BrrTCP4b interacts with BrrTTG1 to suppress the development of trichomes in Brassica rapa var. rapa

The number of trichomes significantly increased in CRISPR/Cas9-edited BrrTCP4b turnip(Brassica rapa var.rapa)plants.However,the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be uncovered.In this study,we performed the Y2H screen using BrrTCP4b as the bait,which unveiled an interaction between BrrTCP4b and BrrTTG1,a pivotal WD40-repeat protein transcription factor in the MYB-bHLH-WD40(MBW)complex.This physical interaction was further validated through bimolecular luciferase complementation and co-immunoprecipitation.Furthermore,it was found that the interaction between BrrTCP4b and BrrTTG1 could inhibit the activity of MBW complex,resulting in decreased expression of BrrGL2,a positive regulator of trichomes development.In contrast,AtTCP4 is known to regulate trichomes development by interacting with AtGL3 in Arabidopsis thaliana.Overall,this study revealed that BrrTCP4b is involved in trichome development by interacting with BrrTTG1 in turnip,indicating a divergence from the mechanisms observed in model plant A.thaliana.The findings contribute to our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing trichome development in the non-model plants turnip.

Effect of vernalization on tuberization and flowering in the Tibetan turnip is associated with changes in the expression of FLC homologues

The turnip(Brassica rapa var. rapa) is a biennial crop that is planted in late summer/early fall and forms fleshy tubers for food in temperate regions. The harvested tubers then overwinter and are planted again the next spring for flowering and seeds. FLOWERING LOCUS C(FLC) is a MADS-box transcription factor that acts as a major repressor of floral transition by suppressing the flowering promoters FT and SOC1. Here we show that vernalization effectively represses tuber formation and promotes flowering in Tibetan turnip. We functionally characterized four FLC homologues(BrrFLC1,FLC2, FLC3, and FLC5), and found that BrrFLC2 and BrrFLC1 play a major role in repressing flowering in turnip and in transgenic Arabidopsis. In contrast, tuber formation was correlated with BrrFLC1 expression in the hypocotyl and was repressed under cold treatment following the quantitative downregulation of BrrFLC1. Grafting experiments of non-vernalized and vernalized turnips revealed that vernalization independently suppressed tuberization in the tuber or hypocotyl of the rootstock or scion, which occurred in parallel with the reduction in BrrFLC1 activity. Together, our results demonstrate that the Tibetan turnip is highly responsive to cold exposure, which is associated with the expression levels of BrrFLC genes.

CO_2 adsorption performance of different amine-based siliceous MCM-41 materials

A series of amine-based adsorbents were synthesized using siliceous MCM-41 individually impregnated with four different amines（ethylenediamine（EDA）,diethylenetriamine（DETA）,tetraethylenepentamine（TEPA） and pentaethylenehexamine（PEHA）） to study the effect of amine chain length and loading weight on their CO2 adsorption performances in detail.The adsorbents were characterized by FT-IR,elemental analysis,and thermo-gravimetric analysis to confirm their structure properties.Thermo-gravimetric analysis was also used to evaluate the CO2 adsorption performance of adsorbents.Longer chain amine-based materials can achieve higher amine loadings and show better thermal stability.The CO2 adsorption capacities at different temperatures indicate that the CO2 adsorption is thermodynamically controlled over EDAMCM41 and DETA-MCM41,while the adsorption over TEPA-MCM41 and PEHA-MCM41 is under kinetic control at low temperature.The chain length of amines affects the CO2 adsorption performance and the adsorption mechanism significantly.The results also indicate that CO2 adsorption capacity can be enhanced despite of high operation temperatures,if appropriate amines（TEPA and PEHA） are applied.However,adsorbents with short chain amine exhibit higher adsorption and desorption rates due to the collaborative effect of rapid reaction mechanisms of primary amines and less diffusion resistance of shorter chain length amines.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of the lateral organ boundaries domain gene family in Brassica rapa var.rapa

The Lateral Organ Boundaries Domain(LBD)genes encode highly conserved plant-specific LOB domain proteins which regulate growth and development in various species.However,members of the LBD gene family have yet to be identified in Brassica rapa var.rapa.In the present study,fifty-nine LBD genes were identified and distributed on 10 chromosomes.The BrrLBD proteins are predicted to encode hydrophobic polypeptides between 118 and 394 amino acids in length and with molecular weights ranging from 13.31 to 44.24 kDa;the theoretical pi for these proteins varies from 4.83 to 9.68.There were 17 paralogous gene pairs in the BrrLBD family,suggesting that the amplification of the BrrLBD gene family involved largescale gene duplication events.Members of the BrrLBD family were divided into 7 subclades(class I a to e,class II a and b).Analysis of gene structure and conserved domains revealed that most BrrLBD genes of the same subclade had similar gene structures and protein motifs.The expression profiles of 59 BrrLBD genes were determined through Quantitative Real-time fluorescent PCR(qRT-PCR).Most BrrLBD genes in the same subclade had similar gene expression profiles.However,the expression patterns of 7 genes differed from their duplicates,indicating that although the gene function of most BrrLBD genes has been conserved,some BrrLBD genes may have undergone evolutionary change.

