Discriminatory Power Evaluation of Nuclear Ribosomal RNA Barcoding Sequences Through Ophiocordyceps sinensis Related Samples

Since the cost of Ophiocordyceps sinensis has increased dramatically and the counterfeits may have adverse effect to health, a rapid and precise species-level DNA barcoding identification system could be a potent approach and significantly enhance the regulatory capacity. The discrimination power of three subunits sequences from nuclear ribosomal RNA gene cluster were determined by Simpson’s index of discrimination using 43 wild O. sinensis fruiting bodies, pure cultures, commercial mycelium fermented powder and counterfeits. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences showed the highest variance and discrimination power among 43 samples, as determined by Simpson’s index of discrimination (D = 0.972), followed by large subunit (LSU; D = 0.963) and small subunit (SSU; D = 0.921). ITS-2 sequences showed the highest discrimination power for 43 samples among ITS-1, ITS-2, and 5.8S region of ITS sequences. All O. sinensis samples were grouped into a unique ITS sequence cluster under 95% similarity and two O. sinensis samples and six non-O. sinensis samples showed false claims. Our data showed that the ITS region could provide accurate species identification for O. sinensis samples, especially when macroscopic and microscopic method could not be applied in the highly processed commercial products. Since the authentication of O. sinensis related products is essential to ensure its safety and efficacy, identification of O. sinensis through ITS sequence comparison or unique PCR amplification of the species specific target, such as the ITS region, should be considered in the next revision of Chinese pharmacopeia

Testosterone Upregulates the Expression of Mitochondrial ND1 and ND4 and Alleviates the Oxidative Damage to the Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic System in Orchiectomized Rats

Testosterone deficiency, as a potential risk factor for aging and aging-related neurodegenerative disorders, might induce mitochondrial dysfunction and facilitate the declines of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system by exacerbating the mitochondrial defects and increasing the oxidative damage. Thus, how testosterone levels influence the mitochondrial function in the substantia nigra was investigated in the study. The present studies showed that testosterone deficiency impaired the mitochondrial function in the substantia nigra and induced the oxidative damage to the substantia nigra as well as the deficits in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. Of four mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, castration of male rats reduced the activity of mitochondrial complex I and downregulated the expression of ND1 and ND4 of 7 mitochondrial DNA- (mtDNA-) encoded subunits of complex I in the substantia nigra. Supplements of testosterone propionate to castrated male rats ameliorated the activity of mitochondrial complex I and upregulated the expression of mitochondrial ND1 and ND4. These results suggest an important role of testosterone in maintaining the mitochondrial function in the substantia nigra and the vulnerability of mitochondrial complex I to testosterone deficiency. Mitochondrial ND1 and ND4, as potential testosterone targets, were implicated in the oxidative damage to the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system

Discovering genetic linkage between periodontitis and type 1 diabetes: A bioinformatics study

Background: Relationship between periodontitis (PD) and type 1 diabetes (T1D) has been reported, but the detailed pathogenesis requires further elucidation. This study aimed to reveal the genetic linkage between PD and T1D through bioinformatics analysis, thereby providing novel insights into scientific research and clinical treatment of the two diseases.Methods: PD-related datasets (GSE10334, GSE16134, GSE23586) and T1D-related datasets(GSE162689)were downloaded from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Following batch correction and merging of PD-related datasets as one cohort, differential expression analysis was performed (adjusted p-value <0.05 and ∣log2  fold change| > 0.5), and common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PD and T1D were extracted. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted via Metascape website. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of common DEGs was generated in The Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) database. Hub genes were selected by Cytoscape software and validated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.Results: 59 common DEGs of PD and T1D were identified. Among these DEGs, 23 genes were commonly upregulated, and 36 genes were commonly downregulated in both PD- and T1D-related cohorts. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that common DEGs were mainly enriched in tube morphogenesis, supramolecular fiber organization, 9 + 0 non-motile cilium, plasma membrane bounded cell projection assembly, glomerulus development, enzyme-linked receptor protein signaling pathway, endochondral bone morphogenesis, positive regulation of kinase activity, cell projection membrane and regulation of lipid metabolic process. After PPI construction and modules selection, 6 hub genes (CD34, EGR1, BBS7, FMOD, IGF2, TXN) were screened out and expected to be critical in linking PD and T1D. ROC analysis showed that the AUC values of hub genes were all greater than 70% in PD-related cohort and greater than 60% in T1D-related datasets.Conclusion: Shared molecular mechanisms between PD and T1D were revealed in this study, and 6 hub genes were identified as potential targets in treating PD and T1D

Micrometeorological monitoring reveals that canopy temperature is a reliable trait for the screening of heat tolerance in rice

