Intravenous ultrasound for evaluating atherosclerotic plaque characteristics of different type traditional Chinese medicine syndrome of coronary heart disease / 中国医学影像技术

Objective To observe characteristics of atherosclerotic plaque of coronary heart disease(CHD)with different traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome type based on intravenous ultrasound(IVUS).Methods Data of 116 CHD patients were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into syndrome of blood stasis due to qi deficiency(n=33),syndrome of blockade of phlegm-turbidity(n=42)as well as syndrome of intermin-gled phlegm and blood stasis(n=41)according to TCM syndrome differentiation.IVUS was performed to compare lesion vessel and plaque characteristics among different syndromic types of CHD.Results The lipid pool area,extravascular elastic membrane area,remodeling index,plaque eccentricity index of CHD with syndrome of blood stasis due to qi deficiency were all larger than those of syndrome of blockade of phlegm-turbidity as well as syndrome of intermin-gled phlegm and blood stasis(all P＜0.05).The proportion of fibrous-fatty within plaques of syndrome of blood stasis due to qi deficiency was bigger than that of syndrome of intermin-gled phlegm and blood stasis(P＜0.05).The lipid pool area,extravascular elastic membrane area and plaque eccentricity index of CHD of syndrome of blockade of phlegm-turbidity were smaller than,while the proportion of necrotic core within plaques was bigger than those of syndrome of intermin-gled phlegm and blood stasis(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Atherosclerotic plaque characteristics in CHD with different TCM syndrome types were different,and the plaque stability of syndrome of blood stasis due to qi deficiency was the worst.

Interaction between the EPHB2 receptor and EFNB1 ligand drives gastric cancer invasion and metastasis via the Wnt/ß-catenin/FAK pathway.

The survival benefit for patients with gastric cancer (GC) is modest due to its high transfer potential. Targeted therapy for metastasis-related genes in GC may be a viable approach, however, inhibitors specifically targeting GC are limited. In this study, GC patient-derived xenografts (PDX) with metastatic burden were established via orthotopic transplantation. PCR-Array analysis of primary and metastatic tumors revealed EPH receptor B2 (EPHB2) as the most significantly upregulated gene. The interaction between the EPHB2 receptor and its cognate-specific EFNB1 ligands was high in GC and correlated with a poor prognosis. Fc-EFNB1 treatment increased the invasion and migration abilities of GC cells and induced a high EPHB2 expression. EPHB2 knockdown in GC cells completely abolished the ephrin ligand-induced effects on invasion and migration abilities. Signal transduction analysis revealed Wnt/ß-catenin and FAK as downstream signaling mediators potentially inducing the EPHB2 phenotype. In conclusion, the observed deregulation of EPHB2/EFNB1 expression in GC enhances the invasive phenotype, suggesting a potential role of EPHB2/EFNB1 compound in local tumor cell invasion and the formation of metastasis.

microRNA-128-3p inhibits proliferation and accelerates apoptosis of gastric cancer cells via inhibition of TUFT1.

OBJECTIVE: Gastric cancer (GC) is a malignant tumor rooting in the gastric mucosal epithelium, ranking the first among various malignant tumors. Therefore, the influence of microRNA-128-3p (miR-128-3p) by regulation of Tuftelin1 (TUFT1) on GC cells was investigated. METHODS: The expression levels of miR-128-3p and TUFT1 in GC tissues and cells were detected. The correlation between miR-128-3p expression and overall survival of GC patients was analyzed. Human GC cells MGC803 were transfected with miR-128-3p or TUFT1-related oligonucleotides to figure their roles in viability, apoptosis, invasion, as well as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The relationship between miR-128-3p and TUFT1 was validated. RESULTS: miR-128-3p expression was low and TUFT1 expression was high in GC tissues. miR-128-3p expression was positively correlated with the overall survival of patients with GC. miR-128-3p targeted TUFT1. Up-regulated miR-128-3p or suppressed TUFT1 repressed viability, invasion, and EMT, and accelerated apoptosis of GC cells. Overexpressed TUFT1 reduced miR-128-3p-mediated growth inhibition of GC cells. CONCLUSION: The study stresses that miR-128-3p can inhibit TUFT1 expression, thereby repressing GC cell activities.

Free fatty acids stabilize integrin ß1via S-nitrosylation to promote monocyte-endothelial adhesion.

