Functional conservation and divergence of miR156 and miR529 during rice development

MicroRNAs(miRNAs)are important regulatory elements involved in the regulation of various plant developmental and physiological processes by blocking the expression of target genes.MiR156 and miR529 are two combinatorial regulators,which cooperatively target the SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING-LIKE(SPL)family genes.However,there has been no report about the functional conservation and divergence of miR156 and miR529 during plant development to date.In this study,the biological function and relationship of miR156,miR529 and their target Os SPL14 in rice were explored.Overexpression of miR156e or miR529a(miR156e-OE and miR529a-OE)increased the grain size and tiller number but decreased the plant height and panicle length,while an opposite phenotype was observed for their target mimicry(miR156-MIMIC and miR529a-MIMIC)transgenic plants.Stem-loop RT-PCR results revealed ubiquitous expression of miR156 in roots,axillary buds and leaves,while miR529 was preferentially expressed in the panicle.Accordingly,Os SPL14 could be preferentially and precisely cleaved by miR529a in young panicle but by miR156 in vegetative tissues.Transgenic plants generated by the target immune strategy exhibited obvious growth defects upon the blocking of miR156 and/or miR529 function in rice,confirming that both miR156 and miR529 play important roles in controlling rice growth and development.Moreover,the miR156/miR529-Os SPL14 module negatively controlled grain size by regulating the genes associated with grain size and cell cycling,and controlled plant height through a more complicated mechanism.Taken together,our results demonstrate that miR156 and miR529 respectively function dominantly in the vegetative stage and reproductive stage to control rice growth and development by regulating the accumulation of Os SPL14.These findings facilitate a better understanding of the functional conservation and divergence of miR156 and miR529 family in the miRNA combinatorial regulatory network of plants.

A new presentation of the Indian Ocean shallow overturning circulation from a vertical perspective

由于印尼贯穿流干扰了南印度洋经向翻转环流的计算,本文应用垂向翻转流函数来诊断印度洋浅层经向翻转环流.基于海洋环流模拟产品(OFES),本文探讨了垂向流函数相比经向翻转流函数的改进.研究结果表明垂向翻转流函数能平滑连接南北印度洋的翻转环流,包括完整的副热带翻转环流和跨赤道翻转环流.经向翻转流函数低估了印度洋浅层翻转环流;而垂向翻转流函数表示的印度洋浅层翻转环流受印尼贯穿流影响更小,其评估的印度洋浅层翻转环流强度约13 Sv,其中副热带翻转环流强度约8 Sv(1 Sv≡10~6m~3S~(-1)).此外,垂向翻转流函数在印度洋南开边界(30°S~34°S)上600 m层表现为顺时针翻转结构,其强度约-5 Sv,可能对应风驱的副热带流系.因此,垂向翻转流函数提供了一种新方法来评估印度洋浅层翻转环流.

TALEs as double-edged swords in plant-pathogen interactions:Progress,challenges,and perspectives

Xanthomonas species colonize many host plants and cause huge losses worldwide.Transcription activator-like effectors(TALEs)are secreted by Xanthomonas and translocated into host cells to manipulate the expression of target genes,especially by Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae and Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzicola,which cause bacterial blight and bacterial leaf streak,respectively,in rice.In this review,we summarize the progress of studies on the interaction between Xanthomonas and hosts,covering both rice and other plants.TALEs are not only key factors that make plants susceptible but are also essential components of plant resistance.Characterization of TALEs and TALE-like proteins has improved our understanding of TALE evolution and promoted the development of gene editing tools.In addition,the interactions between TALEs and hosts have also provided strategies and possibilities for genetic engineering in crop improvement.