A Short Indel-Lacking-Resistance Gene Triggers Silencing of the Photosynthetic Machinery Components Through TYLCSV-Associated Endogenous siRNAs in Tomato

Plant viruses modify gene expression in infected tissues by altering the micro (mi)RNA-mediated regulation of genes. Among conserved miRNA targets there are transcripts coding for transcription factors, RNA silencing core, and disease-resistance proteins. Paralogs in these gene families are widely present in plant genomes and are known to respond differently to miRNA-mediated regulation during plant virus infections. Using genome-wide approaches applied to Solanum lycopersicum infected by a nuclear-replicating virus, we highlighted miRNA-mediated cleavage events that could not be revealed in virus-free systems. Among them we confirmed miR6024 targeting and cleavage of RX-coiled-coil (RX-CC), nucleotide binding site (NBS), leucine-rich (LRR) mRNA. Cleavage of paralogs was associated with short indels close to the target sites, indicating a general functional significance of indels in fine-tuning gene expression in plant-virus interaction. miR6024-mediated cleavage, uniquely in virus-infected tissues, triggers the production of several 21-22 nt secondary siRNAs. These secondary siRNAs, rather than being involved in the cascade regulation of other NBS-LRR paralogs, explained cleavages of several mRNAs annotated as defence-related proteins and components of the photosynthetic machinery. Outputs of these data explain part of the phenotype plasticity in plants, including the appearance of yellowing symptoms in the viral pathosystem

Sensory Profile of Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Tip-Toe Behavior: Results of an Observational Pilot Study

Atypical sensory processing is frequently reported in persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and it is one of the described diagnostic criteria for ASD. There is also mounting literature supporting the presence of motor impairments in individuals with ASD. Among these motor signs, tip-toe behavior (TTB) is a possible clinical finding, but its etiology is not clearly understood. It is suggested that TTB in ASD could be a sign of a sensory modulation impairment, but evidence is lacking and controversial. The main aim of this pilot study is to explore sensory features in a sample (4 females; 28 males) of children and adolescents with ASD (age range: 7–18). All participants also presented Intellectual Disability. Participants were divided in two groups, matched for age and gender, on the basis of the presence or absence of TTB (16 ASD TTB group vs. 16 ASD NO-TTB group) and then evaluated by using the Short Sensory Profile. We found that both ASD groups tend to significantly present sensory-related behavioral symptoms, but ASD TTB individuals more frequently showed the specific pattern of “under responsive/seeks sensation” than ASD NO-TTB individuals. These preliminary findings support that sensory-motor features might be taken into consideration when rehabilitation for TTB in children and adolescents with ASD is necessary