Hyperlipidemia characterized by high blood levels of free fatty acids (FFAs) is important for the progression of inflammatory cardiovascular diseases. Integrin ß1 is a transmembrane receptor that drives various cellular functions, including differentiation, migration, and phagocytosis. However, the underlying mechanisms modifying integrin ß1 protein and activity in mediating monocyte/macrophage adhesion to endothelium remain poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that integrin ß1 protein underwent S-nitrosylation in response to nitrosative stress in macrophages. To examine the effect of elevated levels of FFA on the modulation of integrin ß1 expression, we treated the macrophages with a combination of oleic acid and palmitic acid (2:1) and found that FFA activated inducible nitric oxide synthase/nitric oxide and increased the integrin ß1 protein level without altering the mRNA level. FFA promoted integrin ß1 S-nitrosylation via inducible nitric oxide synthase/nitric oxide and prevented its degradation by decreasing binding to E3 ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl. Furthermore, we found that increased integrin α4ß1 heterodimerization resulted in monocyte/macrophage adhesion to endothelium. In conclusion, these results provided novel evidence that FFA-stimulated N--O stabilizes integrin ß1via S-nitrosylation, favoring integrin α4ß1 ligation to promote vascular inflammation.

Reduced stem nonstructural carbohydrates caused by plant growth retardant had adverse effects on maize yield under low density.

Enhancing maize lodging resistance with plant growth retardants (PGRs) is common in maize production. However, the underlying mechanisms of yield formation as affected by PGRs are still poorly understood. A field experiment contained PGR application (a mixture of ethephon and cycocel, EC) with normal (T1) and double (T2) doses and water control (CK) was conducted at four maize plant densities (4.5, 6.0, 7.5, and 9.0 plants m-2) in 2020 and 2021. In this two-year study, the grain yield and kernel number per ear (KNE) of EC treatments were reduced by 4.8-9.0% and 3.3-12.2%, respectively, compared with CK under densities of 4.5, 6.0, and 7.5 plants m-2 without lodging. However, under the density of 9.0 plants m-2, EC treatments had no pronounced effects on grain yield and yield components. Across all densities, EC significantly decreased the leaf area index (LAI), and the lowest LAI was recorded in T2. The concentrations of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs; starch and soluble sugar) in the stem were significantly decreased by 9.9-10.2% in T2 averaged all densities. The sucrose and starch concentrations in grains also declined in the EC treatments. The key enzymes (cell wall acid invertase, sucrose synthase, and adenosine diphosphate pyrophosphorylase) and grain polyamine concentrations showed a slight downward trend under EC treatments compared to CK. NSCs in stems and grains, kernel enzyme activities, and polyamines in grains presented significant positive correlations with KNE. Additionally, structural carbohydrate (SC; including cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) concentrations in stems were improved with enhanced lodging resistance by spraying EC. Significant negative relationships were observed between SC with kernel number m-2 (KNM) and yield, suggesting that improved SC in stems might affect the availability of NSCs for kernel set. Although the lowest kernel weight and KNE were obtained at 9.0 plant m-2, relatively high LAI still ensured high KNM and high yield. Collectively, EC treatment increased SC in stems, enhanced lodging resistance of maize and reduced NSC availability for kernels, ultimately presenting adverse effects on maize kernel number and yield under relative low density.

Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed the regulatory mechanism of sulfur application in grain yield and protein content in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Sulfur fertilizers play an important role in increasing the yield and improving the dough quality of bread wheat, but their regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In this study, 0 kg·ha-1 (S0) and 60 kg·ha-1 (S60) of sulfur were applied on the anthesis date; subsequently, immature wheat grains at 8, 13, and 18 days post-anthesis (DPA) were subjected to integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to investigate the changes in the gene/metabolite activity in a typical strong-gluten wheat, Gaoyou2018 (GY2018). Our data show that the S60 treatment could significantly increase the grain yield and grain protein content by 13.2 and 3.6%, respectively. The transcriptomic analysis revealed that 10,694 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were induced by S60 from 8 to 18 DPA when compared with their corresponding no-sulfur controls, and most DEGs were mainly involved in lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism pathways. Ninety-seven MYB transcription factors (TFs) were identified as responsive to the S60 treatment; of these, 66 showed significantly differential expression at 13 DPA, and MYB118 might participate in the process of sulfur metabolism by regulating glucosinolate synthesis. In total, 542 significantly enriched differentially expressed (DE) metabolites (DEMs) were identified following the S60 treatment, which mainly included secondary metabolites, carbohydrates, and amino acids. Several metabolites (e.g., glutathione, sucrose, GDP-alpha-D-glucose, and amino acids) exhibited altered abundances following the S60 treatment. The combination of transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses highlighted the important role of amino acid metabolism (especially cysteine, methionine, and glutathione metabolism) and starch and sucrose metabolism pathways after S60 application. Our results provide valuable information enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanism of the response to sulfur and provide useful clues for grain protein quality formation and yield improvement in bread wheat.

