Identification and Transcriptional Regulation of CAMTA Genes in Liriodendron chinense

This study explores CAMTA genes in the rare and endangered Chinese plant species,Liriodendron chinense.Despite the completion of whole-genome sequencing,the roles of CAMTA genes in calcium regulation and stress responses in this species remain largely unexplored.Within the L.chinense genome,we identified two CAMTA genes,Lchi09764 and Lchi222536,characterized by four functional domains:CG-1,TIG,ANK repeats,and IQ motifs.Our analyses,including phylogenetic investigations,cis-regulatory element analyses,and chromosomal location studies,aim to elucidate the defining features of CAMTA genes in L.chinense.Applying Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis(WGCNA),we explored the impact of CAMTA genes on different organs and their regulation under abiotic stress conditions.The identification of significant gene modules and the prediction of promoter binding sites revealed co-expressed genes associated with CAMTA transcription factors.In summary,this study provides initial insights into CAMTA genes in L.chinense,laying the groundwork for future research on their evolution and biological roles.This knowledge enhancement contributes to a better understanding of plant responses to environmental stress—an essential aspect of plant biology.

Genome-wide identification and cold stress-induced expression analysis of the CBF gene family in Liriodendron chinense

Cold-resistance pathways that operate in model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa have been studied extensively.It has been found that CBF genes play an important role in plant cold resistance.Liriodendron chinense,a tree known for its graceful tree shape and widely spread in south China,has weak cold tolerance.However,little is known about its response to cold.To further study the function of L.chinense CBF gene family,we started by characterizing all members of this gene family in the L.chinense genome and their expression profiling.Phylogenetic analysis found that 14 CBF genes in L.chinense are more closely related to their homologues in woody plants and A.thaliana than those in O.sativa.Cis-acting elements and GO analysis showed that some LcCBF genes participated in the biological process of cold stress response.The transcriptomic and RT-qPCR data showed that most of LcCBF genes displayed an initially increasing and subsequently decreasing trend during cold stress course and the expression profile of each member was different.Some LcCBF genes exhibited a different abundance in callus,root,stem and leaf tissues.The structure and expression characteristics of LcCBF genes imply that they may have similar and different functions in response to cold stress conditions.The identification and analysis of LcCBF gene family have laid the foundation for future studies into L.chinense cold stress mechanisms and for the cultivation of cold-resistance cultivars.

Transcriptome analysis and metabolic profiling reveal the key role of carotenoids in the petal coloration of Liriodendron tulipifera

Liriodendron tulipifera,also known as tuliptree,is a popular ornamental horticultural plant with extraordinary tulipshaped flowers characterized by an orange band near their base.The mechanisms underlying petal band-specific pigmentation during L.tulipifera flower development are unclear.Here,we combined nontargeted and targeted metabolomics and transcriptomics to identify a pathway cascade leading to carotenoid biosynthesis that is specifically activated in the petal band.The comparative analysis of carotenoid metabolites between L.tulipifera and Liriodendron hybrids indicates thatγ-carotene,a rare carotene in plants,is the most likely orange pigment responsible for the coloration of the petal band.Phenotypic and transcriptomic analyses of developing petals reveal that the band area is first predefined by the loss of green color.Later,the band is maintained by locally activating and repressing carotenoid and chlorophyll biosynthesis genes,respectively.Two rate-limiting genes of carotene biosynthesis,carotenoid isomerase(CRTISO)and epsilon lycopene cyclase(ε-LCY),encode the core enzymes responsible for petal band-specific orange pigmentation in L.tulipifera.In particular,a putative additionalε-LCY copy specific to L.tulipifera may contribute to the distinct petal coloration pattern,compared with L.chinense.Taken together,our work provides a first glimpse of the metabolome and transcriptome dynamics in tuliptree flower coloration and provides a valuable resource for flower breeding or metabolic engineering as well as for understanding flower evolution in an early woody angiosperm.

