Hypothermia Research Articles

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the GT8 gene family in tomato(Solanum lycopersicum) and the functional of SlGolS1 under cold stress

Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are a diverse superfamily of enzymes involved in glycosylation reactions, with the GT8 (glycosyltransferase 8) playing a crucial role in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. Tomato, widely cultivated and is a thermophilic plant. So it is significant to study how GT8 regulates cold resistance in tomato for plant growth. In this study, we screened the whole genome of tomato by using bioinformatics methods and identified 40 members of the GT8 gene family. Analysis of cold stress transcriptome data and qRT-PCR experiments revealed the potential significance of SlGolS1 in responding to cold stress. SlGolS1 was highly expressed in the stems and flowers of tomato, with its mature protein localized in the chloroplast. Used the VIGS method to transiently silence the SlGolS1 gene, the SlGolS1-silenced plants (pTRV2-SlGolS1) rendered tomato more sensitive to cold stress compared with the control (pTRV2) tomato plant phenotype after cold treatment; enzyme activity assays showed that oxidative damage was more severe in the pTRV2-SlGolS1. In summary, SlGolS1 positively regulates cold resistance in tomato.

Evolution of thaumatin-like proteins in rosaceae and rapid response to cold stimulation coordinated with PmEOBⅡ in the floral scent formation process of Prunus mume

Prunus mume has a long history of cultivation in China as the ornamental plant. It has been observed for a long time that the colder weather the weather appear, the sweeter the flowers produce, coldness stress may contribute to the formation of its floral scents. Here, in previous transcription matrix during scent formation period, we recognized thaumatin-like proteins from the core co-expression members. Thus, we performed the identification of thaumatin-like proteins in the Rosaceae genomes, characterized by conserved cysteine residues and tag sequences to explain the relationship between abiotic stress and floral metabolism. The numbers of TLPs ranged from 22 to 34. Most of the TLP members in Group 9 displayed congregated and expanded. A total of seven tandem duplication events occurred in 27 PmTLPs, which could be the primary driving force behind PmTLP gene expansion. The promoters of the PmTLPs contained various types of cis-elements. Additionally, there existed several miRNAs for certain PmTLPs. As a result, PmTLPs displayed tissue-specific expression trends, and expressions varied across different developmental stages of flowers. For highly activated members, PmTLP19 and 23 increased sharply after 4 h under chilling induction compared with a slow increase by ABA treatment. PmTLPs, PmEOBII, and PmMYB4 owned a positive expression correlation in both responces. Finally, the yeast two-hybrid results also indicated a strong interaction between PmEOBII and PmTLP19. Our results establish the foundation for a comprehensive investigation into the molecular mechanism of PmTLPs involved in the cold-resistant defense response of Prunus mume. Additionally, it will facilitate the identification of genes associated with regulating floral compounds in P. mume.

GhBZR15 improved the tolerance of cotton to cold and salt stress revealed by genome-wide characterization of BZR genes family

Brassinazole resistant (BZR) transcription factors play important roles in brassinosteroids (BRs) signaling pathway of plants, which are involved in many developmental processes and the responses to abiotic stress by regulating the expression of related genes. In order to explore the molecular mechanism of BZR transcription factors in cotton in response to abiotic stress, the BZR transcription factors in four cotton genomes were identified and analyzed. A total of 67 BZR transcription factors were identified and divided into three subfamilies according to their genetic relationship. The expression levels of BZR under cold, heat, salt, and drought treatments were analyzed to predict their function under abiotic stress. Promoter analysis of BZR proteins showed that light signaling can enhance the BZR transcriptional activity. The subcellular localization experiment showed that GhBZR15 protein was mainly distributed in the nucleus. Arabidopsis thaliana L. overexpressing GhBZR15 gene showed stronger cold tolerance and salt tolerance than wild type. These results, combined with the GhBZR protein-interaction network, suggest that the interaction of GhBZR with phytochrome interacting factors (PIF4) plays an important role in abiotic stress responses. These findings provide a basis for further understanding the function of BZR in cotton.

