SUMMARY
Drought has a severe impact on the quality and yield of cotton. Deciphering the key genes related to drought tolerance is important for understanding the regulation mechanism of drought ...stress and breeding drought‐tolerant cotton cultivars. Several studies have demonstrated that NAC transcription factors are crucial in the regulation of drought stress, however, the related functional mechanisms are still largely unexplored. Here, we identified that NAC transcription factor GhNAC4 positively regulated drought stress tolerance in cotton. The expression of GhNAC4 was significantly induced by abiotic stress and plant hormones. Silencing of GhNAC4 distinctly impaired the resistance to drought stress and overexpressing GhNAC4 in cotton significantly enhanced the stress tolerance. RNA‐seq analysis revealed that overexpression of GhNAC4 enriched the expression of genes associated with the biosynthesis of secondary cell walls and ribosomal proteins. We confirmed that GhNAC4 positively activated the expressions of GhNST1, a master regulator reported previously in secondary cell wall formation, and two ribosomal protein‐encoding genes GhRPL12 and GhRPL18p, by directly binding to their promoter regions. Overexpression of GhNAC4 promoted the expression of downstream genes associated with the secondary wall biosynthesis, resulting in enhancing secondary wall deposition in the roots, and silencing of GhRPL12 and GhRPL18p significantly impaired the resistance to drought stress. Taken together, our study reveals a novel pathway mediated by GhNAC4 that promotes secondary cell wall biosynthesis to strengthen secondary wall development and regulates the expression of ribosomal protein‐encoding genes to maintain translation stability, which ultimately enhances drought tolerance in cotton.
Significance Statement
Drought is a big threat to cotton production worldwide. This study identifies that GhNAC4, a member of the NAC family, acts upstream of GhNST1, GhRPL12, and GhRPL18p, modulates secondary cell wall biosynthesis and expression of ribosomal protein genes, and enhances plant drought tolerance in cotton.
Backgrounds and Objectives
Fermented rice cake is a common traditional fermented food in China with a crystal clear color, unique flavor, dense honeycomb structure, and soft and delicate texture. As ...its raw materials are not uniform, different batches often have poor product quality stability and different volatile flavor components. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of different indica rice flours on processing adaptability and their impacts on the flavor characteristics.
Findings
The results show that the seven indica rice flours have significantly different basic compositions and physicochemical properties (p < .05). Specifically, the fermented rice cake prepared with TG2 showed a large specific volume, good elasticity, bright color, high volatile flavor compound contents, and the maximum comprehensive sensory evaluation score. Additionally, partial least squares discriminant analysis was conducted, and three volatile compounds were identified with variable importance for the projection >1 and odor activity value >1 as the criteria, namely, ethanol, styrene, and phenethyl alcohol, which played major roles in forming the overall aroma of fermented rice cakes.
Conclusions
The texture, color, and sensory score of fermented rice cakes are closely related to the basic components of the indica rice flour, and the most popular fermented rice cakes have a specific volume of no less than 2 mL/g, an L* of above 78, and a TPA‐tested elasticity of about 3 mm.
Significance and Novelty
This study may help improve the processing of fermented rice cakes and provide a theoretical basis for their production and flavor control.
This paper proposes a method for selecting the singular spectrum analysis components via the empirical mode decomposition approach for extracting the useful information for noninvasive blood glucose ...estimation systems. To perform the grouping, the total number of the groups of the singular spectrum analysis components is equal to the total number of the intrinsic mode functions. First each normalized singular spectrum analysis component is compared to each normalized intrinsic mode function. Second, the singular spectrum analysis component is assigned to the group corresponding to the intrinsic mode function having the highest correlation coefficient. Third, all the singular spectrum components belong to the same group are summed up together. This technique is applied to extracting the useful information for noninvasive blood glucose estimation systems. In particular, the measured signal is decomposed into a number of components via both the singular spectrum analysis approach and the empirical mode decomposition approach. After applying our proposed grouping method to obtain the singular spectrum analysis components, the obtained components enjoy the advantages of both the singular spectrum analysis approach and the empirical mode decomposition approach. Computer numerical simulations are performed on the practical measurements. The results show that more robust information can be found in the obtained singular spectrum analysis components.
