Search

Abstract A fungal effector that is toxic to plant cells was identified in Verticillium dahliae. The effector contains a non-canonical Common in several Fungal Extracellular Membrane proteins (CFEM) domain, a tandem repeat region consisting of four 14-amino acid repeats rich in proline, and a C-terminal region, thus is designated V. dahliae tetrapeptide repeat protein (VdTRP). The membrane targeting of VdTRP is vital for its cell toxicity. CFEM mediates the membrane targeting and the tandem repeat region exerts the toxic function upon cell membrane. The chitinase-like 1 (CTL1), an essential apoplastic protein of cotton, can redirect VdTRP from cell membrane to apoplast. Transgenic cotton overexpressing CTL1 greatly enhances cotton resistance to V. dahliae without affecting cotton growth and development, implicating its potential application in breeding cotton with high wilt resistance. Our data demonstrates that genetic manipulation of effector target constitutes potential strategy for improving crop resistance to fungal pathogens.

Mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) is a conserved calcium ion (Ca2+) transporter in the mitochondrial inner membrane of eukaryotic cells. How MCU proteins regulate Ca2+ flow and modulate plant cell development remain largely unclear. Here, we identified the gene GhMCU4 encoding a MCU protein that negatively regulates plant development and fiber elongation in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). GhMCU4 expressed constitutively in various tissues with the higher transcripts in elongating fiber cells. Knockdown of GhMCU4 in cotton significantly elevated the plant height and root length. The calcium signaling pathway was significantly activated and calcium sensor genes, including Ca2+ dependent modulator of interactor of constitutively active ROP (GhCMI1), calmodulin like protein (GhCML46), calcium-dependent protein kinases (GhCPKs), calcineurin B-like protein (GhCBLs), and CBL-interacting protein kinases (GhCIPKs), were dramatically upregulated in GhMCU4-silenced plants. Metabolic processes were preferentially enriched, and genes related to regulation of transcription were upregulated in GhMCU4-silenced plants. The contents of Ca2+ and H2O2 were significantly increased in roots and leaves of GhMCU4-silenced plants. Fiber length and Ca2+ and H2O2 contents in fibers were significantly increased in GhMCU4-silenced plants. This study indicated that GhMCU4 plays a negative role in regulating cell elongation in cotton, thus expanding understanding in the role of MCU proteins in plant growth and development.

Abstract Mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is the center of plant signal transduction system that amplify immune signals into cellular responses by phosphorylating diverse substrates. The MAPK cascade consisting of MAPK kinase kinases (MAPKKKs), MAPK kinases (MAPKKs), and MAPKs is well characterized in plants, in which Raf‐like kinases are generally regarded as MAPKKKs. However, it is rarely reported that Raf‐like MAPKKKs function as middle regulators to link MAPK and its downstream transcription factors in plant immunity. Verticillium wilt, caused by the soil‐borne vascular fungus Verticillium dahliae, is a serious disease in many plants, including cotton. The previous studies showed that GhMPK9 (a MAPK) is involved in the response to Verticillium wilt. Here, the Raf‐like kinase GhRAF39_1 is reported as helper regulates the phosphorylation of WRKY transcription factor GhWRKY40a by GhMPK9. The phosphorylated GhWRKY40a can further activate the transcription of GhERF1b to up‐regulate defense‐related genes while inhibit the transcription of GhABF2 to regulate the stomatal opening, thus improving the resistance to Verticillium wilt in cotton. This study reveals a new signaling module of GhMPK9‐GhRAF39_1‐GhWRKY40a to regulate GhERF1b‐ and GhABF2‐mediated defense responses, which triggers plant defense against Verticillium wilt.

Hexokinase (HK) catalyzes the first irreversible rate-limiting step in glycolysis that converts glucose to glucose-6-phosphate. HK1 is ubiquitously expressed in the brain, erythrocytes, and other tissues where glycolysis serves as the major source of ATP production. Spermatogenic cell-specific type 1 hexokinase (HK1S) is expressed in sperm but its physiological role in male mice is still unknown. In this study, we generate Hk1s knockout mice using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to study the gene function in vivo. Hk1s mRNA is exclusively expressed in testes starting from postnatal day 18 and continuing to adulthood. HK1S protein is specifically localized in the outer surface of the sperm fibrous sheath (FS). Depletion of Hk1s leads to infertility in male mice and reduces sperm glycolytic pathway activity, yet they have normal motile parameters and ATP levels. In addition, by using in vitro fertilization (IVF), Hk1s deficient sperms are unable to fertilize cumulus-intact or cumulus-free oocytes, but can normally fertilize zona pellucida-free oocytes. Moreover, Hk1s deficiency impairs sperm migration into the oviduct, reduces acrosome reaction, and prevents capacitation-associated increases in tyrosine phosphorylation, which are probable causes of infertility. Taken together, our results reveal that HK1S plays a critical role in sperm function and male fertility in mice.

