Functional retrogression of LOFSEPs in specifying floral organs in barley.

Unlabelled: The barley genome encodes a complete set of MADS-box proteins sharing homology with components of the ABCDE model, which explains the molecular basis of floral organ identity in angiosperm flowers. Although the E-class members are universally expressed across floral whorls and crucial for flower development in Arabidopsis and rice, the functional role of the barley E-class LOFSEP subfamily (comprising MADS1, MADS5, and MADS34) remains elusive, particularly during spikelet formation. Here, we characterize the single, double and triple mutants in barley in an attempt to overcome the anticipated genetic redundancy.

The role of Ancestral MicroRNAs in grass inflorescence development.

Plant inflorescences are complex, highly diverse structures whose morphology is determined in meristems that form during reproductive development. Inflorescence structure influences flower formation, and consequently grain number, and yield in crops. Correct inflorescence and flower development require tight control of gene expression via complex interplay between regulatory networks.

An electrochemiluminescence sensor based on lanthanide bimetallic MOFs with a "cascade sensitization mechanism" for the sensitive detection of CA242.

Lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs) broaden the optical sensing applications of lanthanide ions due to the antenna effect between organic ligands and metals. However, the sensitization ability of the ligand to metal ions is limited, and maximizing the sensitization of the electrochemiluminescence behavior of Eu is still a challenge for the application of Ln-MOFs. Therefore, under the guidance of the "cascade sensitization mechanism" based on the antenna effect sensitizing the electrochemiluminescence of bimetallic Ln-MOFs, we proposed Eu/Tb-MOFs with high luminescence intensity as a signal probe.

MADS1-regulated lemma and awn development benefits barley yield.

Floral organ shape and size in cereal crops can affect grain size and yield, so genes that regulate their development are promising breeding targets. The lemma, which protects inner floral organs, can physically constrain grain growth; while the awn, a needle-like extension of the lemma, creates photosynthate to developing grain. Although several genes and modules controlling grain size and awn/lemma growth in rice have been characterized, these processes, and the relationships between them, are not well understood for barley and wheat.

Boosting Triticeae crop grain yield by manipulating molecular modules to regulate inflorescence architecture: insights and knowledge from other cereal crops.

One of the challenges for global food security is to reliably and sustainably improve the grain yield of cereal crops. One solution is to modify the architecture of the grain-bearing inflorescence to optimize for grain number and size. Cereal inflorescences are complex structures, with determinacy, branching patterns, and spikelet/floret growth patterns that vary by species.

MADS8 is indispensable for female reproductive development at high ambient temperatures in cereal crops.

Temperature is a major factor that regulates plant growth and phenotypic diversity. To ensure reproductive success at a range of temperatures, plants must maintain developmental stability of their sexual organs when exposed to temperature fluctuations. However, the mechanisms integrating plant floral organ development and temperature responses are largely unknown.

Discovery of DNA polymorphisms via genome-resequencing and development of molecular markers between two barley cultivars.

Genome resequencing uncovers genome-wide DNA polymorphisms that are useful for the development of high-density InDel markers between two barley cultivars. Discovering genomic variations and developing genetic markers are crucial for genetics studies and molecular breeding in cereal crops. Although InDels (insertions and deletions) have become popular because of their abundance and ease of detection, discovery of genome-wide DNA polymorphisms and development of InDel markers in barley have lagged behind other cereal crops such as rice, maize and wheat.

A double reaction system induced electrochemiluminescence enhancement based on SnS QDs@MIL-101 for ultrasensitive detection of CA242.

At present, the development of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor with excellent performance is still the research focus of immunoassay and detection. Herein, SnS quantum dots (SnS QDs) and metal-organic framework (MIL-101 (Cr)) are effectively combined to achieve synergistic signal amplification based on KSO co-reactant, thereby constructing SnS QDs/SO and SO/O ECL double reaction luminous systems. SnS QDs and singlet oxygen ((O)*) produced from the system as light-emitting devices jointly enhance the ECL response and significantly improve the sensitivity of the ECL immunosensor.

Citrulline Accumulation Mechanism of and in Soy Sauce and the Effects of Phenolic Compound on Citrulline Accumulation.

Citrulline is one of the major precursors of ethyl carbamate in soy sauce, and the accumulation of citrulline is attributed to the metabolism of arginine by bacteria with the arginine deiminase (ADI) pathway. However, key strains and factors affecting citrulline accumulation are not yet clear. In this study, two key strains of and were isolated from soy sauce , and the regularity of citrulline formation was studied.

MADS1 maintains barley spike morphology at high ambient temperatures.

Temperature stresses affect plant phenotypic diversity. The developmental stability of the inflorescence, required for reproductive success, is tightly regulated by the interplay of genetic and environmental factors. However, the mechanisms underpinning how plant inflorescence architecture responds to temperature are largely unknown.

Molecular Control of Carpel Development in the Grass Family.

Carpel is the ovule-bearing female reproductive organ of flowering plants and is required to ensure its protection, an efficient fertilization, and the development of diversified types of fruits, thereby it is a vital element of most food crops. The origin and morphological changes of the carpel are key to the evolution and adaption of angiosperms. Progresses have been made in elucidating the developmental mechanisms of carpel establishment in the model eudicot plant , while little and fragmentary information is known in grasses, a family that includes many important crops such as rice (), maize (), barley (), and wheat ().

Dripping, Jetting and Regime Transition of Droplet Formation in a Buoyancy-Assisted Microfluidic Device.

Buoyancy-assisted droplet formation in a quiescent continuous phase is an effective technique to produce highly monodispersed droplets, especially millimetric droplets. A comprehensive study combining visualization experiment and numerical simulation was carried out to explore the underlying physics of single droplet generation in a buoyancy-assisted microfluidic device. Typical regimes, including dripping and jetting, were examined to gain a deep insight into the hydrodynamic difference between the regimes.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the GRAS Gene Family in Barley ( L.).

The GRAS (named after first three identified proteins within this family, GAI, RGA, and SCR) family contains plant-specific genes encoding transcriptional regulators that play a key role in gibberellin (GA) signaling, which regulates plant growth and development. Even though genes have been characterized in some plant species, little research is known about the genes in barley ( L.).

Role of Solid Wall Properties in the Interface Slip of Liquid in Nanochannels.

A two-dimensional molecular dynamics model of the liquid flow inside rough nanochannels is developed to investigate the effect of a solid wall on the interface slip of liquid in nanochannels with a surface roughness constructed by rectangular protrusions. The liquid structure, velocity profile, and confined scale on the boundary slip in a rough nanochannel are investigated, and the comparison of those with a smooth nanochannel are presented. The influence of solid wall properties, including the solid wall density, wall-fluid coupling strength, roughness height and spacing, on the interfacial velocity slip are all analyzed and discussed.