In Arabidopsis, the nodulin 26-like intrinsic protein （NIP） subfamily of aquaporin proteins consists of nine members, five of which （NIP1;1, NIP1;2, NIP5;1, NIP6;1, and NIP7;1） were previously ...identified to be perme- able to arsenite. However, the roles of NIPs in the root-to-shoot translocation of arsenite in plants remain poorly understood. In this study, using reverse genetic strategies, Arabidopsis NIP3;1 was identified to play an important role in both the arsenic uptake and root-to-shoot distribution under arsenite stress condi- tions. The nip3;1 loss-of-function mutants displayed obvious improvements in arsenite tolerance for aboveground growth and accumulated less arsenic in shoots than those of the wild-type plants, whereas the nip3;1 nip1;1 double mutant showed strong arsenite tolerance and improved growth of both roots and shoots under arsenite stress conditions. A promoter-β-glucuronidase analysis revealed that NIP3; 1 was ex- pressed almost exclusively in roots （with the exception of the root tips）, and heterologous expression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae demonstrated that NIP3;1 was able to mediate arsenite transport. Taken together, our results suggest that NIP3;1 is involved in arsenite uptake and root-to-shoot translocation in Arabidopsis, probably as a passive and bidirectional arsenite transporter.
Pomegranate seeds are a potential source of bioactive compounds. Nonetheless, most pomegranate seeds are discarded in the food processing industry, likely due to the lack of convincing data on their ...component analysis.
To reveal the main chemical constituents of pomegranate seeds, a reliable and sensitive method based on ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MS) was developed. A time-dependent MS
data acquisition mode was applied to acquire the mass spectrometric data. The chemical constituents were identified by an automatic retrieval of a traditional Chinese medicine library and relevant literature.
A total number of 59 compounds, including fatty acids, sterols, vitamins, cerebrosides, phospholipids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, and others, were tentatively identified. Their possible fragmentation pathways and characteristic ions were proposed and elucidated.
The findings of this study, along with the developed methodology, could provide a reference for basic research on the pharmacodynamic substances of pomegranate seeds and shed light on their potential nutritional and therapeutic applications in the future.
Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice grain poses a serious threat to human health. While several transport systems have been reported, the complicity of rice Cd transport and accumulation indicates the ...necessity of identifying additional genes, especially those that are responsible for Cd accumulation divergence between indica and japonica rice subspecies. Here, we show that a gene, OsCd1, belonging to the major facilitator superfamily is involved in root Cd uptake and contributes to grain accumulation in rice. Natural variation in OsCd1 with a missense mutation Val449Asp is responsible for the divergence of rice grain Cd accumulation between indica and japonica. Near-isogenic line tests confirm that the indica variety carrying the japonica allele OsCd1
can reduce the grain Cd accumulation. Thus, the japonica allele OsCd1
may be useful for reducing grain Cd accumulation of indica rice cultivars through breeding.
Background
The diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular space (ALPS)‐index can be used to model the glymphatic system in vivo.
Aim
This study explores putative mechanisms between ...prediction of ALPS‐index and cognitive outcomes in young‐onset Alzheimer's disease (YOAD) and age‐matched controls (CTLs) and analyzes whether the link was mediated by the integrity of ALPS‐index‐anchored cerebral gray matter (GM).
Methods
We enrolled 130 patients with YOAD and 137 CTLs. All participants underwent three‐dimensional T1‐weighted MRI, diffusion tensor imaging and cognitive tests. We constructed GM regions correlated with the ALPS‐index in the YOAD and CTL groups. For the GM regions significantly correlated with the ALPS‐index and cognitive measures, we extracted a 4‐mm radius sphere. In the YOAD and CTL groups, we used mediator analysis to explore the ALPS‐index as predictor, GM partitions as mediators, and significant cognitive test scores as outcomes.
Results
Patient group had significantly lower ALPS‐index. The ALPS‐index was associated with GM volume in the cerebellar gray, dorsolateral prefrontal, thalamus, superior frontal, amygdala and hippocampus, and these coherent regions coincided with those showing GM atrophy in the YOAD group. Mediation analysis of the YOAD group suggested that the relationships between the ALPS‐index and cognitive performance were fully mediated by the integrity of ALPS‐index coherent GM areas.
Discussion
Reserved GM mediates the link between the glymphatic system and cognition. Our findings suggest that GM integrity rather than the glymphatic system could serve as a direct cognitive test scores predictor in patients with YOAD.
The goal of this study was to develop transgenic plants with increased tolerance for and accumulation of heavy metals and metalloids from soil by simultaneous overexpression of
AsPCS1 and
GSH1 ...(derived from garlic and baker’s yeast) in
Arabidopsis thaliana. Phytochelatins (PCs) and glutathione (GSH) are the main binding peptides involved in chelating heavy metal ions in plants and other living organisms. Single-gene transgenic lines had higher tolerance to and accumulated more Cd and As than wild-type. Compared to single-gene transgenic lines, dual-gene transformants exhibited significantly higher tolerance to and accumulated more Cd and As. One of the dual-gene transgenic lines, PG1, accumulated twice the amount of Cd as single-gene transgenic lines. Simultaneous overexpression of
AsPCS1 and
GSH1 led to elevated total PC production in transgenic
Arabidopsis. These results indicate that such a stacking of modified genes is capable of increasing Cd and As tolerance and accumulation in transgenic lines, and represents a highly promising new tool for use in phytoremediation efforts.
