Effect of genotype on duodenal expression of nutrient transporter genes in dairy cows

Background： Studies have shown clear differences between dairy breeds in their feed intake and production efficiencies. The duodenum is critical in the coordination of digestion and absorption of nutrients. This study examined gene transcript abundance of important classes of nutrient transporters in the duodenum of non lactating dairy cows of different feed efficiency potential, namely Holstein-Friesian （HF）, Jersey （JE） and their F1 hybrid. Duodenal epithelial tissue was collected at slaughter and stored at -80℃. Total RNA was extracted from tissue and reverse transcribed to generate cDNA. Gene expression of the following transporters, namely nucleoside amino acid; sugar; mineral; and lipid transporters was measured using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Data were statistically analysed using mixed models ANOVA in SAS. Orthogonal contrasts were used to test for potential heterotic effects and spearman correlation coefficients calculated to determine potential associations amongst gen, expression values and production efficiency variables. Results： While there were no direct effects of genotype on expression values for any of the genes examined, there was evidence for a heterotic effect （P 〈 0.05） on ABCGS, in the form of increased expression in the F1 genotype compared to either of the two parent breeds. Additionally, a tendency for increased expression of the amino acid transporters, SLC3A1 （P= 0.072）, SLC3A2 （P= 0.081） and SLC6A 14 （P= 0.072） was also evident in the F1 genotype. A negative （P 〈 0.05） association was identified between the expression of the glucose transporter gene SLCSA1 and total lactational milk solids yield, corrected for body weight. Positive correlations （P 〈 0.05） were also observed between the expression values of genes involved in common transporter roles. Conclusion： This study suggests that differences in the expression of sterol and amino acid transporters in the duodenum could contribute towards the documented differences in feed efficiency between HF, JE and their F1 hybrid. Furthermore, positive associations between the expression of genes involved in common transporter roles suggest that these may be co-regulated. The study identifies potential candidates for investigation of genetic variants regulating nutrient transport and absorption in the duodenum in dairy cows, which may be incorporated into future breeding programmes.

Indica rice restorer lines with large sink potential exhibit improved nutrient transportation to the panicle,which enhances both yield and nitrogen-use efficiency

The yield and nitrogen use efficiency(NUE)of hybrid rice combinations are closely related to restorer line.Therefore,it is essential to evaluate the agronomic characteristics of restorer lines with high yield and high NUE(HYHN).However,it is unclear which restorer lines are HYHN,and neither have the common agronomic traits of the HYHN restorer lines been identified.Aiming to address this issue,we conducted two filed experiments using three nitrogen applications,which screened five HYHN restorer lines from 15 indica restorer lines.Yield,NUE and nutrient transportation of restorer lines with different yields and NUE types were examined.Yield and total nitrogen absorption in aboveground biomass(TNA)increased,whereas NUE for grain production decreased with increasing nitrogen application levels.The HYHN restorer lines had large spikelets and high weight per panicle that were significantly positively correlated with yield and NUE.Therefore,large sink potential may be beneficial for both yield and NUE.We further studied the differences in nutrient transportation to panicles between the HYHN and low yield and low NUE(LYLN)restorer lines and found that the former had a higher nitrogen absorption level and dry matter weight ratios of panicle in maturity.Moreover,the HYHN lines also had a higher root and neck-panicle node bleeding intensity per stem after heading and more developed vascular bundles of neck-panicle nodes and leaves than the LYLN lines,which could contribute to the transportation of nutrients from root to ground and from stem and leaf to spike.Therefore,the advantages of large sink potential of the HYHN restorer lines include large nutrient accumulation in and distribution to the panicles and smooth flow of nutrients along the transportation channels.

Factors controlling nutrient availability to the developing fetus in ruminants

Inadequate delivery of nutrients results in intrauterine growth restriction （IUGR）, which is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in livestock. In ruminants, inadequate nutrition during pregnancy is often prevalent due to frequent utilization of exensive forage based grazing systems, making them highly susceptible to changes in nutrient quality and availability. Delivery of nutrients to the fetus is dependent on a number of critical factors including placental growth and development, utero-placental blood flow, nutrient availability, and placenta metabolism and transport capacity. Previous findings from our laboratory and others, highlight essential roles for amino acids and their metabolites in supporting normal fetal growth and development, as well as the critical role for amino acid transporters in nutrient delivery to the fetus. The focus of this review will be on the role of materna nutrition on placental form and function as a regulator of fetal development in ruminants.

