Molecular insights into drought tolerance in wheat through in-silico genome-wide analysis of DREB1 transcription factor and peroxidase interactions.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a staple food crop providing essential nutrition to global population. However, water scarcity and increasing drought stress, because of climate change, threaten its productivity. Oxidative stress increases the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to drought which damages the plant cellular metabolism.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of Hippophae salicifolia.

Hippophae salicifolia, a dioecious small tree species endemic to the Himalayan region, holds great potential in both ecological conservation and industrial applications. In this study, we employed PacBio HiFi long reads, Illumina short reads, and Hi-C technology to construct a high-quality, chromosome-level reference genome. The assembled genome is approximately 1.

Priority Effects Favor Invasive over Its Native Congener , While Late Arrival Incurs Higher Costs.

Priority effects-the phenomenon where early-arriving species influence the establishment, growth, and reproduction of later-arriving species during community assembly-play a critical role in determining the invasion success of exotic species. However, how priority effects are influenced by nitrogen (N) availability remains understudied. The invasive species has rapidly expanded its range in China over the past few years.

External Glands of Traps: Structure and Potential Function.

L. species (tropical pitcher plants) are a classic example of carnivorous plants. The traps are highly specialized pitchers with a zoned structure.

Microbial consortium loaded tannery solid waste biochar application causes immobilization of nonessential metals in field-grown sunflower.

Tannery solid waste poses significant environmental challenges owing to its high metal content, especially Cr. Converting this waste into value-added byproduct biochar offers a sustainable management approach to reducing the waste load on landfill sites and also guarding the nearby fauna, flora and water bodies. This study aimed to develop metal-resistant microbial consortium loaded biochar (MCLB) by inoculating tannery solid waste biochar (BC) with consortium of ten and/or five strains and their effect was evaluated on the morphological and biochemical attributes of sunflowers including metals immobilization.

High-resolution imaging of plant delayed luminescence.

Delayed luminescence (DL) is a quantized signal that is characteristic of photoexcited molecules entering a relaxed state. Studying DL provides critical insight into photophysical mechanisms through the analysis of specific spatiotemporal dynamics. In this study, we developed a high-sensitivity DL imaging system using a quantitative scientific complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (qCMOS) camera and a single-photon counting resolution.

In silico characterization, physiochemical analysis, and antifungal evaluation of the Zea mays PR-1 protein.

Pathogenesis-related protein 1 (PR-1) is a critical component of plant defense mechanisms, exhibiting significant antifungal activity. This study focused on the PR-1 protein from Zea mays and five other plant species (Triticum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare, Oryza sativa, Avena sativa, and Secale cereale) to explore their physicochemical, structural, and functional characteristics. The PR-1 gene from Z.

Land availability and policy commitments limit global climate mitigation from forestation.

Forestation (afforestation and reforestation) could mitigate climate change by sequestering carbon within biomass and soils. However, global mitigation from forestation remains uncertain owing to varying estimates of carbon sequestration rates (notably in soil) and land availability. In this study, we developed global maps of soil carbon change that reveal carbon gains and losses with forestation, primarily in the topsoil.

New Insights into the Structural Profiling of Polyphenol Aggregates from Pu-erh Tea and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activity the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Signaling Pathway and Gut Microbiota.

Pu-erh tea polyphenol aggregates (PTPAs), macromolecular complexes analogous to theabrownin formed during microbial fermentation, are key bioactive components in this tea. Although their bioactivities are documented, critical gaps persist regarding both precise structural features and molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory efficacy across biological models. To address these limitations, we systematically analyzed PTPAs using integrated methods, including alkaline hydrolysis, acid hydrolysis, and benzyl mercaptan-mediated degradation.

Small net local temporal changes in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic biodiversity across European temperate forests.

We face increasing concerns about how the local diversity of native plant communities responds to various drivers of global change, yet often lack comprehensive studies that integrate several components of diversity and the effects of both local and regional drivers of change. We analyzed changes in taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity across 2681 (semi-)permanent temperate forest understory plots surveyed and resurveyed for all vascular plants over intervals of 15-78 yr, spanning 72 regions distributed across Europe. We quantified temporal changes in these diversity indices and assessed their responses to changes in both local drivers (plot-level overstory cover, indicator values for soil nutrients) and regional shifts in macroclimate and nitrogen deposition.

Structurally diverse diterpenoids from cones of Taxodium ascendens inhibit colorectal cancer proliferation via regulating mitophagy.

Taxascendins A - D (1-4), four unprecedented hetero-oligomeric terpenoids, and taxascendins E - K (5-11), seven new diterpenoids with five distinct and highly modified abietane-types frameworks, along with sixteen known analogues (10-27) were obtained from Taxodium ascendens. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and quantum chemical calculations. Bioactivity screening indicated that the isolated compounds exhibited inhibitory activity in colorectal cancer cells.

Molecular and Morphological Evidence Reveals Four New Species from Dragon Trees in Yunnan Province, China.

() is a globally distributed fungal genus, traditionally recognized as a group of plant pathogens, with most members known to cause severe plant diseases. However, recent studies have demonstrated that many of these fungi can also colonize plants endophytically, with certain strains capable of promoting plant growth and stimulating the production of secondary metabolites. In this study, 13 strains of were isolated from the stems and leaves of and in Yunnan Province, China.

Dissecting Organ-Specific Aroma-Active Volatile Profiles in Two Endemic Species by Integrated GC-MS Metabolomics.

