Mepiquat chloride increases the Cry1Ac protein content of Bt cotton under high temperature and drought stress by regulating carbon and amino acid metabolism

The effects of mepiquat chloride(DPC)on the Cry1Ac protein content in Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt)cotton boll shells under high temperature and drought stress were investigated to provide a theoretical reference for Bt cotton breeding and high-yield and-efficiency cotton cultivation.This study was conducted using Bt cotton cultivar‘Sikang 3'during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons at Yangzhou University Farm,Yangzhou,Jiangsu Province,China.Potted cotton plants were exposed to high temperature and drought stress,and sprayed with either 20 mg L^(-1)DPC or water(CK).Seven days after treatment,the Cry1Ac protein content,α-ketoglutarate content,pyruvic acid content,glutamate synthase activity,glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activity,soluble protein content,and amino acid content were measured,and transcriptome sequencing was performed.DESeq was used for differential gene analysis.Under the DPC treatment,the Cry1Ac protein content increased by 4.7-11.9% compared to CK.Theα-ketoglutarate content,pyruvic acid content,glutamate synthase activity,glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activity,soluble protein content,and amino acid content all increased.Transcriptome analysis revealed 7,542 upregulated genes and 10,449 downregulated genes for DPC vs.CK.Gene ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes(KEGG)analyses showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in biological processes,such as carbon and amino acid metabolism.For example,genes encoding 6-phosphofructokinase,pyruvate kinase,glutamic pyruvate transaminase,pyruvate dehydrogenase,citrate synthase,isocitrate dehydrogenase,2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase,glutamate synthase,1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase,glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase,amino-acid N-acetyltransferase,and acetylornithine deacetylase were all significantly upregulated.The DPC treatment increased pyruvate,α-ketoglutarate,and oxaloacetate by increasing the operational rate of the glycolytic pathway of the citric acid cycle.It also significantly upregulated the genes encoding glutamate synthase,pyrrolidine-5-carboxylic acid dehydrogenase,glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase,and N-acetylglutamate synthetase,while it downregulated the genes encoding glutamine synthetase.Therefore,the synthesis of aspartic acid,glutamic acid,pyruvate,and arginine increased after treatment with DPC,and the Cry1Ac protein content was increased by regulating carbon and amino acid metabolism.

Crystalline Germanium-Dipyrromethene Radicals:from a Delocalized Neutral to a Localized Cation

Both dipyrromethene complexes and radicals of heavier main group elements have been of high interest.However,cationic germanium radicals and dipyrromethene-based radicals of heavier main group elements are still escaped to be isolated.Herein,we report the isolation and full characterization of a neutral Ge(I)-masked dipyrromethene-based radical 3 and the first cationic Ge(III)-centered radical 5^(·+)as stable crystalline solids.3 behaves as a germanium(I)radical in its reaction with diphenyl disulfide to form the Ge-S bond,although X-ray crystallographic,EPR spectroscopic,computational studies revealed that the unpaired electron of 3 is mainly delocalized over the C_(9)N_(2)Ge backbone and the allylic radical character is also significant in 3.In contrast to 3,the spin density of 5^(·+)is mainly localized at the Ge center with minor contribution from the dipyrromethene ligand.Moreover,reduction of 5^(·+)with potassium graphite quantitatively regenerates 5,illustrating a reversible one-electron redox pair.

Isolable Bis-BN-Based Analogues of Müller's Hydrocarbon

Müller's hydrocarbon and its analogues are classical examples of Kekulé diradicaloids and have gained great attention.However,because of their high reactivities,their isolation and structural characterizations are still challenging.Herein,we report the isolation of two bis-BN-based analogues of Müller's hydrocarbon (1 and 2) as crystalline solids in moderate yields.Experimental results and theoretical studies demonstrated that compound 1 possessing the terminal 1,3,2-diazaboryl groups is an open-shell singlet diradicaloid,which is in contrast to the closed-shell singlet ground states of the bis-BN-based analogues of Thiele's and Chichibabin's hydrocarbons with the same terminal groups,illustrating the strong influence of the central linkers on the ground state.Additionally,the replacement of the terminal 1,3,2-diazaboryl groups in 1 with the bis(2,4,6-triisopropylphenyl)boryl groups affords 2 with higher diradical character and a smaller singlet-triplet energy gap.