Efficient removal of copper and silver ions in electroplating wastewater by magnetic-MOF-based hydrogel and a reuse case for photocatalytic application.

Direct discharge of electroplating wastewater containing hazardous metal ions such as Cu and Ag  results in environmental pollution. In this study, we rationally prepare a magnetic composite hydrogel consisted of FeO, UiO-66-NH, chitosan (CTS) and polyethyleneimine (PEI), namely FeO@UiO-66-NH/CTS-PEI. Thanks to the strong attraction between the amino group and metal cations, the FeO@UiO-66-NH/CTS-PEI hydrogel shows the maximum adsorption capacities of 321.

Ultrasound treatment alleviates external pericarp browning and improves fruit quality of pomegranate during storage.

Background: Ultrasound treatment has a beneficial role in horticultural production from harvest to consumption. The quality traits and microbiological load in pomegranate fruit were explored during 30 days' storage at 20 °C after 10 min and 30 min ultrasound treatments.

Results: Ultrasound treatment significantly reduced the microbiological load during storage, providing a relatively clean and suitable storage environment.

The engineered CRISPR-Mb2Cas12a variant enables sensitive and fast nucleic acid-based pathogens diagnostics in the field.

Existing CRISPR/Cas12a-based diagnostic platforms offer accurate and vigorous monitoring of nucleic acid targets, but have the potential to be further optimized for more efficient detection. Here, we profiled 16 Cas12a orthologs, focusing on their trans-cleavage activity and their potential as diagnostic enzymes. We observed the Mb2Cas12a has more robust trans-cleavage activity than other orthologs, especially at lower temperatures.

The flowering time regulator FLK controls pathogen defense in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Plant disease resistance is a complex process that is maintained in an intricate balance with development. Increasing evidence indicates the importance of posttranscriptional regulation of plant defense by RNA binding proteins. In a genetic screen for suppressors of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) accelerated cell death 6-1 (acd6-1), a small constitutive defense mutant whose defense level is grossly in a reverse proportion to plant size, we identified an allele of the canonical flowering regulatory gene FLOWERING LOCUS K HOMOLOGY DOMAIN (FLK) encoding a putative protein with triple K homology (KH) repeats.

Characterization of key aroma compounds and regulation mechanism of aroma formation in local Binzi (Malus pumila × Malus asiatica) fruit.

Background: Volatile components are important secondary metabolites essential to fruit aroma quality, thus, in the past decades many studies have been extensively performed in clarifying fruit aroma formation. However, aroma components and biosynthesis in the fruit of Binzi (Malus pumila × Malus asiatica), an old local species with attractive aroma remain unknown.

Results: We investigated two Binzi cultivars, 'Xiangbinzi' (here named high-fragrant Binzi, 'HFBZ') and 'Hulabin' (here named low-fragrant Binzi, 'LFBZ') by monitoring the variation of volatiles and their precursors by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS), as well as their related genes by RNA-seq during post-harvest ripening.

Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of the anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin regulatory networks in red walnut natural hybrid progeny leaves.

Background: Walnuts are among the most important dry fruit crops worldwide, typically exhibiting green leaves and yellow-brown or gray-yellow seed coats. A specific walnut accession with red leaves and seed coats, 'RW-1', was selected for study because of its high anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin (PA) contents. Anthocyanins and PAs are important secondary metabolites and play key roles in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.

An R2R3-MYB transcription factor , isolated from wild grape J. X. Chen., regulates the plant development and confers the tolerance to drought.

In grapevines, the MYB transcription factors play an important regulatory role in the phenylpropanoid pathway including proanthocyanidin, anthocyanin, and flavonoid biosynthesis. However, the role of MYB in abiotic stresses is not clear. In this study, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor, , was isolated from a high drought-tolerant Chinese wild species .

Fabrication and characterization of low-fat Pickering emulsion gels stabilized by zein/phytic acid complex nanoparticles.

Pickering emulsion gels (PKEGs) are being explored as solid fat substitutes and delivery systems due to their semi-solid textures and high stabilities. However, these PKEGs have relatively high-fat content, which is undesirable for nutritional and cost reasons. Therefore, in this study, low-fat PKEGs (10 % oil content) were successfully fabricated using zein/phytic acid (ZPA) complex nanoparticles with zein to phytic acid mass ratio of 1:0.

Overexpression of and Transcription Factors from Pomegranate Enhances Freezing Tolerance in under the Promoter Activity Positively Regulated by PgICE1.

Cold stress limits plant growth, development and yields, and the C-repeat binding factors (CBFs) function in the cold resistance in plants. However, how pomegranate CBF transcription factors respond to cold signal remains unclear. Considering the significantly up-regulated expression of and in cold-tolerant 'Yudazi' in comparison with cold-sensitive 'Tunisia' under 4 °C, the present study focused on the two genes.

Transcriptome Profiling and Identification of the Candidate Genes Involved in Early Ripening in .

The early ripening jujube is an immensely popular fresh fruit due to its high commercial value as well as rich nutrition. However, little is known about the mechanism of jujube fruit's ripening. In this study, the transcriptome profiles were comprehensively analyzed between the 'Lingwu Changzao' jujube and its early-ripening mutant during the fruit development and maturity.

Exogenous Arginine Treatment Maintains the Appearance and Nutraceutical Properties of Hard- and Soft-Seed Pomegranates in Cold Storage.

