Molecular characterization of isolates from Upland cotton roots in Uzbekistan and whole-genome comparison with isolates from the USA.

f. sp. (FOV) is a significant cotton ( spp.

Most accurate mutations in SARS-CoV-2 genomes identified in Uzbek patients show novel amino acid changes.

Purpose: The rapid changes in the coronavirus genomes created new strains after the first variation was found in Wuhan in 2019. SARS-CoV-2 genotypes should periodically undergo whole genome sequencing to control it because it has been extremely helpful in combating the virus. Many diagnoses, treatments, and vaccinations have been developed against it based on genome sequencing.

Tomato-made edible COVID-19 vaccine TOMAVAC induces neutralizing IgGs in the blood sera of mice and humans.

Plant-based edible vaccines that provide two-layered protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outweigh the currently used parenteral types of vaccines, which predominantly cause a systemic immune response. Here, we engineered and selected a transgenic tomato genotype (TOMAVAC) that stably synthesized an antigenic S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2. Two-course spaced force-feeding of mice with ≈5.

Repurposing of Rutan showed effective treatment for COVID-19 disease.

Unlabelled: Previously, from the tannic sumac plant (), we developed the Rutan 25 mg oral drug tablets with antiviral activity against influenza A and B viruses, adenoviruses, paramyxoviruses, herpes virus, and cytomegalovirus. Here, our re-purposing study demonstrated that Rutan at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg provided a very effective and safe treatment for COVID-19 infection, simultaneously inhibiting two vital enzyme systems of the SARS-CoV-2 virus: 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). There was no drug accumulation in experimental animals' organs and tissues.

Milk of Cow and Goat, Immunized by Recombinant Protein Vaccine ZF-UZ-VAC2001(Zifivax), Contains Neutralizing Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2 and Remains Active After Standard Milk Pasteurization.

Here, we present the first experimental validation of the possibility for obtaining immune milk with neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 from vaccinated cows and goat using approved recombinant protein human coronavirus vaccine, ZF-UZ-VAC2001, in the Republic of Uzbekistan. In the period of 2 weeks after first vaccination, we detected the neutralizing antibodies against coronavirus in the blood serum of vaccinated animals. The neutralizing activity, in its peak on the 21st day after receiving the third dose (77th day from first dose), was effective in neutralization test using a live SARS-CoV-2 in Vero E6 cells, even after 120-fold serum titration.

Development of Superior Fibre Quality Upland Cotton Cultivar Series 'Ravnaq' Using Marker-Assisted Selection.

Marker-assisted selection (MAS) helps to shorten breeding time as well as reduce breeding resources and efforts. In our MAS program, we have targeted one of previously reported LD-blocks with its simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker(s), putatively associated with, at least, four different fibre quality QTLs such as fibre length, strength, micronaire and uniformity. In order to transfer targeted QTLs from a donor genotype to a cultivar of choice, we selected donor genotypes L-141 and LN-1, possessing a fibre quality trait-associated LD-block from the chromosome 7/16.

Efficacy and Safety of the RBD-Dimer-Based Covid-19 Vaccine ZF2001 in Adults.

Background: The ZF2001 vaccine, which contains a dimeric form of the receptor-binding domain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant, was shown to be safe, with an acceptable side-effect profile, and immunogenic in adults in phase 1 and 2 clinical trials.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial to investigate the efficacy and confirm the safety of ZF2001. The trial was performed at 31 clinical centers across Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Ecuador; an additional center in China was included in the safety analysis only.

Profiling of the most reliable mutations from sequenced SARS-CoV-2 genomes scattered in Uzbekistan.

Due to rapid mutations in the coronavirus genome over time and re-emergence of multiple novel variants of concerns (VOC), there is a continuous need for a periodic genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 genotypes of particular region. This is for on-time development of diagnostics, monitoring and therapeutic tools against virus in the global pandemics condition. Toward this goal, we have generated 18 high-quality whole-genome sequence data from 32 SARS-CoV-2 genotypes of PCR-positive COVID-19 patients, sampled from the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan.

Genetic Diversity, QTL Mapping, and Marker-Assisted Selection Technology in Cotton ( spp.).

Cotton genetic resources contain diverse economically important traits that can be used widely in breeding approaches to create of high-yielding elite cultivars with superior fiber quality and adapted to biotic and abiotic stresses. Nevertheless, the creation of new cultivars using conventional breeding methods is limited by the cost and proved to be time consuming process, also requires a space to make field observations and measurements. Decoding genomes of cotton species greatly facilitated generating large-scale high-throughput DNA markers and identification of QTLs that allows confirmation of candidate genes, and use them in marker-assisted selection (MAS)-based breeding programs.

Functional intron-derived miRNAs and host-gene expression in plants.

Background: Recently, putative pre-miRNAs locations have been identified in the introns of plant genes, raising the question whether such genes can show a dual functionality by having both correct maturation of the host gene pre-mRNA and maturation of the miRNAs from the intron. Here, we demonstrated that such dual functionality is indeed possible, using as host gene the firefly luciferase gene with intron (ffgLUC), and different artificial intronic miRNAs (aimiRNA) placed within the intron of ffgLUC.

Results: The miRNAs were based on the structure of the natural miR319a.

Role of MicroRNAs and small RNAs in regulation of developmental processes and agronomic traits in Gossypium species.

Small RNAs (sRNAs) are short, non-coding, 17-24 nucleotides long RNA molecules that play vital roles in regulating gene expression in every known organism investigated to date including cotton (Gossypium ssp.). These tiny RNA molecules target diverse categories of genes from different bioliogical and metabolic processes and have been reported in the three domains of life.

Wild Relatives of Maize, Rice, Cotton, and Soybean: Treasure Troves for Tolerance to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses.

