Simultaneous regulation of both lignin and cellulose biosynthesis modifies xylem fiber properties in .

Introduction: Wood is primarily made up of secondary xylem cell walls, with lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose as the main chemical components. The presence of lignin represents recalcitrance to wood pulping and biofuel conversion. Consequently, reducing lignin content is a key approach to improving wood properties and optimizing its processing.

An Improved -Mediated Transformation Method for an Important Fresh Fruit: Kiwifruit ().

Genetic transformation is an essential tool for investigating gene function and editing genomes. Kiwifruit, recognized as a significant global fresh fruit crop, holds considerable economic and nutritional importance. However, current genetic transformation techniques for kiwifruit are impeded by low efficiency, lengthy culture durations (a minimum of six months), and substantial labor requirements.

Research on the Hormonomics of Three Species and Their Flavonoid Diversification and Specificity.

Hormonomics represents an innovative approach to plant physiology and biochemistry. We utilized hormonomics to analyze the hormone profiles of three lily bulbs. The hormones specifically enriched in BiFeng7 lily show a strong response to secondary metabolism pathways, while the Diwanghuang lily profile was predominantly focused on growth.

Comparative analysis of POD gene family and expression differentiation under NaCl, HO and PEG stresses in sorghum.

Background: Sorghum has a strong tolerance to multi-abiotic stresses such as drought, heat, poor soil fertility, and salinity, yet its growth and development are significantly affected by extreme abiotic stresses, ultimately reducing grain yield. Peroxidase (POD) proteins, which are members of the oxidoreductase enzyme family, play an important role in protecting plants against multi-abiotic stress. However, this gene family has rarely been studied in sorghum.

Microscopic probing into plasmodesmata (PD) and PD-derived intercellular gateways (PdIGs): Beyond morphology.

Plasmodesmata (PD) are nano-channels in plant cell walls that connect adjacent cells, facilitating the symplastic transport of micro- and macromolecules. In certain tissues, specialized transport requirements drive the formation of intercellular channels in diverse morphologies, compositions and functions, including sieve plate pores, plasmodesmo-pore units, lateral sieve area pore, and flexible gateways. These channels, derived from PD, are referred to as PD-derived intercellular gateways (PdIGs) in this review.

Whole-transcriptome sequencing reveals the global molecular responses and ceRNA regulatory network involved in programmed cell death of rice cultivars zyk639 and zyk-lm.

Background: Programmed cell death (PCD) can be triggered by biotic stress or abiotic stress in rice, which is a crucial factor throughout the lifecycle. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have important roles in a variety of biological processes. However, the regulatory relationship between lncRNAs and rice PCD occurrence is unclear.

Identification of a Novel Glycosyl Transferase Family 17 Protein Involved in Cd Accumulation in Rice (Oryza sativa).

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal widely distributed in the environment that poses a significant threat to living organisms because of its strong mobility and toxicity. In this study, a novel gene named Osß-glu from the glycosyltransferase (GT) family was investigated for its role in the Cd stress response in rice. Various experiments were conducted using the japonica cultivar Nipponbare (Nip) and its mutants (Osß-glu-1 and Osß-glu-2).

Geminiviral replication enhancer hijacks a negative regulator of cytokinin signaling to facilitate viral infection.

Geminiviruses are widespread across the globe and cause devastating diseases in food and medicinal crops. Their C3 proteins have long been known to enhance viral replication; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we show that transgenic plants overexpressing the C3 protein of tobacco curly shoot geminivirus (TbCSV) exhibit hypersensitive responses to cytokinin (CK) treatment, which largely restores the attenuated viral replication observed in the TbCSV C3 mutant (TbCSV).

Proteome and Phosphoproteome of Tomato Fruit Identify REDUCED CHLOROPLAST COVERAGE 1a as A Ripening Regulator.

Fruit ripening in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) has been extensively studied at the transcriptomics level. However, comprehensive profiling of the tomato fruit proteome and phosphoproteome remains limited. In this study, we performed large-scale proteome and phosphoproteome profiling of tomato (Ailsa Craig) fruits across five ripening stages using tandem mass tags (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics.

