Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of the TCP Family Genes in Spike and Grain Development of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The TCP family genes are plant-specific transcription factors and play important roles in plant development. TCPs have been evolutionarily and functionally studied in several plants. Although common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major staple crop worldwide, no systematic analysis of TCPs in this important crop has been conducted. Here, we performed a genome-wide survey in wheat and found 66 TCP genes that belonged to 22 homoeologous groups. We then mapped these genes on wheat chromosomes and found that several TCP genes were duplicated in wheat including the ortholog of the maize TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1. Expression study using both RT-PCR and in situ hybridization assay showed that most wheat TCP genes were expressed throughout development of young spike and immature seed. Cis-acting element survey along promoter regions suggests that subfunctionalization may have occurred for homoeologous genes. Moreover, protein–protein interaction experiments of three TCP proteins showed that they can form either homodimers or heterodimers. Finally, we characterized two TaTCP9 mutants from tetraploid wheat. Each of these two mutant lines contained a premature stop codon in the A subgenome homoeolog that was dominantly expressed over the B subgenome homoeolog. We observed that mutation caused increased spike and grain lengths. Together, our analysis of the wheat TCP gene family provides a start point for further functional study of these important transcription factors in wheat

Optimal Heart Sound Segmentation Algorithm Based on K-Mean Clustering and Wavelet Transform

The accurate localization of S1 and S2 is essential for heart sound segmentation and classification. However, current direct heart sound segmentation algorithms have poor noise immunity and low accuracy. Therefore, this paper proposes a new optimal heart sound segmentation algorithm based on K-means clustering and Haar wavelet transform. The algorithm includes three parts. Firstly, this method uses the Viola integral method and Shannon’s energy-based algorithm to extract the function of the envelope of the heart sound energy. Secondly, the time–frequency domain features of the acquired envelope are extracted from different dimensions and the optimal peak is searched adaptively based on a dynamic segmentation threshold. Finally, K-means clustering and Haar wavelet transform are implemented to localize S1 and S2 of heart sounds in the time domain. After validation, the recognition rate of S1 reached 98.02% and that of S2 reached 96.76%. The model outperforms other effective methods that have been implemented. The algorithm has high robustness and noise immunity. Therefore, it can provide a new method for feature extraction and analysis of heart sound signals collected in clinical settings

Changes and significance of α kinase 1 expression in cartilage tisssueof patients with knee osteoarthritis

Objective: To investigate the expression changes and significance of α kinase 1 （ALPK1）, a member of the α kinase family, in cartilage tissue of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Twenty-five patients who underwent knee OA surgery in Pizhou Hospital affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University from July 2018 to October 2022 were retrospectively selected, and cartilage tissue samples of the patients’ knee joints were collected. In addition, the tibial plateau cartilage of 10 patients who underwent lower limb amputation due to trauma in the biological sample of the hospital was selected as the control. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, Western blotting and real-time quantitative PCR （RT-qPCR） were used to detect the expression of ALPK1 in cartilage. Results: The results of IHC staining, Western blotting and RT-qPCR showed that compared with the control group, the mRNA expression level of ALPK1 （2.126±0.930 vs 0.995±0.049, t=4.112, P＜0.01）, protein expression level （1.880±0.722 vs 1.025±0.062, t=3.706, P＜0.01） and IHC-positive cell rate （P＜0.01） in the cartilage of knee OA patients were significantly increased. Conclusion: The high expression of ALPK1 in cartilage of patients with kee OA may be one of the reasons for the increase of inflammation and destruction of articular cartilage. ALPK1 is expected to be a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target of kee OA

Transcriptome Analysis of Developing Wheat Grains at Rapid Expanding Phase Reveals Dynamic Gene Expression Patterns

Grain development, as a vital process in the crop’s life cycle, is crucial for determining crop quality and yield. The wheat grain expanding phase is the early process involving the rapid morphological changes and initiation of grain filling. However, little is known about the molecular basis of grain development at this stage. Here, we provide a time-series transcriptome profile of developing wheat grain at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days after pollination of the wheat landrace Chinese Spring. A total of 26,892 differentially expressed genes, including 1468 transcription factors, were found between adjacent time points. Co-expression cluster analysis and Gene Ontology enrichment revealed dynamic expressions of cell division and starch biosynthesis related structural genes and transcription factors. Moreover, diverse, differential and drastically varied expression trends of the key genes related to hormone metabolism were identified. Furthermore, ~30% of triads showed unbalanced expression patterns enriching for genes in multiple pivotal metabolic pathways. Hormone metabolism related genes, such as YUC10 (YUCCA flavin-containing monooxygenase 10), AOS2 (allene oxide synthase 2), CYP90D2 (cytochrome P450 90D2), and CKX1 (cytokinin dehydrogenase 1), were dominantly contributed by A or D homoeologs of the triads. Our study provided a systematic picture of transcriptional regulation of wheat grains at the early grain expanding phase which should deepen our understanding of wheat grain development and help in wheat yield improvement