Background and objective Low-dose spiral computed tomography (LDCT) has been recommended for lung cancer screening in high-risk populations. However, evidence from Chinese populations was limited due to the different criteria for high-risk populations and the short-term follow-up period. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness in Chinese adults based on the Lung Cancer Screening Program in Minhang District of Shanghai initiated in 2013. Methods A total of 26,124 subjects aged 40 years or above were enrolled in the Lung Cancer Screening Program during the period of 2013 and 2017. Results of LDCT examination, and screen-detected cancer cases in all participants were obtained from the Reporting System of the Lung Cancer Screening Program. The newly-diagnosed cases and their vital status up to December 31, 2020 were identified through a record linkage with the Shanghai Cancer Registry and the Shanghai Vital Statistics. Standardized incidence ratio (SIR) and 95%CI were calculated using the local population at ages of 40 or above as the reference. Proportions of early-stage cancer (stage 0-I), pathological types, and 5-year observed survival rates of lung cancer cases were estimated and compared between the cases derived from the screened and non-screened populations. Cox regression models were applied to evaluate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95%CI of LDCT screening with all-cause death of the lung cancer cases. Results The crude and age-standardized incidence of lung cancer in screened population were 373.3 (95%CI: 343.1-406.1) and 70.3 per 100,000 person-years, respectively, with an SIR of 1.8 (95%CI: 1.6-1.9), which was observed to decrease with following-up time. The early-stage cancer accounted for 49.4% of all lung cancer cases derived from the screened population, significantly higher than 38.4% in cases from the non-screened population during the same period (P

Tropical forests harbor the richest biodiversity among terrestrial ecosystems, but few studies have addressed the underlying processes of species diversification in these ecosystems. We use the pantropical flowering plant family Annonaceae as a study system to investigate how climate and biogeographic events contribute to diversification. A super-matrix phylogeny comprising 835 taxa (34% of Annonaceae species) based on eight chloroplast regions was used in this study. We show that global temperature may better explain the recent rapid diversification in Annonaceae than time and constant models. Accelerated accumulation of niche divergence (around 15 Ma) lags behind the increase of diversification rate (around 25 Ma), reflecting a heterogeneous transition to recent diversity increases. Biogeographic events are related to only two of the five diversification rate shifts detected. Shifts in niche evolution nevertheless appear to be associated with increasingly seasonal environments. Our results do not support the direct correlation of any particular climatic niche shifts or historical biogeographical event with shifts in diversification rate. Instead, we suggest that Annonaceae diversification can lead to later niche divergence as a result of increasing interspecific competition arising from species accumulation. Shifts in niche evolution appear to be associated with increasingly seasonal environments. Our results highlight the complexity of diversification in taxa with long evolutionary histories.

Although a few cases of genetic epistasis in plants have been reported, the combined analysis of genetically phenotypic segregation and the related molecular mechanism remains rarely studied. Here, we have identified a gene (named GaPC) controlling petal coloration in Gossypium arboreum and following a heritable recessive epistatic genetic model. Petal coloration is controlled by a single dominant gene, GaPC. A loss-of-function mutation of GaPC leads to a recessive gene Gapc that masks the phenotype of other color genes and shows recessive epistatic interactions. Map-based cloning showed that GaPC encodes an R2R3-MYB transcription factor. A 4814-bp long terminal repeat retrotransposon insertion at the second exon led to GaPC loss of function and disabled petal coloration. GaPC controlled petal coloration by regulating the anthocyanin and flavone biosynthesis pathways. Expression of core genes in the phenylpropanoid and anthocyanin pathways was higher in colored than in white petals. Petal color was conferred by flavonoids and anthocyanins, with red and yellow petals rich in anthocyanin and flavonol glycosides, respectively. This study provides new insight on molecular mechanism of recessive epistasis, also has potential breeding value by engineering GaPC to develop colored petals or fibers for multi-functional utilization of cotton.

In addressing the challenges of high labor intensity, cost, and potential mechanical damage to banana fruit in orchards, this study presents the design of a banana bunch transport device featuring a lifting mechanism and an automatic fruit shaft bottom-fixing system. The device is tailored to the planting and morphological characteristics of banana bunches, aiming for efficient, low-loss, and labor-saving mechanized transport. Key design considerations included the anti-overturning mechanism and the lifting system based on transportation conditions and the physical dimensions of banana bunches. A dynamic simulation was conducted to analyze the angular velocity and acceleration during the initial conveying stages, forming the basis for the fruit shaft bottom-fixation mechanism. A novel horizontal multi-point scanning method was developed to accurately identify and secure the fruit shaft bottom, complemented by an automated control system. Experimental results showed a 95.83% success rate in identification and fixation, validated by field trials that confirmed the necessity and stability of the fixation mechanism. To enhance the durability of the fruit shaft bottom-fixation mechanism, a multi-factor test was conducted, optimizing the device’s maximum travel speed and minimizing the banana bunch’s oscillation angle. Field tests showed an oscillation angle of 8.961°, closely matching the simulated result of 9.526°, demonstrating the reliability of the response surface analysis model. This study offers a practical and efficient solution for banana bunch transport in orchards, showcasing significant practical value and potential for wider adoption.

Abstract Despite their great advancement, current pedestrian detection methods focus on single static images, which fail to employ richer information available from the video sequences. Compared with still images, videos can offer temporal information of objects in the time dimension, thus providing the potential to obtain more robust detection performance. Here, a novel pedestrian detection method based on visible part detection and temporal calibration is proposed. Specifically, a part‐aware module to predict the visible body part of each pedestrian instance, which enables us to obtain precise motion information of partially occluded pedestrians in a video sequence, is first developed. Then, the temporal coherence for each pedestrian instance based on the predicted motion information is constructed. After that, an adaptive temporal calibration method is introduced to effectively calibrate the final detection result. This method on two video pedestrian detection benchmarks, that is, Caltech‐New and MOT17Det, is evaluated. Experimental results show that this method performs favourably against existing pedestrian detection approaches.