Development of an immunochromatographic strip for rapid detection of recombinant rice EPSPS in transgenic crops.

Glyphosate-resistant crops, developed using the EPSPS gene, are widely cultivated globally. Previous studies indicate that the TIPS-OsEPSPS gene provides glyphosate resistance in rice. In this research, the OsmEPSPS gene was utilized to develop glyphosate-resistant, maize, and soybean, and a rapid immunochromatographic strip (ICS) test was designed for specific detection of the OsmEPSPS protein.

The m6A reader SlYTH1 regulates flavor-related volatiles biosynthesis via affecting mRNA stability and translation in tomato fruit.

N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent RNA epigenetic modification in eukaryotes, catalyzed by methyltransferases (writers), removed by demethylases (erasers), and recognized by binding proteins (readers). While previous studies have established the essential role of m6A homeostasis in regulating fruit ripening, the post-transcriptional mechanisms underlying m6A-mediated quality trait formation remain poorly understood. Following our recent discovery of a YT521B homology (YTH) domain-containing m6A reader gene, SlYTH2, as a translational repressor for the production of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) aroma volatiles, we reveal here a distinct regulatory effect through knockout of SlYTH1, which specifically reduces flavor-related volatiles in tomato fruit without affecting the days from anthesis to fruit color break, ethylene production, or firmness.

Brochosomes as an antireflective camouflage coating for leafhoppers.

In nature, insects face immense predation pressure, where visual cues play a vital role in predators locating them. To counter this threat, insects employ a variety of nano- and microstructures on their cuticular layer to manipulate and interact with light, enhancing antireflective properties and providing camouflage or reducing detectability by predators. Leafhoppers have a unique extracuticular coating called brochosome, yet its antireflective functions and protein composition remain unclear.

Statistical Analysis of Reproductive Traits in Jinwu Pig and Identification of Genome-Wide Association Loci.

Background: The Jinwu pig is a novel breed created by crossbreeding Jinhua and Duroc pigs, displaying superior meat quality, strong adaptability to coarse feed, high production performance, and a rapid growth rate. However, research on its reproductive traits and genomic characteristics has not been systematically reported.

Methods: In this study, we investigated the genetic basis of reproductive traits in Jinwu pigs us-ing a genome-wide association study.

Morphological, Biochemical, and Cytological Analyses of Deep-Sowing Tolerance in Sorghum Seeds.

Deep-sowing tolerance (DST) is a key trait for the field germination of sorghum ( L.) seeds, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. However, the mechanisms of DST are poorly understood in sorghum.

Metabolomics and Spatial Distribution Analysis in Characterizing Rice Varieties for Huangjiu.

Huangjiu is a traditional Chinese fermented alcoholic beverage made from glutinous rice. The quality and flavor profile of Huangjiu are intricately linked to the intrinsic properties of the rice used. While research on rice for Huangjiu emphasizes macronutrients such as starch and protein, little is known about the characteristics of small molecular metabolites.

Genome-wide identification of HIPP genes family in sorghum reveals the novel role of SbHIPP40 in accumulation of cadmium.

Excessive Cadmium (Cd) content in soil poses a significant threat to plant growth and human health. Heavy metal-associated isoprenylated plant proteins (HIPPs) are pivotal regulators of metal homeostasis and detoxification. While Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is a promising phytoremediation crops, the functional roles of its HIPPs family remain poorly characterized.

Ubiquitination of the PpMADS2 transcription factor controls linalool production during UV-B irradiation in detached peach fruit.

Plant secondary metabolites undergo changes in response to UV-B irradiation. Although UV-B irradiation reduces flavor-associated volatile compounds in detached peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) fruit, the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain unclear.

Molecular Characterization and Assessment of Insect Resistance of Transgenic Maize ZDRF-8.

