Overexpression of the PeaT1 Elicitor Gene from Alternaria tenuissima Improves Drought Tolerance in Rice Plants via Interaction with a Myo-Inositol Oxygenase

Abiotic stresses, especially drought, seriously threaten cereal crops yields and quality. In this study, we observed that the rice plants of overexpression the Alternariatenuissima PeaT1 gene showed enhanced drought stress tolerance and increased the survival rate following a drought treatment. In PeaT1-overexpressing (PeaT1OE) plants, abscisic acid and chlorophyll content significantly increased, while the malondialdehyde (MDA) content decreased compared with the wild-type plants. Additionally, we confirmed that the transcript levels of drought-responsive genes, including OsAM1, OsLP2, and OsDST, were prominently lower in the PeaT1OE plants. In contrast, expression levels of genes encoding positive drought stress regulators including OsSKIPa, OsCPK9, OsNAC9, OSEREBP1, and OsTPKb were upregulated in PeaT1OE plants. Furthermore, combing the yeast two-hybrid assay, we found that PeaT1 could interact with amyo-inositol oxygenase (OsMIOX), which was verified by pull-down assay. Interestingly, OsMIOX was highly expressed in PeaT1OE plants during the drought treatment. Additionally, the OsMIOX-GFP fusion protein co-localized with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) marker in tobacco protoplasts, suggesting OsMIOX performs its function in ER. Therefore, our results are useful for elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying the improvement of drought tolerance by PeaT1

Skyhook-based Body-seat System Preview Control for a Semi-active Suspension Tractor

This paper intends to present a method to improve riding comfort of tractor while working. The primary objective is to reduce vibration of the seat in tractor cabin caused by road input, i.e. the performance of tractor suspension. For this purpose, a full-vehicle tractor model was built with wheel and suspension, which includes seven degrees of freedom. Simplified model for seat is put on the tractor model. Then preview control with time-delay consideration was investigated by installing look- ahead sensor on front wheel. On this basis, a semi-active suspension using sky-hook based preview controller is studied. The comfort evaluation parameters about the driver are presented and the mathematical models of passive and sky-hook based preview control suspension are simulated in Simulink. The comparison of the results of passive suspension and sky-hook based preview control suspension suggests that semi-active controller could significantly improve riding comfort and provide more comfortable working conditions for operators, which can be widely applied on tractor in the future

Oxidative Degradation of Amoxicillin in Aqueous Solution by Thermally Activated Persulfate

Antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) pose a great threat to public health and food security via the horizontal transfer in the food production chain. Oxidative degradation of amoxicillin (AMO) in aqueous solution by thermally activated persulfate (TAP) was investigated. The AMO degradation followed a pseudo-first-order kinetic model at all tested conditions. The pseudo-first-order rate constants of AMO degradation well-fitted the Arrhenius equation when the reaction temperature ranged from 35°C to 60°C, with the apparent activate energy of 126.9 kJ·mol−1. High reaction temperature, high initial persulfate concentration, low pH, high Cl− concentration, and humic acid (HA) concentration increased the AMO degradation efficiency. The EPR test demonstrated that both ·OH and SO4·− were generated in the TAP system, and the radical scavenging test identified that the predominant reactive radical species were SO4·− in aqueous solution without adjusting the solution pH. In groundwater and drinking water, AMO degradation suggested that TAP could be a reliable technology for water remediation contaminated by AMO in practice

Combined Metabolome and Transcriptome Analyses Unveil the Molecular Mechanisms of Fruit Acidity Variation in Litchi (<i>Litchi chinensis</i> Sonn.)

Fruit acidity determines the organoleptic quality and nutritive value of most fruits. In litchi, although the organic acid composition of pulps is known, the molecular mechanisms and genes underlying variation in fruit acidity remain elusive. Herein, developing pulps of two contrasting litchi varieties, Huaizhi (HZ, low-acidity) and Boye_No.8 (B8, high-acidity), were subjected to metabolomics and transcriptomics, and the dynamic metabolome and transcriptional changes were determined. Measurements revealed that the dominant acidity-related organic acid in litchi pulps is malate, followed in low levels by citrate and tartrate. Variation in litchi pulps’ acidity is mainly associated with significant differences in malate and citrate metabolisms during fruit development. Malic acid content decreased by 91.43% and 72.28% during fruit ripening in HZ and B8, respectively. The content of citric acid increased significantly in B8, while in HZ it was reduced considerably. Differentially accumulated metabolites and differentially expressed genes analyses unveiled fumarate, succinate, 2-oxoglutarate, GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid), phosphoenolpyruvate, and citrate metabolisms as the key driving pathways of litchi fruits’ acidity variation. The drastic malate and citrate degradation in HZ was linked to higher induction of fumarate and GABA biosynthesis, respectively. Thirty candidate genes, including three key genes (LITCHI026501.m2, fumarase; LITCHI020148.m5, glutamate decarboxylase; and LITCHI003343.m3, glutamate dehydrogenase), were identified for functional studies toward genetic modulation of litchi fruit acidity. Our findings provide insights into the molecular basis of acidity variation in litchi and provide valuable resources for fruit quality improvement

Maternal Western diet mediates susceptibility of offspring to Crohn’s-like colitis by deoxycholate generation

Abstract Background The Western dietary pattern, characterized by high consumption of fats and sugars, has been strongly associated with an increased risk of developing Crohn’s disease (CD). However, the potential impact of maternal obesity or prenatal exposure to a Western diet on offspring’s susceptibility to CD remains unclear. Herein, we investigated the effects and underlying mechanisms of a maternal high-fat/high-sugar Western-style diet (WD) on offspring’s susceptibility to 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced Crohn’s-like colitis. Methods Maternal dams were fed either a WD or a normal control diet (ND) for eight weeks prior to mating and continued throughout gestation and lactation. Post-weaning, the offspring were subjected to WD and ND to create four groups: ND-born offspring fed a normal diet (N–N) or Western diet (N-W), and WD-born offspring fed a normal (W–N) or Western diet (W-W). At eight weeks of age, they were administered TNBS to induce a CD model. Results Our findings revealed that the W–N group exhibited more severe intestinal inflammation than the N–N group, as demonstrated by a lower survival rate, increased weight loss, and a shorter colon length. The W–N group displayed a significant increase in Bacteroidetes, which was accompanied by an accumulation of deoxycholic acid (DCA). Further experimentation confirmed an increased generation of DCA in mice colonized with gut microbes from the W–N group. Moreover, DCA administration aggravated TNBS-induced colitis by promoting Gasdermin D (GSDMD)-mediated pyroptosis and IL-1beta (IL-1β) production in macrophages. Importantly, the deletion of GSDMD effectively restrains the effect of DCA on TNBS-induced colitis. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that a maternal Western-style diet can alter gut microbiota composition and bile acid metabolism in mouse offspring, leading to an increased susceptibility to CD-like colitis. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the long-term consequences of maternal diet on offspring health and may have implications for the prevention and management of Crohn’s disease. Video Abstrac