The mahogany family, Meliaceae, contains 58 genera with only one mangrove genus: Xylocarpus. Two of the three species of the genus Xylocarpus are true mangroves (X. granatum and X. moluccensis), and one is a non-mangrove (X. rumphii). In order to resolve the phylogenetic relationship between the mangrove and non-mangrove species, we sequenced chloroplast genomes of these Xylocarpus species along with two non-mangrove species of the Meliaceae family (Carapa guianensis and Swietenia macrophylla) and compared the genome features and variations across the five species. The five Meliaceae species shared 130 genes (85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA, and eight rRNA) with identical direction and order, with a few variations in genes and intergenic spacers. The repetitive sequences identified in the rpl22 gene region only occurred in Xylocarpus, while the repetitive sequences in accD were found in X. moluccensis and X. rumphii. The TrnH-GUG and rpl32 gene regions and four non-coding gene regions showed high variabilities between X. granatum and the two non-mangrove species (S. macrophylla and C. guianensis). In addition, among the Xylocarpus species, only two genes (accD and clpP) showed positive selection. Carapa guianensis and S. macrophylla owned unique RNA editing sites. The above genes played an important role in acclimation to different stress factors like heat, low temperature, high UV light, and high salinity. Phylogenetic analysis with 22 species in the order Sapindales supported previous studies, which revealed that the non-mangrove species X. rumphii is closer to X. moluccensis than X. granatum. Overall, our results provided important insights into the variation of genetic structure and adaptation mechanism at interspecific (three Xylocarpus species) and intergeneric (mangrove and non-mangrove genera) levels.

Trailliaedoxa gracilis (Rubiaceae) is a Chinese endemic monotypic genus distributed in southwestern China. This study reported the complete chloroplast genome of T. gracilis assembled from Illumina sequencing reads. The chloroplast genome size is 152,407 bp, containing a single large copy (LSC) region of 82,957 bp, a short single copy (SSC) region of 17,936 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 25,757 bp. A total of 127 genes were found, including 82 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. A phylogenetic analysis using the maximum likelihood algorithm revealed that T. gracilis belonged to the subfamily Ixoroideae and had the closest relationship with Scyphiphora hydrophyllacea.

Abstract Background In eudicots, germination begins with water uptake by the quiescent dry seed and is greatly related to the permeability of micropyle enriched callose layers. Once imbibition starts, seeds undergo a cascade of physiological, biochemical, and molecular events to initiate cellular activities. However, the effects of callose on water uptake and following seed metabolic events during germination are largely unknown. Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is a eudicot plant with natural fiber and edible oil production for humans. Here, we addressed this question by examining the role of GhGLU19, a gene encoding β-1,3-glucanase, in cotton seed germination. Results GhGLU19 belongs to subfamily B and was expressed predominately in imbibed seeds and early seedlings. Compared to wild type, GhGLU19-suppressing and GhGLU19-overexpressing transgenic cotton lines showed the higher and lower seed germination percentage, respectively. Callose was enriched more at inner integument (ii) than that in embryo and seed coat in cotton seeds. In GhGLU19-suppressing lines, callose at ii of cotton seeds was greatly increased and brought about a prolonged water uptake process during imbibition. Both proteomic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that contrary to GhGLU19-overexpressing lines, the glycolysis and pyruvate metabolism was decreased, and abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis related genes were downregulated in imbibed seeds of GhGLU19-suppressing lines. Also, endogenous ABA was significantly decreased in GhGLU19-suppressing line while increased in GhGLU19-overexpressing line. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that suppression of GhGLU19 improves cotton seed germination via accumulating callose of inner integument, modulating glycolysis and pyruvate metabolism, and decreasing ABA biosynthesis. This study provides a potential way for improving germination percentage in cotton seed production, and other eudicot crops.

Fenitrothion (FNT), an organophosphorus insecticide, is widely detected in the living environment. The reproductive and endocrine toxicity of FNT to biological communities has been ever reported, but potential mechanism and reproductive toxicity dose effect remain unclear. In our study, we constructed Caenorhabditis elegans model to analyze the reproductive toxicity mechanism of FNT based on metabolomics and evaluated its reproductive toxicity dose effect using benchmark dose (BMD)method. Our results showed that FNT exposure significantly reduced brood size, number of germ cells, and delayed gonadal development in nematodes. Non-targeted metabolomics revealed that FNT exposure caused significant metabolic disturbances in nematodes, leading to a significant reduction in the synthesis of cortisol and melatonin, and the latter played a mediating role in the effects of FNT on number of germ cells. We further found that the levels of these two hormones were significantly negative correlated with the expression of the androgen receptor nhr-69 and affected the meiosis of germ cells by regulating the nhr-69/ fbf-1/2 /gld-3 /fog-1/3 pathway. Meanwhile, the study found the BMDL10s for N2 and him-5 mutant were 0.411 μg/L by number of germ cells and 0.396 μg/L by number of germ cells in the meiotic zone, respectively, providing a more protective reference dose for ecological risk assessment of FNT. This study suggested that FNT can affect androgen receptor expression by inhibiting cortisol and melatonin secretion, which further mediate the meiotic pathway to affect sperm formation and exert reproductive toxicity, and provides a basis for setting reproductive toxicity limits for FNT.

Constructive postmodernism is based on the monism of mind and matter, and proposes an organic philosophy which highlights the process and pan-empiricism. Chinese pre-Qin Daoist philosophy on the materiality, dynamism, and information of the Way (Dao) and human intuitive knowledge can be used as the basis for the above-mentioned statements of organic philosophy and pan-empiricism and further answer their unaddressed questions, and can manifest that the pre-Qin Daoist philosophy also has the potential to provide intellectual resources for the discussion of the philosophical mind–matter relationship. This may contribute to the further development of human science and technology.

Abstract Background Combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency 26 (COXPD26) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by early onset, developmental delay, gastrointestinal dysfunction, shortness of breath, exercise intolerance, hypotonia and muscle weakness, neuropathy, and spastic diplegia. This disease is considered to be caused by compound heterozygous mutations in the TRMT5 gene. Case presentation In this study, we report a female child with COXPD26 manifesting as shortness of breath, gastrointestinal dysmotility, severe developmental delay, muscle hypotonia and weakness, exercise intolerance, renal and hepatic defects, and recurrent seizures with spastic diplegia. Interestingly, the hepatic feature was first observed in a COXPD26 patient. Medical exome sequencing with high coverage depth was employed to identify potential genetic variants in the patient. Novel compound heterozygous mutations of the TRMT5 gene were detected, which were c.881A>C (p.E294A) from her mother and c.1218G>C (p.Q406H) and c.1481C>T (p.T494M) from her father. Conclusion The newly emerged clinical features and mutations of this patient provide useful information for further exploration of genotype–phenotype correlations in COXPD26.