Micrometeorological monitoring is not just an effective method of determining the impact of heat stress on rice, but also a reliable way of understanding how to screen for heat tolerance in rice. The aim of this study was to use micrometeorological monitoring to determine varietal differences in rice plants grown under two weather scenarios−Long-term Heat Scenario (LHS) and Normal Weather Scenario (NWS)− so as to establish reliable methods for heat tolerance screening. Experiments were conducted with two heat susceptible varieties−Mianhui 101 and IR64−and two heat tolerant varieties, Quanliangyou 681 and SDWG005. We used staggered sowing method to ensure that all varieties flower at the same time. Our results showed that heat tolerant varieties maintained lower canopy temperature compared to heat susceptible varieties, not just during the crucial flowering period of 10 am to 12 pm, but throughout the entire day and night. The higher stomatal conductance rate observed in heat tolerant varieties possibly decreased their canopy temperatures through the process of evaporative cooling during transpiration. Conversely, we found that panicle temperature cannot be used to screen for heat tolerance at night, as we observed no significant difference in the panicle temperature of heat tolerant and heat susceptible varieties at night. However, we also reported that higher panicle temperature in heat susceptible varieties decreased spikelet fertility rate, while low panicle temperature in heat tolerant varieties increased spikelet fertility rate. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that canopy temperature is probably the most reliable trait to screen for heat tolerance in rice

miR396-OsGRFs Module Balances Growth and Rice Blast Disease-Resistance

Fitness cost is a common phenomenon in rice blast disease-resistance breeding. MiR396 is a highly conserved microRNA (miRNA) family targeting Growth Regulating Factor (OsGRF) genes. Mutation at the target site of miR396 in certain OsGRF gene or blocking miR396 expression leads to increased grain yield. Here we demonstrated that fitness cost can be trade-off in miR396-OsGRFs module via balancing growth and immunity against the blast fungus. The accumulation of miR396 isoforms was significantly increased in a susceptible accession, but fluctuated in a resistant accession upon infection of Magnaporthe oryzae. The transgenic lines over-expressing different miR396 isoforms were highly susceptible to M. oryzae. In contrast, overexpressing target mimicry of miR396 to block its function led to enhanced resistance to M. oryzae in addition to improved yield traits. Moreover, transgenic plants overexpressing OsGRF6, OsGRF7, OsGRF8, and OsGRF9 exhibited enhanced resistance to M. oryzae, but showed different alteration of growth. While overexpression of OsGRF7 led to defects in growth, overexpression of OsGRF6, OsGRF8, and OsGRF9 resulted in better or no significant change of yield traits. Collectively, our results indicate that miR396 negatively regulates rice blast disease- resistance via suppressing multiple OsGRFs, which in turn differentially control growth and yield. Therefore, miR396-OsGRFs could be a potential module to demolish fitness cost in rice blast disease-resistance breeding

Hydrological-driven landslide in northwestern China measured by InSAR time series analysis

[EN] The Lashagou landslide group is located in the transition zone between the Tibetan Plateau and Loess Plateau and is a typical shallow loess landslide group. Precipitation is a major hydrologic trigger for landslides in the northwestern China. Monitoring landslide movement constitutes a critical and requisite component of landslide hazard mitigation. Multi-track InSAR time series analysis can extract the 3D displacement of landslide, provide an indication of landslide occurrence and extent. In addition, quantifying the interaction between precipitation and landslide initiation and mobility to empirically determine the precipitation threshold associated with landslide movement is crucial for mitigating landslide hazards. In this paper, we highlight the results on mapping landslides over the state of Lashagou landslide group. The deformation rate and time series deformation of the Lashagou landslide group in the line-of-sight (LOS) direction from February 2020 to February 2021 were calculated using ascending and descending Sentinel-1A and Stanford Method for Persistent Scatterers (StaMPS) techniques. Besides, we obtained the two-dimensional deformation of the Lashagou landslide group by combining the slip geometr, LOS deformation, and SAR satellite imaging geometry. The results show that Lashagou landslide group is in the creep deformation stage. We compared the time series deformation of the extracted InSAR with that of the projected GNSS, and find that the measured values of InSAR and GNSS are highly similar in amplitude and deformation trend. In addition, the safety operation of G310 highway under the Lashagou landslide group was evaluated according to the observed deformation. We conclude that concentrated continuous rainfall is the main driver of landslide displacement, and that satellite observations of landslide movement and analysis of hydrological variables have improved our understanding of landslide mechanisms.Fan, Q.; Zhang, S.; Niu, Y. (2023). Hydrological-driven landslide in northwestern China measured by InSAR time series analysis. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 569-575. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/19219156957

Arabidopsis RZFP34/CHYR1, a Ubiquitin E3 Ligase, Regulates Stomatal Movement and Drought Tolerance via SnRK2.6-Mediated Phosphorylation

