Origin of sandy substrates controlling the distribution of open vegetation ecosystems in Amazonia.

Understanding the role of open vegetation, particularly in white-sand ecosystems (WSE) and savannas, is crucial for elucidating their role in Amazonian biotic diversification. These ecosystems predominantly develop on sandy terrains, suggesting that the geological substrate significantly influences the vegetation upon it. Therefore, the interaction between landscape changes and biotic diversification is closely tied to the dynamics and resilience of these sandy substrates.

Heme deficiency in skeletal muscle exacerbates sarcopenia and impairs autophagy by reducing AMPK signaling.

Heme serves as a prosthetic group in hemoproteins, including subunits of the mammalian mitochondrial electron transfer chain. The first enzyme in vertebrate heme biosynthesis, 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1), is ubiquitously expressed and essential for producing 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). We previously showed that Alas1 heterozygous mice at 20-35 weeks (aged-A1s) manifested impaired glucose metabolism, mitochondrial malformation in skeletal muscle, and reduced exercise tolerance, potentially linked to autophagy dysfunction.

THOUSAND-GRAIN WEIGHT 6, which is an IAA-glucose hydrolase, preferentially recognizes the structure of the indole ring.

An indole-3-acetic acid (IAA)-glucose hydrolase, THOUSAND-GRAIN WEIGHT 6 (TGW6), negatively regulates the grain weight in rice. TGW6 has been used as a target for breeding increased rice yield. Moreover, the activity of TGW6 has been thought to involve auxin homeostasis, yet the details of this putative TGW6 activity remain unclear.