Application and development of CRISPR technology in the secondary metabolic pathway of the active ingredients of phytopharmaceuticals.

As an efficient gene editing tool, the CRISPR/Cas9 system has been widely employed to investigate and regulate the biosynthetic pathways of active ingredients in medicinal plants. CRISPR technology holds significant potential for enhancing both the yield and quality of active ingredients in medicinal plants. By precisely regulating the expression of key enzymes and transcription factors, CRISPR technology not only deepens our understanding of secondary metabolic pathways in medicinal plants but also opens new avenues for drug development and the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.

Aroma analysis and biomarker screening of 27 tea cultivars based on four leaf color types.

Green is no longer the only color used to describe tea leaves. As tea plants with different leaf colors-white, yellow, and purple-yield significant economic benefits, scholars are growing increasingly curious about whether these differently colored leaves possess unique aromatic characteristics. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with GC-MS was used to analyze the volatile metabolites of buds and leaves from 7 white-leaf tea plants, 9 yellow-leaf tea plants, 4 purple-leaf tea plants, and 7 normal (green) tea plants.

Effects of soil water on fungal community composition along elevational gradients on the northern slope of the Central Kunlun Mountains.

Soil fungi are essential to ecosystem processes, yet their elevational distribution patterns and the ecological mechanisms shaping their communities remain poorly understood and actively debated, particularly in arid regions. Here, we investigated the diversity patterns and underlying mechanisms shaping soil fungal communities along an elevational gradient (1,707-3,548 m) on the northern slope of the Central Kunlun Mountains in northwest China. Results indicated that the dominant phyla identified across the seven elevational gradients were and , displaying a unimodal pattern and a U-shaped pattern in relative abundance, respectively.

Resource Segmentation: A New Dimension of the Segmentation Hypothesis in Drought Adaptive Strategies and Its Links to Tree Growth Performance.

The segmentation hypothesis, a framework for understanding plant drought adaptive strategy, has long been based on hydraulic resistance and vulnerability. Storage of water and carbohydrate resources is another critical function and shapes plant drought adaption and fitness together with hydraulic efficiency and vulnerability. However, patterns and implications of the interdependency of stored water and carbohydrate resources in the context of the segmentation hypothesis are poorly understood.

Differential responses of plant and microbial respiration to extreme precipitation and drought during spring and summer in the Eurasian meadow steppe.

Increasing extreme precipitation and drought events along changes in their seasonal patterns due to climate change are expected to have profound consequences for carbon cycling. However, how these climate extremes impact ecosystem respiration (R) and whether these impacts differ between seasons remain unclear. Here, we reveal the responses of R and its components to extreme precipitation and drought in spring and summer by conducting a five-year manipulative experiment in a temperate meadow steppe.

Multiple, Single Trait GWAS and Supervised Machine Learning Reveal the Genetic Architecture of Fraxinus excelsior Tolerance to Ash Dieback in Europe.

Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is under intensive attack from the invasive alien pathogenic fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, causing ash dieback at epidemic levels throughout Europe. Previous studies have found significant genetic variation among genotypes in ash dieback susceptibility and that host phenology, such as autumn yellowing, is correlated with susceptibility of ash trees to H. fraxineus; however, the genomic basis of ash dieback tolerance in F.

Advancing COVID-19 Treatment: The Role of Non-covalent Inhibitors Unveiled by Integrated Machine Learning and Network Pharmacology.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated rapid advancements in therapeutic discovery. This study presents an integrated approach combining machine learning (ML) and network pharmacology to identify potential non-covalent inhibitors against pivotal proteins in COVID-19 pathogenesis, specifically B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR).

Method: Employing a dataset of 13,107 compounds, ML algorithms such as k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Naïve Bayes (NB) were utilized for screening and predicting active inhibitors based on molecular features.

The underappreciated roles of aboveground vertebrates on belowground communities.

In recent decades, evidence of interactions between aboveground and belowground (i.e., soil) subsystems has accumulated.

Addressing Regional Agro-ecological Boundaries: An Integrated Environmental Footprint Framework for Revealing Sustainability Gaps in Agroecosystems.

