Allelopathic Molecular Mechanisms of the Two Main Allelochemicals in Sweet Potato.

Sweet potato ( L.) is one of the most important global food crops. This crop exhibits excellent allelopathic potential against various weeds, but its allelopathic mechanism at the molecular level is unclear.

Effects of Invasion on Soil Seed Bank Community Characteristics in Different Habitats.

To examine the effects of the recent invasion on plant community and diversity in invaded habitats, the composition, density, species richness, diversity indices, and evenness index of the soil seed bank community of two different habitats (wasteland and cultivated land) in Yunnan Province, China, were analyzed through field sampling and greenhouse germination tests. A total of 28 species of plants belonging to 15 families and 28 genera, all annual herbs, were found in the soil seed bank. Seed densities and species number in the seed bank tended to be greater in April than in October; cultivated land also featured higher seed densities and species numbers compared to wasteland.

Sweet potato () and hyacinth bean () in combination provide greater suppression of mile-a-minute () than either crop alone.

Introduction: In natural systems, diverse plant communities tend to prevent a single species from dominating. Similarly, management of invasive alien plants may be achieved through various combinations of competing species.

Methods: We used a de Wit replacement series to compare different combinations of sweet potato ( (L.

Regulation of TFEB nuclear localization by HSP90AA1 promotes autophagy and longevity.

TFEB (transcription factor EB) regulates multiple genes involved in the process of macroautophagy/autophagy and plays a critical role in lifespan determination. However, the detailed mechanisms that regulate TFEB activity are not fully clear. In this study, we identified a role for HSP90AA1 in modulating TFEB.

Allelochemicals Identified From Sweet Potato () and Their Allelopathic Effects on Invasive Alien Plants.

Sweet potato [ (L.) Lam] is grown as important cash and food crop worldwide and has been shown to exhibit allelopathic effects on other plants. However, its metabolome has not been studied extensively, particularly with respect to the production of phytotoxic bioactive secondary products.

Regulation of IFN-Is by MEF2D Promotes Inflammatory Homeostasis in Microglia.

Background: Microglia play an essential role in the central nervous system immune response. The transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor-2 D (MEF2D) is known to participate in stress regulation in various cell types and is easily activated in microglia. MEF2D has been shown to transcriptionally regulate several cytokine genes in immune cells and directly regulates the inflammatory response, suggesting that MEF2D may act as a key stimulus response regulator of microglia and is involved in the regulation of brain microhomeostasis.

Adventitious roots support population expansion of the invasive plant Mikania micrantha Kunth.

Mikania micrantha Kunth is a serious invasive alien plant characterized by the formation of an adventitious root system in its prostrate growth form. Unlike the initial roots from seed germination, adventitious roots gradually appear above the stem and branch nodes. Little is known about adventitious roots play on plant growth and population expansion of M.

Potential use of Helianthus tuberosus to suppress the invasive alien plant Ageratina adenophora under different shade levels.

Background: An ecological approach for managing biological invasions in agroecosystems is the selection of alternative crop species to manage the infestation of invasive alien plants through competition. In the current study, plant growth, photosynthesis, and competitive ability of the crop Helianthus tuberosus L. (Jerusalem artichoke) and the invasive alien plant Ageratina adenophora (Spreng.

Fabrication of Ag-nanosheets-built micro/nanostructured arrays via in situ conversion on CuO-coated Si nanocone platform and their highly structurally-enhanced SERS effect.

A controllable and flexible route is presented for the fabrication of Ag-nanosheets-built micro/nanostructural ordered arrays via in situ conversion on the CuO-coated silicon nanocone (SNC) platform in the AgNO-contained solution. The platform is pre-prepared by the reactive ion etching of the organic colloidal monolayer-covered silicon wafer, Cu sputtering deposition and in situ oxidation. The obtained Ag micro/nanostructured array consists of nearly spherical and micro-sized particles, which are hexagonally arranged on the substrate.

