Regulation of emotions in project-based collaborative learning: an empirical study in academic English classrooms.

In spite of the increasing popularity of project-based collaborative learning (PBCL) as a pedagogy, real successful collaboration cannot always be achieved due to the cognitive, motivational and social emotional challenges students encounter during collaboration. Recognizing the challenges and developing regulation strategies to cope with the challenges at both individual and group level is essential for successful collaboration. In the last decades, a growing interest has been developed around socially shared regulation of emotions and how it is interwoven with self-regulation and co-regulation. However, capturing the process of students' emotional challenges and regulations in a long and dynamic project proves difficult and there remains a paucity of evidence on how co-regulation and socially-shared regulation co-occur with learners' cognitive and emotional progress in project-based collaborative learning. The purpose of the present study is to investigate and identify what kind of social emotional challenges students encountered during PBCL and how they regulate themselves and the groups in order to finish the projects. A quasi-experimental research design was adopted in an academic English classroom, with thirty-eight students self-reporting their challenges and regulations three times after finishing each of the projects. The results of qualitative analysis plus a case study of two groups indicate that students encounter a variety of social emotional challenges and employed different levels of co-regulation and socially shared regulation in addition to self-regulation, leading to varying collaboration results and experiences. The findings of the study offer insights into the emotional regulation in PBCL and shed light for future design of pedagogical interventions aiming at supporting socially shared regulation.

Enantioselective Synthesis of the Active Sex Pheromone Components of the Female Lichen Moth, Lyclene dharma dharma, and Their Enantiomers.

The Lichen moth, Lyclene dharma dharma (Arctiidae, Lithosiinae), plays a significant role in forest ecosystem dynamics. A concise and novel method to synthesize the active sex pheromone components, (S)-14-methyloctadecan-2-one ((S)-1), (S)-6-methyloctadecan-2-one ((S)-2), and their enantiomers has been developed. Key steps in the synthesis include the use of Evans' chiral auxiliaries, Grignard cross-coupling reactions, hydroboration-oxidation, and Wacker oxidation. The synthesized sex pheromone components hold potential value for studies on communication mechanisms, species identification, and ecological management.

Physiological and Cellular Ultrastructural Responses of Isatis indigotica Fort. under Salt Stress.

This study aimed to analyze the effects of salt stress on the growth physiology and plant-cell ultrastructure of Isatis indigotica Fort. (I. indigotica) to evaluate its adaptability under salt stress. The effects of different concentrations of salt (NaCl; 0, 25, and 300 mmol·L-1) on the agronomic traits, activities of related enzymes, ion balance, and mesophyll-cell ultrastructure of I. indigotica were studied in a controlled pot experiment. Results showed that compared with those of the control group, the aerial-part fresh weight, underground fresh weight, tiller number, root length, root diameter, plant height, and leaf area of salt-stressed I. indigotica increased at 25 mmol·L-1 and then decreased at 300 mmol·L-1. The changes in levels of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, and catalase showed a similar trend, with significant differences compared with control group. Salt stress altered the ion balance of I. indigotica, resulting in a significant increase in Na+ content and a significant decrease in K+ content. The contents of Ca2+ and Mg2+ changed to varying degrees. The analysis of the microstructure of the root showed that under salt treatment, the epidermal cells of the root significantly thickened and the diameter of the xylem decreased. The results of ultrastructural analysis of mesophylls showed that salt stress can cause cell-membrane contraction, cell-gap enlargement, disorder in the structures of chloroplasts and mitochondria, and an increase in the number of osmiophilic particles. These changes were aggravated by the increase in NaCl concentration. This study reveals the response of I. indigotica to salt stress and provides a basis for further study on the salt-tolerance mechanism of I. indigotica.

LMD and LC-MS-based chemical constituents and pharmacological effects assessment for two different processing methods of the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall.

