Systematic Investigation of TCP Gene Family: Genome-Wide Identification and Light-Regulated Gene Expression Analysis in Pepino (Solanum Muricatum).

Plant-specific transcription factors such as the TCP family play crucial roles in light responses and lateral branching. The commercial development of S. muricatum has been influenced by the ease with which its lateral branches can be germinated, especially under greenhouse cultivation during the winter with supplemented LED light. The present study examined the TCP family genes in S. muricatum using bioinformatics analysis (whole-genome sequencing and RNA-seq) to explore the response of this family to different light treatments. Forty-one TCP genes were identified through a genome-wide search; phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CYC/TB1, CIN and Class I subclusters contained 16 SmTCP, 11 SmTCP and 14 SmTCP proteins, respectively. Structural and conserved sequence analysis of SmTCPs indicated that the motifs in the same subcluster were highly similar in structure and the gene structure of SmTCPs was simpler than that in Arabidopsis thaliana; 40 of the 41 SmTCPs were localized to 12 chromosomes. In S. muricatum, 17 tandem repeat sequences and 17 pairs of SmTCP genes were found. We identified eight TCPs that were significantly differentially expressed (DETCPs) under blue light (B) and red light (R), using RNA-seq. The regulatory network of eight DETCPs was preliminarily constructed. All three subclusters responded to red and blue light treatment. To explore the implications of regulatory TCPs in different light treatments for each species, the TCP regulatory gene networks and GO annotations for A. thaliana and S. muricatum were compared. The regulatory mechanisms suggest that the signaling pathways downstream of the TCPs may be partially conserved between the two species. In addition to the response to light, functional regulation was mostly enriched with auxin response, hypocotyl elongation, and lateral branch genesis. In summary, our findings provide a basis for further analysis of the TCP gene family in other crops and broaden the functional insights into TCP genes regarding light responses.

Protective Effect of Topiroxostat on Myocardial Injury Induced by Lipopolysaccharide.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial injury induced by sepsis is the most common cause of death. Topiroxostat has been found to have organ protective effects, but its role in septic shock-related cardiomyocyte damage is still unclear and needs further study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An endotoxemic shock model in rats was constructed. After topiroxostat treatment, hemodynamic parameters, myocardial injury marker enzymes, oxidative stress, myocardial injury, and apoptosis were measured by polyphysiograph, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, hematoxylin and eosin staining, TUNEL staining, and western blot. During in vitro experiments, the effect of topiroxostat on cell vitality, oxidative stress, inflammatory factors, apoptosis-related markers, phosphorylated-p65 (p-p65) and p65 expressions were measured by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blot. RESULTS: Topiroxostat improved myocardial dysfunction and superoxide dismutase activity while suppressing levels of creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and malondialdehyde in serum of endotoxemic shock rats. Additionally, topiroxostat augmented dry-wet weight ratios of the hearts in rats. Meanwhile, topiroxostat was proved to alleviate interstitial edema and apoptosis in myocardial tissues of endotoxemic shock rats. During in vitro experiments, topiroxostat pretreatment elevated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced H9c2 cell vitality, and alleviated oxidative stress and inflammation. Moreover, topiroxostat pretreatment downregulated apoptosis-related markers, p-p65, and p-p65/p65 levels in LPS-induced H9c2 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Topiroxostat attenuated LPS-induced myocardial injury via repressing apoptosis and oxidative stress.

Novel hydrophobic PDVB/R-SiO2 for adsorption of volatile organic compounds from highly humid gas stream.

A novel organic-inorganic hydrophobic polydivinylbenzene-silica adsorbent (PDVB/R-SiO2) was successfully prepared by introducing a specific amount of divinylbenzene and solvent (i.e., tetrahydrofuran) to SiO2pores and initiating polymerization under solvothermal conditions. New smaller structures and surface areas were formed in the SiO2 pores. The PDVB/R-SiO2-0.5 samples exhibited a bimodal pore size distribution with both SiO2 micropores/mesopores (0.5-2.0 nm) and mesopores (2.0-5.0 nm). The surface areas increased from 116 m(2)/g (SiO2) to 246 m(2)/g. The breakthrough curves of toluene adsorption indicated that the amount adsorbed on PDVB/R-SiO2-0.5 was 12 times higher than that on SiO2. The highly humid environment exhibited no effect on adsorption because the surface of PDVB was functionalized. The adsorbed toluene was easily desorbed in hot N2 stream at 100 °C. After 10 adsorption-desorption cycles, PDVB/R-SiO2-0.5 continued exhibiting excellent adsorption, indicating superior structural and regeneration abilities.