dbPTM 2025 update: comprehensive integration of PTMs and proteomic data for advanced insights into cancer research.

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential for modulating protein function and influencing stability, activity and signaling processes. The dbPTM 2025 update significantly expands the database to include over 2.79 million PTM sites, of which 2.

Chromosome-scale pearl millet genomes reveal CLAMT1b as key determinant of strigolactone pattern and Striga susceptibility.

The yield of pearl millet, a resilient cereal crop crucial for African food security, is severely impacted by the root parasitic weed Striga hermonthica, which requires host-released hormones, called strigolactones (SLs), for seed germination. Herein, we identify four SLs present in the Striga-susceptible line SOSAT-C88-P10 (P10) but absent in the resistant 29Aw (Aw). We generate chromosome-scale genome assemblies, including four gapless chromosomes for each line.

Zaxinone Synthase overexpression modulates rice physiology and metabolism, enhancing nutrient uptake, growth and productivity.

The rice Zaxinone Synthase (ZAS) gene encodes a carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (CCD) that forms the apocarotenoid growth regulator zaxinone in vitro. Here, we generated and characterized constitutive ZAS-overexpressing rice lines, to better understand ZAS role in determining zaxinone content and regulating growth and architecture. ZAS overexpression enhanced endogenous zaxinone level, promoted root growth and increased the number of productive tillers, leading to about 30% higher grain yield per plant.

Strigolactone biosynthesis in rice can occur via a 9-cis-3-OH-10'-apo-β-carotenal intermediate.

Strigolactones (SLs) play a crucial role in regulating plant architecture and mediating rhizosphere interactions. They are synthesized from all-trans-β-carotene converted into the intermediate carlactone (CL) via the intermediate 9-cis-β-apo-10'-carotenal. Recent studies indicate that plants can also synthesize 3-OH-CL from all-trans-β-zeaxanthin via the intermediate 9-cis-3-OH-β-apo-10'-carotenal.

Abscisic acid inhibits germination of Striga seeds and is released by them likely as a rhizospheric signal supporting host infestation.

Seeds of the root parasitic plant Striga hermonthica undergo a conditioning process under humid and warm environments before germinating in response to host-released stimulants, particularly strigolactones (SLs). The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates different growth and developmental processes, and stress response; however, its role during Striga seed germination and early interactions with host plants is under-investigated. Here, we show that ABA inhibited Striga seed germination and that hindering its biosynthesis induced conditioning and germination in unconditioned seeds, which was significantly enhanced by treatment with the SL analog rac-GR24.

Disruption of the rice unravels specific functions of canonical strigolactones.

Strigolactones (SLs) regulate many developmental processes, including shoot-branching/tillering, and mediate rhizospheric interactions. SLs originate from carlactone (CL) and are structurally diverse, divided into a canonical and a noncanonical subfamily. Rice contains two canonical SLs, 4-deoxyorobanchol (4DO) and orobanchol (Oro), which are common in different plant species.

New Series of Zaxinone Mimics (MiZax) for Fundamental and Applied Research.

The apocarotenoid zaxinone is a recently discovered regulatory metabolite required for proper rice growth and development. In addition, zaxinone and its two mimics (MiZax3 and MiZax5) were shown to have a remarkable growth-promoting activity on crops and a capability to reduce infestation by the root parasitic plant through decreasing strigolactone (SL) production, suggesting their potential for application in agriculture and horticulture. In the present study, we developed a new series of MiZax via structural modification of the two potent zaxinone mimics (MiZax3 and MiZax5) and evaluated their effect on plant growth and infestation.

Disruption of the cytochrome CYP711A5 gene reveals MAX1 redundancy in rice strigolactone biosynthesis.

Strigolactones (SLs) inhibit shoot branching/tillering and are secreted by plant roots as a signal to attract symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi in the rhizosphere, particularly under phosphate starvation. However, SLs are also hijacked by root parasitic weeds as inducer for the germination of their seeds. There are around 35 natural SLs divided, based on their structures, into canonical and non-canonical SLs.

The growth mechanism and intriguing optical and electronic properties of few-layered HfS.

Due to electronic properties superior to group VIB (Mo and W) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), group IVB (Hf and Zr) TMDs have become intriguing materials in next-generation nanoelectronics. Therefore, the growth of few-layered hafnium disulfide (HfS) on -plane sapphire as well as on a SiO/Si substrate has been demonstrated using chemical vapour deposition (CVD). The structural properties of HfS were investigated by recording X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra.

