Search

Addressing the issues of inefficiency and severe environmental pollution associated with artificial and chemical methods in cotton growth regulation, this study introduces the high-voltage electrostatic field environmental control technology. It delves into the technology's macro- and microscopic impacts on cotton seedling growth and optimizes its operational parameters. At the macro level, the study examines the influence of adjusting the output voltage of the high-voltage electrostatic generator, the distance between the upper pole plate and the cotton leaf, and the action time of the electric field on seedling features above (plant height, ground diameter, and leaf area) and below ground (fresh weight and dry weight of roots). Subsequently, utilizing an orthogonal experimental design, the optimal parameters are identified: output voltage of 15.93 kV, a distance of 10.71 cm between the pole plate and cotton leaf, and an action time of 39.23 s, resulting in the most favorable overall growth condition. At the micro level, conductivity meters and transmission electron microscopy techniques are employed to investigate leaf electrical conductivity and ultrastructure changes under a high-voltage electrostatic field. Results indicate a slight conductivity increase under moderate conditions (e.g., 18 kV-8 cm), signifying healthy cell membranes. Conversely, extreme conditions (e.g., 18 kV-2 cm or 36 kV-8 cm) cause marked conductivity spikes, pointing to cellular damage. Transmission electron microscopy observations reinforce this, with intact membranes under optimal conditions but disintegration and degradation under adverse ones. In conclusion, this study unravels the internal mechanisms of high-voltage electrostatic field regulation on cotton seedling growth from macro- to micro-scales, validating its feasibility and effectiveness. This breakthrough not only pioneers a novel approach for cash crop seedling growth control but also lays a scientific foundation for refining and advancing cotton cultivation techniques, thereby advancing agricultural modernization and sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants possess a complex signaling system that enables them to sense and adapt to various environmental stressors, including abiotic factors like extreme temperatures, drought, salinity, and toxic heavy metals. While the roles of hormones and signaling molecules in plant stress responses are well established, the involvement of neurotransmitters—traditionally linked to animal nervous systems—in plant stress physiology is a relatively underexplored area. Recent findings indicate that neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, serotonin, and dopamine play crucial roles in several physiological processes within plants. They regulate ion channels, adjust stomatal movements, modulate the production of reactive oxygen species, and influence gene expression. Evidence suggests that these neurotransmitters enhance antioxidant defense mechanisms and regulate stress-responsive pathways vital for plant stress tolerance. Additionally, under stressful conditions, neurotransmitters have been shown to impact plant growth, development, and reproductive activities. This review aims to illuminate the emerging understanding of neurotransmitters as key biomediators in plant responses to abiotic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The insulin receptor (IR) plays a crucial role in the growth and metabolism of animals. However, there are still many questions regarding the IR in crustaceans, particularly their role in shrimp growth and glucose metabolism. In this study, we identified a novel insulin-like receptor gene in Litopenaeus vannamei and cloned its full length of 6439 bp. This gene exhibited a highly conserved sequence and structural characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed it as an unreported RTK2-type IR, namely, LvRTK2. Expression pattern analysis showed that LvRTK2 is primarily expressed in female reproductive and digestive organs. Through a series of in vivo and in vitro experiments, including glucose treatment, exogenous insulin treatment, and starvation treatment, LvRTK2 was confirmed to be involved in the endogenous glucose metabolic pathway of shrimp under different glucose variations. Moreover, long-term and short-term interference experiments with LvRTK2 revealed that the interference significantly reduced the shrimp growth rate and serum glucose clearance rate. Further studies indicated that LvRTK2 may regulate shrimp growth by modulating the downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and a series of glucose metabolism events, such as glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogen synthesis, and glycogenolysis. This report on the characteristics and functions of LvRTK2 confirms the important role of RTK2-type IRs in regulating shrimp growth and glucose metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bivalve aquaculture plays a crucial role in the aquaculture industry due to the economic value of many bivalve species. Understanding the underlying genetic basis of bivalve growth regulation is essential for enhancing germplasm innovation and ensuring sustainable development of the industry. Though numerous candidate genes have been identified, their functional validation remains challenging. Fortunately, the dwarf surf clam (Mulinia lateralis) serves as a promising model organism for investigating genetic mechanisms underlying growth regulation in bivalves. The GWAS study in the Yesso scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) has pinpointed the E2F3 gene as a key regulator of growth-related traits. However, the specific role of E2F3 in bivalve growth remains unclear. This study aimed to further confirm the regulatory function of the E2F3 gene in the dwarf surf clam through RNA interference experiments. Our results revealed several genes are associated with individual growth and development, including CTS7, HSP70B2, and PGLYRP3, as well as genes involved in lipid metabolism such as FABP2 and FASN. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that E2F3 primarily modulates critical processes like amino acid and lipid metabolism. These findings suggest that E2F3 likely regulates growth in the dwarf surf clam by influencing amino acid and lipid metabolism. Overall, this study advances our understanding on the function of E2F3 gene in growth regulation in bivalves, providing valuable insights for future research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a harmful metal in soil, and reducing Cd accumulation in plants has become a vital prerequisite for maintaining food safety. Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) can not only improve plant growth but also inhibit the transportation of metals to roots. However, data on gene expression in PSB Burkholderia sp. strain 'N3' and grafted watermelon plants dealing with Cd remain to be elucidated. In this study, core genes and metabolic pathways of strain 'N3' and grafted plants were analyzed by Illumina sequencing. Results showed that 356 and 2527 genes were upregulated in 'N3' and grafted watermelon plants, respectively, whereas 514 and 1540 genes were downregulated in 'N3' and grafted watermelon plants, respectively. Gene ontology enrichment analysis showed that signal transduction, inorganic ion transport, cell motility, amino acid transport, and metabolism pathways were marked in 'N3'. However, pathways such as secondary metabolite biosynthesis, oxidation–reduction process, electron transfer activity, and channel regulator activity were marked in the grafted plants. Six genes related to pentose phosphate, glycolysis, and gluconeogenesis metabolism were upregulated in the grafted plants. This study paves the way for developing potential strategies to improve plant growth under Cd toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a commonly used microorganism in the biotechnological industry. For the industrial heterologous production of compounds, it is of great advantage to work with growth‐controllable yeast strains. In our work, we utilized the natural pheromone system of S. cerevisiae and generated a set of different strains possessing an α‐pheromone controllable growth behavior. Naturally, the α‐factor pheromone is involved in communication between haploid S. cerevisiae cells. Perception of the pheromone initiates several cellular changes, enabling the cells to prepare for an upcoming mating event. We exploited this natural pheromone response system and developed two different plasmid‐based modules, in which the target genes, MET15 and FAR1, are under control of the α‐factor sensitive FIG1 promoter for a controlled expression in S. cerevisiae. Whereas expression of MET15 led to a growth