Tough Physical Double-Network Hydrogels Based on Amphiphilic Triblock Copolymers

A series of physical double-network hydrogels is synthesized based on an amphiphilic triblock copolymer. The gel, which contains strong hydrophobic domains and sacrificial dynamic bonds of hydrogen bonds, is stiff and tough, and even stiffens in concentrated saline solution. Furthermore, due to its supramolecular structure, the gel features improved self-healing and self-recovery abilities

Tomato fruit material.

<p>A. Tomato Phenotypes. From left to right: ‘Black’, ‘White Beauty’, ‘Micro-Tom’ (from green stage to red stage) ‘Black’ and ‘White Beauty’ fruit fully ripens. For the 4 stages of ‘Micro-Tom’ shown, DPA (Day Post Anthesis) is 30~33 (green), 32~33 (yellow), 33~35 (orange), and 41~45 (red). B. Frozen sections of cuticle layers. From left to right: ‘Black’ mature stage, ‘White Beauty’ mature stage, ‘Micro-Tom’ (red maturity stage). The cuticle layers are found in the upper portion of each image. C. Electron microscopy of plastids in each tomato. Upper row shows Electron micrographs of plastids in each developmental stage of ‘Micro-Tom’. Lower row shows Electron micrographs of plastids in ‘Black’ and ‘White Beauty’ at mature stage. The bar in each figure represents the size scale for that figure. Red arrow shows membrane structures with high molecule density. Blue arrow shows crystal structure. Yellow arrow shows a whirled membrane structure.</p

Flavonoid content in ‘Black’, ‘White Beauty’ and ‘Micro-Tom’ (Red).

<p>The sample was 20mg (dry weight) of the pericarp portion. Flavonoid content is reported as mg g^-1 dry weight. Flavonoid quantification was performed in three replicates.</p

2D gel electrophoresis of chromoplast proteins in fruit cells of ‘Micro-Tom’ (Red), ‘Black’ and ‘White Beauty’.

<p>Using an 11 cm IPG DryStrip (pH4-7), 100 μg of solubilized proteins were separated. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was performed with 12% poly-Acrylamide gel (16 cm x 16 cm). Following electrophoresis, the gel was stained with Flamingo Fluorescent Gel Stain (BIO-RAD). A list of proteins numbered in Fig 5 can be found in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0137266#pone.0137266.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>.</p

Proteins of varying levels of accumulation in ‘Micro-Tom’ (Red), ‘Black’ and ‘White Beauty’.

<p>Enlarged images of 2D-PAGE results from <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0137266#pone.0137266.g005" target="_blank">Fig 5</a> that showed significant differences in protein accumulation. Protein spots of note are indicated with broken line circles. CHRC: ‘Micro-Tom’ spot16, ‘White Beauty’ spot16, HrBP1: ‘Micro-Tom’ spots17 and 18, ‘Black’ spot13, ‘White Beauty’ spot14, TIL: ‘Micro-Tom’ spots27 and 28, ‘Black’ spot 21, ‘White Beauty’ spot25.</p

Cephalic hedgehog expression is regulated directly by Sox17 in endoderm development of Xenopus laevis

In early development of animals, hedgehog (Hh) genes function as morphogen in the axis determination and the organ formation. In Xenopus, three hedgehog genes, sonic (shh), banded (bhh), and cephalic (chh), were identified and might organize various tissues and organs in embryogenesis. Here, we report the spatial and temporal regulation of Xchh which is expressed in endoderm cells differentiating to digestive organs. Xchh expression in endoderm was inhibited by ectopic expression of the dominant-negative activin receptor, tAR. Moreover, a maternally inherited transcription factor VegT and its downstream regulators activated Xchh expression. These indicates that Xchh is regulated by the factor involved in the cascade originated from VegT via activin/nodal signals. Using the Sox17α-VP16-GR construct, we showed that Xchh expression might be induced directly by transcription factor Sox17

Plastid Proteomic Analysis in Tomato Fruit Development

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