Controllable corrosion-assisted fabrication of Au-Ag alloyed hollow nanocrystals for highly efficient and environmentally-stable SERS substrates.

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates with both high activity and long term chemical-stability have been expected in the practical application of the SERS-based detection. In this paper, Au-Ag bimetal nanocrystals are fabricated based on the template-etching reaction in the Ag nanocubes-contained cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) aqueous solution via adding the HAuCl solution. The obtained nanocrystals are Au-Ag alloyed and hollow in structure.

Loss of Drosha underlies dopaminergic neuron toxicity in models of Parkinson's disease.

MiRNAs, a group of powerful modulator of gene expression, participate in multiple cellular processes under physiological and pathological conditions. Emerging evidence shows that Drosha, which controls the initial step in canonical miRNA biogenesis, is involved in modulating cell survival and death in models of several diseases. However, the role of Drosha in Parkinson's disease (PD) has not been well established.

Transcription Factors: Potential Cell Death Markers in Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease with a long preclinical phase. The continuous loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons is one of the pathogenic hallmarks of PD. Diagnosis largely depends on clinical observation, but motor dysfunctions do not emerge until 70%-80% of the nigrostriatal nerve terminals have been destroyed.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress mediates distinct impacts of sevoflurane on different subfields of immature hippocampus.

Sevoflurane, a typical inhaled anesthetic, is widely used in patients of all ages during surgery. The negative effects, such as inducing cell death and damaging spatial memory, of sevoflurane on neurodevelopment have raised increasing concerns in recent years. However, the molecular mechanism remains unclear.

Regulation of ER stress-induced autophagy by GSK3β-TIP60-ULK1 pathway.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is involved in many cellular processes. Emerging evidence suggests that ER stress can trigger autophagy; however, the mechanisms by which ER stress regulates autophagy and its role in this condition are not fully understood. HIV Tat-interactive protein, 60 kDa (TIP60) is a newly discovered acetyltransferase that can modulate autophagy flux by activating ULK1 upon growth factor deprivation.

Transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor 2D regulates interleukin-10 production in microglia to protect neuronal cells from inflammation-induced death.

Background: Neuroinflammatory responses have been recognized as an important aspect in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Transcriptional regulation plays a critical role in the process of inflammation. Transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor 2D (MEF2D) is identified as a central factor in transmission of extracellular signals and activation of the genetic programs in response to a wide range of stimuli in several cell types, including neurons.

An ARC/Mediator subunit required for SREBP control of cholesterol and lipid homeostasis.

The sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) family of transcription activators are critical regulators of cholesterol and fatty acid homeostasis. We previously demonstrated that human SREBPs bind the CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300 acetyltransferase KIX domain and recruit activator-recruited co-factor (ARC)/Mediator co-activator complexes through unknown mechanisms. Here we show that SREBPs use the evolutionarily conserved ARC105 (also called MED15) subunit to activate target genes.

Structural analysis of autoinhibition in the Ras activator Son of sevenless.

The classical model for the activation of the nucleotide exchange factor Son of sevenless (SOS) involves its recruitment to the membrane, where it engages Ras. The recent discovery that Ras*GTP is an allosteric activator of SOS indicated that the regulation of SOS is more complex than originally envisaged. We now present crystallographic and biochemical analyses of a construct of SOS that contains the Dbl homology-pleckstrin homology (DH-PH) and catalytic domains and show that the DH-PH unit blocks the allosteric binding site for Ras and suppresses the activity of SOS.

Autoinhibition of Sos by intramolecular interactions.

Sos proteins function as activators of Ras signaling by catalyzing guanine nucleotide exchange on Ras. Sos regulation was initially thought to be accomplished primarily through its growth factor-dependent recruitment to the plasma membrane. More recent data has indicated that while membrane association is an indispensable means of Sos regulation, additional mechanisms involving intramolecular interactions function to control Sos activity towards Ras.