Plant-specific BURP domain-containing proteins have an essential role in the plant's development and stress responses. Although BURP domain-containing proteins have been identified in several plant ...species, genome-wide analysis of the BURP gene family has not been investigated in the common bean. In the present study, we identified 11 BURP family members in the common bean (
Phaseolus vulgaris
) genome with a comprehensive in silico analysis. Pairwise alignment and phylogenetic analyses grouped
PvBURP
members into four subfamilies RD-22 like (3), PG1β-like (4), BNM2-like (3), and USP-like (1) according to their amino acid motifs, protein domains and intron–exon structure. The physical and biochemical characteristics of amino acids, motif and intron–exon structure, and
cis
-regulatory elements of BURPs members were determined. Promoter regions of BURP members included stress, light, and hormone response-related cis-elements. Therefore, expression profiles of
PvBURP
genes were identified with in silico tools and qRT-PCR analyses under stress (salt and drought) and hormone treatment (ABA, IAA) in the current study. While significant activity changes were not observed in BURP genes in RNA-seq data sets related to salt stress, it was determined that some BURP genes were expressed differently in those with drought stress. We identified 12 different miRNA, including miRNA395, miRNA156, miRNA169, miRNA171, miRNA319, and miRNA390, targeting the nine
PvBURP
genes using two different in silico tools based on perfect or near‐perfect complementarity to their targets. Here we present the first study to identify and characterize the
BURP
genes in common bean using whole-genome analysis, and the findings may serve as a reference for future functional research in common bean.
This study aimed to examine the effect of the problem‐based learning (PBL) on science attitudes of middle school students from low socio‐economic status families. For this purpose, two intact classes ...of the same teacher were randomly assigned as experimental and control groups. In the unit of genetics, the experimental group was taught by PBL while the control group received traditional instruction. Students' attitudes were measured in terms of adoption of scientific attitudes, enjoyment of science lessons, and career interest in science administering a self‐report instrument as a pre‐test and a post‐test. Results showed that after the treatment, although there were not statistically significant differences between two groups with respect to attitude toward science; in the experimental group, the mean scores were found to be consistently higher across all attitude dimensions compared to the control group. In addition, the mean scores suggested an improvement in the attitudes of experimental group students from pre‐test to post test. Qualitative findings also revealed that students found PBL enjoyable. According to PBL students, searching for information and writing reports were among the features of the PBL contributing to their learning the most.
Tomato is one of the world's most commercially important fruit crops and a critical source of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals in the human diet. In addition to being an important plant for ...agriculture, the tomato is a model plant for understanding plant gene functions and regulation and for developing plants with beneficial agricultural properties. Due to their superior agronomic performance, the hybrids of vegetable crops are commercially important. The use of male sterility in hybrid seed production reduces the cost, and the purity of tomato varieties is high, as it does not produce pollen. In this study, we generated CRISPR/Cas9 edited lines into male sterility phenotype by knock-out of
SlPHD_MS1
(Solyc04g008420), encoding a PHD-type transcription factor in pollen formation and tapetum development. Nine mutant lines were generated, and knock-outs of
SlPHD_MS1
created male-sterile tomato plants. There were two homozygous, one heterozygous, and six biallelic mutant plants. Two types of mutational changes were observed in mutant plants: insertion and deletion. Indel frequency created by gRNA19 varied between 30 and 100, and those done by gRNA25 ranged between 45 and 96. Although one, three, and four base pair deletions were common, 13-bp deletions were also detected in line 7. The mutated lines generated by CRISPR/Cas9 did not produce pollen and induced a parthenocarpic fruit set. The
SlPHD_MS1
and the three most co-expressed genes were found to have decreased expression in mutant lines, according to qRT-PCR analyses. Taken together, our results suggest a role for
SlPHD_MS1
(Solyc04g008420) in male sterility and may aid research into the regulatory processes of tomato pollen and tapetum growth.