induction, FAR1 expression inhibited growth. The utilization of low copy number or high copy number plasmids for target gene expression and different concentrations of α‐factor allow a finely adjustable control of yeast growth rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Duli' (Pyrus betulifolia Bunge) is one of the main rootstocks of pear trees in China. Gibberellin (GA) is a key plant hormone and the roles of GA in nitrate (NO3−) uptake and metabolism in plants remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of exogenous GA3 on the N metabolism of 'Duli' seedlings under NO3− deficiency. The results showed that exogenous GA3 significantly improves 'Duli' growth under NO3− deficiency. On the one hand, GA3 altered the root architecture, increased the content of endogenous hormones (GA3, IAA, and ZR), and enhanced photosynthesis; on the other hand, it enhanced the activities of N−metabolizing enzymes and the accumulation of N, and increased the expression levels of N absorption (PbNRT2) and the metabolism genes (PbNR, PbGILE, PbGS, and PbGOGAT). However, GA3 did not delay the degradation of chlorophyll. Paclobutrazol had the opposite effect on growth. Overall, GA3 can increase NO3− uptake and metabolism and relieve the growth inhibition of 'Duli' seedlings under NO3− deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muscle is one of the important quality of fish. However, there is still a lack of sufficient understanding of the mechanism of muscle growth regulation in fish. In this study, the expression patterns of 10 reported muscle development related genes are analyzed in zebrafish during growth or under water flow stress. Myogenic regulatory factors (MyoD, MyoG, MRF4), myostatin regulatory genes (Mstna, Mstnb) and myoblast development-related genes (Pax7, Prmt5, Desmin, MYHC) are significantly increased expression at somite stage and muscle effect stage embryos in zebrafish. The mRNA levels of the muscle development related genes are up-regulated in 7-day fries and 30-day juvenile of zebrafish. And there are differences in the expression levels of seven muscle development related genes (MyoD, Myf5, MyoG, Mstna, Mstnb, Desmin, MYHC) between the large and small individuals of 20-day-old zebrafish. Results indicated that short-term water flow stressing can promote zebrafish muscle growth, while prolonged water flow stress may lead to motor fatigue and affect growth in zebrafish. This research provides a foundation for further exploration of the growth regulation mechanism in fish, and is helpful on fish farming.

Bivalves hold an important role in marine aquaculture and the identification of growth-related genes in bivalves could contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism governing their growth, which may benefit high-yielding bivalve breeding. Somatostatin receptor (SSTR) is a conserved negative regulator of growth in vertebrates. Although SSTR genes have been identified in invertebrates, their involvement in growth regulation remains unclear. Here, we identified seven SSTRs (PySSTRs) in the Yesso scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis, which is an economically important bivalve cultured in East Asia. Among the three PySSTRs (PySSTR-1, -2, and -3) expressed in adult tissues, PySSTR-1 showed significantly lower expression in fast-growing scallops than in slow-growing scallops. Then, the function of this gene in growth regulation was evaluated in dwarf surf clams (Mulinia lateralis), a potential model bivalve cultured in the lab, via RNA interference (RNAi) through feeding the clams Escherichia coli containing plasmids expressing double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) targeting MlSSTR-1. Suppressing the expression of MlSSTR-1, the homolog of PySSTR-1 in M. lateralis, resulted in a significant increase in shell length, shell width, shell height, soft tissue weight, and muscle weight by 20%, 22%, 20%, 79%, and 92%, respectively. A transcriptome analysis indicated that the up-regulated genes after MlSSTR-1 expression inhibition were significantly enriched in the fat digestion and absorption pathway and the insulin pathway. In summary, we systemically identified the SSTR genes in P. yessoensis and revealed the growth-inhibitory role of SSTR-1 in bivalves. This study indicates the conserved function of somatostatin signaling in growth regulation, and ingesting dsRNA-expressing bacteria is a useful way to verify gene function in bivalves. SSTR-1 is a candidate target for gene editing in bivalves to promote growth and could be used in the breeding of fast-growing bivalves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium (Cr) toxicity can negatively affect plant growth and development, impacting agricultural productivity and posing risks to human health. Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) and natural growth regulators such as melatonin (MT) become a promising technology to manage heavy metal-contaminated soils and promote safe food production. The present work was conducted to find the effect of foliar application of TiO2 NPs (15 mg L−1) and MT (100 µM) on growth, biochemical attributes, and Cr accumulation in plant tissues of Melissa officinalis L. under Cr toxicity (50 and 100 mg Cr kg−1 soil). The results showed that Cr toxicity led to decreased plant performance, where 100 mg Cr kg−1 soil led to notable decreases in shoot weight (28%), root weight (27%), essential oil (EO) yield (34%), chlorophyll (Chl) a + b (33%), while increased malondialdehyde (MDA, 30%), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (51%), and catalase (CAT) activity (122%). The use of TiO2 NPs and MT, particularly their co-application, remarkably reduced Cr toxicity by enhancing plant weight, Chl content, and lowered MDA and antioxidant activity. Total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), EO percentage, and rosmarinic acid in plants treated with Cr at 50 mg Cr kg−1 soil and co-application of TiO2 NPs and MT were relatively higher than in other treatments. Under 100 mg Cr kg−1 soil, the synergic effect of TiO2 NPs and MT-enhanced rosmarinic acid content (22%) but lowered Cr accumulation in roots (51%) and shoots (72%). Heat map analysis showed that CAT, SOD, MDA, and EO yield had the maximum variability under Cr, TiO2 NPs, and MT. Exogenous TiO2 NPs and MT can be recommended to modulate Cr toxicity in lemon balm under soil Cr toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional CO2 capture technologies often focus on the simple capture process, while the absorption and high-value utilization of carbon capture products have profound significance, especially when combined with the utilization of biomass energy. Novel ammonia-based CO2 capture coupled with selective silicon dissolution was proposed with process regulation of external fields (i.e. magnetic field, microwave field, ultrasound field) used to prepare nano silica. The results show that the magnetic field plays a dual role of “vibration stirring” and adding energy (11.2 J/mol) on the formation and dispersion of nano silica. The specific surface area of nano-silica is increased from 140.24 m2/g to 280 m2/g by microwave field (250 W), and its “internal heating” promotes the formation of crystal nuclei. The ultrasonic field reduces the primary particle size of nano-silica by 3.17 nm, and inhibits the particle growth through cavitation and mechanical vibration. It would provide parameter support and optimization guidance for the low-cost high-quality nano silica for high-value utilization of ammonia-based CO2 capture products.

Plants possess a complex signaling system that enables them to sense and adapt to various environmental stressors, including abiotic factors like extreme temperatures, drought, salinity, and toxic heavy metals. While the roles of hormones and signaling molecules in plant stress responses are well established, the involvement of neurotransmitters—traditionally linked to animal nervous systems—in plant stress physiology is a relatively underexplored area. Recent findings indicate that neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, serotonin, and dopamine play crucial roles in several physiological processes within plants. They regulate ion channels, adjust stomatal movements, modulate the production of reactive oxygen species, and influence gene expression. Evidence suggests that these neurotransmitters enhance antioxidant defense mechanisms and regulate stress-responsive pathways vital for plant stress tolerance. Additionally, under stressful conditions, neurotransmitters have been shown to impact plant growth, development, and reproductive activities. This review aims to illuminate the emerging understanding of neurotransmitters as key biomediators in plant responses to abiotic stress.

