Protoplasma最新文献

The midgut of insects originates from the endoderm. It is located in the central part of the digestive tract and serves as the primary site for chemical digestion and nutrient absorption. The larvae of Cerambycidae are the most destructive life stage. However, the ultrastructure of the larval midgut has been reported in only a few cerambycid groups. This study employs light, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy to observe the midgut ultrastructure of the Rhytidodera bowringii White, 1853 larvae. From outside to inside, the midgut of R. bowringii consists of a muscle layer, a basal membrane, an epithelium, and a lumen. The external muscles of the midgut are arranged in an outer longitudinal muscle and inner circular muscle. The epithelial tissue mainly comprises two types of cells: digestive cells and regenerative cells. The arrangement of regenerative cells in the midgut forms nidi, where multiple cells cluster together. The nucleus occupies most of the cytoplasm, which contains only a small number of organelles. The basal plasma membrane of the midgut epithelial cells is conspicuously infolded in R. bowringii, and around the nucleus, with a large amount of rough endoplasmic reticulum. At the apical regions of these digestive cells, numerous tightly arranged microvilli and mitochondria can be observed and many vesicles are localized near the lumen. This indicates that the digestive cells in the midgut have a strong secretory activity of digestive enzymes and other proteins, which may facilitate the larvae of the cerambycid in digesting recalcitrant plant tissues. It is the first time that the ultrastructure of the midgut of the R. bowringii larvae has been studied. The results can provide foundational insights into the ultrastructural organization of the Cerambycidae larval digestive system and the toxic mechanisms underlying prevention strategies for this pest.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an extensive metabolic disorder that imposes significant health and economic problems worldwide. It is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation. T2DM is linked with an increased risk of terrible difficulties, including cardiovascular disease, neuropathy, and nephropathy. The developing proofs suggest that natural compounds such as Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) may have therapeutic potential due to their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and glucose-regulating properties. Ashwagandha is a traditional medicinal herb that is rich in withanolides and has demonstrated efficacy in previous studies; however, its comprehensive role in mitigating T2DM-related complications is underexplored. The current study seeks to assess the anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic effects of Ashwagandha in a high-fat diet (HFD) and low-dose streptozotocin (STZ)-induced T2DM mouse model. We have selected male C57BL/6 mice, which were allocated into four experimental groups, i.e. controls, STZ-induced diabetic controls, diabetic mice treated with Ashwagandha (200 mg/kg), and diabetic mice treated with metformin. The mice were treated for 8 weeks and then we assisted histological changes in pancreatic and hepatic tissues, with analysis of molecular markers of inflammation and glucose metabolism, and biochemical parameters such as blood glucose, insulin levels, lipid profiles, and oxidative stress markers. We have found a significant reduction in systemic inflammation, enhanced glucose tolerance, improved insulin sensitivity, and restored function of pancreatic β-cell. Furthermore, Ashwagandha treatment is predicted to relieve hepatic steatosis and adipose tissue inflammation by altering key oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways.

Large interstitial telomeric regions are considered remnants and markers of chromosomal rearrangements or a result of several suggested molecular mechanisms of telomere repeats accumulation. More rare are cases when large interstitial repeats are found not close to, but at a distance from the centromere. However, synapsis, recombination, and effects on chromatin near these regions during meiotic prophase I have not been sufficiently studied. Using the model of three snake species of the genus Vipera: V. berus, V. nikolskii, V. renardi, we studied interstitial telomere sites (ITSs) in the pachytene nuclei of primary spermatocytes. We discovered an unusual composite chromosome in the species under study with two ITSs located far from the centromere. In V. berus, two very large adjacent ITS blocks were found on bivalent 5. In the other two species, V. nikolskii and V. renardi, two ITSs are also present on bivalent 5, but they are significantly smaller and barely distinguishable by FISH on pachytene bivalents. The possibility of forming crossing-over sites is shown between the two ITSs. Apparently, the three studied viper species received this complex structure of chromosome 5 from their common ancestor. However, the transformation of these telomeric repeat regions during evolution in the species under study occurred differently. Possible mechanisms of modifications of the telomeric regions are discussed.

Cauliflower Or gene governs massive accumulation of β-carotene in the edible 'curd' portion. However, homozygous dominant (OrOr) plants accumulate higher β-carotene than heterozygous (Oror) individuals, yet this phenomenon has not been thoroughly elucidated in relation to chromoplast morphology. A study was performed in a complete randomised block design with three replicates, in which curd samples of homozygous orange (OrOr; CF_Or-HM)_, heterozygous orange (Oror; CF_Or-HT) and white (oror; CF_WT) genotypes were analysed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The number of chromoplasts in a cell and their morphology (shape and size) exhibited significant variation in the genotypes. In CF_Or-HM genotypes, chromoplasts exhibited a membrane-like structure, but in CF_Or-HT, they were small granules. The number of chromoplasts was significantly higher in CF_Or-HM compared to CF_Or-HT. The CF_WT had leucoplasts instead of chromoplasts. The CF_Or-HM (15.1 ± 0.1 µg/g FW) had significantly higher β-carotene content than CF_Or-HT (5.6 ± 0.3 µg/g FW). Both CF_Or-HM and CF_Or-HT had 18 and 7 times higher β-carotene than the white counterpart CF_WT (0.8 ± 0.1 µg/g FW). The number and size of chromoplasts exhibit a strong correlation with the concentration of total carotenoids and β-carotene in the curd portion. This is the first systematic report on changes in chromoplast features associated with Or-gene zygosity in cauliflower.

