Genome-wide investigation of UDP-Glycosyltransferase family in Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum).

BACKGROUND: Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) belongs to Polygonaceae family and has attracted increasing attention owing to its high nutritional value. UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) glycosylate a variety of plant secondary metabolites to control many metabolic processes during plant growth and development. However, there have been no systematic reports of UGT superfamily in F. tataricum. RESULTS: We identified 173 FtUGTs in F. tataricum based on their conserved UDPGT domain. Phylogenetic analysis of FtUGTs with 73 Arabidopsis UGTs clustered them into 21 families. FtUGTs from the same family usually had similar gene structure and motif compositions. Most of FtUGTs did not contain introns or had only one intron. Tandem repeats contributed more to FtUGTs amplification than segmental duplications. Expression analysis indicates that FtUGTs are widely expressed in various tissues and likely play important roles in plant growth and development. The gene expression analysis response to different abiotic stresses showed that some FtUGTs were involved in response to drought and cadmium stress. Our study provides useful information on the UGTs in F. tataricum, and will facilitate their further study to better understand their function. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide a theoretical basis for further exploration of the functional characteristics of FtUGTs and for understanding the growth, development, and metabolic model in F. tataricum.

The relationship between LRP5 rs556442 and rs638051 polymorphisms and mutations and their influence on bone metabolism in postmenopausal Xinjiang women with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: The Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway plays a crucial role in bone development and metabolism. The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5), an important receptor in the Wnt signaling pathway, promotes the osteogenesis of osteoblasts and curbs bone resorption by osteoclasts. OBJECTIVES: To determine the expression of LRP5 polymorphisms (rs556442 and rs638051) and their relationship with bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism markers in postmenopausal patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Xinjiang, China. MATERIAL AND METHODS: According to dual-energy X-ray (DEXA) and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results, 226 postmenopausal women from Xinjiang were divided into the following groups: normal glucose tolerance (NGT) + normal bone mass group (group A), NGT + abnormal bone mass group (group B), T2DM + normal bone mass group (group C), and T2DM + abnormal bone mass group (group D). RESULTS: Femoral neck BMD was lower in group B women with the AG/GG genotype (mutant type) compared to women with the AA genotype (wild-type) at rs556442. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels were lower in group D women with the AG/GG genotype (mutant type) compared to women with the AA genotype (wild-type) at rs556442 and rs638051. The factors influencing BMD (lumbar spine vertebrae 1-4 (L1-L4)) were triglyceride (TG) levels, body mass index (BMI), menopausal transition age, and age for rs556442 patients, and TG levels and menopausal transition age for rs638051 patients in group D. The factors affecting BMD (hip) were TG levels, BMI and age for rs556442 patients, and TG levels and age for rs638051 patients. CONCLUSIONS: The LRP5 gene mutations are linked to bone metabolism disorders in postmenopausal women with T2DM and abnormal bone mass. High BMI and TG were positively associated with BMD, while increased age and menopausal transition age were negatively associated with BMD.

Effects of climate change on the distribution of wild Akebia trifoliata.

Understanding the impacts and constraints of climate change on the geographical distribution of wild Akebia trifoliata is crucial for its sustainable management and economic development as a medicinal material or fruit. In this study, according to the first-hand information obtained from field investigation, the distribution and response to climate change of A. trifoliata were studied by the MaxEnt model and ArcGIS. The genetic diversity and population structure of 21 natural populations of A. trifoliata were studied by simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The results showed that the most important bioclimatic variable limiting the distribution of A. trifoliata was the Mean Temperature of Coldest Quarter (bio11). Under the scenarios SSP1-2.6 and SSP2-4.5, the suitable area of A. trifoliata in the world will remain stable, and the suitable area will increase significantly under the scenarios of SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5. Under the current climate scenario, the suitable growth regions of A. trifoliata in China were 79.9-122.7°E and 21.5-37.5°N. Under the four emission scenarios in the future, the geometric center of the suitable distribution regions of Akebia trifoliata in China will move to the north. The clustering results of 21 populations of A. trifoliata analyzed by SSR markers showed that they had a trend of evolution from south to north.