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Wheat is one of the major cereal crop grown food worldwide and, therefore, plays has a key role in alleviating the global hunger crisis. The effects of drought stress can reduces crop yields by up to 50% globally. The use of drought-tolerant bacteria for biopriming can improve crop yields by countering the negative effects of drought stress on crop plants. Seed biopriming can reinforce the cellular defense responses to stresses via the stress memory mechanism, that its activates the antioxidant system and induces phytohormone production. In the present study, bacterial strains were isolated from rhizospheric soil taken from around the Artemisia plant at Pohang Beach, located near Daegu, in the South Korea Republic of Korea. Seventy-three isolates were screened for their growth-promoting attributes and biochemical characteristics. Among them, the bacterial strain SH-8 was selected preferred based on its plant growth-promoting bacterial traits, which are as follows: abscisic acid (ABA) concentration = 1.08 ± 0.05 ng/mL, phosphate-solubilizing index = 4.14 ± 0.30, and sucrose production = 0.61 ± 0.13 mg/mL. The novel strain SH-8 demonstrated high tolerance oxidative stress. The antioxidant analysis also showed that SH-8 contained significantly higher levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbic peroxidase (APX). The present study also quantified and determined the effects of biopriming wheat (Triticum aestivum) seeds with the novel strain SH-8. SH-8 was highly effective in enhancing the drought tolerance of bioprimed seeds; their drought tolerance and germination potential (GP) were increased by up to 20% and 60%, respectively, compared with those in the control group. The lowest level of impact caused by drought stress and the highest germination potential, seed vigor index (SVI), and germination energy (GE) (90%, 2160, and 80%, respectively), were recorded for seeds bioprimed with with SH-8. These results show that SH-8 enhances drought stress tolerance by up to 20%. Our study suggests that the novel rhizospheric bacterium SH-8 (gene accession number OM535901) is a valuable biostimulant that improves drought stress tolerance in wheat plants and has the potential to be used as a biofertilizer under drought conditions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Shaffique, Imran, Kang, Khan, Asaf, Kim and Lee.)

Nitric oxide (NO) regulates several biological and physiological processes in plants. This study investigated the role of Arabidopsis thaliana Negative Immune and Growth Regulator 1 ( AtNIGR1 ), encoding an NAD(P)-binding Rossmann-fold superfamily, in the growth and immunity of Arabidopsis thaliana . AtNIGR1 was pooled from the CySNO transcriptome as a NO-responsive gene. Seeds of the knockout ( atnigr1 ) and overexpression plants were evaluated for their response to oxidative [(hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and methyl viologen (MV)] or nitro-oxidative [(S-nitroso-L-cysteine (CySNO) and S-nitroso glutathione (GSNO)] stress. Results showed that the root and shoot growth of atnigr1 (KO) and AtNIGR1 (OE) exhibited differential phenotypic responses under oxidative and nitro-oxidative stress and normal growth conditions. To investigate the role of the target gene in plant immunity, the biotrophic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 virulent ( Pst DC3000 vir ) was used to assess the basal defense, while the Pst DC3000 avirulent ( avr B) strain was used to investigate R -gene-mediated resistance and systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Data revealed that AtNIGR1 negatively regulated basal defense, R -gene-mediated resistance, and SAR. Furthermore, the Arabidopsis eFP browser indicated that the expression of AtNIGR1 is detected in several plant organs, with the highest expression observed in germinating seeds. All results put together suggest that AtNIGR1 could be involved in plant growth, as well as basal defense and SAR, in response to bacterial pathogens in Arabidopsis .

As a highly economic small fruit crop, blueberry is enjoyed by most people in terms of color, taste, and rich nutrition. To better understand its coloring mechanism on the process of ripening, an integrative analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome profiles was performed in three blueberry varieties at three developmental stages. In this study, 41 flavonoid metabolites closely related to the coloring in blueberry samples were analyzed. It turned out that the most differential metabolites in the ripening processes were delphinidin-3- O -arabinoside (dpara), peonidin-3- O -glucoside (pnglu), and delphinidin-3- O -galactoside (dpgal), while the most differential metabolites among different varieties were flavonols. Furthermore, to obtain more accurate and comprehensive transcripts of blueberry during the developmental stages, PacBio and Illumina sequencing technology were combined to obtain the transcriptome of the blueberry variety Misty, for the very first time. Finally, by applying the gene coexpression network analysis, the darkviolet and bisque4 modules related to flavonoid synthesis were determined, and the key genes related to two flavonoid 3', 5'-hydroxylase ( F3'5'H ) genes in the darkviolet module and one bHLH transcription factor in the bisque4 module were predicted. It is believed that our findings could provide valuable information for the future study on the molecular mechanism of flavonoid metabolites and flavonoid synthesis pathways in blueberries., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Li, Li, Wang, Li, Bacha, Xu and Li.)

Abiotic stressors are global limiting constraints for plant growth and development. The most severe abiotic factor for plant growth suppression is salt. Among many field crops, maize is more vulnerable to salt, which inhibits the growth and development of plants and results in low productivity or even crop loss under extreme salinity. Consequently, comprehending the effects of salt stress on maize crop improvement, while retaining high productivity and applying mitigation strategies, is essential for achieving the long-term objective of sustainable food security. This study aimed to exploit the endophytic fungal microbe; Aspergillus welwitschiae BK isolate for the growth promotion of maize under severe salinity stress. Current findings showed that salt stress (200 mM) negatively affected chlorophyll a and b, total chlorophyll, and endogenous IAA, with enhanced values of chlorophyll a/b ratio, carotenoids, total protein, total sugars, total lipids, secondary metabolites (phenol, flavonoids, tannins), antioxidant enzyme activity (catalase, ascorbate peroxidase), proline content, and lipid peroxidation in maize plants. However, BK inoculation reversed the negative impact of salt stress by rebalancing the chlorophyll a/b ratio, carotenoids, total protein, total sugars, total lipids, secondary metabolites (phenol, flavonoids, tannins), antioxidant enzyme activity (catalase, ascorbate peroxidase), and proline content to optimal levels suitable for growth promotion and ameliorating salt stress in maize plants. Furthermore, maize plants inoculated with BK under salt stress had lower Na + , Cl - concentrations, lower Na +/ K + and Na + /Ca 2+ ratios, and higher N, P, Ca 2+ , K + , and Mg 2+ content than non-inoculated plants. The BK isolate improved the salt tolerance by modulating physiochemical attributes, and the root-to-shoot translocation of ions and mineral elements, thereby rebalancing the Na + /K + , Na + /Ca 2+ ratio of maize plants under salt stress.

Among the genes involved in the biosynthesis of trichothecene ( Tri genes), Tri6 and Tri10 encode a transcription factor with unique Cys 2 His 2 zinc finger domains and a regulatory protein with no consensus DNA-binding sequences, respectively. Although various chemical factors, such as nitrogen nutrients, medium pH, and certain oligosaccharides, are known to influence trichothecene biosynthesis in Fusarium graminearum , the transcriptional regulatory mechanism of Tri6 and Tri10 genes is poorly understood. Particularly, culture medium pH is a major regulator in trichothecene biosynthesis in F. graminearum , but it is susceptible to metabolic changes posed by nutritional and genetic factors. Hence, appropriate precautions should be considered to minimize the indirect influence of pH on the secondary metabolism while studying the roles of nutritional and genetic factors on trichothecene biosynthesis regulation. Additionally, it is noteworthy that the structural changes of the trichothecene gene cluster core region exert considerable influence over the normal regulation of Tri gene expression. In this perspective paper, we consider a revision of our current understanding of the regulatory mechanism of trichothecene biosynthesis in F. graminearum and share our idea toward establishing a regulatory model of Tri6 and Tri10 transcription., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Liew, Nakajima, Maeda, Kitamura and Kimura.)