Although sulfur (S) fertilizer is known to enhance flavor quality in S-rich pungent vegetables, its role in regulating non-S flavor compounds, such as capsaicinoids in peppers (Capsicum annuum L.), remains unclear. Here, field experiments were conducted using three treatments: S fertilizer (ammonium sulfate), nitrogen fertilizer (urea), and an unfertilized control (CK). Pepper yield, flavor compounds (capsaicinoids, soluble sugars, vitamin C, and volatiles), and rhizosphere microbiota were analyzed. The results showed that S fertilizer significantly increased the contents of soluble sugars, vitamin C, capsaicinoids, and 15 volatile compounds such as benzyl benzoate, (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, and β-ionone, collectively achieving optimal pungent flavor. Moreover, S fertilizer reduced bacterial diversity and richness in the rhizosphere soil but exhibited minimal impact on fungal community structure. Notably, the bacterial genera unidentified_WD2101_oil_group and Rhizomicrobium were identified as potential key taxa enhancing capsaicinoid accumulation under S fertilizer. Additionally, Sphaerobacter (bacteria) and Pseudogymnoascus (fungi) emerged as critical microbial candidates driving the synthesis of volatile compounds in S-amended soils. This study provides new insights into the roles of rhizosphere microbiota under S fertilization, emphasizing their importance in improving pepper yield and quality.

Cell death is an essential part of both normal development and pathological processes. This review provides a bird's-eye view of the most important aspects of programmed cell death in different groups of organisms-bacteria, protists, fungi, and animals in comparison with plants-and highlights the possible tendencies in the evolution of cell death machinery.

Exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) at varied power densities can profoundly affect fertilization in plants by posing physiological stress and impairing pollen's ability to fertilize. In the present study, four sites (under exposure to EMR at varied power densities) like S-1 (1 μW/cm²), S-2 (2.8 μW/cm²), S-3 (5.5 μW/cm²), and S-4 (15 μW/cm²) were selected for collection of pollen grain samples of 12 plant species naming Alcea rosea L., Centaurea cyanus L., Chrysanthemum coronarium L., Dahlia pinnata Cav., Gaillardia pulchella Foug., Jatropha integerrima Jacq., Papaver somniferum L., Rosa indica L., Tagetes erecta L., Tropaeolum majus L., Verbena pulchella Greene, and Catharanthus roseus L. pollen grain samples were collected from each site ensuring that availability of all selected plants occurred at all sites. Different staining methods, using aceto-orcein (AO), Alexander's (AS), 2,3,5 triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC), and Lugol's (LS) stains, were followed to evaluate pollen viability. The study revealed that among all plant species, C. coronarium showed the minimum pollen viability with AO and TTC stains at S-1, S-2, and S-3 while T. erecta with AO and C. cyanus with TTC at S-4. P. somniferum showed minimum pollen viability with AS at all sites and with LS at S-3 and S-4 while R. indica and V. pulchella with LS at S-1 and 2, respectively. All plant species have shown maximum pollen viability using AO stain at all sites. TTC was found to be the effective staining method that resulted in minimum pollen viability for all plant species at all sites except for Alcea rosea at S-2 and 3 and P. somniferum at S-2 which showed minimum pollen viability with LS and AS, respectively. The association between increased EMR power density and reduced pollen viability across different sites points towards the harmful effects of EMR on plant reproduction.

Salinity disrupts the germination and growth of seedlings in plants and reduces the population of soil microorganisms, especially bacteria. Scientists have found that each normal soil contains 600 million bacteria, consisting of 20,000 species, and their number is reduced to 1 million bacteria, consisting of 5000 to 8000 species, under salt stress. Many engineering methods are not practical. One of the biological methods is seed inoculation with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). PGPR improves the morphological traits of plants, which include 1 - extracellular plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria)ePGPR( and 2 - intracellular plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria)iPGPR(. ePGPRs are present in the rhizosphere, on the rhizosphere, or in the spaces between the cells of the root cortex, while iPGPRs are present inside the specialized nodular structures of the root cells. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of several rhizobacterial isolates obtained from the rhizoplane of saline soil in Momghan on seed germination and wheat seedling growth at different salinity concentrations. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design. The first factor had five levels: control, 3, 6, 12, and 18 ds/m, while the second factor, involved seed inoculation with 10 bacterial isolates. The experiments were carried out in 3 replications. Isolates R₂ and R₇ promoted the growth index. At salinity levels of 3 and 6 ds/m, a significant difference was observed at the 5% level. At concentrations of 12 and 18 ds/m, morphological traits improved growth. The isolates were identified using biochemical and molecular 16s rRNA tests. Isolate R₂ was placed in the genus Pseudomonas sp. and isolate R₇ in the species Serratia odorifera.

Nitric oxide (NO) functions as a signaling molecule in many biological processes in green algae and higher plants. Although the mechanisms of NO synthesis in most plants are the subject of ongoing research and debate, a functional NO synthase (NOS) has been characterized only in Ostreococcus tauri. To date, the question of whether NO synthesis occurs in other NOS-containing members of the class Mamiellophyceaea, which gave rise to the core Chlorophyta, has not been elucidated. We found that, like O. tauri, O. lucimarinus and Bathycoccus prasinos grow on arginine as the sole nitrogen source, and their NOSs function and produce NO in cells. Moreover, in O. tauri, O. lucimarinus, and B. prasinos, NO exerts its biological functions through protein S-nitrosylation. Collectively, our data suggest that both NO and S-nitrosylated proteins are important mediators in the process of cell growth in NOS-containing representatives of Mamiellophyceae. Thus, we have updated the data related to protein S-nitrosylation as an evolutionarily conserved mechanism regulating many aspects of cell signaling in plants.