Floristic composition and edaphic relationships in ferruginous campo rupestre reference ecosystems

Land use change and occupation have led to modifications in the environment causing loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services throughout the planet.Some environments with high economic relevance,such as the ferruginous campo rupestre(rupestrian grassland known as Canga in Brazil),are even more susceptible to severe impacts due to their extreme habitat conditions and low resilience.The determination of reference ecosystems based on the intrinsic characteristics of the ecosystem is essential for conservation as well as to the implementation of ecological restoration.We proposed the reference ecosystem of the three main types of habitats of the ferruginous campo rupestre based on their floristic composition.We described the floristic composition of each habitat and evaluated the physicochemical properties of the soils and the relationship between plants and soils.All three habitats showed high diversity of plant species and many endemic species,such as Chamaecrista choriophylla,Cuphea pseudovaccinium,Lychnophora pinaster,and Vellozia subalata.The distribution of vegetation was strongly related with the edaphic characteristics,with a set of species more adapted to high concentration of base saturation,fine sand,organic carbon,and iron,while another set of species succeeded in more acidic soils with higher S and silt concentration.We provide support for the contention that the ferruginous campo rupestre is a mosaic of different habitats shaped by intrinsic local conditions.Failure to recognize the floristic composition of each particular habitat can lead to inappropriate restoration,increased habitat homogenization and increased loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.This study also advances the knowledge base for building the reference ecosystem for the different types of ferruginous campo rupestre habitats,as well as a key database for highlighting those species contribute most to community assembly in this diverse and threatened tropical mountain ecosystem.

Genomic patterns of homozygosity and inbreeding depression in MurcianoGranadina goats

Background:Inbreeding depression can adversely affect traits related to fitness,reproduction and productive performance.Although current research suggests that inbreeding levels are generally low in most goat breeds,the impact of inbreeding depression on phenotypes of economic interest has only been investigated in a few studies based on genealogical data.Results:We genotyped 1040 goats with the Goat SNP50 BeadChip.This information was used to estimate different molecular inbreeding coefficients and characterise runs of homozygosity and homozygosity patterns.We detected38 genomic regions with increased homozygosity as well as 8 ROH hotspots mapping to chromosomes 1,2,4,6,14,16 and 17.Eight hundred seventeen goats with available records for dairy traits were analysed to evaluate the potential consequences of inbreeding depression on milk phenotypes.Four regions on chromosomes 8 and 25were significantly associated with inbreeding depression for the natural logarithm of the somatic cell count.Notably,these regions contain several genes related with immunity,such as SYK,IL27,CCL19 and CCL21.Moreover,one region on chromosome 2 was significantly associated with inbreeding depression for milk yield.Conclusions:Although genomic inbreeding levels are low in Murciano-Granadina goats,significant evidence of inbreeding depression for the logarithm of the somatic cell count,a phenotype closely associated with udder health and milk yield,have been detected in this population.Minimising inbreeding would be expected to augment economic gain by increasing milk yield and reducing the incidence of mastitis,which is one of the main causes of dairy goat culling.

Analyzing the genomic and transcriptomic architecture of milk traits in Murciano-Granadina goats

Background:In this study,we aimed to investigate the molecular basis of lactation as well as to identify the genetic factors that influence milk yield and composition in goats.To achieve these two goals,we have analyzed how the mRNA profile of the mammary gland changes in seven Murciano-Granadina goats at each of three different time points,i.e.78 d(T1,early lactation),216 d(T2,late lactation)and 285 d(T3,dry period)after parturition.Moreover,we have performed a genome-wide association study(GWAS)for seven dairy traits recorded in the 1st lactation of 822 Murciano-Granadina goats.Results:The expression profiles of the mammary gland in the early(T1)and late(T2)lactation were quite similar(42 differentially expressed genes),while strong transcriptomic differences(more than one thousand differentially expressed genes)were observed between the lactating(T1/T2)and non-lactating(T3)mammary glands.A large number of differentially expressed genes were involved in pathways related with the biosynthesis of amino acids,cholesterol,triglycerides and steroids as well as with glycerophospholipid metabolism,adipocytokine signaling,lipid binding,regulation of ion transmembrane transport,calcium ion binding,metalloendopeptidase activity and complement and coagulation cascades.With regard to the second goal of the study,the performance of the GWAS allowed us to detect 24 quantitative trait loci(QTLs),including three genome-wide significant associations:QTL1(chromosome 2,130.72-131.01 Mb)for lactose percentage,QTL6(chromosome 6,78.90-93.48 Mb)for protein percentage and QTL17(chromosome 17,11.20 Mb)for both protein and dry matter percentages.Interestingly,QTL6 shows positional coincidence with the casein genes,which encode 80%of milk proteins.Conclusions:The abrogation of lactation involves dramatic changes in the expression of genes participating in a broad array of physiological processes such as protein,lipid and carbohydrate metabolism,calcium homeostasis,cell death and tissue remodeling,as well as immunity.We also conclude that genetic variation at the casein genes has a major impact on the milk protein content of Murciano-Granadina goats.