Accurate and early diagnosis of bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) in Phaseolus vulgaris tissues is critical since the pathogen can spread easily and have long-term detrimental effects on bean production. The use of resistant varieties is a key factor in the management activities of BCMV. The study reported here describes the development and application of a novel SYBR Green-based quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay targeting the coat protein gene to determine the host sensitivity to the specific NL-4 strain of BCMV. The technique showed high specificity, validated by melting curve analysis, without cross-reaction. Further, the symptoms development of twenty advanced common bean genotypes after mechanical BCMV-NL-4 infection was evaluated and compared. The results showed that common bean genotypes exhibit varying levels of host susceptibility to this BCMV strain. The YLV-14 and BRS-22 genotypes were determined as the most resistant and susceptible genotypes, respectively, in terms of aggressiveness of symptoms. The accumulation of BCMV was analyzed in the resistant and susceptible genotypes 3, 6, and 9 days following the inoculation by the newly developed qRT-PCR. The mean cycle threshold (Ct) values showed that the viral titer was significantly lower in YLV-14, which was evident in both root and leaf 3 days after the inoculation. The qRT-PCR thus facilitated an accurate, specific, and feasible assessment of BCMV accumulation in bean tissues even in low virus titers, allowing novel clues in selecting resistant genotypes in the early stages of infection, which is critical for disease management. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of a successfully performed qRT-PCR to estimate BCMV quantification., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Çelik, Emiralioğlu, Yeken, Çiftçi, Özer, Kim, Baloch and Chung.)

The hard-to-culture slightly halophilic myxobacterium " Paraliomyxa miuraensis " SMH-27-4 produces antifungal cyclodepsipeptide miuraenamide A ( 1 ). Herein, the region (85.9 kbp) containing the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) coding the assembly of 1 was identified and heterologously expressed in Myxococcus xanthus. A biosynthetic pathway proposed using in silico analysis was verified through the gene disruption of the heterologous transformant. In addition to the core polyketide synthase (PKS) and nonribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS) genes, tyrosine halogenase and O -methyltransferase genes participated in the biosynthesis of 1 as their gene-disrupted mutants produced a new congener, debromomiuraenamide A ( 4 ), and a previously isolated congener, miuraenamide E ( 3 ), respectively. Multigene disruption provided a heterologous mutant that produced 1 with the highest yield among the prepared mutants. When fed on 3-bromo-L-tyrosine, this mutant produced more 1 in the yield of 1.21 mg/L, which was 20 times higher than that produced by the initially prepared heterologous transformant. Although this yield was comparable to that of the original producer SMH-27-4 (1 mg/L), the culture time was 4.5 times shorter than that of SMH-27-4, indicating a five-fold efficiency in productivity. The results indicate the great potential of the miuraenamide BGC for the future contribution to drug development through logical gene manipulation.

Casein hydrolysates are important additives to foods for elderly and sports nutrition. However, due to the enzymatic generation of so-called bitter peptides, their application is limited. Therefore, the procedure needs to be optimized in order to restrict their occurrence. For this, extensive sensory evaluations are necessary. By combining two separation techniques using comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography, we present a novel method for estimating the bitter taste of hydrolysate samples on the basis of their elution pattern. Using a size exclusion column in the first and a reversed phase column in the second dimension allows for a detailed sample evaluation regarding peptide size and relative hydrophobicity. The results obtained for different casein hydrolysates were correlated with the sensory evaluation. We found that hydrolysates with increasing bitterness contain a higher amount of peptides of high hydrophobicity and a molecular weight less than 6.5 kDa., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Pymetrozine (PYM) is worldwide used to control sucking insect pests in rice-cultivated fields and it is degraded into various metabolites including 3-pyridinecarboxaldehyde (3-PCA). These two pyridine compounds were used to determine their impacts on aquatic environments, particularly on the aquatic animal model zebrafish (Danio rerio). PYM did not show acute toxicities in terms of lethality, hatching rate, and phenotypic changes in zebrafish embryos in the tested ranges up to a concentration of 20 mg/L. 3-PCA exhibited acute toxicity with LC 50 and EC 50 values of 10.7 and 2.07 mg/L, respectively. 3-PCA treatment caused phenotypic changes including pericardial edema, yolk sac edema, hyperemia, and curved spine, at a concentration of 10 mg/L after 48 h of exposure. Abnormal cardiac development was observed in 3-PCA-treated zebrafish embryos at a concentration of 5 mg/L with reduced heart function. In a molecular analysis, cacna1c, encoding a voltage-dependent calcium channel, was significantly down-regulated in the 3-PCA-treated embryos, indicating synaptic and behavioral defects. Hyperemia and incomplete intersegmental vessels were observed in 3-PCA-treated embryos. Based on these results, it is necessary to generate scientific information on the acute and chronic toxicity of PYM and its metabolites with regular monitoring of their residues in aquatic environments., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The utilization of wild soybean germplasms in breeding programs increases genetic diversity, and they contain the rare alleles of traits of interest. Understanding the genetic diversity of wild germplasms is essential for determining effective strategies that can improve the economic traits of soybeans. Undesirable traits make it challenging to cultivate wild soybeans. This study aimed to construct a core subset of 1467 wild soybean accessions of the total population and analyze their genetic diversity to understand their genetic variations. Genome-wild association studies were conducted to detect the genetic loci underlying the time to flowering for a core subset collection, and they revealed the allelic variation in E genes for predicting maturity using the available resequencing data of wild soybean. Based on principal component and cluster analyses, 408 wild soybean accessions in the core collection covered the total population and were explained by 3 clusters representing the collection regions, namely, Korea, China, and Japan. Most of the wild soybean collections in this study had the E1e2E3 genotype according to association mapping and a resequencing analysis. Korean wild soybean core collections can provide helpful genetic resources to identify new flowering and maturity genes near the E gene loci and genetic materials for developing new cultivars, facilitating the introgression of genes of interest from wild soybean.

Amino acids are building blocks of proteins that are essential components of a wide range of metabolic pathways in plant species, including rice species. Previous studies only considered changes in the amino acid content of rice under NaCl stress. Here, we evaluated profiles of essential and non-essential amino acids in four rice genotype seedlings in the presence of three types of salts, namely NaCl, CaCl 2 , and MgCl 2 . Amino acid profiles in 14-day-old rice seedlings were determined. The total essential and non-essential amino acid contents in cultivar Cheongcheong were considerably increased upon NaCl and MgCl 2 application, whereas total amino acids were increased upon NaCl, CaCl 2 , and MgCl 2 application in the cultivar Nagdong. The total amino acid content was significantly lower in the salt-sensitive cultivar IR28 and salt-tolerant Pokkali under different salt stress conditions. Glycine was not detected in any of the rice genotypes. We observed that cultivars with the same origin respond similarly to each other under salinity stress conditions: cultivars Cheongcheong and Nagdong were found to show increased total amino acid content, whereas the content in foreign cultivars IR28 and Pokkali was found to decrease. Thus, our findings showed that the amino acid profile of each rice cultivar might depend on the origin, immune level, and genetic makeup of the respective cultivar.