The plant of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. belongs to Ranunculaceae, and its root can be divided into two categories according to different processing methods, which included that one was directly dried without peeling the root of the P. lactiflora (PR), and the other was peeled the root of the P. lactiflora (PPR) after boiled and dried. To evaluate the difference of chemical components, UPLC-ESI-Q-Exactive Focus-MS/MS and UPLC-QQQ-MS were applied. The distribution of chemical components in different tissues was located by laser microdissection (LMD), especially the different ingredients. A total of 86 compounds were identified from PR and PPR. Four kind of tissues were isolated from the fresh root of the P. lactiflora (FPR), and 54 compounds were identified. Especially the content of gallic acid, albiflorin, and paeoniflorin with high biological activities were the highest in the cork, but they were lower in PR than that in PPR, which probably related to the process. To illustrate the difference in pharmacological effects of PR and PPR, the tonifying blood and analgesic effects on mice were investigated, and it was found that the tonifying blood and analgesic effects of PPR was superior to that of PR, even though PR had more constituents. The material basis for tonifying blood and analgesic effect of the root of P. lactiflora is likely to be associated with an increase in constituents such as paeoniflorin and paeoniflorin lactone after boiled and peeled. The study was likely to provide some theoretical support for the standard and clinical application.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Three Alkenyl Epoxides: Crafting the Sex Pheromones of the Elm Spanworm and the Painted Apple Moth.

A concise synthesis of the sex pheromones of elm spanworm as well as painted apple moth has been achieved. The key steps were the alkylation of acetylide ion, Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation and Brown's P2-Ni reduction. This approach provided the sex pheromone of the elm spanworm (1) in 31% total yield and those of the painted apple moth (2, 3) in 26% and 32% total yields. The ee values of three final products were up to 99%. The synthesized pheromones hold promising potential for use in the management and control of these pests.

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing of Frankliniella occidentalis, the western flower thrips, via embryonic microinjection.

The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, poses a significant challenge in global agriculture as a notorious pest and a vector of economically significant orthotospoviruses. However, the limited availability of genetic tools for F. occidentalis hampers the advancement of functional genomics and the development of innovative pest control strategies. In this study, we present a robust methodology for generating heritable mutations in F. occidentalis using the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system. Two eye-colour genes, white (Fo-w) and cinnabar (Fo-cn), frequently used to assess Cas9 function in insects were identified in the F. occidentalis genome and targeted for knockout through embryonic microinjection of Cas9 complexed with Fo-w or Fo-cn specific guide RNAs. Homozygous Fo-w and Fo-cn knockout lines were established by crossing mutant females and males. The Fo-w knockout line revealed an age-dependent modification of eye-colour phenotype. Specifically, while young larvae exhibit orange-coloured eyes, the colour transitions to bright red as they age. Unexpectedly, loss of Fo-w function also altered body colour, with Fo-w mutants having a lighter coloured body than wild type, suggesting a dual role for Fo-w in thrips. In contrast, individuals from the Fo-cn knockout line consistently displayed bright red eyes throughout all life stages. Molecular analyses validated precise editing of both target genes. This study offers a powerful tool to investigate thrips gene function and paves the way for the development of genetic technologies for population suppression and/or population replacement as a means of mitigating virus transmission by this vector.

Cocreation of photogenerated electron and hole collectors on polymeric carbon nitride synergistically promotes carrier separation and reaction kinetics towards propelling photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

It is a challenging issue for the creation of photogenerated carrier collectors on the photocatalyst to drive charge separation and promote reaction kinetics in the photocatalytic reaction. Herein, based on one-step dual-modulation strategy, IrO2 nanodots are modified at the edge of polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) nanosheets and atomically dispersed Ir atoms are implanted in the skeleton of PCN to obtain a unique Ir-PCN/IrO2 photocatalyst. IrO2 nanodots and atomically dispersed Ir atoms act as hole and electron collectors to synergistically promote the carrier separation and reaction kinetics, respectively, thereby greatly improving the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE) performance. As a result, without adding additional cocatalyst, the PHE rate over the optimal Ir-PCN/IrO2-2% sample reaches up to 1564.4 µmol h-1 g-1 under the visible light irradiation, with achieving an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 15.7% at 420 nm.

Effect of magnetic field coupled magnetic biochar on membrane bioreactor efficiency, membrane fouling mitigation and microbial communities.