Effects of arginine replacement with L-citrulline on the arginine/nitric oxide metabolism in chickens:An animal model without urea cycle

Background This study examined the efficacy of L-citrulline supplementation on the arginine/nitric oxide metabolism,and intestinal functions of broilers during arginine deficiency.A total of 288 day-old Arbor Acre broilers were randomly assigned to either an arginine deficient basal diet(NC diet),NC diet+0.50%L-arginine(PC diet),or NC diet+0.50%L-citrulline(NCL diet).Production performance was recorded,and at 21 days old,chickens were euthanized for tissue collection.Results The dietary treatments did not affect the growth performance of broilers(P>0.05),although NC diet increased the plasma alanine aminotransferase,urate,and several amino acids,except arginine(P<0.05).In contrast,NCL diet elevated the arginine and ornithine concentration higher than NC diet,and it increased the plasma citrulline greater than the PC diet(P<0.05).The nitric oxide concentration in the kidney and liver tissues,along with the plasma and liver e NOS activities were promoted by NCL diet higher than PC diet(P<0.05).In the liver,the activities of arginase 1,ASS,and ASL,as well as,the gene expression of i NOS and OTC were induced by PC diet greater than NC diet(P<0.05).In the kidney,the arginase 1,ASS and ASL enzymes were also increased by PC diet significantly higher than the NC and NCL diets.Comparatively,the kidney had higher abundance of n NOS,ASS,ARG2,and OTC genes than the liver tissue(P<0.05).In addition,NCL diet upregulated(P<0.05)the m RNA expression of intestinal nutrient transporters(EAAT3 and PEPT1),tight junction proteins(Claudin 1 and Occludin),and intestinal mucosal defense(MUC2 and p Ig R).The intestinal morphology revealed that both PC and NCL diets improved(P<0.05)the ileal VH/CD ratio and the jejunal VH and VH/CD ratio compared to the NC fed broilers.Conclusion This study revealed that NCL diet supported arginine metabolism,nitric oxide synthesis,and promoted the intestinal function of broilers.Thus,L-citrulline may serve as a partial arginine replacement in broiler’s diet without detrimental impacts on the performance,arginine metabolism and gut health of chickens.

Transport patterns of micro nutrient elements from the continental shelf of the East China Sea to the Kuroshio area

On the basis of the in situ data of DO2, pH, SiO2. PO4-P, NO3-N and NO2-N collected in the north of the East China Sea during 1987-1988, the following points are mainly expounded.1.The inorgonic nutrients are obviously affected by continent runoff in the north of the East China Sea. Their distributions are characteristic of its distribution of terrigenous materials.2.There are three transport paths of nutrients from the shelf to the Kuroshio area. The first is mixing-diffusing-advec-tion and upwelling process, the process of biology and biochemistry belongs to the second, and the sinking process is the last one.3.The swing of the Kuroshio axis affectes both the range of the migration of substances through mixing-diffusing-advec-tion process and the upwelling degree of the subsurface Kuroshio water to the shelf.4.Most part of the substances sink as macroparticles to the deep layer before reaching the Kuroshio area.

Nutrient transport following water transfer through the world's largest water diversion channel

Nutrient levels in the artificial channel constructed for the Middle Route Project are significant indicators of water quality safety and aquatic ecological integrity for this large,interbasin scheme.However,the distribution and transport of nutrients along the channel were poorly understood.Based on a time-series dataset as well as mass balance and material flow analysis methods,the water and nutrient transport fluxes in the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project were identified in this study.The results indicate that the nutrient concentrations varied considerably with time,but there was no significant difference among the 30 stations of the main channel.Seasonal temperature difference was the major factor in the large fluctuations of water quality indicators over time.The nutrient loadings varied with the water volume outputs from the main channel to the waterreceiving cities.Atmospheric deposition was an important source of nutrients in the main channel,accounting for 9.13%,20.6%,and 0.635%of the nitrogen,phosphorus,and sulfur input from the Danjiangkou Reservoir,respectively.In 2021,a net accumulation of 988 tons of N,29 tons of P,and 2,540 tons of S,respectively,were present in the main channel.The increase of these external and internal nutrient loadings would cause water quality fluctuation and deterioration in some local sections of the main channel.Our study quantified the spatial and temporal patterns of nutrient transport in the Middle Route and revealed the ecological effects on the aquatic environment,assisting authorities on the project to develop effective water conservation strategies.