Water ferns of the Salviniaceae family are successfully used for bioremediation and bioindication of contaminated waters. Due to intensive propagation they are able to produce a great volume of biomass enriched with natural plant growth regulators. Simultaneously, water ferns have become an impediment to the use of water resources through the fast spread. Their growth and development is under control of phytohormones, which are main chemical messengers regulating the responses to environmental changes. Today hormonal system of water ferns of the Salviniaceae family remains understudied. In this review, we analyzed and summarized the literature data and the results of our own research about the role of auxins, cytokinins, gibberellic, abscisic, salicylic and jasmonic acids in regulation of growth and development of water ferns from Salvinia and Azolla genera emphasizing the specific hallmarks of these phytohormones in ferns. We have submitted brief information about methodological approaches for endogenous phytohormones determination in water ferns of the Salviniaceae family. The effects of exogenous regulators on growth, development and tolerance of water macrophytes from Salvinia and Azolla genera were discussed, as well as the possibility of using water ferns to create ecological biofertilizers.

Grammatophyllum stapeliiflorum, recognized as the melancholic orchid, represents one of the elusive orchid species facing the brink of extinction, thus exacerbating its rarity. Tissue culture technology becomes imperative for the propagation of this orchid species. This study aims to scrutinize the influence of different concentrations of the synthetic growth regulator thidiazuron (TDZ) on distinct basal media types, Murashige Skoog (MS) and Vacin and Went (VW), on the in vitro growth of G. stapeliiflorum orchids. Employing a complete randomized factorial design, the study entails two research factors: TDZ concentration with 4 treatment levels, A0 = 0 mg/L, A1 = 0.25 mg/L, A2 = 0.50 mg/L, and A3 = 0.75 mg/L, and the second factor being the media type, B1 = ½ MS and B2 = ½ VW. Findings indicate significant effects of MS and VW media on the percentage of viable explants, browning, globular forms, and shoots. Interaction between TDZ concentration and media type didn't yield significant effects on each experimental parameter. Treatment with 0.25 and 0.50 mg/L TDZ on ½ VW media demonstrated optimal results for explant growth percentage, browning, and explants in the globular phase, at 97.33%, 2.67%, and 2.67%, respectively. Moreover, treatment with 0.75 mg/L TDZ on ½ VW media resulted in the highest percentage of explant coloration. The combination of TDZ and media has shown the potential to enhance the production efficiency and conservation of this rare orchid species through tissue culture technology.

Phosphorylation of AT Hook‐Like 10 (AHL10), one of the AT‐hook family of plant‐specific DNA binding proteins, is critical for growth suppression during moderate severity drought (low water potential, ψw) stress. To understand how AHL10 phosphorylation determines drought response, we identified putative AHL10 interacting proteins and further characterized interaction with RRP6L1, a protein involved in epigenetic regulation. RRP6L1 and AHL10 mutants, as well as ahl10‐1rrp6l1‐2, had similar phenotypes of increased growth maintenance during low ψw. Chromatin precipitation demonstrated that RRP6L1 chromatin association increased during low ψw stress and was dependent upon AHL10 phosphorylation. Transcriptome analyses showed that AHL10 and RRP6L1 have concordant effects on expression of stress‐ and development‐related genes. Together these results indicate that stress signalling can act via AHL10 phosphorylation to control the chromatin association of the key regulatory protein RRP6L1. AHL10 and RRP6L1 interaction in meristem cells is part of a mechanism to downregulate growth during low ψw stress. Interestingly, the loss of AHL13, which is homologous to AHL10 and phosphorylated at a similar C‐terminal site, blocked the enhanced growth maintenance of ahl10‐1. Thus, AHL10 and AHL13, despite their close homology, are not redundant but rather have distinct roles, likely related to the formation of AHL hetero‐complexes. Summary statement: Phosphorylation of Arabidopsis thaliana AHL10 is important to control growth during drought stress, a function which is distinct from the closely related AHL13. One way that phosphorylation determines AHL10 function is by altering its ability to mediate chromatin recruitment of RRP6L1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypocotyl elongation directly affects the seedling establishment and soil-breaking after germination. In soybean (Glycine max), the molecular mechanisms regulating hypocotyl development remain largely elusive. To decipher the regulatory landscape, we conducted proteome and transcriptome analysis of soybean hypocotyl samples at different development stages. Our results showed that during hypocotyl development, many proteins were with extreme high translation efficiency (TE) and may act as regulators. These potential regulators include multiple peroxidases and cell wall reorganisation related enzymes. Peroxidases may produce ROS including H2O2. Interestingly, exogenous H2O2 application promoted hypocotyl elongation, supporting peroxidases as regulators of hypocotyl development. However, a vast variety of proteins were shown to be with dramatically changed TE during hypocotyl development, including multiple phytochromes, plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) and aspartic proteases. Their potential roles in hypocotyl development were confirmed by that ectopic expression of GmPHYA1 and GmPIP1-6 in Arabidopsis thaliana affected hypocotyl elongation. In addition, the promoters of these potential regulatory genes contain multiple light/gibberellin/auxin responsive elements, while the expression of some members in hypocotyls was significantly regulated by light and exogenous auxin/gibberellin. Overall, our results revealed multiple novel regulatory factors of soybean hypocotyl elongation. Further research on these regulators may lead to new approvals to improve soybean hypocotyl traits. Our research identified multiple new regulatory factors of soybean hypocotyl development, providing potential targets for soybean (Glycine max) improvement. Hypocotyl development is the key stage of germination, affecting crop productivity and yield. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating soybean hypocotyl development remain largely elusive so far. By conducting a joint analysis of transcriptomic and proteomic data, we successfully identified a number of novel regulators of soybean hypocotyl development and preliminarily investigated their functions. Our results would provide new candidate genes for soybean variety improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) play crucial roles in regulating biological activities of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and growth performance in vertebrates. IGFBP is a six-member protein family (IGFBP1–6) with a high affinity for IGF. It affects the distribution, stability, and biological activity of IGF by regulating the interaction between IGF ligands and receptors. Recently, IGFBP-1 was identified as a regulator of growth, reproduction, and development in bony fish, such as juvenile Atlantic salmon, where IGFBP-1 interacts with cortisol to regulate growth. IGFBP-1 regulates cell metabolism and growth through interaction with insulin in primary hepatocytes incubated in vitro in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides). IGFBP-2 has a wide range of tissue