Maintaining KEAP1 levels in retinal pigment epithelial cells preserves their viability during prolonged exposure to artificial blue light.

Exposure to artificial blue light, one of the most energetic forms of visible light, can increase oxidative stress in retinal cells, potentially enhancing the risk of macular degeneration. Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells play a crucial role in this process; the loss of RPE cells is the primary pathway through which retinal degeneration occurs. In RPE cells, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) is located in both the nucleus and cytosol, where it binds to nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and p62 (sequestosome-1), respectively.

A novel HDAC8 inhibitor H7E exerts retinoprotective effects against glaucomatous injury via ameliorating aberrant Müller glia activation and oxidative stress.

Glaucoma is considered a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive visual field defects that may lead to blindness. Although controlling intraocular pressure (IOP) is the mainstay of glaucoma treatment, some glaucoma patients have unmet needs due to unclear pathogenic mechanisms. Recently, there has been growing evidence that neuroinflammation is a potential target for the development of novel antiglaucoma agents.

Remobilization of Cd caused by iron oxide phase transformation and Mn competition after stabilization by nano zero valent iron.

Stabilization techniques are vital in controlling Cd soil pollution. Nano zero valent iron (nZVI) has been extensively utilized for Cd remediation owing to its robust adsorption and reactivity. However, the environmental stress-induced stability of Cd after nZVI addition remains unclear.

Nitrogen addition increased soil particulate organic carbon via plant carbon input whereas reduced mineral-associated organic carbon through attenuating mineral protection in agroecosystem.

Nitrogen (N) addition can have substantial impacts on both aboveground and belowground processes such as plant productivity, microbial activity, and soil properties, which in turn alters the fate of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, how N addition affects various SOC fractions such as particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC), particularly in agroecosystem, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, plant biomass (grain yield, straw biomass, and root biomass), soil chemical properties (pH, N availability, exchangeable cations and amorphous Al/Fe - (hydr) oxides) and microbial characteristics (biomass and functional genes) in response to a N addition experiment (0, 150, 225, 300, and 375 kg ha) in paddy soil were investigated to explore the predominant controls of POC and MAOC.

Effect of planting and mowing cover crops as livestock feed on soil quality and pear production.

Introduction: The increasing demand for animal-products has led to an increasing demand for livestock feed. Using cover crop as green manure in orchards is an effective measure to improve fruit yield and quality. However, the effect of mowing cover forage crops as livestock feed on soil quality and crop production is unclear.

Sustainable strategies related to soil fertility, economic benefit, and environmental impact on pear orchards at the farmer scale in the Yangtze River Basin, China.

Pears are an important income source in China, and unreasonable management practices have had a negative impact on the sustainability of pear orchards. However, multi-objective synergistic strategies are unclear on a farmer scale. In this study, we quantified indicators of soil fertility (soil organic matter (SOM)), environmental impact (global warming potentials (GWP)), and economic benefit (ratio of benefit and cost (BCR)) and analysed the synergetic strategies based on survey data from 230 smallholders in the Yangtze River Basin (Shanghai City, Chongqing City, Zhejiang province, and Jiangxi province).

Crop rotation stage has a greater effect than fertilisation on soil microbiome assembly and enzymatic stoichiometry.

Agronomic practises, such as fertilisation and crop rotation, affect soil microbial communities and functions. However, limited information is available regarding the relative importance of fertilisation and crop rotation stages in determining the soil microbiome and assembly processes. In addition, insights into the connections between the soil microbiome and enzymatic stoichiometry are scarce.

Histone acetyltransferases MystA and MystB contribute to morphogenesis and aflatoxin biosynthesis by regulating acetylation in fungus Aspergillus flavus.

Myst family is highly conserved histone acetyltransferases in eukaryotic cells and is known to play crucial roles in various cellular processes; however, acetylation catalysed by acetyltransferases is unclear in filamentous fungi. Here, we identified two classical nonessential Myst enzymes and analysed their functions in Aspergillus flavus, which generates aflatoxin B1, one of the most carcinogenic secondary metabolites. MystA and MystB located in nuclei and cytoplasm, and mystA could acetylate H4K16ac, while mystB acetylates H3K14ac, H3K18ac and H3K23ac.

Spraying high concentrations of chelated zinc enhances zinc biofortification in wheat grain.

Background: Foliar application of highly concentrated ZnSO fertilizer improves Zn biofortification in wheat grains. However, excess ZnSO ·7H O concentration (≥5 g kg , w v ) has been associated with leaf burn and yield loss, necessitating Zn sources with a high threshold concentration. The aim of this study, based on a 2 year field experiment conducted on wheat cultivated in acidic and alkaline soil, was to identify a suitable Zn formulation with a high Zn concentration or efficient adjuvant to achieve optimal Zn biofortification levels without compromising agronomic performance.

Nano zero-valent iron-induced changes in soil iron species and soil bacterial communities contribute to the fate of Cd.

Nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) is used for soil remediation; however, the impact of nZVI on soil solid iron phases and its interactions with soil microorganisms in relation to the fate of Cd in soil remains unclear. In the current study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the change in mobility of Cd in exogenous Cd-contaminated soil with nZVI and γ radiation treatments. The results showed that nZVI treatment decreased Cd availability but also increased the soil pH and dissolved Mn and poorly crystalline Fe contents.

Characterization of the Bifunctional Enzyme BioDA Involved in Biotin Synthesis and Pathogenicity in .

