Plant Species Research Articles

Comparative RNA profiling identifies stage-specific phasiRNAs and coexpressed Argonaute genes in Bambusoideae and Pooideae species

Abstract PhasiRNAs (phased, small interfering RNAs) play a crucial role in supporting male fertility in grasses. Earlier work in maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa) – and subsequently many other plant species – identified premeiotic 21-nt and meiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs. More recently, a group of premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs was discovered in the anthers of two Pooideae species, barley (Hordeum vulgare) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum). Whether premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs and other classes of reproductive phasiRNAs are conserved across Pooideae species remains unclear. We conducted comparative RNA profiling of three anther stages in six Pooideae species and one Bambusoideae species. We observed complex temporal accumulation patterns of 21-nt and 24-nt phasiRNAs in Pooideae and Bambusoideae grasses. In Bambusoideae, 21-nt phasiRNAs accumulated during meiosis, whereas 24-nt phasiRNAs were present in both premeiotic and postmeiotic stages. We identified premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs in all seven species examined. These phasiRNAs exhibit distinct biogenesis mechanisms and potential Argonaute effectors compared to meiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs. We show that specific Argonaute genes co-expressed with stage-specific phasiRNAs are conserved across Bambusoideae and Pooideae species. Our degradome analysis identified a set of conserved miRNA target genes across species, while 21-nt phasiRNA targets were species-specific. Cleavage of few targets was observed for 24-nt phasiRNAs. In summary, this study demonstrates that premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs are present across Bambusoideae and Pooideae families, and the temporal accumulation of other classes of 21-nt and 24-nt phasiRNA differs between bamboo and Pooideae species. Furthermore, targets of the three classes of phasiRNAs may be rapidly evolving or undetectable.

Genetic differentiation and precolonial Indigenous cultivation of hazelnut ( Corylus cornuta , Betulaceae) in Western North America

Cultivation studies evaluating land-use histories and coevolutionary dynamics between humans and plants focus predominantly on domesticated species. Traditional anthropological divisions of “foragers” and “farmers” have shaped our understanding of ancient cultivation practices but have several limitations, including how people stewarded and managed nondomesticated species. To investigate the long-term effects of plant management in the Pacific Northwest, this study focuses on beaked hazelnut ( Corylus cornuta ) which has a long, precolonial history of management, transportation, and cultivation in British Columbia (BC, Canada). In particular, isolated hazelnut populations in northwestern BC are thought to be the result of historical transplanting and management. We sampled individual hazelnuts (n = 219) representing three distinct regions in and assessed 9,650 genome-wide SNPs identified with nextRAD genotyping-by-sequencing libraries to test for population genetic structure. We used linear measurements of individuals to assess morphological phenotypes and to identify variation between individuals and lineages. These data reveal shared genetic clusters in distant and disjunct northwestern and interior regions consistent with the movement of humans across the landscape. We also find several small genetically distinct populations in the northwestern region. The Genetic structure of hazelnut in the previously labeled “disjunct” region in Gitxsan, Ts’msyen, and Nis g a’a homelands is consistent with the enduring influence of people on the distribution of purportedly “wild” plant species. Our results support the hypothesis that hazelnut was likely transplanted long distances and also managed in situ. This study highlights the often-overlooked agency of Indigenous Peoples in shaping species range distributions in North America.

Implementation of augmented reality herbarium malangensis website tour to enhance conservation literacy

The biodiversity of Indonesia showed by the numerous of plant species, including one of the 89,326 species of spore plants. Along with the high diversity of various threat factors that will affect the status of a plant, knowledge about plants can be enhanced through conservation literacy using modern technology-based learning media, such as 3D modeling and augmented reality (AR) websites. AR acts as an interactive window that opens the view of conservation reality. The aim of this research is to produce a rare plant learning media product in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park that exists on the Malangensis Herbarium with the integration of 3D modeling websites. The method used is R&D, referring to the ADDIE model. The practicality test results obtained 91.54%, while the media effectiveness test showed with n-gain scores obtaining a result of 0.66 that media can improve conservation literacy skills in biology students of the State University of Malang. This research could provide a benchmark and literature for advanced media development on plant divisions other than Pteridophyte.

