Search

The leaf morphology is an important agronomic trait in crop production. Our study identified a maple leaf type (mlt) cucumber mutant and located the regulatory gene for leaf shape changes through BSA results. Hybrid F1 and F2 populations were generated by F1 self-crossing, and the candidate mlt genes were identified within the 2.8 Mb region of chromosome 2 using map cloning. Through the sequencing and expression analysis of genes within the bulk segregant analysis (BSA) region, we identified the target gene for leaf shape regulation as CsWOX4 (CsaV3_2G026510). The change from base C to T in the original sequence led to frameshift mutations and the premature termination of translation, resulting in shortened encoded proteins and conserved WUSCHEL (WUS) box sequence loss. The specific expression analysis of the CsWOX4/Cswox4 genes in the roots, stems, leaves and other tissue types of wild-type (WT) and mutant plants revealed that CsWOX4 was higher in the root, but Cswox4 (mutant gene) was significantly higher in the leaf. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that CsWOX4 was localized in the nucleus. RNA-seq analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in the mitochondrial cell cycle phase transition, nucleosome and microtubule binding pathways. Simultaneously, the quantitative analysis of the expression trends of 25 typical genes regulating the leaf types revealed the significant upregulation of CsPIN3. In our study, we found that the conserved domain of CsWOX4 was missing in the mutant, and the transcriptome data revealed that the expression of some genes, such as CsPIN3, changed simultaneously, thereby jointly regulating changes in the cucumber leaf type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil salinization severely limits the quality and productivity of economic crops, threatening global food security. Recent advancements have improved our understanding of how plants perceive, signal, and respond to salt stress. The discovery of the Salt Overly Sensitive (SOS) pathway has been crucial in revealing the molecular mechanisms behind plant salinity tolerance. Additionally, extensive research into various plant hormones, transcription factors, and signaling molecules has greatly enhanced our knowledge of plants' salinity tolerance mechanisms. Cucurbitaceae plants, cherished for their economic value as fruits and vegetables, display sensitivity to salt stress. Despite garnering some attention, research on the salinity tolerance of these plants remains somewhat scattered and disorganized. Consequently, this article offers a review centered on three aspects: the salt response of Cucurbitaceae under stress; physiological and biochemical responses to salt stress; and the current research status of their molecular mechanisms in economically significant crops, like cucumbers, watermelons, melon, and loofahs. Additionally, some measures to improve the salt tolerance of Cucurbitaceae crops are summarized. It aims to provide insights for the in-depth exploration of Cucurbitaceae's salt response mechanisms, uncovering the roles of salt-resistant genes and fostering the cultivation of novel varieties through molecular biology in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of industrialization, the problem of air pollution is becoming more and more serious all around the world, and PM2.5 pollution is one of the unsafe factors that seriously endanger human health. PM2.5 can damage the lungs in many ways, but there are not many effective treatments available for PM2.5-induced lung injury, and there is not much research in this area. Natural active compounds extracted from plants, microorganisms and so on have various physiological activities and can be used as possible preventive measures for lung injury. This study introduces the basic properties of PM2.5 and its injury mechanisms involved in lung damage. Then, the physiological functions of flavonoids, polyphenols and alkaloids are introduced, and the possible mechanism of their alleviating PM2.5-induced lung injury is discussed in order to provide new thinking and reference for natural active components in alleviating lung injury and maintaining health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumption of edible fungi, which are rich in nutritional and bioactive components, plays an important role in human health. A gradual decline in moisture, sensory properties, quality of edible fungi is observed after harvest. The recent studies on the changes of nutritional quality and biological activities of edible fungi during processing and postharvest storage have been summarized in this review. In addition, the study discusses the recycling of waster that is produced in processing. The action of bioactive components and their proposed mechanisms of action have also been discussed to accelerate the further exploration and utilization of edible fungi. Practical Applications Nutritional contents and bioactive components of edible fungi have a direct dependence on the type of processing and storage preservation technique used, which influences the chemical composition and commercial value of edible fungi. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize the information described to date about the effects of processing and storage on edible fungi, to give further detailed guidance for obtaining a technological and economic alternative for use with edible fungi, with special emphasis on the various mechanisms potentially involved. It is clear that further scientific studies need incorporate these technologies into the value-added edible fungi and edible fungi-related products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer demand for safe and nutritious fruits and vegetables has given rise to the development of a number of nonthermal food preservation techniques. Recent studies have highlighted that antioxidant activity of fruits and vegetables plays an important role in human health. In this paper, the influences of nonthermal preservation technologies, including pulsed electric field, radiation processing, dense phase carbon dioxide, ozone processing, and edible coatings, on the antioxidant capacity and related compounds in fruits and vegetables are reviewed. The proposed mechanisms and future trends are also discussed to accelerate the further commercialization and exploration of these novel technologies, which will, in turn, help to promote human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]