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Additional file 1: Fig. S1. The phenotype of theB73 and Abe2 inbred lines at the flowering stage inHainan. Thered arrows point to the tassel and ear of abe2, respectively. Scale bar= 20 cm. Fig. S2. Correlation coefficients of floweringtime-related traits in different field trials. The heat map representsthe correlation strength (r) between the paired traits.Significance: *, P ≤ 0.05; **, P ≤ 0.01. DTH, days to heading; DTS,days to silking; DTA, days to anthesis; LA, number of leaves above the primaryear; LB, number of leaves below the primary ear; TLN, total leaf number. Hn andHf represent Hainan and Hefei, respectively, which are two locations in Chinawith distinct climates. Fig. S3. Correlation between the genetic and physicallocations of the polymorphic specific-locus amplified fragment markers.

Ratioanle: Interdigitating dendritic cell sarcoma (IDCS) is a rare sarcoma that originates from interdigitating dendritic cells in lymphoid tissue, the imaging characteristics of which are poorly defined. Pathological examination can identify the tumor, but reports on the imaging characteristics of IDCS are limited. Patient concerns: Here, we report a case of IDCS in a 48-year-old female involving the retroperitoneal area. The patient had a lumbar mass on her right lower back for 4 years, and which started increasing in size 1 year before. Diagnoses: An irregular soft tissue mass (10.1cm × 8.5 cm in size) in the right lower back of retroperitoneum was detected by CT examination with unclear borders, uneven density, and necrosis. The solid components of the mass were significantly enhanced on postcontrast imaging. The soft tissue was irregular and uneven. Cystic solid masses were observed on MRI examination in the right retroperitoneum, lateral abdominal wall, waist, and back. Necrosis, hemorrhage, and cystic transformation were observed inside the lesion. The cyst wall, separation, and wall nodules were significantly enhanced on the postcontrast image. No distant metastasis was observed. Postoperative pathology confirmed the diagnosis of IDCS. Interventions: The patient underwent surgical resection. The resected margin was positive, and the patient received adjuvant radiotherapy 2 months after the surgery. Outcomes: Twelve months after radiotherapy, the patient's chest CT showed multiple metastases in both lungs. The patient was started on combination chemotherapy of doxorubicin and ifosfamide, and the follow-up is still ongoing. Lessons: Imaging provides a unique advantage to determine the extent of the IDCS, the invasion of adjacent tissues, and the presence or absence of distant metastases.

Insect pests negatively affect crop quality and yield; identifying new methods to protect crops against insects therefore has important agricultural applications. Our analysis of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants showed that overexpression of pentacyclic triterpene synthase 1, encoding the key biosynthetic enzyme for the natural plant product (3E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT), led to a significant resistance against a major insect pest, Plutella xylostella. DMNT treatment severely damaged the peritrophic matrix (PM), a physical barrier isolating food and pathogens from the midgut wall cells. DMNT repressed the expression of PxMucin in midgut cells, and knocking down PxMucin resulted in PM rupture and P. xylostella death. A 16S RNA survey revealed that DMNT significantly disrupted midgut microbiota populations and that midgut microbes were essential for DMNT-induced killing. Therefore, we propose that the midgut microbiota assists DMNT in killing P. xylostella. These findings may provide a novel approach for plant protection against P. xylostella.

We describe a method to test the preference of insects in response to (3E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT). We use a device that includes a horizontal glass tube, two grooves (with activated carbon), air flow, rubber stoppers/tubes, transparent glass containers (optional), and a holder for the glass tube (optional). Equal amounts of activated carbon in the groove (removable) are placed at both ends to avoid air contamination. The air flow is generated by an air pump. In the closed device, different samples are placed at each end of the glass tube. The air pump at the top of the glass tube forms an air flow that converges to the middle site of the glass tube. In each test, insect larvae are located in the middle of the glass test tube. If the test samples release DMNT that can be sensed by insects, the insects will selectively move to one specific end of the glass tube. The number of insects that move to each end will be recorded for further studies. This method can also be used to test the preference of insects in response to other volatile compounds.

The identification and functional characterization of natural variants in plants are essential for understanding phenotypic adaptation. Here we identify a molecular variation in At2g47310 that contributes to the natural variation in flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. This gene, which we term SISTER of FCA (SSF), functions in an antagonistic manner to its close homolog FCA. Genome-wide association analysis screens two major haplotypes of SSF associated with the natural variation in FLC expression, and a single polymorphism, SSF-N414D, is identified as a main contributor. The SSF414N protein variant interacts more strongly with CUL1, a component of the E3 ubiquitination complex, than the SSF414D form, mediating differences in SSF protein degradation and FLC expression. FCA and SSF appear to have arisen through gene duplication after dicot-monocot divergence, with the SSF-N414D polymorphism emerging relatively recently within A. thaliana. This work provides a good example for deciphering the functional importance of natural polymorphisms in different organisms., Natural variation represents valuable source for gene discovery. Here, the authors show that a homolog of Flowering Control Locus A (FCA) functions in an antagonistic manner to FCA in regulating Arabidopsis flowering time through interacting with CUL1-E3 and modulating FLC expression.

A novel genomic region controlling thermotolerance at flowering was identified by the combination of whole genomic re-sequencing and bulked segregant analysis in maize. The increasing frequency of extreme high temperature has brought a great threat to the development of maize throughout its life cycle, especially during the flowering phase. However, the genetic basis of thermotolerance at flowering in maize remains poorly understood. Here, we characterized a thermotolerant maize ecotype Abe2 and dissected its genetic basis using a F2:8 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population generated from a cross between Abe2 and B73. After continuous high temperature stress above 35 °C for 17 days, Abe2 and B73 show distinct leaf scorching phenotype under field conditions. To identify the genomic regions associated with the phenotypic variation, we applied a combination of whole genomic re-sequencing and bulked segregant analysis, and revealed 10,316,744 SNPs and 1,488,302 InDels between the two parental lines, and 2,693,054 SNPs and 313,757 InDels between the two DNA pools generated from the thermos-tolerant and the sensitive individuals of the RIL, of which, 108,655 and 17,853 SNPs may cause nonsynonymous variations. Finally, a 7.41 Mb genomic region on chromosome 1 was identified, and 7 candidate genes were annotated to participate in high temperature-related stress response. A candidate gene Zm00001d033339 encoding a serine/threonine protein kinase was proposed to be the most likely causative gene contributing to the thermotolerance at flowering by involving in stomatal movement (GO: 0010119) via Abscisic acid (ABA) pathway (KO04075). This work could provide an opportunity for gene cloning and pyramiding breeding to improve thermotolerance at flowering in maize.