Tuning Laccase Catalytic Activity with Phosphate Functionalized Carbon Dots by Visible Light

The phosphate functionalized carbon dots (PCDs) with high biocompatibility and low toxicity can be used as efficient additives for the construction of laccase/PCDs hybrids catalyst. A series of experiments indicated that the activity of laccase/PCDs was higher than that of free laccase (increased by 47.7%). When laccase/PCDs hybrids catalyst was irradiated with visible light (laccase/PCDs-Light), its activity was higher than that of laccase/PCDs hybrids without light irradiation (increased by 92.1%). In the present system, the T1 Cu in laccase was combined with the phosphate group on PCDs, which can increase binding capacity of laccase/PCDs hybrids and substrate. Further, the visible light irradiation increased the donating and accepting electronic capability of the laccase/PCDs hybrids, improving their catalytic activity

Cell wall stiffness profiles of wild-type and <i>35S</i>::<i>OsEXPA8</i> suspension cells with the passage of time in culture.

<p>(A) and (B) on day 5, (C) and (D) on day 10, (E) and (F) on day 13. Each graph corresponds to stiffness values of 150 FD curves obtained on 30 cells, which derived from three biological replications from <i>35S::OsEXPA</i>8 transgenic line 1. WT: wild-type.</p

Hierarchical and Highly Stable Conductive Network Cathode for Ultraflexible Li–S Batteries

Flexible Li–S batteries have great potential for next-generation energy storage which can meet the rising demand of rollable displays and wearable electronic devices because of the high theoretical energy density and competitive price. Here, we design and fabricate an integrated electrode with hierarchical structure and interconnected 3D conductive networks as a cathode of flexible Li–S batteries. The composite cathode exhibits high electrochemical performance and cycling stability. The initial reversible discharge capacity is 1312 mA h g^–1 at 0.2 C with sulfur load 2.0 mg cm^–2, and the capacity decay rate is 0.09% per cycle within 500 cycles at current of 1 C. Notably, the composite electrode can sustain 15.2 MPa stress with 10% strain and retain structural integrity after 200 000 bending cycles, the highest number of bending cycles found to date for any flexible S cathodes. The soft package batteries with different sizes and shapes are fabricated, and they exhibit extraordinary flexibility and stability after bending and flattening over 2100 times. Moreover, their potential applications in rollable displays, flexible lighting, and wearable electronic devices are also investigated

Overexpression of <i>OsEXPA8</i>, a Root-Specific Gene, Improves Rice Growth and Root System Architecture by Facilitating Cell Extension

<div><p>Expansins are unique plant cell wall proteins that are involved in cell wall modifications underlying many plant developmental processes. In this work, we investigated the possible biological role of the root-specific α-expansin gene <i>OsEXPA8</i> in rice growth and development by generating transgenic plants. Overexpression of <i>OsEXPA8</i> in rice plants yielded pleiotropic phenotypes of improved root system architecture (longer primary roots, more lateral roots and root hairs), increased plant height, enhanced leaf number and enlarged leaf size. Further study indicated that the average cell length in both leaf and root vascular bundles was enhanced, and the cell growth in suspension cultures was increased, which revealed the cellular basis for <i>OsEXPA8</i>-mediated rice plant growth acceleration. Expansins are thought to be a key factor required for cell enlargement and wall loosening. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) technology revealed that average wall stiffness values for <i>35S</i>::<i>OsEXPA8</i> transgenic suspension-cultured cells decreased over six-fold compared to wild-type counterparts during different growth phases. Moreover, a prominent change in the wall polymer composition of suspension cells was observed, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra revealed a relative increase in the ratios of the polysaccharide/lignin content in cell wall compositions of <i>OsEXPA8</i> overexpressors. These results support a role for expansins in cell expansion and plant growth.</p></div

Effect of overexpression of <i>OsEXPA8</i> on the root system architecture and plant growth.

