Sheng wu gong cheng xue bao = Chinese journal of biotechnology最新文献

Amorphophallus albus (Araceae) is a perennial herbaceous plant and a typical economic crop that prefers warmth but is not heat-tolerant. It is sensitive to temperature changes. In agricultural production, A. albus is the only species that can produce large amounts of konjac glucomannan (KGM). KGM is a low-calorie, soluble polysaccharide dietary fiber with extensive applications in food, medicine, and industry. The vigorous growth period of A. albus coincides with the high-temperature period in summer, while continuous high temperatures can cause severe and irreversible damage to A. albus. The ascorbate peroxidase (APX) family functions to scavenge excessive reactive oxygen species produced by plants under abiotic stress, playing an important role in plant resistance to abiotic stress. To investigate the role of the APX family in the heat tolerance of A. albus, we identified the APX family members in A. albus and conducted bioinformatics analyses on their chromosomal distribution, physicochemical properties of proteins, gene structures, and phylogenetic relationships. Additionally, qRT-PCR was employed to analyze the expression trend of each member under heat stress. The results showed that a total of 10 AaAPX members were identified in A. albus. Among them, the expression levels of AaAPX1 and AaAPX8 were upregulated under heat stress. The expression level of AaAPX3 showed an increasing-decreasing-increasing trend, while that of AaAPX7 was downregulated. Subcellular localization revealed that AaAPX1 was localized in the cytoplasm, and AaAPX3 was localized in the cytoplasm and nuclear membrane. Furthermore, transgenic yeast experiments indicated that both AaAPX1 and AaAPX3 improved the survival rate of yeast under heat stress to varying degrees compared with the control. These findings lay a foundation for further clarifying the regulatory mechanism of APX in the heat stress response of A. albus.

Honeybees and bumblebees are key agricultural pollinators, whose gut microbiota play critical roles in host nutrient metabolism, immune regulation, and environmental adaptation. While gut bacterial communities have been extensively studied, the composition and ecological functions of gut fungi remain poorly understood. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by systematically characterizing the diversity, phylogeny, and functional potential of pollinator gut fungi. In this study, we analyzed the gut fungal community structures of four pollinator species-Apis cerana, Apis mellifera, Bombus impatiens, and Bombus vosnesenskii-based on publicly available internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon sequencing data. Additionally, we conducted whole-genome analyses of 25 cultivable fungal strains isolated from the gut of Apis spp. and Bombus spp. individuals collected from the Beijing Baihuashan National Nature Reserve. The results showed that Ascomycota was the dominant fungal phylum across all hosts, with significant differences in fungal diversity and community composition among host species. Phylogenetic analysis indicated high taxonomic consistency of isolated strains at the genus and species levels, along with diverse genome architectures. Functional annotations revealed that gut fungi were broadly involved in carbohydrate metabolism, cellular structure maintenance, and signal transduction. Notably, Metschnikowia strains exhibited significant enrichment in CAZyme families, particularly glycoside hydrolases (GH) and glycosyltransferases (GT). In addition, some strains possess biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites, such as nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and β- lactones, which suggested potential roles in microbial competition and fungus-host interactions. This study uncovers the diversity and functions of fungal communities in bee guts, enriching our understanding of insect microbiomes and providing a theoretical foundation for pollinator health maintenance and microbiota-targeted interventions.

