The magnetocaloric (MC) effect-based solid-state magnetic refrigeration (MR) technology has been recognized as an alternative novel method to the presently commercialized gas compression technology. ...Searching for suitable candidates with promising MC performances is one of the most urgent tasks. Herein, combined experimental and theoretical investigations on the magnetic properties, magnetic phase transition, and cryogenic MC performances of GdFe
2
Si
2
have been performed. An unstable antiferromagnetic (AFM) interaction in the ground state has been confirmed in GdFe
2
Si
2
. Moreover, a huge reversible cryogenic MC effect and promising MC performances in GdFe
2
Si
2
have been observed. The maximum isothermal magnetic entropy change, temperature-averaged entropy change with 2 K lift, and refrigerant capacity for GdFe
2
Si
2
were 30.01 J kg
−1
K
−1
, 29.37 J kg
−1
K
−1
, and 328.45 J kg
−1
at around 8.6 K with the magnetic change of 0–7 T, respectively. Evidently, the values of these MC parameters for the present AFM compound GdFe
2
Si
2
are superior to those of most recently reported rare-earth-based MC materials, suggesting the potential application for active cryogenic MR.
Display omitted
Many solid particles have been used in Pickering stabilized (mini)emulsions. Stabilizing “particles” can be also formed in situ e.g. by aggregation of dye molecules as reported ...recently. Among the dyes sodium 2-hydroxy-5-(E)-(4-nitrophenyl)diazenylbenzoate (Alizarin Yellow R, (AYR)) is one of the best stabilizers. It is assumed to act as sole stabilizer also in heterophase polymerizations and offers a great potential for applications.
Aqueous solutions of AYR in varying concentrations (0.3, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0mg/mL (dye/water)) were employed as continuous phase in direct miniemulsions. The oil phase comprised ethenylbenzene (styrene) and hexadecane. The effects of AYR concentration and ultrasonication time on size and distribution of the droplets were investigated. The miniemulsions were polymerized with a water-soluble azo-initiator (2,2′-azobisn-(2-carboxyethyl)-2-methylpropionamidine n-hydrate, VA-057) and conversion and kinetics were determined.
The AYR is successfully employed as stabilizer in Pickering-like miniemulsion polymerizations of styrene. The higher the AYR concentrations the more stable the miniemulsions, the smaller the droplet sizes and the narrower the distributions are, ranging from ca. 450 to 180nm and 0.38 to 0.15, respectively. The nucleation mechanism of the polymer particles could be revealed by the number ratio of droplets and particles and follows droplet nucleation. This is confirmed by polymerization kinetics, which is in accordance with classical miniemulsion polymerization, too.
The rare-earth (
RE
)-based magnetic solids with large magneto-caloric effect (MCE) have been well investigated recently due to their potential applications in the field of environmentally friendly ...cryogenic magnetic refrigeration (MR). Herein, two polycrystalline
RE
-based
RE
Fe
2
Si
2
(
RE
= Dy and Tb) intermetallic compounds have been prepared by an arc-melting way and determined with regard to the structural and magnetic phase transition (MPT) properties as well as the MCE and magneto-caloric performance. Both of the present
RE
Fe
2
Si
2
compounds at room temperature are crystallized in a ThCr
2
Si
2
-type structure and undergo a first-ordered MPT from antiferromagnetic to paramagnetic state around the Néel temperature (T
N
) of ~ 4.05 K for DyFe
2
Si
2
and ~ 6.25 K for TbFe
2
Si
2
, respectively. Large cryogenic MC effect together with excellent MC performance have been realized in DyFe
2
Si
2
compound. The MC parameters with magnetic field change at 0–5 T of the maximum magnetic entropy changes and the refrigerant capacity/relative cooling power were found to be 16.08 J/kgK and 318.5/403.3 J/kg for DyFe
2
Si
2
and to be 9.88 J/kgK and 105.9/140.8 J/kg for TbFe
2
Si
2
, respectively.