Progress and prospects of innovative coal-fired power plants within the energy internet

The development of electrical engineering and electronic, communications, smart power grid, and ultra-high voltage transmission technologies have driven the energy system revolution to the next generation: the energy internet. Progressive penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources into the energy system has led to unprecedented challenges to the currently wide use of coal-fired power generation technologies. Here, the applications and prospects of advanced coal-fired power generation technologies are analyzed. These technologies can be summarized into three categories:(1) large-scale and higher parameters coal-fired power generation technologies, including 620/650/700 oC ultra-supercritical thermal power and double reheat ultra-supercritical coal-fired power generation technologies;(2) system innovation and specific, highefficiency thermal cycles, which consist of renewable energy-aided coal-fired power generation technologies, a supercritical CO_2 Brayton cycle for coal-fired power plants, large-scale air-cooling coal-fired power plant technologies, and innovative layouts for waste heat utilization and enhanced energy cascade utilization;(3) coal-fired power generation combined with poly-generation technologies, which are represented by integrated gasification combined cycle(IGCC) and integrated gasification fuel cell(IGFC) technologies. Concerning the existing coal-fired power units, which are responsible for peak shaving, possible strategies for enhancing flexibility and operational stability are discussed. Furthermore, future trends for coal-fired power plants coupled with cyber-physical system(CPS) technologies are introduced. The development of advanced, coal-fired power generation technologies demonstrates the progress of science and is suitable for the sustainable development of human society.

Genome-wide analysis indicates diverse physiological roles of the turnip (Brassica rapa var. rapa) oligopeptide transporters gene family

Oligopeptide transporters(OPTs) encode integral membrane-localized proteins and have a broad range of substrate transport capabilities. Here, 28 BrrOPT genes were identified in the turnip. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two well-supported clades in the OPT family, containing 15 BrrOPTs and 13 BrrYSLs.The exon/intron structure of OPT clade are conserved but the yellow stripe-like(YSL) clade was different.The exon/intron of the YSL clade possesses structural differences, whereas the YSL class motifs structure are conserved. The OPT genes are distributed unevenly among the chromosomes of the turnip genome.Phylogenetic and chromosomal distribution analyses revealed that the expansion of the OPT gene family is mainly attributable to segmental duplication. For the expression profiles at different developmental stages, a comprehensive analysis provided insights into the possible functional divergence among members of the paralog OPT gene family. Different expression levels under a variety of ion deficiencies also indicated that the OPT family underwent functional divergence during long-term evolution.Furthermore. BrrOPT8.1, BrrYSL1.2, BrrYSL1.3, BrrYSL6 and BrrYSL9 responded to Fe(Ⅱ) treatments and BrrYSL7 responded to calcium treatments, BrrYSL6 responded to multiple treatments in root, suggesting that turnip OPTs may be involved in mediating cross-talk among different ion deficiencies. Our data provide important information for further functional dissection of BrrOPTs, especially in transporting metal ions and nutrient deficiency stress adaptation.

Effects of soil properties on accumulation characteristics of copper,manganese, zinc, and cadmium in Chinese turnip

Clarifying the mechanisms of heavy metal(HM)accumulation and translocation from soil-root-leaf is crucial to coping with soil HM pollution.In this study,we analysed copper(Cu),manganese(Mn),zinc(Zn)and cadmium(Cd)accumulation characteristics in Chinese turnips and the effect of soil physicochemical properties on both HM accumulation and translocation.Our results indicate that Chinese turnips absorb and translocate Mn,Zn,and Cd at much higher levels than they do Cu.When we measured bioconcentration factors in Chinese turnips for different HMs in the same soil,we found Chinese turnip capacities for HM accumulation decrease from Zn>Mn>Cd>Cu.In addition,the translocation factor for these HMs decreases from Mn>Cd>Zn>Cu.Correlation analysis indicates that soil p H and various soil components are either negatively or positively correlated with Mn,Zn,and Cd accumulation;also,soil properties are correlated with Mn translocation from root to leaf.These findings may help evaluate HM accumulation and translocation mechanisms as well as artificially regulate HM uptake levels from soils to turnips.