Nutrient enrichment driven by canopy rainfall redistribution:Mechanism,quantification,and pattern

Vegetation canopies intercept and redistribute rainfall into throughfall and stemflow,which transfer substantial amounts of elements into the soil,influencing soil microbial community,plant survival,and plant community succession.Despite advancements in ecohydrological research,the implication of nutrient enrichment resulting from this redistribution of rainfall by canopies remains largely unexplored.To address this gap,we conducted a systematic review of 1020 papers published between 2000 and 2022,gathering data on nutrient concentration and enrichment for critical ions(including K^(+),Na^(+),Ca^(2+),Mg^(2+),NH_(4)^(+),Cl^(-),NO_(3)^(-)and SO_(4)^(2-))from the Web of Science and Chinese Knowledge Infrastructure databases.We aimed to synthesize the mechanisms,quantify the enrichments,and identify global patterns of nutrient enrichment in stemflow and throughfall across climate zones,and vegetation types and ecosystems.The results of this study indicate that stemflow exhibits,on average,2.1times greater ion concentration(6.13 mg L^(-1))compared to throughfall.In particular,among the investigated ions,SO_(4)^(2-)(12.45and 6.32 mg L^(-1))for stemflow and throughfall,respectively,and Cl^(-)(9.21 and 4.81 mg L^(-1))exhibit the highest concentrations in both rainfall redistribution components,while K^(+)(13.7 and 5.8)and Mg^(2+)(5.6 and 2.8)have the highest enrichment factors.Across climate zones,throughfall and stemflow show the lowest ion concentrations but the highest enrichment factors in extremely humid regions.Along the temperature gradient,ion concentrations are the highest in cold climates with no clear patterns observed for enrichment factors with increasing temperature.In addition,shrubs,conifers,mixed forests,and artificial ecosystems demonstrate enrichment factors 1.1 to 3.0 times greater than those of trees,broad-leaved plants,pure forests,and natural ecosystems.These findings emphasize the need for increased attentions to artificial ecosystems,such as urban and agricultural ecosystems,which often received limited research focus,especially regarding shrubs and conifers exhibiting stronger nutrients enrichment capabilities.Future investigations should integrate soil moisture analysis to better understand the impact of rainfall redistribution on the nutrient enrichment processes,patterns,and nutrient balance in global terrestrial ecosystems.

Tracing the sources of nutrients through the Tsushima/Korea Strait

The nutrients from the East China Sea(ECS) through the Tsushima/Korea Strait(TS) strongly impact the eco system of the Japan Sea(JS).The complex origins of the Tsushima Warm Current and the various nutrient sources in the ECS result in complex spatial-temporal variations in nutrients in the TS.Using a physical-biological model with a tracking technique,we studied the effects of nutrient sources from the ECS on the TS.Among all the nutrient sources,the Kuroshio has the highest nutrient concentrations in the TS.Its maximum concentration occurs at the bottom,while those of rivers and atmospheric depo sition occur at the surface,and that of the Taiwan Strait occurs in the middle layer.The nutrient transport through the TS exhibits similar seasonal variations,as does the volume transport.The transport of nutrients from the Kuroshio accounts for more than 85% of the total.The transport of nutrients from the Taiwan Strait is greater during autumn and winter.The transport of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN) from both rivers and atmospheric deposition through the TS peak in August.Nutrient transport cannot be equated with volume transport.The DIN in the less saline zone originates not only from rivers but also from atmospheric deposition and the Kuroshio.The transport of nutrients from the Taiwan Strait is not as significant as its volume transport in the TS.