Physiological Indices of Five Hybrid Larch Seedlings Under Low-Temperature Stress

Larch is a cold-temperate tree species native to the northern hemisphere and tolerant to low temperatures. It is one of the most significant timber species in Northeast China. This study examined growth changes in hybrid larch seedlings from five lines to explore the physiological responses of these seedlings to low-temperature stress. Using 8-month-old hybrids of larch seedlings, we subjected the plants to cold stress at 4 °C and freezing stress at −20 °C over three periods of 6, 12, and 24 h, and treatment at 25 °C was used as a control. Results showed that significant correlations were found among the growth indicators, with larch line 1306 having the lowest incremental growth indicators, the largest root-to-crown ratio, and better cold tolerance than the other larch lines. The levels of soluble sugars (SSs), soluble proteins (SPs), malondialdehyde (MDA), and relative electrolyte leakage (REC) increased significantly in all lines under low-temperature stress. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) showed variation over time. Significant correlations were found between MDA and REL, SS, SR, Pro, CAT, and SOD in most of the lines; no significant correlation was found between MDA and the other indices in lines 1301 and 1309; and significant correlations were found between most of the physiological indices in line 1306.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of bHLH Gene Family in Hevea brasiliensis

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors play crucial roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, their identification and insights into the understanding of their role in rubber trees remain largely uncovered. In this study, the bHLH gene family was explored and characterized in rubber trees using systematic bioinformatics approaches. In total, 180 bHLH genes were identified in the rubber tree genome, distributed unevenly across 18 chromosomes, and phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into 23 distinct subfamilies. Promoter regions revealed a high density of cis-elements responsive to light and hormones. Enrichment analysis indicated involvement in numerous biological processes, including growth, development, hormone responses, abiotic stress resistance, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Protein interaction network analysis identified extensive interactions between HbbHLH genes and other functional genes, forming key clusters related to iron homeostasis, plant growth, and stomatal development. Expression profiling of HbbHLH genes have demonstrated varied responses to endogenous and environmental changes. RT-qPCR of eleven HbbHLH genes in different tissues and under ethylene, jasmonic acid, and cold treatments revealed tissue-specific expression patterns and significant responses to these stimuli, highlighting the roles of these genes in hormone and cold stress responses. These findings establish a framework for exploring the molecular functions of bHLH transcription factors in rubber trees.

Genome-wide identification of CRF gene family members in four rice subspecies and expression analysis of OsCRF members in response to cold stress at seedling stage

Genome-wide identification of CRF gene family members in four rice subspecies and expression analysis of OsCRF members in response to cold stress at seedling stage

Disruption of the OsWRKY71 transcription factor gene results in early rice seed germination under normal and cold stress conditions

Abstract Background Early seed germination in crops can confer a competitive advantage against weeds and reduce the time to maturation and harvest. WRKY transcription factors regulate many aspects of plant development including seed dormancy and germination. Both positive and negative regulators of seed germination have been reported in many plants such as rice and Arabidopsis. Using a transient expression system, we previously demonstrated that OsWRKY71 is a negative regulator of gibberellin (GA) signaling in aleurone cells and likely forms a “repressosome” complex with other transcriptional repressors. Hence, it has the potential to impact seed germination properties. Results In this study, we demonstrate that OsWRKY71, a Group IIa WRKY gene, appeared at the same time as seed-bearing plants. Rice mutants lacking OsWRKY71 have seeds and embryos that germinate earlier than wildtype controls. In oswrky71 aleurone layers, α-amylase activity was hypersensitive to stimulation by GA3 and hyposensitive to inhibition by abscisic acid (ABA). Early germination in oswrky71 intact seeds was also hyposensitive to ABA. Transcriptomic profiling during embryo germination and early post-germination growth demonstrates that OsWRKY71 influences the expression of 9–17% of genes in dry and imbibing embryos. Compared to wildtype embryos, the mutant transcriptomes have large temporal shifts at 4, 8 and 12 h after imbibition (HAI). Importantly, many genes involved in the ABA-dependent inhibition of seed germination were downregulated in oswrky71-1. This mutant also displayed altered expression of multiple ABA receptors (OsPYLs/RCARs) that control ABA signaling and the VP1-SDR4-DOG1L branch of ABA signaling that promotes seed dormancy. Association studies reveal an OsWRKY71-containing quantitative trait locus involved in low-temperature seed germinability, qLTG-2. Indeed, oswrky71 seeds germinated early at 15 °C. Conclusions Rice Group-IIa WRKY transcription factor OsWRKY71 is a master regulator of germination that influences the expression of 9–17% of genes in dry and imbibing embryos. It is also most likely the primary candidate of low-temperature seed germinability QTL, qLTG-2. We propose that knockouts of OsWRKY71 can generate rice varieties with improved germination properties under normal or low-temperature conditions.

Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP) and its Receptors in Adipose Tissue: Implications for Cold Stress Adaptation.

Adipose tissue represents an organ that is highly dynamic and contributes toward vital survival events such as immune responses, lactation, metabolism fuel, and thermogenesis. Data emerging from recent studies support the notion of adipose tissue being organized into a complex system characterized by a discrete anatomy, elevated physiological plasticity, and specific vascular and nerve supplies. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), along with its receptors, type 1 (VPAC1) and type 2 (VPAC2), has been implicated in various physiological and pathophysiological processes. However, studies on VIP and its receptors in adipose tissue are limited. To explore VIP's presence and activity, as well as its adipose tissue-based receptors, we conducted a study on isolated adipocytes and adipose tissue from inguinal white adipose tissue (WAT) and interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) in normal and cold-stressed rats. Our findings indicate the presence of the gene expression VIP and VPAC1 in both WAT and BAT under normal conditions, while VPAC2 was absent. In both WAT and BAT, cold exposure upregulated VIP gene expression. However, the response of VIP receptors to cold exposure is controversial. VPAC2 gene expression was induced in both WAT and BAT, while VPAC1 gene expression presented no change of significance in BAT and a slight reduction in WAT. Additionally, VIP, VPAC1, and VPAC2 proteins were identified from Western blot studies on white and brown adipocytes. After exposure to cold there was an increase of significance in the VIP, VPAC1, and VPAC2 protein levels. This study provides novel insights into how VIP and its receptors alter gene expression and protein levels in adipose tissue and adipocytes during cold stress, indicating their potential involvement in adipose tissue regulation. The findings propose VIP's potentially crucial role in adipose tissue's adaptation to cold stress by affecting the metabolic and biochemical functions of subcutaneous and interscapular adipocytes, with potentially significant implications in the context of developing therapies targeting metabolic disorders.

Electroacupuncture Regulates Cannabinoid Receptor 1 Expression in a Mouse Fibromyalgia Model: Pharmacological and Chemogenetic Modulation

Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness usually accompanied by long-lasting, general pain throughout the body, often accompanied by anxiety, depression, fatigue, and sleep disruption. Meanwhile, doctors and scientists have not entirely discovered detailed mechanisms; patients always have an exaggerated sensation to pervasive pain without satisfied medical service. Given the lack of knowledge on its underlying mechanism, current treatments aim to provide pain and/or symptom relief. The present study aimed to clarify the role of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) signaling in a mouse fibromyalgia pain model. To develop the mouse fibromyalgia model, mice were subjected to intermittent cold stress (ICS). Our results indicated that mechanical (2.09 ± 0.09 g) and thermal hyperalgesia (4.77 ± 0.29 s), which were evaluated by von Frey and Hargraves’ tests, were induced by ICS, suggesting successful modeling. The hurting replies were then provoked by electroacupuncture (EA) but not for sham EA mice. Further, in a Western blot analysis, we found significantly decreased CB1 protein levels in the thalamus, somatosensory cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex. In addition, the levels of pain-related protein kinases and transcription factor were increased. Treatment with EA reliably increased CB1 expression in various brain regions sequentially alleviated by nociceptive mediators. Furthermore, the administration of a CB1 agonist significantly attenuated fibromyalgia pain, reversed EA analgesia by the CB1 antagonist, and further reversed the chemogenetic inhibition of SSC. Our innovative findings evidence the role of CB1 signaling in the interaction of EA and fibromyalgia, suggesting its potential for clinical trials and as a treatment target.