The role of micronuclei in chromatin elimination

Micronuclei are the extra-nuclear chromatin compartments separated from the primary nucleus and surrounded by their own nuclear envelope. For a long time it has been thought that micronuclei is the final stage of the pathological process in a cell. They have been used as biomarkers of the influence of genotoxic factors as well as of genome instability in various diseases. Nowadays, it is demonstrated that micronuclei could be involved in the cellular activities, affect the nuclear genome and lead to the changes in cell and tissue physiology. It is known that the formation of micronuclei is one of the steps in selective chromatin elimination in the ontogenesis of plant and animal species. The regions to be marked and eliminated from cell nucleus are recognized at the level of genome. This process is often accompanied by modifications with the heterochromatin formation, changes in the chromosome condensation and in the position of chromosomes in the nucleus. The processes observed in selective and non-selective chromatin elimination are similar to a great extent. The fact that the role of micronuclei in the cell functioning is not well-known yet, and the composition of the micronuclei and the ways of chromatin elimination could influence their role in the development of the pathogenesis, emphasizes the importance of additional studies for a more profound investigation of this phenomenon.

Physiological and Molecular Responses of Red Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) and Green Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.) to Salt Stress

AbstractSalinization, as a serious climate change phenomenon, continues to cause critical issues for soils and crops. Abundance of genetic diversity of plants could contribute in solving the impacts of salinity. However, the relations between physiological and molecular traits of plant species need deep investigation and interpretation. Pot experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to investigate the difference in behavior between two amaranth species when they were beforehand subjected to salinity-stress conditions, specifically on some specific physiological and molecular characteristics. After 45 days from transplanting, salt stress was induced using a 150 mM sodium chloride solution. Treatments were arranged in randomized complete block design using three replications. After 0, 2, 6, 10, and 24 h, samples were collected to evaluate physiological data as well as diversity of gene expression. The samples were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored in -80⁰ C ultralow temperature refrigerators. Findings revealed that the red amaranth species (Amaranthus cruentus) was more tolerant to saline stress than the green amaranth species (Amaranthus hypochondriacus). Result data revealed that malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the red amaranth increased after 2 h then decreased (after 6 and 10 h) before rising again after 24 h. In the green amaranth, MDA content initially decreased after 2 h before increasing and later decreasing in a zigzag pattern ending in an increase after 24 h. There was an initial steep rise in proline content of green amaranth after 2 h which continued to still rise moderately till 24 h. In the red amaranth the initial rise in proline continued after 2, 6 and 10 h before it stopped. Results also showed that red amaranth gave higher value of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity as compared with green amaranth in all tested salinity exposure times. The investigation on the expression of four genes assessed through quantitative PCR indicated the efficiency of red amaranth in increasing the expression of SOS1, HKT1, NHX1, and DGR2 genes, which encode adaptation-related proteins under salinity stress. In summary, the current work demonstrated that red amaranth could be an efficient genetic resource in improving salt-tolerant genotypes belonging to Amaranthus genus.

Differential effects of pollen nutritional quality on male and female reproductive success within a diverse co‐flowering community

Abstract Pollen protein content has been demonstrated to be an essential nutritional component for bees and thus important in mediating plant–pollinator interactions. However, little is known on the drivers and consequences of among‐species variation in pollen protein content and how this can impact male and female reproductive success across plant species. Among‐species variation in resources allocated to pollen nutrition could further be constrained by life‐history strategies (e.g. survival‐reproduction trade‐offs) or evolutionary history. Here, we surveyed pollen protein content for 29 species within a diverse co‐flowering community and evaluated the effect of pollen protein on male and female reproductive success. We also tested the role of life history (annuals vs. perennials) and phylogeny in mediating differences in resource allocation to pollen nutrition. We found that pollen protein content influences components of male (bee visitor abundance and pollen dispersal) but not female (conspecific pollen deposition and pollen tube growth) reproductive success, suggesting this trait affects plants only via male function. This sex‐specific effect further suggests the potential for sexual conflicts driven by differential investment on this trait. We found no phylogenetic signal on pollen protein content. However, pollen protein content was higher in annual compared to perennial species suggesting survival versus reproduction trade‐offs also contribute to variation in pollen protein at the community level. Our study underscores the importance of understanding the ecological and evolutionary drivers of pollen protein content across plant species. Our results further suggest the existence of sexual conflicts and ecological trade‐offs mediated by differential investment in pollen nutritional quality, with important implications for community assembly and the structure of plant–pollinator interactions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

