Evaluation of the expression of internal control transcripts by real-time RT-PCR analysis during tomato flower abscission

Many investigations of the abscission mechanisms in plants are based on gene expression studies. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) is widely and increasingly used for mRNA quantification, and the results are typically referenced to an internal control gene to avoid bias. We investigated the suitability of twelve tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. var. Liaoyuanduoli) housekeeping genes during hormone, high salt and temperature-induced abscission. The free software-based applications NormFinder and qBase PLUS were used to statistically identify the best internal controls for a given set of biological samples. The expression stability of a number of housekeeping genes were validated during tomato abscission. The two most suitable reference genes for the commonly used treatments of the major hormones related to abscission are TBP and RPL8. In some cases, more than three reference genes may be required, depending on the type of samples being compared. Four suitable reference genes (TBP/DNAj/RPL8/EXPRESSION) are recommended for more complex analysis, such as hormone and bio-stress induced abscission samples.Keywords: Abscission, housekeeping gene, Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, TBP, DNAj, RPL8, EXPRESSIO

Afforestation in Karst Area

In order to study the afforestation technology in rocky desertification area and provide guidance for the cultivation and management of artificial forest in the later stage, an experimental study was carried out on the artificial forest in National long term scientific research base for comprehensive control of rocky desertification in Wuling Mountain, Western Hunan Province. The experiences of afforestation, land preparation and forest management in this area were summarized. The result show that: 1. Through appropriate afforestation land preparation and forest management measures, the forest in rocky desertification area can be successfully restored. 2. Vegetation restoration in rocky desertification area has formed relatively healthy and stable multi tree species and multi-level forest communities. 3. The biological yield of each afforestation tree species was significantly different with different tree species. 4. The diversity index and evenness index of undergrowth plants in different stands were significantly different. 5. Young trees of dominant species dominated the undergrowth vegetation of different stands, and the natural regeneration of each stand has been stabilized. 6. There are some differences in soil chemical properties under different stands. There were significant differences in SOM, TN, NO3-N, NH4-N and AP contents in the soil of the eight stands

Nitrogen-doped micropores binder-free carbon-sulphur composites as the cathode for long-life lithium-sulphur batteries

Nitrogen-doped micropores-contained carbon nanofibres (NMCNFs) were prepared by carbonizing ZIF-8 grown in liquid-phase along with electrospinning. When NMCNFs act as sulphur host materials in lithium–sulphur batteries, NMCNFs can retard the shuttle effect and dissolution of polysulfides through the synergic action of effective physical confinement to micropores and nitrogen surface chemical absorption. NMCNFs show a capacity up to 636 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles against Li anode

Rapid evolutionary divergence of Gossypium barbadense and G. hirsutum mitochondrial genomes

Background The mitochondrial genome from upland cotton, G. hirsutum, was previously sequenced. To elucidate the evolution of mitochondrial genomic diversity within a single genus, we sequenced the mitochondrial genome from Sea Island cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.). Methods Mitochondrial DNA from week-old etiolated seedlings was extracted from isolated organelles using discontinuous sucrose density gradient method. Mitochondrial genome was sequenced with Solexa using paired-end, 90 bp read. The clean reads were assembled into contigs using ABySS and finished via additional fosmid and BAC sequencing. Finally, the genome was annotated and analyzed using different softwares. Results The G. barbadense (Sea Island cotton) mitochondrial genome was fully sequenced (677,434-bp) and compared to the mitogenome of upland cotton. The G. barbadensemitochondrial DNA contains seven more genes than that of upland cotton, with a total of 40 protein coding genes (excluding possible pseudogenes), 6 rRNA genes, and 29 tRNA genes. Of these 75 genes, atp1, mttB, nad4, nad9, rrn5, rrn18, and trnD(GTC)-cp were each represented by two identical copies. A single 64 kb repeat was largely responsible for the 9 % difference in genome size between the two mtDNAs. Comparison of genome structures between the two mitochondrial genomes revealed 8 rearranged syntenic regions and several large repeats. The largest repeat was missing from the master chromosome in G. hirsutum. Both mitochondrial genomes contain a duplicated copy of rps3 (rps3-2) in conjunction with a duplication of repeated sequences. Phylogenetic and divergence considerations suggest that a 544-bp fragment of rps3 was transferred to the nuclear genome shortly after divergence of the A- and D- genome diploid cottons. Conclusion These results highlight the insights to the evolution of structural variation between Sea Island and upland cotton mitochondrial genomes