expression characteristics in bony fish, and IGF regulation may occur through autocrine or paracrine pathways. For example, long-term fasting induced increased igfbp-2 mRNA expression in the liver of zebrafish. In addition, IGFBP-2 can inhibit the activity of IGF ligand through its high affinity with IGF to play an inhibitory and regulatory role in zebrafish growth. igfbp-2 mRNA expression was significantly up-regulated in Carassius auratus (goldfish) liver after fasting, and quickly recovered to normal levels after feeding. This indicated that igfbp-2 mRNA expression may be related to the anabolism and catabolism of goldfish, and is regulated by metabolic factors.Yellowtail kingfish (Seriola aureovittata) of the Carangidae family has high economic value and nutrition value. It is a warm and temperate oceanic fish with long distance migration characteristics that is distributed in the middle and upper oceans globally. This species is large with a fast growth rate, and is a promising candidate for aquaculture in land-based industrial circulating water system, deep-water cages, net pen systems, and aquaculture craft, etc. Our laboratory studied the regulatory mechanism of the rapid growth of yellowtail kingfish and cloned gh, igf-1, igf-2, ghr, and other growth-related functional genes to reveal their molecular regulation in early growth and development. igfbp genes regulate the growth, development, and nutrient metabolism of fish through their interaction with growth axis. The mechanism of IGFBP and how it influences the regulation of yellowtail kingfish growth is unreported. This paper further studied the growth of yellowtail kingfish by analyzing the key growth axis factors.RNAiso Plus reagent (TaKaRa) was used to extract total RNA from tissues. RNA integrity was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis, and RNA quality was determined by a NanoDrop 2000C spectrophotometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA). First, cDNA strand was synthesized using a PrimeScript™ RT reagent kit with a gDNA Eraser (Perfect Real-Time) reverse transcription kit (TaKaRa). Primers were designed to clone the predicted sequence of yellowtail kingfish igfbp gene according to the NCBI GenBank database. The product was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, purified from agarose gel electrophoresis, linked with T4 Ligases, transformed into Trans1-T1 Phage Resistant Chemically Competent Cell, and positive clones were selected and tested. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze the distribution of yellowtail kingfish tissues and the expression patterns of liver tissues under different densities of industrial culture.The lengths of igfbp-1, igfbp-2a, igfbp-2b open reading frame (ORF) domains were 741 bp, 882 bp, and 801 bp, and encoded 246 amino acids, 293 amino acids, and 269 amino acids, respectively. The conserved domain of insulin growth factor-binding protein homologues (IB) was present in the N-terminus of the three igfbps, and the conserved domain of thyroglobulin type-1 repeat (Ty-1) was present in the C-terminus. They had a wide range of tissue expression characteristics and were highly expressed in the liver. There were differences between the expression of the same gene in the same tissues of male and female fish. For example, the expression of igfbp-1 and igfbp-2b genes was significantly higher in the liver of male fish compared with female fish, while igfbp-2a expression was significantly higher in the liver of female fish compared with male fish. The tissue differential expression of genes between sexes indicates that igfbp may have sex dimorphism when it plays a physiological role. However, the specific characteristics of this difference between males and females and the possible signaling pathway are unclear. The fish in the low-density group showed the greatest growth rate and the highest expression levels of igfbp-1, igfbp-2a, igfbp-2b, igf-1, and igf-2 under industrial culture conditions. These expression levels were significantly different from those of the medium and high-density groups (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the expression levels of growth and liver genes between the middle and high-density groups.igfbp-1, igfbp-2a, and igfbp-2b participated in the growth regulation of yellowtail kingfish. The expression regulation of igf-1 and igf-2 had a positive synergistic effect with growth regulation of yellowtail kingfish. The ORF regions of igfbp-1, igfbp-2a, and igfbp-2b genes of yellowtail kingfish were cloned, and the structural characteristics, tissue expression characteristics, and relationships with growth performance were analyzed under different culture densities. The content of serum IGF-1, GH, cortisol, and glucose concentration was detected in the early stage. The expression trend of igfbp-1, igfbp-2, igf-1, and igf-2 was the same as that of serum IGF-1 and GH in the liver of yellowtail kingfish rapidly growing at the low-density group, but contrary to the expression trend of cortisol content and glucose concentration. This indicated that the key factors of growth axis, cortisol, and glucose participated in the growth regulation of yellowtail kingfish at different densities. However, the specific regulatory mechanism requires further study. The results provide a theoretical basis for interpreting the molecular mechanism of the growth of yellowtail kingfish and the regulation of suitable culture densities under industrial conditions.

Abstract Background The Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, is an economically important shellfish around the world. Great efforts have been made to improve its growth rate through genetic breeding. However, the candidate marker genes, pathways, and potential lncRNAs involved in oyster growth regulation remain largely unknown. To identify genes, lncRNAs, and pathways involved in growth regulation, C. gigas spat was cultured at a low temperature (15 ℃) to yield a growth-inhibited model, which was used to conduct comparative transcriptome analysis with spat cultured at normal temperature (25 ℃). Results In total, 8627 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 1072 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) were identified between the normal-growth oysters (cultured at 25 ℃, hereinafter referred to as NG) and slow-growth oysters (cultured at 15 ℃, hereinafter referred to as SG). Functional enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were mostly enriched in the AMPK signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, autophagy, apoptosis, calcium signaling pathway, and endocytosis process. LncRNAs analysis identified 265 cis-acting pairs and 618 trans-acting pairs that might participate in oyster growth regulation. The expression levels of LNC_001270, LNC_003322, LNC_011563, LNC_006260, and LNC_012905 were inducible to the culture temperature and food abundance. These lncRNAs were located at the antisense, upstream, or downstream of the SREBP1/p62, CDC42, CaM, FAS, and PIK3CA genes, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of the trans-acting lncRNAs, including XR_9000022.2, LNC_008019, LNC_015817, LNC_000838, LNC_00839, LNC_011859, LNC_007294, LNC_006429, XR_002198885.1, and XR_902224.2 was also significantly associated with the expression of genes enriched in AMPK signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, autophagy, apoptosis, calcium signaling pathway, and endocytosis process. Conclusions In this study, we identified the critical growth-related genes and lncRNAs that could be utilized as candidate markers to illustrate the molecular mechanisms underlying the growth regulation of Pacific oysters.