<p>(A) The length of primary roots of seven-day-old rice seedlings. (B) The number of lateral roots of seven-day-old rice seedlings. (C) The plant height of two -month-old rice plants. (D) The leaf number per plant of two-month-old rice plants. (E) The length of the flag leaf of two-month-old rice plants. (F) The width of the flag leaf of two-month-old rice plants. Three independent transgenic line 1 (L1), line 4 (L4) and line 5 (L5) were analyzed. WT: wild-type. Values are the means of ten biological replications ± standard error. One independent plant was considered as one biological replication. Asterisks (*) indicate parameters of <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> transgenic plants were significantly different from that of wild-type plants by statistical analysis using the Student’s <i>t</i>-test program (<i>P</i><0.01).</p

Behavior of infrared absorption bands in cell wall isolates.

<p>Cell wall isolates of wild-type and <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> transgenic line 1 suspension cells on day 10 was used for wall composition analysis. Average and area-normalized Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of isolated cell walls from wild-type (lower) and <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> (upper) line 1 suspension cells.</p

Morphological changes in <i>35S</i>::<i>OsEXPA8</i> transgenic lines.

<p>(A) Seven-day-old rice seedlings of wild-type and <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> transgenic line1 plants. (B, C) Stereoscope images of the primary root of wild-type (B) and <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> line1 (C) seedlings. Scale bars = 40 µm. (D, E) Epidermal morphology of the root hair growth zones of seminal roots of wild-type (D) and <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> line1 (E) seedlings. Scale bars = 10 µm. Seedlings were grown for 7 days on half-strength solid MS medium vertically, and the root apex of was observed by stereoscope microscopes and cryo-scanning electron microscope (Cryo-SEM), respectively. (F) Root system architecture of two-month-old wild-type and <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> line1 plants. (G) The plant morphology of two-month-old wild-type and <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> line1 plants. (H) Flag leaf phenotype of two-month-old wild-type and <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> line1 plants.</p

Hierarchical and Highly Stable Conductive Network Cathode for Ultraflexible Li–S Batteries

Flexible Li–S batteries have great potential for next-generation energy storage which can meet the rising demand of rollable displays and wearable electronic devices because of the high theoretical energy density and competitive price. Here, we design and fabricate an integrated electrode with hierarchical structure and interconnected 3D conductive networks as a cathode of flexible Li–S batteries. The composite cathode exhibits high electrochemical performance and cycling stability. The initial reversible discharge capacity is 1312 mA h g^–1 at 0.2 C with sulfur load 2.0 mg cm^–2, and the capacity decay rate is 0.09% per cycle within 500 cycles at current of 1 C. Notably, the composite electrode can sustain 15.2 MPa stress with 10% strain and retain structural integrity after 200 000 bending cycles, the highest number of bending cycles found to date for any flexible S cathodes. The soft package batteries with different sizes and shapes are fabricated, and they exhibit extraordinary flexibility and stability after bending and flattening over 2100 times. Moreover, their potential applications in rollable displays, flexible lighting, and wearable electronic devices are also investigated

Morphological changes of vascular bundle cells in both leaves and roots in rice <i>35S</i>::<i>OsEXPA8</i> transgenic line 1 plants

<p>. Plants of two-month-old were subject to anatomic analysis. The cells were analyzed in an optical microscope. (A), (C), (E) and (G) wild-type plants; (B), (D), (F) and (H) <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> transgenic lines; (A) and (B) transverse sections of the flag leaf, (C) and (D) longitudinal sections of the flag leaf; (E) and (F) transverse sections of the lateral root, (G) and (H) longitudinal sections of the lateral root. Scale bars: 25 µm.</p

The growth rate of <i>35S::OsEXPA8</i> suspension cells.

<p>(A) pH value of growth medium, (B) The growth rate of suspension cells per day for <i>35S:OsEXPA</i>8 transgenic line 1 (L1) and wild-type cultures monitored with the passage of time in culture. WT: wild-type. Values are the means of three biological replications ± standard error.</p