The soft glumes of common wheat are sterile-lemmas as determined by the domestication gene Q

The Q gene in common wheat encodes an APETALA2 (AP2) transcription factor that causes the free threshing attribute. Wheat spikelets bearing several florets are subtended by a pair of soft glumes that allow free liberation of seeds. In wild species, the glumes are tough and rigid, making threshing difficult. However, the nature of these “soft glumes”, caused by the domestication allele Q is not clear. Here, we found that over expression of Q in common wheat leads to homeotic florets at glume positions. We provide phenotypic, microscopy, and marker genes evidence to demonstrate that the soft glumes of common wheat are in fact lemma-like organs, or so-called sterile-lemmas. By comparing the structures subtending spikelets in wheat and other crops such as rice and maize, we found that AP2 genes may play conserved functions in grasses by manipulating vestigial structures, such as floret-derived soft glumes in wheat and empty glumes in rice. Conversion of these seemingly vegetative organs to reproductive organs may be useful in yield improvement of crop species. Keywords: Floret development, Spike morphology, Sterile lemma, Whea

Dual-Atom Nanozyme Eye Drops Attenuate Inflammation and Break the Vicious Cycle in Dry Eye Disease

Highlights A dual-atom nanozyme (DAN) was successfully prepared based on Fe and Mn bimetallic single-atom embedded in N-doped carbon material and modified with hydrophilic polymer. The DAN possess excellent enzyme catalytic activity and attenuate dramatically inflammation by inhibiting the reactive oxygen species (ROS)/NLRP3 signal axis. The DAN break the vicious cycle in dry eye disease and is a potential strategy for treating dry eye disease

M2 macrophages promote subconjunctival fibrosis through YAP/TAZ signalling

To evaluate the role of M2 macrophages in subconjunctival fibrosis after silicone implantation (SI) and investigate the underlying mechanisms. A model of subconjunctival fibrosis was established by SI surgery in rabbit eyes. M2 distribution and collagen deposition were evaluated by histopathology. The effects of M2 cells on the migration (using wound-scratch assay) and activation (by immunofluorescence and western blotting) of human Tenon’s fibroblasts (HTFs) were investigated. There were more M2 macrophages (CD68+/CD206+ cells) occurring in tissue samples around silicone implant at 2 weeks postoperatively. Dense collagen deposition was observed at 8 weeks after SI. In vitro experiment showed M2 expressed high level of CD206 and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). The M2-conditioned medium promoted HTFs migration and the synthesis of collagen I and fibronectin. Meanwhile, M2-conditioned medium increased the protein levels of TGF-β1, TGF-βR II, p-Smad2/3, yes-associated protein (YAP), and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ). Verteporfin, a YAP inhibitor, suppressedTGF-β1/Smad2/3-YAP/TAZ pathway and attenuated M2-induced extracellular matrix deposition by HTFs. TGF-β1/Smad2/3-YAP/TAZ signalling may be involved in M2-induced fibrotic activities in HTFs. M2 plays a key role in promoting subconjunctival fibrosis and can serve as an attractive target for anti-fibrotic therapeutics.</p

Biomarker Displacement Activation: A General Host–Guest Strategy for Targeted Phototheranostics in Vivo

Activatable phototheranostics is highly appealing to meet the demand of precision medicine. However, although it displays efficacy in the construction of activatable photosensitizers (PSs), direct covalent decoration still shows some inevitable issues, such as complex molecular design, tedious synthesis, possible photoactivity changes, and potential toxicity. Herein, we propose a novel concept of biomarker displacement activation (BDA) using host–guest strategy. To exemplify BDA, we engineered a PS-loaded nanocarrier by utilizing a macrocyclic amphiphile, where the fluorescence and photoactivity of PS were completely annihilated by the complexation of macrocyclic receptor (OFF state). When nanocarriers were accumulated into tumor tissues via the enhanced permeability and retention effect, the overexpressed biomarker adenosine triphosphates displaced PSs, accompanied by their fluorescence and photoactivity recovered (ON state). These reinstallations are unattainable in normal tissues, allowing us to concurrently achieve selective tumor imaging and targeted therapy in vivo. Compared with widely used covalent approach, the present BDA strategy provides the following advantages: (1) employment of approved PSs without custom covalent decoration; (2) traceless release of PSs with high fidelity by biomarker displacement; (3) adaptability to different PSs for establishing a universal platform and promised facile combination of diverse PSs to enhance photon utility in light window. Such a host–guest BDA strategy is easily amenable to other ensembles and targets, so that versatile biomedical applications can be envisaged