Combined genome-wide association studies and expression quantitative trait locus analysis uncovers a genetic regulatory network of floral organ number in a tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews) breeding population

Great progress has been made in our understanding of floral organ identity determination and its regulatory network in many species;however,the quantitative genetic basis of floral organ number variation is far less well understood for species-specific traits from the perspective of population variation.Here,using a tree peony(Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews,Paeoniaceae)cultivar population as a model,the phenotypic polymorphism and genetic variation based on genome-wide association studies(GWAS)and expression quantitative trait locus(eQTL)analysis were analyzed.Based on 24 phenotypic traits of 271 representative cultivars,the transcript profiles of 119 cultivars were obtained,which indicated abundant genetic variation in tree peony.In total,86 GWAS-related cis-eQTLs and 3188 trans-eQTL gene pairs were found to be associated with the numbers of petals,stamens,and carpels.In addition,19 floral organ number-related hub genes with 121 cis-eQTLs were obtained by weighted gene co-expression network analysis,among which five hub genes belonging to the ABCE genes of the MADS-box family and their spatial–temporal co-expression and regulatory network were constructed.These results not only help our understanding of the genetic basis of floral organ number variation during domestication,but also pave the way to studying the quantitative genetics and evolution of flower organ number and their regulatory network within populations.

Histology, physiology, and transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling reveal the developmental dynamics of annual shoots in tree peonies (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.)

The development of tree peony annual shoots is characterized by“withering”,which is related to whether there are bud points in the leaf axillaries of annual shoots.However,the mechanism of“withering”in tree peony is still unclear.In this study,Paeonia ostii‘Fengdan’and P.suffruticosa‘Luoyanghong’were used to investigate dynamic changes of annual shoots through anatomy,physiology,transcriptome,and metabolome.The results demonstrated that the developmental dynamics of annual shoots of the two cultivars were comparable.The withering degree of P.suffruticosa‘Luoyanghong’was higher than that of P.ostii‘Fengdan’,and their upper internodes of annual flowering shoots had a lower degree of lignin deposition,cellulose,C/N ratio,showing no obvious sclerenchyma,than the bottom ones and the whole internodes of vegetative shoot,which resulted in the“withering”of upper internodes.A total of 36 phytohormone metabolites were detected,of which 33 and 31 were detected in P.ostii‘Fengdan’and P.suffruticosa‘Luoyanghong’,respectively.In addition,302 and 240 differentially expressed genes related to lignin biosynthesis,carbon and nitrogen metabolism,plant hormone signal transduction,and zeatin biosynthesis were screened from the two cultivars.Furtherly,36 structural genes and 40 transcription factors associated with the development of annual shoots were highly co-expressed,and eight hub genes involved in this developmental process were identified.Consequently,this study explained the developmental dynamic on the varied annual shoots through multi-omics,providing a theoretical foundation for germplasm innovation and the mechanized harvesting of tree peony annual shoots.

Role of 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in cerebellar Purkinje cells in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

In the present study, electrical stimulation to the rat insular cortex induced apnea or respiratory disturbance, reduced amplitude of genioglossal electromyogram, and decreased electromyogram integrals. In addition, arterial blood gas analysis showed arterial blood acidosis, reduced pH values, increased alkali reserve negative values, decreased peripheral blood 5-hydroxytryptamine content, and increased 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in cerebellar Purkinje cells. Following lidocaine injection to block the habenular nucleus, abnormalities in breath, genioglossal electromyogram, and blood gas values disappeared, and peripheral blood 5-hydroxytryptamine content returned to levels prior to electric stimulation. However, 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in cerebellar Purkinje cells remained high. The results suggested that 5-hydroxytryptamine expression in Purkinje cells did not correlate with ventilation function involving insular cortex and habenular nucleus.

Characteristics of pressure fluctuations and fine coal preparation in gas-vibro fluidized bed

To improve the separation efficiency of air dense medium fluidized beds tor dry coal preparation, a gasvibro fluidized bed has been proposed in which magnetic powder is used as the heavy medium. Pressure fluctuations in the gas-vibro fluidized bed were investigated using time- and frequency-domain analysis methods. The relationship between pressure fluctuations, bubble behavior, and separation efficiency was established. The low amplitude of the standard deviation, the power spectral density （PSD）, the incoherent-output PSD, and the high amplitude of the coherent-output PSD, which corresponds to the bubble behavior in the bed, were improved for coal preparation. The coal ash content was reduced from 42.5570 to 16.54% by using the gas-vibro fluidized bed.

磷脂/蛋白介导的氧化亚铜纳米粒子组装体对致病真菌生长及生物被膜的抑制作用

随着艾滋病感染、化疗、放疗等免疫缺陷人群的日益增加,病原真菌感染已成为人类健康的巨大威胁.本文构建了一种新型的病原真菌响应性氧化亚铜纳米粒子组装体,用于特异性靶向并抑制病原真菌的生长与生物被膜形成.首先通过在氧化亚铜纳米粒子表面包覆磷脂酰乙醇胺及牛血清白蛋白,继而包覆分子通过疏水及静电作用驱动纳米粒子形成微米组装体.形成的组装体能够在病原真菌(白念珠菌)的诱导下进行解组装,导致纳米粒子与病原真菌的细胞壁紧密结合.共聚焦显微观察及细胞活性检测表明,组装体能够显著抑制病原真菌的生长及生物被膜形成,且对哺乳动物细胞表现出极低的毒性.体内小鼠伤口感染模型进一步显示组装体能够促进病原真菌感染伤口的愈合,并降低伤口组织的真菌负载量.该研究为病原菌响应性纳米组装体的开发及其在抗真菌感染治疗中的高效与安全应用提供了新的思路.