Proteomic and metabolomic analyses showing the differentially accumulation of NnUFGT2 is involved in the petal red-white bicolor pigmentation in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera).

Bicolor flower lotus is rare with high ornamental value. During the long history of breeding and artificial selection, a very famous lotus cultivar 'Da Sajin' with red and white picotee bicolor petals were obtained. In order to reveal the mechanism underlying the formation of its picotee bicolor pattern in the petal, an integrative metabolomics and proteomics analyses were conducted between red and white parts of its petals.

Nitrogen-doped carbon dots for sensitive detection of ferric ions and monohydrogen phosphate by the naked eye and imaging in living cells.

Nitrogen doped carbon dots (N-CDs) have been prepared a one-pot hydrothermal method by using formamide and -phenylenediamine as the carbon precursors. The as-fabricated N-CDs display excellent water dispersibility, good biocompatibility and anti-photobleaching properties. A strong emission band with an emission maximum ( ) of 556 nm is observed under 450 nm excitation, and a large Stokes shift of 106 nm is presented.

Carbon dots for lysosome targeting and imaging of lysosomal pH and Cys/Hcy in living cells.

The abnormal concentrations of both biothiols and pH in lysosomes are seriously related to many major diseases, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Up to now, there are few reports that clearly illustrate the relationship between lysosomal pH and biothiols via fluorescence assay. Herein, novel carbon dots (Scy-CDs) are prepared with good water dispersibility and excellent photostability, and a large Stokes shift of 106 nm is exhibited under an excitation wavelength of 450 nm.

Molecular cloning and functional analysis of a 10-epi-junenol synthase from Inula hupehensis.

Junenol based-eudesmanolides have been detected in many compositae plant species and were reported to exhibit various pharmacological activities. So far, the gene encoding junenol synthase has never been isolated. Here we report the molecular cloning and functional analysis of a 10-epi-junenol synthase from Inula hupehensis (designated IhsTPS1).

Functional analysis of a cotton glucuronosyltransferase promoter in transgenic tobaccos.

The 5' fragment (1 647 bp) of the cotton glucuronosyltransferase gene (GhGlcAT1) was transcriptionally fused to the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene, and functionally analyzed for important regulatory regions controlling gene expression in transgenic tobacco plants. GUS activity analysis revealed that the full-length promoter drives efficient expression of the GUS gene in the root cap, seed coat, pollen grains and trichomes. Exposure of the transgenic tobacco to various abiotic stresses showed that the promoter was mainly responsive to the sugars (glucose and sucrose) as well as gibberellic acid.