Comparative transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses reveal key regulatory gene for methyl jasmonate-induced steroidal saponins synthesis in Dioscorea composita.

Dioscorea composita (D. composita) is a perennial herb with abundant steroidal saponins that have gained worldwide attention for their remarkable efficacy in cardiovascular diseases. However, few studies have been worked on the regulatory network of steroidal saponins biosynthesis under phytohormone induced.

Dioscorea composita WRKY5 positively regulates AtSOD1 and AtABF2 to enhance drought and salt tolerances.

DcWRKY5 increases the antioxidant enzyme activity and proline accumulation, oppositely, reduces the accumulation of ROS and MDA, through directly activating the genes expression, finally enhances the salt and drought tolerance. Drought and salinity are two main environmental factors that limit the large-scale cultivation of the medicinal plant Dioscorea composita (D. composita).

The transcription factor GhTCP7 suppresses petal expansion by interacting with the WIP-type zinc finger protein GhWIP2 in Gerbera hybrida.

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.

Dioscorea composita WRKY12 is involved in the regulation of salt tolerance by directly activating the promoter of AtRCI2A.

Dioscorea composita (D. composita) is an important medicinal plant worldwide with high economic value. However, its large-scale cultivation was limited by soil salinization.

Genomes shed light on the evolution of Begonia, a mega-diverse genus.

Clarifying the evolutionary processes underlying species diversification and adaptation is a key focus of evolutionary biology. Begonia (Begoniaceae) is one of the most species-rich angiosperm genera with c. 2000 species, most of which are shade-adapted.

Dioscorea composita WRKY3 positively regulates salt-stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana.

Dioscorea composita (D. composita) is a perennial dioecious herb with strong biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. However, what roles WRKY transcription factors might play in regulating abiotic stress responses in this medicinal plant is unknown.

A transcriptional hub integrating gibberellin-brassinosteroid signals to promote seed germination in Arabidopsis.

Seed germination is regulated by multiple phytohormones, including gibberellins (GAs) and brassinosteroids (BRs); however, the molecular mechanism underlying GA and BR co-induced seed germination is not well elucidated. We demonstrated that BRs induce seed germination through promoting testa and endosperm rupture in Arabidopsis. BRs promote cell elongation, rather than cell division, at the hypocotyl-radicle transition region of the embryonic axis during endosperm rupture.

Multifunctional Nano-Sunflowers with Color-Magnetic-Raman Properties for Multimodal Lateral Flow Immunoassay.

Multimodal lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) has shown promise for improving both the flexibility and practicability of point-of-care test. We report here a facile, in situ growth method for preparing multifunctional core-shell-shell nano-sunflowers with a unique combination of color-magnetic-Raman properties. The use of FeO nanobeads with high saturation magnetization as the magnetic core allowed for robust magnetic signal strength-even after successive coatings of polydopamine and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs).

Development and validation of a photographic atlas of food portions for accurate quantification of dietary intakes in China.

Background: Accurate estimation of food portion sizes remains an important challenge in dietary data collection. The present study aimed to develop a food atlas with adequate visual reference to improve the accuracy of dietary surveys in China.

Methods: A food atlas for dietary surveys in China was developed using three visual reference systems, namely, regularly placed food portions, the two-dimensional background coordinates and common objects known in daily life.

The R2R3-MYB transcription factor GhMYB1a regulates flavonol and anthocyanin accumulation in .

Anthocyanins and flavonols have vital roles in flower coloration, plant development, and defense. Because anthocyanins and flavonols share the same subcellular localization and common biosynthetic substrates, these pathways may compete for substrates. However, the mechanism regulating this potential competition remains unclear.

Hypoxia-induced PLOD2 regulates invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in endometrial carcinoma cells.

Background: Procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 2 (PLOD2) was induced in hypoxia and participated in cancer development. However, the role of PLOD2 in endometrial carcinoma remains unclear.

Objective: To explore the influences and regulation mechanism of PLOD2 in endometrial carcinoma under hypoxic condition.

GhWIP2, a WIP zinc finger protein, suppresses cell expansion in Gerbera hybrida by mediating crosstalk between gibberellin, abscisic acid, and auxin.

Cell expansion is a key determinant for the final size and shape of plant organ, and is regulated by various phytohormones. Zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) consist of a superfamily involved in multiple aspects of organ morphogenesis. However, little is known about WIP-type ZFP function in phytohormone-mediated organ growth.

Gibberellic Acid-Stimulated Arabidopsis6 Serves as an Integrator of Gibberellin, Abscisic Acid, and Glucose Signaling during Seed Germination in Arabidopsis.

The DELLA protein REPRESSOR OF ga1-3-LIKE2 (RGL2) plays an important role in seed germination under different conditions through a number of transcription factors. However, the functions of the structural genes associated with RGL2-regulated germination are less defined. Here, we report the role of an Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) cell wall-localized protein, Gibberellic Acid-Stimulated Arabidopsis6 (AtGASA6), in functionally linking RGL2 and a cell wall loosening expansin protein (Arabidopsis expansin A1 [AtEXPA1]), resulting in the control of embryonic axis elongation and seed germination.

Transcriptomic insights into antagonistic effects of gibberellin and abscisic acid on petal growth in Gerbera hybrida.

Petal growth is central to floral morphogenesis, but the underlying genetic basis of petal growth regulation is yet to be elucidated. In this study, we found that the basal region of the ray floret petals of Gerbera hybrida was the most sensitive to treatment with the phytohormones gibberellin (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA), which regulate cell expansion during petal growth in an antagonistic manner. To screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and key regulators with potentially important roles in petal growth regulation by GA or/and ABA, the RNA-seq technique was employed.

[Effect of danhong huayu oral liquid combined with insulin on prevention and progression of early diabetic cardiomyopathy in rats].

Objective: To investigate effects of Danhong Huayu Koufuye (DHK), insulin and their combination on diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC) in streptozotocin (STZ, 50 mg/kg, ip)-induced diabetic rats.

Methods: Rats were divided into five groups: normal control, diabetic treated with vehicle, insulin, DHK, and DHK plus insulin. The animals were treated once daily for 15 weeks starting one week after STZ injection.

Protective effects of naringenin eye drops on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced photoreceptor cell death in rats.

Aim: To investigate the effects of naringenin eye drops on N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU)-induced photoreceptor cell death in rats.

Methods: Photoreceptor cell death was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of MNU (60 mg/kg) in rats. Both eyes of all animals were instilled with one drop of vehicle, 0.

GASA14 regulates leaf expansion and abiotic stress resistance by modulating reactive oxygen species accumulation.

Gibberellic acid (GA) can regulate many plant developmental processes. GAST1 has been identified as a GA-stimulated transcript, and Arabidopsis GAST-like genes are known to constitute the GASA family. However, the functions of most GASA genes are not clear at present.

[Interventional effect of vitamin A supplementation on re-vaccination to hepatitis B virus among rural infants and young children in China].

Objective: The objective of this study was to observe the interventional effect of cod liver oil supplementation on re-vaccination to hepatitis B virus (HBV) among infants and young children.

Methods: All 7-36 months old infants and young children, who had been vaccinated with obligatory HBV vaccines routinely by the national technical and administrative procedures for HBV vaccination on children of China, were convened among villages in Linyi, Shandong province, from October 2008 to March 2009. After detection of serum anti-HBV, one hundred children with lower serum anti-HBV were picked out for the randomized, double blinded, placebo controlled vitamin A supplementation study.