A reference-free algorithm discovers regulation in the plant transcriptome.

Most plant genomes and their regulation remain unknown. We used SPLASH - a new, reference-genome free sequence variation detection algorithm - to analyze transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation from RNA-seq data. We discovered differential homolog expression during maize pollen development, and imbibition-dependent cryptic splicing in Arabidopsis seeds.

Maize Terpene Synthase 8 (ZmTPS8) Contributes to a Complex Blend of Fungal-Elicited Antibiotics.

In maize (), fungal-elicited immune responses include the accumulation of terpene synthase (TPS) and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYP) enzymes resulting in complex antibiotic arrays of sesquiterpenoids and diterpenoids, including α/β-selinene derivatives, zealexins, kauralexins and dolabralexins. To uncover additional antibiotic families, we conducted metabolic profiling of elicited stem tissues in mapping populations, which included B73 × M162W recombinant inbred lines and the Goodman diversity panel. Five candidate sesquiterpenoids associated with a chromosome 1 locus spanning the location of and .

Mapping the signaling network of BIN2 kinase using TurboID-mediated biotin labeling and phosphoproteomics.

Elucidating enzyme-substrate relationships in posttranslational modification (PTM) networks is crucial for understanding signal transduction pathways but is technically difficult because enzyme-substrate interactions tend to be transient. Here, we demonstrate that TurboID-based proximity labeling (TbPL) effectively and specifically captures the substrates of kinases and phosphatases. TbPL-mass spectrometry (TbPL-MS) identified over 400 proximal proteins of Arabidopsis thaliana BRASSINOSTEROID-INSENSITIVE2 (BIN2), a member of the GLYCOGEN SYNTHASE KINASE 3 (GSK3) family that integrates signaling pathways controlling diverse developmental and acclimation processes.

Signatures of plant defense response specificity mediated by herbivore-associated molecular patterns in legumes.

Chewing herbivores activate plant defense responses through a combination of mechanical wounding and elicitation by herbivore-associated molecular patterns (HAMPs). HAMPs are wound response amplifiers; however, specific defense outputs may also exist that strictly require HAMP-mediated defense signaling. To investigate HAMP-mediated signaling and defense responses, we characterized cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) transcriptome changes following elicitation by inceptin, a peptide HAMP common in Lepidoptera larvae oral secretions.

Randomized controlled trial testing a video-text tobacco cessation intervention among economically disadvantaged African American adults.

Objective: This pilot study tested the acceptability and short-term outcomes of a culturally specific mobile health (mHealth) intervention () in a sample of economically disadvantaged African American adults. We hypothesized that would demonstrate greater acceptability, biochemically verified abstinence, and promote nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) use compared with a standard text-messaging program.

Method: In a 2-arm pilot randomized trial, adults who sought to quit smoking ( = 119) received either or the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) SmokefreeTXT, both combined with a brief behavioral counseling session plus 2 weeks of NRT.