An ethylene-induced NAC transcription factor acts as a multiple abiotic stress responsor in conifer

The proper response to various abiotic stresses is essential for plants’survival to overcome their sessile nature,especially for perennial trees with very long-life cycles.However,in conifers,the molecular mechanisms that coordinate multiple abiotic stress responses remain elusive.Here,the transcriptome response to various abiotic stresses like salt,cold,drought,heat shock and osmotic were systematically detected in Pinus tabuliformis(P.tabuliformis)seedlings.We found that four transcription factors were commonly induced by all tested stress treatments,while PtNAC3 and PtZFP30 were highly up-regulated and co-expressed.Unexpectedly,the exogenous hormone treatment assays and the content of the endogenous hormone indicates that the upregulation of PtNAC3 and PtZFP30 are mediated by ethylene.Time-course assay showed that the treatment by ethylene immediate precursor,1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid(ACC),activated the expression of PtNAC3 and PtZFP30 within 8 hours.We further confirm that the PtNAC3 can directly bind to the PtZFP30 promoter region and form a cascade.Overexpression of PtNAC3 enhanced unified abiotic stress tolerance without growth penalty in transgenic Arabidopsis and promoted reproductive success under abiotic stress by shortening the lifespan,suggesting it has great potential as a biological tool applied to plant breeding for abiotic stress tolerance.This study provides novel insights into the hub nodes of the abiotic stresses response network as well as the environmental adaptation mechanism in conifers,and provides a potential biofortification tool to enhance plant unified abiotic stress tolerance.

Comparative Analyses on Nutritional Ingredients of Two Cultivars of Passion Fruit

The nutritional ingredients of two cultivars of passion fruit （Passiflora edulia Sims）, Zixiang 1 and Pingtang 1 were compared in this study. The results showed that both the two cultivars contained 7 kinds of essential amino acids for humans, and their total content was higher in Pingtang 1. The contents of Ca and K were also higher in Pingtang 1. In addition, passion fruit was rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, protein, dietary fiber and total carbohydrate. On the whole, the nutritional value of Pingtang 1 was higher than that of Zixiang 1, and it can be promoted in largescale cultivation.

Zinc dysregulation in cancers and its potential as a therapeutic target

Zinc is an essential element and serves as a structural or catalytic component in many proteins.Two families of transporters are involved in maintaining cellular zinc homeostasis:the ZIP(SLC39A)family that facilitates zinc influx into the cytoplasm,and the ZnT(SLC30A)family that facilitates zinc efflux from the cytoplasm.Zinc dyshomeostasis caused by the dysfunction of zinc transporters can contribute to the initiation or progression of various cancers,including prostate cancer,breast cancer,and pancreatic cancer.In addition,intracellular zinc fluctuations lead to the disturbance of certain signaling pathways involved in the malignant properties of cancer cells.This review briefly summarizes our current understanding of zinc dyshomeostasis in cancer,and discusses the potential roles of zinc or zinc transporters in cancer therapy.

Association of 2-methoxyestradiol levels with the occurrence and development of endometrial cancer in humans

Objective The aim of the study was to determine the association of urinary levels of estradiol(E_(2))and 2-methoxyestradiol(2-MeOE_(2))with the occurrence and development of endometrial cancer.Methods In this case-control study,24-h urine specimens were collected from 28 postmenopausal patients with endometrial cancer and 28 postmenopausal healthy female controls.The concentration of 2-MeOE_(2) was determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with hollow fiber liquid-phase microextraction.The concentration of E_(2) was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results Estrogen levels were different between the patients with endometrial cancer and controls.The relative quantity of E_(2) in the case group was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05),whereas that of 2-MeOE_(2) was lower in the case group than that in the control group(P<0.05).The ratio of E_(2)-to-2-MeOE_(2) in the case group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion The results of this study indicate an imbalance of estrogen metabolites in endometrial carcinogenesis.Reduced 2-MeOE_(2) levels and elevated E_(2)-to-2-MeOE_(2) ratio may be used as potential biomarkers for the risk assessment of estrogen-induced endometrial cancer.

Tetrapyrrole biosynthesis pathway regulates plastid-to-nucleus signaling by controlling plastid gene expression in plants

Plastid-to-nucleus retrograde signaling coordinates nuclear gene expression with chloroplast developmental status and is essential for the photoautotrophic lifestyle of plants.Previous studies have established that tetrapyrrole biosynthesis(TPB)and plastid gene expression(PGE)play essential roles in plastid retrograde signaling during early chloroplast biogenesis;however,their functional relationship remains unknown.In this study,we generated a series of rice TPB-related gun(genome uncoupled)mutants and systematically analyzed their effects on nuclear and plastid gene expression under normal conditions or when subjected to treatments with norflurazon(NF;a noncompetitive inhibitor of carotenoid biosynthesis)and/or lincomycin(Lin;a specific inhibitor of plastid translation).We show that under NF treatment,expression of plastid-encoded polymerase(PEP)-transcribed genes is significantly reduced in the wild type but is derepressed in the TPB-related gun mutants.We further demonstrate that the derepressed expression of PEPtranscribed genes may be caused by increased expression of the PEP core subunit and nuclear-encoded sigma factors and by elevated copy numbers of plastid genome per haploid genome.In addition,we show that expression of photosynthesis-associated nuclear genes(PhANGs)and PEP-transcribed genes is correlated in the rice TPB-related gun mutants,with or without NF or Lin treatment.A similar correlation between PhANGs and PGE is also observed in the Arabidopsis gun4 and gun5 mutants.Moreover,we show that increased expression of PEP-transcribed plastid genes is necessary for the gun phenotype in NF-treated TPB-related gun mutants.Further,we provide evidence that these TPB-related GUN genes act upstream of GUN1 in the regulation of retrograde signaling.Taken together,our results suggest that the TPB-related GUN genes control retrograde plastid signaling by regulating the PGE-dependent retrograde signaling pathway.

老病残罪犯监区文化品牌建设研究——以北京市Y监狱老病残罪犯监区文化品牌建设为例

文化品牌是文化建设的重要组成部分,文化品牌具有很强的吸引力和影响力。Y监狱罪犯监区文化坚持走品牌建设之路,经过挖掘、提炼、开发、整合,把监狱文化资源打造成独具特色的监区文化品牌,在提升罪犯监区文化建设水平的同时,推动监狱整体工作的发展。实践中,Y监狱以维护监管安全和提高罪犯改造质量为出发点和落脚点,以押犯特点为基础,以红色文化、传统道德文化、康复文化、“非遗”文化、生态文化为内容,最终形成贴近罪犯改造实际、促进罪犯身心健康、让罪犯自觉自愿走向真善美的特色监区文化品牌。

积极生活矫正项目的构建与实践——以Y监狱罪犯为实践对象

积极生活矫正项目包含阅读、讲解、团体辅导、表达性艺术体验、康复性运动、善念善行6个模块。主要以项目矫正理论、人本主义理论、积极心理学理论为理论基础,以挖掘、激发、培养罪犯积极认知、积极心理品质和积极行为为目的。课程设计既注重提高认知也注重实践体验,一方面关注正向,另一方面引导罪犯从负向现象、事件中发现正向意义,从而实现自我管理、自我控制、自我提高。