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Summary: Recombination is crucial for crop breeding because it can break linkage drag and generate novel allele combinations. However, the high‐resolution recombination landscape and its driving forces in soybean are largely unknown. Here, we constructed eight recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations and genotyped individual lines using the high‐density 600K SoySNP array, which yielded a high‐resolution recombination map with 5636 recombination sites at a resolution of 1.37 kb. The recombination rate was negatively correlated with transposable element density and GC content but positively correlated with gene density. Interestingly, we found that meiotic recombination was enriched at the promoters of active genes. Further investigations revealed that chromatin accessibility and active epigenetic modifications promoted recombination. Our findings provide important insights into the control of homologous recombination and thus will increase our ability to accelerate soybean breeding by manipulating meiotic recombination rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Seed size is one of the most important agronomic traits determining the yield of crops. Cloning the key genes controlling seed size and pyramiding their elite alleles will facilitate yield improvement. To date, few genes controlling seed size have been identified in soybean, a major crop that provides half of the plant oil and one quarter of the plant protein globally. Here, through a genome‐wide association study of over 1800 soybean accessions, we determined that natural allelic variation at GmST05 (Seed Thickness 05) predominantly controlled seed thickness and size in soybean germplasm. Further analyses suggested that the two major haplotypes of GmST05 differed significantly at the transcriptional level. Transgenic experiments demonstrated that GmST05 positively regulated seed size and influenced oil and protein contents, possibly by regulating the transcription of GmSWEET10a. Population genetic diversity analysis suggested that allelic variations of GmST05 were selected during geographical differentiation but have not been fixed. In summary, natural variation in GmST05 determines transcription levels and influences seed size and quality in soybean, making it an important gene resource for soybean molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Xiang Yu,' the seven-act full length opera composed by Jin Xiang and premiered in March 1994 by the Shanghai Song and Dance Theater in Shanghai, China, received widespread acclaim. The opera deals with the life and character of the revolutionary Xiang Yu who, after several victories, committed suicide when he was defeated by Liu Bang. The European style opera comprises Chinese folk music and is considered better than Xiang's previous composition 'Savage Land.'

Na+/H+ antiporters have been well documented to enhance plant salt tolerance by regulating cellular ion homeostasis. Here, a putative Na+/H+ antiporter gene homolog GmNHX2 from soybean was cloned and predicted to encode a protein of 534 amino acids with 10 putative transmembrane domains. GmNHX2 was expressed in all soybean plant tissues but enriched in roots and its expression was induced by NaCl and polyethylene glycol (PEG) treatments. GmNHX2 exhibits greater sequence similarity with LeNHX2 and AtNHX6 than that of AtNHX1 and AtSOS1. Although phylogenetic analysis clustered GmNHX2 with organellar (tonoplast and vesicles) antiporters, the GmNHX2-EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) fusion protein was possibly localized in the plasma membrane or organelle membrane of transgenic plant cells. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing GmNHX2 were more tolerant to high NaCl concentrations during germination and seedling stages when compared with wild-type plants. These results suggest that GmNHX2 is a membrane Na+/H+ antiporter and may function to regulate ion homeostasis under salt stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]