The study combined the use of biometric, behavioral, physiological and external tissue damage scoring systems to better understand how high stocking densities drive schooling behavior and other adaptive features during the finishing growing phase of farmed gilthead sea bream in the Western Mediterranean. Fish were grown at three different final stocking densities (LD, 8.5 kg/m3; MD, 17 kg/m3; HD, 25 kg/m3). Water oxygen concentration varied between 5 and 6 ppm in LD fish to 3-4 ppm in HD fish with the summer rise of water temperature from 19°C to 26°C (May-July). HD fish showed a reduction of feed intake and growth rates, but they also showed a reinforced social cohesion with a well-defined endogenous swimming activity rhythm with feeding time as a main synchronization factor. The monitored decrease of the breathing/swimming activity ratio by means of the AEFishBIT data-logger also indicated a decreased energy partitioning for growth in the HD environment with a limited oxygen availability. Plasma glucose and cortisol levels increased with the rise of stocking density, and the close association of glycaemia with the expression level of antioxidant enzymes (mn-sod, gpx4, prdx5) in liver and molecular chaperones (grp170, grp75) in skeletal muscle highlighted the involvement of glucose in redox processes via rerouting in the pentosephosphate-pathway. Other adaptive features included the depletion of oxidative metabolism that favored lipid storage rather than fatty acid oxidation to decrease the oxygen demand as last electron acceptor in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. This was coincident with the metabolic readjustment of the Gh/Igf endocrine-growth cascade that promoted the regulation of muscle growth at the local level rather than a systemic action via the liver Gh/Igf axis. Moreover, correlation analyses within HD fish displayed negative correlations of hepatic transcripts of igf1 and igf2 with the data-logger measurements of activity and respiration, whereas the opposite was found for muscle igf2, ghr1 and ghr2. This was indicative of a growth-regulatory transition that supported a proactive instead of a reactive behavior in HD fish, which was considered adaptive to preserve an active and synchronized feeding behavior with a minimized risk of oxidative stress and epidermal skin damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the potential to use double-stranded RNA insulin-like androgenic gland hormone (dsIAG) to induce sex reversal in Macrobrachium nipponense and identified the molecular mechanisms underlying crustacean reproduction and sex differentiation. The study aimed to determine whether dsIAG could induce sex reversal in PL30-male M. nipponense during a critical period. The sex-related genes were selected by performing the gonadal transcriptome analysis of normal male (dsM), normal female (dsFM), neo-female sex-reversed individuals (dsRM), and unreversed males (dsNRM). After six injections, the experiment finally resulted in a 20% production of dsRM. Histologically, dsRM ovaries developed slower than dsFM, but dsNRM spermathecae developed normally. A total of 1718, 1069, and 255 differentially expressed genes were identified through transcriptome sequencing of the gonads in three comparison groups, revealing crucial genes related to reproduction and sex differentiation, such as GnRHR, VGR, SG, and LWS. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) also distinguished dsM and dsRM very well. In addition, this study predicted that the eyestalks and the "phototransduction-fly" photoperiodic pathways of M. nipponense could play an important role in sex reversal. The enrichment of related pathways and growth traits in dsNRM were combined to establish that IAG played a significant role in reproduction, growth regulation, and metabolism. Finally, complete sex reversal may depend on specific stimuli at critical periods. Overall, this study provides valuable findings for the IAG regulation of sex differentiation, reproduction, and growth of M. nipponense in establishing a monoculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the relationship between growth and gonadal development is essential for breeding programs and studying teleost sexual development. This study investigated the growth and gonadal development of captive-reared false clown anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) aged one to eight months. We performed histological analysis and quantified insulin-like growth factor-1 (igf1) mRNA transcripts. The fish exhibited a maximum specific growth rate of 0.56 ± 0.11% day-1 at two months, with a negative allometric length-weight relationship. Histological examination revealed ovarian differentiation commenced in the third month, while male germ cells progressed rapidly. Ovotestis formation occurred between the fourth and eighth month, with primary growth stage oocytes being predominant. Ovarian tissue consistently occupies a larger area than testicular tissue. Expression levels of igf1 in the liver peaked at eight months, with the highest expression observed in gonadal tissues at two months, which decreased significantly in older fish. These findings suggest a potential role igf1 in ovarian differentiation and the growth of primary oocytes. Further investigations are warranted to explore the interplay between igf1 expression and other regulatory factors. This research enhances our understanding of fish reproductive biology and has implications for the captive management of false clownfish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PEAR proteins are a type of plant-specific DNA binding with one finger (Dof) transcription factors that play a key role in the regulation of plant growth, especially during phloem cell growth and seed germination in Arabidopsis. However, the identification, characteristics and function of PEAR proteins, particularly in woody plants, need to be further studied. In the present study, 43 candidate PEAR proteins harboring the conserved Zf-Dof domain were obtained in Populus yunnanensis. Based on phylogenetic and structural analysis, 10 representative PEAR candidates were selected, belonging to different phylogenetic groups. The functions of PEAR proteins in the stress response, signal transduction, and growth regulation of stem cambium and roots undergoing vigorous cell division in Arabidopsis were revealed based on their expression patterns as characterized by qRT-PCR analysis, in accordance with the results of cis-element analysis. In vitro experiments showed that the interaction of transcription factor (E2F) and cyclin indirectly reflects the growth regulation function of PEAR through light signaling and cell-cycle regulation. Therefore, our results provide new insight into the identity of PEAR proteins and their function in stress resistance and vigorous cell division regulation of tissues in P. yunnanensis, which may serve as a basis for further investigation of the functions and characteristics of PEAR proteins in other plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review briefly introduces the natural occurrence, physicochemical properties, and biosynthesis of 5-aminolevuinic acid (ALA) and highlights a variety of applications in the planting industry and its possible mechanisms. It has been known that ALA can be used as biological pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides when the concentrations are higher than 838 mg L−1 (about 5 mmol L−1). When ALA concentrations are 100–300 mg L−1, it can be used to thin surplus flowers in the spring of orchards and promote fruit coloration before maturation. When the concentrations are lower than 100 mg L−1, especially not higher than 10 mg L−1, ALA can be used as a new plant growth regulator to promote seed germination, plant (including root and shoot) growth, enhance stress tolerance, increase crop yield, and improve product quality. In photosynthesis, ALA is involved in the regulation of the whole process. In stress tolerance, ALA induces plant preventive and protective systems through the NO/H2O2 signaling network. In secondary metabolism, ALA regulates many gene expressions encoding transcription factors or function proteins to promote anthocyanin and flavonol biosynthesis and accumulation. In general, ALA promotes plant health and robustness, reduces the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides—which is conducive to improving the ecological environment, human production, and living conditions—and has a broad application prospect in agroforestry production. As a new plant growth regulator with multiple and powerful functions, the underlying regulatory mechanisms need more study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posttranslational modifications play a critical and diverse role in regulating cellular activities. Despite their fundamentally important role in cellular function, there has been no report to date of an effective generalized approach to the targeting, extraction, and characterization of the critical c-terminal regions of natively prenylated proteins. Various chemical modification and metabolic labeling strategies in cell culture have been reported. However, their applicability is limited to cell culture systems and does not allow for analysis of tissue samples. The chemical characteristics (hydrophobicity, low abundance, highly basic charge) of many of the c-terminal regions of prenylated proteins have impaired the use of standard proteomic workflows. In this context, we sought a direct approach to the problem in order to examine these proteins in tissue without the use of labeling. Here we demonstrate that prenylated proteins can be captured on chromatographic resins functionalized with mixed disulfide functions. Protease treatment of resin-bound proteins using chymotryptic digestion revealed peptides from many known prenylated proteins. Exposure of the protease-treated resin to reducing agents and hydro organic mixtures released c-terminal peptides with intact prenyl groups along with other enzymatic modifications expected in this protein family. Database and search parameters were selected to allow for c-terminal modifications unique to these molecules such as CAAX box processing and c-terminal methylation. In summary, we present a direct approach to enrich and obtain information at a molecular level of detail about prenylation of proteins from tissue and cell extracts using high-performance LC-MS without the need for metabolic labeling and derivatization.