Submicroscopic 11p13 deletion including the elongator acetyltransferase complex subunit 4 gene in a girl with language failure, intellectual disability and congenital malformations: A case report

BACKGROUND We described the main features of an infant diagnosed with facial dysmorphic,language failure,intellectual disability and congenital malformations to strengthen our understanding of the disease.Currently,treatment is only rehabilitation and surgery for cleft lip and palate.CASE SUMMARY The proband was a 2-years-8-months-old girl.Familial history was negative for congenital malformations or intellectual disability.The patient had microcephaly,upward-slanting palpebral fissures,depressed nasal bridge,bulbous nose and bilateral cleft lip and palate.Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed cortical atrophy and band heterotopia.Her motor and intellectual development is delayed.A submicroscopic deletion in 11p13 involving the elongator acetyltransferase complex subunit 4 gene(ELP4)and a loss of heterozygosity in Xq25-q26.3 were detected.CONCLUSION There is no treatment for the ELP4 deletion caused by a submicroscopic 11p3 deletion.We describe a second case of deletion of the ELP4 gene without aniridia,which confirms the association between ELP4 gene with several defects and absence of this ocular defect.Additional clinical data in the deletion of the ELP4 gene as cleft palate,facial dysmorphism,and changes at level brain could be associated to this gene or be part of the effect of the recessives genes involved in the loss of heterozygosity region of Xq25-26.3.

Association of COL1A1 rs180012 SNP and Fibromyalgia Suggests the Implication of Collagen Structure in Musculoskeletal Pain

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex, chronic condition, which causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and a variety of other symptoms. Many polymorphisms related to neuroendocrine system function as the ApoE isoforms, Val158Met polymorphism in COMT, as well as a 44 bp deletion located in 5-HTTLPR, have been studied. Other polymorphisms have been related to inflammatory response such as the 70 bp VNTR in IL-4 or to citokine levels. Furthermore, some studies focused on finding out new FM related SNPs, have been performed by genome wide association scan (GWAS). The target of this work was to study a possible linkage of a collagen type I polymorphism (COL1A1 rs180012 SNP) affecting bone mineralization, with fibromyalgia. Results obtained show a clear association of ss homozygous genotype with FM patients no dependent on bone mineralization.

Molecular and Pathogenic Study of <i>Guignardia</i>spp. Isolates Associated to Different Hosts

Fungi of Guignardia genus are commonly isolated from different plant species and most of the time, they are characterized as endophytes. However, some species of this genus, like G. citricarpa and G. psidii are known as causal agents of serious diseases that affect important crops such as Citrus Black Spot and guava fruit rot, respectively. They are also responsible for diseases that cause foliar spots in different fruit species and also in other crops, but cause minor damages. Despite evidences that G. mangiferae colonizes different plant species, there are few studies about its genetic diversity associated with different hosts. This work has the objective to characterize Guignardia isolates obtained from different hosts and tissues by RAPD, fAFLP and DNA sequence of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region, as well as to develop pathogenicity tests through cross inoculation in citrus and guava fruits. It was observed that molecular markers were able to discriminate isolates of different Guignardia species. Pathogenicity tests showed that G. citricarpa caused CBS symptoms on citrus fruits, but it did not produce any symptoms in guava fruits. G. mangiferae isolates were able to cause rot symptoms on guava fruits, but they have not produced any symptoms on citrus fruits. Guignardia isolates obtained from mango leaves that have not been classified in species have not presented any symptoms in citrus and guava fruits. Although G. mangiferae is commonly isolated asymptomatically in different plants, this work supports the evidence that this species has a latent pathogen behavior, at least for guava plants.