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone that plays a fundamental role in plant development and stress response, especially in the regulation of stomatal closure in response to water deficit stress. The signal transduction that occurs in response to ABA and drought stress is mediated by protein phosphorylation and ubiquitination. This research identified Arabidopsis thaliana RING ZINC-FINGER PROTEIN34 (RZP34; renamed here as CHY ZINC-FINGER AND RING PROTEIN1 [CHYR1]) as an ubiquitin E3 ligase. CHYR1 expression was significantly induced by ABA and drought, and along with its corresponding protein, was expressed mainly in vascular tissues and stomata. Analysis of CHYR1 gain-of-function and loss-of-function plants revealed that CHYR1 promotes ABA-induced stomatal closure, reactive oxygen species production, and plant drought tolerance. Furthermore, CHYR1 interacted with SNF1-RELATED PROTEIN KINASE2 (SnRK2) kinases and could be phosphorylated by SnRK2.6 on the Thr-178 residue. Overexpression of CHYR1(T178A), a phosphorylation-deficient mutant, interfered with the proper function of CHYR1, whereas CHYR1(T178D) phenocopied the gain of function of CHYR1. Thus, this study identified a RING-type ubiquitin E3 ligase that functions positively in ABA and drought responses and detailed how its ubiquitin E3 ligase activity is regulated by SnRK2.6-mediated protein phosphorylation

Arabidopsis RZFP34/CHYR1, a ubiquitin E3 ligase, regulates stomatal movement and drought tolerance via SnRK2.6-mediated phosphorylation.

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone that plays a fundamental role in plant development and stress response, especially in the regulation of stomatal closure in response to water deficit stress. The signal transduction that occurs in response to ABA and drought stress is mediated by protein phosphorylation and ubiquitination. This research identified Arabidopsis thaliana RING ZINC-FINGER PROTEIN34 (RZP34; renamed here as CHY ZINC-FINGER AND RING PROTEIN1 [CHYR1]) as an ubiquitin E3 ligase. CHYR1 expression was significantly induced by ABA and drought, and along with its corresponding protein, was expressed mainly in vascular tissues and stomata. Analysis of CHYR1 gain-of-function and loss-of-function plants revealed that CHYR1 promotes ABA-induced stomatal closure, reactive oxygen species production, and plant drought tolerance. Furthermore, CHYR1 interacted with SNF1-RELATED PROTEIN KINASE2 (SnRK2) kinases and could be phosphorylated by SnRK2.6 on the Thr-178 residue. Overexpression of CHYR1(T178A), a phosphorylation-deficient mutant, interfered with the proper function of CHYR1, whereas CHYR1(T178D) phenocopied the gain of function of CHYR1. Thus, this study identified a RING-type ubiquitin E3 ligase that functions positively in ABA and drought responses and detailed how its ubiquitin E3 ligase activity is regulated by SnRK2.6-mediated protein phosphorylation

PS-InSAR and UAV technology used in the stability study of Ankang expansive soil airport

[EN] Expansive soil is a natural geological body with obvious expansion and contraction, multiple fissures and other undesirable properties. The deformation monitoring of expansive soil in high-fill areas under the combined action of wet expansion and dry contraction has become a hotspot of related research. to large-scale soil disasters. Time-series Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology is widely used in the monitoring of various geological hazards due to its advantages of wide coverage, high monitoring accuracy, and all-weather operation. This study takes Ankang Airport (AKA) expansive soil airport as an example. First, the ground digital elevation model (DEM) of the airport filling area was obtained by using UAV; secondly, the deformation rate and deformation time series of the expansive soil airport were obtained by using the persistent scatterer InSAR (PS-InSAR) technology; third, for the coherence In poor areas, artificial corner reflectors (CR) are arranged to increase stable scattering points; Finally, the deformation time series of feature points are extracted, combined with regional precipitation data analysis, the relationship between the periodic deformation of the airport expansive soil slope and rainfall. There is a subsidence trend along the LOS direction in the dry season, which is consistent with the expansion and contraction characteristics of expansive soils. Finally, the deformation rate is proportional to the depth of the expansive soil fill. It is judged that the existing small surface deformation and its periodic deformation distribution are caused by the combined action of the settlement after construction of the expansive soil filling area and the expansion and contraction characteristics of the expansive soil.Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2019YFC1509802).Projects supported by the National Science Foundation of China (42074041;41731066). Projects supported by the Open Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Geo-Information Engineering (SKLGIE2019-Z-2-1)Si, J.; Zhang, S.; Niu, Y. (2023). PS-InSAR and UAV technology used in the stability study of Ankang expansive soil airport. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 367-373. https://doi.org/10.4995/JISDM2022.2022.1386936737