Conditional Inhibition of Eip75B Eliminates the Effects of Mating and Mifepristone on Lifespan in Female Drosophila.

Mating in female Drosophila melanogaster causes midgut hypertrophy and reduced lifespan, and these effects are blocked by the drug mifepristone. Eip75B is a transcription factor previously reported to have pleiotropic effects on Drosophila lifespan. Because Eip75B null mutations are lethal, conditional systems and/or partial knock-down are needed to study Eip75B effects in adults. Previous studies showed that Eip75B is required for adult midgut cell proliferation in response to mating. To test the possible role of Eip75B in mediating the lifespan effects of mating and mifepristone, a tripartite FLP-recombinase-based conditional system was employed that provides controls for genetic background. Expression of a Hsp70-FLP transgene was induced in third instar larvae by a brief heat pulse. The FLP recombinase catalyzed the recombination and activation of an Actin5C-GAL4 transgene. The GAL4 transcription factor in turn activated expression of a UAS-Eip75B-RNAi transgene. Inhibition of Eip75B activity was confirmed by loss of midgut hypertrophy upon mating, and the lifespan effects of both mating and mifepristone were eliminated. In addition, the negative effects of mifepristone on egg production were eliminated. The data indicate that Eip75B mediates the effects of mating and mifepristone on female midgut hypertrophy, egg production, and lifespan.

Effects of Tryptophan Supplementation in Diets with Different Protein Levels on the Production Performance of Broilers.

Tryptophan plays an important role in the pig industry but has the potential to improve performance in the poultry industry. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of tryptophan supplementation in diets with different protein levels on the feed intake, average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (F/G) of broilers. A total of 180 twenty-one-day-old broilers (half male and half female) were weighed and randomly allocated to twelve groups, with six male and six female groups. Each group consisted of 15 broilers. The broilers were fed low- (17.2%), medium- (19.2%), or high- (21.2%) protein diets with or without extra tryptophan (up to 0.25%) during the 28-day experiment. Food intake and body weight were measured weekly during the trial period. Male broilers fed a medium-protein diet containing more tryptophan showed a lower F/G. In the low-protein diet groups, additional tryptophan caused a significant reduction in the feed intake of female broilers during the first two weeks. Moreover, the serum GLP-1, cholesterol, and bile acid levels, as well as the expression of FXR mRNA in the ileum, were significantly increased. Additionally, the FXR mRNA in the hypothalamus and the GCG and GLP-1R mRNAs in the ileum tended to increase in these broilers. In summary, the tryptophan concentration in the diet can influence the feed intake and metabolism of broilers. Under a standard diet, an appropriate amount of tryptophan is beneficial to the F/G of male broilers, while under a low-protein diet, tryptophan supplementation may cause a short-term reduction in the feed intake of female broilers by increasing serum GLP-1 and bile acid signals.

Temperature adaptation patterns in Chinese cattle revealed by TRPM2 gene mutation analysis.

Cattle are sensitive to temperature fluctuations but adapt well to inclement weather conditions. When environmental temperatures exceed specific thresholds, heat stress becomes a critical concern for cattle. The TRPM2 gene, which resides on cattle chromosome 1 encodes a TRP channel protein, holding a unique capacity to sense temperature changes and facilitate rapid response to avoid heat stress. Here, we utilized the Bovine Genome Variation Database (BGVD) (http://animal.omics.pro/code/index.php/BosVar), and identified a missense mutation site, c.805A > G: p. Met269Val (rs527146862), within the TRPM2 gene. To elucidate the functional assessment of this mutation in temperature adaptation attributes of Chinese cattle, we genotyped 407 samples from 20 distinct breeds representing diverse climatic zones across China. The association analysis incorporates three temperature parameters and revealed compelling insights in terms of allele frequency. Interestingly, the prevalence of the wild-type allele A was notably higher among northern cattle breeds and this trend diminished gradually as observed in southern cattle populations. Conversely, the mutant-type allele G demonstrated a contrasting trend. Moreover, southern cattle exhibited markedly higher frequencies of GG and GA genotypes (P < 0.01). The presence of heterozygous and homozygous mutations appears to confer an enhanced capacity for adaptation to elevated temperatures. These results provide unequivocal correlation evidence between TRPM2 genotypes (AA, GA, GG) and environmental temperature parameters and comprehend the genetic mechanisms governing temperature adaptation in cattle. This provides valuable insights for strategic breed selection across diverse climatic regions, thereby aiding livestock production amid evolving climate challenges.