Arginine is a natural preservative; however, its effects on the storage of different cultivars of pomegranates have not been investigated extensively. Therefore, the fruit quality of soft-seed Tunisia and hard-seed Yudazi pomegranates was investigated after treatment with arginine at four concentrations during cold storage for 80 days. Pomegranates treated with 1.

Genome-Wide Identification and Comprehensive Analysis of the Gene Family in Pomegranate Fruit Development and Postharvest Preservation.

Pomegranate ( L.) is a kind of fruit with significant economic, ecological and health values. AP2/ERF transcription factors belong to a large group of factors mainly found in plants and play key roles in plant growth and development.

Chromosome-Scale Genome and Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis Reveal Transcriptional Regulators of β-Carotene Biosynthesis in Mango.

Mango (2 = 2 = 40) is an important tropical/subtropical evergreen fruit tree grown worldwide and yields nutritionally rich and high-value fruits. Here, a high-quality mango genome (396 Mb, contig N50 = 1.03 Mb) was assembled using the cultivar "Irwin" from Florida, USA.

Evaluation of Rpf protein of Micrococcus luteus for cultivation of soil actinobacteria.

Rpf protein, a kind of resuscitation promoting factor, was first found in the culture supernatant of Micrococcus luteus. It can resuscitate the growth of M. luteus in "viable but non-culture, VBNC" state and promote the growth of Gram-positive bacteria with high G + C content.

Actinokineospora xionganensis sp. nov., a filamentous actinomycete isolated from the lakeside soil of Baiyangdian.

A novel actinomycete, strain HBU206404, belonging to the genus Actinokineospora, was isolated from the lakeside soil of Baiyangdian, in China. Cells grew at 9-37 °C (optimum temperature, 28 °C) and pH 6-9 (optimum, pH 7). Meso-diaminopimelic acid was the diagnostic diamino acid of the cell-wall peptidoglycan, and sugars present in whole-cell hydrolysates were arabinose, mannose, glucose and galactose.

Exploration of Elite Stilbene Synthase Alleles for Resveratrol Concentration in Wild Chinese spp. and Cultivars.

Resveratrol contributes to a plant's tolerance of various abiotic and biotic stresses and is highly beneficial to human health. A search for elite alleles affecting resveratrol production was undertaken to find useful grapevine germplasm resources. Resveratrol levels in both berry skins and leaves were determined in 95 grapevine accessions (including 50 wild Chinese grapevine accessions and 45 cultivars) during two consecutive years.

The comparative analysis of the potential relationship between resveratrol and stilbene synthase gene family in the development stages of grapes (Vitis quinquangularis and Vitis vinifera).

Resveratrol is positively correlated with grapevine disease resistance and its consumption is also highly beneficial to human health. HPLC analyses showed that resveratrol content was significantly higher in most wild Chinese grapevines than in most European Vitis vinifera grapevine cvs. Fruit of the wild Chinese genotype Vitis quinquangularis Danfeng-2 contains much higher levels of resveratrol than some others.

Three ERF transcription factors from Chinese wild grapevine Vitis pseudoreticulata participate in different biotic and abiotic stress-responsive pathways.

Ethylene response factor (ERF) functions as an important plant-specific transcription factor in regulating biotic and abiotic stress response through interaction with various stress pathways. We previously obtained three ERF members, VpERF1, VpERF2, and VpERF3 from a highly powdery mildew (PM)-resistant Chinese wild Vitis pseudoreticulata cDNA full-length library. To explore their functions associated with plant disease resistance or biotic stress, we report here to characterize three ERF members from this library.

VpWRKY3, a biotic and abiotic stress-related transcription factor from the Chinese wild Vitis pseudoreticulata.

Chinese wild grapevine Vitis pseudoreticulata accession 'Baihe-35-1' is identified as the precious resource with multiple resistances to pathogens. A directional cDNA library was constructed from the young leaves inoculated with Erysiphe necator. A total of 3,500 clones were sequenced, yielding 1,727 unigenes.

Isolation and functional characterization of a transcription factor VpNAC1 from Chinese wild Vitis pseudoreticulata.

NAC (for NAM, ATAF1, 2, and CUC2) family genes encode plant-specific transcription factors that play important roles in plant development regulation and in abiotic and biotic stresses. However, the function of NAC genes in grapevines is not clear. A novel NAC transcription factor, designated as VpNAC1, was isolated from Chinese wild Vitis pseudoreticulata.

Circadian clock-regulated phosphate transporter PHT4;1 plays an important role in Arabidopsis defense.

The Arabidopsis accelerated cell death 6-1 (acd6-1) mutant shows constitutive defense, cell death, and extreme dwarf phenotypes. In a screen for acd6-1 suppressors, we identified a mutant that was disrupted by a T-DNA in the PHOSPHATE TRANSPORTER 4;1 (PHT4;1) gene. The suppressor mutant pht4;1-1 is dominant, expresses truncated PHT4;1 transcripts, and is more susceptible to virulent Pseudomonas syringae strains but not to several avirulent strains.

Shox2 is essential for the differentiation of cardiac pacemaker cells by repressing Nkx2-5.

The pacemaker is composed of specialized cardiomyocytes located within the sinoatrial node (SAN), and is responsible for originating and regulating the heart beat. Recent advances towards understanding the SAN development have been made on the genetic control and gene interaction within this structure. Here we report that the Shox2 homeodomain transcription factor is restrictedly expressed in the sinus venosus region including the SAN and the sinus valves during embryonic heart development.