The cultivation of rice is widespread worldwide, but its growth and productivity are hampered by heavy metals stress. However, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide donor, has been found to be effective for imparting heavy metals stress tolerance to plants. Therefore, the current study evaluated the role of exogenously applied SNP in improving plant growth and development under Hg, Cr, Cu, and Zn stress. For this purpose, heavy metals stress was induced via the application of 1 mM mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). To reverse the toxic effects of heavy metals stress, 0.1 mM SNP was administrated via the root zone. The results revealed that the said heavy metals significantly reduced the chlorophyll contents (SPAD), chlorophyll a and b, and protein contents. However, SNP treatment significantly reduced the toxic effects of the said heavy metals on chlorophyll (SPAD), chlorophyll a and b, and protein contents. In addition, the results also revealed that heavy metals significantly increased the production of superoxide anion (SOA), hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), malondialdehyde (MDA), and electrolyte leakage (EL). However, SNP administration significantly reduced the production of SOA, H 2 O 2 , MDA, and EL in response to the said heavy metals. Furthermore, to cope with the said heavy metals stress, SNP administration significantly enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and polyphenol peroxidase (PPO). Furthermore, in response to the said heavy metals, SNP application also upregulated the transcript accumulation of OsPCS1 , OsPCS2 , OsMTP1 , OsMTP5 , OsMT-I-1a , and OsMT-I-1b . Therefore, SNP can be used as a regulator to improve the heavy metals tolerance of rice in heavy-metals-affected areas., Competing Interests: All authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Spinach has been suggested as a potential rotation crop for increasing crop yield by enhancing beneficial fungal microbes in continuous monocropping. However, no research on the use of spinach as a green manure has been reported. Thus, we tested the effects of spinach and Korean mustard cultivars (green and red mustards) (10 g pot -1 ) as green manure on soil chemical properties, pepper productivity, and soil microbiome of long-year pepper-monocropped soil. Spinach improved the soil nutrition (e.g., pH, SOM, TN, NH 4 , and K), weed suppression, and pepper growth. Spinach had by far the highest fruit yield, over 100% pepper fruit yield increment over the mustard green manures and control. Our study showed that the major influencing factors to cause a shift in both bacterial and fungal community assemblies were soil pH, TC TN, and K. Following green manure amendment Bacillota, especially Clostridium, Bacillus and Sedimentibacter, were enriched, whereas Chloroflexi and Acidobacteriota were reduced. In addition, spinach highly reduced the abundance of Leotiomycetes and Fusarium but enriched Papiliotrema. FAPROTAX and FUNGuild analysis revealed that predicted functional profiles of bacterial and fungal communities in spinach-amended soil were changed. Spinach-treated soil was differentially abundant in function related to hydrocarbon degradation and functional guilds of symbiotrophs and ectomycorrhizal. This study contributes significantly to our understanding of how the soil fertility and soil microbiome alteration via spinach green manure application as a pre-plant soil treatment might help alleviate continuous cropping obstacles.+ , and K), weed suppression, and pepper growth. Spinach had by far the highest fruit yield, over 100% pepper fruit yield increment over the mustard green manures and control. Our study showed that the major influencing factors to cause a shift in both bacterial and fungal community assemblies were soil pH, TC TN, and K. Following green manure amendment Bacillota, especially Clostridium, Bacillus and Sedimentibacter, were enriched, whereas Chloroflexi and Acidobacteriota were reduced. In addition, spinach highly reduced the abundance of Leotiomycetes and Fusarium but enriched Papiliotrema. FAPROTAX and FUNGuild analysis revealed that predicted functional profiles of bacterial and fungal communities in spinach-amended soil were changed. Spinach-treated soil was differentially abundant in function related to hydrocarbon degradation and functional guilds of symbiotrophs and ectomycorrhizal. This study contributes significantly to our understanding of how the soil fertility and soil microbiome alteration via spinach green manure application as a pre-plant soil treatment might help alleviate continuous cropping obstacles., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Salinity stress is one of the major abiotic factors limiting crop yield in arid and semi-arid regions. Plant growth-promoting fungi can help plants thrive in stressful conditions. In this study, we isolated and characterized 26 halophilic fungi (endophytic, rhizospheric, and soil) from the coastal region of Muscat, Oman, for plant growth-promoting activities. About 16 out of 26 fungi were found to produce IAA, and about 11 isolates (MGRF1, MGRF2, GREF1, GREF2, TQRF4, TQRF5, TQRF5, TQRF6, TQRF7, TQRF8, TQRF2) out of 26 strains were found to significantly improve seed germination and seedling growth of wheat. To evaluate the effect of the above-selected strains on salt tolerance in wheat, we grew wheat seedlings in 150 mM, 300 mM NaCl and SW (100% seawater) treatments and inoculated them with the above strains. Our findings showed that fungal strains MGRF1, MGRF2, GREF2, and TQRF9 alleviate 150 mM salt stress and increase shoot length compared to their respective control plants. However, in 300 mM stressed plants, GREF1 and TQRF9 were observed to improve shoot length. Two strains, GREF2 and TQRF8, also promoted plant growth and reduced salt stress in SW-treated plants. Like shoot length, an analogous pattern was observed in root length, and different salt stressors such as 150 mM, 300 mM, and SW reduced root length by up to 4%, 7.5%, and 19.5%, respectively. Three strains, GREF1, TQRF7, and MGRF1, had higher catalase (CAT) levels, and similar results were observed in polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and GREF1 inoculation dramatically raised the PPO level in 150 mM salt stress. The fungal strains had varying effects, with some, such as GREF1, GREF2, and TQRF9, showing a significant increase in protein content as compared to their respective control plants. Under salinity stress, the expression of DREB2 and DREB6 genes was reduced. However, the WDREB2 gene, on the other hand, was shown to be highly elevated during salt stress conditions, whereas the opposite was observed in inoculated plants.

Nitric oxide (NO), a colorless gaseous molecule, is a lipophilic free radical that easily diffuses through the plasma membrane. These characteristics make NO an ideal autocrine (i.e., within a single cell) and paracrine (i.e., between adjacent cells) signalling molecule. As a chemical messenger, NO plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Furthermore, NO interacts with reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, melatonin, and hydrogen sulfide. It regulates gene expression, modulates phytohormones, and contributes to plant growth and defense mechanisms. In plants, NO is mainly produced via redox pathways. However, nitric oxide synthase, a key enzyme in NO production, has been poorly understood recently in both model and crop plants. In this review, we discuss the pivotal role of NO in signalling and chemical interactions as well as its involvement in the mitigation of biotic and abiotic stress conditions. In the current review, we have discussed various aspects of NO including its biosynthesis, interaction with reactive oxygen species (ROS), melatonin (MEL), hydrogen sulfide, enzymes, phytohormones, and its role in normal and stressful conditions.

In this study, endophytic fungus Curvularia lunata strain SL1 was used to explore its bioremediation potential and growth restoration of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) under cadmium (Cd) stress. Our findings demonstrate that SL1 establishes a symbiotic relationship with tomato plants, which modulates the antioxidant system, secondary metabolites, and gene expression in tomato plants exposed to Cd stress. Under Cd stress, tomato seedling growth was significantly reduced by up to 42.8 %, although this reduction was mitigated by up to 25 % after SL1 inoculation. Similar to this, SLI inoculation inhibits Cd absorption and translocation to the upper parts of the plant. Additionally, during Cd stress, phytohormones related to stress, including jasmonic acid (JA), abscisic acid (ABA), and ethylene (ET), were elevated; however, SL1 inoculation lowered their level. RNA-Seq data revealed that the highest number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was detected in the comparison between control and 1 mM Cd, followed by 2 mM Cd stress. These DEGs were mostly related to oxidoreductase activity, catalytic activity, plant hormones transduction, and photosynthesis. The findings also suggested that SL1 could improve tomato tolerance to Cd stress by modulating Ca 2+ signaling, phytohormone biosynthesis, MAPK signaling pathway, and some transcription factors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Main Conclusion: Targeted expression of bgl23-D, a dominant-negative allele of ATCSLD5, is a useful genetic approach for functional analysis of ATCSLDs in specific cells and tissues in plants. Stomata are key cellular structures for gas and water exchange in plants and their development is influenced by several genes. We found the A. thaliana bagel23-D (bgl23-D) mutant showing abnormal bagel-shaped single guard cells. The bgl23-D was a novel dominant mutation in the A. thaliana cellulose synthase-like D5 (ATCSLD5) gene that was reported to function in the division of guard mother cells. The dominant character of bgl23-D was used to inhibit ATCSLD5 function in specific cells and tissues. Transgenic A. thaliana expressing bgl23-D cDNA with the promoter of stomata lineage genes, SDD1, MUTE, and FAMA, showed bagel-shaped stomata as observed in the bgl23-D mutant. Especially, the FAMA promoter exhibited a higher frequency of bagel-shaped stomata with severe cytokinesis defects. Expression of bgl23-D cDNA in the tapetum with SP11 promoter or in the anther with ATSP146 promoter induced defects in exine pattern and pollen shape, novel phenotypes that were not shown in the bgl23-D mutant. These results indicated that bgl23-D inhibited unknown ATCSLD(s) that exert the function of exine formation in the tapetum. Furthermore, transgenic A. thaliana expressing bgl23-D cDNA with SDD1, MUTE, and FAMA promoters showed enhanced rosette diameter and increased leaf growth. Taken together, these findings suggest that the bgl23-D mutation could be a helpful genetic tool for functional analysis of ATCSLDs and manipulating plant growth., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Regulation of melanin production via the MC1R signaling pathway is a protective mechanism of the skin of living organisms against exposure to ultraviolet rays. The discovery of human skin-whitening agents has been one of the most intense pursuits of the cosmetic industry. The MC1R signaling pathway is activated by its agonist, alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH), and mainly regulates melanogenesis. Here, we evaluated the antimelanogenic activities of curcumin (CUR) and its two derivatives, dimethoxycurcumin (DMC) and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC), in B16F10 mouse melanoma cells and zebrafish embryos. CUR and BDMC reduced the α-MSH-induced melanin production in B16F10 cells and also downregulated the expression of the melanin-production-related genes Tyr , Mitf , Trp-1 , and Trp-2 . Moreover, the biological activity of these two compounds against melanogenesis was confirmed in in vivo experiments using zebrafish embryos. However, the highest concentration of CUR (5 µM) resulted in slight malformations in zebrafish embryos, as indicated by acute toxicity tests. In contrast, DMC did not show any biological activity in vitro or in vivo. Conclusively, BDMC is a strong candidate as a skin-whitening agent.

