecular mechanism of de novo regeneration has not been extensively elucidated in Capsicum annuum ‘Dempsey’, a bell pepper cultivar. To address this, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis focusing on the differential expression in C. annuum ‘Dempsey’ shoot, callus, and leaf tissue. We further investigated phytohormone-related biological processes and their interacting genes in the C. annuum ‘Dempsey’ transcriptome based on comparative transcriptomic analysis across five species. Results We provided a comprehensive view of the gene networks regulating shoot formation on the callus, revealing a strong involvement of hypoxia responses and oxidative stress. Our comparative transcriptome analysis revealed a significant conservation in the increase of gene expression patterns related to auxin and defense mechanisms in both callus and shoot tissues. Consequently, hypoxia response and defense mechanism emerged as critical regulators in callus and shoot formation in C. annuum ‘Dempsey’. Current transcriptome data also indicated a substantial decline in gene expression linked to photosynthesis within regenerative tissues, implying a deactivation of the regulatory system governing photosynthesis in C. annuum ‘Dempsey’. Conclusion Coupled with defense mechanisms, we thus considered spatial redistribution of auxin to play a critical role in the shoot morphogenesis via primordia outgrowth. Our findings shed light on shoot formation mechanisms in C. annuum ‘Dempsey’ explants, important information for regeneration programs, and have broader implications for precise molecular breeding in recalcitrant crops.

Parthenocarpy, characterized by seedless fruit development without pollination or fertilization, offers the advantage of consistent fruit formation, even under challenging conditions such as high temperatures. It can be induced by regulating auxin homeostasis; PAD1 (PARENTAL ADVICE-1) is an inducer of parthenocarpy in Solanaceae plants. However, precise editing of PAD1 is not well studied in peppers. Here, we report a highly efficient clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) ribonucleoprotein (RNP) for CaPAD1 editing in three valuable cultivars of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.): Dempsey, a gene-editable bell pepper; C15, a transformable commercial inbred line; and Younggo 4, a Korean landrace. To achieve the seedless pepper trait under high temperatures caused by unstable climate change, we designed five single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting the CaPAD1 gene. We evaluated the in vitro on-target activity of the RNP complexes in three cultivars. Subsequently, we introduced five CRISPR/Cas9-RNP complexes into protoplasts isolated from three pepper leaves and compared indel frequencies and patterns through targeted deep sequencing analyses. We selected two sgRNAs, sgRNA2 and sgRNA5, which had high in vivo target efficiencies for the CaPAD1 gene across the three cultivars and were validated as potential off-targets in their genomes. These findings are expected to be valuable tools for developing new seedless pepper cultivars through precise molecular breeding of recalcitrant crops in response to climate change.

AbstractIn the current study, we sequenced the complete plastome of Monstera deliciosa Liebm. (1849), an attractive foliage plant. The total length of the plastome of M. deliciosa is 163,499 bp and it consists of three distinct regions: a large single-copy (90,092 bp), a small single-copy (21,737 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 25,835 bp). The overall GC content is 36.2%, and the genome contains 110 functional genes, excluding pseudogenes. These functional genes encompass 77 protein-coding genes, 29 transfer RNA genes, and four ribosomal RNA genes. Notably, both the infA and rpl23 genes have been identified as pseudogenes. Phylogenetic analysis based on 14 representative plastomes from seven subfamilies indicates that Monsteroideae is monophyletic and sister to Pothoideae. Furthermore, M. deliciosa and M. adansonii were shown to share a recent common ancestor, the finding for which is supported by a strong bootstrap value. The sequenced plastome of M. deliciosa can serve as a valuable resource for establishing phylogenetic relationships and enhancing species identification within the genus Monstera. In addition, it can facilitate investigations into the genetic characteristics of this plant.

Abstract We hypothesized that the association between BP and endovascular treatment (EVT) outcomes would differ by baseline perfusion and recanalization status. We identified 388 ICA or M1 occlusion patients who underwent EVT ≤ 24 h from onset with successful recanalization (TICI ≥ 2b). BP was measured at 5-min intervals from arrival and during the procedure. Systolic BPs (SBP) were summarized as dropmax (the maximal decrease over two consecutive measurements), incmax (the maximal increase), mean, coefficient of variation (cv), and standard deviation. Adequate baseline perfusion was defined as hypoperfusion intensity ratio (HIR) ≤ 0.5; infarct proportion as the volume ratio of final infarcts within the Tmax > 6 s region. In the adequate perfusion group, infarct proportion was closely associated with SBPdropmax (β ± SE (P-value); 1.22 ± 0.48, (

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of heat stress on milk traits in South Korea using comprehensive data (dairy production and climate). The dataset for this study comprised 1,498,232 test-day records for milk yield, fat- and protein-corrected milk, fat yield, protein yield, milk urea nitrogen (MUN), and somatic cell score (SCS) from 215,276 Holstein cows (primiparous: n = 122,087; multiparous: n = 93,189) in 2,419 South Korean dairy herds. Data were collected from July 2017 to April 2020 through the Dairy Cattle Improvement Program, and merged with meteorological data from 600 automatic weather stations through the Korea Meteorological Administration. The segmented regression model was used to estimate the effects of the temperature-humidity index (THI) on milk traits and elucidate the break point (BP) of the THI. To acquire the least-squares mean of milk traits, the generalized linear model was applied using fixed effects (region, calving year, calving month, parity, days in milk, and THI). For all parameters, the BP of THI was observed; in particular, milk production parameters dramatically decreased after a specific BP of THI (p < 0.05). In contrast, MUN and SCS drastically increased when THI exceeded BP in all cows (p < 0.05) and primiparous cows (p < 0.05), respectively. Dairy cows in South Korea exhibited negative effects on milk traits (decrease in milk performance, increase in MUN, and SCS) when the THI exceeded 70; therefore, detailed feeding management is required to prevent heat stress in dairy cows.

In developing an Earth-bound homiletics, three homiletical movements are suggested: engaging Scripture, engaging global and local situatedness, and engaging the Indigenous worldview of “all my relations” by tapping into Indigenous knowledge. These three movements need not take place in any chronological order, nor should they be seen as a hierarchy. Rather, they are complementary and interconnected. The author, before articulating these movements, offers reasons for why the topic of the climate crisis is not preached on and then addresses the challenge of selecting biblical texts, delineating the strengths and weaknesses of using the lectionary readings versus a preacher’s individual choices. The article further addresses the danger of biblical literalists who deny global warming. Each homiletical movement will be elaborated using actual sermons as concrete examples of Earth-bound homiletics.