The role of γ-aminobutyric acid in aluminum stress tolerance in a woody plant, Liriodendron chinense×tulipifera

The aluminum(Al)cation Al^(3+)in acidic soil shows severe rhizotoxicity that inhibits plant growth and development.Most woody plants adapted to acidic soils have evolved specific strategies against Al^(3+)toxicity,but the underlying mechanism remains elusive.The four-carbon amino acid gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA)has been well studied in mammals as an inhibitory neurotransmitter;GABA also controls many physiological responses during environmental or biotic stress.The woody plant hybrid Liriodendron(L.chinense×tulipifera)is widely cultivated in China as a horticultural tree and provides high-quality timber;studying its adaptation to high Al stress is important for harnessing its ecological and economic potential.Here,we performed quantitative iTRAQ(isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification)to study how protein expression is altered in hybrid Liriodendron leaves subjected to Al stress.Hybrid Liriodendron shows differential accumulation of several proteins related to cell wall biosynthesis,sugar and proline metabolism,antioxidant activity,cell autophagy,protein ubiquitination degradation,and anion transport in response to Al damage.We observed that Al stress upregulated glutamate decarboxylase(GAD)and its activity,leading to increased GABA biosynthesis.Additional GABA synergistically increased Al-induced antioxidant enzyme activity to efficiently scavenge ROS,enhanced proline biosynthesis,and upregulated the expression of MATE1/2,which subsequently promoted the efflux of citrate for chelation of Al^(3+).We also showed similar effects of GABA on enhanced Al^(3+)tolerance in Arabidopsis.Thus,our findings suggest a function of GABA signaling in enhancing hybrid Liriodendron tolerance to Al stress through promoting organic acid transport and sustaining the cellular redox and osmotic balance.

A brief review of recent advances in stem cell biology

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types, essentially with- out limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive, offering immense hope of curing Alzheimer＇s disease, repairing damaged spinal cords, treating kidney, liver and lung diseases and making damaged hearts whole. Until recently, scientists primarily worked with two kinds of stem cells from animals and humans： embryonic stem cells and non-embryonic ＂somatic＂ or ＂adult＂ stem cells. Recent breakthrough make it possible to convert or ＂reprogram＂ specialized adult cells to assume a stem stem-like cells with different technologies. The review will briefly dis- cuss the recent progresses in this area.

Current advances in neurotrauma research:diagnosis, neuroprotection,and neurorepair

Traumatic brain injury （TBI） and spinal cord injury （SCI） causes significant cell death （Raghupathi et al., 1995; DeKosky et al., 1998; Hall et al., 2005; Farkas and Povlishock, 2007） and tissue lesion in the neocortex （Lighthall et al., 1989; Lyeth et al., 1990）, leaving many patients with substantial motor dis- ability and cognitive impairment （Harem et al., 1992; Scheff et al., 1997）. Unfortunately, at present, there are no clinically demonstrated FDA approved drug therapies for treatment of TBI and SCI patients that reduce the neurological injuries. Thus, TBI and SCI are serious health problems. The devel- opment of therapeutic approaches to prevent neuronal death and enhance neuroregeneration for promoting post-traumat- ic functional recovery would be of enormous clinical, social, and economic benefits. The reviews in this specific issue focus largely on the current progress on diagnosis, neuroprotection, and potential neurorepair with stem cells.

The Regulatory Roles of microRNAs and Associated Target Genes during Early Somatic Embryogenesis in Liriodendron Sino-Americanum