The H3K27me3 histone mark correlates with repression of colour and aroma development post-harvest in strawberry fruit.

Strawberry ripening is non-climacteric, and post-harvest fruit enter senescence and deteriorate rapidly. Chilled storage induces transcriptome wide changes in gene expression, including the down-regulation of aroma related genes. Histone marks are associated with transcriptional activation or repression; the H3K27me3 mark is mainly associated with repression of gene expression. Here genes associated with H3K27me3 were identified through ChIP-seq in ripe red strawberry fruit at harvest and after 5 days of chilled storage in the dark. The number of ChIP peaks increased with storage time, indicating an increased role for this mark in regulation of gene expression following chilled dark storage. Comparing ChIP-seq data to RNA-seq data from the same material identified 440 genes whose expression correlates with H3K27me3 repression. Abiotic stress genes, especially cold stress response genes, were down-regulated during storage. Increased association with the H3K27me3 mark indicates that they may be repressed via this epigenetic mark. Other functional groups included cell wall and carbohydrate metabolism. The association with the H3K27me3 mark of two transcription factors (FaHY5 and FaTRAB1) and FaADH, involved in ester biosynthesis, was validated by ChIP-PCR. These three genes are all down-regulated during storage and indicate a network of H3K27me3 gene repression affecting both anthocyanin and ester biosynthesis.

Hypothermic cardiac arrest: prognostic factors for successful resuscitation before rewarming.

To indicate factors predicting return of spontaneous circulation in patients with hypothermic cardiac arrest in the pre-rewarming period. A multicenter retrospective study was conducted. We included patients who had suffered cardiac arrest caused by severe accidental hypothermia with a core body temperature of ≤ 28°C. Patients who had achieved return of spontaneous circulation before commencement of active rewarming at the hospital were compared to those who remained in cardiac arrest. A total of 156 patients suffering hypothermic cardiac arrest were included in the study. In 14 of them (9%) resuscitation was successful before rewarming. Factors associated with return of spontaneous circulation were as follows: witnessed onset of cardiac arrest (p = 0.04); a higher core body temperature (p = 0.005) with a prognostic threshold of 24.6°C; and a higher arterial oxygen partial pressure (p = 0.04) with a prognostic threshold of 81mmHg. One patient after successful resuscitation sustained recurrence of cardiac arrest during rewarming. Patients with core body temperature < 25°C, hypoxemia, and those who sustained unwitnessed hypothermic cardiac arrest have weak chances for successful resuscitation before rewarming. They can benefit from immediate transportation to an extracorporeal life support facility under continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Effective rewarming and oxygenation during the prehospital period can increase the chances for return of spontaneous circulation. Recurrence of cardiac arrest during rewarming is uncommon.

Tolerance of fry of three tilapia varieties exposed to low temperatures

As tilapia aquaculture expands globally, cold sensitivity remains a critical issue, leading to significant losses due to poor growth, disease susceptibility, and high mortality. This study evaluated the cold tolerance in fry of three tilapia varieties, incorporating a comprehensive analysis of 3240 specimens. The fry, segregated by variety into different tanks, were observed during summer to assess their performance. The study focused on two commercially prominent varieties, known for their rapid weight gain, and a third variety developed by the Federal University of Lavras, specifically bred for resilience to local climatic conditions. Following a 15-day acclimation period in experimental tanks, the fry were monitored for feeding to apparent satiety. Daily assessments included counting mortalities and measuring water temperature and dissolved oxygen levels. Survival data were analyzed using multivariate Cox regression, with survival curves derived via the Kaplan-Meier method. Lifespan predictions from these curves were compared using the log-rank test. Results indicated that older fry were more resilient to cold stress. Notably, the MGTUP variety, bred for local environmental adaptability, demonstrated superior cold tolerance. This variety also exhibited the lowest mortality rates across all age groups. These findings suggest that utilizing locally adapted tilapia varieties can significantly mitigate losses in aquaculture, especially in cold-prone regions.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling Analysis of the Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter Gene Family Under Abiotic Stresses in Medicago sativa

