RNA-seq analysis of salt-stressed versus non salt-stressed transcriptomes of chenopodium quinoa landrace R49

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), a model halophytic crop species, was used to shed light on salt tolerance mechanisms at the transcriptomic level. An RNA-sequencing analysis of genotype R49 at an early vegetative stage was performed by Illumina paired-ends method comparing high salinity and control conditions in a time-course pot experiment. Genome-wide transcriptional salt-induced changes and expression profiling of relevant salt-responsive genes in plants treated or not with 300 mM NaCl were analyzed after 1 h and 5 days. We obtained up to 49 million pairs of short reads with an average length of 101 bp, identifying a total of 2416 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) based on the treatment and time of sampling. In salt-treated vs. control plants, the total number of up-regulated and down-regulated genes was 945 and 1471, respectively. The number of DEGs was higher at 5 days than at 1 h after salt treatment, as reflected in the number of transcription factors, which increased with time. We report a strong transcriptional reprogramming of genes involved in biological processes like oxidation-reduction, response to stress and response to abscisic acid (ABA), and cell wall organization. Transcript analyses by real-time RT-qPCR supported the RNA-seq results and shed light on the contribution of roots and shoots to the overall transcriptional response. In addition, it revealed a time-dependent response in the expression of the analyzed DEGs, including a quick (within 1 h) response for some genes, suggesting a \u201cstress-anticipatory preparedness\u201d in this highly salt-tolerant genotype

MAJIS Shutter QM and FM Thermo-vacuum Test Report

This test report provides a summary of the Thermo-Vacuum Test results on the QM and FM shutter units, a mechanical part of the spectrometer MAJIS (Moon And Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer), a payload instrument on board of the JUCE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) mission. The shutter actuator is composed by an electromagnetic brushless actuator mounted with an aluminium blade. The aims of the actuator are to maintain the blade in two stable positions (open and closed), to rotate the blade from one position to other in a time less than 300ms and a low power consumption. These tests have been conducted to demonstrate the capability of the shutter to operate according to requirements in vacuum at predefined temperature conditions. The target temperatures for the QM model are Top-Min = 100K and Top-Max = 165K and pressures less than 1 mbar. A total number of thermo-vacuum cycles of 42 are requested, including an extra hot point at 337K but only for the first cycle at the beginning. A slope of 2.7K/min has been agreed and planned for all the cycles. For the life test, performed only on the QM1, selected as reference, a total number of 1500 cycles at the same conditions of T and P are requested. For what concerns the test performed on the FM model, the target temperature is Top-Min = 105K and Top-Max = 160K. A total number of thermo-vacuum cycles of 4 are requested, including an extra hot point at 337K but only for the first cycle at the beginning. A slope of 2.7K/min has been agreed and planned for all the cycles

ZnS Filters radiation test report

The present document reports the tests performed on a representative set of dichroic samples of the MAJIS (Moons And Jupiter Imaging Spectrometer) instrument which is part of JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) ESA mission. The dichroic shall withstands the Jupiter and the icy moons electron radiation environment without any permanent degradation at the end of the mission. To verify the effect of the electron flux on the optical performances of the dichroic, transmittance and reflectance measurements have been repeated after each irradiation test performed

pasture quality and cheese traceability index of ragusano pdo cheese

In the Iblei plateau (Sicily, Southern Italy) the native dairy cattle breed Modicana during the spring season grazes exclusively on natural pastures for the production of the Ragusano protected denomination of origin cheese. Along the grazing season, herbage undergoes to changes on protein, fibre and moisture content, affecting quality parameters such as plant carotenoids concentration, involved in the colour and nutritional characteristics of dairy products and potential biomarkers for authenticating fed green pasture-based diets. The aim of this work was to assess whether the cheese traceability index, based on the carotenoids spectra data elaboration, could be related to seasonal variations of floral composition and pasture quality. Four herbage and cheese samples were collected every two weeks in two representative farms of this area, from March to May 2013. Pasture characteristics as pastoral vegetation composition and pastoral value were analysed using the methodology developed for pastoral resources studies. Traceability index showed a significant positive correlation with pasture moisture and crude protein content (r=0.729* and 0.853**, respectively), while it was negatively correlated with fibre content (r=–0.719*)

New insight into quinoa seed quality under salinity: Changes in proteomic and amino acid profiles, phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of protein extracts

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) is an ancient Andean seed-producing crop well known for its exceptional nutritional properties and resistance to adverse environmental conditions, such as salinity and drought. Seed storage proteins, amino acid composition, and bioactive compounds play a crucial role in determining the nutritional value of quinoa. Seeds harvested from three Chilean landraces of quinoa, one belonging to the salares ecotype (R49) and two to the coastal-lowlands ecotype, VI-1 and Villarrica (VR), exposed to two levels of salinity (100 and 300 mM NaCl) were used to conduct a sequential extraction of storage proteins in order to obtain fractions enriched in albumins/globulins, 11S globulin and in prolamin-like proteins. The composition of the resulting protein fractions was analyzed by one- and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results confirmed a high polymorphism in seed storage proteins; the two most representative genotype-specific bands of the albumin/globulin fraction were the 30- and 32-kDa bands, while the 11S globulin showed genotype-specific polymorphism for the 40- and 42-kDa bands. Spot analysis by mass spectrometry followed by in silico analyses were conducted to identify the proteins whose expression changed most significantly in response to salinity in VR. Proteins belonging to several functional categories (i.e., stress protein, metabolism, and storage) were affected by salinity. Other nutritional and functional properties, namely amino acid profiles, total polyphenol (TPC) and flavonoid (TFC) contents, and antioxidant activity (AA) of protein extracts were also analyzed. With the exception of Ala and Met in R49, all amino acids derived from protein hydrolysis were diminished in seeds from salt-treated plants, especially in landrace VI-1. By contrast, several free amino acids were unchanged or increased by salinity in R49 as compared with VR and VI-1, suggesting a greater tolerance in the salares landrace. VR had the highest TPC and AA under non-saline conditions. Salinity increased TPC in all three landraces, with the strongest increase occurring in R49, and enhanced radical scavenging capacity in R49 and VR. Overall, results show that salinity deeply altered the seed proteome and amino acid profiles and, in general, increased the concentration of bioactive molecules and AA of protein extracts in a genotype-dependent manner