Identification, Fine Mapping and Application of Quantitative Trait Loci for Grain Shape Using Single-Segment Substitution Lines in Rice ( L.).

Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and HQTL (heterosis QTLs) for grain shape are two major genetic factors of grain yield and quality in rice ( L.). Although many QTLs for grain shape have been reported, only a few are applied in production.

Reducing Seed Shattering in Weedy Rice by Editing and Genes: Implications in Environmental Biosafety and Weed Control through Transgene Mitigation.

Mitigating the function of acquired transgenes in crop wild/weedy relatives can provide an ideal strategy to reduce the possible undesired environmental impacts of pollen-mediated transgene flow from genetically engineered (GE) crops. To explore a transgene mitigation system in rice, we edited the seed-shattering genes, and , using a weedy rice line ("C9") that originally had strong seed shattering. We also analyzed seed size-related traits, the total genomic transcriptomic data, and RT-qPCR expression of the or gene-edited and / gene-edited weedy rice lines.

Sympatric genetic divergence between early- and late-season weedy rice populations.

Sympatric genetic divergence is the most appealing and controversial pattern in the theory of ecological speciation. Examples that support sympatric genetic divergence in plant species are extremely rare. Solid evidence of sympatric genetic divergence will provide deep insights for revealing the underlying mechanisms of ecological speciation.

Increases in Genetic Diversity of Weedy Rice Associated with Ambient Temperatures and Limited Gene Flow.

Hypotheses regarding the association of increased species or genetic diversity with gradually warmer regions as a global pattern have been proposed, but no direct and solid experimental data are available to approve the association between plant genetic diversity and ambient temperatures. To test the diversity-temperature hypothesis, we studied genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of weedy rice ( f. ) populations occurring naturally in early- and late-season rice fields that share nearly the same ecological conditions but with slightly different temperatures.

A new isolation device for shortening gene flow distance in small-scale transgenic maize breeding.

The transmission of pollen is the main cause of maize gene flow. Under the compulsory labeling system for genetically modified (GM) products in China, isolation measures are crucial. At present, there is no effective isolation device for preventing and controlling the short-range flow of GM maize pollen.

Genome-Wide Identification, Phylogeny, and Expression Analyses of the 14-3-3 Family Reveal Their Involvement in the Development, Ripening, and Abiotic Stress Response in Banana.

Plant 14-3-3 proteins act as critical components of various cellular signaling processes and play an important role in regulating multiple physiological processes. However, less information is known about the 14-3-3 gene family in banana. In this study, 25 14-3-3 genes were identified from the banana genome.

Recombinant expressions of sweet plant protein mabinlin II in Escherichia coli and food-grade Lactococcus lactis.

Sweet plant proteins, which are safe, natural, low-calorie sweeteners, may be suitable replacements for sugars in the food and beverage industries. Mabinlin II, a sweet plant protein, shows the most pronounced heat stability and acid resistance of any of the six known types of plant sweet proteins. However, mabinlin II is difficult to extract from the Capparis masaikai plant, which is itself becoming increasingly scarce.

Construction of a heterologous gene expression system in the banana rhizobacterium strain GW-3 and its colonization ability.

Rhizobacteria inhabiting the rhizosphere are beneficial to their host plants, and can potentially serve as biocontrol agents to control plant diseases. We isolated the rhizobacterium strain GW-3, which was the dominant bacterium in the rhizosphere soils of healthy banana plants. Then, we constructed an expression system with a kanamycin resistance gene to express a heterologous protein in GW-3.

The effects of different disease-resistant cultivars of banana on rhizosphere microbial communities and enzyme activities.

To understand the mechanism of soil microbial ecosystem and biochemical properties in suppressing soilborne plant diseases, the relationship between the soil rhizosphere microbial communities, hydrolase activities, and different disease-resistant cultivars was investigated. There were statistically significant differences in microbial diversity in the rhizosphere soil between the disease-tolerant cultivar Fj01 and susceptible cultivar Baxi. The rhizosphere soil of Fj01 showed a trend of higher microbial diversity than that of Baxi.