Identification of novel cis-elements bound by BplMYB46 involved in abiotic stress responses and secondary wall deposition

Transcription factors （TFs） play vital roles in various biological processes by binding to cis-acting elements to control expressions of their target genes. The MYB TF BplMYB46, from Betula platyphylla, is involved in abiotic stress responses and secondary wall deposition. In the present study, we used a TF-centered yeast onehybrid technology （TF-centered YIH） to identify the cis- acting elements bound by BplMYB46. We screened a shortinsert random library and identified three cis-elements bound by BplMYB46： an E-box （CA（A/T/C）（A/G/C）TG） and two novel motifs, a TO-box （T（GIA）TCG（C/G）） and a GT-box （A（G/T）T（AIC）GT（T/G）C）. Chromatin immunoprecipitation （CHIP） and effector-reporter coexpression assays inNicotiana tabacum confirmed binding of BplMYB46 to the TC-box, GT-box, and E-box motifs in the promoters of the phenylalanine ammonia lyase （PAL）, peroxidase （POD）, and superoxide dismutase （SOD） genes, which function in abiotic stress tolerance and secondary wall biosynthesis. This finding improves our understanding of potential regulatory mechanisms in the response to abiotic stress and secondary wall deposition of BplMYB46 in B. platyphylla.

Alteration in Secondary Wall Deposition by Overexpression of the Fragile Fiber1 Kinesin-Like Protein in Arabidopsis

Secondary walls in fibers and vessels are typically deposited in three distinct layers, which are formed by the successive re-orientation of cellulose microfibrils. Although cortical microtubules have been implicated in this process, the underlying mechanisms for the formation of three distinct wall layers are not known. The Fragile Fiber1 （FRA1） kinesin-like protein has been previously shown to be involved in the oriented deposition of cellulose microfibrils and important for cell wall strength in Arabidopsis thaliana. In the present report, we investigated the expression pattern of the FRA 1 gene and studied the effects of FRA1 overexpression on secondary wall deposition. The FRAI gene was found to be expressed not only in cells undergoing secondary wall deposition including developing interfascicular fibers and xylem cells, but also in dividing cells and expanding/elongating parenchyma cells. Overexpression of FRA1 caused a severe reduction in the thickness of secondary walls in interfascicular fibers and deformation of vessels, which are accompanied with a marked decrease in stem strength. Close examination of secondary walls revealed that unlike the wild-type walls having three typical layers with the middle layer being the thickest, the secondary walls in FRA1 overexpressors exhibited an increased number of layers, all of which had a similar width. Together, these results provide further evidence implicating an important role of the FRA1 kinesin-like protein in the ordered deposition of secondary walls, which determines the strength of fibers and vessels.

Secondary Cell Wall Deposition in Developing Secondary Xylem of Poplar

Although poplar is widely used for genomic and biotechnological manipulations of wood, the cellular basis of wood development in poplar has not been accurately documented at an ultrastructural level. Developing secondary xylem cells from hybrid poplar （Populus deltoides x P. trichocarpa）, which were actively making secondary cell walls, were preserved with high pressure freezing/freeze substitution for light and electron microscopy. The distribution of xylans and mannans in the different cell types of developing secondary xylem were detected with immunofluorescence and immuno-gold labeling. While xylans, detected with the monoclonal antibody LM10, had a general distribution across the secondary xylem, mannans were enriched in the S2 secondary cell wall layer of fibers. To observe the cellular structures associated with secondary wall production, cryofixed fibers were examined with transmission electron microscopy during differentiation. There were abundant cortical microtubules and endomembrane activity in cells during the intense phase of secondary cell wall synthesis. Microtubuleassociated small membrane compartments were commonly observed, as well as Golgi and secretory vesicles fusing with the plasma membrane.

Review:Resuspension of wall deposits in spray dryers

Wall deposition occurs in spray dryers when dried or partially dried particles contact and adhere to the walls during operation, thus reducing the yield of product collected. Wall deposits also present a product contamination risk and a fire or explosion risk when spray drying products that oxidize exothermically, such as milk powder. Re-entrainment is the resuspension of spray dryer wall deposits into the main gas stream for collection as product. Literature suggests that the process for re-entrainment of particles from spray dryer wall deposits is strongly dependent on particle size and gas velocity.

Research and development on cutting scale machine in the coal mine shaft

The deposit scale in the coal mine shaft usually causes serious accidents, such as making rope broken, cage seized or dropped. To solve this kind of problems, the re-search of the cutting scale mechanism was made, and a new type of removal scale equipment was made with using imported hard alloy material. The cutting experiment and actual cutting show that it can adapt to abominable condition in the shaft, such as narrow space, wet and excessive shaft crevice water and so on, and can work safely and reliably, and has high cutting scale efficiency. It can also cut out the deposit scale in the circular section of shaft.

（1,3;1,4）-β-D-Glucans in Cell Walls of the Poaceae, Lower Plants, and Fungi： A Tale of Two Linkages

（1,3;1,4）-β-D-Glucans consist of unbranched and unsubstituted chains of （1,3）- and （1,4）-β-glucosyl residues, in which the ratio of （1,4）-β-D-glucosyl residues to （1,3）-β-D-glucosyl residues appears to influence not only the physicochemical properties of the polysaccharide and therefore its functional properties in cell walls, but also its adoption by different plant species during evolution. The （1,3; 1,4）-β-D-glucans are widely distributed as non-cellulosic matrix phase polysaccharides in cell walls of the Poaceae, which evolved relatively recently and consist of the grasses and commercially important cereal species, but they are less commonly found in lower vascular plants, such as the horsetails, in algae and in fungi. The （1,3;1,4）-β-D-glucans have often been considered to be components mainly of primary cell walls, but recent observations indicate that they can also be located in secondary walls of certain tissues. Enzymes involved in the depolymerisation of （1,3;1,4）-β-D-glucans have been well characterized. In contrast, initial difficulties in purifying the enzymes responsible for （1,3;1,4）-β-D-glucan biosynthesis slowed progress in the identification of the genes that encode （1,3;1,4）-β-D-glucan synthases, but emerging comparative genomics and associated techniques have allowed at least some of the genes that contribute to （1,3;1,4）-β-D-glucan synthesis in the Poaceae to be identified. Whether similar genes and enzymes also mediate （1,3;1,4）-β-D-glucan biosynthesis in lower plants and fungi is not yet known. Here, we compare the different fine structures of （1,3;1,4）-β-D-glucans across the plant kingdom, present current information on the genes that have been implicated recently in their biosynthesis, and consider aspects of the cell biology of （1,3;1,4）-β-D-glucan biosynthesis in the Poaceae.