Fine mapping of two recessive genes TaFLA1 and TaSPL8 controlling flag leaf angle in bread wheat

Flag leaf angle is one of the key target traits in high yield wheat breeding.A smaller flag leaf angle reduces shading and enables plants to grow at a higher density,which increases yield.Here we identified a mutant,je0407,with an 84.34%-89.35%smaller flag leaf angle compared with the wild type.The mutant also had an abnormal lamina joint and no ligule or auricle.Genetic analysis indicated that the ligule was controlled by two recessive genes,which were mapped to chromosomes 2AS and 2DL.The mutant allele on chromosome 2AS was named Tafla1b,and it was fine mapped to a 1 Mb physical interval.The mutant allele on chr.2DL was identified as Taspl8b,a novel allele of TaSPL8 with a missense mutation in the second exon,which was used to develop a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence marker.F3 and F4 lines derived from crosses between Jing411 and je0407 were genotyped to investigate interactions between the Tafla1b and Taspl8b alleles.Plants with the Tafla1b/Taspl8a genotype had 58.41%-82.76%smaller flag leaf angles,6.4%-24.9%shorter spikes,and a greater spikelet density(0.382 more spikelets per cm)compared with the wild type.Plants with the Tafla1a/Taspl8b genotype had 52.62%-82.24%smaller flag leaf angles and no differences in plant height or spikelet density compared with the wild type.Tafla1b/Taspl8b plants produced erect leaves with an abnormal lamina joint.The two alleles had dosage effects on ligule formation and flag leaf angle,but no significant effect on thousand-grain weight.The mutant alleles provide novel resources for improvement of wheat plant architecture.

The gene encoding flavonol synthase contributes to lesion mimic in wheat

Lesion mimic often exhibits leaf disease-like symptoms even in the absence of pathogen infection,and is characterized by a hypersensitive-response(HR)that closely linked to plant disease resistance.Despite this,only a few lesion mimic genes have been identified in wheat.In this investigation,a lesion mimic wheat mutant named je0297 was discovered,showing no alteration in yield components when compared to the wild type(WT).Segregation ratio analysis of the F_(2)individuals resulting from the cross between the WT and the mutant revealed that the lesion mimic was governed by a single recessive gene in je0297.Using Bulked segregant analysis(BSA)and exome capture sequencing,we mapped the lesion mimic gene designated as lm6 to chromosome 6BL.Further gene fine mapping using 3315 F_(2)individuals delimited the lm6 within a 1.18 Mb region.Within this region,we identified 16 high-confidence genes,with only two displaying mutations in je0297.Notably,one of the two genes,responsible for encoding flavonol synthase,exhibited altered expression levels.Subsequent phenotype analysis of TILLING mutants confirmed that the gene encoding flavonol synthase was indeed the causal gene for lm6.Transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed that the DEGs between the WT and mutant were significantly enriched in KEGG pathways related to flavonoid biosynthesis,including flavone and flavonol biosynthesis,isoflavonoid biosynthesis,and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways.Furthermore,more than 30 pathogen infection-related(PR)genes exhibited upregulation in the mutant.Corresponding to this expression pattern,the flavonoid content in je0297 showed a significant decrease in the 4^(th)leaf,accompanied by a notable accumulation of reactive oxygen,which likely contributed to the development of lesion mimic in the mutant.This investigation enhances our comprehension of cell death signaling pathways and provides a valuable gene resource for the breeding of disease-resistant wheat.

Individualized Sellar Floor Reconstruction Method and Nursing Strategy for the Intraoperative Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage Caused by Neuroendoscopic Transsphenoidal Pituitary Adenoma Resection

Objective: To explore the clinical effect of and the method and nursing strategy for sellar reconstruction for intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage in pituitary adenoma resection under neuroendoscopy. Methods: The data from 20 cases of intraoperative CSF leak caused by transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection were retrospectively analyzed. Six patients were treated with mucosal flap and artificial dural reconstruction of sellar (simple sellar floor reconstruction). In 45 patients, autologous fat, fascia lata, and artificial dura were used to repair and reconstruct the sellar floor (multilayer sellar floor reconstruction). After the operation, all patients underwent follow-up for 6 - 24 months. Results: Fifty patients were followed up without CSF leakage. One patient was cured after leakage of CSF through the lumbar cistern 1 month after discharge. Conclusion: For patients with CSF leakage during neuroendoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection, individualized sellar floor reconstruction should be adopted according to the degree of CSF leakage and the size of the sellar floor defect. Strict nursing measures can effectively prevent CSF leakage and reduce postoperative complications.

Ag nanoparticles sensitize IR-induced killing of cancer cells

Dear Editor, Nanosized particulate systems combining better cancer diagnosis with therapeutic effect are being designed based on the merging of nanotechnology with cellular and molecular techniques. The surface of these nanoscale carriers is often functionalized with biological molecules for stabilization and targeted delivery. The combinations of nano-core and associated functional molecules can cross the cell membrane [1], and the surface of nanomaterials （including coating and associated functional molecules） plays a critical role in determining the outcome of their interactions with cells [2, 3]. Studying the potential effects of nanomaterials in biological systems often requires the administration of nanoparticles into a cell culture system or into living organisms in vivo. It should be noted, however, that under such conditions nanopaticles are known to adsorb proteins from the biological system,

Constructing osteo-inductive bio-ink for 3D printing through hybridization of gelatin with maleic acid modified bacterial cellulose by regulating addition volumes of maleic acid solution