The impact of fermented concentrate on the growth and rumen health of beef cattle remains an area of emerging research. This study aimed to assess the influence of a fermented concentrate (TRT) compared to a conventional concentrate (CON) on the growth, rumen fermentation characteristics, and microbiota composition in Korean cattle. Using a crossover design, eight cattle were alternately fed TRT and CON diets, with subsequent analysis of feed components, rumen fermentation parameters, and microbial profiles. TRT and CON diets did not differ significantly in their effect on animal growth metrics. However, the TRT diet was associated with reduced digestibility of rapidly degradable carbohydrates and modified rumen fermentation patterns, as evidenced by an elevated pH and increased acetate-to-propionate ratio (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the TRT diet increased the abundance of lactic acid bacteria, Bacillus, and yeast and organic acid levels in the rumen (p < 0.05). Moreover, Lachnospiraceae and Bacteroidales populations in the rumen and fecal Akkermansia abundance increased in the TRT group compared to the CON group. These microbial changes suggest a potential enhancement of the immune system and overall health of the host. Further research on the long-term implications of incorporating fermented concentrate into cattle diets is warranted.

The Capsicum annuum Mildew Locus O (CaMLO2) gene is vital for plant defense responses against fungal pathogens like powdery mildew, a significant threat to greenhouse pepper crops. Recent advancements in genome editing, particularly using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9, have unlocked unprecedented opportunities for modifying disease-resistant genes and improving crop characteristics. However, the application of CRISPR technology in pepper cultivars has been limited, and the regeneration process remains challenging. This study addresses these limitations by investigating the feasibility of using the validated CaMLO2 genetic scissors system in six commercial hot pepper cultivars. We assessed the gene-editing efficiency of the previously reported high-efficiency Cas9/CaMLO2single-guide RNA (sgRNA)1-ribonucleoprotein (RNP) and the low-efficiency Cas9/CaMLO2sgRNA2-RNP systems by extending their application from the bell pepper ‘Dempsey’ and the hot pepper ‘CM334’ to six commercial hot pepper cultivars. Across the six cultivars, CaMLO2sgRNA1 demonstrated an editing efficiency ranging from 6.3 to 17.7%, whereas CaMLO2sgRNA2 exhibited no editing efficiency, highlighting the superior efficacy of sgRNA1. These findings indicate the potential of utilizing the verified Cas9/CaMLO2sgRNA1-RNP system to achieve efficient gene editing at the CaMLO2 locus in different Capsicum annuum cultivars regardless of their cultivar genotypes. This study provides an efficacious genome-editing tool for developing improved pepper cultivars with CaMLO2-mediated enhanced disease resistance.

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) holds immense global importance, as it is widely cultivated for its economic value in the food industry and its health benefits. Consequently, substantial breeding progress has been made in cultivar development, whole-genome analysis, and transformation techniques aimed at enhancing agricultural traits, including fruit development and capsaicin synthesis. However, research concerning the phylogenetic relationships within C. annuum remains insufficient. In this study, we characterized the plastome sequences of seven C. annuum, including five hot pepper and two bell pepper cultivars, while also elucidating their phylogenetic relationships. Furthermore, we conducted comparative analyses to gain insight into their evolutionary history. The seven plastomes displayed typical quadripartite structures and ranged from 156,821 to 156,922 bp, displaying highly conserved sequences. In contrast to prior studies, our phylogenomic analyses revealed that C. annuum species did not form a monophyletic group. Each subclade was thought to be related to a different evolutionary history, such as hybridization, domestication from wild ancestors, and artificial selection. Therefore, we were able to discern the relationships among cultivars based on their genetic profiles of plastomes. Our findings also revealed that the Korean landraces Younggo 4, 5, 10, and 11 share the most recent common ancestor with Mexican landrace CM334.

In this study, we applied iron (-oxide) incorporated carbide nanofiber composites as heterogeneous catalysts with wide visible-light absorption ability, catalytic reactivity, and catalytic stability for the highly efficient decomposition performance. Notably, water vapor activated iron (-oxide) incorporated carbide nanofiber catalyst (Act-Fe-CNF) showed high crystalline Fe3O4 phase, saturation magnetization point (17.76 emu/g), and large surface area (508.2 m2/g). In water vapor activation, Fe3C particles inside carbide nanofiber oxidized and aggregated to larger Fe3O4 particles, thereby forming a meso/macroporous structure and improving surface area offering more available active sites for catalytic reactivity. Under both UV-/real solar-light irradiation, it was demonstrated that the Act-Fe-CNF catalysts exhibited unprecedentedly excellent removal capabilities (>98%, [k] = 4.06 h−1) for rhodamine B, leading to complete water purification. Interestingly, the AF-CNFs catalysts also showed strong antimicrobial activities against gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) under incandescent-light irradiation. These results indicated that the Act-Fe-CNF catalysts might have utility in important environmental and bio-medical applications.

Recent studies have shown that expanded graphite (EG) is a suitable substrate for combining iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs). However, the low density and insignificant hydrophobicity of pristine EG hinder its applicability in wastewater treatment systems. Herein, iron oxide (IO)-combined EG nanocomposites (IO/EGs) were prepared using an underwater plasma discharge process, which is a fast and simple method for synthesizing composites. The IO/EGs produced by this method are complex combinations of the FeOOH and γ–Fe2O3 phases, whose compositions vary as the IO precursor content changes between 20 and 60 wt.%. Compared with pristine EG, the IO/EGs with varying IO precursor contents (IOx/EGs) exhibited approximately six times higher surface areas (>100 m2/g), nearly double zeta potential values (>39 mV), and excellent heavy-metal removal efficiencies. The excellent heavy-metal removal efficiencies (>80% within 10 min, [k] = 2.30 h−1, qe;≥ 125 mg/g) of IO20/EGs are attributed to their high specific surface areas (117.5 m2/g), relatively positive surface potentials (41.76 mV), and abundant reactive active sites (hydroxyl group). Overall, this study demonstrates that the simple and fast combined IOx/EGs are suitable adsorbents for removing heavy metals from polluted solutions.

Abstract To establish an efficient plant regeneration system from cell suspension cultures of Euonymus alatus, embryogenic callus formation from immature embryos was investigated. The highest frequency of embryogenic callus formation reached 50% when the immature zygotic embryos were incubated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D). At higher concentrations of 2,4-D (over 2 mg/L), the frequency of embryogenic callus formation declined significantly. The total number of somatic embryos development was highest with the 3% (w/v) sucrose treatment, which was found to be the optimal concentration for somatic embryo formation. Activated charcoal (AC) and 6-benzyladenine (BA) significantly increased the frequency of plantlet conversion from somatic embryos, but gibberellic acid (GA3) had a negative effect on plantlet conversion and subsequent development from somatic embryos. Even though the cell suspension cultures were maintained for more than 1 year, cell aggregates from embryogenic cell suspension cultures were successfully converted into normal somatic embryos with two cotyledons. To our knowledge, this is the first successful report of a plant regeneration system of E. alatus via somatic embryogenesis. Thus, the embryogenic cell line and plant regeneration system established in this study can be applied to mass proliferation and production of pharmaceutical metabolite in E. alatus.