CCN1/Integrin α5ß1 Instigates Free Fatty Acid-Induced Hepatocyte Lipid Accumulation and Pyroptosis through NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation.

Hyperlipidemia with high blood levels of free fatty acids (FFA) is the leading cause of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. CCN1 is a secreted matricellular protein that drives various cellular functions, including proliferation, migration, and differentiation. However, its role in mediating FFA-induced pro-inflammatory cell death and its underlying molecular mechanisms have not been characterized. In this study, we demonstrated that CCN1 was upregulated in the livers of obese mice. The increase in FFA-induced CCN1 was evaluated in vitro by treating hepatocytes with a combination of oleic acid and palmitic acid (2:1). Gene silencing using specific small interfering RNAs (siRNA) revealed that CCN1 participated in FFA-induced intracellular lipid accumulation, caspase-1 activation, and hepatocyte pyroptosis. Next, we identified integrin α5ß1 as a potential receptor of CCN1. Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated that the binding between CCN1 and integrin α5ß1 increased in hepatocytes upon FFA stimulation in the livers of obese mice. Similarly, the protein levels of integrin α5 and ß1 were increased in vitro and in vivo. Experiments with specific siRNAs confirmed that integrin α5ß1 played a part in FFA-induced intracellular lipid accumulation, NLRP3 inflammasome activation, and pyroptosis in hepatocytes. In conclusion, these results provide novel evidence that the CCN1/integrin α5ß1 is a novel mediator that drives hepatic lipotoxicity via NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis.

Network Analysis Reveals the Combination of Controlled-Release and Regular Urea Enhances Microbial Interactions and Improves Maize Yields.

Increased complexity of microbial networks can contribute to increased biodiversity and multifunctionality and thus crop productivity. However, it is not clear which combination ratio of regular and controlled-release urea will increase the soil microbial community complexity and improve maize yield in the North China Plain. To address this knowledge gap, a 2-year field experiment was conducted to explore the effects of the combination of regular (U) and controlled release (S) urea ratios [no fertilizer control (CT), regular urea alone (U), controlled-release urea alone (S), controlled-release urea mixed with regular urea 3:7 (SU3), controlled-release urea mixed with regular urea 5:5 (SU5), and controlled-release urea mixed with regular urea 7:3 (SU7)] on XianYu 688 yield and its rhizosphere and bulk soil microbial community composition and network complexity at different fertility stages. The combination of controlled-release and regular urea increased the N agronomic efficiency, N partial factors productivity, maize yield, and grain number per spike, with the maximum maize yield (9,186 kg ha-1) being achieved when the ratio of controlled-release urea to regular urea was 3:7 (SU3, p < 0.05). Maize yield increased by 13% in the SU3 treatment compared to the CT treatment. Rhizosphere soil microbial diversity remained stable at the silking stage of maize while increased at the physiological maturity stage of maize, with the increasing controlled-release to regular N fertilizer ratios (from 3:7 to 7:3, p < 0.05). This result suggests that a combination of regular and controlled-release N fertilizer can still substantially increase soil microbial diversity in the later stages of maize growth. The combination of controlled-release and regular urea is more effective in improving microbial network total links and average degree, and N agronomic efficiency (R 2 = 0.79, p < 0.01), N partial factor productivity (R 2 = 0.79, p < 0.01), spikes per unit area (R 2 = 0.54, p < 0.05), and maize yield (R 2 = 0.42, p < 0.05) increased with the microbial network complexity. This result indicates that the higher microbial network complexity is strongly associated with the higher N agronomic efficiency and N partial factors productivity and maize yield. In conclusion, the ratio of controlled-release to regular urea at SU3 not only increases the yield of maize and N agronomic efficiency but also enhances microbial diversity and network complexity in the North China Plain.

Procyanidin B2 Attenuates Nicotine-Induced Hepatocyte Pyroptosis through a PPARγ-Dependent Mechanism.