Pistachio genomes provide insights into nut tree domestication and ZW sex chromosome evolution

Pistachio is a nut crop domesticated in the Fertile Crescent and a dioecious species with ZW sex chromosomes.We sequenced the genomes of Pistacia vera cultivar(cv.)Siirt,the female parent,and P.vera cv.Bagyolu,the male parent.Two chromosome-level reference genomes of pistachio were generated,and Z and W chromosomes were assembled.The ZW chromosomes originated from an autosome following the first inversion,which occurred approximately 8.18 Mya.Three inversion events in the W chromosome led to the formation of a 12.7-Mb(22.8%of the W chromosome)non-recombining region.These W-specific sequences contain several genes of interest that may have played a pivotal role in sex determination and contributed to the initiation and evolution of a ZW sex chromosome system in pistachio.The W-specific genes,including defA,defA-like,DYT1,two PTEN1,and two tandem duplications of six VPS13A paralogs,are strong candidates for sex determination or differentiation.Demographic history analysis of resequenced genomes suggest that cultivated pistachio underwent severe domestication bottlenecks approximately 7640 years ago,dating the domestication event close to the archeological record of pistachio domestication in Iran.We identified 390,211,and 290 potential selective sweeps in 3 cultivar subgroups that underlie agronomic traits such as nut development and quality,grafting success,flowering time shift,and drought tolerance.These findings have improved our understanding of the genomic basis of sex determination/differentiation and horticulturally important traits and will accelerate the improvement of pistachio cultivars and rootstocks.

MGMT and MLH1 methylation in Helicobacter pylori-infected children and adults

AIM:To evaluate the association between Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) infection and MLH1 and MGMT methylation and its relationship with microsatellite instability(MSI).METHODS:The methylation status of the MLH1 and MGMT promoter region was analysed by methylation specific methylation-polymerase chain reaction(MSPPCR) in gastric biopsy samples from uninfected or H.pylori-infected children(n = 50),from adults with chronic gastritis(n = 97) and from adults with gastric cancer(n = 92).MLH1 and MGMT mRNA expression were measured by real-time PCR and normalised to a constitutive gene(β actin).MSI analysis was performed by screening MSI markers at 4 loci(Bat-25,Bat-26,D17S250 and D2S123) with PCR;PCR products were analysed by single strand conformation polymorphism followed by silver staining.Statistical analyses were performed with either the χ 2 test with Yates continuity correction or Fisher's exact test,and statistical significance for expression analysis was assessed using an unpaired Student's t-test.RESULTS:Methylation was not detected in the promoter regions of MLH1 and MGMT in gastric biopsy samples from children,regardless of H.pylori infection status.The MGMT promoter was methylated in 51% of chronic gastritis adult patients and was associated with H.pylori infection(P < 0.05);this region was methylated in 66% of gastric cancer patients,and the difference in the percentage of methylated samples between these patients and those from H.pylori-infected chronic gastritis patients was statistically significant(P < 0.05).MLH1 methylation frequencies among H.pylori-infected and non-infected chronic gastritis adult patients were 13% and 7%,respectively.We observed methylation of the MLH1 promoter(39%) and increased MSI levels(68%) in samples from gastric cancer patients in comparison to samples from H.pylori-infected adult chronic gastritis patients(P < 0.001 and P < 0.01,respectively).The frequency of promoter methylation for both genes was higher in gastric cancer samples than in H.pylori-positive chronic gastritis samples(P < 0.05).The levels of MLH1 and MGMT mRNA were significantly reduced in chronic gastritis samples that were also hypermethylated(P < 0.01).CONCLUSION:In summary,MGMT and MLH1 methylation did not occur in earlier-stage H.pylori infections and thus might depend on the duration of infection.

“Stop Ne(c)king around”: How interactomics contributes to functionally characterize Nek family kinases

Aside from Polo and Aurora, a third but less studied kinase family involved in mitosis regulation is the never in mitosis-gene A(NIMA)-related kinases(Neks). The founding member of this family is the sole member NIMA of Aspergillus nidulans, which is crucial for the initiation of mitosis in that organism. All 11 human Neks have been functionally assigned to one of the three core functions established for this family in mammals:(1) centrioles/mitosis;(2) primary ciliary function/ciliopathies; and(3) DNA damage response(DDR). Recent findings, especially on Nek 1 and 8, showed however, that several Neks participate in parallel in at least two of these contexts: primary ciliary function and DDR. In the core section of this in-depth review, we report the current detailed functional knowledge on each of the 11 Neks. In the discussion, we return to the cross-connections among Neks and point out how our and other groups' functional and interactomics studies revealed that most Neks interact with protein partners associated with two if not all three of the functional contexts. We then raise the hypothesis that Neks may be the connecting regulatory elements that allow the cell to fine tune and synchronize the cellular events associated with these three core functions. The new and exciting findings on the Nek family open new perspectives and should allow the Neks to finally claim the attention they deserve in the field of kinases and cell cycle biology.