Overexploiting ecosystems to meet growing food demands threatens global agricultural sustainability and food security. Addressing these challenges requires solutions tailored to regional agro-ecological boundaries (AEBs) and overall agro-ecological risks. Here, we propose a globally consistent and regionally adapted approach for quantifying regional AEBs.

ZjMAPKK4 Interacted With ZjNAC78 Regulates Cold Tolerance Response in Jujube.

Jujube (Ziziphus ujuba Mill.) holds great importance as a fruit tree in China, with strong tolerance to drought and saline stress, but its growth is limited by vulnerability to cold stress. Consequently, the role of MAPK cascades in mediating jujube cold stress response remains unclear, with the specific function of ZjMAPKK4 in this context yet to be fully elucidated.

Carbon sink potential and the cost of afforestation in northwest China when accounting for ecosystem service value.

The cost effectiveness of mitigating climate change through afforestation needs to be evaluated for regions with a fragile environment and vulnerable ecosystems. This study develops an integrated geographic-economic-ecological framework to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of afforestation for carbon sequestration in Northwest China. It employs a spatial model of natural factors and a bioeconomic optimization model to identify marginal lands suitable for afforestation.

Time-Course Transcriptomics Analysis Reveals Molecular Mechanisms of Salt-Tolerant and Salt-Sensitive Cotton Cultivars in Response to Salt Stress.

Salt stress is an environmental factor that limits plant seed germination, growth, and survival. We performed a comparative RNA sequencing transcriptome analysis during germination of the seeds from two cultivars with contrasting salt tolerance responses. A transcriptomic comparison between salt-tolerant cotton cv Jin-mian 25 and salt-sensitive cotton cv Su-mian 3 revealed both similar and differential expression patterns between the two genotypes during salt stress.

Population sequencing of cherry accessions unravels the evolution of Cerasus species and the selection of genetic characteristics in edible cherries.

Cerasus is a subgenus of Prunus in the family Rosaceae that is popular owing to its ornamental, edible, and medicinal properties. Understanding the evolution of the Cerasus subgenus and identifying selective trait loci in edible cherries are crucial for the improvement of cherry cultivars to meet producer and consumer demands. In this study, we performed a de novo assembly of a chromosome-scale genome for the sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.

The efficient separation of bioactive components from Eucommia ulmoides Oliver using membrane filtration technology and its mechanisms in preventing alcoholic liver disease.

The efficient extraction and purification of active components from Eucommia ulmoides Oliver (EUO) are crucial for their utilization. The structure and properties of the prepared EUO leaf polysaccharides (ELPs) and extractum (ELE) were comprehensively characterized in this study, and the intervention mechanism of the EUO polysaccharides and extractum in alcoholic liver disease (ALD) were investigated. The yield of EUO extractum was 24.

ShinyGS-a graphical toolkit with a serial of genetic and machine learning models for genomic selection: application, benchmarking, and recommendations.

Genomic prediction is a powerful approach for improving genetic gain and shortening the breeding cycles in animal and crop breeding programs. A series of statistical and machine learning models has been developed to increase the prediction performance continuously. However, the application of these models requires advanced R programming skills and command-line tools to perform quality control, format input files, and install packages and dependencies, posing challenges for breeders.

Advancements in Structural Basis of Covalent Inhibitors Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Essential Proteins.

Covalent inhibitors play a pivotal role in the development of pharmaceutical therapies, as they form stable, irreversible bonds with target biomolecules, leading to prolonged therapeutic effects and enhanced efficacy. Since covalent inhibitors first appeared in the late 1800s, the field has become innovative rapidly, and covalent inhibitors now account for around 30% of all marketed therapeutics. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes the pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Building of CuO@Cu-TA@DSF/DHA Nanoparticle Targets MAPK Pathway to Achieve Synergetic Chemotherapy and Chemodynamic for Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

With the increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cancer cells can avoid cell death and damage by up-regulating antioxidant programs. Therefore, it will be more effective to induce cell death by using targeted strategies to further improve ROS levels and drugs that inhibit antioxidant programs. Considering that dihydroartemisinin (DHA) can cause oxidative damage to protein, DNA, or lipids by producing excessive ROS, while, disulfiram (DSF) can inhibit glutathione (GSH) levels and achieve the therapeutic effect by inhibiting antioxidant system and amplifying oxidative stress, they were co-loaded onto the copper peroxide nanoparticles (CuO) coated with copper tannic acid (Cu-TA), to build a drug delivery system of CuO@Cu-TA@DSF/DHA nanoparticles (CCTDD NPs).

