-Mediated Transient Expression Methods to Validate Gene Functions in Strawberry ( × ).

Understanding gene function is important for crop improvement and breeding efforts, especially in a genetically complex polyploid plant species such as the octoploid strawberry. -mediated transient assays are a widely used tool for investigating gene functions and offer a reliable alternative to stable transformation. However, variability in tissue-specific responses and inconsistent applicability of -mediated transient assay across diverse plant species can be challenging.

Combinatorial Pattern Response of Bioelectronic Nose for the Detection of Real Nerve Agents.

Nerve agents are toxic organophosphorus chemicals and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors that have been used in terrorist acts. Because they exhibit fatal toxic effects in small amounts, technology is required to detect and identify them early. Research for nerve agent detection using structural simulants of real agents may not function properly for real agents depending on the selectivity of the sensor.

Genome-wide gene network uncover temporal and spatial changes of genes in auxin homeostasis during fruit development in strawberry (F. × ananassa).

Background: The plant hormone auxin plays a crucial role in regulating important functions in strawberry fruit development. Although a few studies have described the complex auxin biosynthetic and signaling pathway in wild diploid strawberry (Fragaria vesca), the molecular mechanisms underlying auxin biosynthesis and crosstalk in octoploid strawberry fruit development are not fully characterized. To address this knowledge gap, comprehensive transcriptomic analyses were conducted at different stages of fruit development and compared between the achene and receptacle to identify developmentally regulated auxin biosynthetic genes and transcription factors during the fruit ripening process.

Strawberry soluble solids QTL with inverse effects on yield.

Sugars are the main drivers of strawberry sweetness, and understanding their genetic control is of critical importance for breeding. Large-scale genome-wide association studies were performed in two populations totaling 3399 individuals evaluated for soluble solids content (SSC) and fruit yield. Two stable quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosome 3B and 6A for SSC were identified.

Virus-induced gene silencing for in planta validation of gene function in cucurbits.

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a powerful tool for high-throughput analysis of gene function. Here, we developed the VIGS vector pCF93, from which expression of the cucumber fruit mottle mosaic virus genome is driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter to produce viral transcripts in inoculated plants. To test the utility of the pCF93 vector, we identified candidate genes related to male sterility (MS) in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), which is recalcitrant to genetic transformation.

Overexpression of Arabidopsis nucleolar GTP-binding 1 (NOG1) proteins confers drought tolerance in rice.

As a major adverse environmental factor in most parts of the world, drought causes substantial crop yield losses. Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the staple foods for more than one-half of the world's population. Rice plants are sensitive to even mild drought stress and need almost twice the amount of water compared to wheat (Triticum aestivum) or maize (Zea mays).

Incidence of Alternaria Species Associated with Watermelon Leaf Blight in Korea.

Alternaria leaf blight is one of the most common diseases in watermelon worldwide. In Korea, however, the Alternaria species causing the watermelon leaf blight have not been investigated thoroughly. A total of 16 Alternaria isolates was recovered from diseased watermelon leaves with leaf blight symptoms, which were collected from 14 fields in Korea.

An evolutionarily conserved non-synonymous SNP in a leucine-rich repeat domain determines anthracnose resistance in watermelon.

A non-synonymous SNP of CC-NBS-LRR was firstly mapped to confer resistance to anthracnose in watermelon. Newly proposed LRR domain harboring the SNP is evolutionary conserved in the Cucurbitaceae and Fabaceae. Anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum devastates many plants.

De novo-based transcriptome profiling of male-sterile and fertile watermelon lines.

The whole-genome sequence of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai), a valuable horticultural crop worldwide, was released in 2013.

Fluorescent Sensing of a Nerve Agent Simulant with Dual Emission over Wide pH Range in Aqueous Solution.

A new 1,8-naphthalimide-based fluorescent probe for the detection of diethyl cyanophosphonate, a very common nerve agent simulant, is designed, synthesized, and characterized fully. The probe shows around 50-fold enhancement of fluorescence intensity over other nerve agent simulants. Importantly, the probe is able to work under aqueous conditions in a wide pH range.

Substituent Effects in BODIPY in Live Cell Imaging.