Bacterial cellulose(BC)is an exopolysaccharide with unique properties that has been applied in various fields.However,the dense and intertwined nature of BC fibers limits its use in certain applications,including 3D printing scaffolds for bone regeneration.In this work,a controllable BC-based bio-ink for 3D printing was successfully prepared by modifying the neat BC through maleic acid(MA)treatment,aiming to promote bone tissue regeneration.To achieve homogeneous BC dispersions while preserving its crystalline and chemical properties,BC was modified by MA solution(60%,w/V)with solid-liquid ratio from 1꞉5 to 1꞉50(w/V)to obtain MA-BC dispersions.The analysis results from microstructure,chemical group,crystallinity,and wettability indicated that the BC/MA solution with ratio of 1꞉30 demonstrated the best pre-treatment performance to obtain MA-BC.Subsequently,by combining MA-BC with gelatin,we successfully formulated MA-BC-GEL gels with favorable rheological properties and compression modulus,which can be used as promising bio-inks for 3D bioprinting applications.In vitro tests demonstrated 1꞉30 MA-BC possessed excellent biocompatibility,a significant ability to express the alkaline phosphatase gene and osteogenic-related genes,and facilitated the formation of mineralized nodules.The utilization of this novel bio-ink in scaffold preparation for bone regeneration highlights the promising application of modified BC in bone tissue engineering field.

Identification of a von Willebrand factor type A protein affecting both grain and flag leaf morphologies in wheat

Dear Editor,The world faces unprecedented challenges for crop yield improvement to feed an expanding human population under limited agricultural resources and an increasingly erratic climate(Wheeler and von Braun,2013).Bread wheat is one of the most widely cultivated cereal crops,with both grain and flag leaf morphologies determining final yield potential(Xie et al.,2015;Zanella et al.,2023).Candidate genes affecting these traits are therefore highly desirable targets for breeding programs.

Enhancing osteogenic bioactivities of coaxial electrospinning nanoscaffolds through incorporating iron oxide nanoparticles and icaritin for bone regeneration

Bone tissue engineering provides a promising strategy for the treatment of bone defects.Nonetheless,the clinical utilization of biomaterial-based scaffolds is constrained by their inadequate mechanical strength and absence of osteo-inductive properties.Here,we proposed to endow nano-scaffold(NS)constructed by coaxial electrospinning technique with enhanced osteogenic bioactivities and mechanical properties by incorporating biocompatible magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles(IONPs)and icaritin(ICA).Four types of nano-scaffolds(NS,ICA@NS,NS-IONPs and ICA@NS-IONPs)were prepared.The incorporation of ICA and IONPs minimally impact their surface morphological and chemical properties.IONPs enhanced the mechanical properties of NS scaffolds,including hardness,tensile strength,and elastic modulus.In vitro assessments demonstrated that ICA@NS-IONPs exhibited enhanced osteogenic bioactivities towards mouse calvarial pre-osteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1 as evidenced by detecting the alkaline phosphatase(ALP)activity level,expressions of osteogenesis-related genes and proteins as well as mineralized nodule formation.Mechanistic investigations revealed that MEK/ERK(MAP kinase-ERK kinase(MEK)/extracellularsignal-regulated kinase(ERK))signaling pathway could offer a plausible explanation for the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells induced by ICA@NS-IONPs.Furthermore,the implantation of nano-scaffolds in rat skull defects exhibited a substantial improvement in in vivo bone regeneration.Therefore,IONPs and ICA incorporated coaxial electrospinning nano-scaffolds present a novel strategy for the optimization of scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

Cloning and functional characterization of Rht8,a“Green Revolution”replacement gene in wheat

Dear Editor,Wheat(Triticum aestivum)is a major staple crop in the world and provides~20%of the food calories for human consumption(Appels et al.,2018).During the 1960s and 1970s,the introduction of two semi-dwarfing genes Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b in wheat varieties strikingly improved lodging resistance and harvest index,and therefore substantially increased grain yield,resulting in the well-known"Green Revolution"(Peng et al.,1999).However,plants carrying Rht-B1b and Rht-D1b suffer from several drawbacks.

Control factors and porosity evolution of high-quality sandstone reservoirs of Kela-2 gas field in Kuqa Depression

By using the integrated methods includingsandbodies modelling of the outcrops, sedimentary facies ofthe cores and well logs of the drilled wells, and the reservoircorrelation of interwells, it is thought that the sandstone res-ervoirs of Kela-2 gas field are a suit of high-quality naturalgas reservoirs with great thickness, extensive and continuousdistribution, high porosity and permeability, and a few bar-rier beds. Sedimentary facies and microfacies are the mainfactors controlling the reservoir distribution and interiorheterogeneity. Based on a great deal of data of rock’s thinsections, porosity, permeability, and the parameters of capil-lary pressure, the reservoir diagenesis, controls, mechanismand evolution of pores have been studied. It is consideredthat compaction in the early stage and diagenetic dolomiteand calcite cements have effect on the decline of reservoirsproperty. Now compaction is chiefly middle to weak. Thebetter reservoirs have no or a few calcite cements. In theearly of deep buried stage, there are still mainly remainderprimary intergranular pores. The authigenic kaolinite ofreservoirs is the production of the dissolution of feldsparsand lithic fragments. The dissolution results in the partlymodified and broadened secondary intergranular pores. Inthe late of deep buried stage, structure fissures and over-pressure were in favor of improving and preservation ofthese pores.