This study aimed to establish an efficient plant regeneration system from leaf-derived embryogenic structure cultures of Daphne genkwa. To induce embryogenic structures, fully expanded leaf explants of D. genkwa were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, and 5 mg·L−1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), respectively. After 8 weeks of incubation, the highest frequency of embryogenic structure formation reached 100% when the leaf explants were cultivated on MS medium supplemented with 0.1 to 1 mg·L−1 2,4-D. At higher concentrations of 2,4-D (over 2 mg·L−1 2,4-D), the frequency of embryogenic structure formation significantly declined. Similar to 2,4-D, indole butyric acid (IBA) and α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) treatments were also able to form embryogenic structures. However, the frequency of embryogenic structure formation was lower than that of 2,4-D. In particular, the yellow embryonic structure (YES) and white embryonic structure (WES) were simultaneously developed from the leaf explants of D. genkwa on culture medium containing 2,4-D, IBA, and NAA, respectively. Embryogenic calluses (ECs) were formed from the YES after subsequent rounds of subculture on MS medium supplemented with 1 mg·L−1 2,4-D. To regenerate whole plants, the embryogenic callus (EC) and the two embryogenic structures (YES and WES) were transferred onto MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg·L−1 6-benzyl aminopurine (BA). The YES had the highest plant regeneration potential via somatic embryo and shoot development compared to the EC and WES. To our knowledge, this is the first successful report of a plant regeneration system via the somatic embryogenesis of D. genkwa. Thus, the embryogenic structures and plant regeneration system of D. genkwa could be applied to mass proliferation and genetic modification for pharmaceutical metabolite production in D. genkwa.

This study aims to examine the metabolic discrimination between in vitro grown adventitious roots and the standard medicinal parts of Atractylodes macrocephala. To achieve this goal, firstly, in vitro culture conditions of adventitious roots such as indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) concentrations, types of media, inorganic salt strength of culture medium, and elicitor types and concentrations were optimized. The optimal culture conditions for proliferation of adventitious roots was found to consist of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 5 mg L−1 IBA. Whole cell extracts from adventitious roots and the standard medicinal parts of A. macrocephala were subjected to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) from FT-IR spectral data showed that adventitious roots and standard medicinal parts were clearly distinguished in the PCA and PLS-DA score plot. Furthermore, the overall metabolite pattern from adventitious roots was changed depending on the dose-dependent manner of chemicals. These results suggest that FT-IR spectroscopy can be applied as an alternative tool for the screening of higher metabolic root lines and for discriminating metabolic similarity between in vitro grown adventitious roots and the standard medicinal parts. In addition, the adventitious roots proliferation system established in this study can be directly applied as an alternative means for the commercial production of A. macrocephala.

Abstract Background DNA-free, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein (Cas) ribonucleoprotein (RNP)-based genome editing is a simple, convincing, and promising tool for precision crop breeding. The efficacy of designed CRISPR-based genome editing tools is a critical prerequisite for successful precision gene editing in crops. Results This study demonstrates that soil-grown leaf- or callus-derived pepper protoplasts are a useful system for screening of efficient guide RNAs for CRISPR/Cas9 or CRISPR/Cas12a (Cpf1). CRISPR/Cas9 or Cpf1 were delivered as CRISPR/RNP complexes of purified endonucleases mixed with the designed single guide RNA, which can edit the target gene, CaMLO2 in two pepper cultivars with whole genome sequenced, Capsicum annuum ‘CM334’ and C. annuum ‘Dempsey’. The designed guide RNAs (sgRNAs for Cas9 or crRNAs for Cpf1) are conserved for CaMLO2 in both CM334 and Dempsey and cleave CaMLO2 in vitro. CRISPR/Cas9- or /Cpf1-RNP complexes were transfected into purely isolated protoplasts of the hot pepper CM334 and sweet pepper Dempsey by PEG-mediated delivery. Targeted deep sequencing analysis indicated that the targeted CaMLO2 gene was differentially edited in both cultivars, depending on the applied CRISPR/RNPs. Conclusions Pepper protoplast-based CRISPR guide-RNA selection is a robust method to check the efficacy of designed CRISPR tools and is a prerequisite for regenerating edited plants, which is a critical time-limiting procedure. The rapid and convincing selection of guide RNA against a target genome reduces the laborious efforts for tissue culture and facilitates effective gene editing for pepper improvement.

Rapid detection of antiviral resistant strains is important for effective clinical treatment. Here the authors develop an antibody which specifically binds to multidrug-resistant influenza virus and demonstrated detection in a number of different systems using the antibody.

Abstract Background This study aims to increase understanding of how patient and family education affects the prevention of medical errors, thereby providing basic data for developing educational contents. Methods This descriptive study surveyed patients, families, and Patient Safety Officers to investigate the relationship between educational contents and medical error prevention. The Chi-square test and ANOVA were used to derive the results of this study. The educational contents used in this study consisted of health information (1. current medicines, 2. allergies, 3. health history, 4. previous treatments/tests and complications associated with them) and Speak Up (1. handwashing, 2. patient identification, 3. asking about medical conditions, 4. asking about test results, 5. asking about behaviour and changes in lifestyle, 6. asking about the care plan, 7. asking about medicines, and 8. asking about medicine interactions). Results In this study, the first criterion for choosing a hospital for treatment in Korea was ‘Hospital with a famous doctor’ (58.6% patient; 57.7% families). Of the patients and their families surveyed, 82.2% responded that hospitals in Korea were safe. The most common education in hospitals is ‘Describe your medical condition’, given to 69.0% of patients, and ‘Hospitalisation orientation’, given to 63.4% of families. The most important factors in preventing patient safety events were statistically significant differences among patients, family members, and Patient Safety Officers (p = 0.001). Patients and families had the highest ‘Patient and family participation’ (31.0% of patients; 39.4% of families) and Patient Safety Officers had the highest ‘Patient safety culture’ (47.8%). Conclusions Participants thought that educational contents developed through this study could prevent medical errors. The results of this study are expected to provide basic data for national patient safety campaigns and standardised educational content development to prevent medical errors.