The self‐assembled hole transporting molecules (SAHTMs) bearing anchoring groups have been established as the hole transporting layers (HTLs) for highly efficient p–i–n perovskite solar cells (PSCs), ...yet their stability and engineering at the molecular level remain challenging. A topological design of highly anisotropic aligned SAHTM‐based HTLs for operationally stable PSCs that exhibit exceptional solar‐to‐electric power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) is demonstrated. The judiciously designed multifunctional self‐assembled molecules comprise the donor–acceptor subunit for hole transporting and the phosphonic acid group for anchoring, realizing face‐on π‐stacking parallel to the transparent conductive oxide substrate. The high affinity of SAHTMs to the multi‐crystalline perovskite thin film benefits passivating the perovskite buried interface, strengthening interfacial contact while facilitating interfacial hole transfer. Consequently, highly efficient p–i–n PSC devices are obtained with a champion PCE of 23.24% and outstanding operational stability toward various environmental factors including long‐term full sunlight soaking at evaluated temperatures. Perovskite solar modules with a champion efficiency approaching 20% are also fabricated for an active device area above 17 cm2.
Cost‐effective self‐assembled molecules bearing anchoring groups are developed and applied as hole transporting layer in p–i–n perovskite solar cells. The donor–acceptor type self‐assembled molecule has strong interactions with indium doped tin oxide substrate and perovskite, resulting in a power conversion efficiency of over 23% and a lifetime of over 2000 h at 80% efficiency (T80) under maximum power point tracking.
SUMMARY
Plasma membrane represents a critical battleground between plants and attacking microbes. Necrosis‐and‐ethylene‐inducing peptide 1 (Nep1)‐like proteins (NLPs), cytolytic toxins produced by ...some bacterial, fungal and oomycete species, are able to target on lipid membranes by binding eudicot plant‐specific sphingolipids (glycosylinositol phosphorylceramide) and form transient small pores, causing membrane leakage and subsequent cell death. NLP‐producing phytopathogens are a big threat to agriculture worldwide. However, whether there are R proteins/enzymes that counteract the toxicity of NLPs in plants remains largely unknown. Here we show that cotton produces a peroxisome‐localized enzyme lysophospholipase, GhLPL2. Upon Verticillium dahliae attack, GhLPL2 accumulates on the membrane and binds to V. dahliae secreted NLP, VdNLP1, to block its contribution to virulence. A higher level of lysophospholipase in cells is required to neutralize VdNLP1 toxicity and induce immunity‐related genes expression, meanwhile maintaining normal growth of cotton plants, revealing the role of GhLPL2 protein in balancing resistance to V. dahliae and growth. Intriguingly, GhLPL2 silencing cotton plants also display high resistance to V. dahliae, but show severe dwarfing phenotype and developmental defects, suggesting GhLPL2 is an essential gene in cotton. GhLPL2 silencing results in lysophosphatidylinositol over‐accumulation and decreased glycometabolism, leading to a lack of carbon sources required for plants and pathogens to survive. Furthermore, lysophospholipases from several other crops also interact with VdNLP1, implying that blocking NLP virulence by lysophospholipase may be a common strategy in plants. Our work demonstrates that overexpressing lysophospholipase encoding genes have great potential for breeding crops with high resistance against NLP‐producing microbial pathogens.
Significance Statement
NLP‐producing phytopathogens are a big threat to agriculture worldwide. There is no report on R proteins/enzymes that counteract the toxicity of NLPs in plants. This study reports that cotton uses a peroxisome‐localized enzyme, lysophospholipase, to neutralize NLP toxin secreted by Verticillium dahliae, a soil‐borne fungal pathogen that causes vascular disease in a broad range host, thus enhancing plant resistance to wilt disease caused by this pathogen.
•Different heat treatments on wheat flour were conducted.•Only 3% of 3-ADON was converted to DON for starch.•Albumins of wheat grain were responsible for deacetylation of 3-ADON.•Enzymes enhanced the ...deacetylation of 3-ADON during the dough preparation.
To find the determining factors for 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3-ADON) deacetylation during wheat-based food production, wheat flours with different heat treatments, different matrixes of the starch-gluten mixture, and different protein fractions (Osborne classification) were evaluated. The deacetylation behavior of 3-ADON was significantly suppressed for heat-treated wheat flours, indicating that heating induced change of the functional or chemical properties of wheat grain components, especially for proteins. Among the different matrixes, only 3% of the 3-ADON in starch was converted to DON, however, this value reached 60–75% for wheat flour. The results showed that proteins were responsible for the deacetylation of 3-ADON. After separation, only albumins mediated the deacetylation of 3-ADON into DON in four protein fractions. The proteins were identified by LC–MS/MS, and the results suggested that cytochrome P450, acetylesterase and histone deacetylase were the potential targeted enzymes that mediated the deacetylation of 3-ADON during dough preparation for wheat-based food production.