Lipases are versatile biocatalysts and are used in different bioconversion reactions. Microbial lipases are currently attracting a great amount of attention due to the rapid advancement of enzyme technology and its practical application in a variety of industrial processes. The current review provides updated information on the different sources of microbial lipases, such as fungi, bacteria, and yeast, their classical and modern purification techniques, including precipitation and chromatographic separation, the immunopurification technique, the reversed micellar system, aqueous two-phase system (ATPS), aqueous two-phase flotation (ATPF), and the use of microbial lipases in different industries, e.g., the food, textile, leather, cosmetics, paper, and detergent industries. Furthermore, the article provides a critical analysis of lipase-producing microbes, distinguished from the previously published reviews, and illustrates the use of lipases in biosensors, biodiesel production, and tea processing, and their role in bioremediation and racemization.

Plant diseases that affect crop production and productivity harm both crop quality and quantity. To minimize loss due to disease, early detection is a prerequisite. Recently, different technologies have been developed for plant disease detection. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a nondestructive method for the early detection of crop disease and is based on the spatial and spectral information of images. Regarding plant disease detection, HSI can predict disease-induced biochemical and physical changes in plants. Bacterial infections, such as Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci , are among the most common plant diseases in areas of soybean cultivation, and have been implicated in considerably reducing soybean yield. Thus, in this study, we used a new method based on HSI analysis for the early detection of this disease. We performed the leaf spectral reflectance of soybean with the effect of infected bacterial wildfire during the early growth stage. This study aimed to classify the accuracy of the early detection of bacterial wildfire in soybean leaves. Two varieties of soybean were used for the experiment, Cheongja 3-ho and Daechan, as control (noninoculated) and treatment (bacterial wildfire), respectively. Bacterial inoculation was performed 18 days after planting, and the imagery data were collected 24 h following bacterial inoculation. The leaf reflectance signature revealed a significant difference between the diseased and healthy leaves in the green and near-infrared regions. The two-way analysis of variance analysis results obtained using the Python package algorithm revealed that the disease incidence of the two soybean varieties, Daechan and Cheongja 3-ho, could be classified on the second and third day following inoculation, with accuracy values of 97.19% and 95.69%, respectively, thus proving his to be a useful technique for the early detection of the disease. Therefore, creating a wide range of research platforms for the early detection of various diseases using a nondestructive method such HSI is feasible.

Environmental factors are important regulators of cell growth and proliferation. Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central kinase that maintains cellular homeostasis in response to a variety of extracellular and intracellular inputs. Dysregulation of mTOR signaling is associated with many diseases, including diabetes and cancer. Calcium ion (Ca 2+ ) is important as a second messenger in various biological processes, and its intracellular concentration is tightly regulated. Although the involvement of Ca 2+ mobilization in mTOR signaling has been reported, the detailed molecular mechanisms by which mTOR signaling is regulated are not fully understood. The link between Ca 2+ homeostasis and mTOR activation in pathological hypertrophy has heightened the importance in understanding Ca 2+ -regulated mTOR signaling as a key mechanism of mTOR regulation. In this review, we introduce recent findings on the molecular mechanisms of regulation of mTOR signaling by Ca 2+ -binding proteins, particularly calmodulin (CaM).

Global food shortages are caused mainly by drought, the primary driver of yield loss in agriculture worldwide. Drought stress negatively impacts the physiological and morphological characteristics of rice ( Oryza sativa  L.), limiting the plant productivity and hence the economy of global rice production. Physiological changes due to drought stress in rice include constrained cell division and elongation, stomatal closure, loss of turgor adjustment, reduced photosynthesis, and lower yields. Morphological changes include inhibition of seed germination, reduced tillers, early maturity, and reduced biomass. In addition, drought stress leads to a metabolic alteration by increasing the buildup of reactive oxygen species, reactive stress metabolites, antioxidative enzymes, and abscisic acid. Rice tends to combat drought through three major phenomena; tolerance, avoidance, and escape. Several mitigation techniques are introduced and adapted to combat drought stress which includes choosing drought-tolerant cultivars, planting early types, maintaining adequate moisture levels, conventional breeding, molecular maintenance, and creating variants with high-yielding characteristics. This review attempts to evaluate the various morpho-physiological responses of the rice plant to drought, along with drought stress reduction techniques., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Cochliobolus , Bipolaris , and Curvularia genera contain various devastating plant pathogens that cause severe crop losses worldwide. The species belonging to these genera also perform a variety of diverse functions, including the remediation of environmental contaminations, beneficial phytohormone production, and maintaining their lifestyle as epiphytes, endophytes, and saprophytes. Recent research has revealed that despite their pathogenic nature, these fungi also play an intriguing role in agriculture. They act as phosphate solubilizers and produce phytohormones, such as indole acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GAs), to accelerate the growth of various plants. Some species have also been reported to play a significant role in plant growth promotion during abiotic stresses, such as salinity stress, drought stress, heat stress, and heavy metal stress, as well as act as a biocontrol agent and a potential mycoherbicide. Similarly, these species have been reported in numerous industrial applications to produce different types of secondary metabolites and biotechnological products and possess a variety of biological properties, such as antibacterial, antileishmanial, cytotoxic, phytotoxic, and antioxidant activities. Additionally, some of the species have been utilized in the production of numerous valuable industrial enzymes and biotransformation, which has an impact on the growth of crops all over the world. However, the current literature is dispersed, and some of the key areas, such as taxonomy, phylogeny, genome sequencing, phytohormonal analysis, and diversity, are still being neglected in terms of the elucidation of its mechanisms, plant growth promotion, stress tolerance, and bioremediation. In this review, we highlighted the potential role, function, and diversity of Cochliobolus , Curvularia , and Bipolaris for improved utilization during environmental biotechnology.