Background: Existing studies revealed that exposure to green spaces within healthcare establishments has multiple physical and mental health benefits to patients. In this context, the concept of biophilic design has received growing attention among environmental psychology researchers. Several studies indicated that the positive effect of green environment may be different for males and females. Therefore, the present study sought to investigate the influence of biophilic design elements (i.e., green items and natural light) on patients’self-rated mental health value, satisfaction with medical care, and loyalty toward the healthcare establishment. The study also investigated the possible influence of gender differences in the relationships between the variables. Methods: A structural equation modeling was employed as a data analysis technique. Results: Our empirical result indicated that biophilic design elements significantly improved the patients’ self-rated mental health value, and this dimension had a positive effect on their satisfaction with medical care and loyalty toward the health care facility. Our findings indicated that the relationships among biophilic design elements, self-rated mental health value, satisfaction with medical care, and loyalty toward the healthcare establishment were substantially different across male and female groups. Moreover, self-rated mental health value and satisfaction with medical care acted as significant mediators between biophilic design elements and loyalty. Conclusions: Results of this study offer healthcare practitioners and researchers valuable strategies to effectively incorporate biophilic design elements into the interior spaces of a healthcare establishment.

By most accounts, the world we live in has entered the epoch of the Anthropocene, the period in which human activity has irrevocably altered the geology, biosphere and climate of the planet [...]

Abstract Previously, we isolated Chlorella sp. HS2 (referred hereupon as HS2) from a local tidal rock pool and demonstrated its halotolerance and high biomass productivity under different salinity conditions. To further understand acclimation responses of this alga under high salinity stress, we performed transcriptome analysis of triplicated culture samples grown in freshwater and marine conditions at both exponential and stationary growth phases. The results indicated that the transcripts involved in photosynthesis, TCA, and Calvin cycles were downregulated, whereas the upregulation of DNA repair mechanisms and an ABCB subfamily of eukaryotic type ABC transporter was observed at high salinity condition. In addition, while key enzymes associated with glycolysis pathway and triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis were determined to be upregulated from early growth phase, salinity stress seemed to reduce the carbohydrate content of harvested biomass from 45.6 dw% to 14.7 dw% and nearly triple the total lipid content from 26.0 dw% to 62.0 dw%. These results suggest that the reallocation of storage carbon toward lipids played a significant role in conferring the viability of this alga under high salinity stress by remediating high level of cellular stress partially resulted from ROS generated in oxygen‐evolving thylakoids as observed in a direct measure of photosystem activities.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with red ginseng byproduct (RGB) on rumen fermentation, growth performance, blood metabolites, and mRNA expression of heat shock proteins (HSP) in fattening Hanwoo steers under heat stress. Two experimental total mixed rations (TMR) were prepared: (1) a TMR meeting the requirement of fattening beef having an average daily gain (ADG) 0.8 kg/day (CON) and (2) a TMR that included 2% RGB on a dry matter (DM) basis (GINSENG). In vitro rumen fermentation and in vivo growth experiments were conducted using two experimental diets. A total of 22 Hanwoo steers were distributed to two treatments (CON vs. GINSENG) in a completely randomized block design according to body weight (BW). The experiment was conducted during the summer season for five weeks. The final BW, ADG, DM intake, and feed conversion ratio did not differ between treatments in the growth trial. In the mRNA expression results, only HSP 90 showed an increasing tendency in the GINSENG group. The use of 2%DM RGB did not improve the growth performance or alleviate heat stress in fattening Hanwoo steers during the summer season.

This article considers the critical roles of preaching in addressing the environmental crises by way of engaging with Paul Ballard’s work as a particular practical theological methodology, namely the use of Scripture. This methodological consideration is followed by highlighting the work of the Earth Bible Team, which compliments Ballard’s work. Both works are used as an example of a homiletical practice as well as a learning exercise, demonstrating how Scripture can be used as a homiletical resource of and hermeneutical source for doing practical theology with an eye to address environmental crises.

Background: While the incidence of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) with atopic march (AM) showing respiratory allergy is steadily rising, the pathomechanism is still unknown. There are currently no biomarkers to predict progression of AM. Methods: To explore the mechanism of AM, patients with AD and AM and healthy controls were recruited and RNA microarray, flow cytometry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence staining were performed. We also co-cultured dendritic cells and CD4+ T cells with various Dermatophagoides farinae allergen fractions. Cytokine levels were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Findings: Both fatty-acid-binding protein 5 (FABP5) and Th17-related genes were more highly expressed in AM. FABP5 knockdown significantly decreased Th17-inducing cytokines in keratinocytes and IL-17A in T cells from AM patients. Further confirmation was obtained using an AM mice model compared to mice without AM. Der f 1, a major D. farinae allergen, increased FABP5 and IL-17A expression in T cells from AM patients. Higher serum FABP5 levels from AM patients were positively correlated with serum IL-17A levels. Interpretation: FABP5 expression, possibly enhanced by higher epicutaneous and respiratory sensitization to Der f 1, may directly promote Th17 responses in AD patients with AM. Thus, AM progression can be explained by Th17 reaction induced by FABP5. FABP5 was identified as a potential biomarker in AM. Funding: This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Science and ICT; No. NRF-2017R1A2B4009568), grants of the Korean Health Technology R&D Project, Ministry for Health, Welfare & Family Affairs, and the Republic of Korea (HI13C0010, HI14C1324, HI14C1799).

Abstract Background Water-soluble anthocyanin pigments are important ingredients in health-improving supplements and valuable for the food industry. Although great attention has been paid to the breeding and production of crops containing high levels of anthocyanin, genetic variation in red or purple cabbages (Brassica oleracea var. capitata F. rubra) has not yet been characterized at the molecular level. In this study, we identified the mechanism responsible for the establishment of purple color in cabbages. Results BoMYBL2–1 is one of the regulatory genes in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway in cabbages. It is a repressor whose expression is inversely correlated to anthocyanin synthesis and is not detectable in purple cabbages. Sequence analysis of purple cabbages revealed that most lacked BoMYBL2–1 coding sequences, although a few had a substitution in the region of the promoter 347 bp upstream of the gene that was associated with an absence of BoMYBL2–1 expression. Lack of transcriptional activity of the substitution-containing promoter was confirmed using transgenic Arabidopsis plants transformed with promoter::GUS fusion constructs. The finding that the defect in BoMYBL2–1 expression was solely responsible for purple coloration in cabbages was further demonstrated using genomic PCR and RT-PCR analyses of many other structural and regulatory genes in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Molecular markers for purple cabbages were developed and validated using 69 cabbage lines. Conclusion Expression of BoMYBL2–1 was inversely correlated to anthocyanin content, and purple color in cabbages resulted from a loss of BoMYBL2–1 expression, caused by either the promoter substitution or deletion of the gene. This is the first report of molecular markers that distinguish purple cabbages. Such markers will be useful for the production of intraspecific and interspecific hybrids for functional foods, and for industrial purposes requiring high anthocyanin content.

