Tomato short internodes and pedicels encode an LRR receptor-like serine/threonine-protein kinase ERECTA regulating stem elongation through modulating gibberellin metabolism

Plant height is an important agronomic trait. Dwarf varieties present several advantages, such as lodging resistance, increased yield, and suitability for mechanized harvesting, which are crucial for crop improvement. However, limited research is available on dwarf tomato varieties suitable for production. In this study, we report a novel short internode mutant named “short internode and pedicel (sip)” in tomato, which exhibits marked internode and pedicel shortening due to suppressed cell elongation. This mutant plant has a compact plant structure and compact inflorescence, and has been demonstrated to produce more fruits, resulting in a higher harvest index. Genetic analysis revealed that this phenotype is controlled by a single recessive gene, SlSIP. BSA analysis and KASP genotyping indicated that ERECTA (ER) is the possible candidate gene for SlSIP, which encodes a leucine-rich receptor-like kinase. Additionally, we obtained an ER functional loss mutant using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology. The 401st base A of ER is substituted with T in sip, resulting in a change in the 134th amino acid from asparagine (N) to isoleucine (I). Molecular dynamics(MD) simulations showed that this mutation site is located in the extracellular LRR domain and alters nearby ionic bonds, leading to a change in the spatial structure of this site. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the genes that were differentially expressed between sip and wild-type (WT) plants were enriched in the gibberellin metabolic pathway. We found that GA3 and GA4 decreased in the sip mutant, and exogenous GA3 restored the sip to the height of the WT plant. These findings reveal that SlSIP in tomatoes regulates stem elongation by regulating gibberellin metabolism. These results provide new insights into the mechanisms of tomato dwarfing and germplasm resources for breeding dwarfing tomatoes

Soybean Breeding on Seed Composition Trait

Soybean is a most important crop providing edible oil and plant protein source for human beings, in addition to animal feed because of high protein and oil content. This review summarized the progresses in the QTL mapping, candidate gene cloning and functional analysis and also the regulation of soybean oil and seed storage protein accumulation. Furthermore, as soybean genome has been sequenced and released, prospects of multiple omics and advanced biotechnology should be combined and applied for further refine research and high-quality breeding

Identification of Major QTLs Associated With First Pod Height and Candidate Gene Mining in Soybean

First pod height (FPH) is a quantitative trait in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] that affects mechanized harvesting. A compatible combination of the FPH and the mechanized harvester is required to ensure that the soybean is efficiently harvested. In this study, 147 recombinant inbred lines, which were derived from a cross between ‘Dongnong594’ and ‘Charleston’ over 8 years, were used to identify the major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with FPH. Using a composite interval mapping method with WinQTLCart (version 2.5), 11 major QTLs were identified. They were distributed on five soybean chromosomes, and 90 pairs of QTLs showed significant epistatic associates with FPH. Of these, 3 were main QTL × main QTL interactions, and 12 were main QTL × non-main QTL interactions. A KEGG gene annotation of the 11 major QTL intervals revealed 8 candidate genes related to plant growth, appearing in the pathways K14486 (auxin response factor 9), K14498 (serine/threonine-protein kinase), and K13946 (transmembrane amino acid transporter family protein), and 7 candidate genes had high expression levels in the soybean stems. These results will aid in building a foundation for the fine mapping of the QTLs related to FPH and marker-assisted selection for breeding in soybean

Morphology and Composition of Microspheres in Fly Ash from the Luohuang Power Plant, Chongqing, Southwestern China

In order to effectively raise both utilization rate and additional value of fly ash, X-Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-Ray spectrometer (EDS) were used to investigate the morphology, and chemical and mineral composition of the microspheres in fly ash from the Luohuang coal-fired power plant, Chongqing, southwestern China. The majority of fly ash particles are various types of microspheres, including porous microsphere, plerospheres (hollow microspheres surrounding sub-microspheres or mineral fragments) and magnetic ferrospheres. Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) crystals with spinel octahedron structure regularly distribute on the surfaces of ferrospheres, which explained the source of their strong magnetism that would facilitate the separation and classification of these magnetic ferrospheres from the fly ash. Microspheres in Luohuang fly ash generally are characterized by an elemental transition through their cross-section: the inner layer consists of Si and O; the chemical component of the middle layer is Si, Al, Fe, Ti, Ca and O; and the Fe-O mass (maghemite or hematite) composes the outer layer (ferrosphere). Studies on composition and morphological characteristics of microspheres in fly ash would provide important information on the utilization of fly ash, especially in the field of materials

Oridonin inhibits aberrant AKT activation in breast cancer

Aberrant activation of phosphatidylinosito-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling in cancer has led to pursuit of inhibitors for targeting this pathway. However, inhibitors of PI3K and AKT have failed to yield efficacious results without adverse effects. Here, we screened a library containing 441 authenticated traditional chinese medicine (TCM) plant extracts by examining their effect on cell viability of a human mammary epithelial cell line HMEC-PIK3CAH1047R, which expresses mutant PIK3CAH1047R and has constitutively active AKT signaling. We found that Oridonin, an extract from Rabdosia rubescens, reduced cell viability to the greatest extent. Oridonin binds to AKT1 and potentially functions as an ATP-competitive AKT inhibitor. Importantly, Oridonin selectively impaired tumor growth of human breast cancer cells with hyperactivation of PI3K/AKT signaling. Moreover, Oridonin prevented the initiation of mouse mammary tumors driven by PIK3CAH1047R. Our results suggest that Oridonin may serve as a potent and durable therapeutic agent for the treatment of breast cancers with hyperactivation of PI3K/AKT signaling

Shanghai cognitive intervention of mild cognitive impairment for delaying progress with longitudinal evaluation-a prospective, randomized controlled study (SIMPLE): rationale, design, and methodology

Abstract Background Mild cognitive impairment is an early stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Increasing evidence has indicated that cognitive training could improve cognitive abilities of MCI patients in multiple cognitive domains, making it a promising therapeutic approach for MCI. However, the effect of long-time training has not been widely explored. It is also necessary to evaluate the extent how it could reduce the convertion rate from MCI to AD. Methods/design The SIMPLE study is a multicenter, randomized, single-blind prospective clinical trial assessing the effects of computerized cognitive training on different cognitive domains in MCI patients. It is carried out in 7 centers in China. The study population includes patients aged 50–85, and they are randomly allocated to the training or control group. The primary outcome is to compare the conversion rate of MCI within 36-month follow-up. Structural and functional MRI will be used to interpret the effect of cognitive training. The cognitive training comprises a variety of games related with cognitive domains such as attention, memory, visualspatial ability and executive function. We cautiously set 50% reduction in the rate of conversion as estimated effect. With 80–90% statistical power and 12% as the overall probability of conversion within the study period, 600–800 patients are finally required in the study. The first patent has been recruited in April 2017. Discussion Previous studies suggested the benefit of cognitive training for MCI, but neither long-time nor Chinese culture were investigated. The SIMPLE designs and utilizes an improved computerized cognitive training approach and assesses its effects on MCI progress. In addition, neural activities explaining the effects on cognition function changes will be revealed, which could in turn to imply more useful therapeutic approaches. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03119051