By embedding a nonlinear nonequilibrium adsorption model considering the adsorption history (i.e., Bai model), a governing equation for the three-dimensional model is extended, which discussed the influence of varying seepage velocity and injection concentration. Compared with the previous linear adsorption model, the concentration peak value of the nonlinear nonequilibrium adsorption history model is higher than that of the linear model, and the time to reach the peak concentration is slightly earlier. In the case of horizontal seepage water, a pollution point source tends to migrate along the direction of water flow and has less ability to diffuse in the vertical direction. Compared with the adsorption history model, the linear model has a stronger blocking ability for pollutant migration, and the longer the time, the greater the gap between the two models. The longer the decay period, the wider the spread of contaminants, and the longer it takes for them to migrate out of the model completely. The more significant the head difference, the larger the diffusion area of pollutants in the main seepage direction, but it has no promotion effect on the lateral diffusion. The pollutant concentration is higher than that of the point source case, and the diffusion range in each section is wider. The closer it is to the center of the pollution source, the weaker the dispersion effect on the diffusion of pollutants in the main seepage direction, and the pollutants will spread in the countercurrent direction, causing pollution upstream.

Atrazine (ATR), a widely used triazine herbicide, is an environmental endocrine disruptor that can cause health problems. However, whether there are multi/trans-generational reproductive impacts of ATR have not been studied. Therefore, in this study, Caenorhabditis elegans was used as a preferable model organism to identify the multi/trans-generational reproductive toxicity of ATR. Only parental C.elegans (P0) were exposed to different concentrations (0.0004–40 mg/L) for 48 h and the subsequent offspring (F1–F5) were grown under ATR-free conditions and ATR conditions.The results showed that ATR exposure during P0 decreased fecundity, including a reduction in fertilized eggs, oocytes, and ovulation rate, delayed gonadal development, and decreased the relative area of gonad arm and germ cell number. Furthermore, continuous ATR exposure (P0–F5) causes a significant increase in reproductive toxicity in subsequent generations, although no significant toxicity occurred in the P0 generation after exposure to environmental-related concentrations, suggesting that ATR exposure might have cumulative effects. Likewise, parental exposure to ATR caused transgenerational toxicity impairments. Interestingly, only reproductive toxicity, not development toxicity, was transmitted to several generations (F1–F4), and the F2 generation showed the most notable changes. QRT-PCR results showed that genes expression related to DNA methylation 6 mA (damt-1, nmad-1) and histone H3 methylation (mes-4, met-2, set-25, set-2, and utx-1) can also be passed on to offspring. The function of H3K4 and H3K9 methylation were explored by using loss-of-function mutants for set-2, set-25, and met-2. Transmissible reproductive toxicity was absent in met-2(n4256), set-2(ok952), and set-25(n5021) mutants, which suggests that the histone methyltransferases H3K4 and H3K9 activity are indispensable for the transgenerational effect of ATR. Finally, the downstream genes of DNA methylation and histone H3 methylation were determined. ATR upregulated the expression of ZC317.7, hsp-6, and hsp-60. Mitochondrial stress in parental generation dependent transcription 6 mA modifiers may establish these epigenetic marks in progeny.

AimsPrevious studies demonstrate that the antioxidant functions of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) are impaired in diabetic patients. The composition of HDL plays an important role in maintaining the normal functionality of HDL. In this study, we compared the levels of oxidized fatty acids in HDL from diabetic subjects and non-diabetic healthy controls, aiming to investigate the role of oxidized fatty acids in the antioxidant property of HDL.MethodsHDL was isolated from healthy subjects (n=6) and patients with diabetes (n=6, hemoglobin A1c ≥ 9%, fasting glucose ≥ 7 mmol/L) using a dextran sulfate precipitation method. Cholesterol efflux capacity mediated by HDL was measured on THP-1 derived macrophages. The antioxidant capacity of HDL was evaluated with dichlorofluorescein-based cellular assay in human aortic endothelial cells. Oxidized fatty acids in HDL were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The correlations between the levels of oxidized fatty acids in HDL and the endothelial oxidant index in cells treated with HDLs were analyzed through Pearson’s correlation analyses, and the effects of oxidized fatty acids on the antioxidant function of HDL were verified in vitro.ResultsThe cholesterol efflux capacity of HDL and the circulating HDL-cholesterol were similar in diabetic patients and healthy controls, whereas the antioxidant capacity of HDL was significantly decreased in diabetic patients. There were higher levels of oxidized fatty acids in HDL isolated from diabetic patients, which were strongly positively correlated with the oxidant index of cells treated with HDLs. The addition of a mixture of oxidized fatty acids significantly disturbed the antioxidant activity of HDL from healthy controls, while the apolipoprotein A-I mimetic peptide D-4F could restore the antioxidant function of HDL from diabetic patients.ConclusionHDL from diabetic patients displayed substantially impaired antioxidant activity compared to HDL from healthy subjects, which is highly correlated with the increased oxidized fatty acids levels in HDL.