Impact of Different Land-Use Types on Soil Microbial Carbon Metabolism Function in Arid Region of Alpine Grassland.

There are discrepancies that exist in the effects of different land uses on soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil microbial carbon metabolism functions. However, the impact of land-use type changes on soil microbial carbon metabolism in alpine grassland arid areas is not well understood, hindering our understanding of the carbon cycling processes in these ecosystems. Therefore, we chose three types of land use (continuous reclamation of grassland (RG), abandoned grassland (AG), and natural grazing grassland (GG)) to study the microbial carbon metabolism and its driving factors by the Biolog-ECO method.

The Role of Potato Glycoside Alkaloids Mediated Oxidative Stress in Inducing Apoptosis of Wolfberry Root Rot Pathogen Fungi.

Wolfberry () is a vital economic tree species in northwest China, but root rot caused by occurs frequently, which seriously endangers the quality and yield of wolfberry. In this study, potato glycoside alkaloids (PGAs), a plant-derived active substance, were used as materials to explore its inhibitory effect on . By analyzing the changes of reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, antioxidant capacity, and apoptosis, the role of PGAs-mediated oxidative stress in inducing apoptosis of was revealed.

Prediction of the Future Evolution Trends of in China Based on the Key Climate Factors Using MaxEnt Modeling.

Mountain apricot () is an important fruit tree variety, and has a wide range of planting and application value in China and even the world. However, the current research on the suitable distribution area of is still inconclusive. In this study, we retrieved distribution data for in China from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), and identified six key environmental factors influencing its distribution through cluster analysis.

Predicting Tuberculosis Risk in Cattle, Buffaloes, Sheep, and Goats in China Based on Air Pollutants and Meteorological Factors.

Tuberculosis is a zoonotic chronic respiratory infectious disease caused by the complex. The outbreak and epidemic of tuberculosis can seriously threaten human and veterinary health. To investigate the effects of environmental factors on tuberculosis in domestic ruminants, we collected data regarding the prevalence of tuberculosis in cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats in China (1956-2024) from publicly published literature and available databases.

Widespread geographic distribution of filarioid nematodes in caribou ( sspp.) in Canada.

The caribou ( sspp.) is a keystone wildlife species in northern ecosystems that plays a central role in the culture, spirituality and food security of Indigenous People. The Arctic is currently experiencing an unprecedented rate of climate change, including warming temperatures and altered patterns of precipitation.

Whole-tree harvesting improves the ecosystem N, P and K cycling functions in secondary forests in the Qinling Mountains, China.

Forest ecosystem nutrient cycling functions are the basis for the survival and development of organisms, and play an important role in maintaining the forest structural and functional stability. However, the response of forest nutrient cycling functions at the ecosystem level to whole-tree harvesting remains unclear. Herein, we calculated the ecosystem nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) absorption, utilization, retention, cycle, surplus, accumulation, productivity, turnover and return parameters and constructed N, P, and K cycling function indexes to identify the changes in ecosystem N, P, and K cycling functions in a secondary forest in the Qinling Mountains after 5 years of five different thinning intensities (0% (CK), 15%, 30%, 45%, and 60%).

Dietary Methionine Restriction Alleviates Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer's Disease Mice via Sex-Dependent Modulation on Gut Microbiota and Tryptophan Metabolism: A Multiomics Analysis.

Plant-based foods with low methionine contents have gained increasing interest for their potential health benefits, including neuroprotective effects. Methionine restriction (MR) linked to a plant-based diet has been shown to mitigate neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) through mechanisms that involve the gut microbiota. In this study, a 16-week MR diet (0.

Conference 2024: Building an innovative scientific research ecosystem for microbiome and One Health.

The Conference 2024 provides a platform to promote the development of an innovative scientific research ecosystem for microbiome and One Health. The four key components - Technology, Research (Biology), Academic journals, and Social media - form a synergistic ecosystem. Advanced technologies drive biological research, which generates novel insights that are disseminated through academic journals.