The Potential of Biocrust-Forming Cyanobacteria to Enhance Seedling Growth of Native Semi-arid Plants Through Seed Biopriming

AbstractIn drylands, extreme environmental conditions pose a challenge for restoration, especially on a large scale. Direct seeding is the most cost-effective approach to restore large areas, but it requires improvements to enhance seedling survival and establishment. For this purpose, biopriming seeds with cyanobacteria is promising due to their plant growth-promoting properties. We evaluated the effect of seed biopriming with native biocrust-forming cyanobacteria on seed germination and radicle length of four native plant species, two perennials (Macrochloa tenacissima and Thymus hyemalis) and two annuals (Plantago ovata and Stipa capensis), chosen for their ubiquity in Mediterranean drylands. Treatments included seed biopriming with cyanobacteria inoculants (biomass + exudate), seed priming only with the cyanobacterial exudate, and controls (BG11 culture medium and distilled water). Biopriming effect was assessed individually for four native biocrust-forming cyanobacteria species: Nostoc commune, Tolypothrix distorta, Trichocoleus desertorum, and Leptolyngbya frigida. Seed biopriming showed no effect on germination with similar rates among treatments (on average, 45 ± 12.6% for M. tenacissima, 38.8 ± 12.4% for T. hyemalis, 91.7 ± 9.8% for P. ovata and 77.6 ± 10.8% for S. capensis). However, biopriming significantly affected radicle length of annual plants. Radicles were significantly increased in P. ovata when treated with cyanobacterial exudates (15–30% increase over control), and in S. capensis when treated with cyanobacterial biomass + exudate (26–42% increase over control). These results indicate that the effect of seed biopriming is species specific, but selecting the appropriate plant species and biopriming treatment can enhance plant survival and establishment in drylands, making restoration efforts more successful.

Improving power law fitting of root tensile strength–diameter relationships

Abstract Purpose The relationship between root tensile strengths and diameters is often fitted using power law curves. More accurate fitting methodologies were developed, investigating a) the validity of least-squares regression assumptions underlying existing methods, b) how to best quantify intra-diameter variation, and c) whether to fit in terms of tensile strength or tensile force at failure. Methods Regression and maximum likelihood estimation were used to fit various power law models. 6461 tensile strength measurements from 153 existing datasets, covering 103 different plant species, were used to compare models. Results The intra-diameter variation in root strength is proportional to the average strength at each diameter, and is best described using a gamma distribution. When using linear regression on log-transformed measurements, a mathematical correction must be used to avoid underestimating the actual strength (18% on average). Compared to fitting tensile strengths, fitting in terms of root forces at failure was less reliable; the extra emphasis this method places on the effect of large diameters roots was not appropriate because of the typical abundance of thin roots in the field relative to those tested in tension. Average power law fits were proposed for broadleaved trees, conifers, shrubs, grasses and forbs. Conclusion Power law curves should be fitted in terms of root strength rather than root forces at failure, using the newly developed fitting methods that simultaneously fit both the inter-diameter (power law) and intra-diameter variation and can account for fitting bias. This will increase the reliability of future root reinforcement predictions.

CRISPR-Based Editing of the Medicago truncatula LEC1 Gene

Arabidopsis thaliana LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) gene is shown to have numerous diverse functions in plant development, including the regulation of embryo morphogenesis and maturation, hypocotyl elongation, flowering transition, etc. However, the functions of LEC1 orthologs in different plant species have not been extensively studied. In this study, we obtained a line of Medicago truncatula, a model leguminous plant, carrying the loss-of-function mutation in the MtLEC1 (MtNF-YB10) gene, orthologous to LEC1, using the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR/Cas9) genome editing system. Edited plants with loss of MtNF-YB10 function did not demonstrate any severe abnormalities during their normal growth and gave viable seeds, but their capability for somatic embryogenesis in vitro was dramatically reduced. The T1 progeny of unedited plants with a Cas9-gRNA cassette insertion was also analyzed based on the suggestion that editing could occur during seed formation. However, no edited plants were found in the T1 generation. These results suggest divergent functions of LEC1 orthologs and make it possible to investigate potential specific MtNF-YB10 functions.