Metallothionein (MT) is a low molecular weight protein. At present, a large number of studies on the molecular mechanisms of plant uptake and regulation of heavy metal Cd accumulation have been carried out. However, the research results obtained are relatively not systematic enough, mainly focusing on the study of some transporter proteins. To bridge the existing gap in systematic understanding of the metallothionein gene family, we aimed to uncover its potential functions within the rice regulatory network. Through bioinformatics analysis, a total of 14 rice MT gene family members were identified. The motif structure prediction indicated that there were great differences among members of this family, which could be classified into 4 subfamilies by phylogenetic analysis of protein sequences. OsMT1.4A, OsMT1.4B, OsMT1.4C, OsMT1.1C, and OsMT1.1G existed in series clusters on the 12th chromosome. The predicted cis-elements were related to plant hormones, growth, environment, and light responses. The expression of most members was induced by various plant hormones, and the expression of 10 members was upregulated by cadmium (Cd) stress. The OsMT1.3A and OsMT1.3B subfamilies showed greatly differed conserved domains from other OsMTs genes, and their expression patterns were completely different from those of other families. Heterologous expression of OsMT1.3A and OsMT1.4A significantly improved the tolerance of bacteria and yeast to Cd, and overexpression of OsMT1.4A in rice significantly increased the effective panicle number and yield. This study provides excellent genetic resources for breeding Cd-tolerant crops with potential for remediation of Cd pollution by biotechnology.

This study aims to preliminarily elucidate the molecular regulatory mechanism underlying purple pigmentation in petunia petals and identify key regulatory genes. Based on transcriptomic analysis of Petunia×hybrida 'Dreams Midnight' at three developmental stages (S1: light green, S2: pale purple, S3: deep purple) of purple pigmentation in petals, we identified 11 510 differentially expressed genes (FDR<0.05). Key anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway genes PhANS, PhCHS, PhF3H, and PhUFGT were significantly upregulated during S1-S3. Virus-induced gene silencing confirmed that their functional loss caused significant fading of petal purple coloration. Transcription factor screening revealed that PhWRKY44 expression at S2 and S3 reached 4.96 folds and 5.13 folds, respectively, of that at S1, and PhMYB44, PhAN1, and PhBHLH48 also exhibited stage-specific expression patterns. PhWRKY44 was cloned, with a full length of 1 482 bp. Phylogenetic analysis and conserved domain alignment confirmed it as an ortholog of Arabidopsis WRKY44, encoding a nuclear-localized alkaline protein of 54.93 kDa. This gene showed the highest expression in floral organs, which reached 2.36 folds of root levels. Its silencing reduced PhWRKY44 expression to 64% of the control, decreased the anthocyanin content by 45%, and significantly weakened petal coloration. This study demonstrates that PhWRKY44 influences flower color formation by positively regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis, providing a new target for molecular breeding in ornamental plants.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is an important cash crop that provides about 90% of sugar and 40% of bioethanol in China. Due to its large genome and complicated genetic background, conventional breeding is difficult to achieve efficient genetic improvement of sugarcane. Genome editing is a disruptive technology in life sciences, enabling precise and efficient modification of target genes. From zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) to transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), the CRISPR/Cas system and the derived base editing and prime editing, these technologies have greatly advanced genetic research and upgraded biological breeding. With the decoding of the sugarcane genome, genome editing has provided a new technical means for the genetic improvement of polyploid sugarcane. This article provides a comprehensive review of the trajectory of genome editing in plants, the optimization of the CRISPR/Cas system, the genetic transformation status of sugarcane, the development of sugarcane genomics, and the application of genome editing in sugarcane. It focuses on exploring the application prospects of genome editing in breeding lodging-resistant sugarcane varieties. This review aims to provide valuable references for promoting the use of genome editing in sugarcane breeding.

This study aimed to identify key genes regulating the bulb development of Fritillaria thunbergii by utilizing transcriptome data from the mature stage of 'Zhebei No.1' and 'Zhebei No.3' cultivars, which exhibited differences in propagation coefficient and single bulb weight. Furthermore, functional validation was performed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying their effects. Key candidate genes were functionally validated via bioinformatics analysis, prokaryotic expression, tobacco overexpression, and subcellular localization techniques, and their upstream regulatory sequences were analyzed. Relevant physicochemical data were integrated to investigate the impacts of these key genes on bulb development. The differentially expressed gene FtGGPS encoded a GGPS1 family member involved in gibberellin (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), and phylloquinone (VK1) biosynthesis, as well as chloroplast formation. Its upstream regulatory sequence contained GA-responsive elements such as the GARE-motif and transcription factor binding sites such as ERF, enabling GA signal-responsive regulation of FtGGPS expression. Correlation analysis indicated that under low FtGGPS expression levels, GA and ABA synthesis remained at low levels. Conversely, under high FtGGPS expression levels, rapid GA accumulation triggered feedback inhibition of FtGGPS expression. This inhibitory effect was alleviated with GA metabolism, which thereby maintained high-level synthesis of GA and ABA within the bulb. FtGGPS modulates the bulb development of F. thunbergii by regulating GA and ABA levels through distinct expression patterns. Elucidating the function of FtGGPS will help refine the hormonal regulatory network of bulb development in F. thunbergii and provide a theoretical basis for molecular breeding.