The mitochondrial calcium uniporters (MCUs) are a family of calcium unidirectional transporters important for cytoplasmic Ca2+ signals. Though the MCU proteins in several plant species have been investigated, genome-wide analysis of MCUs in alfalfa is lacking. Here, via genome-wide analysis, a total of 5, 20, and 6 MCU genes were identified in three different alfalfa cultivars, namely Medicago truncatula Jemalong A17, Medicago sativa XinJiangDaYe, and M. sativa Zhongmu No. 1, respectively. They were further phylogenetically classified into three subfamilies. Most MCU genes have only one intron, and gene duplication events of MCU genes were observed within each alfalfa accession and between different accessions. All alfalfa MCU proteins contained a highly conserved MCU domain and 10 conserved motifs, featuring two transmembrane domains and a DI/VME motif. According to the tissue expression data of M. sativa Zhongmu No. 1, MsMCU6.2 was the most abundant transcript with the highest expression in the leaf, and MsMCU5 and MsMCU1.2 showed higher expression levels in the stem than other tissues. We analyzed the expression profiles of five MCU genes (MsMCU1.1/1.2/5/6.1/6.2) under salt, drought, and cold stresses via qRT-PCR assays. All five MCU genes were induced by drought stress, except MsMCU5, whose expression was up-regulated by salt stress, while cold stress slightly altered MsMCU expression. Nine potential interacting proteins and three miRNAs targeting MtMCUs were predicted. These results provide detailed knowledge of alfalfa MCU genes and suggest their potential functions in abiotic stress response.

Advancing Chickpea Breeding: Omics Insights for Targeted Abiotic Stress Mitigation and Genetic Enhancement.

Chickpea is a major source of proteins and is considered the most economically vital food legume. Chickpea production is threatened by several abiotic and biotic factors worldwide. The main constraints limiting worldwide chickpea production are abiotic conditions such as drought, heat, salinity, and cold. It is clear that chickpea is treasured for its nutritive value, in particular its high protein content, and hence study of problems like drought, cold and salinity stresses are very important concerning chickpeas. In this regard, several physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms are reviewed to confer tolerance to abiotic stress. The most crippling economic losses in agriculture occur due to these abiotic stressors, which affect plants in many ways. All these abiotic stresses affect the water relations of the plant, both at the cellular level as well as the whole-plant level, causing both specific and non-specific reactions, damage and adaptation reactions. These stresses share common features. Breeding programs use a huge collection of over 100,000 chickpea accessions as their foundation. Significant advancements in conventional breeding, including mutagenesis, gene/allele introgression, and germplasm introduction, have been made through this method. Abiotic tolerance and yield component selection are made easier by creating unique DNA markers for the genus Cicer, which has been made possible by developments in high-throughput sequencing and molecular biology. Transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics have also made it possible to identify particular genes, proteins, and metabolites linked to chickpea tolerance to abiotic stress. Chickpea abiotic stress tolerance has been directly and potentially improved by biotechnological applications, which are covered by all 'Omics' approaches. It requires information on the abiotic stress response at the different molecular levels, which comprises gene expression analysis for metabolites or proteins and its impact on phenotype. Studies on chickpea genome-wide expression profiling have been conducted to determine important candidate genes and their regulatory networks for abiotic stress response. This study aimed to offer a detailed overview of the diverse 'Omics' approaches for resilience's to abiotic stresses on chickpea plants.