Energy hub-based optimal planning for integrated energy systems considering part-load characteristics and synergistic effect of equipment

Integrated energy systems(lESs)represent a promising energy supply model within the energy internet.However,multi-energy flow coupling in the optimal configuration of IES results in a series of simplifications in the preliminary planning,affecting the cost,efficiency,and environmental performance of IES.A novel optimal planning method that considers the part-load characteristics and spatio-temporal synergistic effects of IES components is proposed to enable a rational design of the structure and size of IES.An extended energy hub model is introduced based on the“node of energy hub”concept by decomposing the IES into different types of energy equipment.Subsequently,a planning method is applied as a two-level optimization framework-the upper level is used to identify the type and size of the component,while the bottom level is used to optimize the operation strategy based on a typical day analysis method.The planning problem is solved using a two-stage evolutionary algorithm,combing the multiple-mutations adaptive genetic algorithm with an interior point optimization solver,to minimize the lifetime cost of the IES.Finally,the feasibility of the proposed planning method is demonstrated using a case study.The life cycle costs of the IES with and without consideration of the part-load characteristics of the components were$4.26 million and$4.15 million,respectively,in the case study.Moreover,ignoring the variation in component characteristics in the design stage resulted in an additional 11.57%expenditure due to an energy efficiency reduction under the off-design conditions.

Chemical Constituents from Turnip and Their Effects on α-Glucosidase

Brassica rapa var.rapa(turnip)is an important crop in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)with anti-hypoxic effect.Turnip is rich in glucosinolates,isothiocyanates and phenolic compounds with diverse biological activities,involving anti-oxidant,anti-tumor,anti-diabetic,anti-inflammatory,anti-microbial,hypolipidemic,cardioprotective,hepatoprotective,nephroprotective and analgesic properties.In this study,the ethyl acetate(EtOAc)and butanol parts of Brassica rapa were first revealed with inhibitory effects onα-glucosidase,whereas the water part was inactive.Subsequent bioassay-guided isolation on the EtOAc and butanol parts yielded 12 compounds,involving three indole derivatives,indole-3-acetonitrile(1)4-methoxyindole-3-acetonitrile(2)and indole-3-aldehyde(3)two flavonoids,liquiritin(4)and licochalcone A(5)two phenylpropanoids,sinapic acid(6)and caffeic acid(7)two phenylethanol glycosides,2-phenylethylβ-glucopyranoside(8)and salidroside(9)and three other compounds,syringic acid(10)adenosine(11)and(3β,20E)-ergosta-5,20(22)-dien-3-ol(12)Licochalcone A(5)and caffeic acid(7)showedα-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC 50 values of 62.4±8.0μM and 162.6±3.2μM,comparable to the positive control,acarbose(IC 50=142±0.02μM).Docking study suggested that licochalcone A(5)could well align in the active site ofα-glucosidase(docking score=-52.88)by forming hydrogen bonds(Gln1372,Asp1420,Gln1372,Arg1510),hydrophobic effects(Tyr1251,Tyr1251,Trp1355,Phe1560,Ile1587,Trp1355,Phe1559,Phe1559)andπ-πstacking interaction(Trp1355).This study provides valuable information for turnip as a new resource in searching anti-diabetic candidates.

Comparative expression analysis of heavy metal ATPase subfamily genes between Cd-tolerant and Cd-sensitive turnip landraces

The heavy metal ATPase(HMA)subfamily is mainly involved in heavy metal(HM)tolerance and transport in plants,but an understanding of the definite roles and mechanisms of most HMA members are still limited.In the present study,we identified 14 candidate HMA genes named BrrHMAl—BrrHMA8 from the turnip genome and analyzed the phylogeny,gene structure,chromosome distribution,and conserved domains and motifs of HMAs in turnip(Brassica rapa var.rapa).According to our phylogenetic tree,the BrrHMAs are divided into a Zn/Cd/Co/Pb subclass and Cu/Ag subclass.The BrrHMA members show similar structural characteristics within subclasses.To explore the roles of BrrHMAs in turnip,we compared the gene sequences and expression patterns of the BrrHMA genes between a Cd-tolerant landrace and a Cd-sensitive landrace.Most BrrHMA genes showed similar spatial expression patterns in both Cd-tolerant and Cd-sensitive turnip landraces;some BrrHMA genes,however,were differentially expressed in specific tissue in Cd-tolerant and Cd-sensitive turnip.Specifically,BrrHMA genes in the Zn/Cd/Co/Pb subclass shared the same coding sequence but were differentially expressed in Cd-tolerant and Cd-sensitive turnip landraces under Cd stress.Our findings suggest that the stable expression and up-regulated expression of BrrHMA Zn/Cd/Co/Pb subclass genes under Cd stress may contribute to the higher Cd tolerance of turnip landraces.