Phosphine (PH 3 ) is an ideal fumigant alternative on methyl bromide (MB) as MB has been classified as an ozone-depleting substance. However, several challenges limit its efficient use in crop production, including the emergence of PH 3 -resistant insect pests and the incidence of phytotoxic effects on nursery plants. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the mechanism underlying PH 3 phytotoxicity in plants using transcriptomic techniques. Fumigation with 2 g/m 3 PH 3 induced phytotoxic effects in A. thaliana, as evidenced by a decrease in growth and vegetation indices compared to the control group. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that PH 3 fumigation phytotoxicity responses in A. thaliana involve genes related to hypoxia stress and energy metabolism. Additionally, pretreatment with ethylene induced pre-adaptation to hypoxia under light conditions during fumigation effectively suppressed the phytotoxic effects of PH 3 in A. thaliana by increasing the expression of hypoxia-adaptive genes. Moreover, the phytotoxicity of PH 3 was also confirmed in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch.), and was dependent on light. Overall, our findings showed that fumigation under light conditions and ethylene pretreatment could be used to minimize PH 3 -induced phytotoxic effects in plants., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have influenced the findings of this study., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite a surge in mercury (Hg) pollution from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Zimbabwe's drainage basins, little is known about Hg trophodynamics in the country's major reservoirs. We analyzed fish tissues for total mercury (THg) and stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon (δ 15 N and δ 13 C) to compare patterns of biomagnification between two trophic guilds from a protected reservoir (Chivero) and an ASGM-impacted reservoir (Mazowe) and assessed consequences for human and fish health. Mean dry weight THg concentrations were significantly higher for both piscivorous and herbivorous fishes from Mazowe reservoir compared to fishes from similar feeding guilds in Chivero. Trophic magnification slopes (TMS), inferred from linear regressions between log 10 [THg] and δ 15 N, revealed significant Hg biomagnification in Mazowe (TMS = 0.28; p < 0.05) and no evidence for Hg biomagnification in Chivero (TMS = - 0.005; p > 0.05). In Mazowe's piscivorous fishes, 32% had wet weight THg concentrations that surpassed 0.2 µg/g ww, a threshold for susceptible human populations and biochemical and gene expression alterations in fish. In addition, 17% of Mazowe's piscivorous fishes surpassed the UNEP THg toxicity threshold for human consumption (0.5 µg/g ww). To reduce exposure to Hg toxicity in humans, the maximum fish consumption for piscivorous species from Mazowe reservoir should not exceed 431 g/week for both adult male and female consumers. Our findings demonstrate the importance of creating freshwater-protected areas to prevent direct Hg contamination of aquatic ecosystems and the need for health agencies to provide fish consumption advisories to vulnerable communities., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Bemisia tabaci is a species complex consisting of various genetically different cryptic species worldwide. To understand the genetic characteristics and geographic distribution of cryptic species of B. tabaci in Asia, we conducted an extensive collection of B. tabaci samples in ten Asian countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam) from 2013 to 2020 and determined 56 different partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) DNA. In addition, information on 129 COI sequences of B. tabaci identified from 16 Asian countries was downloaded from the GenBank database. Among the total 185 COI sequences of B. tabaci, the sequence variation reached to 19.68%. In addition, there were 31 cryptic species updated from 16 countries in Asia, that is, Asia I, Asia I India, Asia II (1-13), Asia III, Asia IV, Asia V, China 1-6, MEAM (1, 2, K), MED, Australia/Indonesia, Japan (1 and 2). Further, MED cryptic species consisted of 2 clades, Q1 and Q2. This study provides updated information to understand the genetic variation and geographic diversity of B. tabaci in Asia., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Halophilic/halotolerant myxobacteria are extremely rare bacteria but an important source of novel bioactive secondary metabolites as drug leads. A slightly halophilic myxobacterium, " Paraliomyxa miuraensis " SMH-27-4, the producer of the antifungal antibiotic miuraenamide A, was considered to represent a novel genus. This study aimed to use the whole-genome sequence of this difficult-to-culture bacterium to provide genomic evidence supporting its taxonomy and to explore its potential as a novel secondary metabolite producer and its predicted gene functions. The draft genome was sequenced and de novo assembled into 164 contigs (11.8 Mbp). The 16S rRNA gene sequence-based and genome sequence-based phylogenetic analyses supported that this strain represents a novel genus of the family Nannocystaceae. Seventeen biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) were identified, and only five of them show some degree of similarity with the previously annotated BGCs, suggesting the great potential of producing novel secondary metabolites. The comparative genomic analysis within the family Nannocystaceae revealed the distribution of its members' gene functions. This study unveiled the novel genomic features and potential of the secondary metabolite production of this myxobacterium.

Biotechnological approaches have always sought to utilize novel and efficient methods in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. This science has consistently tried to revolutionize medical science by employing state-of-the-art technologies in genomic and proteomic engineering. CRISPR-Cas system is one of the emerging techniques in the field of biotechnology. To date, the CRISPR-Cas system has been extensively applied in gene editing, targeting genomic sequences for diagnosis, treatment of diseases through genomic manipulation, and in creating animal models for preclinical researches. With the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, there is need for the development and modification of novel tools such as the CRISPR-Cas system for use in diagnostic emergencies. This system can compete with other existing biotechnological methods in accuracy, precision, and wide performance that could guarantee its future in these conditions. In this article, we review the various platforms of the CRISPR-Cas system meant for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, anti-viral therapeutic procedures, producing animal models for preclinical studies, and genome-wide screening studies toward drug and vaccine development., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Immunogenic peptides that mimic linear B-cell epitopes coupled with immunoassay validation may improve serological tests for emerging diseases. This study reports a general approach for profiling linear B-cell epitopes derived from SARS-CoV-2 using an in-silico method and peptide microarray immunoassay, using healthcare workers' SARS-CoV-2 sero-positive sera. SARS-CoV-2 was tested using rapid chromatographic immunoassays and real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Immunogenic peptides mimicking linear B-cell epitopes were predicted in-silico using ABCpred. Peptides with the lowest sequence identity with human protein and proteins from other human pathogens were selected using the NCBI Protein BLAST. IgG and IgM antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, membrane glycoprotein and nucleocapsid derived peptides were measured in sera using peptide microarray immunoassay. Fifty-three healthcare workers included in the study were RT-PCR negative for SARS-CoV-2. Using rapid chromatographic immunoassays, 10 were SARS-CoV-2 IgM sero-positive and 7 were SARS-CoV-2 IgG sero-positive. From a total of 10 SARS-CoV-2 peptides contained on the microarray, 3 (QTH34388.1-1-14, QTN64908.1-135-148, and QLL35955.1-22-35) showed reactivity against IgG. Three peptides (QSM17284.1-76-89, QTN64908.1-135-148 and QPK73947.1-8-21) also showed reactivity against IgM. Based on the results we predicted one peptide (QSM17284.1-76-89) that had an acceptable diagnostic performance. Peptide QSM17284.1-76-89 was able to detect IgM antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 with area under the curve (AUC) 0.781 when compared to commercial antibody tests. In conclusion in silico peptide prediction and peptide microarray technology may provide a platform for the development of serological tests for emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19. However, we recommend using at least three in-silico peptide prediction tools to improve the sensitivity and specificity of B-cell epitope prediction, to predict peptides with excellent diagnostic performances., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The Arsenic (As) load on the environment has increased immensely due to large-scale industrial and agricultural uses of As in several synthetic products, such as fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Melatonin is a plant hormone that has a key role in abiotic stress inhibition, but the mechanism of resilience to As stress remains unexplored in rice plants. In this study, we determined how As affects rice plant and how melatonin facilitate As stress tolerance in rice. Here we investigated that, exogenous melatonin reduced As stress by inducing anthocyanin biosynthesis. Melatonin induced the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes such as PAL, CHS, CHI, F 3 H, DFR, and ANS, which resulted in 1659% and 389% increases in cyanidin and delphinidin, respectively. Similarly, melatonin application significantly induced SA and ABA accumulation in response to As stress in rice plant. Application of melatonin also significantly reduced expression of PT-2 and PT-8 (transporter genes) and reduced uptake of As and its translocation to other compartments. Melatonin and As analysis revealed that melatonin application significantly reduced As contents in the melatonin-supplemented plants, suggesting that As uptake is largely dependent on either the melatonin basal level or anthocyanin in rice plants. In this study, we investigated new symptoms on leaves, which can severely damage leaves and impair photosynthesis. However, anthocyanin as a chelating agent, detoxifies As in vacuole and reduces oxidative stress induced by As., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The WRKY and bHLH transcription factors have been implicated in the regulation of gene expression during various physiological processes in plants, especially in plant stress responses. However, little information about the heavy metal-responsive SlWRKY and SlbHLH in tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) is available. We performed a genome-wide investigation for these two TF families in S. lycopersicum and determined their role in cadmium (Cd) stress tolerance. Furthermore, ortholog analysis with the Arabidopsis genome led to classifying WRKY and bHLH ortholog genes into nine and 11 clusters, respectively. The comparative phylogenetic analysis revealed duplication events and gene loss in Arabidopsis and S. lycopersicum , which occurred during evolution both before and after the last common ancestor of the two species. Orthologous relationships are also supported by additional evidence, such as gene structure, conserved motif compositions, and protein-protein interaction networks for the majority of genes, suggesting their similar functions. A comprehensive transcriptomics analysis revealed that both WRKY and bHLH genes were differentially expressed in response to cadmium stress as compared with control plants. A gene ontology analysis revealed that most WRKYs and bHLHs are DNA-binding essential proteins that regulate gene expression positively and negatively. Analyses of interaction networks revealed that both WRKYs and bHLHs mediate networks implicated in several stress-signaling pathways. The findings of this work may help us to comprehend the intricate transcriptional control of WRKY and bHLH genes and identify potential stress-responsive genes relevant to tomato genetic improvement. Moreover, identifying heavy metal stress-responsive WRKY and bHLH genes in S . lycopersicum will provide fundamental insights for developing new heavy metal stress-tolerant varieties of tomato crops., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Khan, Asaf, Jan, Bilal, Lubna, Khan, Kim and Al-Harrasi.)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) play a pivotal role in the dynamic cell signaling systems in plants, even under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Over the past two decades, various studies have endorsed the notion that these molecules can act as intracellular and intercellular signaling molecules at a very low concentration to control plant growth and development, symbiotic association, and defense mechanisms in response to biotic and abiotic stress conditions. However, the upsurge of ROS and RNS under stressful conditions can lead to cell damage, retarded growth, and delayed development of plants. As signaling molecules, ROS and RNS have gained great attention from plant scientists and have been studied under different developmental stages of plants. However, the role of RNS and RNS signaling in plant-microbe interactions is still unknown. Different organelles of plant cells contain the enzymes necessary for the formation of ROS and RNS as well as their scavengers, and the spatial and temporal positions of these enzymes determine the signaling pathways. In the present review, we aimed to report the production of ROS and RNS, their role as signaling molecules during plant-microbe interactions, and the antioxidant system as a balancing system in the synthesis and elimination of these species.

