Fungal effectors: past, present, and future.

Fungal effector proteins function at the interfaces of diverse interactions between fungi and their plant and animal hosts, facilitating interactions that are pathogenic or mutualistic. Recent advancements in protein structure prediction have significantly accelerated the identification and functional predictions of these rapidly evolving effector proteins. This development enables scientists to generate testable hypotheses for functional validation using experimental approaches.

Virulence of banana wilt-causing fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum tropical race 4 is mediated by nitric oxide biosynthesis and accessory genes.

Fusarium wilt of banana, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is one of the most damaging plant diseases known.

The differential virulence of Fusarium strains causing corneal infections and plant diseases is associated with accessory chromosome composition.

is a cross-kingdom pathogen. While some strains cause disseminated fusariosis and blinding corneal infections in humans, others are responsible for devastating vascular wilt diseases in plants. To better understand the distinct adaptations of to animal or plant hosts, we conducted a comparative phenotypic and genetic analysis of two strains: MRL8996 (isolated from a keratitis patient) and Fol4287 (isolated from a wilted tomato []).

Kynurenine 3-monooxygenase limits de novo NAD synthesis through dietary tryptophan in renal proximal tubule epithelial cell models.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is a pivotal coenzyme, essential for cellular reactions, metabolism, and mitochondrial function. Depletion of kidney NAD levels and reduced de novo NAD synthesis through the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway are linked to acute kidney injury (AKI), whereas augmenting NAD shows promise in reducing AKI. We investigated de novo NAD biosynthesis using in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models to understand its role in AKI.

Topotactic Conversion of Titanium-Oxo Clusters to a Stable TOC-Based Metal-Organic Framework with the Selective Adsorption of Cationic Dyes.

Titanium-oxo cluster (TOC)-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have received considerable attention in recent years due to their ability to expand the application of TOCs to fields that require highly stable frameworks. Herein, a new cyclic TOC formulated as [TiO(OPr)(TTFTC)(phen)] (, where TTFTC = tetrathiafulvalene tetracarboxylate and phen = phenanthroline) was crystallographically characterized. TOC takes a rectangular ring structure with two phen-modified Ti clusters as the width and two TTFTC ligands as the length.

Rapid and Repeated Climate Adaptation Involving Chromosome Inversions following Invasion of an Insect.

Following invasion, insects can become adapted to conditions experienced in their invasive range, but there are few studies on the speed of adaptation and its genomic basis. Here, we examine a small insect pest, Thrips palmi, following its contemporary range expansion across a sharp climate gradient from the subtropics to temperate areas. We first found a geographically associated population genetic structure and inferred a stepping-stone dispersal pattern in this pest from the open fields of southern China to greenhouse environments of northern regions, with limited gene flow after colonization.

The complete mitochondrial genome of (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae).

The genome-level features are crucial genetic resources for species identification and phylogenetic analysis. Here, the complete mitochondrial genome of Viereck 1912 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) was sequenced, determined and analyzed. The circular genome is 16,372 bp in length with an overall base composition of 38.

[Response of Cadmium in Soil-rice to Different Conditioners Based on Field Trials].

A plot experiment was carried out to assess the applicability of soil conditioners on Cd-polluted acidic paddy fields. The effects of five soil conditioners[Tianxiang 1 Hao (TX1), limestone (Li), silicon fertilizer, Nuodikang (NDK), and calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer (CaMg-P)] on Cd accumulation and transport between contaminated soil and rice plants and rice yield on the land were analyzed. The results showed that compared with that under the control, other tested methods increased soil pH by 0.

CUR(E)ating a new approach to study fungal effectors and enhance undergraduate education through authentic research.

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) integrate active, discovery-based learning into undergraduate curricula, adding tremendous value to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) education. There are multiple challenges in transforming a research project into a CURE, such as the readiness of students, the time commitment of the instructor, and the productivity of the research. In this article, we report a CURE course developed and offered in the University of Massachusetts Amherst BMB Department since 2018 that addresses these challenges.

Accessory genes in tropical race 4 contributed to the recent resurgence of the devastating disease of Fusarium wilt of banana.

Fusarium wilt of banana, caused by f. sp. (), is one of the most damaging plant diseases recorded.

Polymer-Based Long-Lived Phosphorescence Materials over a Broad Temperature Based on Coumarin Derivatives as Information Anti-Counterfeiting.

The development of new polymer-based room-temperature phosphorescence materials is of great significance. By a special molecule design and a set of feasible property-enhancing strategies, coumarin derivatives (CMDs, M-M) were doped into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), polyacrylamide (PAM), corn starch, and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as information anti-counterfeiting. CMDs-doped PVA and CMDs-doped corn starch films showed long-lived phosphorescence emissions up to 1246 ms (M-PVA) and 697 ms (M-corn starch), reaching over 10 s afterglow under naked eye observation under ambient conditions.

[Mercury Pollution in Dryland Soil and Evaluation of Maize Safety Production in Guizhou Province].