Silica aerogels are considered as the distinguished materials of the future due to their extremely low thermal conductivity, low density, and high surface area. They are widely used in construction engineering, aeronautical domains, environmental protection, heat storage, etc. However, their fragile mechanical properties are the bottleneck restricting the engineering application of silica aerogels. This review briefly introduces the synthesis of silica aerogels, including the processes of sol–gel chemistry, aging, and drying. The effects of different silicon sources on the mechanical properties of silica aerogels are summarized. Moreover, the reaction mechanism of the three stages is also described. Then, five types of polymers that are commonly used to enhance the mechanical properties of silica aerogels are listed, and the current research progress is introduced. Finally, the outlook and prospects of the silica aerogels are proposed, and this paper further summarizes the methods of different polymers to enhance silica aerogels.

To alleviate the fire hazard of epoxy resin (EP), layered ammonium vanadium oxalate-phosphate (AVOPh) with the structural formula of (NH4)2[VO(HPO4)]2(C2O4)·5H2O is synthesized using the hydrothermal method and mixed into an EP matrix to prepare EP/AVOPh composites. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results show that AVOPh exhibits a similar thermal decomposition temperature to EP, which is suitable for flame retardancy for EP. The incorporation of AVOPh nanosheets greatly improves the thermal stability and residual yield of EP/AVOPh composites at high temperatures. The residue of pure EP is 15.3% at 700 °C. In comparison, the residue of EP/AVOPh composites is increased to 23.0% with 8 wt% AVOPh loading. Simultaneously, EP/6 wt% AVOPh composites reach UL-94 V1 rating (t1 + t2 =16 s) and LOI value of 32.8%. The improved flame retardancy of EP/ AVOPh composites is also proven by the cone calorimeter test (CCT). The results of CCT of EP/8 wt% AVOPh composites show that the peak heat release rate (PHHR), total smoke production (TSP), peak of CO production (PCOP), and peak of CO2 production (PCO2P) decrease by 32.7%, 20.4%, 37.1%, and 33.3% compared with those of EP, respectively. This can be attributed to the lamellar barrier, gas phase quenching effect of phosphorus-containing volatiles, the catalytic charring effect of transition metal vanadium, and the synergistic decomposition of oxalic acid structure and charring effect of phosphorus phase, which can insulate heat and inhibit smoke release. Based on the experimental data, AVOPh is expected to serve as a new high-efficiency flame retardant for EP.

Abstract Phylogeographic forces driving evolution of sea‐dispersed plants are often influenced by regional and species characteristics, although not yet deciphered at a large spatial scale for many taxa like the mangrove species Heritiera littoralis. This study aimed to assess geographic distribution of genetic variation of this widespread mangrove in the Indo‐West Pacific region and identify the phylogeographic factors influencing its present‐day distribution. Analysis of five chloroplast DNA fragments’ sequences from 37 populations revealed low genetic diversity at the population level and strong genetic structure of H. littoralis in this region. The estimated divergence times between the major genetic lineages indicated that glacial level changes during the Pleistocene epoch induced strong genetic differentiation across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In comparison to the strong genetic break imposed by the Sunda Shelf toward splitting the lineages of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the genetic differentiation between Indo‐Malesia and Australasia was not so prominent. Long‐distance dispersal ability of H. littoralis propagules helped the species to attain transoceanic distribution not only across South East Asia and Australia, but also across the Indian Ocean to East Africa. However, oceanic circulation pattern in the South China Sea was found to act as a barrier creating further intraoceanic genetic differentiation. Overall, phylogeographic analysis in this study revealed that glacial vicariance had profound influence on population differentiation in H. littoralis and caused low genetic diversity except for the refugia populations near the equator which might have persisted through glacial maxima. With increasing loss of suitable habitats due to anthropogenic activities, these findings therefore emphasize the urgent need for conservation actions for all populations throughout the distribution range of H. littoralis.

Abstract Background Sea island cotton (Gossypium barbadense) has markedly superior high quality fibers, which plays an important role in the textile industry and acts as a donor for upland cotton (G. hirsutum) fiber quality improvement. The genetic characteristics analysis and the identification of key genes will be helpful to understand the mechanism of fiber development and breeding utilization in sea island cotton. Results In this study, 279 sea island cotton accessions were collected from different origins for genotyping and phenotyping fiber quality traits. A set of 6303 high quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were obtained by high-density CottonSNP80K array. The population characteristics showed that the sea island cotton accessions had wide genetic diversity and were clustered into three groups, with Group1 closely related to Menoufi, an original sea island cotton landrace, and Group2 and Group3 related to widely introduced accessions from Egypt, USA and Former Soviet Union. Further, we used 249 accessions and evaluated five fiber quality traits under normal and salt environments over 2 years. Except for fiber uniformity (FU), fiber length (FL) and fiber elongation (FE) were significantly decreased in salt conditions, while fiber strength (FS) and fiber micronaire (MIC) were increased. Based on 6303 SNPs and genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis, a total of 34 stable quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for the five fiber quality traits with 25 detected simultaneously under normal and salt environments. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated that candidate genes in the 25 overlapped QTLs were enriched mostly in “cellular and biological process”. In addition, “xylem development” and “response to hormone” pathways were also found. Haplotype analyses found that GB_A03G0335 encoding an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase in QTL TM6004 had SNP variation (A/C) in gene region, was significantly correlated with FL, FS, FU, and FE, implying a crucial role in fiber quality. Conclusions The present study provides a foundation for genetic diversity of sea island cotton accessions and will contribute to fiber quality improvement in breeding practice.