A reliable regeneration technique is critical for the improvement of pepper traits in the genome editing era. Recently, we reported that peppers were successfully and specifically edited using CRISPR tools, CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cas12a (LbCpf1). Although genome-editing tools can be applied to modify peppers at the cellular level, feasible pepper regeneration techniques have not been developed. Therefore, we studied a pepper regeneration protocol for Capsicum annuum L. ‘Dempsey’, a bell pepper species that has been proven to be genome-editable. Three explant types were used in this study, including the first leaves, cotyledons and hypocotyls of pepper seedlings. The shoot buds of the tested explants were produced using 8 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP)- and 6 mg/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-containing shoot induction medium (SIM). The first leaves of the ‘Dempsey’ seedlings showed an average shooting rate of 69.8%, whereas the hypocotyls and cotyledons had approximately 25.5% and 19.5% shooting rates, respectively. The regenerated ‘Dempsey’ plants exhibited no alterations in fruit and fertile seed phenotypes. Furthermore, the parent ‘Dempsey’ and progenies of the regenerants were cytogenetically stable with the same chromosome numbers (2n = 24). Therefore, this regeneration protocol enables the precise molecular breeding of ‘Dempsey’ peppers when coupled with CRISPR tools.

Chicken is important livestock that serves as a vital food source which remain largely affected by heat stress. Therefore, we performed the transcriptome analysis to help understand the mechanisms of heat stress response in chickens. In the animal experiments, we grouped them into a normal and severe at 21 and 33 °C, with identified physiologic parameters for 2-weeks. Subsequently, RNA-seq analysis was performed to identify DEGs with a false discovery rate < 0.05 and a fold change ≥ 1.5. In the physiological parameters, we observed average daily gain was declined, rectal temperature and respiration rate was increased in severe group. Among total 245 DEGs, 230 and 15 genes were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. In upregulated DEGs, HSPs, MYLK2, and BDKRB1 genes were identified as key genes in heat stress. The KEGG pathway analysis showed involvement in the ATP metabolic process, MAPK signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway with related protein processing and synthesis. In conclusion, with induced heat stress, such changes in physiologic parameters alter the neuroendocrine system, and we observed that the heat stress environment regulates such Heat shock protein genes to protect the cells and proteins from an altered metabolism. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the heat stress response in poultry.

Cpf1 is a type V CRISPR effector protein that has different target and guide RNA requirements compared to Cas9, thus offering an addition tool for precision genome editing. Here Kimet al. show that Cpf1 ribonucleoprotein can be introduced into protoplasts and used for transgene-free gene editing in plants.

Peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) are the most widespread and cultivated species of Solanaceae in subtropical and temperate countries. These vegetables are economically attractive worldwide. Although whole-genome sequences of peppers and genome-editing tools are currently available, the precision editing of peppers is still in its infancy because of the lack of a stable pepper transformation method. Here, we employed three Agrobacterium tumefaciens strains—AGL1, EHA101, and GV3101—to investigate which Agrobacterium strain could be used for pepper transformation. Hot pepper CM334 and bell pepper Dempsey were chosen in this study. Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 induced the highest number of calli in cv. Dempsey. All three strains generated similar numbers of calli for cv. CM334. We optimized a suitable concentration of phosphinothricin (PPT) to select a CRISPR/Cas9 binary vector (pBAtC) for both pepper types. Finally, we screened transformed calli for PPT resistance (1 and 5 mg/L PPT for cv. CM334 and Dempsey, respectively). These selected calli showed different indel frequencies from the non-transformed calli. However, the primary indel pattern was consistent with a 1-bp deletion at the target locus of the C. annuumMLO gene (CaMLO2). These results demonstrate the different sensitivity between cv. CM334 and Dempsey to A. tumefaciens-mediated callus induction, and a differential selection pressure of PPT via pBAtC binary vector.

Brassica oleracea is a single species that includes diverse crops such as cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Here, the authors identify genes not captured in existing B. oleraceareference genomes by the assembly of a pangenome and show variations in gene content that may be related to important agronomic traits

Dental implants are widely used tooth replacement tools owing to their good oral rehabilitation and reconstruction capacities. Since dental implants are designed as a replacement for natural teeth, multi-functional abilities are desired to achieve successful implant treatment with improved osseointegration through promotion of mammalian cell activity and prevention of bacterial cell activity. In this study, we developed a graphene–chitosan hybrid dental implant (GC hybrid implant) using various concentrations of graphene, which demonstrated the different surface properties including increased wettability and roughness. Importantly, the GC hybrid implant under the optimal condition (i.e., 1% GC hybrid implant) could significantly promote osteoblast proliferation while reducing biofilm formation and bacterial activity. Our study demonstrates the potential of using this GC hybrid implant as a new type of dental implant, which can offer an effective design for the fabrication of advanced dental implants.

We developed a simple method for the fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces on various substrates using spray coating. The fabrication method started with the blending of a modified hydrophobic siloxane binder, silica nanoparticles, and a volatile solvent by sonication. The mixture was spray-coated on various surfaces such as slide glass, paper, metal and fabric, forming a rough surface comprising silica particles dispersed in a hydrophobic binder. Surface hydrophobicity was affected by the surface energy of the binder and the degree of roughness. Therefore, we realized a superhydrophobic surface by controlling these two factors. The hydrophobicity of the siloxane binder was determined by the treatment of fluorine silane; the roughness was controlled by the amount of coated materials and sonication time. Thus, using the spray coating method, we obtained a superhydrophobic surface that was mechanically durable, thermally stable, and chemically resistant.

Pterocarpans are derivatives of isoflavonoids, found in many species of the family Fabaceae. Sophora flavescens Aiton is a promising traditional Asian medicinal plant. Plant cell suspension cultures represent an excellent source for the production of valuable secondary metabolites. Herein, we found that methyl jasmonate (MJ) elicited the activation of pterocarpan biosynthetic genes in cell suspension cultures of S. flavescens and enhanced the accumulation of pterocarpans, producing mainly trifolirhizin, trifolirhizin malonate, and maackiain. MJ application stimulated the expression of structural genes (PAL, C4H, 4CL, CHS, CHR, CHI, IFS, I3’H, and IFR) of the pterocarpan biosynthetic pathway. In addition, the co-treatment of MJ and methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MeβCD) as a solubilizer exhibited a synergistic effect on the activation of the pterocarpan biosynthetic genes. The maximum level of total pterocarpan production (37.2 mg/g dry weight (DW)) was obtained on day 17 after the application of 50 μM MJ on cells. We also found that the combined treatment of cells for seven days with MJ and MeβCD synergistically induced the pterocarpan production (trifolirhizin, trifolirhizin malonate, and maackiain) in the cells (58 mg/g DW) and culture medium (222.7 mg/L). Noteworthy, the co-treatment only stimulated the elevated extracellular production of maackiain in the culture medium, indicating its extracellular secretion; however, its glycosides (trifolirhizin and trifolirhizin malonate) were not detected in any significant amounts in the culture medium. This work provides new strategies for the pterocarpan production in plant cell suspension cultures, and shows MeβCD to be an effective solubilizer for the extracellular production of maackiain in the cell cultures of S. flavescens.