Differences in species composition between calcareous and siliceous herbaceous communities are primarily explained by competition in favourable climates

Difference in vegetation composition between communities from calcareous and siliceous soils might be due to high competition on siliceous soils for species from calcareous origin, and high rock‐induced drought stress on calcareous soils for species from siliceous origin. We tested the hypothesis that, with increasing climate stress, competition should decrease on siliceous rock for species of calcareous origin and drought stress increase on calcareous rock for species of siliceous origin because of decreasing community biomass with increasing cold or drought stress. This question is of high interest for predicting changes in species distribution with climate change since bedrock type and climate change are both complex factors that are likely to interact with climate. We set up a transplant removal experiment in contrasting climate conditions of the south of France, warm and wet temperate, warm and dry Mediterranean, and cold temperate in the Alps and the Pyrenees. In each climate condition, three targets (two species and one population from a third species) from each origin were transplanted with and without neighbours on the two rock types and during two years with different levels of drought stress. Variation in the effects of neighbours and rock‐induced drought stress on transplant survival with and without neighbours were analysed with linear modelling at each site, separately, and with ANCOVA in the whole design. Competition was the highest on siliceous rock in the more favourable climate conditions but for species of siliceous origin. The lower competition found for species of calcareous origin was likely due to the occurrence of allelopathic effects that decreased the negative effect of neighbours as measured with the removal method. The rock‐induced drought stress was the highest on calcareous rock, in particular for species of siliceous origin. Thus, the decrease in competition intensity on siliceous rocks with increasing climate stress was more important for species from siliceous than calcareous origin. Additionally, the importance of the rock‐induced drought stress was relatively low in the most stressful climate conditions as compared to the overwhelming importance of climate drought stress over the two years of our experiment, which likely induced a collapse of the positive effect of growing on a siliceous rock.

Factors associated with postoperative shivering in patients with maintained core temperature after surgery.

Postoperative shivering is mainly associated with low body temperature. However, postoperative shivering can develop even at normal or high core temperatures. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with postoperative shivering in patients with maintained core temperature after surgery. This retrospective study involved 537 patients who had undergone radical surgery for pancreatic cancer under general anesthesia from January 2013 to December 2023. The final analysis included 441 patients whose core temperatures after surgery were ≥ 36.5℃. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of the incidence of postoperative shivering. Postoperative shivering occurred in 119 patients. After multivariable-adjusted logistic regression, postoperative shivering was significantly associated with patient age (per 1year increase; OR = 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96-0.996; p = 0.02), operation time (per 30min increase; OR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.01-1.19; p = 0.03), postoperative core temperature (restricted cubic spline, p = 0.001), postoperative peripheral temperature (restricted cubic spline, p = 0.001), effect site fentanyl concentration at extubation (OR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.24-0.99; p = 0.049), and acetaminophen use (OR = 0.32; 95% CI: 0.18-0.58; p < 0.001). Low peripheral temperature was a risk factor for the occurrence of shivering, even if the core temperature was maintained postoperatively. Peripheral temperature monitoring could be utilized to prevent postoperative shivering. In addition, fentanyl and acetaminophen reduced the occurrence of shivering in patients with maintained core temperature after surgery.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of TCP Genes in Eight Prunus Species and Their Expression Patterns Under Cold Stress in P. tenella var. tenella

Background/Objectives: Teosinte branched1/Cycloidea/Proliferating cell nuclear antigen factors (TCPs) are plant-specific transcription factors involved in leaf development, flowering, branching, hormone signaling, and stress responses. Prunus a key temperate fruit tree with ornamental spring blooms, still lacks comprehensive TCP gene studies across many species. Methods: We identified 154 TCP genes in eight Prunus species: 19 in Prunus tenella var. tenella, 19 in P. amygdalus, 17 in P. armeniaca ‘Rojo Pasion’, 19 in P. mira, 20 in P. jamasakura var. jamasakura, 19 in P. fruticosa, 19 in P. mume var. tortuosa, and 22 in P. × yedoensis ‘Somei-yoshino’. These genes were classified into PCF, CIN, and CYC/TB1 groups. We examined segmental duplication, conserved motifs, and cis-acting elements. Expression patterns of 12 TCPs in P. tenella var. tenella were tested under low-temperature stress (25 °C, 5 °C, −5 °C, and −10 °C), and PtTCP9’s subcellular localization was determined. Results: TCP genes within the same groups showed similar motifs and cis-acting elements. Cold stress analysis identified multiple low-temperature-responsive elements in gene promoters. Four genes (PtTCP2, PtTCP6, PtTCP14, and PtTCP16) increased expression under cold stress, while six genes (PtTCP1, PtTCP5, PtTCP8, PtTCP9, PtTCP17, and PtTCP19) decreased. PtTCP9 was localized to the nucleus. Conclusions: This was the first genome-wide study of the TCP gene family in these eight Prunus species, providing valuable insights into the characteristics and functions of TCP genes within this important genus.

