Expression of <i>DfMADS1</i> gene in sporophytes of <i>D. fragrans</i>.

<p>Total RNA from young sporophytes (YS), young leaves (YL), leaf-young sporangium (L-YSp), and leaf-mature sporangium (L-MSp) was used for qRT-PCR analysis. Error bars indicate +/− standard errors from three biological replicates.</p

Alignment of the deduced amino acid sequences of the DfMADS1 protein with those of other related MADS-box proteins of ferns (A). The MADS and K domains are underlined. Schematic of the MIKC-DfMADS protein in <i>D. fragrans</i> (B).

<p>Alignment of the deduced amino acid sequences of the DfMADS1 protein with those of other related MADS-box proteins of ferns (A). The MADS and K domains are underlined. Schematic of the MIKC-DfMADS protein in <i>D. fragrans</i> (B).</p

Expression of <i>DfMADS1</i> gene in the gametophytes of <i>D. fragrans</i>.

<p>Total RNA from the spore (Sp), young prothallus (YP), mature prothallus (MP), young sporophyte (YS), and aborted prothallus (AP) was used for qRT-PCR analysis. Error bars indicate +/− standard errors from three biological replicates.</p

Expressions of <i>DfMADS1</i> gene in various tissues and organs of <i>D. fragrans</i>.

<p>Total RNA from spores (Sp), mature gametophytes (MG), sporophytes (Spp), petiols (Pe), and roots (Rt) was used for semi-quantitative PCR and qRT-PCR analyses. Relative mRNA levels of the <i>DfMADS1</i> gene were normalized against 18S rRNA. Error bars indicate +/− standard errors from three biological replicates.</p

Neighbor-joining-based phylogenetic tree of fern MADS-box proteins.

<p>The tree is unrooted. The symbols after the gene names indicate spermatophytes (open circles), gymnosperms (hatched circles), and pteridophytes (solid circles). DfMADS1 was grouped into the CRM1-like subfamily.</p

Selenium deficiency-induced alterations in ion profiles in chicken muscle

<div><p>Ion homeostasis plays important roles in development of metabolic diseases. In the present study, we examined the contents and distributions of 25 ions in chicken muscles following treatment with selenium (Se) deficiency for 25 days. The results revealed that in chicken muscles, the top ranked microelements were silicon (Si), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu) and boron (B), showing low contents that varied from 292.89 ppb to 100.27 ppm. After Se deficiency treatment, essential microelements [Cu, chromium (Cr), vanadium (V) and manganese (Mn)], and toxic microelements [cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg)] became more concentrated (P < 0.05). Elements distribution images showed generalized accumulation of barium (Ba), cobalt (Co), Cu, Fe and V, while Cr, Mn, and Zn showed pin point accumulations in muscle sections. Thus, the ion profiles were generally influenced by Se deficiency, which suggested a possible role of Se deficiency in muscle dysfunctions caused by these altered ion profiles.</p></div

The distributions of ion profiles in chicken muscles.

<p>5-mm-thick muscles sections were detected by SRμ-XRF.</p

The ion profiles in chicken muscles detected by ICP-MS.

<p>A. the contents of macroelements; B. the contents of essential microelements; C. the contents of toxic microelements.* Significant difference from the corresponding control (P < 0.05). The data are expressed as the means ± SD, <i>n</i> = 6.</p

Rotated component matrix^a.

<p>Rotated component matrix<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0184186#t001fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

Ordination diagram of the principal component analysis (PCA) of parameters measured in chicken muscles.

<p>Ordination diagram of the principal component analysis (PCA) of parameters measured in chicken muscles.</p