Hippophae rhamnoides L. is a dioecious plant. The difficulty in early sex identification hinders the rational allocation of male and female plants in H. rhamnoides plantations, affecting its economic and ecological value. Few studies examined SyGl (Shy Girl), a female suppressor gene, in H. rhamnoides. To examine how SyGl regulates female and male flower bud development, we cloned HrSyGl from the flower buds of H. rhamnoides and used multiple online tools to perform bioinformatics analysis and subcellular localization prediction. Additionally, we analyzed the expression patterns of HrSyGl in female and male flower buds at three different developmental stages through transcriptome sequencing and RT-qPCR. Our results showed that HrSyGl contained a 444-bp coding sequence encoding 147 amino acid residues. The deduced protein had the relative molecular mass of 16 358.05 Da, an isoelectric point of 5.51, and an aliphatic index of 112.04. This protein lacked transmembrane domains and signal peptides but contained phosphorylation sites. Our data characterized it as a stable, hydrophobic protein. We identified that the protein HrSyGl contained a REC_hyHK_CKI1_RcsC-like domain, with α-helices serving as its major secondary structural elements. The phylogenetic analysis showcased that HrSyGl clustered closely with the SyGl genes from Ziziphus and Rhamnella rubrinervis belonging to Rhamnaceae, indicating their close phylogenetic relationship. The subcellular localization results demonstrated that HrSyGl was localized to the nucleus. RT-qPCR revealed differential expression patterns of this gene between male and female flower buds at different developmental stages in H. rhamnoides. Specifically, its expression in female flower buds initially increased and then decreased, while that in male flower buds showed a consistently upward trend. Our study established a theoretical foundation for further investigation into the function of HrSyGl and the molecular mechanisms underlying sex differentiation in H. rhamnoides.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is among the most vital cereal crops in China, and its yield has a direct bearing on national food security. Saline-alkali combined stress significantly negatively impacts the growth and development of rice, leading to reductions in key yield components such as the number of effective panicles, 1 000-grain weight, and milled rice rate. With the increasing proportion of saline-alkaline land and continual reduction of arable land, rice cultivation and production face severe challenges. As China ranks third globally in saline-alkali soil distribution, enhancing the saline-alkali tolerance of rice and ameliorating saline-alkaline land hold significant importance for ensuring national food security. Significant advances have been achieved in the research on saline-alkali tolerance of rice in recent years, this review synthesizes molecular mechanisms underlying the saline-alkali tolerance of rice, encompassing osmoregulation, plant hormonal regulation, reactive oxygen species scavenging, photosynthesis, and stomatal regulation. Concurrently, we examine genetic enhancement approaches for saline-alkali tolerance in rice and discuss persistent challenges and future research trajectories. This work aims to advance both fundamental research and practical applications of saline-alkali tolerant rice.