Placental accommodations for transport and metabolism during intra-uterine crowding in pigs

Litter size and birth weights are limited by uterine capacity, defined as the ability of the uterus to maintain the appropriate development of some number of conceptuses. Uterine capacity is the result of the combined effects of uterine, placental and embryo/fetal function. The number of living conceptuses that the uterus is capable of supporting is greater during early gestation compared to later gestation. Plots of log fetal weight versus log placental weight also indicate that fetal weights are less sensitive to reduced placental weight （and therefore reduced intrauterine space） in early gestation compared to late gestation. However, even in late gestation, mechanisms still exist that maintain fetal growth when the size of the placenta is reduced. One such mechanism is likely to be improved development of the folded placental-epithelial/maternal-epithelial bilayer. Fold depth, and therefore the maternal fetal interactive surface, increases as gestation advances and is greater in placenta from smal fetuses. On the fetal side of the placenta, the epithelial bilayer is embedded in stromal tissue. Glycosaminoglycans are major components of stroma, including hyaluronan and heparan sulfate. Hyaluronidases and heparanases are present within placental tissues, and likely play roles in modification of stromal components to facilitate fold development. Glycosaminoglycans are polymers of forms of glucose （glucosamine, glucuronic acid, iduronic acid） suggesting that glycosaminoglycan synthesis may compete with the glucose needs of the developing fetus. Pig conceptuses are fructogenic, such that a substantial portion of glucose transferred from mother to fetus is converted to fructose. Fructose is an intermediate product in the synthesis of glucosamine from glucose, and glucosamine is linked to regulation of trophoblast cell proliferation through regulation of mTOR. These findings suggest a link between glucose, fructose, glucosamine synthesis, GAG production, and placental morphogenesis, but the details of these interactions remain unclear. In addition, recent placental epithelial transcriptome analysis identified several glucose, amino acid, lipid, vitamin, mineral and hormone transporter mechanisms within the placenta. Further elucidation of mechanisms of placental morphogenesis and solute transport could provide clues to improving nutrient transport to the pig fetus, potentially increasing litter size and piglet birth weights.

Regulation of gene expression in chickens by heat stress

High ambient temperatures are a critical challenge in the poultry industry which is a key producer of the animal-based food.To evaluate heat stress levels,various parameters have been used,including growth rates,blood metabolites,and hormones.The most recent advances have explored expression profiling of genes that may play vital roles under stress.A high ambient temperature adversely affects nutrient uptake and is known to modulate the expression of genes encoding for sodium-dependent glucose transporters,glucose transporters,excitatory amino acid transporters,and fatty acidbinding proteins which are responsible for the absorption of macronutrients in the intestine.Various defensive activities are stimulated to protect the cell of different tissues from the heat-generated stress,including expression of early stress response genes coding for heat shock protein(HSP),c-FOS like protein,brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF),and neuronal nitric oxide synthase(nNOS);antioxidant enzyme genes such as superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT),and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase(NOX4);and immune-related genes such as cytokines and toll-like receptors(TLRs).The potential role of HSPs in protecting the cell from stress and their presence in several tissues make them suitable markers to be evaluated under heat stress.BDNF and c-FOS genes expressed in the hypothalamus help cells to adapt to an adverse environment.Heat causes damage to the cell by generating reactive oxygen species(ROS).The NOX4 gene is the inducer of ROS under heat stress,which is in turns controlled by antioxidant enzymes such as SOD and CAT.TLRs are responsible for protecting against pathogenic attacks arising from enhanced membrane permeability,and cytokines help in controlling the pathogen and maintaining homeostasis.Thus,the evaluation of nutrient transporters and defense mechanisms using the latest molecular biology tools has made it possible to shed light on the complex cellular mechanism of heat-stressed chickens.As the impacts of heat stress on the above-mentioned aspects are beyond the extent to which the reduced growth performance could be explained,heat stress has more specific effects on the regulation of these genes than previously thought.