The TRPM2 gene encodes TRP channel protein that helps animals in combating heat stress. Twenty Chinese local cattle breeds were genotyped, and association analysis was performed. This investigation encompasses the distribution pattern of the missense mutation locus rs527146862 of the TRPM2 gene in southern, northern, and central cattle populations. The results demonstrated a significant relationship between rs527146862 locus and temperature adaptation attributes in Chinese cattle.

Decomposition and decoupling analysis of carbon emissions in the Yellow River Basin: evidence from urban agglomerations.

A comprehensive understanding of carbon emission reduction and decoupling in urban agglomerations of the Yellow River Basin (YRB) has significant theoretical and practical value for formulating precise carbon reduction policies and achieving ecological conservation and high-quality development in the region. This study utilized a generalized Divisia index decomposition model to identify the primary driving factors behind carbon emission changes in urban agglomerations of the YRB. Based on this, a model measuring decoupling efforts was constructed to systematically investigate the decoupling relationship between carbon emissions. The research findings indicate that technological progress and output scale are two primary drivers of carbon emission increases in the YRB and its urban agglomerations, whereas technological carbon intensity, output carbon intensity, and energy carbon intensity play key roles in reducing carbon emissions. Except for a few years, the YRB and Jiziwan metropolitan area (JWMA) did not exhibit decoupling effects on carbon emissions. The Shandong Peninsula Urban Agglomeration (SPUA) and Central Plains Urban Agglomeration (CPUA) showed strong decoupling effects from 2016 to 2019. The Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration (GPUA) demonstrated a strong decoupling effect from 2013 to 2019 (except from 2016 to 2017). The Lanxi Urban Agglomeration (LXUA) exhibited a strong decoupling effect from 2014 to 2019. Technological carbon intensity plays a decisive role in the transition from non-decoupling to decoupling. Therefore, the government must increase investments in green and low-carbon technologies and strictly implement carbon reduction measures. Thus, the YRB and its urban agglomerations have considerable potential for carbon emission reduction and strong decoupling effects.

Probing the photocurrent in two-dimensional titanium disulfide.

Generating photocurrent in a condensed matter system involves the excitation, relaxation, and transportation of charge carriers. As such, it is viewed a potent method for probing the dynamics of non-equilibrium carriers and the electronic band structure of solid state materials. In this research, we analyze the photoresponse of the mechanically exfoliated titanium disulfide (TiS2), a transition metal dichalcogenide whose classification as either a semimetal or a semiconductor has been the subject of debate for years. The scanning photocurrent microscopy and the temperature-dependent photoresponse characterization expose the appearance of a photovoltaic current primarily from the metal/TiS2junction in an unbiased sample, while negative photoconductivity due to the bolometric effect is observed in the conductive TiS2channel. The optoelectronic experimental results, combined with electrical transport characterization and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements, indicate that the TiS2employed in this study is likely a heavily-doped semiconductor. Our findings unveil the photocurrent generation mechanism of two dimensional TiS2, highlighting its prospective optoelectronic applications in the future.

The Plasmodesmata-Located ß-1,3-Glucanase Enzyme PdBG4 Regulates Trichomes Growth in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Intercellular material transport and information transmission in plants are carried out through the plasmodesmata (PD). The amount of callose around the PD controls channel permeability. In plants, ß-1,3-glucanase can degrade callose and affect plant growth and development. In this study, the gene producing PD-localized ß-1,3-glucanase and regulating the leaf trichomes is identified and named PdBG4. Based on functional analysis through a series of genetic manipulation assays, we found that the high expression of PdBG4 was associated with strong PD permeability and short Arabidopsis thaliana leaf trichomes. Conversely, the low expression of PdBG4 correlated with weak PD permeability and long Arabidopsis thaliana leaf trichomes. This study revealed that the PdBG4 gene negatively modulates leaf trichome growth and development by regulating PD permeability.

Ag Nanoparticles Decorated ZnO Nanorods as Multifunctional SERS Substrates for Ultrasensitive Detection and Catalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B.

Industrial wastewater containing large amounts of organic pollutants is a severe threat to the environment and human health. Thus, the rapid detection and removal of these pollutants from wastewater are essential to protect public health and the ecological environment. In this study, a multifunctional and reusable surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate by growing Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on ZnO nanorods (NRs) was produced for detecting and degrading Rhodamine B (RhB) dye. The ZnO/Ag substrate exhibited excellent sensitivity, and the limit of detection (LOD) for RhB was as low as 10-11 M. Furthermore, the SERS substrate could efficiently degrade RhB, with a degradation efficiency of nearly 100% within 150 min. Moreover, it retained good SERS activity after multiple repeated uses. The interaction between Ag NPs, ZnO, and RhB was further investigated, and the mechanism of SERS and photocatalysis was proposed. The as-prepared ZnO/Ag composite structure could be highly applicable as a multifunctional SERS substrate for the rapid detection and photocatalytic degradation of trace amounts of organic pollutants in water.