Validation of Interaction Between Sugarcane miR167d and Predicted Target Gene ScPUM1 and Analysis of Their Expression Under Cold Stress: A Novel Mechanism of miR167d

Validation of Interaction Between Sugarcane miR167d and Predicted Target Gene ScPUM1 and Analysis of Their Expression Under Cold Stress: A Novel Mechanism of miR167d

Association of GhGeBP genes with fiber quality and early maturity related traits in upland cotton

Transcription Factors (TFs) are key regulators of how plants grow and develop. Among the diverse TF families, the Glabrous-enhancer binding protein (GeBP) family plays a key role in trichome initiation and leaf development. The specific roles of GeBP TFs in plants remain largely unexplored, although GeBP transcription factors play important roles in plants. This study identified 16 GhGeBP genes in Gossypium hirsutum, ranging from 534 bp (GhGeBP14) to 1560 bp (GhGeBP2). Phylogenetic analysis grouped 16 GhGeBP genes clustered into three subgroups, unevenly distributed across 14 chromosomes. Analysis of the cis-acting elements revealed 408 motifs in the 2 kb upstream regions of the promoters, including stress-responsive, phytohormone-responsive, and light-responsive elements. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed 8 GhGeBP genes were highly expressed across all tissues, while GhGeBP4 and GhGeBP12 were down-regulated under conditions of drought, salt, cold, and heat stress. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified GhGeBP4 was associated with fiber micronaire (FM) and fiber strength (FS), while GhGeBP9 was linked to the node of the first fruiting branch (NFFB) and flowering time (FT). Haplotype analysis revealed that GhGeBP4-HAP2 exhibited higher fiber quality traits, while GhGeBP9-HAP2 was associated with early maturity. The results of this study offer significant insights that are worthy of further investigation into the role of the GhGeBP gene family in G. hirsutum and promising targets for marker-assisted selection strategies in cotton breeding programs, particularly for improving fiber quality and early maturity traits.

Genome-wide identification and analysis of ERF transcription factors related to abiotic stress responses in Nelumbo nucifera

BackgroundEthylene-responsive factor (ERF) transcription factors belong to the APETALA2/ERF (AP2/ERF) superfamily, and play crucial roles in plant development process and stress responses. However, the function of ERF proteins (especially for their role in response to abiotic stresses) remains scarce in Nelumbo nucifera, which is an important aquatic plant with high ornamental, economic, and ecological values.ResultsA total of 107 ERF genes were identified from the N. nucifera genome, and phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into 11 groups. The NnERF genes in the same group exhibited similar gene structure and conserved motifs, and they were unevenly distributed across the 8 chromosomes, with three pairs of tandem duplications and 21 pairs of segmental duplications. Synteny analysis revealed 44 and 39 of NnERF genes were orthologous to those in Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa, respectively. Tissue-specific expression patterns analysis of NnERF showed that 26 NnERF genes were expressed in all tested tissues, in which five genes exhibited high expression levels. Furthermore, 16 NnERF genes were selected for exploring their responses to different abiotic stresses, including cold, salt, drought, and Cd stresses. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that all these 16 investigated genes were regulated by at least one stress treatment, and 12 genes responded to all the stress treatments with different expression patterns or levels, suggesting their potential roles in diverse abiotic stress tolerance of N. nucifera. Additionally, two representative stress-related NnERFs (Nn3g19628 and Nn1g06033) were confirmed to be nuclear-localized proteins and displayed transcriptional activation.ConclusionsIn this study, we conducted a genome-wide identification and analysis of NnERF gene family related to abiotic stress responses in N. nucifera, which provides valuable information for further functional validation of these genes in stress responses, and forms a foundation for stress tolerance breeding in N. nucifera and other aquatic ornamental plants.