Tamarind shell is rich in flavonoids and exhibits good biological activities. In this study, we aimed to analyze the chemical composition of tamarind shell extract (TSE), and to investigate antioxidant capacity of TSE in vitro and in vivo. The tamarind shells were extracted with 95% ethanol refluxing extraction, and chemical constituents were determined by ultra-performance chromatography–electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The free radical scavenging activity of TSE in vitro was evaluated using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method. The antioxidative effects of TSE were further assessed in 2,2-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-stimulated ADTC5 cells and tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-exposed zebrafish. A total of eight flavonoids were detected in TSE, including (+)-catechin, taxifolin, myricetin, eriodictyol, luteolin, morin, apigenin, and naringenin, with the contents of 5.287, 8.419, 4.042, 6.583, 3.421, 4.651, 0.2027, and 0.6234 mg/g, respectively. The ORAC assay revealed TSE and these flavonoids had strong free radical scavenging activity in vitro. In addition, TSE significantly decreased the ROS and MDA levels but restored the SOD activity in AAPH-treated ATDC5 cells and t-BHP-exposed zebrafish. The flavonoids also showed excellent antioxidative activities against oxidative damage in ATDC5 cells and zebrafish. Overall, the study suggests the free radical scavenging capacity and antioxidant potential of TSE and its primary flavonoids in vitro and in vivo and will provide a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of tamarind shell.

To improve the compatibility between flame retardant and epoxy resin (EP) matrix, amino phenyl copper phosphate-9, 10-dihydro-9-oxygen-10-phospha-phenanthrene-10-oxide (CuPPA-DOPO) is synthesized through surface grafting, which is blended with EP matrix to prepare EP/CuPPA-DOPO composites. The amorphous structure of CuPPA-DOPO is characterized by X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images indicate that the agglomeration of hybrids is improved, resisting the intense intermolecular attractions on account of the acting force between CuPPA and DOPO. The results of thermal analysis show that CuPPA-DOPO can promote the premature decomposition of EP and increase the residual amount of EP composites. It is worth mentioning that EP/6 wt% CuPPA-DOPO composites reach UL-94 V-1 level and limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 32.6%. Meanwhile, their peak heat release rate (PHRR), peak smoke production release (PSPR) and CO2 production (CO2P) are decreased by 52.5%, 26.1% and 41.4%, respectively, compared with those of EP. The inhibition effect of CuPPA-DOPO on the combustion of EP may be due to the release of phosphorus and ammonia free radicals, as well as the catalytic charring ability of metal oxides and phosphorus phases.

Fiber length, fiber strength, and fiber micronaire are the main fiber quality parameters in cotton. Thus, mining the elite and stable loci/alleles related to fiber quality traits and elucidating the relationship between the two may accelerate genetic improvement of fiber quality in cotton. Here, genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) was performed for fiber quality parameters based on phenotypic data, and 56,010 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using 242 upland cotton accessions under 12 field environments were obtained. Phenotypic analysis exhibited that fiber length (FL) had a positive correlation with fiber strength (FS) and had a negative correlation with fiber micronaire (Mic). Genetic analysis also indicated that FL, FS, and Mic had high heritability of more than 80%. A total of 67 stable quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified through GWAS analysis, including 31 for FL, 21 for FS, and 22 for Mic. Of them, three pairs homologous QTLs were detected between A and D subgenomes, and seven co-located QTLs with two fiber quality parameters were found. Compared with the reported QTLs, 34 co-located with previous studies, and 33 were newly revealed. Integrated with transcriptome analysis, we selected 256, 244, and 149 candidate genes for FL, FS, and Mic, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that most of the genes located in QTLs interval of the three fiber quality traits were involved in sugar biosynthesis, sugar metabolism, microtubule, and cytoskeleton organization, which played crucial roles in fiber development. Through correlation analysis between haplotypes and phenotypes, three genes (GH_A05G1494, GH_D11G3097, and GH_A05G1082) predominately expressed in fiber development stages were indicated to be potentially responsible for FL, FS, and Mic, respectively. The GH_A05G1494 encoded a protein containing SGS-domain, which is related to tubulin-binding and ubiquitin-protein ligase binding. The GH_D11G3097 encoded 20S proteasome beta subunit G1, and was involved in the ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolic process. The GH_A05G1082 encoded RAN binding protein 1 with a molecular function of GTPase activator activity. These results provide new insights and candidate loci/genes for the improvement of fiber quality in cotton.

Abstract Background Aquaporins (AQPs) are integral membrane proteins from a larger family of major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) and function in a huge variety of processes such as water transport, plant growth and stress response. The availability of the whole-genome data of different cotton species allows us to study systematic evolution and function of cotton AQPs on a genome-wide level. Results Here, a total of 53, 58, 113 and 111 AQP genes were identified in G. arboreum, G. raimondii, G. hirsutum and G. barbadense, respectively. A comprehensive analysis of cotton AQPs, involved in exon/intron structure, functional domains, phylogenetic relationships and gene duplications, divided these AQPs into five subfamilies (PIP, NIP, SIP, TIP and XIP). Comparative genome analysis among 30 species from algae to angiosperm as well as common tandem duplication events in 24 well-studied plants further revealed the evolutionary conservation of AQP family in the organism kingdom. Combining transcriptome analysis and Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) verification, most AQPs exhibited tissue-specific expression patterns both in G. raimondii and G. hirsutum. Meanwhile, a bias of time to peak expression of several AQPs was also detected after treating G. davidsonii and G. hirsutum with 200 mM NaCl. It is interesting that both PIP1;4 h/i/j and PIP2;2a/e showed the highly conserved tandem structure, but differentially contributed to tissue development and stress response in different cotton species. Conclusions These results demonstrated that cotton AQPs were structural conservation while experienced the functional differentiation during the process of evolution and domestication. This study will further broaden our insights into the evolution and functional elucidation of AQP gene family in cotton.