Biotin is an important enzyme cofactor that plays a key role in all three domains. The classical bifunctional enzyme BioDA in eukaryotes (such as and ) is involved in the antepenultimate and penultimate steps of biotin biosynthesis. In this study, we identified a bifunctional gene which could complement both Δ and Δ mutants.

Poorly crystalline Fe(Ⅱ) mineral phases induced by nano zero-valent iron are responsible for Cd stabilization with different soil moisture conditions and soil types.

Nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) is a promising remediation material for Cd-contaminated soil, but questions remain regarding the effects of nZVI-induced Fe oxides on Cd availability with different soil types and moisture conditions. To identify the changes in Cd availability and Fe mineral phases resulting from the application of nZVI, three types of Cd-spiked soils with 0.1% nZVI amendment were incubated under different moisture conditions with water-holding capacities (WHCs) of 30%, 60%, and 180%.

Polyester sulfur-coated urea (PSCU) application enhances brown rice iron concentrations in two alkaline soils.

Background: In neutral or alkaline soils, iron (Fe) easily forms insoluble complexes, which makes it difficult for plants to utilize Fe in the soil for nutrition. Polyester sulfur-coated urea (PSCU) is a novel controlled-release fertilizer widely used in China and some foreign countries, and it has been proven that sulfur film from controlled-release fertilizers can significantly improve the activation of Fe and other elements in the soil. However, few studies have focused on the effects of PSCU application on Fe accumulation in rice grain in alkaline soils.

Substrate control of sulphur utilisation and microbial stoichiometry in soil: Results of C, N, C, and S quad labelling.

Global plant sulphur (S) deficiency is increasing because of a reduction in sulphate-based fertiliser application combined with continuous S withdrawal during harvest. Here, we applied C, N, C, and S quad labelling of the S-containing amino acids cysteine (Cys) and methionine (Met) to understand S cycling and microbial S transformations in the soil. The soil microorganisms absorbed the applied Cys and Met within minutes and released SO within hours.

The Fungi-specific histone Acetyltransferase Rtt109 mediates morphogenesis, Aflatoxin synthesis and pathogenicity in Aspergillus flavus by acetylating H3K9.

Aspergillus flavus is a common saprophytic filamentous fungus that produces the highly toxic natural compound aflatoxin during its growth process. Synthesis of the aflatoxins, which can contaminate food crops causing huge losses to the agricultural economy, is often regulated by epigenetic modification, such as the histone acetyltransferase. In this study, we used Aspergillus flavus as an experimental model to construct the acetyltransferase gene rtt109 knockout strain (△rtt109) and its complementary strain (△rtt109·com) by homologous recombination.

The inhibition effect of tea polyphenols on soil nitrification is greater than denitrification in tea garden soil.

Tea polyphenols are the most widely distributed class of secondary metabolites (Camellia sinensis) and account for a considerable proportion of the pruning residues of tea. A large amount of tea polyphenols have fallen down over soil with prunning residues every year. However, the effect of tea polyphenols on soil nitrogen cycle, especially the denitrification process and its related microbial communities, remains unclear.

Temporal variation in nutrient requirements of tea (Camellia sinensis) in China based on QUEFTS analysis.

Fertilisation datasets collected from field experiments (n = 21) in tea-producing areas from 2016 to 2018 were used to build a quantitative evaluation of the fertility of tropical soils (QUEFTS) model to estimate nutrient uptake of tea plants, and to investigate relationships between tea yield and nutrient accumulation. The production of 1000 kg spring tea (based on one bud with two young expanding leaves) required 12.2 kg nitrogen (N), 1.

Set3 Is Required for Asexual Development, Aflatoxin Biosynthesis, and Fungal Virulence in .

is an opportunistic pathogenic fungus for both plant and animal that produces carcinogenic toxins termed aflatoxins (AFs). To identify possible genetic targets to reduce AF contamination, in this study, we have characterized a novel Set3, and it shares sequence homology with the yeast protein Set3. The deletion mutants present no difference in growth rate but alterations in asexual development and secondary metabolite production when compared to the wild type.

The HosA Histone Deacetylase Regulates Aflatoxin Biosynthesis Through Direct Regulation of Aflatoxin Cluster Genes.

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) always function as corepressors and sometimes as coactivators in the regulation of fungal development and secondary metabolite production. However, the mechanism through which HDACs play positive roles in secondary metabolite production is still unknown. Here, classical HDAC enzymes were identified and analyzed in , a fungus that produces one of the most carcinogenic secondary metabolites, aflatoxin B (AFB1).

Cyclase-Associated Protein Cap with Multiple Domains Contributes to Mycotoxin Biosynthesis and Fungal Virulence in Aspergillus flavus.

In Aspergillus, the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling modulates asexual development and mycotoxin biosynthesis. Here, we characterize the cyclase-associated protein Cap in the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus flauvs. The cap disruption mutant exhibited dramatic reduction in hyphal growth, conidiation, and spore germination, while an enhanced production of the sclerotia was observed in this mutant.

Nitric oxide synthase-mediated early nitric oxide burst alleviates water stress-induced oxidative damage in ammonium-supplied rice roots.

Background: Nutrition with ammonium (NH) can enhance the drought tolerance of rice seedlings in comparison to nutrition with nitrate (NO). However, there are still no detailed studies investigating the response of nitric oxide (NO) to the different nitrogen nutrition and water regimes. To study the intrinsic mechanism underpinning this relationship, the time-dependent production of NO and its protective role in the antioxidant defense system of NH- or NO-supplied rice seedlings were studied under water stress.