Helicobacter pylori vacA s1a and s1b alleles from clinical isolates from different regions of Chile show a distinct geographic distribution

AIM: To establish the most common vacA alleles in Helicobacter pylori(H pylori) strains isolated from Chilean patients and its relationship with gastritis and gastroduodenal ulcers.METHODS: Two hundred and forty five H pylori clinical isolates were obtained from 79 biopsies from Chilean infected patients suffering from gastrointestinal diseases. An average of 2-3 strains per patient was isolated and the vacA genotype was analyzed by PCR and 3% agarose electrophoresis. Some genotypes were checked by DNA sequencing.RESULTS: The most prevalent vacA genotype inChilean patients was s1b m1 (76%), followed by s1a m1 (21%). In contrast, the s2 m2 genotype was scarcely represented (3%).The s1b m1 genotype was found most frequently linked to gastropathies (P＜0.05) rather than ulcers. Ulcers were found more commonly in male and older patients. Curiously, patients living in cities located North and far South of Santiago, the capital and largest Chilean city, carried almost exclusively strains with the s1b m1 genotype. In contrast, patients from Santiago and cities located South of Santiago carried strains with either one or both s1a m1 and s1b m1 genotypes.Regarding the s2 m2 genotype, comparison with GenBank sequences revealed that Chilean s2 sequence was identical to those of Australian, American, and Colombian strains but quite different from those of Alaska and India.CONCLUSION: Differences in geographic distribution of the s and m vaccA alleles in Chile and a relationship of s1b m1 genotype with gastritis were found. Sequence data in part support a hispanic origin for the vacA genotype.Asymmetric distribution of genotypes s1b m1 and s2 m2recedes H Pyloristrain distribution in Spain and Portugal.

Role of Salmonella enterica exposure in Chilean Crohn's disease patients

AIM:To study the association between exposure toSalmonella enterica(SE)and Crohn’s disease(CD)and its clinical implications in Chilean patients.METHODS:Ninety-four unrelated Chilean CD patients from CAREI(Active Cohort Registry of Inflammatory Bowel Disease)presenting to a single inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)unit of a University Hospital were prospectively included in this study.A complete clinical evaluation,including smoking history,was performed at the initial visit,and all the important data of clinical evolution of CD were obtained.Blood samples from these CD patients and 88 healthy sex-and agematched control subjects were analyzed for exposure to SE and for their NOD2/CARD15 gene status using the presence of anti-Salmonella lipopolysaccharide antibodies[immunoglobulin-G type(IgG)]and polymerase chain reaction(PCR),respectively.We also evaluated exposure to SE in 90 sex-and age-matched patients without CD,but with known smoking status(30 smokers,30 non-smokers,and 30 former smokers).RESULTS:CD patients comprised 54 females and 40males,aged 35.5±15.2 years at diagnosis with a mean follow-up of 9.0±6.8 years.CD was inflammatory in 59 patients(62.7%),stricturing in 24(25.5%)and penetrating in 15(15.5%).Thirty cases(31.9%)had lesions in the ileum,29(30.8%)had ileocolonic lesions,32(34.0%)had colonic lesions and 23(24.4%)had perianal disease.Sixteen CD patients(17%)were exposed to SE compared to 15(17%)of 88 healthy control subjects(P=0.8).Thirty-one CD patients(32.9%)were smokers,and 7(7.4%)were former smokers at diagnosis.In the group exposed to SE,10 of 16 patients(62.5%)were active smokers compared to 21 of 78 patients(26.9%)in the unexposed group(P=0.01).On the other hand,10 of 31 smoking patients(32%)were exposed to SE compared to 5 of 56 nonsmoking patients(9%),and one of the seven former smokers(14%)(P=0.01).In the group of 90 patients without CD,but whose smoking status was known,there was no differ-ence in exposure to SE[3 of 30 smokers(10%),5 of30 non-smokers(16%),and 5 of 30 former smokers(16%);P=0.6].There were no differences in disease severity between CD patients with and those without anti-SE IgG antibodies,estimated as the appearance of stricturing[2(12.5%)vs 22(28.2%);P=0.2]or penetrating lesions[2(12.5%)vs 13(16.6%);P=1.0];or the need for immunosuppressants[11(68.7%)vs 55(70.5%);P=1.0],anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy[1(6.2%)vs 7(8.9%);P=1.0],hospitalization[13(81.2%)vs 58(74.3%);P=0.7],or surgery[3(18.7%)vs 12(15.3%);P=0.3),respectively].No other factors were associated with SE,including NOD2/CARD15 gene status.Seventeen CD patients(18%)had at least one mutation of the NOD2/CARD15 gene.CONCLUSION:Our study found no association between exposure to SE and CD.We observed a positive correlation between SE exposure and cigarette smoking in Chilean patients with CD,but not with disease severity.