Abstract Background Mikania micrantha H.B.K. (Asteraceae) is one of the world’s most invasive weeds which has been rapidly expanding in tropical Asia, including China, while its close relative M. cordata, the only Mikania species native to China, shows no harm to the local ecosystems. These two species are very similar in morphology but differ remarkably in several ecological and physiological traits, representing an ideal system for comparative analysis to investigate the genetic basis underlying invasion success. In this study, we performed RNA-sequencing on the invader M. micrantha and its native congener M. cordata in China, to unravel the genetic basis underlying the strong invasiveness of M. micrantha. For a more robust comparison, another non-invasive congener M. cordifolia was also sequenced and compared. Results A total of 52,179, 55,835, and 52,983 unigenes were obtained for M. micrantha, M. cordata, and M. cordifolia, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses and divergence time dating revealed a relatively recent split between M. micrantha and M. cordata, i.e., approximately 4.81 million years ago (MYA), after their divergence with M. cordifolia (8.70 MYA). Gene ontology classifications, pathway assignments and differential expression analysis revealed higher representation or significant up-regulation of genes associated with photosynthesis, energy metabolism, protein modification and stress response in M. micrantha than in M. cordata or M. cordifolia. Analysis of accelerated evolution and positive selection also suggested the importance of these related genes and processes to the adaptability and invasiveness of M. micrantha. Particularly, most (77 out of 112, i.e. 68.75%) positively selected genes found in M. micrantha could be classified into four groups, i.e., energy acquisition and utilization (10 genes), growth and reproduction (13 genes), protection and repair (34 genes), and signal transduction and expression regulation (20 genes), which may have contributed to the high adaptability of M. micrantha to various new environments and the capability to occupy a wider niche, reflected in its high invasiveness. Conclusions We characterized the transcriptomes of the invasive species M. micrantha and its non-invasive congeners, M. cordata and M. cordifolia. A comparison of their transcriptomes provided insights into the genetic basis of the high invasiveness of M. micrantha.

Abstract Background Numerous studies have focused on the regulation of gene expression in response to salt stress at the transcriptional level; however, little is known about this process at the post-transcriptional level. Results Using a diploid D genome wild salinity-tolerant cotton species, Gossypium davidsonii, we analyzed alternative splicing (AS) of genes related to salt stress by comparing high-throughput transcriptomes from salt-treated and well-watered roots and leaves. A total of 14,172 AS events were identified involving 6798 genes, of which intron retention (35.73%) was the most frequent, being detected in 3492 genes. Under salt stress, 1287 and 1228 differential alternative splicing (DAS) events were identified in roots and leaves, respectively. These DAS genes were associated with specific functional pathways, such as “responses to stress”, “metabolic process” and “RNA splicing”, implying that AS represents an important pathway of gene regulation in response to salt stress. Several salt response genes, such as pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase (P5CS), K+ channel outward (KCO1), plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) and WRKY33 which were involved in osmotic balance, ion homeostasis, water transportation and transcriptional regulation, respectively, were identified with differential alternative splicing under salt stress. Moreover, we revealed that 13 genes encoding Ser/Arg-rich (SR) proteins related to AS regulation were differentially alternatively spliced under salt stress. Conclusion This study first provide a comprehensive view of AS in G. davidsonii, and highlight novel insights into the potential roles of AS in plant responses to salt stress.

Crop domestication from wild ancestors has resulted in the wide adaptation coupled with improved yield and quality traits. However, the genetic basis of many domesticated characteristics remains to be explored. Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is the most important tetraploid cotton species, accounting for about 90% of world cotton commerce. Here, we reveal the effects of domestication on fiber and stress traits through comprehensive analyses of semi-domesticated races and cultivated cotton accessions. A total of 416 cotton accessions were genotyped, and a decrease in genetic diversity from races to landraces and modern cultivars was detected. Furthermore, 71 domestication selective sweeps (DSS) and 14 improvement selective sweeps (ISS) were identified, with the Dt sub-genome experiencing stronger selection than the At sub-genome during the both selection types. The more expressed genes and a delay in the expression peak of genes related to secondary cell wall (SCW) development in modern cultivars compared to semi-domesticated cotton races, may have contributed to long fibers in these plants. However, down-regulation of genes related to stress response was responsible for decreasing stress tolerance in modern cultivars. We further experimentally confirmed that silencing of PR1 and WRKY20, genes that showed higher expression in the semi-domesticated races, drastically compromised cotton resistance to V. dahliae. Our results reveal fiber improvement and decreased stress tolerance as a result of the domestication of modern upland cotton cultivars.

Background: An electronic health record (e-HR) system has been developed in Minhang District of Shanghai, China, since 2005, making it convenient for local health institutions to provide integrative and comprehensive health care and management for major diseases.Methods: In 2008, an e-HR-based cancer prevention program was initiated to screen multiple cancers, including colorectal, gastric, liver, lung, cervical, and breast cancers, and provide subsequent health education and health management to cancer patients and high-risk individuals. This study was designed in prospective analysis, based on the constructive analysis of key information, observation of cancer screening and healthcare processes and organizations, and stages of cancers detected by the e-HR-based programs.Results: From 2008 to 2016, health education was conducted for over 5 million attendances, and more than 3 million screening tests were performed for eligible residents over 40 years old. A total of 2,948 cancer cases were detected, accounting for 13.3% of all newly diagnosed cancers in the district during the 9-year period. Thirty point seven percent detected cancer cases were at the early stage, significantly higher than the 22.9% in cases identified by e-HR-based follow-up and 13.8% in cases diagnosed due to signs or symptoms. More than 136,000 residents were identified as individuals at high risk of cancer and subject to sustainable clinical follow-up and health management.Conclusions: The successful application of e-HR system in cancer prevention and control in Minhang district of Shanghai, China, implies that the system may act as an extendable and sustainable infrastructure for comprehensive health care and services for a broad spectrum of diseases and health events.