: and are valuable evergreen trees recognized for their unique aromas and ecological significance, yet the organ-related distribution and functional implications of aroma-active volatiles remain insufficiently characterized. : In this study, we applied an integrated GC-MS-based volatile metabolomics approach combined with a relative odor activity value (rOAV) analysis to comprehensively profile and compare the volatile metabolite landscape in the seeds and leaves of both species. : In total, 1666 volatile compounds were putatively identified, of which 540 were inferred as key aroma-active contributors based on the rOAV analysis.

Bringing the uncultivated microbial majority of freshwater ecosystems into culture.

Axenic cultures are essential for studying microbial ecology, evolution, and genomics. Despite the importance of pure cultures, public culture collections are biased towards fast-growing copiotrophs, while many abundant aquatic prokaryotes remain uncultured due to uncharacterized growth requirements and oligotrophic lifestyles. Here, we applied high-throughput dilution-to-extinction cultivation using defined media that mimic natural conditions to samples from 14 Central European lakes, yielding 627 axenic strains.

The impact of weather conditions on avian breeding performance: insights from a long-term study.

Understanding how weather conditions during early development influence reproductive success is essential for predicting avian responses to climate change. We used a 40-year dataset from a nest-box population of collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis) to examine how temperature and precipitation during the incubation and nestling periods affected three key components of reproductive performance: hatchling number, fledgling production, and local offspring recruitment. We found that higher ambient temperatures during the nestling period were associated with a decreased probability of brood failure and a higher number of recruits.

Omics Integration Reveals Hormonal Adjustments in Irrigated and Nonirrigated Rice Varieties Upon Mythimna separata Feeding.

Freshwater consumption is the biggest challenge in irrigated rice cultivation (Oryza sativa L.). Nonirrigated farmland rice cultivation is a strategy to mitigate the water resource shortage associated with traditional irrigated rice farming.

, a new species of (Rosaceae) from southwest China.

Through detailed morphological comparison and robust molecular evidence, we confirm M.T.An & Xu Wu as a new species of Rosaceae from Guizhou province, southwest China.

Single-dose infusion of engineered viral receptor binding domain confers rapid and durable protection against viral infection.

Developing both rapid- and long-acting antiviral drugs for single-dose administration can improve medication adherence and protect people at risk of infection. To provide proof of this concept, here, we designed multimerized form of viral receptor-binding domains (RBDs) to immediately occupy viral receptors to block infection and subsequently induce virus-specific protective immunity. We engineered SARS-CoV-2 RBD, enhancing its affinity to ACE2 and immunogenicity through multimerization and Fc modification.

The CLE9/CLE10 signaling peptides control de novo shoot regeneration in Arabidopsis.

De novo shoot regeneration is widely exploited in plant biotechnology and genetic engineering. However, the deciding factors involved in this process remain largely elusive. Here, we elucidate the role of CLAVATA3/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION-RELATED 9/10 (CLE9/10) peptides during de novo shoot regeneration.

Generation and Nutritional Evaluation of Intragenic Rice with α-Linolenic Acid Hyperfortified in Seeds.

α-Linolenic acid (ALA) serves as a precursor of long-chain ω-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Humans cannot produce ALA due to a lack of ω-3 (Δ-15) fatty acid desaturase (FAD), which converts linoleic acid (LA) into ALA in plants. We developed ALA hyperfortified intragenic rice via a double T-DNA transformation strategy, with an expression cassette containing endogenous ω-3/Δ15 fatty acid desaturase () gene, endosperm-specific promoter, and terminator in one T-DNA, and the selectable marker gene in the other.

Deinococcus lichenicola sp. nov., A Bacterium Isolated from a Lichen Sample.

A Gram-stain-positive bacterium, designated as YIM 134068, was isolated from a lichen. Strain YIM 134068 was non-motile, non-spore forming, coccus shaped, oxidase, and catalase positive. Cells could grow at 10-40 °C (optimum 28 °C) and pH 7.

Ericoid mycorrhizal fungal metacommunity facilitates closely related Rhododendron species coexistence.

The structural and ecological significance of ericoid mycorrhizal (ErM) fungi is well recognized. Yet, it remains unknown whether the coexistence of ericaceous plants is facilitated by their symbioses with ErM fungi. Here, we use Rhododendron (Ericaceae) as a model to investigate how phylogenetic and functional limiting similarity, or facilitation through ErM fungal metacommunity, influences their co-occurrence in mountain ecosystems.

ZmPP2C45 and ZmBELL4 suppress maize biochemical defense against insect herbivores.

Benzoxazinoids (BZX) are the most abundant defensive metabolites of maize (Zea mays). Genetic fine-tuning of BZX metabolism holds the potential to enhance maize resistance against insect herbivory. Natural variation in BZX abundance has been associated with genetic polymorphism in ZmPP2C45.

The tree growth-herbivory relationship depends on functional traits across forest biodiversity experiments.

While studies have demonstrated that higher tree species richness can increase forest productivity, the relationships between tree species richness, tree growth and herbivore damage remain insufficiently explored. Here we investigate these linkages using data from 8,790 trees across 80 species in 9 biodiversity experiments, spanning temperate and subtropical biomes. Despite considerable geographic variation, we reveal an overall positive relationship between tree species richness and insect herbivory, as well as between tree growth and herbivory, at individual, species and community levels.

The ethnomedicinal, pharmacological, and phytochemical potential of Ferula sinkiangensis K.M.Shen: An updated and comprehensive review.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ferula sinkiangensis, commonly known as "Chinese Awei" or "Chinese Ferula", has attracted considerable attention due to its diverse ethnobotanical uses and phytochemical complexity. However, lacking an updated and comprehensive review addressing ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and threats facing this critically endangered medicinal plant of Xinjiang, China.

Aim: This comprehensive review aims to provide an updated, meticulous study of F.