Background: The Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, is an economically important shellfish around the world. Great efforts have been made to improve its growth rate through genetic breeding. However, the candidate marker genes, pathways, and potential lncRNAs involved in oyster growth regulation remain largely unknown. To identify genes, lncRNAs, and pathways involved in growth regulation, C. gigas spat was cultured at a low temperature (15 ℃) to yield a growth-inhibited model, which was used to conduct comparative transcriptome analysis with spat cultured at normal temperature (25 ℃). Results: In total, 8627 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 1072 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DELs) were identified between the normal-growth oysters (cultured at 25 ℃, hereinafter referred to as NG) and slow-growth oysters (cultured at 15 ℃, hereinafter referred to as SG). Functional enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were mostly enriched in the AMPK signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, autophagy, apoptosis, calcium signaling pathway, and endocytosis process. LncRNAs analysis identified 265 cis-acting pairs and 618 trans-acting pairs that might participate in oyster growth regulation. The expression levels of LNC_001270, LNC_003322, LNC_011563, LNC_006260, and LNC_012905 were inducible to the culture temperature and food abundance. These lncRNAs were located at the antisense, upstream, or downstream of the SREBP1/p62, CDC42, CaM, FAS, and PIK3CA genes, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of the trans-acting lncRNAs, including XR_9000022.2, LNC_008019, LNC_015817, LNC_000838, LNC_00839, LNC_011859, LNC_007294, LNC_006429, XR_002198885.1, and XR_902224.2 was also significantly associated with the expression of genes enriched in AMPK signaling pathway, insulin signaling pathway, autophagy, apoptosis, calcium signaling pathway, and endocytosis process. Conclusions: In this study, we identified the critical growth-related genes and lncRNAs that could be utilized as candidate markers to illustrate the molecular mechanisms underlying the growth regulation of Pacific oysters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petal size is a critical factor in plant reproduction and horticulture, and is largely determined by cell expansion. Gerbera hybrida is an important horticultural plant and serves as a model for studying petal organogenesis. We have previously characterized GhWIP2, a Trp-Ile-Pro (WIP)-type zinc protein, that constrains petal size by suppressing cell expansion. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unclear. Using yeast two-hybrid screening, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and co-immunoprecipitation, we identified a TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR (TCP) family transcription factor, GhTCP7, that interacts with GhWIP2 both in vitro and in vivo. Using reverse genetic approaches, we elucidated the function of the GhTCP7-GhWIP2 complex in controlling petal expansion. GhTCP7 overexpression severely reduced cell expansion and petal size, whereas GhTCP7 silencing resulted in increased cell expansion and petal size. GhTCP7 showed similar expression patterns to GhWIP2 in various types of G. hybrida petals. We further identified GhIAA26 , which encodes an auxin signalling regulator, that is activated by the GhTCP7-GhWIP2 complex, leading to the suppression of petal expansion. Our findings reveal a previously unknown transcriptional regulatory mechanism that involves protein-protein interactions between two different transcription factor families to activate a negative regulator of petal organogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ascorbic acid (ASA) and salicylic acid (SA) are well-known growth stimulators influencing various physiological and biochemical functions in plants. The present study aimed to examine the exogenous effects of ASA and SA on growth and physiological performance of Sorghum bicolor, under saline conditions. Plants were grown in netted greenhouse and sub-irrigated with Hoagland's nutrient solution containing 0- and 100-mM NaCl. Both sets (non-saline and saline) were provided with two concentrations (0.5 mM and 1 mM) of ASA and SA each, through rooting medium and the experiment was continued for 45 days. Salt stress adversely affected the growth, physiological, and photosynthetic attributes of S. bicolor. Salt stress inactivated the reaction centers of S. bicolor chloroplast and disturbed the structural stability of PSII. The changes in PSII caused the reduction in PIABS, Fv/Fm, and OJIP parameters. However, the application of ASA and SA effectively enhanced plant biomass, leaf pigments, photosynthetic efficiency, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant activities under both saline and non-saline conditions. The most effective concentrations that significantly improved plant biomass, chlorophyll fluorescence, and eco-physiological responses of S. bicolor were 0.5 mM and 1 mM for ASA and SA, respectively. Both treatments strengthen plants by decreasing Na+ uptake and Na+/K+ ratio, while retaining more K+ in root and increasing K+ transport to shoot, under saline conditions. In addition, these treatments significantly reduced oxidative stress markers (MDA and H2O2) by increasing activities of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants and polyphenols, soluble sugars, and proline contents. Therefore, application of ASA (0.5 mM) and SA (1 mM) was turned out to be the effective remedy for improving salinity tolerance of Sorghum. This approach could be used to obtain significant biomass of a multipurpose crop from theoretically unproductive soils that will help to meet the basic necessities (like food, fodder, forage, and energy) of the ever-growing population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vertebrates, thyrostimulin is a highly conserved glycoprotein hormone that, besides thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), is a potent ligand of the TSH receptor. Thyrostimulin is considered the most ancestral glycoprotein hormone and orthologs of its subunits, GPA2 and GPB5, are widely conserved across vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Unlike TSH, however, the functions of the thyrostimulin neuroendocrine system remain largely unexplored. Here, we identify a functional thyrostimulin-like signaling system in Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that orthologs of GPA2 and GPB5, together with thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) related neuropeptides, constitute a neuroendocrine pathway that promotes growth in C. elegans. GPA2/GPB5 signaling is required for normal body size and acts through activation of the glycoprotein hormone receptor ortholog FSHR-1. C. elegans GPA2 and GPB5 increase cAMP signaling by FSHR-1 in vitro. Both subunits are expressed in enteric neurons and promote growth by signaling to their receptor in glial cells and the intestine. Impaired GPA2/GPB5 signaling causes bloating of the intestinal lumen. In addition, mutants lacking thyrostimulin-like signaling show an increased defecation cycle period. Our study suggests that the thyrostimulin GPA2/GPB5 pathway is an ancient enteric neuroendocrine system that regulates intestinal function in ecdysozoans, and may ancestrally have been involved in the control of organismal growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vertebrates, thyrostimulin is a highly conserved glycoprotein hormone that, besides thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), is a potent ligand of the TSH receptor. Thyrostimulin is considered the most ancestral glycoprotein hormone and orthologs of its subunits, GPA2 and GPB5, are widely conserved across vertebrate and invertebrate animals. Unlike TSH, however, the functions of the thyrostimulin neuroendocrine system remain largely unexplored. Here, we identify a functional thyrostimulin-like signaling system in Caenorhabditis elegans. We show that orthologs of GPA2 and GPB5, together with thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) related neuropeptides, constitute a neuroendocrine pathway that promotes growth in C. elegans. GPA2/GPB5 signaling is required for normal body size and acts through activation of the glycoprotein hormone receptor ortholog FSHR-1. C. elegans GPA2 and GPB5 increase cAMP signaling by FSHR-1 in vitro. Both subunits are expressed in enteric neurons and promote growth by signaling to their receptor in glial cells and the intestine. Impaired GPA2/GPB5 signaling causes bloating of the intestinal lumen. In addition, mutants lacking thyrostimulin-like signaling show an increased defecation cycle period. Our study suggests that the thyrostimulin GPA2/GPB5 pathway is an ancient enteric neuroendocrine system that regulates intestinal function in ecdysozoans, and may ancestrally have been involved in the control of organismal growth.