ZDRF-8 is a transgenic maize event created via -mediated transformation for insect resistance and glyphosate tolerance by expressing , , and . A Southern blot analysis suggested that it is a single-copy T-DNA insertion event. The flanking genomic sequences of the T-DNA insertion suggested that its T-DNA was inserted at the terminal region of the long arm of chromosome 7 without interrupting any known or predicted genes.

Two E-clade protein phosphatase 2Cs enhance ABA signaling by dephosphorylating ABI1 in Arabidopsis.

ABA INSENSITIVE 1 (ABI1) and ABI2 are co-receptors of the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA). Studies have demonstrated that phosphorylation of multiple amino acids on ABI1/2 augments their ability to inhibit ABA signaling in planta. However, whether and how the dephosphorylation of ABI1/2 is regulated to enhance plant sensitivity to ABA remain unknown.

Calmodulin1-Calmodulin Binding Transcription Activator (CAM1-CAMTA) negatively regulate the transcription of Fluoride Export Gene 1 (FEX1) to mediate fluoride transport in tea (Camellia sinensis).

Fluoride (F) is vital for the growth of tea plants (Camellia sinensis); however, high levels in the leaves can pose a potential threat to human health. Previous studies have shown that F-export genes (FEXs) regulate efflux from the cells in tea plants, but the specific regulatory network remains unclear. In this study, the Calmodulin-Binding Transcription Activator (CAMTA) protein was functionally characterized based on yeast one-hybrid screening assays and previous transcriptomics studies, which showed that it is mainly localized in the nucleus and binds to the G-box (CACGTC) cis-element in the promoter of Fluoride Export Gene 1 (FEX1) as a transcription inhibitor.

A telomere-to-telomere genome assembly of Chinese grain sorghum 654.

The grain sorghum inbred line 654 serves as a parent for numerous Chinese commercial hybrids and recombinant inbred lines (RILs), which have played a pivotal role in the cloning of several agronomically important traits. In this study, we present a telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome assembly of the inbred line 654 (728.81 Mb) using PacBio HiFi, ultra-long Oxford Nanopore Technology, and Hi-C sequencing data.

A J-Domain Protein J3 Antagonizes ABI5-BINDING PROTEIN2 to Regulate CONSTANS Stability and Flowering Time.

CONSTANS (CO) plays a vital role in activating the expression of the florigen FT during photoperiod-dependent flowering. The diurnal oscillation of CO protein abundance is strictly controlled by daylength and the circadian clock. We showed previously that ABI5-BINDING PROTEIN2 (AFP2) represses CO expression to delay flowering.

The Effect of on Cadmium Uptake and Gene Expression in Rice.

The molecular mechanism of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in reducing cadmium (Cd) accumulation in plants remains unclear. In this respect, the effects of (Ri) inoculation under Cd stress on rice growth, the uptake of Cd along with other elements, and the expression of Cd transport genes, including , were studied using wild-type (WT) and mutant rice. The results showed that Ri inoculation did not affect rice growth.

MicroRNA gatekeepers: Orchestrating rhizospheric dynamics.

The rhizosphere plays a crucial role in plant growth and resilience to biotic and abiotic stresses, highlighting the complex communication between plants and their dynamic rhizosphere environment. Plants produce a wide range of signaling molecules that facilitate communication with various rhizosphere factors, yet our understanding of these mechanisms remains elusive. In addition to protein-coding genes, increasing evidence underscores the critical role of microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of non-coding single-stranded RNA molecules, in regulating plant growth, development, and responses to rhizosphere stresses under diverse biotic and abiotic factors.

Recombinant nanobody expressed by transgenic chimeric chickens eliminated vertical transmission of avian leukosis virus subgroup J.

Because of the vertical transmission of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J), control of ALV-J in breed of chicken is still a serious issue. Blocking vertical transmission using antibodies is a potential strategy, but its high cost limits its application. We artificially designed recombinant nanobody (Nb) and efficiently expressed and secreted them in three primary chicken cells cultured in vitro by adenovirus delivery.