The excitation by magnetic field was established to mitigate the membrane fouling of magnetic biochar (MB)-supplemented membrane bioreactor (MBR) in this study. The results showed that the transmembrane pressure (TMP) increase rates decreased by about 8 % after introducing the magnetic field compared with the magnetic biochar-MBR (MB-MBR). Membrane characterization suggested that the flocs in the magnetic field-magnetic biochar-MBR (MF-MB-MBR) formed a highly permeable developed cake layer, and a fluffier and more porous deposited layer on membrane surface, which minimized fouling clogging of the membrane pores. Further mechanistic investigation revealed that the decrease in contact angle of fouled membrane surface in MF-MB-MBR, i.e. an enhanced membrane hydrophilicity, is considered important for forming highly permeable layers. Additionally, the magnetic field was demonstrated to have a positive effect on the improvement of the magneto-biological effect, the enhancement of charge neutralization and adsorption bridging between sludge and magnetic biochar, and the reduction of formation of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), which all yielded sludge flocs with a large pore structure conducive to form a fluffy and porous deposited layer in the membrane surface. Furthermore, high-throughput sequencing analysis revealed that the magnetic field also led to a reduction in microbial diversity, and that it promoted the enrichment of specific functional microbial communities (e.g. Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes) playing an important role in mitigating membrane fouling. Taken together, this study of magnetic field-enhanced magnetic biochar for MBR membrane fouling mitigation provides insights important new ideas for more effective and sustainable operation strategies.

Insights into the mechanisms of microbiome and metabolome changes mediated by understory interplanting mode in Polygonatum sibiricum.

Background: Polygonatum sibiricum is an understory economic plant, and its dried rhizome is a traditional Chinese medicine. The purpose of this study was to connect the quality improvement of the understory plant P. sibiricum with specific microorganisms. Methods: Amplicon and metabolome sequencing were conducted for P. sibiricum interplanted under three types of trees and in the field, and the relationship between the microbiome and secondary metabolism was explored. Results: Principal component analysis (PCA) divided field cultivated and understory interplanted groups into two classes. A total of 95 different metabolites were found, with four expression patterns. The alpha diversity of rhizosphere bacteria and endosphere fungi in the understory interplanted group was significantly higher than that in the farmland cultivated group. There were 276 different rhizosphere microorganism genera among the four groups; however, only 33 different endosphere genera were observed, indicating that endophytic microbial diversity was relatively stable within the P. sibiricum rhizome, especially for endosphere bacteria. Cointertia analysis (CoIA) suggested that the metabolite changes in P. sibiricum induced by interplanting under different trees were more strongly affected by rhizosphere microorganisms than by endosphere microorganisms. In addition, the interactions between rhizosphere microorganisms and metabolites in the farmland group were weakened compared with those in the underplanted groups. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that Aspergillus and Ellin6067 had the greatest influence on the metabolites. Myrmecridium, as a shared microbe in the rhizosphere and endosphere, had interaction effects with the largest number of microbes. Conclusion: This study revealed the interactions between the microbes and metabolites in P. sibiricum and systematically explored the mechanism underlying their correlation, which was mediated by the understory interplanting mode. This study provides feasible strategies for improving the medicinal value of P. sibiricum by regulating microorganisms.

Effect of thoracoscopic and thoracotomy on postoperative wound complications in patients with lung cancer: A meta-analysis.

Because of the difficult surgical procedures, patients with lung cancer who have received thoracic surgery tend to have postoperative complications. It may lead to postoperative complications like wound infection, wound haematoma and pneumothorax. A lot of research has assessed the effect of various surgery methods on postoperative complications in pulmonary cancer. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to establish if thoracoscopic is superior to that of thoracotomy in the rate of post-operative complications. From the beginning to the end of June 2023, we performed an exhaustive search on four main databases for key words. The Hazard of Bias in Non-Randomized Interventional Studies (ROBINS-I) was evaluated in the literature. In the end, 13 trials that fulfilled the eligibility criteria underwent further statistical analyses. The results showed that thoracoscopic intervention decreased the risk of post operative wound infection (dominant ratio [OR], 3.00; 95% confidence margin [CI], 1.98, 4.55; p < 0.00001) and air-leakage after operation (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.04, 1.63; p = 0.02). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the rate of haemorrhage after operation (OR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.73, 1.66; p = 0.63). Our findings indicate that thoracoscopic is less likely to cause post operative infection and gas leakage than thoracotomy, and it does not decrease the risk of postoperative haemorrhage. As some of the chosen trials are too small to conduct meta-analyses, care must be taken when handling the data. In the future, a large number of randomized, controlled trials will be required to provide additional evidence for this research.