Carbon Dioxide Concentrations and Light Levels on Growth and Mineral Nutrition of Juvenile Cacao Genotypes

In many countries cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) is invariably grown as an understory crop in agroforestry types of cropping systems and subjected to low levels photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) due to presence of large number of upper story shade trees with poorly managed canopy structure. In recent years carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere is steadily increasing and it is unclear what impact this will have on performance of cacao grown under shade of upper story shade trees. A climatically controlled greenhouse experiment was undertaken to evaluate the effects of ambient and elevated carbon dioxide (400 and 700 μmol·mol-1) and three levels of PPFD (100, 200, and 400 μmol·m-2·s-1) on growth, and macro- and micronutrient use efficiency of three genetically contrasting cacao genotypes (CCN 51, VB 1117 and NO 81). Intraspecific variations were observed in cacao genotypes for growth parameters at ambient to elevated carbon dioxide and low to adequate levels of PPFD. With the exceptions of total root length and leaf area, irrespective of carbon dioxide and PPFD levels, all three genotypes showed significant differences in all the growth parameters. For all the cacao genotypes, increasing PPFD from 100 to 400 μmol·m-2·s-1 and carbon dioxide from 400 to 700 μmol·mol-1 increased overall growth parameters such as leaf, shoot and root biomass accumulation, stem height, leaf area, relative growth rate and net assimilation rate. Irrespective of carbon dioxide and PPFD, invariably genotypes differed significantly in macro-micronutrient uptake parameters such as concentration, uptake, influx, transport and use efficiency. With few exceptions, raising PPFD from 100 to 400 μmol·m-2·s-1 and carbon dioxide from 400 to 700 μmol·mol-1 increased nutrient use efficiency for all the cacao genotypes. Elevated carbon dioxide and adequate PPFD are beneficial in improving cacao growth and mineral nutrient uptake and use efficiency.

Numerical modeling of nutrient transport to assess the agricultural impact on the trophic state of reservoirs

A trophic state increase relates to surface water bodies nutrient enrichment,due to the chemical products used such as fertilizers in agriculture and residues from cattle raising activities.This research consists of nutrient transport numerical modeling to analyze the Betancíreservoir trophic state in Colombia;Water samples were collected to analyze total nitrogen,total phosphorus,ammonia,nitrates,nitrites,phosphates,chlorophyll-a,dissolved oxygen,BOD,COD,suspended solids,and water trans-parency.The water quality model MOHID Studio was implemented and after its calibration,scenarios of increase and decrease of nutrients and inflows to the reservoir through its main tributaries were simulated to reproduce the agricultural activity changes in the basin and the effects that would have on the reservoir's trophic state dynamics;Therefore,the Carlson Trophic Status Index was calculated for each case.The results show that variations in total nitrogen concentration and increased inflows present short-term consequences on the reservoir's trophic state.Increasing the incoming total nitrogen con-centrations by 100%causes the reservoir to change from a light eutrophic to a hypereutrophic state.The results of this research provide a starting tool to water resources integrated management in reservoirs.

Physically modulated phytoplankton production and export at submesoscales in the oligotrophic South China Sea Basin

Oceanic submesoscales can significantly influence phytoplankton production and export owing to their similar timescales of days.Based on two-year Biogeochemical Argo(BGC-Argo) observations,this study investigated the development of submesoscale instabilities,particularly symmetric and mixed-layer baroclinic instabilities,and their impacts on biological production and export in the oligotrophic South China Sea basin.In the northern basin,near-surface winter blooms consistently cooccurred with seasonally deepened mixed layers.However,significantly stronger and weaker winter blooms were observed over two consecutive winters within the BGC-Argo observation period.During the first winter,symmetric-instability-induced upward nutrient entrainment played a crucial role in initiating the strong winter bloom in early December,when the mixed layer was approximately 20–30 m shallower than the nutricline.This bloom occurred approximately 20–30 days earlier than that anticipated owing to the contact between the seasonally deepened mixed layer and mesoscale-cyclone-induced uplifted nutricline.The symmetric instability also facilitated the export of fixed phytoplankton carbon from the surface to deeper layers.Conversely,during the second winter,remarkably intense mixed-layer baroclinic instability associated with an intense mesoscale anticyclone led to more significant shoaling of the mixed layer compared to the nutricline,thus increasing the vertical distance between the two layers.Under this condition,upward nutrient injection,phytoplankton bloom,and carbon export were suppressed.In contrast,the BGC-Argo float in the central basin revealed significantly inhibited seasonality of phytoplankton biomass and submesoscale instabilities compared to those in the northern basin,primarily owing to the significantly shallower winter mixed layer.