Small-molecule organoselenium-based fluorescent probes possess great capacity in understanding biological processes through the detection of various analytes such as reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), biothiols (cysteine, homocysteine and glutathione), lipid droplets, etc. Herein, we present how substituents on the BODIPY system play a significant part in the detection of biologically important analytes for in vitro conditions and live cell imaging studies. The fluorescence of the probe was quenched by 2-chloro and 6-phenyl selenium groups; the probe shows high selectivity with NaOCl among other ROS/RNS, and gives a turn-on response.

Enhanced Fluorescence Turn-on Imaging of Hypochlorous Acid in Living Immune and Cancer Cells.

Two closely related phenyl selenyl based boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) turn-on fluorescent probes for the detection of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) were synthesized for studies in chemical biology; emission intensity is modulated by a photoinduced electron-transfer (PET) process. Probe 2 intrinsically shows a negligible background signal; however, after reaction with HOCl, chemical oxidation of selenium forecloses the PET process, which evokes a significant increase in fluorescence intensity. The fluorescence intensity of probes 1 and 2 with HOCl involves an ∼18 and ∼50-fold enhancement compared with the respective responses from other reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) and low detection limits (30.

Identification of the subgenomic promoter of the coat protein gene of cucumber fruit mottle mosaic virus and development of a heterologous expression vector.

Heterologous gene expression using plant virus vectors enables research on host-virus interactions and the production of useful proteins, but the host range of plant viruses limits the practical applications of such vectors. Here, we aimed to develop a viral vector based on cucumber fruit mottle mosaic virus (CFMMV), a member of the genus Tobamovirus, whose members infect cucurbits. The subgenomic promoter (SGP) in the coat protein (CP) gene, which was used to drive heterologous expression, was mapped by analyzing deletion mutants from a CaMV 35S promoter-driven infectious CFMMV clone.

Population genetic study of 10 short tandem repeat loci from 600 domestic dogs in Korea.

Dogs have long shared close relationships with many humans. Due to the large number of dogs in human populations, they are often involved in crimes. Occasionally, canine biological evidence such as saliva, bloodstains and hairs can be found at crime scenes.

Transcriptome profiling of differentially expressed genes in floral buds and flowers of male sterile and fertile lines in watermelon.

Background: Male sterility is an important mechanism for the production of hybrid seeds in watermelon. Although fruit development has been studied extensively in watermelon, there are no reports on gene expression in floral organs. In this study, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed in two near-isogenic watermelon lines (genic male sterile [GMS] line, DAH3615-MS and male fertile line, DAH3615) to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to male sterility.

A novel potential biocompatible hyperbranched polyspermine for efficient lung cancer gene therapy.

The clinical successful application of gene therapy critically depends upon the development of non-toxic and efficient delivery system. Although polycationic non-viral vectors hold great promise in nanomedicine, the exploring of application in clinics still remains a big challenge. To develop a non-toxic and efficient non-viral gene delivery system, two kinds of endogenous substance, citric acid (CA) and spermine (SPE), were used to prepare a new low charge density hyperbranched polyspermine (HPSPE) by one-pot polymerization.

Novel and selective detection of Tabun mimics.

Detection of nerve agent-related molecules based on BODIPY-salicylaldehyde oxime conjugation was studied. Fluorescence intensity of the B-SAL-OXIME species increases in the presence of DECP, whereas it decreases in the presence of DCP and DEMP (limit of detection = 997 nM). Benzonitrile formation in the novel fluorescent B-SAL-OXIME system was elucidated using model substrates.

Novel reversible and selective nerve agent simulant detection in conjunction with superoxide "turn-on" probing.

Herein, we present fluorescein as a reversible fluorescent sensor for nerve agent simulants diethylchlorophosphate (DCP), diethyl methylphosphonate (DEMP), and diethyl cyanophosphonate (DECP). The superoxide allows for an "off-on" mechanism to regenerate fluorescein. The order of decrease in fluorescence intensity for nerve agent simulants is DCP > DEMP ≫ DECP.

Analysis of lidocaine interactions with serum proteins using high-performance affinity chromatography.

High-performance affinity chromatography was used to study binding by the drug lidocaine to human serum albumin (HSA) and alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP). AGP had strong binding to lidocaine, with an association equilibrium constant (K(a)) of 1.1-1.