Ginseng is a profitable crop worldwide; however, the ginseng replanting problem (GRP) is a major threat to its production. Soil amendment is a non-chemical method that is gaining popularity for alleviating continuous cropping obstacles, such as GRP. However, the impact of soil amendment with either cow dung or canola on GRP reduction and the associated soil microbiota remains unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of soil amendment with cow dung, canola seed powder, and without amendment (control), on the survival of ginseng seedling transplants, the soil bacterial and fungal communities, and their associated metabolic functions. The results showed that cow dung increased ginseng seedling survival rate by 100 percent and had a remarkable positive effect on ginseng plant growth compared to control, whereas canola did not. Cow dung improved soil nutritional status in terms of pH, electrical conductivity, NO 3 - , total carbon, total phosphorus, and available phosphorus. The amplicon sequencing results using Illumina MiSeq showed that canola had the strongest negative effect in reducing soil bacterial and fungal diversity. On the other hand, cow dung stimulated beneficial soil microbes, including Bacillus , Rhodanobacter , Streptomyces , and Chaetomium , while suppressing Acidobacteriota. Community-level physiological profiling analysis using Biolog Ecoplates containing 31 different carbon sources showed that cow dung soil had a different metabolic activity with higher utilization rates of carbohydrates and polymer carbon sources, mainly Tween 40 and beta-methyl-d-glucoside. These carbon sources were most highly associated with Bacillota. Furthermore, predicted ecological function analyses of bacterial and fungal communities showed that cow dung had a higher predicted function of fermentation and fewer functions related to plant pathogens and fungal parasites, signifying its potential to enhance soil suppressiveness. Co-occurrence network analysis based on random matrix theory (RMT) revealed that cow dung transformed the soil microbial network into a highly connected and complex network. This study is the first to report the alleviation of GRP using cow dung as a soil amendment, and the study contributes significantly to our understanding of how the soil microbiota and metabolic alterations via cow dung can aid in GRP alleviation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Tagele, Kim, Jeong, Lim, Jung, Lee, Kim and Shin.)

We determined the whole-genome sequences of two apple stem grooving viruses (ASGV) detected in infected Cnidium officinale plants. The analyzed ASGV genomes were 6,494 nucleotides long and encoded two overlapping open reading frames. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the two ASGV isolates to be most closely related to the ASGV isolate Xinjiang-3.

We detected a new target quantitative trait locus (QTL) for lodging resistance in rice by analyzing lodging resistance to typhoons (Maysak and Haishen) using a scale from 0 (no prostrating) to 1 (little prostrating or prostrating) to record the resistance score in a Cheongcheong/Nagdong double haploid rice population. Five quantitative trait loci for lodging resistance to typhoons were detected. Among them, qTyM6 and qTyH6 exhibited crucial effects of locus RM3343-RM20318 on chromosome 6, which overlaps with our previous rice lodging studies for the loci qPSLSA6-2 , qPSLSB6-5 , and qLTI6-2 . Within the target locus RM3343-RM20318, 12 related genes belonging to the cytochrome P450 protein family were screened through annotation. Os06g0599200 ( OsTyM/Hq6 ) was selected for further analysis. We observed that the culm and panicle lengths were positively correlated with lodging resistance to typhoons. However, the yield was negatively correlated with lodging resistance to typhoons. The findings of this study improve an understanding of rice breeding, particularly the culm length, early maturing, and heavy panicle varieties, and the mechanisms by which the plant's architecture can resist natural disasters such as typhoons to ensure food safety. These results also provide the insight that lodging resistance in rice may be associated with major traits such as panicle length, culm length, tiller number, and heading date, and thereby improvements in these traits can increase lodging resistance to typhoons. Moreover, rice breeding should focus on maintaining suitable varieties that can withstand the adverse effects of climate change in the future and provide better food security., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: Microalgae CO 2 fixation results in the production of biomass rich in high-valuable products, such as fatty acids and carotenoids. Enhanced productivity of valuable compounds can be achieved through the microalgae's ability to capture CO 2 efficiently from sources of high CO 2 contents, but it depends on the species. Culture collections of microalgae offer a wide variety of defined strains. However, an inadequate understanding of which groups of microalgae and from which habitats they originate offer high productivity under increased CO 2 concentrations hampers exploiting microalgae as a sustainable source in the bioeconomy., Results: A large variety of 81 defined algal strains, including new green algal isolates from various terrestrial environments, were studied for their growth under atmospheres with CO 2 levels of 5-25% in air. They were from a pool of 200 strains that had been pre-selected for phylogenetic diversity and high productivity under ambient CO 2 . Green algae from terrestrial environments exhibited enhanced growth up to 25% CO 2 . In contrast, in unicellular red algae and stramenopile algae, which originated through the endosymbiotic uptake of a red algal cell, growth at CO 2 concentrations above 5% was suppressed. While terrestrial stramenopile algae generally tolerated such CO 2 concentrations, their counterparts from marine phytoplankton did not. The tests of four new strains in liquid culture revealed enhanced biomass and chlorophyll production under elevated CO 2 levels. The 15% CO 2 aeration increased their total carotenoid and fatty acid contents, which were further stimulated when combined with the starvation of macronutrients, i.e., less with phosphate and more with nitrogen-depleted culture media., Conclusion: Green algae originating from terrestrial environments, Chlorophyceae and Trebouxiophyceae, exhibit enhanced productivity of carotenoids and fatty acids under elevated CO 2 concentrations. This ability supports the economic and sustainable production of valuable compounds from these microalgae using inexpensive sources of high CO 2 concentrations, such as industrial exhaust fumes., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Gut-microbial butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) of significant physiological importance than the other major SCFAs (acetate and propionate). Most butyrate producers belong to the Clostridium cluster of the phylum Firmicutes, such as Faecalibacterium , Roseburia , Eubacterium , Anaerostipes , Coprococcus , Subdoligranulum , and Anaerobutyricum . They metabolize carbohydrates via the butyryl-CoA: acetate CoA-transferase pathway and butyrate kinase terminal enzymes to produce most of butyrate. Although, in minor fractions, amino acids can also be utilized to generate butyrate via glutamate and lysine pathways. Butyrogenic microbes play a vital role in various gut-associated metabolisms. Butyrate is used by colonocytes to generate energy, stabilizes hypoxia-inducible factor to maintain the anaerobic environment in the gut, maintains gut barrier integrity by regulating Claudin-1 and synaptopodin expression, limits pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-12), and inhibits oncogenic pathways (Akt/ERK, Wnt, and TGF-β signaling). Colonic butyrate producers shape the gut microbial community by secreting various anti-microbial substances, such as cathelicidins, reuterin, and β-defensin-1, and maintain gut homeostasis by releasing anti-inflammatory molecules, such as IgA, vitamin B, and microbial anti-inflammatory molecules. Additionally, butyrate producers, such as Roseburia , produce anti-carcinogenic metabolites, such as shikimic acid and a precursor of conjugated linoleic acid. In this review, we summarized the significance of butyrate, critically examined the role and relevance of butyrate producers, and contextualized their importance as microbial therapeutics., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Singh, Lee, Son, Koh, Kim, Unno and Shin.)

