Proteomics Study of Cotton Fiber Cells

A comparative proteomic analysis was applied to explore the mechanism of fiber cell development in cotton.Initially,an efficient protein preparation method was established for proteomic analysis

Qualitative and Quantitative Characterization of Wood Fibers of Shrubs and Tree Species of the Tamaulipan Thorn Scrub, Northeastern Mexico and Its Possible Relation to Wood Quality and Utilization

The present study was undertaken to determine the variability in fiber cell morphology and its length among wood species of the Tamaulipan Thorn Scrub, Northeastern Mexico, used for various uses such as timber for furniture, fence, post, firewood and sources of forage. The results reveal large variability in fiber cell morphology and fiber cell dimensions. The species are classified on the basis of its fiber cell morphology and fiber cell length and recommended for their possible utilization for different purposes. Wood having fibre cells with broad lumen and thin wall could be suitable for the manufacture of paper documented in the literature viz. Acacia farnesciana, Caesalpinia mexicana, Cordia boisiieri, Diospyros palmeri, Forestieria angustifolia, Morus celtifolia, Prosopis laevigata. This technique can be used in preliminary screening of woody species for its utilization for different purposes. Further studies are needed to confirm.

GhDET2,a Steroid 5alpha-reductase,Plays an Important Role in Cotton Fiber Cell Initiation and Elongation

Cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.) fibers,one of the most important natural raw materials for the textile industry,are highly elongated trichomes from epidermal cells of cotton ovules.Among the longest plant cells ever characterized,cotton fiber is an ideal system for studying plant cell elongation.

Transcriptome Profiling and Analysis during Cotton Fiber Cell Development

In this project,we aim to elucidate the molecular mechanism controlling initiation and elongation of tetraploid Gossypium hirsutum fiber cells by setting up a high throughput custom-designed

Biochemical Pathways That Are Important for Cotton Fiber Cell Elongation

The regulatory mechanism that controls the sustained cotton fiber cell elongation is gradually being elucidated by coupling genome-wide transcriptome profiling with systematic biochemical and physiological studies.Very long chain fatty acids(VLCFA),H2O2,and several types of plant

Optical trapping and orientation of Escherichia coli cells using two tapered fiber probes

We report on the optical trapping and orientation of Escherichia coli(E.coli) cells using two tapered fiber probes.With a laser beam at 980 nm wavelength launched into probe I, an E. coli chain consisting of three cells was formed at the tip of probe I. After launching a beam at 980 nm into probe II, the E.coli at the end of the chain was trapped and oriented via the optical torques yielded by two probes. The orientation of the E. coli was controlled by adjusting the laser power of probe II. Experimental results were interpreted by theoretical analysis and numericalsimulations.

Effect of the suppression of BpAP1 on the expression of lignin related genes in birch

Lignin is an integral part of secondary cell walls in plants and plays important roles in maintaining the strength of stems,enhancing transport ability of stems,and providing resistance to multiple stresses.Lignin biosynthesis has become one of the hotspots in molecular forest biology research.The AP1 transcription factor plays important roles in plant fower development.However,in this study,suppression of BpAP1 altered the transcription profiles of white birch and RNA-seq was used to find that suppression of BpAP1 changed the expression of lignin pathway-related genes;C4 H/CYP73A,POD were down-regulated and HCT,CCoAOMT,REF1 and CAD were up-regulated.Cell walls of the suppressed transgenic birch were significantly thinner than the wild type of birch,and Bp AP1-repressed birch contained less lignin.In addition to regulation of foral development,BpAP1 might play a role in regulating the expression of genes in lignin biosynthesis of birch.This study could provide a new insight into the function of AP1 genes in woody species.

Electrical stimulation scheme optimization for retinal prosthesis:considerations from biological perspective

Effective and safe electrical stimulation of the retinal ganglion cells is at the heart of retinal prosthesis design.However,the effectiveness and safety demand of the electrical stimulation is often at odds against each other.Besides,the nerve fiber layer above retinal ganglion cells limits the spatial resolution of stimulation.Also,current retinal prosthesis still cannot selectively activate the ON or OFF visual pathways,thus cannot relay the correct luminance information to the brain.With decades of development,the stimulation protocol for retinal implants began to tackle these problems.We believe that a novel design of electrical stimulation scheme,combined with gene therapy technique,can improve the selectivity and spatial resolution of retinal implants and further lower the damage caused by electric stimulation.

PtrHB7, a class III HD-Zip Gene, Plays a Critical Role in Regulation of Vascular Cambium Differentiation in Populus

A key question in the secondary growth of trees is how differentiation of the vascular cambium cells is directed to concurrently form two different tissues： xylem or phloem, class III homeodomain-leucine zipper （HD-Zip III） genes are known to play critical roles in the initiation, patterning, and differentiation of the vascular system in the process of primary and secondary growth. However, the mechanism of how these genes control secondary vascular dif- ferentiation is unknown. Here, we show that a Populus class III HD-Zip gene, PtrHB7, was preferentially expressed in cambial zone. PtrHB7-suppressed plants displayed significant changes in vascular tissues with a reduction in xylem but increase in phloem. Transcriptional analysis revealed that genes regulating xylem differentiation were down-regulated, whereas genes regulating phloem differentiation were up-regulated. Correspondingly, PtrHB7 overexpression enhanced differentiation of cambial cells toward xylem cells but inhibited phloem differentiation. PtrHB7 regulation on cambial cell differentiation was associated with its transcript abundance. Together, the results demonstrated that PtrHB7 plays a critical role in controlling a balanced differentiation between secondary xylem and phloem tissues in the process of Populus secondary growth in a dosage-dependent manner.

A Phytochrome B-PIF4-MYC2/MYC4 module inhibits secondary cell wall thickening in response to shaded light

Secondary cell walls(SCWs)in stem cells provide mechanical strength and structural support for growth.SCW thickening varies under different light conditions.Our previous study revealed that blue light enhances SCW thickening through the redundant function of MYC2 and MYC4 directed by CRYPTOCHROME1(CRY1)signaling in fiber cells of the Arabidopsis inflorescence stem.In this study,we find that the Arabidopsis PHYTOCHROME B mutant phyB displays thinner SCWs in stem fibers,but thicker SCWs are deposited in the PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR(PIF)quadruple mutant pif1pif3pif4pif5(pifq).The shaded light condition with a low ratio of red to far-red light inhibits stem SCW thickening.PIF4 interacts with MYC2 and MYC4 to affect their localization in nuclei,and this interaction results in inhibition of the MYCs’transactivation activity on the NST1 promoter.Genetic evidence shows that regulation of SCW thickening by PIFs is dependent on MYC2/MYC4 function.Together,the results of this study reveal a PHYB-PIF4-MYC2/MYC4 module that inhibits SCW thickening in fiber cells of the Arabidopsis stem.