Procyanidin B2 (PCB2), a natural flavonoid, has been demonstrated to exert anti-oxidation and anti-inflammatory effects on hepatic diseases. Increasing evidence shows the hepatoxicity of nicotine. However, whether PCB2 protects against nicotine-induced hepatoxicity and the underlying mechanisms remains uncharacterized. Here, we reported that nicotine promoted hepatocyte pyroptosis, as evidenced by the elevation of propidium iodide (PI)-positive cells, the activation of Caspase-1 and gasdermin D (GSDMD), the enhanced expression of NOD-like receptor containing pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) and the increased release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18. The silencing of GSDMD by small interfering RNA (siRNA) efficiently inhibited the release of LDH and the secretion of IL-1ß and IL-18. In addition, rosiglitazone (RGZ) prevented hepatocyte pyroptosis induced by nicotine. Furthermore, we showed that PCB2 attenuated nicotine-induced pyroptosis through the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) in hepatocytes. Moreover, administration of PCB2 ameliorated liver injury and hepatocyte pyroptosis in nicotine-treated mice. Hence, our findings demonstrated that PCB2 attenuated pyroptosis and liver damage in a PPARγ-dependent manner. Our results suggest a new mechanism by which PCB2 exerts its liver protective effects.

Mapping of dwarfing QTL of Ari1327, a semi-dwarf mutant of upland cotton.

BACKGROUND: Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) has few cotton varieties suitable for mechanical harvesting. The plant height of the cultivar is one of the key features that need to modify. Hence, this study was planned to locate the QTL for plant height in a 60Co γ treated upland cotton semi-dwarf mutant Ari1327. RESULTS: Interestingly, bulk segregant analysis (BSA) and genotyping by sequencing (GBS) methods exhibited that candidate QTL was co-located in the region of 5.80-9.66 Mb at D01 chromosome in two F2 populations. Using three InDel markers to genotype a population of 1241 individuals confirmed that the offspring's phenotype is consistent with the genotype. Comparative analysis of RNA-seq between the mutant and wild variety exhibited that Gh_D01G0592 was identified as the source of dwarfness from 200 genes. In addition, it was also revealed that the appropriate use of partial separation markers in QTL mapping can escalate linkage information. CONCLUSIONS: Overwhelmingly, the results will provide the basis to reveal the function of candidate genes and the utilization of excellent dwarf genetic resources in the future.

Increasing temperature during early spring increases winter wheat grain yield by advancing phenology and mitigating leaf senescence.

High temperature usually reduces wheat yield, especially at critical growth stages, such as anthesis and grain filling. However, effects of increasing temperature during wintering period on winter wheat growth and development are rarely reported. Hence, this three-year field experiment evaluated how artificial warming during early spring (wintering period) affects winter wheat. The warming treatment (WT) advanced the wheat reviving, jointing, anthesis, and maturity stages, but the average temperature in each growing stage reduced, thus extending the duration of tillering, spike differentiation, and grain filling. Concurrently, the leaf area index and biomass accumulation were obviously increased. Additionally, WT showed a lower leaf senescence rate compared with that of control (CK). Also, the photosynthesis rate and SPAD of WT were increased relative to CK. WT increased superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activities, and reduced malondialdehyde content in flag leaf during the grain filling stage, suggesting WT during early spring could delay leaf senescence after anthesis, which contributed to a high filling rate and long filling duration. Correspondingly, the final spike number, kernel number, and kernel weight of WT were significantly increased compared with CK. In the three seasons, grain yield was increased by 18.2%-37.5% in WT compared with CK. Results of this study provided a new viewpoint that increasing temperature could shorten the wintering period but extend the effective growth phase, and increase grain yield in winter wheat.

Heat Stress After Pollination Reduces Kernel Number in Maize by Insufficient Assimilates.

