Melon short internode(CmSi)encodes an ERECTA-like receptor kinase regulating stem elongation through auxin signaling

Plant height is one of the most important agronomic traits that directly determines plant architecture,and compact or dwarf plants can allow for increased planting density and land utilization as well as increased lodging resistance and economic yield.At least four dwarf/semidwarf genes have been identified in different melon varieties,but none of them have been cloned,and little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying internode elongation in melon.Here,we report map-based cloning and functional characterization of the first semidwarf gene short internode(Cmsi)in melon,which encodes an ERECTA-like receptor kinase regulating internode elongation.Spatial-temporal expression analyses revealed that CmSI exhibited high expression in the vascular bundle of the main stem during internode elongation.The expression level of CmSI was positively correlated with stem length in the different melon varieties examined.Ectopic expression of CmSI in Arabidopsis and cucumber suggested CmSI as a positive regulator of internode elongation in both species.Phytohormone quantitation and transcriptome analysis showed that the auxin content and the expression levels of a number of genes involved in the auxin signaling pathway were altered in the semidwarf mutant,including several well-known auxin transporters,such as members of the ABCB family and PINFORMED genes.A melon polar auxin transport protein CmPIN2 was identified by protein–protein interaction assay as physically interacting with CmSI to modulate auxin signaling.Thus,CmSI functions in an auxin-dependent regulatory pathway to control internode elongation in melon.Our findings revealed that the ERECTA family gene CmSI regulates stem elongation in melon through auxin signaling,which can directly affect polar auxin transport.

Robust,fire-resistant,and thermal-stable SiZrNOC nanofiber membranes with amorphous microstructure for high-temperature thermal superinsulation

Ceramic nanofibers with robust mechanical properties,high-temperature resistance,and superior thermal insulation performance are promising thermal insulators used under extreme conditions.However,developing of ceramic fibers with both low solid thermal conductivity(λs)and low infrared radiation thermal conductivity(λr)is still a great challenge.Herein,according to the Ioffe-Regel limit theory,we report a novel SiZrNOC nanofiber membrane(NFM)with a typically amorphous structure by combining the electrospinning method and high-temperature pyrolysis technique in a NH3 atmosphere.The prepared SiZrNOC NFM has a high tensile strength(1.98±0.09 MPa),excellent thermal stability(1100℃in air),and superior thermal insulation performance.The thermal conductivity of SiZrNOC NFM was 0.112 W·m^(−1)·K^(−1) at 1000℃,which is obviously lower than that of the traditional ceramic fiber membranes(>0.2 W·m^(−1)·K^(−1) at 1000℃).In addition,the prepared SiZrNOC NFM-reinforced SiO2 aerogel composites(SiZrNOCf/SiO2 ACs)exhibited ultralow thermal conductivity of 0.044 W·m^(−1)·K^(−1) at 1000℃,which was the lowest value for SiO2-based aerogel composites ever reported.Such superior thermal insulation performance of SiZrNOC NFMs was mainly due to significant decreasing of solid heat conduction and thermal radiation by the fancy amorphous microstructure and high infrared shielding compositions.This work not only provides a promising high-temperature thermal insulator,but also offers a novel route to develop other high-performance thermal insulating materials.

Multimodal Nature of the Single-cell Primate Brain Atlas:Morphology,Transcriptome,Electrophysiology,and Connectivity

Primates exhibit complex brain structures that augment cognitive function.The neocortex fulfills high-cognitive functions through billions of connected neurons.These neurons have distinct transcriptomic,morphological,and electrophysiological properties,and their connectivity principles vary.These features endow the primate brain atlas with a multimodal nature.The recent integration of next-generation sequencing with modified patch-clamp techniques is revolutionizing the way to census the primate neocortex,enabling a multimodal neuronal atlas to be established in great detail:(1)single-cell/single-nucleus RNA-seq technology establishes high-throughput transcriptomic references,covering all major transcriptomic cell types;(2)patch-seq links the morphological and electrophysiological features to the transcriptomic reference;(3)multicell patch-clamp delineates the principles of local connectivity.Here,we review the applications of these technologies in the primate neocortex and discuss the current advances and tentative gaps for a comprehensive understanding of the primate neocortex.