The flatfish European plaice is a demersal, temperate species and a candidate for marine aquaculture. To better understand growth and the mechanisms involved in growth regulation, juvenile plaice (initial mean weight ± SEM, 10.4 ± 0.1 g) were reared in triplicate rearing tanks at three different temperature: ambient (average of 8.6 °C), 12 °C and 16 °C, for 100 days. Interactions between growth, expression of growth regulating genes, and skeletal development were studied to determine optimal rearing conditions for juvenile plaice. Juvenile plaice grew fastest at 16 °C, followed by the 12 °C group. The condition factor was inversely correlated to increased temperatures and was highest in the 8.6 °C group. At the start of the experiment, 11% of the fish had vertebra deformities. Increasing temperature resulted in higher frequency and severity of malformations, and the 8.6 °C group had 8% less vertebra deformities at the end of the experiment compared to other two groups. The 12 °C and 16 °C groups had similar frequency of deformed fish, however, the 16 °C had more severe deformities, measured as number of deformed vertebrae per fish. Temperature affected gene transcript levels of ghr , igf-1 , and igf-1r in muscle and liver tissue differently. Hepatic igf-1 transcript levels increased with increased growth and temperature. Muscular igf-1r transcript levels increased with increasing temperature in each sampling, indicating that igf-1r corresponded with muscular growth. Based on the present findings, a rearing temperature of 12 °C is recommended for on-growing of juvenile plaice. • The effects of temperature on growth, expression of growth regulating genes, and skeletal development in plaice was studied. • Juvenile plaice grew fastest at 16 °C, followed by 12 °C. • The condition factor was inversely correlated to increased rearing temperatures. • Increasing temperature resulted in higher frequency and severity of malformations of the vertebrae. • Hepatic igf-1 transcript levels increased with increased growth and temperature. • A rearing temperature of 12 °C is recommended for on-growing of juvenile plaice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chihuahua state is the main apple producer in Mexico. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Trichoderma asperellum as a plant growth regulator and antagonist against Alternaria sp. Three treatments were used: T1 = control, T2 = 200 mL of T. asperellum per tree; T3 = 100 mL of T. asperellum per tree. Agronomic variables were evaluated including number of leaves, shoots and flowers, disease incidence, and trunk thickness. Alternaria sp. was isolated from apple leaves at the experimental site in Guerrero County, Chihuahua, Mexico, and it was grown on solid PDA medium for morphological characterization. The molecular characterization was done by PCR using primers ITS1 and ITS4 producing products of 700 bp which were sequenced, submitted to GenBank (acc. no. OQ344593) and used for further phylogenetic analysis through Bayesian inference approach. Three clades were identified and the polytome topography recovered from clade 2 indicates a high genetic similarity with A. tenuissima (100% similarity according to BLAST). The analysis of T. asperellum as growth regulator only showed significant differences in trunk thickness and displayed higher values with T3 (p≤0.05). The presence of A. tenuissima was only observed in the control, which indicated the ability of Trichoderma to control the fungus. In this study T. asperellum was not an efficient plant growth regulator, but it was a good antagonist, and hence it can be recommended to control A. tenuissima. This is the first record of A. tenuissima in apple trees in Mexico. These results indicate that T. asperellum showed no benefit as plant growth regulator when applied to apple trees of the ‘Granny Smith’ variety.

Studying the role of exogenous substances in plant stress resistance physiology is of great significance for agricultural production. Melatonin, as a new-style plant growth regulator, has played an important role in plant defense against adversity stress. The article reviews the latest research on melatonin in plant drought resistance, salt alkali resistance, cold resistance, and heavy metal resistance in recent years, and looks forward to future research hotspots, in order to provide information reference for related research in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweed extracts are widely used as biostimulants in agriculture, with Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jolis, Ecklonia maxima (Osbeck) Papenfuss, and Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. Agardh representing the most commonly used seaweeds. In the present study, the suitability of the abundant and sustainable seaweed Durvillaea antarctica (Chamisso) Hariot as a raw material for biostimulant production was investigated. A thermo-acid method was used to prepare extracts of the brown algae D. antarctica extract (DAE) and A. nodosum extract (ANE) and compared by examining their growth promotion on cucumber seedlings. Germinated cucumber seedlings were grown in soil medium for 7 days and then treated with extracts for another 16 days until the third true leaf was fully extended, and the seedlings were harvested for analysis. The results showed that DAE treatment, at medium (0.12 g·L−1) and high (0.24 g·L−1) concentrations, improved growth parameters such as height and root length of cucumber seedlings. Biochemical analysis revealed that DAE increased the chlorophyll content and levels of indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellin, and nitrate reductase activity in cucumber seedlings, which could be partly responsible for the plant growth promotion effects. Plant height, chlorophyll content, and nitrate reductase activity of DAE-treated cucumber seedlings were significantly enhanced over those of the ANE treatment, suggesting the greater potential applications for D. antarctica in agricultural production when prepared using a thermo-acid extraction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic-inorganic halide perovskite single crystals (SCs) have shown great potential in radiation detection applications due to their large radiation stopping power and excellent carrier transport properties. The spatial-confined inverse-temperature crystallization (ITC) method has been widely adopted to obtain large-sized SCs. However, they usually face the problems of uneven stress distribution and high defect density due to the limited crystal growth space and varied growth rate with the increase in temperature, making it difficult to fabricate highly sensitive and stable radiation detectors. In this study, the steady-state inverse-temperature crystallization method (SS-ITC) is developed to regulate the growth process of SCs by controlling the growth speed precisely to achieve a constant rate of growth as the temperature increases. Compared with the conventional ITC-grown samples, the lattice spacing of SCs prepared by the SS-ITC method is reduced by 1.2% due to tensile stress relaxation, resulting in a lower defect density of 7.93 × 10 9  cm -3 and a remarkable uniformity over a large area. As a result, the co-planar X-ray detectors based on these high-quality SCs exhibit a high sensitivity of 1.67 × 10 5 µC Gy air -1  cm -2 , representing the best performing MAPbBr 3 -based X-ray detectors reported to date., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Bacterial volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) released from selected soil microbes have been shown to trigger the alteration of plant growth. However, the substances responsible for such bioactivity and the mechanism of how plants interpret and respond to BVOCs remain largely elusive. Here, we established a