Global warming has increased the occurrence of high temperature stress in plants, including maize, resulting in decreased the grain number and yield. Previous studies indicate that heat stress mainly damages the pollen grains and thus lowered maize grain number. Other field studies have shown that heat stress after pollination results in kernel abortion. However, the mechanism by which high temperature affect grain abortion following pollination remains unclear. Hence, this study investigated the field grown heat-resistant maize variety "Zhengdan 958" (ZD958) and heat-sensitive variety "Xianyu 335" (XY335) under a seven-day heat stress treatment (HT) after pollination. Under HT, the grain numbers of XY335 and ZD958 were reduced by 10.9% (p = 0.006) and 5.3% (p = 0.129), respectively. The RNA sequencing analysis showed a higher number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between HT and the control in XY335 compared to ZD958. Ribulose diphosphate carboxylase (RuBPCase) genes were downregulated by heat stress, and RuBPCase activity was significantly lowered by 14.1% (p = 0.020) in XY335 and 5.3% (p = 0.436) in ZD958 in comparison to CK. The soluble sugar and starch contents in the grains of XY335 were obviously reduced by 26.1 and 58.5%, respectively, with no distinct change observed in ZD958. Heat stress also inhibited the synthesis of grain starch, as shown by the low activities of metabolism-related enzymes. Under HT, the expression of trehalose metabolism genes in XY335 were upregulated, and these genes may be involved in kernel abortion at high temperature. In conclusion, this study revealed that post-pollination heat stress in maize mainly resulted in reduced carbohydrate availability for grain development, though the heat-resistant ZD958 was nevertheless able to maintain growth.

Wheat TaLr35PR2 gene is required for Lr35-mediated adult plant resistance against leaf rust fungus.

In this study we analysed the expression patterns of TaLr35PR2 and confirmed its role in Lr35-mediated adult resistance to leaf rust fungus. ß-1,3-glucanase, a pathogenesis-related protein, has a critical function in plant defence response against fungal pathogens. We previously described the full-length gene TaLr35PR2, which encodes a protein exhibiting amino acid and structural similarity to ß-1,3-glucanase, in the wheat near-isogenic line TcLr35 (GenBank accession number DQ294235.1). This work aimed to further assess TaLr35PR2 expression patterns and function in Lr35-mediated adult resistance to Puccinia triticina. Immunoblot was performed to demonstrate that TaLr35PR2 expression was triggered early by P. triticina, with expression levels markedly elevated in incompatible interaction compared with those in compatible one. Additionally, TaLr35PR2 accumulation steadily increased and overtly peaked after challenge with P. triticina through the various developmental stages of TcLr35 wheat, and remaining at similar levels after mock inoculation. Furthermore, TaLr35PR2 expression was significantly reduced in barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV)-induced gene knockdown plants, in which pathological assessment revealed that TaLr35PR2-silenced plants was obviously susceptible to leaf rust fungus compared with wild-type TcLr35, indicating that Lr35-mediated resistance to leaf rust was diminished. These findings strongly suggest that TaLr35PR2 is involved in Lr35-mediated wheat defence against the leaf rust pathogen.

Analysis of genetic diversity and population structure in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) germplasm using simple sequence repeats.

Improvement of cotton fibre yield and quality is challenging due to the narrow genetic base of modern cotton cultivars, which emphasizes the great need to effectively explore the existing germplasm resources. With major objective to assess the genetic diversity and population structure at DNA level, 302 elite upland cotton germplasm accessions (253 Chinese and 49 different exotic origins), were genotyped using 198 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers. Each of the 198 markers differed greatly in its ability to detect variations in the panel of cotton germplasm. The SSRs amplified 897 alleles, of which 77.7% were polymorphic. The number of alleles varied from 2 to 12 (mean 4.53). Gene diversity ranged from 0.020 to 0.492 with a mean of 0.279. The polymorphic information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.371 to 0.019 (mean 0.225). Genetic distances in the whole cotton germplasm ranged from 0.451 to 0.052 (mean 0.270), demonstrating relatively wider genetic diversity range. Chinese-origin cotton germplasm showed the highest level of SSR polymorphisms (gene diversity=0.268, PIC=0.218), whereas American-origin revealed the highest mean genetic distance (0.274). Model-based Bayesian analysis clustered the whole cotton germplasm into three subpopulations, and the highest molecular variation ws revealed between subpopulations (4%, P<0.001). The SSRs revealed moderate level of genetic diversity at DNA level, identified three structured subpopulations, suggesting a potential use of these markers for genomewide association mapping studies and for identifying and conserving useful alleles in upland cotton germplasm.

MiR-410 inhibition induces HUVECs proliferation and represses ox-LDL-triggered apoptosis through activating STAT3.