Keeping green leaf color at the time of harvest is one of the important traits for breeding of Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba, and this trait is related to low anthocyanin contents. To understand the differential accumulation of anthocyanins in cabbage, we selected high anthocyanin accumulators (HAAs) and low anthocyanin accumulator (LAAs) of cabbages and examined the anthocyanin content and the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis-related genes. Among many genes investigated, BoDFR1 was found to be closely related to anthocyanin accumulation, even under low temperature (LT) conditions. BoDFR1 sequence analyses between HAAs and LAAs revealed that there is a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (1118T/A) in the coding sequence, which substitutes one amino acid from Leu261 to His261; we named BoDFR1 with His261 substitution as BoDFR1v. This amino acid substitution did not affect dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) activity and substrate specificity, but the polymorphism showed tight association to the BoDFR1 expression, i.e., high level expression of BoDFR1 and low level expression of BoDFR1v under LT conditions. The high levels of BoDFR1 expression were due to the high levels of BoMYB114 and BobHLH expressions combined with low level expression of BoMYBL2, a repressor MYB. On the other hand, low levels of BoDFR1v expression seemed to be related to very low level expressions of BoMYB114 and BobHLH combined with a high level expression of BoMYBL2. It seems that different expression levels of these regulatory genes for MBW (MYB-bHLH-WD40) complex between HAAs and LAAs regulate BoDFR expression and anthocyanin accumulation. Using a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) between BoDFR1 and BoDFR1v, molecular markers for PCR and high resolution melt analyses were developed and validated to distinguish between HAAs and LAAs. Combined use of the BoDFR1 SNP marker with other stress markers, such as a cold tolerant marker, will greatly improve cabbage breeding.

Plants need to respond to various environmental stresses such as abiotic stress for proper development and growth. The responses to abiotic stress can be biochemically demanding, resulting in a trade-off that negatively affects plant growth and development. Thus, plant stress responses must be fine-tuned depending on the stress severity and duration. Abscisic acid, a phytohormone, plays a key role in responses to abiotic stress. Here, we investigated time-dependent physiological and molecular responses to long-term ABA treatment in Arabidopsis as an approach to gain insight into the plant responses to long-term abiotic stress. Upon ABA treatment, the amount of cellular ABA increased to higher levels, reaching to a peak at 24 h after treatment (HAT), and then gradually decreased with time whereas ABA-GE was maintained at lower levels until 24 HAT and then abruptly increased to higher levels at 48 HAT followed by a gradual decline at later time points. Many genes involved in dehydration stress responses, ABA metabolism, chloroplast biogenesis, and chlorophyll degradation were strongly expressed at early time points with a peak at 24 or 48 HAT followed by gradual decreases in induction fold or even suppression at later time points. At the physiological level, long-term ABA treatment caused leaf yellowing, reduced chlorophyll levels, and inhibited chloroplast division in addition to the growth suppression whereas short-term ABA treatment did not affect chlorophyll levels. Our results indicate that the duration of ABA treatment is a crucial factor in determining the mode of ABA-mediated signaling and plant responses: active mobilization of cellular resources at early time points and suppressive responses at later time points.

Macrophages are one of the major cell types that produce IL-1β. IL-1β maturation occurs via inflammasome activation, and mature IL-1β is then released from the cell. Secreted IL-1β mediates inflammatory reactions in various pathological environments, such as those in infectious, autoimmune, and cancerous diseases. Although the mechanism of IL-1β production has been discovered in infectious and autoimmune diseases, its production mechanism in the tumor microenvironment is unclear. Therefore, the mechanism of IL-1β production in macrophages in the tumor microenvironment was investigated in this study. First, bone marrow-derived macrophages obtained from C57BL/6 mice were treated with B16F10 tumor-conditioned media (TCM) in vitro. TCM increased the levels of IL-1β via glucose-mediated activation of the inflammasome. Moreover, TCM enhanced the activation of both NF-κB and mTOR pathways in a glucose-dependent manner. In particular, the expression levels of mTORC1 component proteins were dependent on the TCM-induced activation of NF-κB signaling. In addition, TCM affected ASC-ASC interactions through increasing intracellular reactive oxygen species levels. Finally, glucose inhibition by inoculation with 2-deoxy-D-glucose in vivo decreased the IL-1β levels in both the blood and tumor region of B16F10-bearing C57BL/6 mice relative to those in PBS-injected tumor-bearing mice. These results suggest that glucose supplied from blood vessels might be important for IL-1β production in tumor-associated macrophages via the integrated signals of the NF-κB and mTOR pathways in the tumor microenvironment.

Sophorae Radix (Sophora flavescens Aiton) has long been used in traditional medicine in East Asia due to the various biological activities of its secondary metabolites. Endogenous contents of phenolic compounds (phenolic acid, flavonol, and isoflavone) and the main bioactive compounds of Sophorae Radix were analyzed based on the qualitative HPLC analysis and evaluated in different organs and at different developmental stages. In total, 11 compounds were detected, and the composition of the roots and aerial parts (leaves, stems, and flowers) was significantly different. trans-Cinnamic acid and p-coumaric acid were observed only in the aerial parts. Large amounts of rutin and maackiain were detected in the roots. Four phenolic acid compounds (benzoic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and chlorogenic acid) and four flavonol compounds (kaempferol, catechin hydrate, epicatechin, and rutin) were higher in aerial parts than in roots. To identify putative genes involved in phenolic compounds biosynthesis, a total of 41 transcripts were investigated. Expression patterns of these selected genes, as well as the multiple isoforms for the genes, varied by organ and developmental stage, implying that they are involved in the biosynthesis of various phenolic compounds both spatially and temporally.

Full-length cDNAs encoding ξ-carotene desaturase (CmZDS), lycopene ε-cyclase (CmLCYE), β-ring carotene hydroxylase (CmCHXB), and zeaxanthin epoxidase (CmZEP), and partial-length cDNA encoding ε-ring carotene hydroxylase (CmCHXE) were isolated in Chamoe (Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa), an important commercial fruit. Sequence analyses revealed that these proteins share high identity and common features with other orthologous genes. Expression levels of entire genes involved in the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway were investigated in the peel, pulp, and stalk of chamoe cultivars Ohbokggul and Gotgam. Most of the carotenoid biosynthetic genes were expressed at their highest levels in the stalk, whereas carotenoids were highly distributed in the peel. The expression levels of all carotenoid biosynthetic genes in fruits of the native cultivar Gotgam chamoe were higher than those in the cultivar Ohbokggul chamoe, consistent with the abundant carotenoid accumulation in Gotgam chamoe fruits and trace carotenoid content of Ohbokggul chamoe fruit. Lutein and β-carotene were the dominant carotenoids; high levels (278.05 μg g−1 and 112.02 μg g−1 dry weight, respectively) were found in the peel of Gotgam chamoe. Our findings may provide a foundation for elucidating the carotenoid biosynthetic mechanism in C. melo and inform strategies for developing new chamoe cultivars with improved characteristics.