We reported the conversion of deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside (D3G) to deoxynivalenol (DON) during Chinese steamed bread (CSB) processing by artificial D3G contamination. Meanwhile, the effects of enzymes in wheat flour and those produced from yeast, along with the two main components in wheat flour—wheat starch and wheat gluten—on the conversion profiles of D3G were evaluated. The results showed D3G could convert to DON during CSB processing, and the conversion began with dough making and decreased slightly after fermentation and steaming. However, there was no significant difference in three stages. When yeast was not added, or enzyme-deactivated wheat flour was used to simulate CSB process, and whether yeast was added or not, D3G conversion could be observed, and the conversion was significantly higher after dough making. Likewise, D3G converted to DON when wheat starch and wheat gluten were processed to CSB, and the conversion in wheat starch was higher.

Cotton is an important industrial crop worldwide and upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is most widely cultivated in the world. Due to ever-increasing water deficit, drought stress brings a major threat to cotton production. Thus, it is important to reveal the genetic basis under drought stress and develop drought tolerant cotton cultivars. To address this issue, in present study, 319 upland cotton accessions were genotyped by 55,060 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from high-density CottonSNP80K array and phenotyped nine drought tolerance related traits. The two datasets were used to identify quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) for the above nine traits using multi-locus random-SNP-effect mixed linear model method. As a result, a total of 20 QTNs distributed on 16 chromosomes were found to be significantly associated with six drought tolerance related traits. Of the 1,326 genes around the 20 QTNs, 205 were induced after drought stress treatment, and 46 were further mapped to Gene ontology (GO) term “response to stress.” Taken genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis, RNA-seq data and qRT-PCR verification, four genes, RD2 encoding a response to desiccation 2 protein, HAT22 encoding a homeobox-leucine zipper protein, PIP2 encoding a plasma membrane intrinsic protein 2, and PP2C encoding a protein phosphatase 2C, were proposed to be potentially important for drought tolerance in cotton. These results will deepen our understanding of the genetic basis of drought stress tolerance in cotton and provide candidate markers to accelerate the development of drought-tolerant cotton cultivars.

Camellia renshanxiangiae is a vulnerable species distributed in China with unique hairy anthers and faint scent. Here, we report the characterization of its complete chloroplast (cp) genome using Illumina pair-end sequencing data. The total chloroplast genome size was 156,665 bp, including two inverted repeats (IRs) of 26,071 bp each, separated by a large single copy (LSC) and a small single copy (SSC) of 86,277 bp and 18,246 bp, respectively. A total of 131 genes, including 36 tRNA, 8 rRNA, and 87 protein-coding genes, were identified. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. renshanxiangiae clustered with Camelia species (C. sinensis, C. crapnelliana).

Camellia granthamiana is a wild camellia resource endemic to China and is listed as a Vulnerable species globally. Here, we reported and characterized its complete chloroplast (cp) genome by using Illumina pair-end sequencing data. The total chloroplast genome size was 157,001 bp, including inverted repeats (IRs) of 26,042 bp, separated by a large single copy (LSC) and a small single copy (SSC) of 86,622 and 18,295 bp, respectively. A total of 131 genes, including 36 tRNA, 8 Rrna, and 87 protein-coding genes were identified. Phylogenetic analysis showed that C. granthamiana is sister to C. sinensis with 100% value support.

Camellia ptilophylla is a natural caffeine-free tea plant endemic to China with high commercial and therapeutic values. Here, we report the complete chloroplast genome assembled using Illumina pair-end sequencing data. The chloroplast genome was 157,097 bp in length, with a large single copy (LSC) region of 86,631 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 18,286 bp, separated by two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 26,090 bp each. It contains a total of 132 genes, with an overall GC content of 37.3%. The phylogenetic analysis showed that C. ptilophylla is sister to a congeneric species, C. reticulata.

A method based on the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) purification combined with ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS), was optimized for the simultaneous quantification of 25 mycotoxins in cereals. Samples were extracted with a solution containing 80% acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid, and purified with QuEChERS before being separated by a C18 column. The mass spectrometry was conducted by using positive electrospray ionization (ESI+) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) models. The method gave good linear relations with regression coefficients ranging from 0.9950 to 0.9999. The detection limits ranged from 0.03 to 15.0 µg·kg−1, and the average recovery at three different concentrations ranged from 60.2% to 115.8%, with relative standard deviations (RSD%) varying from 0.7% to 19.6% for the 25 mycotoxins. The method is simple, rapid, accurate, and an improvement compared with the existing methods published so far.

Ear rot is a serious disease that affects maize yield and grain quality worldwide. The mycotoxins are often hazardous to humans and livestock. In samples collected in China between 2009 and 2014, Fusarium verticillioides and F. graminearum species complex were the dominant fungi causing ear rot. According to the TEF-1α gene sequence, F. graminearum species complex in China included three independent species: F. graminearum, F. meridionale, and F. boothii. The key gene FUM1 responsible for the biosynthesis of fumonisin was detected in all 82 F. verticillioides isolates. Among these, 57 isolates mainly produced fumonisin B1, ranging from 2.52 to 18,416.44 µg/g for each gram of dry hyphal weight, in vitro. Three different toxigenic chemotypes were detected among 78 F. graminearum species complex: 15-ADON, NIV and 15-ADON+NIV. Sixty and 16 isolates represented the 15-ADON and NIV chemotypes, respectively; two isolates carried both 15-ADON and NIV-producing segments. All the isolates carrying NIV-specific segment were F. meridionale. The in vitro production of 15-ADON, 3-ADON, DON, and ZEN varied from 5.43 to 81,539.49; 6.04 to 19,590.61; 13.35 to 19,795.33; and 1.77 to 430.24 µg/g of dry hyphal weight, respectively. Altogether, our present data demonstrate potential main mycotoxin production of dominant pathogenic Fusarium in China.