Gut microbiota in a population highly affected by obesity and type 2 diabetes and susceptibility to COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)is a disease produced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)and it is currently causing a catastrophic pandemic affecting humans worldwide.This disease has been lethal for approximately 3.12 million people around the world since January 2020.Globally,among the most affected countries,Mexico ranks third in deaths after the United States of America and Brazil.Although the high number of deceased people might also be explained by social aspects and lifestyle customs in Mexico,there is a relationship between this high proportion of deaths and comorbidities such as high blood pressure(HBP),type 2 diabetes,obesity,and metabolic syndrome.The official epidemiological figures reported by the Mexican government have indicated that 18.4%of the population suffers from HBP,close to 10.3%of adults suffer from type 2 diabetes,and approximately 36.1%of the population suffers from obesity.Disbalances in the gut microbiota(GM)have been associated with these diseases and with COVID-19 severity,presumably due to inflammatory dysfunction.Recent data about the association between GM dysbiosis and metabolic diseases could suggest that the high levels of susceptibility to SARSCoV-2 infection and COVID-19 morbidity in the Mexican population are primarily due to the prevalence of type 2 diabetes,obesity,and metabolic syndrome.

Tetrahydrohyperforin:a neuroprotective modified natural compound against Alzheimer's disease

According to the World Health Organization （WHO）, a total of 35.6 million cases of dementia were estimated in 2010, with close to 7.7 million new cases each year. In 2008, WHO declared dementia a priority condition. 90% of all dementia cases are considered to be Alzheimer＇s disease （AD）. Therefore, great effort was made to understand the etiology of the disease and stop or slow down AD progression.

Improvement of transfection with reprogramming factors in urine-derived cells

Human-induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs)are an accessible source of adult-derived,patient-specific pluripotent stem cells for use in basic research,drug discovery,disease modeling,and stem cell therapy.Improving the accessibility of methods to obtain iPSCs regardless of the cell source can enhance their clinical application.Therefore,our purpose is to report a simple protocol to obtain iPS-like cells from urine-derived renal epithelial cells(RECs)using different extracellular matrices and transfection reagents.In this study,we began by culturing urine-derived cells from healthy donors to establish a primary culture of renal epithelial cells,followed by their characterization.Subsequently,we generated iPS-like cells by transfecting renal epithelial cells(RECs)with vectors expressing Oct4,Sox2,L-Myc,Lin-28,and Klf4,and we compared the efficacy of different extracellular matrices and transfection reagents.The resultant iPS-like cells showed a human embryonic stem cell-like morphology and expressed the specific pluripotency markers Oct3/4,Nanog,Lin28,and Klf4.We concluded that Lipofectamine Stem Cell transfection reagent is more effective than FuGENE in obtaining iPS-like cells under the conditions tested.Moreover,the three matrices are similar in their efficiency of obtaining iPS-like cells.This report provides an experimental protocol for obtaining and generating iPS-like cells from urine samples for further cell therapy research on different human diseases.

Periclinal Chimera: A New Efficient Plant Breeding Technique

Periclinal chimera plants could be synthesized by a very easy grafting method. Thanks to this technique we can transfer useful characters from one genotype to another, we also can produce vigorous plants during a very short period. Recently in cassava, resistance to nematode could be transferred, and could develop vigorous plants by combining two types that have high combining ability. The most striking feature is that we can obtain enormous roots up to five times the common ones. By using this type of chimera we can replace traditional hybridization and no need to recurrent crosses cycles to transfer useful characters, reducing to a very short period developing a new variety and perpetuating it too.