Bioassay‐Guided Extraction and Isolation of Natural Herbicides from Dried Zanthoxylum limonella Alston Fruits

AbstractWeeds are problematic plant species around the world. Various strategies exist for controlling weeds, but chemical treatment remains the preferred method, particularly when using natural substances. In this research, a crude aqueous‐methanol extract from dried Zanthoxylum limonella fruits was acid‐base partitioned into four fractions: neutral extract (NE), acid extract (AE), basic extract (BE), and aqueous extract (AQ). These fractions were further separated into seventeen subfractions: NEF1 to NEF7, AEF1 to AEF5, and BEF1 to BEF5, which were then tested for herbicidal activity against the growth of Chinese amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor) and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus‐galli). Active subfractions were isolated via column chromatography and identified using spectroscopic methods, yielding seven active compounds: xanthoxyline (1), tambulin (2), atanine (3), prudomestin (4), skimmianine (5), p‐methoxybenzoic acid (6), and methyl caffeate (7). Compounds 2–7 had not been previously reported in Z. limonella. Xanthoxyline (1) was identified as the most potent botanical herbicide, fully inhibiting seed germination of Chinese amaranth and barnyard grass. This compound also decreased seed imbibition and α‐amylase activity in both species. Molecular docking studies on the α‐amylase enzyme (PDB ID: 1BG9) revealed that the aromatic, hydroxy, and carbonyl groups of xanthoxyline (1) interact with the enzyme's active sites.

Global Warming Will Drive Spatial Expansion of Prunus mira Koehne in Alpine Areas, Southeast Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Global climate change exerts great effects on plant distributions. However, the response of Prunus mira Koehne, one of the most important species for ecological protection in the southeast of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, to climate change remains unclear. To explore the ecological factors affecting the distribution of P. mira in the context of global climate change, the MaxENT model is used to predict suitable habitats for P. mira. Our study indicated that the distribution of Prunus mira Koehn is primarily influenced by temperature rather than precipitation, and warming can facilitate the growth of P. mira. When the temperature seasonality (bio4) ranges from 134 to 576 and the mean temperature of the coldest quarter (bio11) ranges from −2.6 °C to 2.7 °C, it is most conducive to the growth of P. mira. Among the four climate scenarios, the optimal habitat for P. mira is predominantly concentrated in river valley areas and is expected to expand into higher altitude regions, particularly in the north and southeast. SSP245 and SSP370 climate pathways are conducive to the growth and spatial expansion of P. mira. Our findings highlight the significant impact of temperature not precipitation on the distribution of P. mira, and this insight is crucial for the stability and conservation of this ecologically significant plant species.

Microbial Bioremediation of Petroleum Contaminated Soil: Structural Complexity, Degradation Dynamics and Advanced Remediation Techniques

Soil contamination with petroleum hydrocarbons poses a significant environmental challenge, necessitating effective remediation strategies to mitigate ecological risks. This review paper systematically examines the current state of knowledge regarding soil contamination with petroleum hydrocarbons, focusing on diverse sources and the extent of contamination. The investigation encompasses a range of hydrocarbon compounds, including aliphatic and aromatic fractions, emphasizing the dynamic nature of the contamination scenarios. A thorough review of bioremediation techniques, which have shown promise and sustainability as methods for cleaning up soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons are also involved in order to solve these issues. Each of the three microbial processes, biodegradation, bioaugmentation, and biostimulation, is covered in detail in the paper, along with the complex mechanics underlying each technique. The report also emphasises new developments in genetics and molecular biology that add to our understanding of the metabolic pathways and microbial interactions involved in hydrocarbon breakdown. The effectiveness of plant-assisted bioremediation coupled with bioaugmentation and stimulation, specifically phytoremediation, is also explored, emphasizing the potential of certain plant species to enhance the removal of petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated soils through rhizosphere interactions and plant-associated microbial activities. Furthermore, the paper evaluates the influence of environmental variables including soil composition, temperature, and moisture content on the effectiveness of bioremediation techniques, offering valuable perspectives on enhancing remediation efficiency through optimal conditions. The possibility for enhancing conventional bioremediation techniques through the incorporation of cutting-edge technology like nano-remediation is also explored.