Ox-LDL-induced endothelial cells injury has been reported to play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis (AS). MicroRNAs have been identified to regulate their target genes post-transcriptionally and they are able to participate in the various diseases, including AS. However, the role of miR-410 in ox-LDL-triggered abnormal function of endothelial cells remains to be elaborated. Hence, our current study was to find out the underlying mechanism of miR-410 in AS. Here, we observed that ox-LDL can inhibit HUVECs growth and lead to a great cell apoptosis both dose-dependently and time-dependently. Meanwhile, it was exhibited that miR-410 expression was remarkably elevated in ox-LDL-indicated HUVECs. miR-410 knockdown was able to induce cell proliferation and alleviate HUVECs apoptosis subjected to ox-LDL. Reversely, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) expression was greatly decreased in ox-LDL-incubated HUVECs in a time and dose dependent manner. Additionally, these findings exhibited that STAT3 was a target of miR-410, which was validated by a dual-luciferase assay in our study. Additionally, we observed that overexpression of STAT3 rescued ox-LDL induced AS events in vitro. Taken these together, our current study implied that miR-410 silence can inhibit the ox-LDL-induced HUVECs proliferation and rescue cell apoptosis through activating STAT3 in vitro.

EcoTILLING revealed SNPs in GhSus genes that are associated with fiber- and seed-related traits in upland cotton.

Cotton is the most important textile crop in the world due to its cellulose-enriched fibers. Sucrose synthase genes (Sus) play pivotal roles in cotton fiber and seed development. To mine and pyramid more favorable alleles for cotton molecular breeding, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of GhSus family genes were investigated across 277 upland cotton accessions by EcoTILLING. As a result, a total of 24 SNPs in the amplified regions of eight GhSus genes were identified. These SNPs were significantly associated with at least one fiber- or seed-related trait measured in Nanjing, Anyang and Kuche in 2007-2009. Four main-effect quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) and five epistatic QTNs, with 0.76-3.56% of phenotypic variances explained by each QTN (PVE), were found to be associated with yield-related traits; six epistatic QTNs, with the 0.43-3.48% PVE, were found to be associated with fiber quality-related traits; and one main-effect QTN and one epistatic QTN, with the PVE of 1.96% and 2.53%, were found to be associated with seed oil content and protein content, respectively. Therefore, this study provides new information for molecular breeding in cotton.

[Homologous simple sequence repeats (SSRs) analysis in tetraploid (AD1) and diploid (A2, D5) genomes of Gossypium].

Simple sequence repeats (SSRs)are a class of repetitive DNA sequences, which are commonly used for genome analysis. Comparison of the homologous SSRs among different genomes is helpful to understand the evolutionary process in relative species. In this study, SSR scanning was performed to investigate their distribution and length variation among the genomes of G. raimondii (D5), G. arboretum (A2) and G. hirsutum (AD1). The results demonstrated that the distribution of SSRs in A genome was very similar with that in D genome, while the length variation of homologous SSRs between A and AD genome was more conserved than that between D and AD genome. Compared with SSRs in AD genome, the number of SSRs with longer motif length in A genome was about five times of those with shorter motif length, while it was about three times in D genome. This implied that the length variation rates of homologous SSRs between diploid cotton and tetraploid cotton were different during the parallel evolution due to the subgenome fusion, and the motif length of most SSRs in tetraoploid genome tended to become shorter than homologous SSRs in diploid genome during the process of evolution. This study comprehensively compared the SSRs in three cotton genomes and revealed the significant difference among them, providing a foundation for further evolutionary study of Gossypium genome.

Exploration on the Famous Old TCM Doctor Wang Xingkuan’s Rules of Syndrome and Treatment of Chest Blocking and Heartache Based on Data Mining / 中国中医药信息杂志

Objective To explore Wang Xingkuan’s rules of syndrome and treatment of chest blocking and heartache (Xiongbixintong).Methods Collection of professor Wang Xingkuan’s 267 consilia of patients with Xiongbixintong for outpatients. Chinese medicine terminology was regulated and Excelldatabase was established. Symptom, syndrome element, pathogenesis and treatment were statistically described by using Weka3.6 software, and Apriori algorithm was adopted for the main pathogenesis→treatment analysis of association rules.Results Symptoms include:chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, pale tongue (dark) red, etc. Syndrome elements include:in liver, and heart, and blood stasis, phlegm, qi stagnation, etc. The key pathogenesis is liver-heart imbalance, including stagnation of liver qi, heart and blood stasis, deficiency of heart qi-ying, disturbing heart-mind, etc. The principle of treatment is liver-heart Tongzhi, so the treatment is of“liver” with Shu gan-mu;treatment of“heart” contains freeing channels, eliminating phlegm and blood stasis, quiet the heart, replenishing qi-ying, etc. The main pathogenesis related credibility→treatment was higher than 0.50;with high reliability, the liver-heart imbalance→liver-heart Tongzhi was 0.71. Medication includes catharsis and tonic,“catharsis” to salvia, allium macrostemon, pseudo-ginseng, bupleurum, etc;“tonic” to white ginseng, ophiopogon japonicus, radix paeoniae alba, poria with hostwood, polygala tenuifolia, etc. Conclusion “Xintongzhigan, liver-heart Tongzhi, catharsis and tonic” is Wang Xingkuan’s thoughts and experience in treating Xiongbixintong.

