Search

Receptor-like proteins (RLPs) lacking the cytoplasmic kinase domain play crucial roles in plant growth, development and immunity. However, what remains largely elusive is whether RLP protein levels are fine-tuned by E3 ubiquitin ligases, which are employed by receptor-like kinases for signaling attenuation. Nicotiana benthamiana NbEIX2 is a leucine-rich repeat RLP (LRR-RLP) that mediates fungal xylanase-triggered immunity. Here we show that NbEIX2 associates with an F-box protein NbPFB1, which promotes NbEIX2 degradation likely by forming an SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, and negatively regulates NbEIX2-mediated immune responses. NbEIX2 undergoes ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation in planta. Interestingly, NbEIX2 without its cytoplasmic tail is still associated with and destabilized by NbPFB1. In addition, NbPFB1 also associates with and destabilizes NbSOBIR1, a co-receptor of LRR-RLPs, and fails to promote NbEIX2 degradation in the sobir1 mutant. Our findings reveal a distinct model of NbEIX2 degradation, in which an F-box protein destabilizes NbEIX2 indirectly in a SOBIR1-dependent manner.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO

To identify the characteristic taste components of the common cultivated mushroom (brown; Portobello), Agaricus bisporus, taste components in the stipe and pileus of Portobello mushroom harvested at different growth stages were extracted and identified, and principal component analysis (PCA) and taste active value (TAV) were used to reveal the characteristic taste components during the each of the growth stages of Portobello mushroom. In the stipe and pileus, 20 and 14 different principal taste components were identified, respectively, and they were considered as the principal taste components of Portobello mushroom fruit bodies, which included most amino acids and 5′‐nucleotides. Some taste components that were found at high levels, such as lactic acid and citric acid, were not detected as Portobello mushroom principal taste components through PCA. However, due to their high content, Portobello mushroom could be used as a source of organic acids. The PCA and TAV results revealed that 5′‐GMP, glutamic acid, malic acid, alanine, proline, leucine, and aspartic acid were the characteristic taste components of Portobello mushroom fruit bodies. Portobello mushroom was also found to be rich in protein and amino acids, so it might also be useful in the formulation of nutraceuticals and functional food. The results in this article could provide a theoretical basis for understanding and regulating the characteristic flavor components synthesis process of Portobello mushroom.

BACKGROUND Yield prediction within season is of great use to improve agricultural risk management and decision making. The objectives of this study were to access the yield forecast performance with increasing nitrogen inputs and to determine when the acceptable predicted yield can be achieved using the CERES-Wheat model. RESULTS the calibrated model simulated wheat yield very well under various water and nitrogen conditions. Long-term simulation demonstrated that nitrogen input enlarged the annual variability of wheat yield generally. Within-season yield prediction showed that, regardless of nitrogen inputs, yield forecasts in the later growing season improved the accuracy and reduced the uncertainty of yield prediction. In a low-yielding year (2011–2012) and a high-yielding year (1991–1992), the date of acceptable predicted yield was achieved 62 and 65 days prior to wheat maturity, respectively. In a normal-yielding year (1983–1984), inadequate precipitation after the jointing stage in most historical years led to the underestimation of wheat yield and the date of accurate yield prediction was delayed to 235–250 days after simulation (7–22 days prior to maturity) for different N inputs. CONCLUSION Yield prediction was highly influenced by the distribution of meteorological elements during the growing season and may show great improvement if future weather can be reliably forecast early. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry

Biofuels are now an important resource in the United States because of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Both increased corn growth for ethanol production and perennial dedicated energy crop growth for cellulosic feedstocks are potential sources to meet the rising demand for biofuels. However, these measures may cause adverse environmental consequences that are not yet fully understood. This study 1) evaluates the longterm impacts of increased frequency of corn in the crop rotation system on water quantity and quality as well as soil fertility in the James River Basin and 2) identifies potential grasslands for cultivating bioenergy crops (e.g. switchgrass), estimating the water quality impacts. We selected the soil and water assessment tool, a physically based multidisciplinary model, as the modeling approach to simulate a series of biofuel production scenarios involving crop rotation and land cover changes. The model simulations with different crop rotation scenarios indicate that decreases in water yield and soil nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) concentration along with an increase in NO3-N load to stream water could justify serious concerns regarding increased corn rotations in this basin. Simulations with land cover change scenarios helped us spatially classify the grasslands in terms of biomass productivity and nitrogen loads, and we further derived the relationship of biomass production targets and the resulting nitrogen loads against switchgrass planting acreages. The suggested economically efficient (planting acreage) and environmentally friendly (water quality) planting locations and acreages can be a valuable guide for cultivating switchgrass in this basin. This information, along with the projected environmental costs (i.e. reduced water yield and increased nitrogen load), can contribute to decision support tools for land managers to seek the sustainability of biofuel development in this region.