Comparative analysis of IRE1s in plants: insights into heat stress adaptation in Triticum aestivum.

The unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway serves as a crucial mechanism enabling plants to perceive, respond to, and shield themselves from adverse environmental conditions. Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) is one of the key players of the UPR, and resides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) within the cell. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of 195 IRE1 genes across 90 diverse plant species, with a focus on their identification and characterization. To decipher the functions of IRE1 family members, we investigated the evolution and spread of IREs in plants and analysed their structural and localization characteristics. Our detailed cis-element analysis revealed unique IRE1 regulation patterns in different plant species. Furthermore, gene expression analysis revealed tissue-specific and heat stress-responsive expression patterns of TaIRE1s, which were subsequently confirmed via quantitative gene expression analysis. TaIRE1-6A was upregulated in response to dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment as well as heat stress. This finding suggests that IRE1 might play a role in linking the UPR pathway and the heat stress response (HSR). Our findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and expansion of IRE1 genes in different plant species. These findings provide a foundation for further in-depth research on the functional diversity of IREs in nutritious crops following polyploidization. By linking the UPR with HSR, IRE1 could be a key contributor to wheat's resilience against heat stress. Additionally, this connection offers important insights for future functional studies in other crops. Thus, this knowledge could be used for engineering climate resilience in crops such as wheat.

Planning eco-sensitive zones for promoting tree diversity and ecosystem services in urban academic landscapes: a case study from the North-western Indo-Gangetic plain

ABSTRACT Urban academic greenspaces provide a protective environment for the conservation of plants and animals and ecological health benefits to human beings. Several anthropogenic activities and landscape practices lead to patches of natural and built-up areas; therefore, a better understanding of campus tree diversity and ecosystem services among natural and built-up areas may help in biodiversity management. Considering this, we assessed how landscape heterogenicity (i.e. the proportion of natural and built-up/paved surface area) and planning principles influence tree density and diversity patterns in three zones (buffer zone: natural/remnant woodland; transition zone: mixed open grassland and woody plantation; core zone: paved/built-up, grassland, and scattered woody plantation) in the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali campus (Punjab) India. We found a total of 1,993 trees belonging to sixty-eight species, mostly native flora. We found that landscape planning principles significantly influenced tree diversity patterns, with the highest tree diversity in the B3 buffer zone (H: 2.9, PIE: 0.9), which integrated elements of the original landscape and new plantations to optimise ecological value and the lowest diversity in the B2 buffer zone (i.e. H: 0.4; PIE: 0.2) with a monoculture plantation of exotic agroforestry species. We also observed that tree density was negatively influenced by impervious surface area (r = -0.68, p < 0.05) in the core zones and by the plantation of exotic species in the natural areas. The campus diversity supports birds of different feeding guilds (insectivore: 41%, omnivore: 25%, carnivore: 25%, frugivore/nectarivore: 13%, graminivore: 4%, and piscivore: 2%). Additionally, academic buildings planned with high canopy cover and density (45% and 95 ha−1) had reduced the wall temperatures of academic buildings from 12°C to 6°C compared to neighbouring buildings without tree cover. This highlighted the importance of maintaining tree diversity in urban academic institutions to promote urban sustainability.

Enabling biocontained plant virus transmission studies through establishment of an axenic whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) colony on plant tissue culture.

Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) and the diseases they transmit are a major detriment to crop yields and a significant contributor to world hunger. The highly evolved interactions of host plant, phloem-feeding insect vector with endosymbionts and persistently transmitted virus represent a tremendous challenge for interdisciplinary study. Presented here is the establishment of a colony of axenic whiteflies on tissue-cultured plants. Efficient colony establishment was achieved by a surface sterilization of eggs laid on axenic phototrophically tissue-cultured plants. The transfer of emerging whiteflies through coupled tissue culture vessels to new axenic plants facilitates robust subculturing and produces hundreds of whitefly adults per month. Whitefly proliferation on more than two dozen plant species is shown as well as in vitro testing of whitefly preference for different plants. This novel multi-organism system provides the high-level of biocontainment required by Federal permitting to conduct virus transmission experiments. Axenic whitefly adults were able to acquire and transmit a begomovirus into tissue-cultured plants, indicating that culturable gut microorganisms are not required for virus transmission. The approach described enables a wide range of hypotheses regarding whitefly phytopathology without the expense, facilities, and contamination ambiguity associated with current approaches.

Meta-analysis unravels common responses of seed oil fatty acids to temperature for a wide set of genotypes of different plant species

Temperature is the main environmental determinant of seed oil fatty acid Q9 composition. There are no models describing common responses of main seed oil fatty acids to temperature in plants. The aim of thus work was to investigate common responses of seed oil fatty acids to minimum temperature during grain filling across species and genotypes. A database consisted of 164 genotypes of 9 species, sunflower, rapeseed, soybean, maize, flax, chia, safflower, olive and camelia, grown under a wide range of environmental conditions, was created and analyzed applying meta phenomics tools. Four widely sown species of the database was used to develop several common seed fatty acid responses and validate some models, and the other species were used to validate the General Model. The minimum temperature during grain filling responses of fatty acids in the General Model were close to responses found in genotypes of five independent species used to validate the model. Dissections of the general model by selecting the appropriate data allowed unraveling previously unknown features of the response of fatty acid to the minimum temperature during grain filling. The response of fatty acids to temperature for any species was unaffected by experimental conditions (field or controlled conditions) during the oil synthesis stage. The oleic acid trait did not affect the response to temperature of fatty acids synthesized downstream and upstream of it. Traits such as high stearic or high linoleic did not affect the response of fatty acids synthesized upstream or downstream of the trait. The established models and new knowledge could be applied to design cost effective and timely experiments to assess the potential responses of seed oil fatty acids to temperature of previously untested genotypes.

Constructed wetlands using recycled aggregates for the improved treatment of tailwater.

Recycled aggregates from the construction industry could be effective materials for constructed wetland (CW) wastewater treatment systems. However, whether the plants or which kinds of plants can survive in CWs with recycled aggregates or not is still scarce and urgent to study. The effects of different plant species, and several operation parameters on tailwater treatment from the sewage plants by CWs with different substrates (mixed construction recycled aggregate [MCRA], red brick [RB], and gravel) are systemically studied. The results showed that the average removal efficiencies of the chemical parameters in MCRA-CWs with seven plants, such as Cyperus alternifolius, were higher than those of RB-CWs and Gravel-CWs. In the MCRA-CWs, the average removal efficiencies of Typha orientalis, Cyperus alternifolius, and Phragmites australis were 77.58%, 75.09%, and 73.16%, respectively, which were higher than those of the other plants. Meanwhile, Proteobacteria had the highest relative abundances in MCRA and RB at 54.98% and 69.22%, respectively, whereas Cyanobacteria (35.21%) were the most abundant in the gravel. The influence of season on water purification was significant (p<0.05) in the MCRA. Overall, water quality purification was dependent on season, HRT, and C/N, which accounted for 86.1%, 13%, and 7.1%, respectively. The highest average removal efficiencies of the MCRA-CWs were 71.98% (COD), 85.58% (NH4+-N), 95.01% (TN), and 84.11% (TP) when the HRT was 3d and C/N ratio was 2.5 in the summer. This indicates that treated recycled construction aggregates could be used as substrates in CWs and have both wastewater purification and environmental improvement effects, thus achieving the purpose of "treating the wastes with wastes".