Dynamic Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Complex Regulatory Pathway Underlying Induction and Dose Effect by Different Exogenous Auxin IAA and 2,4-D During in vitro Embryogenic Redifferentiation in Cotton.

Plant somatic cells can reprogram into differentiated embryos through somatic embryogenesis (SE) on the condition of plant growth regulators (PGRs). RNA sequencing analysis was performed to investigate transcriptional profiling on cotton redifferentiated callus that was induced by different auxin types (IAA and 2,4-D), different concentrations (0, 0.025, and 0.05 mg L-1), and different incubation times (0, 5, and 20 days). Under the 2,4-D induction effect, signal transduction pathways of plant hormones were significantly enriched in the embryogenic response stage (5 days). These results indicated that auxin signal transduction genes were necessary for the initial response of embryogenic differentiation. In the pre-embryonic initial period (20 days), the photosynthetic pathway was significantly enriched. Most differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were downregulated under the induction of 2,4-D. Upon the dose effect of IAA and 2,4-D, respectively, pathways were significantly enriched in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, fatty acid metabolism, and carbon metabolic pathways. Therefore, primary and secondary metabolism pathways were critical in cotton SE. These results showed that complex synergistic mechanisms involving multiple cellular pathways were the causes of the induction and dose effect of auxin-induced SE. This study reveals a systematic molecular response to auxin signals and reveals the way that regulates embryogenic redifferentiation during cotton SE.

Research on the relation of Economy-Energy-Emission (3E) system: evidence from heterogeneous energy in China.

To achieve China's carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, conducting systematic research on the energy, economy, and emission factors that affect the sustainable development of society is of great significance. This paper first uses the vector error correction model (VECM)-based Granger causality test to analyze the joint causal relations and feedback correction mechanisms among energy consumption, economic growth, and CO2 emissions in China from 1980 to 2019 at the energy heterogeneity level; then, analyzes the decoupling effect of China's four major energy sources (coal, oil, natural gas, and electricity) and economic growth from the perspective of energy heterogeneity; finally, the Tapio decoupling elastic model is decomposed into the emission reduction elasticity and energy saving elasticity to analyze the decoupling causality chain of the economy, energy, and carbon emissions. The research results show that there is a long-term, two-way causal relation between coal consumption and CO2; coal consumption has a one-way causal relation with economic growth; and long-term, two-way causal relations exist between oil and CO2, natural gas and CO2, electricity and CO2, electricity, and economic growth. In addition, when energy consumption, economic growth, and CO2 emissions deviate from their equilibrium states in the short term, various energy consumption, economic growth, and CO2 emissions in the previous year will be adjusted by 19.5%, 0.6%, …, 7.7%, and 3.4% to bring the nonequilibrium states back to the long-term equilibrium states. Furthermore, the energy-saving elasticity of China's total energy, coal, oil, and natural gas is the main factor affecting the corresponding decoupling elasticity, but the emission reduction elasticity of electricity has a stronger impact on the decoupling elasticity than the emission reduction elasticity does.

Genome-Wide cis-Regulatory Element Based Discovery of Auxin-Responsive Genes in Higher Plant.

Auxin has a profound impact on plant physiology and participates in almost all aspects of plant development processes. Auxin exerts profound pleiotropic effects on plant growth and differentiation by regulating the auxin response genes' expressions. The classical auxin reaction is usually mediated by auxin response factors (ARFs), which bind to the auxin response element (AuxRE) in the promoter region of the target gene. Experiments have generated only a limited number of plant genes with well-characterized functions. It is still unknown how many genes respond to exogenous auxin treatment. An economical and effective method was proposed for the genome-wide discovery of genes responsive to auxin in a model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana). Our method relies on cis-regulatory-element-based targeted gene finding across different promoters in a genome. We first exploit and analyze auxin-specific cis-regulatory elements for the transcription of the target genes, and then identify putative auxin responsive genes whose promoters contain the elements in the collection of over 25,800 promoters in the A. thaliana genome. Evaluating our result by comparing with a published database and the literature, we found that this method has an accuracy rate of 65.2% (309/474) for predicting candidate genes responsive to auxin. Chromosome distribution and annotation of the putative auxin-responsive genes predicted here were also mined. The results can markedly decrease the number of identified but merely potential auxin target genes and also provide useful clues for improving the annotation of gene that lack functional information.

Quantitative metabolome and transcriptome analysis reveals complex regulatory pathway underlying photoinduced fiber color formation in cotton.