Pyrolysis mechanism of glucose and mannose: The formation of 5-hydroxymethyl furfural and furfural

Fast pyrolysis of biomass will produce various furan derivatives, among which 5-hydroxymethyl furfural（5-HMF） and furfural（FF） are usually the two most important compounds derived from holocellulose. In this study, density functional theory（DFT） calculations are utilized to reveal the formation mechanisms and pathways of 5-HMF and FF from two hexose units of holocellulose, i.e., glucose and mannose. In addition, fast pyrolysis experiments of glucose and mannose are conducted to substantiate the computational results, and the orientation of 5-HMF and FF is determined by 13C-labeled glucoses. Experimental results indicate that C1 provides the aldehyde group in both 5-HMF and FF, and FF is mainly derived from C1 to C5 segment. According to the computational results, glucose and mannose have similar reaction pathways to form 5-HMF and FF with d-fructose（DF） and 3-deoxy-glucosone（3-DG） as the key intermediates. 5-HMF and FF are formed via competing pathways. The formation of 5-HMF is more competitive than that of FF, leading to higher yield of 5-HMF than FF from both hexoses. In addition, compared with glucose,mannose can form 5-HMF and FF via extra pathways because of the epimerization at C2 position. Therefore, mannose pyrolysis results in higher yields of 5-HMF and FF than glucose pyrolysis.

规模化猪场大肠杆菌病防控策略探析

猪大肠杆菌病是养猪生产过程中比较容易发生一种细菌性传染病,能够造成哺乳仔猪发生黄痢、白痢,以及保育猪发生水肿病。虽然猪场规模化程度得到很大的提升,但猪大肠杆菌病仍是困扰猪场管理者的重要猪病,影响着猪场的盈利水平。因此,文章主要从临床分类、临床症状、病理变化、防控策略4个方面进行阐述,以期为猪场管理者、兽医工作者防控该病提供借鉴或参考。

规模化猪场生物安全体系纵深打造探讨

我国是养猪大国,但并不是养猪强国,生产效率较低,养殖水平虽有提高,但与养猪发达国家之间的差距还比较大,其中生物安全意识淡薄、生物安全体系不完善是一个重要因素。生物安全体系是一种防控猪群疫病的综合措施,完善的生物安全体系可有效切断病原与猪群之间的接触,或者有效降低猪群生存环境或机体内病原数量,使得猪群不发病。文章从猪场生物安全体系建设的主要内容来进行阐述,以期为猪场生物安全体系建设提供思路或借鉴。

产房仔猪精细化管理概要

产房仔猪精细化管理事关仔猪成活率与断奶重,事关猪场养殖效益,是猪场盈利的关键环节之一。文章通过笔者对多年一线猪场工作经验进行归纳与总结,从新生仔猪生理特点、护理要点、管理要点等几方面进行阐述,以期为广大养殖从业者及管理人员提供参考与借鉴。

The effects of fresh and rapid desiccated tissue on estimates of Ophiopogoneae genome size

Fresh plant material is usually used for genome size estimation by flow cytometry(FCM). Lack of fresh material is cited as one of the main reasons for the dearth of studies on plants from remote locations.Genome sizes in fresh versus desiccated tissue of 16 Ophiopogoneae species and five model plant species were estimated. Our results indicated that desiccated tissue was suitable for genome size estimation; this method enables broader geographic sampling of plants when fresh tissue collection is not feasible. To be useful, after dessication the Ophiopogoneae sample should be green without brown or yellow markings;it should be stored in deep freezer at à80C, and the storage time should be no more than 6 months.

Physiological and biochemical analysis of mechanisms underlying cadmium tolerance and accumulation in turnip