Low plasma B12 and folate levels or hyperhomocysteinemia are related to cognitive impairment. This study explores the relationships among diet pattern, blood folate-B12-homocysteine levels, and ...cognition measurement in Alzheimer's disease (AD) while exploring whether a gender effect may exist.
This cross-sectional study enrolled 592 AD patients (246 males, 346 females) and the demographic data, blood biochemical profiles, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) for quantitative assessment of dietary frequency were collected. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to explore the associations among dietary patterns, blood profiles, and cognition. A least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model, stratified by gender, was constructed to analyze the weighting of possible confounders.
Higher MMSE scores were related to higher frequencies of coffee/tea and higher educational levels, body mass index, and younger age. The SEM model revealed a direct influence of dietary frequencies (skimmed milk, thin pork, coffee/tea) and blood profiles (homocysteine, B12, and folate) on cognitive outcomes. At the same time, the influence of dietary pattern on cognition was not mediated by folate-B12-homocysteine levels. In males, a direct influence on the MMSE is attributed to B12, while in females, homocysteine is considered a more critical factor.
Dietary patterns and blood profiles are both associated with cognitive domains in AD, and there are gender differences in the associations of dietary patterns and the levels of B12 and homocysteine. To enhance the quality of dietary care and nutritional status for individuals with dementia, our study results still require future validations with multi-center and longitudinal studies.
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•The first full-length Pteris vittata transcriptomic–tonoplast proteomic database is presented.•Major transporter families, e.g., ACR3, MFS, ABC, MIP, P-type ATPase, and NRT3.1b, are ...identified.•Misfolded protein degradation and complexation are identified as arsenic resistance pathways.•Putative roles of long non-coding RNA and alternative splicing in hyperaccumulation regulation are identified.•An arsenic hyperaccumulation-regulation network for use in phytoremediation is developed.
Arsenic accumulation in soil is a global problem typically addressed using phytoremediation methods. Pteris vittata, a model arsenic hyperaccumulator, has great potential as a genetically engineered plant for phytoremediation. However, the lack of omic information on this species has severely limited the identification and application of its arsenic hyperaccumulation and regulation components. In this study, we used an optimized single-molecular real-time (SMRT) strategy to create a de novo full-length transcriptomic–tonoplast proteomic database for this unsequenced fern and to determine the genetic components underlying its arsenic hyperaccumulation-regulation mechanisms. We established a comprehensive network consisting of six major transporter families, two novel resistance pathways, and a regulatory system by examining alternative splicing (AS) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in different tissues following As(III) and As(V) treatment. The database and network established in this study will deepen our understanding of the unique hyperaccumulation and regulation mechanisms of P. vittata, ultimately providing a valuable resource for futher research on phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated soil.
Arsenic (As) pollution is a global problem, and the plant-based cleanup of contaminated soils, called phytoremediation, is therefore of great interest. Recently, transgenic approaches have been ...designed to develop As phytoremediation technologies. Here, we used a one-gene transgenic approach for As tolerance and accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana . PvACR3, a key arsenite As(III) antiporter in the As hyperaccumulator fern Pteris vittata , was expressed in Arabidopsis , driven by the CaMV 35S promoter. In response to As treatment, PvACR3 transgenic plants showed greatly enhanced tolerance. PvACR3 transgenic seeds could even germinate and grow in the presence of 80 μM As(III) or 1200 μM arsenate As(V) treatments that were lethal to wild-type seeds. PvACR3 localizes to the plasma membrane in Arabidopsis and increases arsenite efflux into external medium in short-term experiments. Arsenic determination showed that PvACR3 substantially reduced As concentrations in roots and simultaneously increased shoot As under 150 μM As(V). When cultivated in As(V)-containing soil (10 ppm As), transgenic plants accumulated approximately 7.5-fold more As in above-ground tissues than wild-type plants. This study provides important insights into the behavior of PvACR3 and the physiology of As metabolism in plants. Our work also provides a simple and practical PvACR3 transgenic approach for engineering As-tolerant and -hyperaccumulating plants for phytoremediation.
► Simultaneous transformation of
AsPCS1 and
ScYCF1 into
Arabidopsis thaliana which is sensitive to heavy metals, leads to transgenic plants tolerant to Arsenic and cadmium. ► Dual-gene transgenic ...Arabidopsis showed higher accumulation of Arsenic and cadmium than single and non-transgenic plants. ► Our results proved that improved thiol peptides synthesis and vacuolar compartmentation in plant dramatically boosted the survival rates of plants when exposed to heavy metals. ► A new strategy for efficient phytoremediation of heavy metals by stacking genes transformation in plants was developed in this article.
Transgenic
Arabidopsis thaliana were developed to increase tolerance for and accumulation of heavy metals and metalloids by simultaneous overexpression of
AsPCS1 and
YCF1 (derived from garlic and baker's yeast) based on the fact that chelation of metals and vacuolar compartmentalization are the main strategies for heavy metals/metalloids detoxification and tolerance in plants. Dual-gene transgenic lines had the longest roots and the highest accumulation of Cd and As than single-gene transgenic lines and wildtype. When grown on cadmium or arsenic (arsenite/arsenate), Dual-gene transgenic lines accumulated over 2–10 folds cadmium/arsenite and 2–3 folds arsenate than wild type or plants expressing
AsPCS1 or
YCF1 alone. Such stacking modified genes involved in chelation of toxic metals and vacuolar compartmentalization represents a highly promising new tool for use in phytoremediation efforts.
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