Somatic cells respond to considerable stress,and go through a series of phytohormone pathways,then forming an embryo.The developmental process is recorded as somatic embryogenesis(SE).One of the key components regulating SE are the microRNAs(miRNAs).Despite previous studies,it is still not clear exactly how miRNAs exert their function of regulating targets during conditionally activated early SE.Here,we use Liriodendron sino-americanum as a model system and perform a combined analysis of microfluidic chips and degradome sequencing to study this process.We identified a total of 386 conserved miRNAs and 153 novel miRNAs during early SE.According to the ANOVA test,239 miRNAs showed 12 distinct expression patterns.Through degradome sequencing,419 targets and 198 targets were identified for 136 known miRNAs and 37 novel miRNAs,respectively.Gene Ontology(GO)and metabolism pathway enrichment analysis revealed that these targets were significantly involved in oxidation-reduction processes,calmodulin-mediated signal transduction pathways and carbohydrate metabolism.The genes that were related to stress responses,phytohormone pathways and plant metabolism were identified within the targets of miR319,miR395,miR408,miR472,miR482,miR390,miR2055,miR156,miR157,miR171,miR396,miR397,miR529,miR535 and miR159.According to promoter analysis,various cis-acting elements related to plant growth and development,phytohormones response and stress response were present in the promoter of the miRNAs.The differential expression patterns of 11 miRNA-target modules were confirmed by real-time quantitative PCR.The study demonstrated that the miRNA plays an important role in the early SE process by regulating its target and then participating in carbohydrate metabolism and stress response.It also provided a valuable resource for further research in determining the genetic mechanism of SE,and then facilitating breeding programs on plants.

Exogenous Spermidine Promotes Somatic Embryogenesis of Cunninghamia lanceolata by Altering the Endogenous Phytohormone Content

In order to study how exogenous hormones in C.lanceolata(gymnosperm)regulate somatic embryogenesis,we measured the endogenous phytohormones of two genotypes with different somatic embryogenesis efficiency and found that an increase in endogenous concentrations of IAA and ABA may be correlated to more efficient somatic embryogenesis.By applying exogenous spermidine,we found that exogenous hormones may affect somatic embryogenesis efficiency through affecting the endogenous phytohormone content.Based on these results,further studies can be conducted whereby the concentration of exogenous hormones or the levels of endogenous phytohormones by molecular methods are regulated to promote somatic embryogenesis.Our research may benefit the long-term economic output of the forestry industry and lays the foundation to studying the molecular mechanism that controls somatic embryogenesis efficiency.

Morphological, phenological, and transcriptional analyses provide in sight into the diverse flowering traits of a mutant of the relic woody plant Liriodendron chinense

Flowering is crucial to plant reproduction and controlled by multiple factors.However,the mechanisms underlying the regulation of flowering in perennial plants are still largely unknown.Here,we first report a super long blooming 1(slbl)mutant of the relict tree Liriodendron chinense possessing a prolonged blooming period of more than 5 months,in contrast to the 1 month blooming period in the wild type(WT).Phenotypic characterization showed that earlier maturation of lateral shoots was caused by accelerated axillary bud fate,leading to the phenotype of continuous flowering in slbl mutants.The transcriptional activity of genes related to hormone signaling(auxin,cytokinin,and strigolactone),nutrient availability,and oxidative stress relief further indicated active outgrowth of lateral buds in slbl mutants.Interestingly,we discovered a unique FT splicing variant with intron retention specific to slbl mutants,representing a potential causal mutation in the slbl mutants.Surprisingly,most slbl inbred offspring flowered precociously with shorter juvenility(~4 months)than that(usually 8-10 years)required in WT plants,indicating heritable variation underlying continuous flowering in slbl mutants.This study reports an example of a perennial tree mutant that flowers continuously,providing a rare resource for both breeding and genetic research.

Effect of Different Pollination Varieties on Qingxiang Pear Fruit Quality

With Qingxiang pear as test material,we study the effect of different pollination varieties on Qingxiang pear fruit quality. The results show that Xinshiji,Xizilu,Cuiguan and Yuanhuang as the pollination varieties for Qingxiang pear can create the best comprehensive quality,and these varieties can be chosen in production as the pollination varieties for Qingxiang pear,followed by Cuilu and Xishui.