model bioassay system using Arabidopsis and Bacillus spp. and found that Bacillus BVOCs interfere with the normal growth of Arabidopsis seedlings. Moreover, through a bioassay-guided purification, we identified isovaleric acid (IVA) as a volatile compound that exhibits inhibitory growth activity towards Arabidopsis seedlings. Our data provide novel molecular insights into how short-chain fatty acids released from soil microbes can affect plant growth through interkingdom signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of biostimulants for stimulating plant growth and mitigating the negative impacts of biotic and abiotic stresses is a promising strategy to achieve higher crop yields. Fungicides such as azoxystrobin are used to control several pests and fungal diseases in plants but at the cost of altering various physiological processes; thereby, leading to reduced crop yields. The efficiency of the compound RAZORMIN® as a biostimulant product while taking into account its role in plant growth stimulation and fungicide azoxystrobin stress mitigation was evaluated in this study. The efficacy of RAZORMIN® was assessed considering its impact on the stimulation of growth-related physiological processes and stress mitigation mechanism, e.g., reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification. Application of RAZORMIN® significantly increased plant growth by improving fresh weight, photosynthetic efficiency, net photosynthesis rate, gas exchange, nitrogen (N) metabolism (with increases in soluble amino acids, foliar N concentration, and N use efficiency), growth hormone concentrations (mainly gibberellins and cytokinins), nutritional status of plants (producing a greater accumulation of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, molybdenum, iron, and boron), and sugars concentration. Furthermore, the application of RAZORMIN® on plants under fungicide azoxystrobin stress demonstrated its anti-stress and protective role by stimulating the antioxidant defense system and improving photosynthetic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a medicinal, ornamental and aromatic plant, however, its size can be an obstacle to its commercialization as a potted ornamental plant. Paclobutrazol (PBZ) is a substance that can retard plant growth by inhibiting the synthesis of gibberellins. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of paclobutrazol on growth regulation and gas exchange of basil (var. Cinnamon). The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with five treatments (PBZ doses: 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 mg L-1), with eight replicates. Growth (plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, leaf dry mass, stem dry mass, inflorescence dry mass, and total), growth rates (leaf mass ratio, stem mass ratio, inflorescence mass ratio, and robustness quotient), chlorophyll indices, gas exchange (gs, A, E, Ci, WUE, iWUE and iCE) were evaluated. Paclobutrazol reduced the growth of basil plants and increased the chlorophyll indices, A, gs, and WUE. Paclobutrazol can be used to regulate plant growth of basil plants var. Cinnamon, without altering its physiological and ornamental characteristics.

Aims: The potential of endophytic Bacillus strains to improve plant growth and yield was evaluated. Methods and results: Endophytic Bacillus altitudinis HNH7 and Bacillus velezensis HNH9 were evaluated for their growth‐promoting traits. In an in vitro plate assay, HNH7 and HNH9 exhibited proteolytic, amylolytic, lipolytic and cellulolytic activity. HNH7 and HNH9 were able to solubilize iron by producing siderophores but were unable to solubilize insoluble phosphate. PCR confirmed the presence of four growth‐promoting genes viz. pvd, budA, asbA and satA in the genome of HNH7, while HNH9 also possessed the same genes except for budA. In a greenhouse experiment, HNH7 and HNH9 promoted the growth of upland cotton plants by upregulating the expression of growth‐linked genes, EXP6, ARF1, ARF18, IAA9, CKX6 and GID1b. However, the expression of genes involved in ethylene biosynthesis, that is ERF and ERF17 was downregulated after treating the plants with HNH7 and HNH9 compared to the control. Furthermore, cotton plants treated with HNH7 and HNH9 exhibited a significantly higher rate of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance. Conclusion: HNH7 and HNH9 showed a promising potential to promote the growth of cotton plants. Significance and impact of study: Research on plant growth‐promoting Bacillus strains can lead to the formation of biofertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary metabolites, such as phenolic compounds, play an important role in alleviating salinity-induced negative effects in plants. The present study focused on seed priming and foliar application of a potent phenolic compound, coumarin, to induce salinity tolerance in Sorghum bicolor var. SS-77. Based on pilot experiment, 100 mg L−1 concentration of coumarin was applied to mitigate the negative effects of salinity on Sorghum, grown at 0, 100, and 200 mM NaCl under netted greenhouse conditions. Coumarin was applied to each salinity treatment in four different ways (i) non-primed control (NP), (ii) seed priming (COP), (iii) foliar application (COF), and (iv) a combination of seed priming and foliar application (COPF). Salinity stress significantly reduced the plant growth, biochemical attributes, and photosynthetic efficiency of Sorghum, whereas coumarin treatments (COP, COF, and COPF) showed a significant increase (P< 0.01) in above-mentioned parameters at all salinities. Among all, the combined treatment (COPF) showed maximum increase in growth, biochemicals, photosynthetic pigments, antioxidant enzymes, and photosynthetic efficiency parameters. Therefore, it is suggested that a combination of seed priming and foliar spray of 10 mg L−1 coumarin is more suitable than their individual applications. It is an environment friendly and economically feasible approach that will be used to improve salinity tolerance of Sorghum and helpful to get considerable biomass from saline degraded lands to fulfill food, fodder, and energy demands of the ever-growing population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted at the experimental farm, Dept. of Field Crop, Coll. of Agriculture of Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Al-Jadiriya, Iraq during the winter seasons of 2018- 2019 and 2019-2020, to study the effect of brassinolide on some vegetative growth traits of the bread wheat Triticum aestivum L. variety Rasheed by determining the best soaking periods and the spraying stage to production efficiency. A split plot arrangements were carried out according to RCBD design with three replicates, where the main plots contained three soaking periods of brassinolide (concentration 1 mg L -1 ) 6,12,18 hours, as well as comparison of 18hour distilled water and dry seeds. While the sub plots contained three spraying stages the same of brassinolide concentration (S1: tillering + elongation stage, S2: booting + 100% anthesis stage, S3:100% anthesis + grain formation stage) and tap water was sprayed on plants as control treatment. The results showed that soaking wheat seeds with 12 hours of brassinolide gave highest means for growth traits and biological yield 13.76 and 13.90 Mg ha-1 for both seasons. In addition, the results showed that the spraying stage (tillering + elongation) recorded highest averages in the studies traits above for the both seasons. The interaction between two factors was significant in most studied traits. Therefore we recommend soaking of wheat seeds 12 hour with brassinolide and sprayed with the stage of )tillering + elongation( to obtain the highest vegetative growth and biological yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]