Fangchinoline derivatives inhibits PI3K signaling in vitro and in vivo in non-small cell lung cancer.

Fangchinoline (Fan) are extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine Stephania tetrandra S., which is a bis-benzyl isoquinoline alkaloids with anti-tumor activity. Therefore, 25 novel Fan derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for their anti-cancer activity. In CCK-8 assay, these fangchinoline derivatives displayed higher proliferation inhibitory activity on six tumor cell lines than the parental compound. Compared to the parent Fan, compound 2h presented the anticancer activity against most cancer cells, especially A549 cells, with an IC50 value of 0.26 µM, which was 36.38-fold, and 10.61-fold more active than Fan and HCPT, respectively. Encouragingly, compound 2h showed low biotoxicity to the human normal epithelial cell BEAS-2b with an IC50 value of 27.05 µM. The results indicated compound 2h remarkably inhibited the cell migration by decreasing MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells by arresting the G2/M cell cycle. Meanwhile, compound 2h could also induce A549 cell apoptosis by promoting endogenous pathways of mitochondrial regulation. In nude mice presented that the growth of tumor tissues was markedly inhibited by the consumption of compound 2h in a dose-dependent manner, and it was found that compound 2h could inhibit the mTOR/PI3K/AKT pathway in vivo. In docking analysis, high affinity interaction between 2h and PI3K was responsible for drastic kinase inhibition by the compound. To conclude, this derivative compound may be useful as a potent anti-cancer agent for treatment of NSCLC.

A call to arms: novel strategies for thrips and tospovirus control.

Thrips and the tospoviruses they transmit are some of the most significant threats to food and ornamental crop production globally. Control of the insect and virus is challenging and new strategies are needed. Characterizing the thrips-virus interactome provides new targets for disrupting the transmission cycle. Viral and insect determinants of vector competence are being defined, including the viral attachment protein and its structure as well as thrips proteins that interact with and respond to tospovirus infection. Additional thrips control strategies such as RNA interference need further refinement and field-applicable delivery systems, but they show promise for the knockdown of essential genes for thrips survival and virus transmission. The identification of a toxin that acts to deter thrips oviposition on cotton also presents new opportunities for control of this important pest.

Improved colonic inflammation by nervonic acid via inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway of DSS-induced colitis mice.

BACKGROUND: Nervonic acid (C24:1∆15, 24:1 ω-9, cis-tetracos-15-enoic acid; NA), a long-chain monounsaturated fatty acid, plays an essential role in prevention of metabolic diseases, and immune regulation, and has anti-inflammatory properties. As a chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory disease, ulcerative colitis (UC) can affect the large intestine. The influences of NA on UC are largely unknown. PURPOSE: The present study aimed to decipher the anti-UC effect of NA in the mouse colitis model. Specifically, we wanted to explore whether NA can regulate the levels of inflammatory factors in RAW264.7 cells and mouse colitis model. METHODS: To address the above issues, the RAW264.7 cell inflammation model was established by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), then the inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and Interleukin-10 (IL-10) were detected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The therapeutic effects of NA for UC were evaluated using C57BL/6 mice gavaged dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Myeloperoxidase (MPO) kit assay, ELISA, immunofluorescence assay, and LC-MS/MS were used to assess histological changes, MPO levels, inflammatory factors release, expression and distribution of intestinal tight junction (TJ) protein ZO-1, and metabolic pathways, respectively. The levels of proteins involved in the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway in the UC were investigated by western blotting and RT-qPCR. RESULTS: In vitro experiments verified that NA could reduce inflammatory response and inhibit the activation of key signal pathways associated with inflammation in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Further, results from the mouse colitis model suggested that NA could restore intestinal barrier function and suppress NF-κB signal pathways to ameliorate DSS-induced colitis. In addition, untargeted metabolomics analysis of NA protection against UC found that NA protected mice from colitis by regulating citrate cycle, amino acid metabolism, pyrimidine and purine metabolism. CONCLUSION: These results suggested that NA could ameliorate the secretion of inflammatory factors, suppress the NF-κB signaling pathway, and protect the integrity of colon tissue, thereby having a novel role in prevention or treatment therapy for UC. This work for the first time indicated that NA might be a potential functional food ingredient for preventing and treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

A draft Diabrotica virgifera virgifera genome: insights into control and host plant adaption by a major maize pest insect.