The plant-specific NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC2) transcription factors (TFs) play a vital role in the response to drought stress. Here, we report a lipid-anchored NACsa TF in Medicago falcata. MfNACsa ...is an essential regulator of plant tolerance to drought stress, resulting in the differential expression of genes involved in oxidation reduction and lipid transport and localization. MfNACsa is associated with membranes under unstressed conditions and, more specifically, is targeted to the plasma membrane through S-palmitoylation. However, a Cys26-to-Ser mutation or inhibition of S-palmitoylation results in MfNACsa retention in the endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi. Under drought stress, MfNACsa translocates to the nucleus through de-S-palmitoylation mediated by the thioesterase MtAPT1, as coexpression of APT1 results in the nuclear translocation of MfNACsa, whereas mutation of the catalytic site of APT1 results in colocalization with MfNACsa and membrane retention of MfNACsa. Specifically, the nuclear MfNACsa binds the glyoxalase I (MtGlyl) promoter under drought stress, resulting in drought tolerance by maintaining the glutathione pool in a reduced state, and the process is dependent on the APT1-NACsa regulatory module. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism for the nuclear translocation of an S-palmitoylated NAC in response to stress.
Organ homeostasis is orchestrated by time- and spatially restricted cell proliferation. Studies identifying cells with superior proliferative capacities often rely on the lineage tracing of a subset ...of cell populations, which introduces a potential selective bias. In this work, we developed a genetic system proliferation tracer (ProTracer) by incorporating dual recombinases to seamlessly record the proliferation events of entire cell populations over time in multiple organs. In the mouse liver, ProTracer revealed more hepatocyte proliferation in distinct zones during liver homeostasis, injury repair, and regrowth. Clonal analysis showed that most of the hepatocytes labeled by ProTracer had undergone cell division. By genetically recording proliferation events of entire cell populations, ProTracer enables the unbiased detection of specific cellular compartments with enhanced regenerative capacities.
During injury, monocytes are recruited from the circulation to inflamed tissues and differentiate locally into mature macrophages, with prior reports showing that cavity macrophages of the peritoneum ...and pericardium invade deeply into the respective organs to promote repair. Here we report a dual recombinase-mediated genetic system designed to trace cavity macrophages in vivo by intersectional detection of two characteristic markers. Lineage tracing with this method shows accumulation of cavity macrophages during lung and liver injury on the surface of visceral organs without penetration into the parenchyma. Additional data suggest that these peritoneal or pleural cavity macrophages do not contribute to tissue repair and regeneration. Our in vivo genetic targeting approach thus provides a reliable method to identify and characterize cavity macrophages during their development and in tissue repair and regeneration, and distinguishes these cells from other lineages.
The use of the dual recombinase-mediated intersectional genetic approach involving Cre-loxP and Dre-rox has significantly enhanced the precision of in vivo lineage tracing, as well as gene ...manipulation. However, this approach is limited by the small number of Dre recombinase driver constructs available. Here, we developed more than 70 new intersectional drivers to better target diverse cell lineages. To highlight their applicability, we used these new tools to study the in vivo adipogenic fate of perivascular progenitors, which revealed that PDGFRa+ but not PDGFRa–PDGFRb+ perivascular cells are the endogenous progenitors of adult adipocytes. In addition to lineage tracing, we used members of this new suite of drivers to more specifically knock out genes in complex tissues, such as white adipocytes and lymphatic vessels, that heretofore cannot be selectively targeted by conventional Cre drivers alone. In summary, these new transgenic tools expand the intersectional genetic approach while enhancing its precision.
Display omitted
•More than 70 new Dre driver lines are provided as a resource for intersectional genetics•PDGFRa+PDGFRb+ or PDGFRa+ perivascular cells contribute to de novo adipocytes•“Exclusion” dual recombinase enables gene deletion in white but not brown adipocytes•Sequential dual recombinase enables gene deletion in lymphatic endothelial cells
The combinatory use of Dre and Cre recombinase-mediated intersectional genetics significantly enhances the precision of in vivo lineage tracing and gene targeting. Han et al. developed more than 70 new intersectional drivers to target diverse cell lineages. Highlighting their application, Han et al. used these new tools to study perivascular progenitors of adipocytes and performed gene knockout in white adipocytes (WAs) and lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs).