DNA Fidelity: Expression of a Monocot Promoter in a Dicot Plant

The knowledge generated from the identification of plant promoters has been very important for plant biotechnology development. The use of promoters in transgenic plants allows a reasonable level of regulating protein expression. With the application of reporter genes, such as gusA (uidA,) the production of a colored protein, β-glucuronidase, can be detected and measured both qualitatively and quantitatively, and the activity of the promoter can be assessed. In this work we use a promoter of an abundant banana fruit protein gene Musa acuminata Acidic Chitinase class III a monocot species, to drive expression of gusA in a dicot species, like tomato. We evaluated the monocot promoter capabilities by localizing and quantifying β-glucuronidase (GUS) expression through fluorometric assays during tomato fruit ripening. Our results suggest that this promoter could be used for specifically strong fruit protein expression in dicot plants.

Serial Ultrasonographic Measurements to Estimate Age and Viability in <i>Bos indicus</i>Embryos

Early pregnancy diagnosis is a very important routine management to identify non-pregnant cows in order to keep an optimum reproductive efficiency both for dairy and beef cows. Ultrasound equipment allows estimating the viability and size of the embryo during early gestation. With the aim of assessing age and viability of Bos indicus embryos between 24 and 35 days of gestation, 55 cows were divided into 4 clusters. These clusters were conformed according to the first day that an echogenic structure was seen inside the embryonic vesicle (Group 1: day 24, Group 2: day 26, Group 3: day 27 and Group 4: day 28). The age of the embryos was estimated from the date of AI. Three progressive serial measurements of their length were made within 2 to 5 days. With a model GEE (Generalized Estimating Equations), the effect of days was evaluated to compare the second measurement with the first one and the former with the third observation. No differences in the size of the embryos were observed between the first evaluation (24 days) and the second (28 days) (P = 0.387). Also, simple linear regression analysis found a positive linear association between the size of the embryo and gestation days (R2 = 0.593) with an average growth of 0.078 cm per day (P = 0.001). In conclusion, the variation between measurements at a given time does not allow estimating with precision the exact day of gestation. Nonetheless, serial measurements are useful to estimate the healthy growth of the embryo from day 26 of gestation.

X linked recessive ichthyosis: Current concepts

In the present review, we describe the most importantaspects of the X-linked ichthyosis(XLI) and make a compilation of the some historic details of the disease. The aim of the present study is an update of the XLI. Historical, clinical, epidemiological, and molecular aspects are described through the text. Recessive XLI is a relatively common genodermatosis affecting different ethnic groups. With a high spectrum of the clinical manifestations due to environmental factors, the disease has a genetic heterogeneity that goes from a point mutation to a large deletion involving several genes to produce a contiguous gene syndrome. Most XLI patients harbor complete STS gene deletion and flanked sequences; seven intragenic deletions and 14 point mutations with a complete loss of the steroid sulfatase activity have been reported worldwide. In this study, we review current knowledge about the disease.

Ca^(2+) binding to the C_(2)E domain of otoferlin is required for hair cell exocytosis and hearing

Dear Editor,Afferent synapses of cochlear inner hair cells(IHCs)employ a unique molecular machinery(see extended background in Supplementary Materials).Otoferlin is a key player in this machinery and its defects cause human auditory synaptopathy(Moser and Starr,2016).Otoferlin,a tail-anchored(Vogl et al.,2016)multi-C_(2)-domain protein(Fig.1Ai)specific to hair cells(Roux et al.,2006),is a member of the ferlin protein family involved in membrane trafficking and repair that are of major disease relevance(Pangršičet al.,2012),also see Supplementary Materials.Otoferlin is distributed broadly within IHCs(Fig.2Ai-Aiii;Pangrsic et al.,2010;Roux et al.,2006).

Identification of Soybean Genes Involved in Circadian Clock Mechanism and Photoperiodic Control of Flowering Time by In Silico Analyses

Glycine max is a photoperiodic short-day plant and the practical consequence of the response is latitude and sowing period limitations to commercial crops. Genetic and physiological studies using the model plants Arabidopsis thaliana and rice （Oryza sativa） have uncovered several genes and genetic pathways controlling the process, however information about the corresponding pathways in legumes is scarce. Data mining prediction methodologies, including multiple sequence alignment, phylogeneUc analysis, bioinformaUcs expression and sequence motif pattern identification, were used to identify soybean genes involved in day length perception and photoperiodic flowering induction. We have investigated approximately 330 000 sequences from open-access databases and have identified all bona fide central oscillator genes and circadian photoreceptors from A. thaliana in soybean sequence databases. We propose a working model for the photoperiodic control of flowering time in G. max, based on the identified key components. These results demonstrate the power of comparative genomics between model systems and crop species to elucidate the several aspects of plant physiology and metabolism.