Transporters Contributing to Iron Trafficking in Plants

This review will discuss recent progress in understanding the many roles of transporters in the whole-plant physiological processes that maintain iron （Fe） homeostasis. These processes include uptake from the soil via roots, control of transport from roots to above-ground parts of the plant, unloading of Fe from the xylem in above-ground parts, loading of Fe into mitochondria and plastids, transport of Fe to reproductive parts of the plant, and Fe mobilization during seed germination. In addition, we will discuss the mechanisms that plants use to cope with an apparently unintended conse- quence of Fe acquisition： the uptake of toxic heavy metals via Fe transporters. Rapid progress has been made in under- standing the transport processes involved in each of these areas in the last 5 years and this review will focus on this recent progress. We will also highlight the key questions regarding transport steps that remain to be elucidated.

The Oligopeptide Transporters： A Small Gene Family with a Diverse Group of Substrates and Functions？

Genes in the Oligopeptide Transport family encode integral membrane proteins that are believed to trans- locate their substrates from either the extracellular environment or an organelle into the cytosol. Phylogenetic analyses of plant transporters have revealed two distant clades. the Yellow Stripe-Like （YSL） proteins and the so-called Oligopeptide Transporters （OPTs）, for which the family was named. Three categories of substrates have been identified for this family： small peptides, secondary amino acids bound to metals, and glutathione. Notably, the YSL transporters are involved in metal homeostasis through the translocation of metal-chelates, indicating a level of conservation both in biological func- tion as well as substrates. In contrast, the functions of OPT proteins seem to be less defined and, in this review, I will examine the supporting and contradictory evidence for the proposed roles of OPTs in such diverse functions as long-dis- tance sulfur distribution, nitrogen mobilization, metal homeostasis, and heavy metal sequestration through the transport of glutathione, metal-chelates, and peptides.

Influence of sex and rearing method on performance and flock uniformity in broilers-implications for research settings

Male and female broiler chickens differ in their growth performance,carcass part weights and nutrient requirements.The potential reasons for these differences have been explored by looking at differences in nutrient digestibility,nutrient transporter gene expression as well as gut microbiota populations between male and female birds.Studies have shown that male broilers have higher crude protein requirements compared to female broilers.The expression of monosaccharide and amino acid transporters show conflicting results as expression depends on the interactions between sex and bird age and breed as well as which tissue is sampled.Differences in microbiota populations between the genders were reported which may contribute towards performance differences,however research in this area is limited.The differences observed between the sexes contribute to increased variation in nutrition trials,and the potential to rear birds as equally mixed-sex becomes an option to reduce the variation introduced by the sex effect.Difference in rearing options obviously would only be feasible provided a quick,practical and cost-effective method of sexing birds is available,a topic that is also discussed in this review.

Comprehensive Sequence and Whole-Life-Cycle Expression Profile Analysis of the Phosphate Transporter Gene Family in Rice

Plant phosphate transporter （PT） genes comprise a large family with important roles in various physiological and biochemical processes. In this study, a database search yielded 26 potential PT family genes in rice （Oryza sativa）. Analysis of these genes led to identification of eight conserved motifs and 5-12 trans-membrane segments, most of them conserved. A total of 237 putative cis elements were found in the 2-kbupstream region of these genes. Of these, a majority were Pi-response and other stress-related cis regulatory elements, such as PHO-like, TATA-box-like, PHR1, or Helix-loop- helix elements, and WRKY1 and ABRE elements, suggesting gene regulation by these signals. Comprehensive expression analysis of these genes was performed using data from microarrays hybridized with RNA from 27 tissues covering the entire lifecycle from three rice genotypes： Minghui 63, Zhenshan 97, and Shanyou 63. Real-time PCR analysis confirmed that three rice PT genes are preferentially expressed in stamen at I d before flowering, two in panicle at the heading stage, and two in flag leaf at 14 d after the heading stage. Hormone-treatment experiments revealed differential up-regulation or down-regulation of 11 rice PT genes in seedlings exposed to five hormones, respectively. These results will be useful for elucidating the roles of these genes in the growth, development, and stress response of the rice plant.