Helianthus annuus L., as one of the important oil crops, has strong salt and drought tolerance. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDR) plays an irreplaceable role in plant growth and development and in the formation of small-molecule RNA. To clarify the functions and regulatory mechanisms of this gene family, in this study, bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify the members of the RDR gene family in H. annuus, and the physicochemical properties, chromosome location, phylogenetic relationship, and subcellular localization of the family members were analyzed in depth. Meanwhile, RT-qPCR was conducted to explore the expression patterns of the family members under salt, alkali, and drought stresses. The results showed that a total of 10 members of the RDR gene family were identified in H. annuus, and they were distributed on chromosomes 1, 3, 6, 8, and 16. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the RDRs of H. annuus and Arabidopsis were clustered into 4 groups. The results of multiple amino acid sequence alignment showed that all the members of this family contained the conserved domain of RdRP. Protein structure prediction revealed that the secondary structure of the protein family members was mainly composed of α-helixes and random coils. STRING interaction network analysis revealed that HaRDR interacted with Argonaute (HaAGO) and Dicer-like (HaDCL) proteins. The results of RT-qPCR revealed that the expression levels of the HaRDR gene family members were significantly upregulated in stems under salt stress and in leaves under alkali stress. The subcellular localization results indicated that HaRDR3c was located in the cytoplasm. The results of this study suggest that the HaRDR family members are highly conserved during evolution while exhibiting functional diversity. The RT-qPCR results indicate that the HaRDR family members can respond to abiotic stresses. The findings not only provide a basis for exploring the role of HaRDR in regulating stress resistance but also lays a foundation for revealing the molecular mechanism of HaRDR in plant stress responses.

WUSCHEL (WUS)-related homeobox (WOX) family genes are important regulatory factors in plant developmental processes such as stem cell maintenance, embryogenesis, and organogenesis. In this study, the WOXs in sugarcane were identified and the number of gene family members, sequence characteristics, and evolutionary relationships have been elucidated. Additionally, the ScWOXs capable of regulating sugarcane callus proliferation and shoot regeneration were mined, aiming to provide valuable genetic resources to enhance the efficiency of genetic transformation and gene editing in sugarcane. Firstly, the conserved domain file of WOX protein (Pfam ID: PF00046) and the Hidden Markov Model (HMM) file were downloaded from Pfam. Using PF00046 as the template sequence, the candidate sequences of ScWOX family proteins were obtained by aligning the amino acid sequences of the sugarcane cultivar 'R570' with HMM3.0. The members of the ScWOX gene family were identified based on the conserved domain analysis. Subsequently, a series of analyses were performed on ScWOXs, including the analysis of physicochemical properties, prediction of subcellular localization, analysis of gene structures, protein motifs, and cis-elements in promoters, as well as analysis of chromosome localization and collinearity, and presented the relevant results via TBtools. Finally, qRT-PCR was employed to analyze the expression patterns of ScWOXs in the sugarcane cultivar 'YZ08-1609' during callus proliferation and shoot regeneration, aiming to identify ScWOXs responsive to callus proliferation and differentiation. A total of 82 ScWOXs were identified from the genome of 'R570' and classified into three major clades (ancient, intermediate, and the WUS/modern clade) and 12 subclades (ScWOX1‒ScWOX12). The deduced ScWOXs had the lengths of 204‒956 aa, relative molecular weights of 22.04‒103.86 kDa, and theoretical isoelectric points of 6.00‒10.79. They were all hydrophilic proteins, and most ScWOXs were localized in the nucleus. ScWOXs contained 1‒3 exons and 3‒10 conserved motifs. The promoters of ScWOXs were enriched with cis-acting elements responsive to plant growth and development, meristem activation and expression, phytohormone regulation, abiotic stress, and light. ScWOXs presented uneven distribution on the 44 chromosomes and 5 scaffolds of 'R570'. Among ScWOXs, there were 272 collinear gene pairs. Additionally, 87 and 81 WOX collinear gene pairs were identified for sugarcane with sorghum and rice, respectively. Gene expression analysis showed that ScWOX4, ScWOX9, ScWOX10, and ScWOX12 were up-regulated during callus proliferation and shoot regeneration in 'YZ08-1609'. These genes are promising candidates for promoting sugarcane callus proliferation and shoot regeneration. The results provide abundant genetic resources for optimizing the genetic transformation and gene editing systems in sugarcane.