Guizhou Province is the province with the largest Hg production and reserves in China, and maize is the second largest grain crop in Guizhou Province. It is necessary to identify the status of soil Hg content in Guizhou Province and evaluate the safety of maize production. A total of 990 soil-maize samples and 270 single soil samples were collected in the main maize-producing areas to determine soil pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and organic matter content (SOM), as well as Hg content in soil and maize.

Immunity to pathogenic fungi in the eye.

Fusarium, Aspergillus and Candida are important fungal pathogens that cause visual impairment and blindness in the USA and worldwide. This review will summarize the epidemiology and clinical features of corneal infections and discuss the immune and inflammatory responses that play an important role in clinical disease. In addition, we describe fungal virulence factors that are required for survival in infected corneas, and the activities of neutrophils in fungal killing, tissue damage and cytokine production.

Interspecific and intraspecific variation in susceptibility of two co-occurring pest thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis and Thrips palmi, to nine insecticides.

Background: Field control of pest thrips mainly relies on insecticides, but the toxicity of insecticides can vary among thrips species and populations. In this study, we examined the susceptibility of multiple field populations of two thrips pests, Frankliniella occidentalis, and Thrips palmi, that often co-occur on vegetables, to nine insecticides belonging to seven subgroups.

Results: The highest level of variation in susceptibility among F.

Low-Dose Erythropoietin Amplifies Beneficial Effects of Angiotensin II Blockade on Glomerulosclerosis.

Exogenous erythropoietin (EPO) is used to treat anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Concerns about the possible adverse effect of EPO on the progression of CKD have been raised owing to nonerythroid cell effects. We investigated the effects of low-dose EPO, independent of correcting anemia, on existing glomerulosclerosis.

Conservation and Expansion of Transcriptional Factor Repertoire in the Species Complex.

The species complex (FOSC) includes both plant and human pathogens that cause devastating plant vascular wilt diseases and threaten public health. Each genome comprises core chromosomes (CCs) for housekeeping functions and accessory chromosomes (ACs) that contribute to host-specific adaptation. This study inspects global transcription factor profiles (TFomes) and their potential roles in coordinating CC and AC functions to accomplish host-specific interactions.

Redox-Active Two-Dimensional Tetrathiafulvalene-Copper Metal-Organic Framework with Boosted Electrochemical Performances for Supercapatteries.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted noticeable attention as promising candidates for electrochemical energy storage. However, the lack of electrical conductivity and the weak stability of most MOFs result in poor electrochemical performances. Here, a tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)-based complex, formulated as [(CuCN)(TTF(py))] () (TTF-(py) = tetra(4-pyridyl)-TTF), is assembled by in situ generation of coordinated CN from a nontoxic source.

CUR(E)ating a New Approach to Study Fungal Effectors and Enhance Undergraduate Education through Authentic Research.

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) integrate active, discovery-based learning into undergraduate curriculums, adding tremendous value to Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) education. There are multiple challenges in transforming a research project into a CURE, such as the readiness of students, the time commitment of the instructor, and the productivity of the research. In this article, we report a CURE course developed and offered in the University of Massachusetts Amherst BMB Department since 2018 that addresses these challenges.

Conservation and Expansion of Transcriptional Factor Repertoire in the Species Complex.

The species complex (FOSC) includes both plant and human pathogens that cause devastating plant vascular wilt diseases and threaten public health. Each genome comprises core chromosomes (CCs) for housekeeping functions and accessory chromosomes (ACs) that contribute to host-specific adaptation. This study inspected global transcription factor profiles (TFomes) and their potential roles in coordinating CCs and ACs functions to accomplish host-specific pathogenicity.

Oxidatively Doped Tetrathiafulvalene-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks for High Specific Energy of Supercapatteries.

Poor electrical conductivity and instability of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have limited their energy storage and conversion efficiency. In this work, we report the application of oxidatively doped tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)-based MOFs for high-performance electrodes in supercapatteries. Two isostructural MOFs, formulated as [M(py-TTF-py)(BPDC)]·2HO (M = Ni (), Zn (); py-TTF-py = 2,6-bis(4'-pyridyl)TTF; HBPDC = biphenyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid), are crystallographically characterized.

Genome Sequence Resource of TaB10 and KA13, Causal Agents of Stored Apple Rot.

The filamentous fungus is a well-known cereal pathogen and is a pathogen with a wide host range. Recently, both species were reported as causal agents of apple rot, raising concerns about postharvest yield losses and mycotoxin contamination. Here, we report genome assemblies of KA13 and TaB10, both isolated from fruits with symptoms of apple rot.

Differential Colonization of the Plant Vasculature Between Endophytic Versus Pathogenic Strains.

Plant xylem colonization is the hallmark of vascular wilt diseases caused by phytopathogens within the species complex. Recently, xylem colonization has also been reported among endophytic strains, resulting in some uncertainty. This study compares xylem colonization processes by pathogenic versus endophytic strains in and , using pathogen Fo5176, tomato pathogen Fol4287, and the endophyte Fo47, which can colonize both plant hosts.