Rice ferredoxin OsFd4 contributes to oxidative stress tolerance but compromises defense against blight bacteria

Ferredoxins(Fds)in plastids are the most upstream stromal electron receptors shuttling electrons to downstream metabolic systems and function in various physiological processes of dicots,but their roles in monocots’response to stresses are still unclear.In this study,the functions of OsFd4,the major non-photosynthetic type Fd in rice,were characterized under oxidative stress and Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae(Xoo)infection.OsFd4-knockout mutants displayed no defects in key agronomic traits and blast resistance,but were more sensitive to hydrogen peroxide(H2O2)treatment than the wild type.Transient expression of OsFd4 alleviated H2O2-induced rice cell death,suggesting that OsFd4 contributes to rice tolerance to exogenous oxidative stress.Deletion of OsFd4 enhanced rice immune responses against Xoo.OsFd4 formed a complex in vivo with itself and OsFd1,the major photosynthetic Fd in rice,and OsFd1 transcripts were increased in leaf and root tissues of the OsFd4-knockout mutants.These results indicate that OsFd4 is involved in regulating rice defense against stresses and interplays with OsFd1.

Splitting and placement of data-intensive applications with machine learning for power system in cloud computing

Aiming to meet the growing demand for observation and analysis in power systems that based on Internet of Things(IoT),machine learning technology has been adopted to deal with the data-intensive power electronics applications in IoT.By feeding previous power electronic data into the learning model,accurate information is drawn,and the quality of IoT-based power services is improved.Generally,the data-intensive electronic applications with machine learning are split into numerous data/control constrained tasks by workflow technology.The efficient execution of this data-intensive Power Workflow(PW)needs massive computing resources,which are available in the cloud infrastructure.Nevertheless,the execution efficiency of PW decreases due to inappropriate sub-task and data placement.In addition,the power consumption explodes due to massive data acquisition.To address these challenges,a PW placement method named PWP is devised.Specifically,the Non-dominated Sorting Differential Evolution(NSDE)is used to generate placement strategies.The simulation experiments show that PWP achieves the best trade-off among data acquisition time,power consumption,load distribution and privacy preservation,confirming that PWP is effective for the placement problem.

Efficient Evergreen Plant Regeneration of Cinnamomum japonicum Sieb.through in vitro Organogenesis

Cinnamomum japonicum Sieb.is an excellent roadside tree and medicinal tree species with considerable ornamental and economic value.In this study,we successfully developed a large-scale micropropagation protocol for C.japonicum for the first time.Sterilized shoots were excised and used as explants for shoot induction on several basal media,supplemented with different concentrations of plant growth regulators(PGRs),such as Thidiazuron(TDZ),N^(6)-Benzyladenine(6-benzylaminopurine)(BA),α-naphthaleneacetic acid(NAA)and Gibberellic acid(GA_(3)).After comparison,the most efficient medium for shoot regeneration was 1/2 Murashige and Skoog(MS)medium containing 0.5 mg L^(-1)BA,0.05 mg L^(-1)NAA and 0.2 mg L^(-1)GA_(3),which resulted in an average number of induced shoots per explant and shoot length of 5.2 and 1.62 cm at 28 d,respectively.Then,elongated adventitious shoots were transferred to induce roots.86.7%of shoots was able to root on 1/2 MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg L^(-1)NAA and 0.1 mg L^(-1)BA.The earliest rooting time observed was after 21 d and the average root length was up to 3.3 cm after 28 d.Our study shows that C.japonicum can be successfully regenerated through de novo organogenesis,which lays a foundation for future transformation research on this tree.

Dipping cells in acidic bath could make stem cells

The discovery that somatic mammalian cells can be epigeneti- cally reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cells （iPSCs） through the exogenous expression of the Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c-Myc （OSKM） has demonstrated a new way for cell-replace- ment therapy in regenerative medicine （Li et al., 2013; Nishimura and Takahashi, 2013; Takahashi and Yamanaka, 2013）. This novel technology has opened new therapeutic opportunities to gener- ate stem cells in any tissue for cell replacement therapy in a num- ber of disorders （Yamanaka, 2012; Li et al., 2013; Nishimura and Takahashi, 2013; Takahashi and Yamanaka, 2013）. Just last week, two papers published in Nature, describing a surprisingly sim- ple method to turn mature cells into embryonic-like stem ceils by culturing cells in a low pH medium （Obokata et al., 2014a, 2014b）. This method by Obokata and colleagues is truly the sim- plest, cheapest, and fastest method ever achieved for reprogram- min~ somatic cells into multiootent stem cells.