Fungal bioremediation is a very attractive tool to cope with environmental pollution. We aimed to decipher the cadmium (Cd) response of
Purpureocillium
sp. CB1, isolated from polluted soil, at ...transcriptome level by RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). We used 500 and 2500 mg/L of Cd
2+
concentrations at two time points (t
6;36
). RNA-seq determined 620 genes that were co-expressed in all samples. The highest number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was obtained within the first six h of exposure to 2500 mg/L of Cd
2+
. Several genes encoding transcriptional regulators, transporters, heat shock proteins, and oxidative stress-related genes were differentially expressed under Cd
2+
stress. Remarkably, the genes that encode salicylate hydroxylase, which is involved in naphthalene biodegradation pathway, were significantly overexpressed. Utilization of diesel as the sole carbon source by CB1 even in the presence of Cd
2+
supported concomitant upregulation of hydrocarbon degradation pathway genes. Furthermore, leucinostatin-related gene expression levels increased under Cd
2+
stress. In addition, leucinostatin extracts from Cd
2+
-treated CB1 cultures showed higher antifungal activity than the control. Notably, Cd
2+
in CB1 was mainly found as bound to the cell wall, thus confirming its adsorption potential. Cd
2+
stress slightly reduced growth and led to mycelial malformation due to Cd
2+
adsorption, especially at a concentration of 2500 mg/L at t
36
. A strong correlation was recorded between RNA-seq and reverse-transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) data. In conclusion, the study represents the first transcriptome analysis of
Purpureocillium
sp. under Cd
2+
stress, providing insights into the primary targets for rational engineering to construct strains with remarkable bioremediation potency.
Key points
• Upregulation of genes encoding salicylate hydroxylases under Cd
2+
stress
• Maximum Cd
2+
adsorption at 500 mg/L at t
36
as tightly bound to the cell wall
• Concordant bioremediation potential of CB1 on Cd
2+
and diesel
Graphical abstract
Statistical Moment (SM) based modelling is a quite straightforward approach in stochastic modelling of uncertain structures. However, the method still has deficiencies including determination of SMs ...of natural frequencies of vibratory structures, and it has not been tested yet for realistic structures. This study aims such verification by employing high-degree statistical moments in stochastic equations. In this respect, SM approach is applied for two different uncertainty cases. In the first case, uncertain parameters are experimentally reproduced from the batch of laminated composite beams. Then, those uncertainties are fed to SM equations used in finite element model to obtain descriptive statistical quantities (mean, variance, skewness, and kurtosis) of stochastic natural frequencies. Next, Pearson model is utilized to obtain probability density function of the natural frequency by using standardized SMs. Beside this, uncertain fundamental natural frequency of fifty samples of composite beams is measured by experimental modal tests. All SM based predictions and modal test results are also compared with numerical Monte Carlo Simulations. The latter case examines composite beams having nonnormal uncertain thickness. Since the results are in good harmony with each other, it is concluded that high-order SM based approach may effectively be used in uncertainty modelling of realistic structures.
3D printing using multi-materials has been one of the most popular topics recently. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the most widely used techniques for the three-dimensional printing of ...plastics and composites by all industries. In this study, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polylactic acid (PLA) were printed in the same structure with an independent double extruder FDM 3D printer. In the study, three different layer thicknesses (0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, and 0.3 mm), three different infill ratios (30%, 60%, and 90%) and three different infill types (hexagon, triangle, and 3D infill) were used. Tensile specimens were produced according to the ASTM D638 type-IV standard. Tensile specimens of 4 mm in thickness were produced in 1 mm ABS and PLA layers. As a result of the tensile tests, it has been seen that when PLA and ABS are used together in the same structure, the tensile strength increases significantly.
The objective of this study is the modeling and simulation of a novel process, consisting of a membrane reactor (MR)/adsorptive reactor (AR) sequence that intensifies equilibrium-limited reactions ...and associated separation processes. A comprehensive, multi-scale, multiphase, steady-state/dynamic, computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-based process model is developed, that quantifies the many underlying complex physicochemical phenomena occurring at the pellet, and reactor scales. Model simulations are then carried-out, to study the influence of the individual units’ operating and design parameters on overall system performance, and to better understand this simultaneous reaction/separation, steady-state/cyclic process. Finally, simulation-based optimization studies are then carried out to identify acceptable ranges for both operating and design parameters, so as to meet pre-defined process performance specifications.
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