Global food demand is expected to nearly double by 2050 due to an increase in the world's population. The Green Revolution has played a key role in the past century by increasing agricultural productivity worldwide, however, limited availability and continued depletion of natural resources such as arable land and water will continue to pose a serious challenge for global food security in the coming decades. High yielding varieties with proven tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, superior nutritional profiles, and the ability to adapt to the changing environment are needed for continued agricultural sustainability.

Genetic diversity, linkage disequilibrium, and association mapping analyses of Gossypium barbadense L. germplasm.

Limited polymorphism and narrow genetic base, due to genetic bottleneck through historic domestication, highlight a need for comprehensive characterization and utilization of existing genetic diversity in cotton germplasm collections. In this study, 288 worldwide Gossypium barbadense L. cotton germplasm accessions were evaluated in two diverse environments (Uzbekistan and USA).

QTL mapping for flowering-time and photoperiod insensitivity of cotton Gossypium darwinii Watt.

Most wild and semi-wild species of the genus Gossypium are exhibit photoperiod-sensitive flowering. The wild germplasm cotton is a valuable source of genes for genetic improvement of modern cotton cultivars. A bi-parental cotton population segregating for photoperiodic flowering was developed by crossing a photoperiod insensitive irradiation mutant line with its pre-mutagenesis photoperiodic wild-type G.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of microRNAs differentially expressed in fibers in a cotton phytochrome A1 RNAi line.

Cotton fiber is an important commodity throughout the world. Fiber property determines fiber quality and commercial values. Previous studies showed that silencing phytochrome A1 gene (PHYA1) by RNA interference in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.

Development, genetic mapping and QTL association of cotton PHYA, PHYB, and HY5-specific CAPS and dCAPS markers.

Background: Among SNP markers that become increasingly valuable in molecular breeding of crop plants are the CAPS and dCAPS markers derived from the genes of interest. To date, the number of such gene-based markers is small in polyploid crop plants such as allotetraploid cotton that has A- and D-sub-genomes. The objective of this study was to develop and map new CAPS and dCAPS markers for cotton developmental-regulatory genes that are important in plant breeding programs.

Comparative assessment of genetic diversity in cytoplasmic and nuclear genome of upland cotton.

The importance of the cytoplasmic genome for many economically important traits is well documented in several crop species, including cotton. There is no report on application of cotton chloroplast specific SSR markers as a diagnostic tool to study genetic diversity among improved Upland cotton lines. The complete plastome sequence information in GenBank provided us an opportunity to report on 17 chloroplast specific SSR markers using a cost-effective data mining strategy.

Analyses of Fusarium wilt race 3 resistance in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

Fusarium wilt [Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum (FOV) Atk.

Phytochrome RNAi enhances major fibre quality and agronomic traits of the cotton Gossypium hirsutum L.

Simultaneous improvement of fibre quality, early-flowering, early-maturity and productivity in Upland cotton (G. hirsutum) is a challenging task for conventional breeding. The influence of red/far-red light ratio on the fibre length prompted us to examine the phenotypic effects of RNA interference (RNAi) of the cotton PHYA1 gene.

Solid-phase colorimetric method for the quantification of fucoidan.

We described the simple, selective, and rapid method for determination of fucoidans using methylene blue staining of sulfated polysaccharides, immobilized into filter paper and consequent optic density (at A (663) nm) measurement of the eluted dye from filter paper. This solid-phase method allows selective determination of 1-20 μg fucoidan in presence of potentially interfering compounds (alginic acid, DNA, salts, proteins, and detergents). Further, we demonstrated the alternative way of using image processing software for fucoidan quantification without extraction of methylene blue dye from stained spots of fucoidan-dye complex.

Molecular evolution of the clustered MIC-3 multigene family of Gossypium species.

The Gossypium MIC-3 (Meloidogyne Induced Cotton-3) gene family is of great interest for molecular evolutionary studies because of its uniqueness to Gossypium species, multi-gene content, clustered localization, and root-knot nematode resistance-associated features. Molecular evolution of the MIC-3 gene family was studied in 15 tetraploid and diploid Gossypium genotypes that collectively represent seven phylogenetically distinct genomes. Synonymous (d(S)) and non-synonymous (d(N)) nucleotide substitution rates suggest that the second of the two exons of the MIC-3 genes has been under strong positive selection pressure, while the first exon has been under strong purifying selection to preserve function.

Cytogenetic Characteristics of New Monosomic Stocks of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

The use of aneuploid lines significantly increases the effectiveness of molecular-genetic analysis and the development of superior quality breeding lines via substitutions by alien chromosomes. To date, however, a complete set of aneuploid series for each cotton chromosome is not available. Here, we present the development of a monosomic stock collection of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.

Duplication, divergence and persistence in the Phytochrome photoreceptor gene family of cottons (Gossypium spp.).

Background: Phytochromes are a family of red/far-red photoreceptors that regulate a number of important developmental traits in cotton (Gossypium spp.), including plant architecture, fiber development, and photoperiodic flowering. Little is known about the composition and evolution of the phytochrome gene family in diploid (G.

Clustering, haplotype diversity and locations of MIC-3: a unique root-specific defense-related gene family in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

MIC-3 is a recently identified gene family shown to exhibit increased root-specific expression following nematode infection of cotton plants that are resistant to root-knot nematode. Here, we cloned and sequenced MIC-3 genes from selected diploid and tetraploid cotton species to reveal sequence differences at the molecular level and identify chromosomal locations of MIC-3 genes in Gossypium species. Detailed sequence analysis and phylogenetic clustering of MIC-3 genes indicated the presence of multiple MIC-3 gene members in Gossypium species.