Overexpression of the LcPIN2 and LtPIN2 Gene in Arabidopsis thaliana Promotes Root Elongation

The auxin polar transporter,PIN-FORMED 2(PIN2)plays an important role in root development.However,it remains unclear whether PIN2 genes form two Liriodendron species,L.chinense(LcPIN2)and L.tulipifera(LtPIN2),are both involved in root development and whether and to what extent these two genes diverge in function.Here,we cloned and overexpressed LcPIN2 and LtPIN2 in Arabidopsis thaliana wild-type(WT)and Atpin2 mutant.Phylogenetic and sequence analysis showed a small degree of differentiation between these two Liriodendron PIN2 genes.Tissue-specific gene expression analysis indicated that both Liriodendron PIN2 genes were highly expressed in roots,implying a potential role in root development.Finally,heterologous overexpression of LcPIN2 and LtPIN2 in Arabidopsis both significantly increased the root length compared to wild-type and empty vector.Furthermore,the root length defect in Atpin2 was complemented both by LcPIN2 and LtPIN2.However,heterologous overexpression of LcPIN2 and LtPIN2 cannot rescue the defect in root gravitropism of Atpin2 mutants.Taken together,ourfindings unravel PIN2 genes from the magnoliids plant Liriodendron were functionally conserved with AtPIN2 in the dicotyledonous plant Arabidopsis in regard to the regulation of root length,but not root gravitropism.This study also provides a potential target for genetic improvement of the root system in these valuable forest trees Liriodendron.

The Chloroplast Genome of Cerasus Campanulata Diverges from Other Prunoideae Genomes

Cerasus Campanulata is one of several species belonging to the Prunoideae focke,a subfamily of the flowering plant Rosaceae.We investigated the details of its chloroplast genome which may reveal its genus independent of morphological determination.Here,we determined the complete chloroplast(cp)genome sequence of C.campanulata and performed sequence analysis to reveal the presence of 18 forward repeats,20 palindrome repeats,2 complement repeats,4 reverse repeats and 93 simple sequence repeats(SSRs).We additionally performed a comparative study of C.campanulata and seven other Prunoideae focke species.Then,maximum parsimony(MP)and maximum likelihood(ML)phylogenetic analyses were carried out in the little part of Rosaceae,respectively.The results strongly support a position of C.campanulata as a member of the Cerasus in the Rosaceae family.Moreover,the complete cp genome can be used for plant phylogenetic and evolutionary studies that will provide insight into the degree of gene conservation.

CEPC Technical Design Report

The Circular Electron Positron Collider(CEPC)is a large scientific project initiated and hosted by China,fostered through extensive collaboration with international partners.The complex comprises four accelerators:a 30 GeV Linac,a 1.1 GeV Damping Ring,a Booster capable of achieving energies up to 180 GeV,and a Collider operating at varying energy modes(Z,W,H,and tt).The Linac and Damping Ring are situated on the surface,while the subterranean Booster and Collider are housed in a 100 km circumference underground tunnel,strategically accommodating future expansion with provisions for a potential Super Proton Proton Collider(SPPC).The CEPC primarily serves as a Higgs factory.In its baseline design with synchrotron radiation(SR)power of 30 MW per beam,it can achieve a luminosity of 5×10^(34)cm^(-2)s^(-1)per interaction point(IP),resulting in an integrated luminosity of 13 ab^(-1)for two IPs over a decade,producing 2.6 million Higgs bosons.Increasing the SR power to 50 MW per beam expands the CEPC's capability to generate 4.3 million Higgs bosons,facilitating precise measurements of Higgs coupling at sub-percent levels,exceeding the precision expected from the HL-LHC by an order of magnitude.This Technical Design Report(TDR)follows the Preliminary Conceptual Design Report(Pre-CDR,2015)and the Conceptual Design Report(CDR,2018),comprehensively detailing the machine's layout,performance metrics,physical design and analysis,technical systems design,R&D and prototyping efforts,and associated civil engineering aspects.Additionally,it includes a cost estimate and a preliminary construction timeline,establishing a framework for forthcoming engineering design phase and site selection procedures.Construction is anticipated to begin around 2027-2028,pending government approval,with an estimated duration of 8 years.The commencement of experiments and data collection could potentially be initiated in the mid-2030s.