As an important plant single cell model and textile application materials, poorly known about fiber color formation in cotton, which is sensitively regulated by environmental signals. Our studies underline the importance of photo signal on sensitive fiber color formation and characterize fiber color early initiation (15 DPA) and late accumulated metabolites (45 DPA) in different lighting condition. The results revealed 236 differential metabolites between control and shading, of which phenylpropanoids metabolites accounted for 20%, including uncharacterized novel metabolites and pathways. Furthermore, the early initiation specific genes respond to the absence of light are highly correlated with phenylpropanoid metabolites related to pigmentation. The current study reveals the complex pathways involving early initiation regulation and late metabolic pathways. In addition, the collection composed of uncharacterized photoinduced metabolites and early initiation signaling/regulatory genes were identified, which are important resources for understanding fiber color formation. This report provides new insight into molecular regulatory and biochemical basis underlying photoinduced fiber color formation in cotton.

Ectopic Expressions of the GhLETM1 Gene Reveal Sensitive Dose Effects on Precise Stamen Development and Male Fertility in Cotton.

The homologous leucine zipper/EF-hand-containing transmembranes (LETMs) are highly conserved across a broad range of eukaryotic organisms. The LETM functional characteristics involved in biological process have been identified primarily in animals, but little is known about the LETM biological function mode in plants. Based on the results of the current investigation, the GhLETM1 gene crucially affects filament elongation and anther dehiscence of the stamen in cotton. Both excessive and lower expression of the GhLETM1 gene lead to defective stamen development, resulting in shortened filaments and indehiscent anthers with pollen abortion. The results also showed that the phenotype of the shortened filaments was negatively correlated with anther defects in the seesaw model under the ectopic expression of GhLETM1. Moreover, our results notably indicated that the gene requires accurate expression and exhibits a sensitive dose effect for its proper function. This report has important fundamental and practical significance in crop science, and has crucial prospects for genetic engineering of new cytoplasmic male sterility lines and breeding of crop hybrid varieties.

Haploid Bio-Induction in Plant through Mock Sexual Reproduction.

Haploidization is invaluable for basic genetic research and crop breeding. The haploid bio-induction principle is an important topic that remains largely unexplored. In this study, both CenH3 RNAi and in vitro inhibition were used to simulate and induce haploids in allopolyploid crop. Notably, in vitro CenH3 inhibition showed that the results were much the same to that of RNAi in phenotype, chromosome behavior, microspore production, and haploid induction. Cytological analyses of RNAi and inhibitor-treated progenies revealed elimination of chromosomes, defective microspores with empty nuclei, thereby giving rise to pseudo male gametes, and haploid parthenogenesis induction. We found distinct defective empty microspores that were positively correlated with the decrease of CenH3 during RNAi manipulation. Investigation through both in vivo and in vitro studies revealed that haploidization was induced through the pseudo male gamete-mediated mock sexual reproduction. The present results provide insights for the haploid parthenogenesis induction process.

Dynamic Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Uncharacterized Complex Regulatory Pathway Underlying Genotype-Recalcitrant Somatic Embryogenesis Transdifferentiation in Cotton.

As a notable illustration of totipotency and plant regeneration, somatic embryogenesis (SE) is the developmental reprogramming of somatic cells toward the embryogenesis pathway, the key step for genetic engineering. Investigations examining the totipotency process are of great fundamental and practical importance in crop biotechnology. However, high-frequency regeneration of cotton via SE has been limited due to genotype-dependent response. The molecular basis deciphering SE genotype recalcitrance remains largely unexplored in cotton. In the current study, to comprehensively investigate the dynamic transcriptional profiling and gene regulatory patterns involved in SE process, a genome-wide RNA sequencing analysis was performed in two cotton genotypes with distinct embryogenic abilities, the highly embryogenic genotype Yuzao 1 (YZ) and the recalcitrant genotype Lumian 1 (LM). Three typical developmental staged cultures of early SE-hypocotyls (HY), nonembryogenic calli (NEC) and primary embryogenic calli (PEC)-were selected to establish the transcriptional profiles. Our data revealed that a total of 62,562 transcripts were present amongst different developmental stages in the two genotypes. Of these, 18,394 and 26,514 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified during callus dedifferentiation (NEC-VS-HY) and embryogenic transdifferentiation (PEC-VS-NEC), respectively in the recalcitrant genotype, 21,842 and 22,343 DEGs in the highly embryogenic genotype. Furthermore, DEGs were clustered into six expression patterns during cotton SE process in the two genotypes. Moreover, functional enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs were significantly enriched in fatty acid, tryptophan and pyruvate metabolism in the highly embryogenic genotype and in DNA conformation change otherwise in the recalcitrant genotype. In addition, critical SE-associated expressed transcription factors, as well as alternative splicing events, were notably and preferentially activated during embryogenic transdifferentiation in the highly embryogenic genotype compared with the recalcitrant genotype. Taken together, by systematically comparing two genotypes with distinct embryogenic abilities, the findings in our study revealed a comprehensive overview of the dynamic gene regulatory patterns and uncharacterized complex regulatory pathways during cotton SE genotype-dependent response. Our work provides insights into the molecular basis and important gene resources for understanding the underlying genotype recalcitrance during SE process and plant regeneration, thereby holding great promise for accelerating the application of biotechnology to cotton for improving its breeding efficiency.