The beauty of conserving germplasm is the securement of genetic resources with numerous important traits, which could be utilized whenever they need to be incorporated into current cultivars. However, it would not be as useful as expected if the proper information was not given to breeders and researchers. In this study, we demonstrated that there is a large variation, both among and within germplasm, using a low-cost image-based phenotyping method; this could be valuable for improving gene banks' screening systems and for crop breeding. Using the image analyses of 507 accessions of buckwheat, we identified a wide range of variations per trait between germplasm accessions and within an accession. Since this implies a similarity with other important agronomic traits, we suggest that the variance of the presented traits should be checked and provided for better germplasm enhancement., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The plant St. John's wort contains high levels of melatonin, an important biochemical that has both beneficial and adverse effects on stress. Therefore, a method for increasing melatonin levels in plants without adversely affecting their growth is economically important. In this study, we investigated the regulation of melatonin levels in St. John's wort by exposing samples to salinity stress (150 mM) and salicylic acid (0.25 mM) to augment stress tolerance. The results indicated that salinity stress significantly reduced the plant chlorophyll content and damaged the photosystem, plant growth and development. Additionally, these were reconfirmed with biochemical indicators; the levels of abscisic acid (ABA) and proline were increased and the activities of antioxidants were reduced. However, a significant increase was found in melatonin content under salinity stress through upregulation in the relative expression of tryptophan decarboxylase ( TDC ), tryptamine 5-hydroxylase ( T5H ), serotonin N-acetyltransferase ( SNAT ), and N-acetylserotonin methyltransferase ( ASMT ). The salicylic acid (SA) treatment considerably improved their photosynthetic activity, the maximum photochemical quantum yield (133%), the potential activity of PSⅡ (294%), and the performance index of electron flux to the final PS I electron acceptors (2.4%). On the other hand, SA application reduced ABA levels (32%); enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) (15.4%) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) (120%); and increased polyphenol (6.4%) and flavonoid (75.4%) levels in salinity-stressed St. John's wort plants. Similarly, SA application under NaCl stress significantly modulated the melatonin content in terms of ion balance; the level of melatonin was reduced after SA application on salt-treated seedlings but noticeably higher than on only SA-treated and non-treated seedlings. Moreover, the proline content was reduced considerably and growth parameters, such as plant biomass, shoot length, and chlorophyll content, were enhanced following treatment of salinity-stressed St. John's wort plants with salicylic acid. These findings demonstrate the beneficial impact of salt stress in terms of a cost-effective approach to extract melatonin in larger quantities from St. John's wort. They also suggest the efficiency of salicylic acid in alleviating stress tolerance and promoting growth of St. John's wort plants.

Soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.], an important oilseed crop, is a low-cost source of protein and oil. In Southeast Asia and Africa, soybeans are widely cultivated for use as traditional food and feed and industrial purposes. Given the ongoing changes in global climate, developing crops that are resistant to climatic extremes and produce viable yields under predicted climatic conditions will be essential in the coming decades. To develop such crops, it will be necessary to gain a thorough understanding of the genetic basis of agronomic and plant root traits. As plant roots generally lie beneath the soil surface, detailed observations and phenotyping throughout plant development present several challenges, and thus the associated traits have tended to be ignored in genomics studies. In this study, we phenotyped 357 soybean landraces at the early vegetative (V2) growth stages and used a 180 K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) soybean array in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) conducted to determine the phenotypic relationships among root traits, elucidate the genetic bases, and identify significant SNPs associated with root trait-controlling genomic regions/loci. A total of 112 significant SNP loci/regions were detected for seven root traits, and we identified 55 putative candidate genes considered to be the most promising. Our findings in this study indicate that a combined approach based on SNP array and GWAS analyses can be applied to unravel the genetic basis of complex root traits in soybean, and may provide an alternative high-resolution marker strategy to traditional bi-parental mapping. In addition, the identified SNPs, candidate genes, and diverse variations in the root traits of soybean landraces will serve as a valuable basis for further application in genetic studies and the breeding of climate-resilient soybeans characterized by improved root traits.

Chlorpyrifos-methyl (CPM) is one of the thiophosphate insecticides, and it is mainly metabolized to 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP) in the environment. As CPM is a strongly toxic and TCP is persistent in the environment, CPM and TCP need to be evaluate their toxicities using animal model organisms. With this regard, CPM and TCP were treated on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and LC 50 values were determined as over 2000 μg/L and 612.5 μg/L, respectively. For the hatchability, CPM did not exhibit any interference, while TCP showed weak inhibition. In the CPM-treated embryos, pericardial edema and bleeding were observed at 48 hpf, but recovered afterwards. The pericardial edema and yolk sac edema were observed in TCP-treated zebrafish embryos at the concentration of 500 μg/L after 72 hpf. TCP induced abnormal heart development and the heartbeat was dramatically decreased in Tg(cmlc2:EGFP) embryos at the level of 500 μg/L. The expression level of heart development-related genes such as gata, myl7, and cacna1c was significantly decreased in the TCP 500 μg/L-treated embryos at the 96 hpf. Taken together, TCP appears to be more toxic than the parent compound towards the zebrafish embryos. It is highly requested that TCP needs to be monitored with a strong public concern because it affects presumably heart development in early-stage aquatic vertebrates., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Plants have evolved to adapt to the ever-changing environments through various morphological changes. An organism anticipates and responds to changes in its environment via the circadian clock, an endogenous oscillator lasting approximately 24 h. The circadian clock regulates various physiological processes, such as hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Phytochrome interacting factor 4 (PIF4), a member of the bHLH protein family, plays a vital hub role in light signaling pathways and temperature-mediated growth response mechanisms. PIF4 is controlled by the circadian clock and interacts with several factors. However, the components that regulate PIF4 transcription and activity are not clearly understood., Methods and Results: Here, we showed that the Arabidopsis thaliana GATA25 (AtGATA25) transcription factor plays a fundamental role in promoting hypocotyl elongation by positively regulating the expression of PIF4. This was confirmed to in the loss-of-function mutant of AtGATA25 via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing, which inhibits hypocotyl elongation and decreases the expression of PIF4. In contrast, the overexpression of AtGATA25 in transgenic plants resulted in increased expression of PIF4 and enhanced hypocotyl elongation. To better understand AtGATA25-mediated PIF4 transcriptional regulation, we analyzed the promoter region of the target gene PIF4 and characterized the role of GATA25 through transcriptional activation analysis., Conclusion: Our findings suggest a novel role of the AtGATA25 transcription factor in hypocotyl elongation., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Heat shock proteins (HSP) are rapidly induced after proteotoxic stresses such as heat shock and accumulate at high concentrations in cells. HSP induction involves primarily a family of heat shock transcription factors (HSF) that bind the heat shock elements of the HSP genes and mediate transcription in trans. We discuss methods for the study of HSP binding to HSP promoters and the consequent increases in HSP gene expression in vitro and in vivo., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Visualization of spatiotemporal expression of a gene of interest is a fundamental technique for analyzing the involvements of genes in organ development. In situ hybridization (ISH) is one of the most popular methods for visualizing gene expression. When conventional ISH is performed on sections or whole-mount specimens, the gene expression pattern is represented in 2-dimensional (2D) microscopic images or in the surface view of the specimen. To obtain 3-dimensional (3D) data of gene expression from conventional ISH, the "serial section method" has traditionally been employed. However, this method requires an extensive amount of time and labor because it requires researchers to collect a tremendous number of sections, label all sections by ISH, and image them before 3D reconstruction. Here, we proposed a rapid and low-cost 3D imaging method that can create 3D gene expression patterns from conventional ISH-labeled specimens. Our method consists of a combination of whole-mount ISH and Correlative Microscopy and Blockface imaging (CoMBI). The whole-mount ISH-labeled specimens were sliced using a microtome or cryostat, and all block-faces were imaged and used to reconstruct 3D images by CoMBI. The 3D data acquired using our method showed sufficient quality to analyze the morphology and gene expression patterns in the developing mouse heart. In addition, 2D microscopic images of the sections can be obtained when needed. Correlating 2D microscopic images and 3D data can help annotate gene expression patterns and understand the anatomy of developing organs. These results indicated that our method can be useful in the field of developmental biology., (© 2022 Japanese Society of Developmental Biologists.)