In this study, we investigated the expression of seven MYB transcription factors (a total of 17 genes that included Dof1.1, IQD1-1, MYB28, MYB29, MYB34, MYB51, and MYB122 and their isoforms) involved in aliphatic and indolic glucosinolate (GSL) biosynthesis and analyzed the aliphatic and indolic GSL content in different organs of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapassp. Pekinensis). MYB28 and MYB29 expression in the stem was dramatically different when compared with the levels in the other organs. MYB34, MYB122, MYB51, Dof1.1, and IQD1-1 showed very low transcript levels among different organs. HPLC analysis showed that the glucosinolates (GSLs) consisted of five aliphatic GSLs (progoitrin, sinigrin, glucoalyssin, gluconapin, and glucobrassicanapin) and four indolic GSLs (4-hydroxyglucobrassicin, glucobrassicin, 4-methoxygluco-brassicin, and neoglucobrassicin). Aliphatic GSLs exhibited 63.3% of the total GSLs content, followed by aromatic GSL (19.0%), indolic GSLs (10%), and unknown GSLs (7.7%) in different organs of Chinese cabbage. The total GSL content of different parts (ranked in descending order) was as follows: seed > flower > young leaves > stem > root > old leaves. The relationship between GSLs accumulation and expression of GSLs biosynthesis MYB TFs genes in different organs may be helpful to understand the mechanism of MYB TFs regulating GSL biosynthesis in Chinese cabbage.

Cabbage is a relatively robust vegetable at low temperatures. However, at high temperatures, cabbage has disadvantages, such as reduced disease tolerance and lower yields. Thus, selection of heat-tolerant cabbage is an important goal in cabbage breeding. Easier or faster selection of superior varieties of cabbage, which are tolerant to heat and disease and have improved taste and quality, can be achieved with molecular and biological methods. We compared heat-responsive gene expression between a heat-tolerant cabbage line (HTCL), “HO”, and a heat-sensitive cabbage line (HSCL), “JK”, by Genechip assay. Expression levels of specific heat stress-related genes were increased in response to high-temperature stress, according to Genechip assays. We performed quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) to compare expression levels of these heat stress-related genes in four HTCLs and four HSCLs. Transcript levels for heat shock protein BoHsp70 and transcription factor BoGRAS (SCL13) were more strongly expressed only in all HTCLs compared to all HSCLs, showing much lower level expressions at the young plant stage under heat stress (HS). Thus, we suggest that expression levels of these genes may be early selection markers for HTCLs in cabbage breeding. In addition, several genes that are involved in the secondary metabolite pathway were differentially regulated in HTCL and HSCL exposed to heat stress.

Genetic polymorphism contributes to variation in response to drug treatment of depression. We conducted three independent 6-week treatment studies in outpatients with major depressive disorder (MDD) to develop a pharmacogenomic model predicting response and nonresponse. We screened candidate genomic markers for association with response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). No patients had received any antidepressant drug treatment in the current episode of depression. Outcome evaluation was blinded to drug and genotype data. The prediction model derived from a development sample of 239 completer cases treated with SSRIs comprised haplotypes and polymorphisms related to serotonin synthesis, serotonin transport, glutamate receptors, and GABA synthesis. The model was evaluated prospectively for prediction of outcome in a validation sample of 176 new SSRI-treated completer cases. The model gave a prediction in 60% of these cases. Predictive values were 85% for predicted responders and 86% for predicted nonresponders, compared to prior probabilities of 66% for observed response and 34% for observed nonresponse in those cases (both P

Plants, as sessile organisms, can suffer serious growth and developmental consequences under cold stress conditions. Glutathione transferases (GSTs, EC 2.5.1.18) are ubiquitous and multifunctional conjugating proteins, which play a major role in stress responses by preventing oxidative damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Currently, understanding of their function(s) during different biochemical and signaling pathways under cold stress condition remain unclear. In this study, using combined computational strategy, we identified 65 Brassica oleracea glutathione transferases (BoGST) and characterized them based on evolutionary analysis into 11 classes. Inter-species and intra-species duplication was evident between BoGSTs and Arabidopsis GSTs. Based on localization analyses, we propose possible pathways in which GST genes are involved during cold stress. Further, expression analysis of the predicted putative functions for GST genes were investigated in two cold contrasting genotypes (cold tolerance and susceptible) under cold condition, most of these genes were highly expressed at 6 h and 1 h in the cold tolerant (CT) and cold susceptible (CS) lines, respectively. Overall, BoGSTU19, BoGSTU24, BoGSTF10 are candidate genes highly expressed in B. oleracea. Further investigation of GST superfamily in B. oleracea will aid in understanding complex mechanism underlying cold tolerance in plants.

Most of our understanding of plant genome structure and evolution has come from the careful annotation of small (e.g., 100 kb) sequenced genomic regions or from automated annotation of complete genome sequences. Here, we sequenced and carefully annotated a contiguous 22 Mb region of maize chromosome 4 using an improved pseudomolecule for annotation. The sequence segment was comprehensively ordered, oriented, and confirmed using the maize optical map. Nearly 84% of the sequence is composed of transposable elements (TEs) that are mostly nested within each other, of which most families are low-copy. We identified 544 gene models using multiple levels of evidence, as well as five miRNA genes. Gene fragments, many captured by TEs, are prevalent within this region. Elimination of gene redundancy from a tetraploid maize ancestor that originated a few million years ago is responsible in this region for most disruptions of synteny with sorghum and rice. Consistent with other sub-genomic analyses in maize, small RNA mapping showed that many small RNAs match TEs and that most TEs match small RNAs. These results, performed on approximately 1% of the maize genome, demonstrate the feasibility of refining the B73 RefGen_v1 genome assembly by incorporating optical map, high-resolution genetic map, and comparative genomic data sets. Such improvements, along with those of gene and repeat annotation, will serve to promote future functional genomic and phylogenomic research in maize and other grasses.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important cereal crops and a model for the study of genetics, evolution, and domestication. To better understand maize genome organization and to build a framework for genome sequencing, we constructed a sequence-ready fingerprinted contig-based physical map that covers 93.5% of the genome, of which 86.1% is aligned to the genetic map. The fingerprinted contig map contains 25,908 genic markers that enabled us to align nearly 73% of the anchored maize genome to the rice genome. The distribution pattern of expressed sequence tags correlates to that of recombination. In collinear regions, 1 kb in rice corresponds to an average of 3.2 kb in maize, yet maize has a 6-fold genome size expansion. This can be explained by the fact that most rice regions correspond to two regions in maize as a result of its recent polyploid origin. Inversions account for the majority of chromosome structural variations during subsequent maize diploidization. We also find clear evidence of ancient genome duplication predating the divergence of the progenitors of maize and rice. Reconstructing the paleoethnobotany of the maize genome indicates that the progenitors of modern maize contained ten chromosomes.