Perspectives on the metabolism of strigolactone rhizospheric signals.

Strigolactones (SLs) are a plant hormone regulating different processes in plant development and adjusting plant's architecture to nutrition availability. Moreover, SLs are released by plants to communicate with beneficial fungi in the rhizosphere where they are, however, abused as chemical cues inducing seed germination of root parasitic weeds, e.g.

Canonical strigolactones are not the major determinant of tillering but important rhizospheric signals in rice.

Strigolactones (SLs) are a plant hormone inhibiting shoot branching/tillering and a rhizospheric, chemical signal that triggers seed germination of the noxious root parasitic plant and mediates symbiosis with beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Identifying specific roles of canonical and noncanonical SLs, the two SL subfamilies, is important for developing -resistant cereals and for engineering plant architecture. Here, we report that rice mutants lacking canonical SLs do not show the shoot phenotypes known for SL-deficient plants, exhibiting only a delay in establishing arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis, but release exudates with a significantly decreased seed-germinating activity.

9-cis-β-Apo-10'-carotenal is the precursor of strigolactones in planta.

C-isotope feeding experiments demonstrate that the apocarotenoid 9-cis-β-apo-10'-carotenal is the precursor of several strigolactones in rice, providing a direct, in planta evidence for its role in strigolactone biosynthesis. Strigolactones (SLs) are plant hormone that regulates plant architecture and mediates rhizospheric communications. Previous in vitro studies using heterogously produced enzymes unraveled the conversion of all-trans-β-carotene via the intermediate 9-cis-β-apo-10'-carotenal into the SL precursor carlactone.

Towards precision sleep medicine: Self-attention GAN as an innovative data augmentation technique for developing personalized automatic sleep scoring classification.

It is very important to have good quality sleep, which can affect aspects such as memory consolidation, emotional regulation, learning, physical development, and quality of life. Diagnosing human sleep quality and problems quickly and accurately is an important issue for human well-being. Therefore, many automatic sleep scoring methods have been proposed.

Evaluation of the Biostimulant Activity of Zaxinone Mimics (MiZax) in Crop Plants.

Global food security is a critical concern that needs practical solutions to feed the expanding human population. A promising approach is the employment of biostimulants to increase crop production. Biostimulants include compounds that boost plant growth.

Protocol for characterizing strigolactones released by plant roots.

The plant hormone strigolactones (SLs) are secreted by plant roots to act as rhizospheric signals. Here, we present a protocol for characterizing plant-released SLs. We first outline all necessary steps required for collection, processing, and analysis of plant root exudates using the C column for SL extraction, followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for SL quantification.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein induced hepatoma-derived growth factor upregulation mediates foam cell formation of cultured rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are important vascular components that are essential for the regulation of vascular functions during vascular atherosclerogenesis and vascular injury. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) is known to induce SMC activation and foam cell transformation. This study characterized the role of hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) in oxLDL-induced foam cell formation in cultured primary rat aortic SMCs.

The effect of the surgical microscope on the outcome of root scaling.

The benefits of using a surgical microscope in periodontal therapy were mainly based on subjective statements made by patients or periodontists. We aimed to provide laboratory evidence for the advantages of using a surgical microscope during root scaling on periodontitis teeth. In the present study, the extracted teeth were categorized into four groups: normal teeth (normal control [NC] group), untreated periodontitis teeth (periodontitis control [PC] group), root surface scaled without magnification (macro group), and root surface instrumented with a microscope (micro group).

Hepatoma-derived growth factor enhances osteoblastic transformation of rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro.

Aims: Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are important regulators of vascular functions and their conversion to osteoblasts is a key to development of vascular calcification. This study aimed to characterize in vitro effect of hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) on phenotypic conversion of cultured aortic VSMCs into osteoblast-like cells.

Materials And Methods: Cell proliferation and migration assays were used to examine cell behaviors.

Development of Home-Based Sleep Monitoring System for Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) has been proven to increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetes. If people would like to know whether they are suffering from this sleep disorder, they need to go to particular hospital with which a sleep center that could perform polysomnography (PSG); however, for most people, this is not convenient. Consequently, the goal of this study is to develop a convenient, lower priced, and easy-to-use home-based sleep monitoring system.