Fig.1 The overexpression of MtWRKY76 increased the salt tolerance in response to 100mM NaCl in M. truncatula. Fig.2 The overexpression of MtWRKY76 increased the drought tolerance of M. truncatula.
...Display omitted
•MtWRKY76 overexpression markedly enhanced the salt and drought tolerance.•MtWRKY76 interacted with Medtr1g098680.1 acting as a component of a transcription-regulating complex.•MtWRKY76 regulated abiotic pathways via Solexa/Illumina digital gene expression (DGE) analysis.•MtWRKY76 is a multifunctional abiotic stress response gene.
WRKY transcription factors have been studied in a wide range of plant species, but have remained largely uncharacterized in legumes. To obtain insight into the functions of WRKY in legumes, we isolated and characterized one WRKY family member from Medicago truncatula, MtWRKY76, which belongs to sub-group II.
Expression analysis showed that MtWRKY76 was rapidly induced by abiotic stresses. MtWRKY76 overexpression markedly enhanced the salt and drought tolerance of transgenic M. truncatula and triggered abiotic inducible genes. MtWRKY76 was located in the nucleus and interacted with Medtr1g098680.1 that was deduced as ASR protein, which acted as a component of a transcription-regulating complex involved in abiotic stress signalling pathways. Interestingly, MtWRKY76 was found to be involved in regulated abiotic pathways via Solexa/Illumina digital gene expression (DGE) analysis.
In conclusion, we demonstrated that MtWRKY76 was a multifunctional abiotic stress response gene in M. truncatula.
Flowering time adaptation is a major breeding goal in the allopolyploid species Brassica napus. To investigate the genetic architecture of flowering time, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of ...flowering time was conducted with a diversity panel comprising 523 B. napus cultivars and inbred lines grown in eight different environments. Genotyping was performed with a Brassica 60K Illumina Infinium SNP array. A total of 41 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) distributed on 14 chromosomes were found to be associated with flowering time, and 12 SNPs located in the confidence intervals of quantitative trait loci (QTL) identified in previous researches based on linkage analyses. Twenty-five candidate genes were orthologous to Arabidopsis thaliana flowering genes. To further our understanding of the genetic factors influencing flowering time in different environments, GWAS was performed on two derived traits, environment sensitivity and temperature sensitivity. The most significant SNPs were found near Bn-scaff_16362_1-p380982, just 13 kb away from BnaC09g41990D, which is orthologous to A. thaliana CONSTANS (CO), an important gene in the photoperiod flowering pathway. These results provide new insights into the genetic control of flowering time in B. napus and indicate that GWAS is an effective method by which to reveal natural variations of complex traits in B. napus.
Sclerotinia disease and weeds of
Brassica napus
greatly reduce crop yields. However, brassinolides can improve the resistance of plants to sclerotinia diseases and herbicides. In this study, we ...investigated the effects of brassinolide on the occurrence, physiological indices, yield, and gene expression of Fanming No. 1 seeds under sclerotinia and glufosinate stress. The results showed that soaking of the seeds in 0.015% brassinolide for 6 h reduced the incidence of sclerotinia by 10%. Additionally, in response to glufosinate stress at the seedling stage, the enzyme activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase increased by 9.6 and 19.0 U/gFW/min, respectively, and the soluble sugar content increased by 9.4 mg/g, increasing the stress resistance of plants and yield by 2.4%.
LHCB1
,
fabF
,
psbW
,
CYP90A1
,
ALDH3F1
,
ACOX1
,
petF
, and
ACSL
were screened by transcriptome analysis.
ALDH3F1
and
CYP90A1
were identified as key genes. Following glufosinate treatment, transgenic plants overexpressing ALDH3F1 and CYP90A1 were found to be resistant to glufosinate, and the expression levels of the
ALDH3F1
and
CYP90A1
were 1.03–2.37-fold as high as those in the control. The expression level of
ATG3
, which is an antibacterial gene related to sclerotinia disease, in transgenic plants was 2.40–2.37-fold as high as that in the control. Our results indicate that these two key genes promote plant resistance to sclerotinia and glufosinate. Our study provides a foundation for further studies on the molecular mechanisms of rapeseed resistance breeding and selection of new resistant varieties.
PDF