相对论重离子对撞中奇异强子产生机制的实验研究进展

相对论重离子对撞是实验室研究夸克物质的理想途径,其中奇异性增强是寻找和研究新物质形态夸克胶子等离子体(quark-gluon plasma, QGP)的重要探针之一.本文系统阐述了我们课题组在奇异强子产生实验研究方面的几个工作,包括:(1)奇异强子产生机制的实验测量.从奇异夸克动力学角度研究QGP性质,并研究其产额比与量子色动力学(quantum chromodynamics, QCD)物质相变的联系,发现在金核+金核对撞能量大于或小于√^(s)NN=19.6 GeV的实验区间,奇异强子产额随着横向动量变化出现显著差异.例如,在束流能量大于或等于19.6 GeV时,多奇异性强子产额比符合夸克并合模型描述;在束流能量小于19.6 GeV能区,该实验数据迅速偏离夸克并合模型计算结果,这可能是QCD相变的信号.(2)奇异性原子核-超氚核质量和结合能的精确测量.实验结果以高精度验证了电荷-宇称-时间(charge, parity, time, CPT)联合变换不变性在超氚核-反超氚核系统上成立,实现了CPT对称性在迄今为止最重反物质原子核上的检验,测量结果将为扩展标准模型参数提供实验限制.同时,发现超氚核结合能远大于0,更新了近50年前的测量结果,回应了长期困扰学界的超氚核结合能的"Dalitz之惑".新的测量结果也为理论计算超子-核子之间相互作用提供了更为精确的限制.(3)多奇异强子-核子相互作用的测量.实验结果提供了奇异数S=-3的Ω超子与奇异数S=0的质子作用强度的第一手数据,发现它们之间存在强吸引作用,有望形成奇异双重子态,检验了质子-Ω双重子态的理论假设.这些研究丰富了人们对强相互作用,尤其是QGP中奇异强子产额增强、物质-反物质基本对称性和多奇异性强子奇特态等的认识.

Stem Cell Regulation by Arabidopsis WOX Genes

Gene amplification followed by functional diversification is a major force in evolution. A typical example of this is seen in the WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX （WOX） gene family, named after the Arabidopsis stem cell regulator WUSCHEL. Here we analyze functional divergence in the WOX gene family. Members of the WUS clade, except the cambium stem cell regulator WOX4, can substitute for WUS function in shoot and floral stem cell maintenance to different degrees. Stem cell function of WUS requires a canonical WUS-box, essential for interaction with TPL/TPR co-repressors, whereas the repressive EAR domain is dispensable and the acidic domain seems only to be required for female fertility. In contrast to the WUS clade, members of the ancient WOX13 and the WOX9 clades cannot support stem cell maintenance. Although the homeodomains are interchangeable between WUS and WOX9 clade members, a WUS- compatible homeodomain together with canonical WUS-box is not sufficient for stem cell maintenance. Our results suggest that WOX function in shoot and floral meristems of Arabidopsis is restricted to the modern WUS clade, suggesting that stem cell control is a derived function. Yet undiscovered functional domains in addition to the homeodomain and the WUS-box are necessary for this function.

Explore the QCD phase transition phenomena from a multiphase transport model

We study the phase structure of QCD matter in the framework of a multiphase transport model by implementing a strong local parton density fluctuation scenario. Our calculations on the beam energy dependence of net-proton high moment show that local parton density fluctuation only has a small effect. But it becomes important when all baryons are included. We then study the effect on elliptic flow and find that an enhanced local parton density fluctuation leads to a significant effect on protons but a small effect on pions. Our study provides a reference of transport dynamics on QCD phase transition phenomena and will be relevant for the upcoming phase II of the beam energy scan program at RHIC.