Ethyl methanesulfonate mutant library construction in Gossypium hirsutum L. for allotetraploid functional genomics and germplasm innovation.

As the gene pool is exposed to both strain on land resources and a lack of diversity in elite allotetraploid cotton, the acquisition and identification of novel alleles has taken on epic importance in facilitating cotton genetic improvement and functional genomics research. Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) is an excellent mutagen that induces genome-wide efficient mutations to activate the mutagenic potential of plants with many advantages. The present study established, determined and verified the experimental procedure suitable for EMS-based mutant library construction as the general reference guide in allotetraploid upland cotton. This optimized method and procedure are efficient, and abundant EMS mutant libraries (approximately 12 000) in allotetraploid cotton were successfully obtained. More than 20 mutant phenotypes were observed and screened, including phenotypes of the leaf, flower, fruit, fiber and plant architecture. Through the plants mutant library, high-throughput and high-resolution melting technology-based variation evaluation detected the EMS-induced site mutation. Additionally, based on overall genome-wide mutation analyses by re-sequencing and mutant library assessment, the examination results demonstrated the ideal quality of the cotton EMS-treated mutant library constructed in this study with appropriate high mutation density and saturated genome. What is more, the collection is composed of a broad repertoire of mutants, which is the valuable resource for basic genetic research and functional genomics underlying complex allotetraploid traits, as well as cotton breeding.

Meiosis, the master driver of gene duplication in higher plants?

Meiosis is a critical biological process for reproduction and genetic variation in higher plants. Gene duplication is a prominent feature of plant genomic architecture. Meiosis and gene duplication are of fundamental importance in unraveling the nature of genetics and evolution. The ideas and findings in this letter demonstrate a highly significant connection between meiosis and gene duplication, bring together these two disparate fields of study and highlight the importance of meiosis for understanding the evolutionary success of flowering plants. These insights and opinions open a new area of investigation and point to a significant way to illustrate the impact of duplicated genes on meiosis and fitness in higher plants, as well as their ultimate evolutionary, ecological, and agronomic impacts in light of challenges that have arisen due to global climate change. This study addresses novel ideas and viewpoints in plant developmental genomics and evolution.

Dynamic TMT-Based Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Critical Initiation Process of Totipotency during Cotton Somatic Embryogenesis Transdifferentiation.

The somatic embryogenesis (SE) process of plants, as one of the typical responses to abiotic stresses with hormone, occurs through the dynamic expression of different proteins that constitute a complex regulatory network in biological activities and promotes plant totipotency. Plant SE includes two critical stages: primary embryogenic calli redifferentiation and somatic embryos development initiation, which leads to totipotency. The isobaric labels tandem mass tags (TMT) large-scale and quantitative proteomics technique was used to identify the dynamic protein expression changes in nonembryogenic calli (NEC), primary embryogenic calli (PEC) and globular embryos (GEs) of cotton. A total of 9369 proteins (6730 quantified) were identified; 805, 295 and 1242 differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs) were identified in PEC versus NEC, GEs versus PEC and GEs versus NEC, respectively. Eight hundred and five differentially abundant proteins were identified, 309 of which were upregulated and 496 down regulated in PEC compared with NEC. Of the 295 DAPs identified between GEs and PEC, 174 and 121 proteins were up- and down regulated, respectively. Of 1242 differentially abundant proteins, 584 and 658 proteins were up- and down regulated, respectively, in GEs versus NEC. We have also complemented the authenticity and accuracy of the proteomic analysis. Systematic analysis indicated that peroxidase, photosynthesis, environment stresses response processes, nitrogen metabolism, phytohormone response/signal transduction, transcription/posttranscription and modification were involved in somatic embryogenesis. The results generated in this study demonstrate a proteomic molecular basis and provide a valuable foundation for further investigation of the roles of DAPs in the process of SE transdifferentiation during cotton totipotency.