The immobilized template assay is a versatile biochemical method for studying protein-nucleic acid interactions. Using this method, immobilized nucleic acid-associated or specific proteins can be identified and quantified by techniques such as mass spectrometry and immunoblotting. Here, a modified immobilized template assay combined with in vitro transcription assay to study the function of transcription factors and transcriptional activities at the human heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) gene is described. Notably, this method can be applied to study other important genes and transcription factors in vitro., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Aim: of the current research was to use plant growth promoting rhizobacteria for sequestration and biotransformation of the toxic form of Cr and As into non-toxic form. Remediating these contaminants using microbes is a common technique and rhizo-microbiota not only relieves metal stress but also acts as biofertilizers. Role of plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) strains Acinetobacter beijerinckii (C5) and Raoultella planticola (C9) in counteracting chromium and arsenic stress in soybean seedlings was assessed. The isolated rhizobacteria were able to tolerate excessive quantities (up to 1200 ppm) of chromate and arsenate in liquid media. Beside their growth in heavy metal containing media, the strains were able to bio-transform chromate and arsenate to their least toxic form. They released significant quantities of stress related metabolites including phenols, flavonoids, proline, sugars and protein even in the presence of 1200 ppm of the heavy metals. They also released several plant hormones together with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), salicylic acid (SA) and gibberellins. Another important feature of the isolates was their ability to solubilize phosphate and release siderophores and exposure to different levels of the selected heavy metals enhanced phosphate solubilization potential of both the isolates by up to 2-fold. Release of siderophore in A. beijerinckii C5 was enhanced by increasing heavy metals concentration in the media but in case of R. planticola C9 a decline was noted. When inoculated on soybean seedlings, the isolates modulated several metabolites of the hos plant enabling them to combat heavy metal toxicity at different levels. The PGPR strains boosted host's antioxidants production which minimized the oxidative damage by scavenging excessive ROS produced under stress. Control plants showed upregulation of stress response metabolites compared to PGPR application, whereas, IAA and SA were significantly higher in PGPR associated seedlings. In conclusion, PGPR alters the physiological and metabolic responses of soybean enabling it to cope better with chromate and arsenic toxicity and grow well under the stress., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Bioaugmentation is an effective strategy used to speed up the bioremediation of marine oil spills. In the present study, a highly efficient petroleum degrading bacterium (Pseudomonas aeruginosa ZS1) was applied to the bioremediation of simulated crude oil pollution in different sampling sites in the South China Sea. The metabolic pathways of ZS1 to degrade crude oil, the temporal dynamics of the microbial community response to crude oil contamination, and the biofortification process were investigated. The results showed that the abundance and diversity of the microbial community decreased sharply after the occurrence of crude oil contamination. The best degradation rate of crude oil, which was achieved in the samples from the sampling site N3 after the addition of ZS1 bacteria, was 50.94% at 50 days. C13 alkanes were totally oxidized by ZS1 in the 50 days. The degradation rate of solid n-alkanes (C18-C20) was about 70%. Based on the whole genome sequencing and the metabolites analysis of ZS1, we found that ZS1 degraded n-alkanes through the terminal oxidation pathway and aromatic compounds through the catechol pathway. This study provides data support for further research on biodegradation pathways of crude oil and contributes to the subsequent development of more reasonable bioremediation strategies.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and T2D-associated comorbidities, such as obesity, are serious universally prevalent health issues among post-menopausal women. Menopause is an unavoidable condition characterized by the depletion of estrogen, a gonadotropic hormone responsible for secondary sexual characteristics in women. In addition to sexual dimorphism, estrogen also participates in glucose-lipid homeostasis, and estrogen depletion is associated with insulin resistance in the female body. Estrogen level in the gut also regulates the microbiota composition, and even conjugated estrogen is actively metabolized by the estrobolome to maintain insulin levels. Moreover, post-menopausal gut microbiota is different from the pre-menopausal gut microbiota, as it is less diverse and lacks the mucolytic Akkermansia and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producers such as Faecalibacterium and Roseburia. Through various metabolites (SCFAs, secondary bile acid, and serotonin), the gut microbiota plays a significant role in regulating glucose homeostasis, oxidative stress, and T2D-associated pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6). While gut dysbiosis is common among post-menopausal women, dietary interventions such as probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics can ease post-menopausal gut dysbiosis. The objective of this review is to understand the relationship between post-menopausal gut dysbiosis and T2D-associated factors. Additionally, the study also provided dietary recommendations to avoid T2D progression among post-menopausal women.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase Constitutive Photomorphogenic 1 (COP1) plays evolutionarily conserved and divergent roles. In plants, COP1 regulates a large number of developmental processes including photomorphogenesis, seedling emergence, and gravitropism. Nevertheless, its function in abiotic stress tolerance remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate the role of COP1 in salt stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana . In soil, cop1-4 and cop1-6 mutants were more tolerant to high salinity than wild-type (WT) plants during vegetative growth. However, in high salt-containing Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, cop1-4 and cop1-6 seedlings exhibited significantly impaired growth compared with WT plants. Notably, cop1-4 and cop1-6 seedlings recovered their growth to the WT level upon exogenous sucrose treatment even under high salinity conditions. Compared with WT plants, the sucrose content of cop1-4 mutants was much higher at the vegetative growth stage but similar at the seedling stage. Upon exogenous sucrose supply, root elongation was significantly stimulated in cop1-4 seedlings but only slightly stimulated in WT plants. Thus, no significant difference was observed in root length between the two genotypes. Altogether, our data indicate that cop1 mutants are more tolerant to salt stress than WT plants, and the salt tolerance of cop1 mutants is correlated with their sucrose content.

Downer cow can be caused by muscular paralysis, neurological damage, metabolic disorder, and/or the complication of microbial infection. However, downer cow with unknown etiology is issued because of the non-detection of its bacterial etiological agent. In this study, differences in the bacterial community in brain tissues between downer cattle with unknown etiology and healthy slaughtered cattle are investigated. Bacterial diversity and representative genera between downer and normal cattle were significantly different (p < 0.05). There are significant differences in representative genera of downer and normal cattle, especially the significance, fold change, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve score (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the prediction of functional genes in brain microbiota between the downer and normal cattle revealed differences in the cluster of orthologous gene categories, such as lipid transport and metabolism, secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and signal transduction (p < 0.05). This study revealed a significant difference in microbiota between the downer and normal cattle. Thus, we demonstrate that representative genera from downer cattle through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and microbiota analysis have the potential as candidates for bacterial etiological agents for downer cow.