Integrating environmental and satellite data to estimate county-level cotton yield in Xinjiang Province.

Accurate and timely estimation of cotton yield over large areas is essential for precision agriculture, facilitating the operation of commodity markets and guiding agronomic management practices. Remote sensing (RS) and crop models are effective means to predict cotton yield in the field. The satellite vegetation indices (VIs) can describe crop yield variations over large areas but can't take the exact environmental impact into consideration.

Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in experimental rats in China.

Cryptosporidium and Giardia are ubiquitous protozoan parasites that infect a broad range of hosts. The presence of Cryptosporidium spp. and G.

In planta processing and glycosylation of a nematode CLAVATA3/ENDOSPERM SURROUNDING REGION-like effector and its interaction with a host CLAVATA2-like receptor to promote parasitism.

Like other biotrophic plant pathogens, plant-parasitic nematodes secrete effector proteins into host cells to facilitate infection. Effector proteins that mimic plant CLAVATA3/ENDOSPERM SURROUNDING REGION-related (CLE) proteins have been identified in several cyst nematodes, including the potato cyst nematode (PCN); however, the mechanistic details of this cross-kingdom mimicry are poorly understood. Plant CLEs are posttranslationally modified and proteolytically processed to function as bioactive ligands critical to various aspects of plant development.

Genome characterization and population genetic structure of the zoonotic pathogen, Streptococcus canis.

Background: Streptococcus canis is an important opportunistic pathogen of dogs and cats that can also infect a wide range of additional mammals including cows where it can cause mastitis. It is also an emerging human pathogen.

Results: Here we provide characterization of the first genome sequence for this species, strain FSL S3-227 (milk isolate from a cow with an intra-mammary infection).

Evolutionary and population genomics of the cavity causing bacteria Streptococcus mutans.

Streptococcus mutans is widely recognized as one of the key etiological agents of human dental caries. Despite its role in this important disease, our present knowledge of gene content variability across the species and its relationship to adaptation is minimal. Estimates of its demographic history are not available.

Gene repertoire evolution of Streptococcus pyogenes inferred from phylogenomic analysis with Streptococcus canis and Streptococcus dysgalactiae.

Streptococcus pyogenes, is an important human pathogen classified within the pyogenic group of streptococci, exclusively adapted to the human host. Our goal was to employ a comparative evolutionary approach to better understand the genomic events concomitant with S. pyogenes human adaptation.

Comparative genomics and the role of lateral gene transfer in the evolution of bovine adapted Streptococcus agalactiae.

In addition to causing severe invasive infections in humans, Streptococcus agalactiae, or group B Streptococcus (GBS), is also a major cause of bovine mastitis. Here we provide the first genome sequence for S. agalactiae isolated from a cow diagnosed with clinical mastitis (strain FSL S3-026).

Comparative genomic analysis of the Streptococcus dysgalactiae species group: gene content, molecular adaptation, and promoter evolution.

Comparative genomics of closely related bacterial species with different pathogenesis and host preference can provide a means of identifying the specifics of adaptive differences. Streptococcus dysgalactiae (SD) is comprised of two subspecies: S. dysgalactiae subsp.

Proteomic analysis of human serum from diabetic retinopathy.

Aim: To establish and compare serum proteomic of diabetic retinopathy (DR) patients in various phases and discuss pathogenesis of DR so as to find out possible serum specific molecular markers for early diagnosis of DR.

Methods: Thirty-two subjects were divided into four groups: one group of eight type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients without apparent DR (No-DR, NDR), one group of eight T2DM patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), one group of eight T2DM patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and one group of eight healthy volunteer participants. Two dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) was applied to establish differential protein expression profiles in four groups.

Gene content differences across strains of Streptococcus uberis identified using oligonucleotide microarray comparative genomic hybridization.

Streptococcus uberis is one of the principal causative agents of bovine mastitis. The organism is typically considered an environmental pathogen. In this study, two multilocus sequence typing (MLST) schemes and whole genome DNA microarrays were used to evaluate the degree and nature of genome flexibility between S.

Positive selection in penicillin-binding proteins 1a, 2b, and 2x from Streptococcus pneumoniae and its correlation with amoxicillin resistance development.

The efficacy of beta-lactam antibiotics in Streptococcus pneumoniae has been compromised because of the development of altered penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), however, this has been less so for amoxicillin than for penicillin. Recently, there have been a number of important methods developed to detect molecular adaptation in protein coding genes. The purpose of this study is to employ modern molecular selection approaches to predict sites under positive selection pressure in PBPs, derived from a large international S.

The relative frequency of intraspecific lateral gene transfer of penicillin binding proteins 1a, 2b, and 2x, in amoxicillin resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Evidence exists for both interspecific and intraspecific recombination (lateral gene transfer; LGT) involving Streptococcus pneumoniae pbp (penicillin binding protein) loci. LGT of capsular genes, or serotype switching, is also know to occur between S. pneumoniae of different serotype.

Molecular evidence for an Asian origin and a unique westward migration of species in the genus Castanea via Europe to North America.

The genus Castanea (Fagaceae) is widely distributed in the deciduous forests of the Northern Hemisphere. The striking similarity between the floras of eastern Asia and those of eastern North America and the difference in chestnut blight resistance among species has been of interest to botanists for a century. To infer the biogeographical history of the genus, the phylogeny of Castanea was estimated using DNA sequence data from different regions of the chloroplast genome.

Identification of cold acclimated genes in leaves of Citrus unshiu by mRNA differential display.

Citrus unshiu is freeze tolerant to -10 degrees C when fully acclimated after exposure to cold, nonfreezing temperatures. To gain an understanding of its cold tolerance mechanism, mRNA differential display reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR) and quantitative relative RT-PCR were used to study gene expression under a gradual cold-acclimation temperature regime. Six up-regulated and two down regulated genes were identified based on their amino acid sequences.

Sequence variation at cpDNA regions of watermelon and related wild species: implications for the evolution of Citrullus haplotypes.

Sequencing analysis of one coding and four noncoding cpDNA regions was conducted to infer biogeographic and evolutionary relationships in the genus Citrullus. Eighteen taxa from diverse geographical areas were included. A low number of parsimony informative characters (1.

Cold acclimation induced genes of trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata).

Commercial citrus varieties are sensitive to low temperature. Poncirus trifoliata is a close relative of Citrus species and has been widely used as a cold-hardy rootstock for citrus production in low-temperature environments. mRNA differential display-reverse transcription (DDRT)-PCR and quantitative relative-RT-PCR were used to study gene expression of P.