Cirsilineol improves anesthesia/surgery-induced postoperative cognitive dysfunction through attenuating oxidative stress and modulating microglia M1/M2 polarization

Background Cirsilineol is a trimethoxy and dihydroxy flavonoid isolated from plant species such as Artemisia vestita and has a variety of pharmacological properties. This study analyzed whether cirsilineol could prevent postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Methods A POCD mouse model induced by anesthesia/surgery induction and a cell model established with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced microglia BV-2 were employed to explore the efficacy of cirsilineol on POCD. The cognition function of the mice were assessed by carrying out behavioral tests (Morris water maze test and Y-maze test). We assessed the activation and polarization status of microglia using immunofluorescence analysis and detected the expression levels of CD86 and CD206 using the quantitative PCR (qPCR). Subsequently, cell viability was determined by CCK-8 assay and apoptosis was assessed using Calcein-AM/PI staining. Meanwhile, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in plasma and cell culture medium were detected using chemiluminescence. Finally, the phosphorylation levels of JAK/STAT signaling pathway-related proteins were analyzed by Western blot. Results Cirsilineol reduced the escape latency and times of crossing island and increased spontaneous alternation (SA) rate, restoring the cognitive dysfunctions of POCD-modeled mice. Meanwhile, POCD elevated CD86 expression and malondialdehyde content and lowered the level of SOD; however, cirsilineol promoted CD206 expression and generation of SOD and inhibited malondialdehyde production. In H2O2-induced microglia BV-2, cirsilineol treatment increased SOD content and suppressed the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde, modulating microglia M1/M2 polarization and JAK/STAT pathway. Conclusion Cirsilineol prevented against POCD by attenuating oxidative stress and modulating microglia M1/M2 polarization, providing novel insights for the management of POCD.

Granite outcrops as possible havens for biodiversity in arid land

Little is known about granite outcrops in arid regions. The current study sought to determine if granite outcrops generate wetter islands compared to their arid surroundings. Forty independent phytosociological stands dealing with granite outcrops (25 stands) and nearby matrix (15 stands) vegetation were sampled. A total of 146 species of vascular plants were identified, categorised into 39 families and 106 genera. Results recorded more taxa in granite outcrops than in their matrix; specifically, there were 29.2% more species, 33.8% more genera and 26.6% more families in the granite outcrops than in their matrix. Only 16 species were reported in the matrix area that are not present in the granite outcrops, compared to 46 species found in the granite outcrops that are absent from the matrix area. The ratios of therophytes and phanerophytes in granite outcrops were 5% and 11.1% greater, respectively, than those observed in their matrices. The proportions of Sudano-Zambasian elements were higher in granite outcrops than those in the matrix and, in contrast, the Sudano-Arabian and tropical elements proportions were higher in the matrix than those in the granite outcrops. The current results concluded that granite outcrops form wetter island-like habitats as compared to their surroundings.

Phytoremediation potential of potted plant species against vehicular emissions

Urbanization and industrialization are exponentially deteriorating air quality, ecosystems, and human health. Phytoremediation is cost cost-effective, sustainable, and nature-based solution against air pollution. This study is designed to evaluate four species, Chlorophytum comosum, Rhapis excelsa, Spathiphyllum wallisii, and Ficus benjamina for their phytoremediation potential. The experimental setup consisted of a sealed chamber to place potted plants and equipment, it was also connected to the vehicular exhaust pipe. The Air Pollution Tolerance Index was highest for F. benjamina (12.19) and lowest for Rhapis excels (8.58). C. comosum has the highest VOC removal efficiency (90%, 0.172 ppm h−1). NOx remediation was highest by F. benjamina with 0.057 ppm h−1 (77%) removal efficiency. SOx and CO were remediated more efficiently by C. comosum, as 89%, (0.18 ppm h−1) and 80% (0.23 ppm h−1), respectively. R. excelsa reduced a higher concentration of NH3 (77%, 0.06 ppm h−1) compared to other species. R. excelsa and S. wallisii may serve as bio-indicator species. These findings provide a sustainable, natural, economical, and eco-friendly way to mitigate air pollution. F. benjamina and C. comosum are suitable species for urban landscapes, green spaces, urban plantations, and green walls to curb air pollutants due to traffic and industries.