Silica aerogels are considered as the distinguished materials of the future due to their extremely low thermal conductivity, low density, and high surface area. They are widely used in construction ...engineering, aeronautical domains, environmental protection, heat storage, etc. However, their fragile mechanical properties are the bottleneck restricting the engineering application of silica aerogels. This review briefly introduces the synthesis of silica aerogels, including the processes of sol–gel chemistry, aging, and drying. The effects of different silicon sources on the mechanical properties of silica aerogels are summarized. Moreover, the reaction mechanism of the three stages is also described. Then, five types of polymers that are commonly used to enhance the mechanical properties of silica aerogels are listed, and the current research progress is introduced. Finally, the outlook and prospects of the silica aerogels are proposed, and this paper further summarizes the methods of different polymers to enhance silica aerogels.
Ear rot is a serious disease that affects maize yield and grain quality worldwide. The mycotoxins are often hazardous to humans and livestock. In samples collected in China between 2009 and 2014, ...Fusarium verticillioides and F. graminearum species complex were the dominant fungi causing ear rot. According to the TEF-1α gene sequence, F. graminearum species complex in China included three independent species: F. graminearum, F. meridionale, and F. boothii. The key gene FUM1 responsible for the biosynthesis of fumonisin was detected in all 82 F. verticillioides isolates. Among these, 57 isolates mainly produced fumonisin B₁, ranging from 2.52 to 18,416.44 µg/g for each gram of dry hyphal weight, in vitro. Three different toxigenic chemotypes were detected among 78 F. graminearum species complex: 15-ADON, NIV and 15-ADON+NIV. Sixty and 16 isolates represented the 15-ADON and NIV chemotypes, respectively; two isolates carried both 15-ADON and NIV-producing segments. All the isolates carrying NIV-specific segment were F. meridionale. The in vitro production of 15-ADON, 3-ADON, DON, and ZEN varied from 5.43 to 81,539.49; 6.04 to 19,590.61; 13.35 to 19,795.33; and 1.77 to 430.24 µg/g of dry hyphal weight, respectively. Altogether, our present data demonstrate potential main mycotoxin production of dominant pathogenic Fusarium in China.
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a ubiquitous reversible epigenetic RNA modification which plays a significant role in regulation of gene expression and cell functions. However, m6A abundance, dynamics ...and topology remain unexplored in cotton. Here, we performed transcriptome-wide m6A profiling and comparative analysis of cotton root tissues under normal and salt stress treatments. Totally, 3360 and 3771 high confidence m6A peaks, involved in 3219 and 3566 expressed genes under normal and salt stress, were identified, respectively. Of them, 1311 mRNA transcripts from salt treatment and 964 in control were specifically detected m6A peaks. Functional analysis indicated that the 1311 methylated genes specifically from salt stress were mainly involved in zeatin biosynthesis, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, ABC transporters, and anthocyanin biosynthesis, while 964 in control were involved in ribosome and proteasome processes. Furthermore, mRNA m6A sites were enriched around the stop codons and coding regions, and m6A methylation exhibited dynamic changes after salt treatment, with 434 m6A peaks in 430 genes up-regulated and 290 m6A peaks in 287 genes downregulated. Combined with RNA-seq analysis, we found that the m6A deposition specifically in normal or salt treatment is positively correlated with their corresponding gene transcripts abundance. We confirmed that cotton YTH (YT512-B homology) domain gene GhECT6 (evolutionarily conserved C-terminal region 6), a deduced m6A reader, played an important role against salt stress. GhECT6 was significantly induced expression after salt treatment, and silencing GhECT6 caused a decrease in salt tolerance. This first high-throughput epitranscriptomic data provide new insights into understanding the critical mRNA modification in response to salt stress in cotton.
●More than 3000 high-confidence m6A peaks were identified in cotton root.●mRNA m6A sites were enriched around the stop codons and coding regions.●Salt-specific m6A peaks exhibited the positive correlation with transcripts.●Silencing of a m6A reader gene GhECT6 led to salt sensitive in cotton.
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