The capacity of plants to accumulate cadmium(Cd) is significant for phytoremediation of Cd-polluted soils. Turnips cultivated in China include species featuring high Cd accumulation and some of these plants act as Cd hyperaccumulator landraces. These plants can accumulate over 100 mg Cd kg^(-1) dry weight in leaves without injury. Hence, studies that explore mechanisms underlying Cd detoxification and transport in turnip plants are essential. In the present study, we compared physiological and biochemical changes in turnip leaves treated with two Cd concentrations to controls. We discovered that Cd stress significantly increased the enzymatic activities or compound contents in the antioxidant system, including members of the glutathione-ascorbic acid cycle, whereas oxidation of reactive oxygen species(ROS) remained stable. Cd treatments also increased the contents of phytochelatins as well as a number of amino acids. Based on these results, we conclude that turnips initiate a series of response processes to manage Cd treatment. First, the antioxidant system maintaining ROS homeostasis and osmotic adjustment is excited to maintain stability of cell osmotic potential. Cd is chelated into its stable form to reduce its toxicity. Cd is possibly transported to vacuoles or non-protoplasts for isolation. Amino acid synthesis may directly and indirectly play an important role in these processes. This study partly revealed physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying turnip response to Cd stress and provides information on artificially increasing or decreasing Cd accumulation in turnips and other plants.

Natural selection on floral traits of Caltha scaposa (Ranunculaceae), an alpine perennial with generalized pollination system from Northwest Yunnan

Floral traits, including those invisible to humans but visible to pollinators, that increase pollination efficiency may be selected by pollinators in plant species with pollen limitation of seed production, but the importance of pollinators as selective agents on different floral traits needs to be further quantified experimentally. In the present study, we examined selective strength on flower diameter, flower height,UV bulls-eye size, sepal size and UV proportion via female fitness in Caltha scaposa, based on openpollinated and hand-pollinated flowers, through which pollinator-mediated selection was calculated for each of floral traits. Our results suggest that seed production of C. scaposa is pollen limited in natural conditions. There was directional selection(△β_(pollinator)=-0.12) for larger flowers in open-pollinated flowers, while no significant selection was found in flower height, UV bulls-eye size, sepal size or UV proportion. Statistically significant selection was found in UV bulls-eye size, sepal size and UV proportion in hand-pollinated flowers, but interactions with pollinators contributed only to flower diameter. We conclude that in C. scaposa, floral traits that are subjected to selection might be driven by multiple selective agents, and suggest the importance of investigating floral traits that are invisible to human but visible to pollinators in measuring pollinator-mediated selection via male fitness.

Preliminary study on Cd accumulation characteristics in Sansevieria trifasciata Prain

Phytoremediation techniques to clean heavy metal pollution soil depend on identifying plant species that can act as phytoremediators.One important approach to screening potential phytoremediators is to evaluate characteristics of heavy metal accumulation.In this study,we performed firsthand analysis of Cd tolerance and accumulation characteristics of three Sansevieria trifasciata cultivars by pot experiment.Plant growth results showed that all three S.trifasciata cultivars can tolerate 50 mg kg^-1 soil Cd concentration.After growth under 50 mg kg^-1 soil Cd concentration for 4 months,the Cd bioconcentration factors in the shoots of S.‘Trifasciata’,S.trifasciata‘Laurentii’,and S.trifasciata‘Silver Hahnii’were 1.26,1.30,and 1.19,while those in the roots were 12.53,11.43,and 5.45,respectively.This result reveals the considerably low translocation factors of 0.10,0.12,and 0.22 for S.‘Trifasciata’,S.trifasciata‘Laurentii’,and S.trifasciata‘Silver Hahnii’,respectively.These results suggest that all three S.trifasciata cultivars had high Cd absorption capacities but low Cd translocation capacities.In combination with total Cd accumulation distribution and plant growth characteristics,S.trifasciata can be designed as a phytostabilizer in Cd-contaminated soils in its cultivation regions.Meanwhile,the mechanism of high Cd tolerance and accumulation characteristics in the roots of S.trifasciata should be explored.This study provides new resources for dealing with Cd-contaminated soils and exploring Cd tolerance and accumulation mechanisms in plants.

A few words on our commemoration of 80 years at KIB

Eighty years ago, a botanical institute called"the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Botany"was jointly founded by the Jingsheng Biology Institute and the Yunnan State Department of Education in Kunming. At that time, the Heilong Dragon Park became the institute's home (Fig. 1) and the research conducted there mostly focused on taxonomy and economical botany. When the institute came under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Science, it still had fewer than 20 staff members.

Selecting flagship species to solve a biodiversity conservation conundrum

The difficulty of effectively monitoring and managing the environment to conserve biodiversity is as yet an unsolved conundrum.A project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has concluded that progress can be made through the use of flagship species selected using criteria drawn from conservation biology,ecosystem function,socio-economics,and cultural importance.Inclusion of the latter three criteria will help attract and maintain the commitment of the public to play full parts in carrying out any conservation measures needed.A system is proposed for scoring species to select those that are most suitable as flagships.This method can be used regardless of the size of the area chosen for attention,whether it is a region,a country,or a particular protected area.