Regulation of Sulfate Uptake and Assimilation——the Same or Not the Same？

Plant take up the essential nutrient sulfur as sulfate from the soil, reduce it, and assimilate into bioorganic compounds, with cysteine being the first product. Both sulfate uptake and assimilation are highly regulated by the demand for the reduced sulfur, by availability of nutrients, and by environmental conditions. In the last decade, great prog- ress has been achieved in dissecting the regulation of sulfur metabolism. Sulfate uptake and reduction of activated sulfate, adenosine 5＇-phosphosulfate （APS）, to sulfite by APS reductase appear to be the key regulatory steps. Here, we review the current knowledge on regulation of these processes, with special attention given to similarities and differences.

Post-Translational Regulation of AtFER2 Ferritin in Response to Intracellular Iron Trafficking during Fruit Development in Arabidopsis

Ferritins are major players in plant iron homeostasis. Surprisingly, their overexpression in transgenic plants led only to a moderate increase in seed iron content, suggesting the existence of control checkpoints for iron loading and storage in seeds. This work reports the identification of two of these checkpoints. First, measurement of seed metal content during fruit development in Arabidopsis thaliana reveals a similar dynamic of loading for Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn. The step controlling metal loading into the seed occurs by the regulation of transport from the hull to the seed. Second, metal loading and ferritin abundance were monitored in different genetic backgrounds affected in vacuolar iron transport （AtVIT1, AtNRAMP3, AtNRAMP4） or plastid iron storage （AtFER1 to 4）. This approach revealed （1） a post-translational reg- ulation of ferritin accumulation in seeds, and （2） that ferritin stability depends on the balance of iron allocation between vacuoles and plastids. Thus, the success of ferritin overexpression strategies for iron biofortification, a promising approach to reduce iron-deficiency anemia in developing countries, would strongly benefit from the identification and engineering of mechanisms enabling the translocation of high amounts of iron into seed plastids.

Supplementing N-carbamoylglutamate in late gestation increases newborn calf weight by enhanced placental expression of mTOR and angiogenesis factor genes in dairy cows

The objective of this study was to investigate whether supplementation with N-carbamoylglutamate(NCG)to cows during late gestation alters uteroplacental tissue nutrient transporters,calf metabolism and newborn weight.Thirty multiparous Chinese Holstein cows were used in a randomized complete block design experiment.During the last 28 d of pregnancy,cows were fed a diet without(CON)or with NCG(20 g/d per cow).The body weight of calves was weighed immediately after birth.Placentome samples were collected at parturition and used to assess mRNA expression of genes involved in transport of arginine,glucose,fatty acid and angiogenesis factors,as well as the mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)pathway.Blood samples of calves before colostrum consumption were also collected for the detection of plasma parameters,amino acids(AA)and metabolomics analysis.The newborn weight(P=0.02)and plasma Arg concentration of NCG-calves was significantly higher(P=0.05)than that of CON-calves,and the plasma concentrations of urea nitrogen tended to be lower(P=0.10)in the NCG group.The mRNA abundance of genes involved in glucose transport(solute carrier family 2 member 3[SLC2 A3],P<0.01),angiogenesis(nitric oxide synthase 3[NOS3],P=0.02),and mTOR pathway(serine/threonine-protein kinase 1[ACT1],P=0.10;euka ryotic translation initiation factor 4 B pseudogene 1[EIF4 BP1],P=0.08;EIF4 EBP2,P=0.04;and E74-like factor 2[ELF2],P=0.03)was upregulated in the placentome of NCG-supplemented cows.In addition,17 metabolites were significantly different in the placentome of NCG-supplemented cows compared to non-supplemented cows,and these metabolites are mainly involved in arginine and proline metabolism,alanine,aspartate and glutamate metabolism,and citrate cycle.In summary,the increased body weight of newborn calves from the NCG supplemented dairy cows maybe attributed to the increased angiogenesis and uteroplacental nutrient transport and to the activated mTOR signal pathway,which may result in the increased nutrient supply to the fetus,and improved AA metabolism and urea cycle of the fetus.