Applications of signal transduction and xerophytophysiology by exposing hypocotyls in organic peanut production

The AnM practices in peanut production included three steps. The three letters, A, n and M, showed the shapes of the section-cross of the ridge at the three steps of different growth stages of the peanut crop. First, the peanut seeds were sown a little deeper than usual, about 8 cm, in the ridge to induce the extra-elongation of the hypocotyl. When the seeds were sown, the cross-section of the ridge looked like the letter “A”. The second, the hypocotyls elongated more than usual were exposed to light and dry air by removing the soil away around the young seedlings just after the emergence. At this time, the cross-section of the ridge looked like the letter “n”. The third, at the middle growth stages, soils on the both sides of ridge were earthed up to welcome the late pegs. At this time, the cross-section of the ridge looked like the letter “M”. Physiologically, the AnM technique induced osmotic adjustment, which improved photosynthetic activities by maintaining a higher leaf turgor potential. Anthocyanin accumulation was observed visually in hypocotyls of the young seedlings soon after the hypocotyl exposure started. The anthocyanin accumulation is accompanied by accumulations of soluble sugars, soluble proteins. All the consequences of the xerophytophysiological responses collaborated together to make the crop healthier through their individual function in plant growth and development. Gdi-15 (Groundnut desiccation induced) gene is a stress-responsive gene in peanut plant and its up-regulation expression was found in hypocotyl. In overall, hypocotyl exposure as a stimulation did induce the up-expression of the drought responsive gene, Gdi-15, and the consequent osmotic adjustment and anthocyanin accumulation but caused no damage to the whole plant. The AnM practice was more effective in the soil with compost applied to the surface layer and therefore it is feasible in organic peanut production

Role of tight junctions in signal transduction: an update

Tight junctions (TJs), which are the most apically located of the intercellular junctional complexes, have a barrier function and a fence function. Recent studies show that they also participate in signal transduction mechanisms. TJs are modulated by intracellular signaling pathways including protein kinase C, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and NF-κB, to affect the epithelial barrier function in response to diverse stimuli. TJs are also regulated by various cytokines, growth factors, and hormones via signaling pathways. To investigate the regulation of TJ molecules via signaling pathways in human epithelial cells under normal and pathological conditions, we established a novel model of human telomerase reverse transcriptase-transfected human epithelial cells. In this review, we describe the recent progress in our understanding of the role of TJs for signal transduction under normal conditions in upper airway epithelium, pancreatic duct epithelial cells, hepatocytes, and endometrial epithelial cells, and in pathological conditions including cancer and infection

Arabidopsis heterotrimeric G protein β subunit interacts with a plasma membrane 2C-type protein phosphatase, PP2C52

AbstractHeterotrimeric G proteins (Gα, Gβ, Gγ) play important roles in signal transduction among various eukaryotic species. G proteins transmit signals by regulating the activities of effector proteins, but only a few Gβ-interacting effectors have been identified in plants. Here we show by a yeast two-hybrid screen that a putative myristoylated 2C-type protein phosphatase, PP2C52, is an Arabidopsis Gβ (AGB1)-interacting partner. The interaction between AGB1 and PP2C52 was confirmed by an in vitro pull-down assay and a bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay. PP2C52 transcripts were detected in many tissues. PP2C52 was localized to the plasma membrane and a mutation in the putative myristoylation site of PP2C52 disrupted its plasma membrane localization. Our results suggest that PP2C52 interacts with AGB1 on the plasma membrane and transmits signals via dephosphorylation of other proteins

Data-driven Exploration of New Pressure-induced Superconductivity in PbBi2_2Te4_4 with Two Transition Temperatures

Candidates compounds for new thermoelectric and superconducting materials, which have narrow band gap and flat bands near band edges, were exhaustively searched by the high-throughput first-principles calculation from an inorganic materials database named AtomWork. We focused on PbBi$_2$Te$_4$ which has the similar electronic band structure and the same crystal structure with those of a pressure-induced superconductor SnBi2Se4 explored by the same data-driven approach. The PbBi$_2$Te$_4$ was successfully synthesized as single crystals using a melt and slow cooling method. The core level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed Pb2+, Bi3+ and Te2- valence states in PbBi$_2$Te$_4$. The thermoelectric properties of the PbBi$_2$Te$_4$ sample were measured at ambient pressure and the electrical resistivity was also evaluated under high pressure using a diamond anvil cell with boron-doped diamond electrodes. The resistivity decreased with increase of the pressure, and two pressure-induced superconducting transitions were discovered at 3.4 K under 13.3 GPa and at 8.4 K under 21.7 GPa. The data-driven approach shows promising power to accelerate the discovery of new thermoelectric and superconducting materials

Soft X-ray Absorption and Photoemission Studies of Ferromagnetic Mn-Implanted 3CC-SiC

We have performed x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and resonant photoemission spectroscopy (RPES) measurements of Mn-implanted 3$C$-SiC (3$C$-SiC:Mn) and carbon-incorporated Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$ (Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C). The Mn 2$p$ core-level XPS and XAS spectra of 3$C$-SiC:Mn and Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C were similar to each other and showed "intermediate" behaviors between the localized and itinerant Mn 3$d$ states. The intensity at the Fermi level was found to be suppressed in 3$C$-SiC:Mn compared with Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C. These observations are consistent with the formation of Mn$_{5}$Si$_{2}$:C clusters in the 3$C$-SiC host, as observed in a recent transmission electron microscopy study.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure