Abstract from: Pharmacologic treatment of hypertension in adults aged 60 years or older to higher versus lower blood pressure targets: A clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians

Description: The American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) jointly developed this guideline to present the evidence and provide clinical recommendations based on the benefits and harms of higher versus lower blood pressure targets for the treatment of hypertension in adults aged 60 years or older.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia and male lower urinary symptoms:A guide for family physicians

Male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms(LUTS)and benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)are increasingly seen by family physicians worldwide due to ageing demographics.A systematic way to stratify patients who can be managed in the community and those who need to be referred to the urologist is thus very useful.Good history taking,physical examination,targeted blood or urine tests,and knowing the red flags for referral are the mainstay of stratifying these patients.Case selection is always key in clinical practice and in the setting of the family physician.The best patient to manage is one above 40 years of age,symptomatic with nocturia,slower stream and sensation of incomplete voiding,has a normal prostatespecific antigen level,no palpable bladder,and no haematuria or pyuria on the labstix.The roles of α blockers,5-α reductase inhibitors,and antibiotics in a primary care setting to manage this condition are also discussed.

Importance of telemedicine in diabetes care: Relationships between family physicians and ophthalmologists

Diabetic retinopathy(DR) is the worldwide leading cause of legal blindness. In 2010, 1.9% of diabetes mellitus(DM) patients were legally blind and 10.2% had visual impairment. The control of DM parameters(glycemia, arterial tension and lipids) is the gold standard for preventing DR complications, although, unfortunately, DR still appeared in a 25% to 35% of patients. The stages of severe vision threading DR, include proliferative DR(6.96%) and diabetic macular edema(6.81%). This review aims to update our knowledge on DR screening using telemedicine, the different techniques, the problems, and the inclusion of different professionals such as family physicians in care programs.

Motivations and Barriers towards Volunteer Work among Family Medicine Residents and Primary Health Care Physicians in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Volunteering is an unpaid voluntary activity that provides some services to one or more other people or the community at large. Volunteer in the medical field is common. Physicians and medical students are participating in voluntary activities. This study assessed the motivations and barriers of Family Medicine (FM) Residents and Primary Health Care (PHC) Physicians in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out between 12th March 2021 to 31st September 2021 in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. 63 FM residents and 89 PHC physicians were involved. A self-administered questionnaire using Volunteer Functions Inventory (VFI) questions was distributed. A 30-item questionnaire is divided into 6 scales of 5 items each, which are scored using a 5-point Likert-type scale (where 1 strongly disagrees and 5 strongly agree). Results: Of 152 FM residents and PHC physicians, 91 (59.9%) were males, and Saudi 90 (59.2%). The mean age was 35 (±SD8.6) years. The majority of respondents 126 (85.7%) participated in different kinds of volunteer work. The highest rank of the benefits selected 137 (90.1%) was gained Allah’s pleasure. About 66 (43.4%) of respondents reported different reasons as barriers;lack of time was the dominant reason for 59 (38.8%). A strong statistical association was found between gender and facing barriers (P-value Conclusions: This study highlighted that the values motivation factor was the highest among the six motivation determinants. The main reason preventing respondents from doing voluntary work was the lack of time. Male gender and Saudi nationality physicians participated more in previous voluntary work P-value < 0.001. Further future research into studying human behaviour towards voluntary work is highly needed.

Evaluation of the Management of Family Physicians Health Care Services to Diabetic Patients in Rural Areas of Northern Iran

Background and Objectives: The ultimate goal of the health system is to improve the health status of people. To achieve this goal and meet the needs and expectations of people in the field of health, different strategies have been designed, one of which is the family physician. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to evaluate management and performance of the family physician in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diabetes in the Counties of Gilan Province. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, which was carried out descriptively. In this study 320 patients with diabetic records were selected from among 1900 using simple random selection. Results: There is a significant difference between the number of visits, the number of referrals to specialists and the number of tests with the expected rate. In addition, 68.8% of patients were diagnosed by the family physician for the first time. According to comparisons made on the number of referrals, visits and request for blood tests, there was a significant difference between two Counties (p Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that there is a fundamental weakness in terms of diagnosis, control, care of patients, referral, completion of health records and eventually preventing diabetes complications in the northern villages of Iran. In general, family physician program has relatively good performance in Iran after several years, but has not been able to reach the determined goals and standards.

Evaluation of Attitudes of Family Physicians toward Occupational Health and Occupational Diseases in Türkiye

Background/Aim: This study evaluated family physicians’ attitudes toward occupational health and disease in Türkiye. Materials and Methods: The study is cross-sectional and descriptive in a quantitative research design. The “Attitude Scale for Physicians toward Occupational Health and Occupational Diseases” developed by Kolcu et al. was used in the study (Cronbach’s α 0.94). Our study aimed to sample the entire country using the stratified sample selection based on geographical region. 349 family physicians were included in the study according to sample size (n: 349). Results: The mean age of the participants in the study was 37.77 ± 8.96 (min: 27, max: 65 years). Of the participants, 65.2% were male. Of the physicians, 33.8% were family medicine specialists, and 38.8% had occupational physician certificates. It was determined that the level of attitude of family physicians toward occupational diseases was insufficient. It was also found that awareness increased as age increased, and awareness and attitude levels did not change according to gender. No significant difference was found in the scale total scores and subdimensions of family physicians’ occupational health and occupational disease attitudes according to the regions they worked in Türkiye. Conclusion: It has been concluded that there is no difference in awareness among family physicians in regions where it is much more important to diagnose an occupational disease, especially in industrial regions. The number of family physicians with occupational physician certificates was very insufficient, and a significant number of those who had occupational physician certificates did not practice occupational medicine.

Knowledge and Attitude of Family Physicians Regarding Adult Vaccination

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish the knowledge and attitude of family physcians offering primary health care, towards adult vaccination and their own vaccination coverage. Methods: This descriptive study was performed in May 2009 in Kayseri, Turkey. 282 family physician accepted to fill a questionnaire about adult vaccination. Results: Most of the family physcians (83.0%) thought adult vaccination as a modality of protection and 66.7% wanted a vaccination scheme just like the one in childhood. Their own vaccination rate for Hepatitis B was 67.0% and 58.5% for influenza at any time. Only half of the physcians were vaccinated within the season for influenza. Only 9.2% of the doctors have stated that they ask questions to their patients about their vaccination status. When physcians were questioned about the vaccines they advise to their patients aged 65 and more;70.6% stated influenza and 39.7% stated pneumococcus. Conclusion: In spite of being in the risk group, family physicians have low vaccination coverage rates. Suggestion of the necessary vaccines to the risk groups or to their patients at risk is low as well.

The Impact of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer-AJA-on Family Functioning.Study of Family Relationships in Terms of Adaptability and Cohesion

Objectives:The arrival of cancer in adolescents and young adults(aged 15 to 24 years)-Adolescents and young adults(AJA)-corresponds to a fragile period during which the adulthood of the young person and the evolution of family ties mobilize the family as a whole.Therefore,cancer,beyond its individual traumatic dimension,affects the whole family,which can modify family ties and family functioning.Our objective is to evaluate family functioning from the complex model evaluating cohesion and adaptability when an adolescent or young adult has cancer.Methods:Adolescents and young adults with cancer(n=41),mothers(n=41),and fathers(n=13)participated in this study.They completed the Family Adaptation and Cohesion Scales(FACES Ⅲ)questionnaire.Family functioning when an aya is ill has been compared to that of families without any disease.Results:a comparison of the mean scores of perceived cohesion and adaptability of face Ⅲ indicates no significant difference for cohesion.In contrast,the averages of the adaptability scores of our sample with those of the general population indicate that families with cancer hais generally feel more“adaptable”than the non-clinical population.These results are statistically significant for AJA,but also for mothers and fathers.Regarding the mean scores of ideal cohesion and ideal adaptability,there are no significant differences between fathers in our sample and fathers in the general population.In contrast,mothers in our sample had less ideal adaptability than those in the general population.In aya patients with cancer,the scores of both adaptability and cohesion were significantly different from those of non-diseased adolescents.Conclusion:Cancer leads to many changes in family relationships,making it difficult to empower the young patient and latent the evolution of the relationship.

Identifying and validating MMP family members(MMP2,MMP9,MMP12,and MMP16)as therapeutic targets and biomarkers in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma(KIRC)

Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma(KIRC)is a malignant tumor that carries a substantial risk of morbidity and mortality.The MMP family assumes a crucial role in tumor invasion and metastasis.This study aimed to uncover the mechanistic relevance of the MMP gene family as a therapeutic target and diagnostic biomarker in Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma(KIRC)through a comprehensive approach encompassing both computational and molecular analyses.STRING,Cytoscape,UALCAN,GEPIA,OncoDB,HPA,cBioPortal,GSEA,TIMER,ENCORI,DrugBank,targeted bisulfite sequencing(bisulfite-seq),conventional PCR,Sanger sequencing,and RT-qPCR based analyses were used in the present study to analyze MMP gene family members to accurately determine a few hub genes that can be utilized as both therapeutic targets and diagnostic biomarkers for KIRC.By performing STRING and Cytohubba analyses of the 24 MMP gene family members,MMP2(matrix metallopeptidase 2),MMP9(matrix metallopeptidase 9),MMP12(matrix metallopeptidase 12),and MMP16(matrix metallopeptidase 16)genes were denoted as hub genes having highest degree scores.After analyzing MMP2,MMP9,MMP12,and MMP16 via various TCGA databases and RT-qPCR technique across clinical samples and KIRC cell lines,interestingly,all these hub genes were found significantly overexpressed at mRNA and protein levels in KIRC samples relative to controls.The notable effect of the up-regulated MMP2,MMP9,MMP12,and MMP16 was also documented on the overall survival(OS)of the KIRC patients.Moreover,targeted bisulfite-sequencing(bisulfite-seq)analysis revealed that promoter hypomethylation pattern was associated with up-regulation of hub genes(MMP2,MMP9,MMP12,and MMP16).In addition to this,hub genes were involved in various diverse oncogenic pathways.The MMP gene family members(MMP2,MMP9,MMP12,and MMP16)may serve as therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers in KIRC.

Genome wide investigation of Hsf gene family in Phoebe bournei:identification,evolution,and expression after abiotic stresses

Heat shock transcription factors(Hsfs)have important roles during plant growth and development and responses to abiotic stresses.The identification and func-tion of Hsf genes have been thoroughly studied in various herbaceous plant species,but not woody species,especially Phoebe bournei,an endangered,unique species in China.In this study,17 members of the Hsf gene family were identi-fied from P.bournei using bioinformatic methods.Phyloge-netic analysis indicated that PbHsf genes were grouped into three subfamilies:A,B,and C.Conserved motifs,three-dimensional structure,and physicochemical properties of the PbHsf proteins were also analyzed.The structure of the PbHsf genes varied in the number of exons and introns.Pre-diction of cis-acting elements in the promoter region indi-cated that PbHsf genes are likely involved in responses to plant hormones and stresses.A collinearity analysis dem-onstrated that expansions of the PbHsf gene family mainly take place via segmental duplication.The expression levels of PbHsf genes varied across different plant tissues.On the basis of the expression profiles of five representative PbHsf genes during heat,cold,salt,and drought stress,PbHsf pro-teins seem to have multiple functions depending on the type of abiotic stress.This systematic,genome-wide investigation of PbHsf genes in P.bournei and their expression patterns provides valuable insights and information for further func-tional dissection of Hsf proteins in this endangered,unique species.

Genome-wide identification,characterization and functional prediction of the SRS gene family in sesame(Sesamum indicum L.)

Sesame(Sesamum indicum L.)is an ancient oilseed crop of the Pedaliaceae family with high oil content and potential health benefits.SHI RELATED SEQUENCE(SRS)proteins are the transcription factors(TFs)specific to plants that contain RING-like zinc finger domain and are associated with the regulation of several physiological and biochemical processes.They also play vital roles in plant growth and development such as root formation,leaf development,floral development,hormone biosynthesis,signal transduction,and biotic and abiotic stress responses.Nevertheless,the SRS gene family was not reported in sesame yet.In this study,identification,molecular characterization,phylogenetic relationship,cis-acting regulatory elements,protein-protein interaction,syntenic relationship,duplication events and expression pattern of SRS genes were analyzed in S.indicum.We identified total six SiSRS genes on seven different linkage groups in the S.indicum genome by comparing with the other species,including the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.The SiSRS genes showed variation in their structure like2–5 exons and 1–4 introns.Like other species,SiSRS proteins also contained‘RING-like zinc finger'and‘LRP1'domains.Then,the SiSRS genes were clustered into subclasses via phylogenetic analysis with proteins of S.indicum,A.thaliana,and some other plant species.The cis-acting regulatory elements analysis revealed that the promoter region of SiSRS4(SIN_1011561)showed the highest 13 and 16 elements for light-and phytohormone-responses whereas,SiSRS1(SIN_1015187)showed the highest 15 elements for stress-response.The ABREs,or ABA-responsive elements,were found in a maximum of 8 copies in the SiSRS3(SIN 1009100).Moreover,the available RNA-seq based expression of SiSRS genes revealed variation in expression patterns between stress-treated and non-treated samples,especially in drought and salinity conditions in.S.indicum.Two SiSRS genes like SiSRS1(SIN_1015187)and SiSRS5(SIN_1021065),also exhibited variable expression patterns between control vs PEG-treated sesame root samples and three SiSRS genes,including SiSRS1(SIN_1015187),SiSRS2(SIN_1003328)and SiSRS5(SIN_1021065)were responsive to salinity treatments.The present outcomes will encourage more research into the gene expression and functionality analysis of SiSRS genes in S.indicum and other related species.

Aldo-keto reductase family member C3(AKR1C3)promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell growth by producing prostaglandin F2α

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is a leading cause of death worldwide.Current therapies are effective for HCC patients with early disease,but many patients suffer recurrence after surgery and have a poor response to chemotherapy.Therefore,new therapeutic targets are needed.We analyzed gene expression profiles between HCC tissues and normal adjacent tissues from public databases and found that the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism was significantly different.The analysis showed that AKR1C3 was upregulated in tumors,and high AKR1C3 expression was associated with a poorer prognosis in HCC patients.In vitro,assays demonstrated that the knockdown of AKR1C3 or the addition of the AKR1C3 inhibitor indomethacin suppressed the growth and colony formation of HCC cell lines.Knockdown of AKR1C3 in Huh7 cells reduced tumor growth in vivo.To explore the mechanism,we performed pathway enrichment analysis,and the results linked the expression of AKR1C3 with prostaglandin F2 alpha(PGF2a)downstream target genes.Suppression of AKR1C3 activity reduced the production of PGF2a,and supplementation with PGF2a restored the growth of indomethacin-treated Huh7 cells.Knockdown of the PGF receptor(PTGFR)and treatment with a PTGFR inhibitor significantly reduced HCC growth.We showed that indomethacin potentiated the sensitivity of Huh7 cells to sorafenib.In summary,our results indicate that AKR1C3 upregulation may promote HCC growth by promoting the production of PGF2α,and suppression of PTGFR limited HCC growth.Therefore,targeting the AKR1C3-PGF2a-PTGFR axis may be a new strategy for the treatment of HCC.

MiRNA-145-5p inhibits gastric cancer progression via the serpin family E member 1-extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2 axis

BACKGROUND MicroRNAs(miRNAs)regulate gene expression and play a critical role in cancer physiology.However,there is still a limited understanding of the function and regulatory mechanism of miRNAs in gastric cancer(GC).AIM To investigate the role and molecular mechanism of miRNA-145-5p(miR145-5p)in the progression of GC.METHODS Real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)was used to detect miRNA expression in human GC tissues and cells.The ability of cancer cells to migrate and invade was assessed using wound-healing and transwell assays,respectively.Cell proliferation was measured using cell counting kit-8 and colony formation assays,and apoptosis was evaluated using flow cytometry.Expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)-associated protein was determined by Western blot.Targets of miR-145-5p were predicated using bioinformatics analysis and verified using a dual-luciferase reporter system.Serpin family E member 1(SERPINE1)expression in GC tissues and cells was evaluated using RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining.The correlation between SERPINE1 expression and overall patient survival was determined using Kaplan-Meier plot analysis.The association between SERPINE1 and GC progression was also tested.A rescue experiment of SERPINE1 overexpression was conducted to verify the relationship between this protein and miR-145-5p.The mechanism by which miR-145-5p influences GC progression was further explored by assessing tumor formation in nude mice.RESULTS GC tissues and cells had reduced miR-145-5p expression and SERPINE1 was identified as a direct target of this miRNA.Overexpression of miR-145-5p was associated with decreased GC cell proliferation,invasion,migration,and EMT,and these effects were reversed by forcing SERPINE1 expression.Kaplan-Meier plot analysis revealed that patients with higher SERPINE1 expression had a shorter survival rate than those with lower SERPINE1 expression.Nude mouse tumorigenesis experiments confirmed that miR-145-5p targets SERPINE1 to regulate extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1/2(ERK1/2).CONCLUSION This study found that miR-145-5p inhibits tumor progression and is expressed in lower amounts in patients with GC.MiR-145-5p was found to affect GC cell proliferation,migration,and invasion by negatively regulating SERPINE1 levels and controlling the ERK1/2 pathway.

Tanshinone ⅡA improves Alzheimer’s disease via RNA nuclearenriched abundant transcript 1/microRNA-291a-3p/member RAS oncogene family Rab22a axis

BACKGROUND Alzheimer’s disease(AD)is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by oxidative stress and neuroinflammation.Tanshinone ⅡA(Tan-ⅡA),a bioactive compound isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza plants,has shown potential neuroprotective effects;however,the mechanisms underlying such a function remain unclear.AIM To investigate potential Tan-ⅡA neuroprotective effects in AD and to elucidate their underlying mechanisms.METHODS Hematoxylin and eosin staining was utilized to analyze structural brain tissue morphology.To assess changes in oxidative stress and neuroinflammation,we performed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting.Additionally,the effect of Tan-ⅡA on AD cell models was evaluated in vitro using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.Genetic changes related to the long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1(NEAT1)/microRNA(miRNA,miR)-291a-3p/member RAS oncogene family Rab22a axis were assessed through reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction.RESULTS In vivo,Tan-ⅡA treatment improved neuronal morphology and attenuated oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in the brain tissue of AD mice.In vitro experiments showed that Tan-ⅡA dose-dependently ameliorated the amyloid-beta 1-42-induced reduction of neural stem cell viability,apoptosis,oxidative stress,and neuroinflammation.In this process,the lncRNA NEAT1-a potential therapeutic target-is highly expressed in AD mice and downregulated via Tan-ⅡA treatment.Mechanistically,NEAT1 promotes the transcription and translation of Rab22a via miR-291a-3p,which activates nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB)signaling,leading to activation of the pro-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein and inhibition of the anti-apoptotic B-cell lymphoma 2 protein,which exacerbates AD.Tan-ⅡA intervention effectively blocked this process by inhibiting the NEAT1/miR-291a-3p/Rab22a axis and NF-κB signaling.CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that Tan-ⅡA exerts neuroprotective effects in AD by modulating the NEAT1/miR-291a-3p/Rab22a/NF-κB signaling pathway,serving as a foundation for the development of innovative approaches for AD therapy.

Functional prediction of tomato PLATZ family members and functional verification of Sl PLATZ17

PLATZ is a novel zinc finger DNA-binding protein that plays an important role in regulating plant growth and development and resisting abiotic stress.However,there has been very little research on the function of this family gene in tomatoes,which limits its application in germplasm resource improvement.Therefore,the PLATZ gene family was identified and analyzed in tomato,and its roles were predicted and verified to provide a basis for in-depth research on SlPLATZ gene function.In this study,the PLATZ family members of tomato were identified in the whole genome,and 19 SlPLATZ genes were obtained.Functional prediction was conducted based on gene and promoter structure analysis and RNA-seq-based expression pattern analysis.SlPLATZ genes that responded significantly under different abiotic stresses or were significantly differentially expressed among multiple tissues were screened as functional gene resources.SlPLATZ17 was selected for functional verification by experiment-based analysis.The results showed that the downregulation of SlPLATZ17 gene expression reduced the drought and salt tolerance of tomato plants.Tomato plants overexpressing SlPLATZ17 had larger flower sizes and long,thin petals,adjacent petals were not connected at the base,and the stamen circumference was smaller.This study contributes to understanding the functions of the SlPLATZ family in tomato and provides a reference for functional gene screening.

Characterization of a Novel Esterase Belonging to Family V from Marinobacter flavimaris

Lipolytic enzymes have attracted enormous attentions because of their ability in ester hydrolysis,ester synthesis,transesterification and other biochemical reactions.Bacteria are important sources of lipolytic enzymes applied in industry.Here,a novel lipolytic enzyme encoded by esterase gene est1347 was identified in Marinobacter flavimaris WLL162,and was purified and characterized.The lipolytic enzyme Est1347 consisted of 312 amino acid residues and a 21-amino-acids N-terminal signal peptide with a predicted molecular weight of 34.2 kDa.It belongs to family V of bacterial lipolytic enzymes based on the amino acid sequence homology analysis.Est1347 is a mesophilic and alkali-resistant enzyme with the highest activity at 45℃and pH 8.5;it is stable at temperatures below 50℃and pH 7.5–11.0.Est1347 showed a preference for middle-length chain substrate p-NPC10 and a wide range of other substrates.The Km,Vmax,Kcat and Kcat/Km values of Est1347 for p-NPC10 in pH 8.5 at 45℃were 0.9411 mmol L^(−1),1285μmol min^(−1)mg^(−1),698.91 s^(−1)and 743.65 s^(−1)(mmol L^(−1))^(−1),respectively.It is also tolerant to the metal ions,organic solvents and detergents.In conclusion,the esterase Est1347 laid a foundation for further study of bacterial lipolytic enzyme family V.

Identification and Molecular Characterization of the Alkaloid Biosynthesis Gene Family in Dendrobium catenatum

As one of the main active components of Dendrobium catenatum, alkaloids have high medicinal value. The physicochemicalproperties, conserved domains and motifs, phylogenetic analysis, and cis-acting elements of the genefamily members in the alkaloid biosynthesis pathway of D. catenatum were analyzed by bioinformatics, and theexpression of the genes in different years and tissues was analyzed by qRT-PCR. There are 16 gene families,including 25 genes, in the D. catenatum alkaloid biosynthesis pathway. The analysis of conserved domains andmotifs showed that the types, quantities, and orders of domains and motifs were similar among members ofthe same family, but there were significant differences among families. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that thegene family members showed some evolutionary conservation. Cis-acting element analysis revealed that therewere a large number of light-responsive elements and MYB (v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog)-related elements in these genes. qRT-PCR showed that expressions of gene family members involved in alkaloidsynthesis were different in different years and tissues of D. catenatum. This study provides a theoretical basisfor further exploration of the regulatory mechanisms of these genes in the alkaloid biosynthesis of D. catenatum.

Genome-Wide Identification of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) CKX Gene Family and Expression Analysis in the Callus Tissue under Zeatin Treatment

The cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase(CKX)enzyme is essential for controlling thefluctuating levels of endogen-ous cytokinin(CK)and has a significant impact on different aspects of plant growth and development.Nonethe-less,there is limited knowledge about CKX genes in tomato(Solanum lycopersicum L.).Here we performed genome-wide identification and analysis of nine SlCKX family members in tomatoes using bioinformatics tools.The results revealed that nine SlCKX genes were unevenly distributed onfive chromosomes(Chr.1,Chr.4,Chr.8,Chr.10,and Chr.12).The amino acid length,isoelectric points,and molecular weight of the nine SlCKX proteins ranged from 453 to 553,5.77 to 8.59,and 51.661 to 62.494 kD,respectively.Subcellular localization analysis indi-cated that SlCKX2 proteins were located in both the vacuole and cytoplasmic matrix;SlCKX3 and SlCKX5 pro-teins were located in the vacuole;and SlCKX1,4,6,7,8,and 9 proteins were located in the cytoplasmic matrix.Furthermore,we observed differences in the gene structures and phylogenetic relationships of SlCKX proteins among different members.SlCKX1-9 were positioned on two out of the three branches of the CKX phylogenetic tree in the multispecies phylogenetic tree construction,revealing their strong conservation within phylogenetic subgroups.Unique patterns of expression of CKX genes were noticed in callus cultures exposed to varying con-centrations of exogenous ZT,suggesting their roles in specific developmental and physiological functions in the regeneration system.These results may facilitate subsequent functional analysis of SlCKX genes and provide valu-able insights for establishing an efficient regeneration system for tomatoes.

Identification and Analysis of the WRKY Transcription Factor Gene Family in Verbena bonariensis

The WRKY transcription factor gene family is one of the unique gene families in plants.It plays an important role in response to abiotic stresses such as cold and drought,hormone signal transduction,regulation of biosynthesis,leaf senescence seed germination,etc.However,little information is available about WRKY transcription factors in Verbena bonariensis.In this study,70 VbWRKY genes were identified from the whole genome.The phylogenetic analysis of the WRKY gene family in V.bonariensis and Arabidopsis shows that the WRKY genes in V.bonariensis can be divided into three groups:I,II,and III,which contain 13,47,and 10 members,respectively.Group II can be further divided into five subclasses:IIa(5),IIb(10),IIc(18),IId(6),and IIe(8).Conservative motif analysis showed that 64 proteins encoded by the VbWRKY gene had conserved motifs 1,2 and 3,and the same subclass motif elements were approximately the same.The collinearity analysis showed that there were 44 homologous gene pairs among the VbWRKYs,and these homologous gene pairs may have the same function.Promoter sequence analysis showed that the VbWRKY gene has multiple cis-acting elements,including not only cis-acting elements related to low-temperature and light responses,but also cis-acting elements related to hormone regulation,Among them,most VbWRKY genes contain response elements about low-temperature,and 30 VbWRKY genes contain low-temperature response elements(LTR),and 61 VbWRKY genes contain abscisic acid response elements(ABRE),indicating that VbWRKY plays a crucial role in plant growth and abiotic stress.According to the expression of VbWRKY in the cold stress and different tissues transcriptome,70 VbWRKY genes played their respective roles in various tissues and stages to regulate plant growth,Also,some of them participated in the process of cold stress tolerance,52 VbWRKYs showed significant differences in expression under cold stress,and 37 VbWRKY genes were up-regulated under cold stress.9 VbWRKY genes were selected for quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)analysis under low-temperature stress,and the results showed that all 9 genes were upregulated under low-temperature stress.Ultimately,the present study provides a comprehensive analysis of the predicted V.bonariensis WRKY genes family,which provided a theoretical basis for the study of low-temperature resistance and growth and development of V.bonariensis.

GST family genes in jujube actively respond to phytoplasma infection

Jujube witches’broom(JWB)caused by phytoplasma has a severely negative effect on multiple metabolisms in jujube.The GST gene family in plants participates in the regulation of a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses.This study aims to identify and reveal the changes in the jujube GST gene family in response to phytoplasma infection.Here,70 ZjGSTs were identified in the jujube genome and divided into 8 classes.Among them,the Tau-class,including 44 genes,was the largest.Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Tau-class genes were highly conserved among species,such as Arabidopsis,cotton,chickpea,and rice.Through chromosome location analysis,37.1%of genes were clustered,and 8 of 9 gene clusters were composed of Tau class members.Through RT-PCR,qRT-PCR and enzyme activity detection,the results showed that the expression of half(20/40)of the tested ZjGSTs was inhibited by phytoplasma infection in field and tissue culture conditions,and GST activity was also significantly reduced.In the resistant and susceptible varieties under phytoplasma infection,ZjGSTU49-ZjGSTU54 in the cluster IV showed opposite expression patterns,which may be due to functional divergence during evolution.Some upregulated genes(ZjGSTU45,ZjGSTU49,ZjGSTU59,and ZjGSTU70)might be involved in the process of jujube against JWB.The yeast two-hybrid results showed that all 6 Tauclass proteins tested could form homodimers or heterodimers.Overall,the comprehensive analysis of the jujube GST gene family revealed that ZjGSTs responded actively to phytoplasma infection.Furthermore,some screened genes(ZjGSTU24,ZjGSTU49-52,ZjGSTU70,and ZjDHAR10)will contribute to further functional studies of jujube-phytoplasma interactions.