Gut macrobiotic and its metabolic pathways modulate cardiovascular disease

Thousands of microorganisms reside in the human gut, and extensive research has demonstrated the crucial role of the gut microbiota in overall health and maintaining homeostasis. The disruption of microbial populations, known as dysbiosis, can impair the host’s metabolism and contribute to the development of various diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). Furthermore, a growing body of evidence indicates that metabolites produced by the gut microbiota play a significant role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. These bioactive metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), trimethylamine (TMA), trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), bile acids (BAs), and lipopolysaccharides (LPS), are implicated in conditions such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. These metabolites impact cardiovascular function through various pathways, such as altering the composition of the gut microbiota and activating specific signaling pathways. Targeting the gut microbiota and their metabolic pathways represents a promising approach for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Intervention strategies, such as probiotic drug delivery and fecal transplantation, can selectively modify the composition of the gut microbiota and enhance its beneficial metabolic functions, ultimately leading to improved cardiovascular outcomes. These interventions hold the potential to reshape the gut microbial community and restore its balance, thereby promoting cardiovascular health. Harnessing the potential of these microbial metabolites through targeted interventions offers a novel avenue for tackling cardiovascular health issues. This manuscript provides an in-depth review of the recent advances in gut microbiota research and its impact on cardiovascular health and offers a promising avenue for tackling cardiovascular health issues through gut microbiome-targeted therapies

15-Deoxy-Δ 12,14

It has been reported that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have capacity to migrate to the damaged liver and contribute to fibrogenesis in chronic liver diseases. 15-Deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2), an endogenous ligand for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), is considered a new inhibitor of cell migration. However, the actions of 15d-PGJ2 on BMSC migration remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of 15d-PGJ2 on the migration of BMSCs using a mouse model of chronic liver fibrosis and primary mouse BMSCs. Our results demonstrated that in vivo, 15d-PGJ2 administration inhibited the homing of BMSCs to injured liver by flow cytometric analysis and, in vitro, 15d-PGJ2 suppressed primary BMSC migration in a dose-dependent manner determined by Boyden chamber assay. Furthermore, the repressive effect of 15d-PGJ2 was blocked by reactive oxygen species (ROS) inhibitor, but not PPARγ antagonist, and action of 15d-PGJ2 was not reproduced by PPARγ synthetic ligands. In addition, 15d-PGJ2 triggered a significant ROS production and cytoskeletal remodeling in BMSCs. In conclusion, our results suggest that 15d-PGJ2 plays a crucial role in homing of BMSCs to the injured liver dependent on ROS production, independently of PPARγ, which may represent a new strategy in the treatment of liver fibrosis

G9a Is Essential for EMT-Mediated Metastasis and Maintenance of Cancer Stem Cell-Like Characters in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a particularly aggressive cancer with poor prognosis, largely due to lymph node metastasis and local recurrence. Emerging evidence suggests that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is important for cancer metastasis, and correlated with increased cancer stem cells (CSCs) characteristics. However, the mechanisms underlying metastasis to lymph nodes in HNSCC is poorly defined. In this study, we show that E-cadherin repression correlates with cancer metastasis and poor prognosis in HNSCC. We found that G9a, a histone methyltransferase, interacts with Snail and mediates Snail-induced transcriptional repression of E-cadherin and EMT, through methylation of histone H3 lysine-9 (H3K9). Moreover, G9a is required for both lymph node-related metastasis and TGF-β-induced EMT in HNSCC cells since knockdown of G9a reversed EMT, inhibited cell migration and tumorsphere formation, and suppressed the expression of CSC markers. Our study demonstrates that the G9a protein is essential for the induction of EMT and CSC-like properties in HNSCC. Thus, targeting the G9a-Snail axis may represent a novel strategy for treatment of metastatic HNSCC