P-induced electron transfer interaction for enhanced selective hydrogenation rearrangement of furfural to cyclopentanone

Optimizing the intrinsic activity of non-noble metal by precisely tailoring electronic structure offers an appealing way to construct cost-effective catalysts for selective biomass valorization.Herein,we reported a P-doping bifunctional catalyst(Ni-P/mSiO_(2))that achieved 96.6%yield for the hydrogenation rearrangement of furfural to cyclopentanone at mild conditions(1 MPaH_(2),150°C).The turnover frequency of Ni-P/mSiO_(2)was 411.9 h^(-1),which was 3.2-fold than that of Ni/mSiO_(2)(127.2 h^(-1)).Detailed characterizations and differential charge density calculations revealed that the electron-deficient Niδ+species were generated by the electron transfer from Ni to P,which promoted the ring rearrangement reaction.Density functional theory calculations illustrated that the presence of P atoms endowed furfural tilted adsorb on the Ni surface by the C=O group and facilitated the desorption of cyclopentanone.This work unraveled the connection between the localized electronic structures and the catalytic properties,so as to provide a promising reference for designing advanced catalysts for biomass valorization.

The photosensory function of Zmphot1 differs from that of Atphot1 due to the C-terminus of Zmphot1 during phototropic response

The role of phot1 in triggering hypocotyl phototropism and optimizing growth orientation has been wellcharacterized in Arabidopsis, whereas the role of Zmphot1 in maize remains largely unclear. Here, we show that Zmphot1 is involved in blue light-induced phototropism. Compared with Atphot1, Zmphot1exhibited a weaker phototropic response to very low-fluence rates of blue light(< 0.01 μmol m-2s-1),but stronger phototropic response to high-fluence rates of blue light(> 10 μmol m-2s-1) than Atphot1. Notably, blue light exposure induced Zmphot1-green fluorescent protein(GFP), but not Atphot1-GFP, to form the aggregates in the cytoplasm of Nicotiana benthamiana cells. Furthermore, by generating the chimeric phot1 proteins, we found that the serine-threonine kinase(STK) domain at the C-terminus is responsible for a more volatile membrane association of Zmphot1. Consistently, the chimeric phot1 protein fusing the STK domain of Zmphot1 with other domains of Atphot1 responded similarly as Zmphot1 to both low and high fluence rates of blue light. Interestingly, although both Zmphot1 and Atphot1 interact with AtNPH3, Zmphot1 induced weaker dephosphorylation of NONPHOTOTROPIC HYPOCOTYL 3(NPH3) than Atphot1. Together, our findings indicate that Zmphot1 and Atphot1 exhibit different photosensory function during phototropic response and that the STK domain may play a key role in determining their properties.

植物幼苗玻璃化发生机制研究进展

玻璃化是指植物生长过程中出现的类似水浸状的半透明化生理病变现象,常见于植物组织培养。玻璃化现象是限制组培技术发展和组培苗商业化生产的三大主要影响因素之一,但是玻璃化的发生机制至今尚不清楚。以组培材料为对象研究玻璃化机制受多种人为因素的干扰,而以非组织培养材料为研究对象,避免了人为因素的干扰,有助于从本质上揭示玻璃化发生的分子机制。该文综述了非组培苗因软木脂含量改变、表皮蜡质合成减少、细胞膜过氧化受损、离子或水分子跨膜运输受阻等导致植物玻璃化的机制,以期为最终揭示植物玻璃化机制提供参考。

EMT-associated microRNAs and their roles in cancer stemness and drug resistance

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition(EMT)is implicated in a wide array of malignant behaviors of cancers,including proliferation,invasion,and metastasis.Most notably,previou studies have indicated that both cancer stem-like properties and drug resistance were associated with EMT.Furthermore,microRNAs(miRNAs)play a pivotal role in the regulation of EMT phenotype,as a result,some miRNAs impact cancer stemness and drug resistance.Therefore,understanding the relationship between EMT-associated miRNAs and cancer stemness/drug resistance is beneficial to both basic research and clinical treatment.In this review,we preliminarily looked into the various roles that the EMT-associated miRNAs play in the stem-like nature of malignant cells.Then,we reviewed the interaction between EMT-associated miRNAs and the drugresistant complex signaling pathways of multiple cancers including lung cancer,gastric cancer,gynecologic cancer,breast cancer,liver cancer,colorectal cancer,pancreatic cancer,esophageal cancer,and nasopharyngeal cancer.We finally discussed the relationship between EMT,cancer stemness,and drug resistance,as well as looked forward to the potential applications of miRNA therapy for malignant tumors.

Volatiles produced by bacteria alleviate antagonistic effects of one associated fungus on Dendroctonus valens larvae

Dear Editor, Microbes play important roles in various symbiotic systems （Douglas, 2015; Xing et al., 2017; Zhu and Wu, 2016; Xu et al., 2016a）. In the symbiosis formed by bark beetles and microbial associates, beetles formed symbiotic relation- ships with some fungi including mutualistic and antagonistic ones （Cheng et al., 2015; Lu et al., 2016; Scott et al., 2008）, and these interactions, indirectly affected by a third or even fourth participator in a community context, may change from antagonistic ones to mutualistic ones. For example.

Gold nanomaterials for treatment of metastatic cancer

Nanomedicine has shown good potentials for cancer diagnosis and treatment since the last decades. Among the various nanoparticles exploited for cancer management so far, gold nanomaterials(e.g., spherical gold nanoparticles and gold nanorods)were extensively investigated due to their unique chemo-physical properties. We herein summarize the emerging application and discuss the challenges of using gold nanomaterials for therapy of metastatic cancer.

Inducible pine rosin defense mediates interactions between an invasive insect-fungal complex and newly acquired sympatric fungal associates

Mutualism between insects and fungi drives insect evolutionary diversification and niche expansion;for invasive insects,however,mechanisms by which they maintain mutualistic relationships with beneficial fungi have not been clearly explored.Here,we report that an invasive herbivorous insect,the red turpentine beetle(RTB),with its co-invasive mutualistic fungus,Leptographium procerum,has newly acquired a set of sympatric fungi during invasion,which could potentially outcompete the RTB mutualistic fungus.Host pine Pinus tabuliformis exhibited more rosin-based responses to the sympatric fungi than to RTB mutualistic fungus and,in return,the rapidly induced rosin suppressed the sympatric fungi more significantly than L.procerum.In addition,from direct fungal pairing competitions,we found that the antagonistic effects of sympatric fungi on L.procerum were drastically reduced under induced rosin defense.Our results together with previous findings imply that pine oleoresin defense(turpentine and rosin)might have been exploited by the invasive mutualistic fungus L.procerum,which helps to explain its invasion success and,by extension,its mutualistic partner RTB in China.

Calculation of diagonal section and cross-section bending capacity for strengthening RC structure using high-performance ferrocement laminate

Because there is a great demand of reinforce-ment and retrofitting of aged structures nationwide,as well as the rapid development of innovative building materials,the adoption of strengthening RC structures using new inorganic materials has become possible.High-performance ferrocement laminate(HPFL)is an effective method of strengthening concrete structure.High-performance ferrocement laminate is a new type of inorganic material with the advantages such as high strength,small contraction,good bonding properties,etc.This paper introduces the formula of cross-section bending capacity for strengthening concrete beams with HPEL.A comparative analysis of experimental data,as well as the calculation of diagonal section bearing capacity of concrete members,is given.