BACKGROUND: Adaptations by arthropod pests to host plant defenses of crops determine their impacts on agricultural production. The larval host range of western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is restricted to maize and a few grasses. Resistance of D. v. virgifera to crop rotation practices and multiple insecticides contributes to its status as the most damaging pest of cultivated maize in North America and Europe. The extent to which adaptations by this pest contributes to host plant specialization remains unknown. RESULTS: A 2.42 Gb draft D. v. virgifera genome, Dvir_v2.0, was assembled from short shotgun reads and scaffolded using long-insert mate-pair, transcriptome and linked read data. K-mer analysis predicted a repeat content of ≥ 61.5%. Ortholog assignments for Dvir_2.0 RefSeq models predict a greater number of species-specific gene duplications, including expansions in ATP binding cassette transporter and chemosensory gene families, than in other Coleoptera. A majority of annotated D. v. virgifera cytochrome P450s belong to CYP4, 6, and 9 clades. A total of 5,404 transcripts were differentially-expressed between D. v. virgifera larvae fed maize roots compared to alternative host (Miscanthus), a marginal host (Panicum virgatum), a poor host (Sorghum bicolor) and starvation treatments; Among differentially-expressed transcripts, 1,908 were shared across treatments and the least number were between Miscanthus compared to maize. Differentially-expressed transcripts were enriched for putative spliceosome, proteosome, and intracellular transport functions. General stress pathway functions were unique and enriched among up-regulated transcripts in marginal host, poor host, and starvation responses compared to responses on primary (maize) and alternate hosts. CONCLUSIONS: Manual annotation of D. v. virgifera Dvir_2.0 RefSeq models predicted expansion of paralogs with gene families putatively involved in insecticide resistance and chemosensory perception. Our study also suggests that adaptations of D. v. virgifera larvae to feeding on an alternate host plant invoke fewer transcriptional changes compared to marginal or poor hosts. The shared up-regulation of stress response pathways between marginal host and poor host, and starvation treatments may reflect nutrient deprivation. This study provides insight into transcriptomic responses of larval feeding on different host plants and resources for genomic research on this economically significant pest of maize.

Mechanism of downward migration of quinolone antibiotics in antibiotics polluted natural soil replenishment water and its effect on soil microorganisms.

Reclaimed water is widely concerned as an effective recharge of groundwater and surface water, but trace organic pollutants produced by traditional wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) would cause environmental pollution (water and soil) during infiltration. Therefore, the effects of reclaimed water containing ofloxacin (OFL) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) in antibiotics polluted natural soil (APNS) were investigated by simulating soil aquifer treatment systems (SATs). The experiment results showed that OFL and CIP in water were adsorbed and microbially degraded mainly at 30 cm, and the concentration of OFL and CIP in soil increased with depth, which were mainly due to the desorption from APNS. Concurrently, the change in replenishment water concentration also significantly affected OFL and CIP in pore water and soil. Although OFL and CIP inhibited the diversity of soil microbial community, they also promoted the growth of some microorganisms. As the dominant bacteria, Proteobacteria and Acidobacteriota can effectively participate in the degradation of OFL and CIP. The degradation effects of soil microorganisms on OFL and CIP were 45.48% and 42.39%, respectively, indicating that soil microorganisms selectively degraded pollutants. This experiment was carried out on APNS, which provided a reference for future studies on the migration of trace organic pollutants under natural conditions.

Wetland plant-derived biochar enhances the diclofenac treatment performance in vertical subsurface flow constructed wetlands.

Diclofenac (DFC) is a pharmacologically active compound frequently detected in various receiving waters. To improve the efficiency of constructed wetlands in removing DFC, biochar (BC) is added as a substrate. The study mainly involved the effect of adding wetland plant-derived BC to vertical subsurface flow constructed wetlands (VSF-CWs) on the DFC removal process. In addition, the study discussed the effects of the initial DFC concentration (0.05-1.00 mg L-1), pH (5.5-8.5), and hydraulic retention times (HRTs, 1-7 d) on the removal process and fluctuations in the microbial community. Preliminary results of the study showed optimal removal (>90%) achieved at an initial DFC concentration of 0.75-1 mg L-1, a pH of 6.5-7.5, and an HRT of 7 d. Moreover, no significant effects on the removal efficiency of conventional water quality parameters were observed. Non-metric multidimensional scaling results revealed a reshaped community structure, which was altered by the initial DFC concentration. DFC concentration is a key factor in the variation of microbial communities and controls the quantitative evolution of the species in experimental units. Therefore, the addition of BC to CWs effectively enhanced the removal efficiency of DFC and provided a viable and effective improvement of the CWs.