ABSTRACT: Cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is a high value horticultural crop. In this study, the genetic diversity of 160 strawberry accessions was determined using five highly polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Sixty different alleles were identified, with allele frequencies in the range of 0.006 to1. Similarity scores were in the range of 0.034 to 0.963 (average: 0.507). The accessions were categorized into five groups. Group 1 contained two diploid Fragaria vesca species and one unknown accession. Group 2 contained one accession (F x ananassa). Group 3 contained 20 F × ananassa accessions and six unknown accessions. Group 4 contained 48 F. × ananassa accessions, one octaploid Fragaria chiloensis species, and six unknown accessions while Group 5 contained 69 F. × ananassa accessions and six unknown accessions. Accessions within a pedigree were frequently grouped together. A total of 30 novel accessions were categorized alongside existing accessions. These results will allow breeders to develop strategies which incorporate more genetic diversity into new cultivars.

A study was conducted among Koreans with late-life depression to determine whether antidepressant responses to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (NRIs) are associated with genetic polymorphisms of the corresponding monoamine transporters. Results suggested that monoamine transporter gene polymorphisms are associated with response to antidepressants with homologous monoamine transporter targets, thus enabling refined pharmacogenetic selection of antidepression treatment.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes salmonellosis and mortality worldwide. S. Typhimurium infects macrophages and survives within phagosomes by avoiding the phagosome-lysosome fusion system. Phagosomes sequentially acquire different Rab GTPases during maturation and eventually fuse with acidic lysosomes. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) is a bioactive lipid that is associated with the generation of chemoattractants and reactive oxygen species (ROS). In our previous study, LPC controlled the intracellular growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by promoting phagosome maturation. In this study, to verify whether LPC enhances phagosome maturation and regulates the intracellular growth of S. Typhimurium, macrophages were infected with S. Typhimurium. LPC decreased the intracellular bacterial burden, but it did not induce cytotoxicity in S. Typhimurium-infected cells. In addition, combined administration of LPC and antibiotic significantly reduced the bacterial burden in the spleen and the liver. The ratios of the colocalization of intracellular S. Typhimurium with phagosome maturation markers, such as early endosome antigen 1 (EEA1) and lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP-1), were significantly increased in LPC-treated cells. The expression level of cleaved cathepsin D was rapidly increased in LPC-treated cells during S. Typhimurium infection. Treatment with LPC enhanced ROS production, but it did not affect nitric oxide production in S. Typhimurium-infected cells. LPC also rapidly triggered the phosphorylation of IKBa during S. Typhimurium infection. These results suggest that LPC can improve phagosome maturation via ROS-induced activation of NF-κB pathway and thus may be developed as a therapeutic agent to control S. Typhimurium growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eukaryotes transport biomolecules between intracellular organelles and between cells and the environment via vesicle trafficking. Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNARE proteins) play pivotal roles in vesicle and membrane trafficking. These proteins are categorized as Qa, Qb, Qc, and R SNAREs and form a complex that induces vesicle fusion for targeting of vesicle cargos. As the core components of the SNARE complex, the SNAP25 Qbc SNAREs perform various functions related to cellular homeostasis. The Arabidopsis thaliana SNAP25 homolog AtSNAP33 interacts with Qa and R SNAREs and plays a key role in cytokinesis and in triggering innate immune responses. However, other Arabidopsis SNAP25 homologs, such as AtSNAP29 and AtSNAP30, are not well studied; this includes their localization, interactions, structures, and functions. Here, we discuss three biological functions of plant SNAP25 orthologs in the context of AtSNAP33 and highlight recent findings on SNAP25 orthologs in various plants. We propose future directions for determining the roles of the less well-characterized AtSNAP29 and AtSNAP30 proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of 3 environmentally friendly fertilizers and their effect on the growth of Chinese cabbage and its contents of bioactive compounds. The following fertilizers were applied: purslane extract, 5% sulfur, and 15% phosphoric acid with 5% calcium. A total of 9, 9, and 11 components were detected for fatty acids, carotenoids, and glucosinolates, respectively. The contents of cis-7 hexadecenoic acid, linoleic acid (C18:2n6c+t), and linolenic acid (C183n3) were generally increased, and also carotenoid amounts of violaxanthin, antheraxanthin, lutein, 13-cis-β-carotene, α-carotene, β-carotene, and 9-cis-β-carotene were significantly increased by fertilizer treatments. All fertilization treatments decreased the amounts of progoitrin, a strong goitrogenic, by 20.9% (H fertilization) to 53.8% (HJ fertilization). Expression analysis of fatty acid, carotenoid, and glucosinolate biosynthesis genes showed that fertilizer treatments affected the accumulation of bioactive components by changing gene expression levels. These environmentally friendly fertilizers can add value to Chinese cabbage by increasing its yield and nutritional value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants must constantly adjust their growth and defense responses to deal with the wide variety of stresses they encounter in their environment. Among phytohormones, brassinosteroids (BRs) are an important group of plant steroid hormones involved in numerous aspects of the plant lifecycle including growth, development and responses to various stresses including insect attacks. Here, we show that BRs regulate glucosinolate (GS) biosynthesis and function in insect herbivory. Preference tests and larval feeding experiments using the generalist herbivore, diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), revealed that the larvae prefer to feed on Arabidopsis thaliana brassinosteroid insensitive 1 (bri1‐5) plants over wild‐type Ws‐2 or BRI1‐Flag (bri1‐5 background) transgenic plants, which results in an increase in larval weight. Analysis of GS contents showed that 3‐(methylsulfinyl) propyl GS (C3) levels were higher in bri1‐5 than in Ws-2 and BRI1‐Flag transgenic plants, whereas sinigrin (2‐propenylglucosinolate), glucoerucin (4‐methylthiobutylglucosinolate) and glucobrassicin (indol‐3‐ylmethylglucosinolate) levels were lower in this mutant. We investigated the effect of brassinolide (BL) on GS biosynthesis in Arabidopsis and radish (Raphanus sativus L.) by monitoring the expression levels of GS biosynthetic genes, including MAM1, MAM3, BCAT4 and AOP2, which increased in a BL‐dependent manner. These results suggest that BRs regulate GS profiles in higher plants, which function in defense responses against insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]