Identification and characterization of cotton genes involved in fuzz-fiber development.

Cotton fuzz fibers, like Arabidopsis trichomes, are elongated unicells. It is postulated that a transcriptional complex of GLABRA1 (GL1), GLABRA3 (GL3), and TRANSPARENT TESTAGLABRA1 (TTG1) might be in existence in Arabidopsis as evidenced by their physical interaction in yeast, and the complex regulates expression of GLABRA2 (GL2) controlling trichome cell differentiation; it is also assumed that TRIPTYCHON (TRY) and CAPRICE (CPC) counteract the complex formation in neighboring cells. Here, the homologs GaMYB23 (a homolog of GL1), GaDEL65 (a homolog of GL3), GaTTG1, GaCPC and GaTRY were identified in Gossypium arboreum. We show that GaMYB23 can bind to and activate the promoters of GaCPC, GaGL2 and GaTRY, and that GaMYB23, GaTRY and GaTTG1 could interact with GaDEL65 in yeast and in planta. In situ analysis showed that GaMYB23, GaGL2, GaDEL65, and GaTRY were predominantly expressed in fuzz fiber, but GaTRY proteins were primarily found in undeveloped epidermal cells. A G. arboreum fuzzless mutant with consistently high level GaMYB23 transcript has lost the detectable GaMYB23-promoter of GaGL2 complex, corresponding to sharply reduced transcription of GaGL2. Our results support that cotton homologs to the genetic molecules regulating Arabidopsis trichome differentiation interacted in the epidermis of ovules and the redundant GaMYB23 serves as a negative regulator in fuzz-fiber patterning.

Comparative proteomic analysis reveals differentially expressed proteins correlated with fuzz fiber initiation in diploid cotton (Gossypium arboreum L.).

In this study, a comparative proteomic analysis was employed to identify fuzz fiber initiation-related proteins in wild-type diploid cotton (Gossypium arboreum L.) and its fuzzless mutant. Temporal changes in global proteomes were examined using 2-DE at five developmental time points for fuzz fiber initiation, and 71 differentially expressed protein species were identified by MS, 45 of which were preferentially accumulated in the wild-type. These proteins were assigned to several functional categories, mainly in cell response/signal transduction, redox homeostasis, protein metabolism and energy/carbohydrate metabolism. It was remarkable that more than ten key proteins with high-abundance were involved in gibberellic acid (GA) signaling and ROS scavenging, and increasing concentrations of active GAs and H2O2 were also detected approximately 5dpa in wild type ovules. Furthermore, in vivo GA and H2O2 treatments of ovules inside young bolls showed that these compounds can synergistically promote fuzz fiber initiation. Our findings not only described a dynamic protein network supporting fuzz initiation in diploid cotton fiber ovules, but also deepened our understanding of the molecular basis of cotton fiber initiation. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Our study reported the identification of differentially expressed proteins in wild-type diploid cotton (G. arboreum L.) and its fuzzless mutant by comparative proteomic approach. In total, 71 protein species related to fuzz initiation were identified by MS. These proteins were assigned to several functional categories, mainly in energy/carbohydrate metabolism, protein metabolism, signal transduction, redox homeostasis etc. Importantly, a number of key proteins were found to be associated with GA signaling and ROS scavenging. In consistence with these findings, we detected the increase of GAs and H2O2 concentrations during fiber initiation, and our in vivo ovule experiments with GA and H2O2 injection and following microscopy observation of fuzz fiber initiation supported promoting effects of GA and H2O2 on cotton fiber initiation. These findings depicted a dynamic protein network supporting cotton fiber initiation in diploid cotton ovules. Our study is of major significance for understanding the molecular mechanisms controlling fuzz initiation and also provides a solid basis for further functional research of single nodes of this network in relation to cotton fiber initiation.