Electrocatalytic oxidation of low concentration cefotaxime sodium wastewater using Ti/SnO2-RuO2 electrode: Feasibility analysis and degradation mechanism.

In this research, Ti/SnO2-RuO2 stable anode was successfully prepared by thermal decomposition method, and low concentration cefotaxime sodium (CFX) was degraded by green and sustainable electrocatalytic oxidation technology. The electrocatalytic activity and stability of the Ti/SnO2-RuO2 coating electrode were studied according to the polarization curve of oxygen and chlorine evolution. The effects of current density, initial concentration, pH, electrolyte concentration, and other technological parameters on the degradation efficiency were discussed. Orthogonal experiment results indicated that when the current density was 25 mA cm-2, concentration of electrolyte was 5 mM and the pH value was 7, the best CFX removal rate of 86.33% could be obtained. The degradation efficiency of electrocatalytic oxidation was discussed through electrochemical analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to analyze the different inlet and outlet stages before and after the degradation of CFX, and the possible degradation process was discussed. Therefore, the electrocatalytic oxidation of Ti/SnO2-RuO2 electrode was a clean and efficient technology, which could be widely used in the treatment of CFX wastewater.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the Shaker-Type K+ Channel Genes in Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.

Shaker-type K+ channels are critical for plant K+ acquisition and translocation that play key roles during plant growth and development. However, molecular mechanisms towards K+ channels are extremely rare in fruit trees, especially in peach. In this study, we identified 7 putative shaker-type K+ channel genes from peach, which were unevenly distributed on 5 chromosomes. The peach shaker K+ channel proteins were classified into 5 subfamilies, I-V, and were tightly clustered with pear homologs in the phylogenetic tree. Various cis-acting regulatory elements were detected in the promoter region of the shaker-type K+ channel genes, including phytohormone-responsive, abiotic stress-responsive, and development regulatory elements. The peach shaker K+ channel genes were expressed differentially in distinct tissues, and PpSPIK was specifically expressed in the full-bloom flowers; PpKAT1 and PpGORK were predominantly expressed in the leaves, while PpAKT1, PpKC1, and PpSKOR were majorly expressed in the roots. The peach shaker K+ channel genes were differentially regulated by abiotic stresses in that K+ deficiency, and ABA treatment mainly increased the shaker K+ channel gene expression throughout the whole seedling, whereas NaCl and PEG treatment reduced the shaker K+ channel gene expression, especially in the roots. Moreover, electrophysiological analysis demonstrated that PpSKOR is a typical voltage-dependent outwardly rectifying K+ channel in peach. This study lays a molecular basis for further functional studies of the shaker-type K+ channel genes in peach and provides a theoretical foundation for K+ nutrition and balance research in fruit trees.

A comparative study of bacterial diversity based on effects of three different shade shed types in the rhizosphere of Panax quiquefolium L.

BACKGROUND: Shading is an important factor affecting the cultivation of American ginseng, as it influences crop quality and yield. Rhizosphere microorganisms are also crucial for normal plant growth and development. However, whether different shade types significantly change American ginseng rhizosphere microorganisms is unknown. METHODS: This study evaluated the rhizosphere soils of American ginseng under traditional, high flag and high arch shade sheds. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing determined the change of rhizosphere bacterial communities. RESULTS: The microbial diversity in rhizosphere soils of American ginseng significantly changed under different shading conditions. The bacteria diversity was more abundant in the high arch shade than flat and traditional shades. Different bacterial genera, including Bradyrhizobium, Rhizobium, Sphingomonas, Streptomyces and Nitrospira, showed significantly different abundances. Different shading conditions changed the microbial metabolic function in the American ginseng rhizosphere soils. The three types of shade sheds had specific enriched functional groups. The abundance of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters consistently increased in the bacterial microbiota. These results help understand the influence of shading systems on the rhizosphere microecology of American ginseng, and contribute to the American ginseng cultivation.