Intense Selection Research Articles

Genome-wide analysis of the peanut CaM/CML gene family reveals that the AhCML69 gene is associated with resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum

BackgroundCalmodulins (CaMs)/CaM-like proteins (CMLs) are crucial Ca2+-binding sensors that can decode and transduce Ca2+ signals during plant development and in response to various stimuli. The CaM/CML gene family has been characterized in many plant species, but this family has not yet been characterized and analyzed in peanut, especially for its functions in response to Ralstonia solanacearum. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis to analyze the CaM/CML genes and their functions in resistance to R. solanacearum.ResultsHere, 67, 72, and 214 CaM/CML genes were identified from Arachis duranensis, Arachis ipaensis, and Arachis hypogaea, respectively. The genes were divided into nine subgroups (Groups I-IX) with relatively conserved exon‒intron structures and motif compositions. Gene duplication, which included whole-genome duplication, tandem repeats, scattered repeats, and unconnected repeats, produced approximately 81 pairs of homologous genes in the AhCaM/CML gene family. Allopolyploidization was the main reason for the greater number of AhCaM/CML members. The nonsynonymous (Ka) versus synonymous (Ks) substitution rates (less than 1.0) suggested that all homologous pairs underwent intensive purifying selection pressure during evolution. AhCML69 was constitutively expressed in different tissues of peanut plants and was involved in the response to R. solanacearum infection. The AhCML69 protein was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Transient overexpression of AhCML69 in tobacco leaves increased resistance to R. solanacearum infection and induced the expression of defense-related genes, suggesting that AhCML69 is a positive regulator of disease resistance.ConclusionsThis study provides the first comprehensive analysis of the AhCaM/CML gene family and potential genetic resources for the molecular design and breeding of peanut bacterial wilt resistance.

Unveiling Insights: A Comprehensive Review of the Role of Medical Thoracoscopy in Pleural Effusion Assessment.

Pleural effusion, characterized by abnormal fluid accumulation in the pleural cavity, poses diagnostic and therapeutic challenges across various medical conditions. This comprehensive review explores the role of medical thoracoscopy in assessing pleural effusions, providing insights into its historical context, procedural intricacies, diagnostic performance, safety considerations, and clinical applications. Medical thoracoscopy, a minimally invasive endoscopic procedure, offers advantages such as high diagnostic yield, therapeutic interventions, real-time assessment, and a minimally invasive nature. The review critically analyzes the procedure's advantages and disadvantages, including technical expertise, risk of complications, resource intensity, and patient selection criteria. Comparative analyses with alternative diagnostic modalities highlight the unique benefits of medical thoracoscopy in specific clinical scenarios. The diagnostic yield of medical thoracoscopy is examined, considering sensitivity and specificity in various contexts. Patient selection criteria, complications, and safety measures are discussed, emphasizing the importance of careful consideration in integrating thoracoscopy into clinical practice. The review further explores its clinical applications, including differentiating exudative and transudative effusions, identifying specific etiologies, and its role in treatment planning. In conclusion, medical thoracoscopy emerges as a valuable tool in the comprehensive management of pleural effusions, offering a nuanced approach to diagnosis and treatment. The evolving landscape of diagnostic modalities underscores the continued significance of medical thoracoscopy and potential advancements in the field.

Genome-Wide Analysis of Pentatricopeptide Repeat Gene Family in Peanut and Identification of AhPPR598 Resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins, with tandem 30–40 amino acids, were characterized as one kind of nucleus coding protein. They have been demonstrated to play important roles in RNA editing, plant growth and development, and plant immunity. Although the PPR gene family has been characterized in some plant species, less is known about this family in peanut, especially their functions in response to Ralstonia solanacearum. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis to identify PPR genes and their functions in resistance to R. solanacearum. Here, 389, 481, and 1079 PPR genes were identified from Arachis duranensis, Arachis ipaensis, and Arachis hypogaea, respectively. Allopolyploidization was the main reason for the increased number of the AhPPR members. Gene duplication brought about 367 pairs of homologous genes of PPRs in A. hypogaea. Whole-genome replication, tandem repeats, scattered repeats, and unconnected repeats constituted the replication types. The substitution rates of nonsynonymous (Ka) versus synonymous (Ks) of all homologous pairs were less than 1.0, suggesting that the homologous AhPPRs underwent intense purifying selection pressure and remained conserved in both structure and function. RNA-seq and RT-qPCR analyses showed that AhPPR598 gene was highly expressed in the aerial part of peanut and involved in response to R. solanacearum. The transient expression of AhPPR598 in Nicotiana benthamiana induced the HR-mediated cell death, up-regulated expression of resistant marker genes, and enhanced the resistance to R. solanacearum, suggesting AhPPR598 was a positive regulator of immunity by regulating the JA and SA pathways. These results provide a new understanding of the origin, distribution, and evolution of the AhPPR gene family and potential gene resources for peanut-resistant breeding.

Deciphering climate resilience in Indian cattle breeds by selection signature analyses.

The signature of selection is a crucial concept in evolutionary biology that refers to the pattern of genetic variation which arises in a population due to natural selection. In the context of climate adaptation, the signature of selection can reveal the genetic basis of adaptive traits that enable organisms to survive and thrive in changing environmental conditions. Breeds living in diverse agroecological zones exhibit genetic "footprints" within their genomes that mirror the influence of climate-induced selective pressures, subsequently impacting phenotypic variance. It is assumed that the genomes of animals residing in these regions have been altered through selection for various climatic adaptations. These regions are known as signatures of selection and can be identified using various summary statistics. We examined genotypic data from eight different cattle breeds (Gir, Hariana, Kankrej, Nelore, Ongole, Red Sindhi, Sahiwal, and Tharparkar) that are adapted to diverse regional climates. To identify selection signature regions in thisinvestigation, we used four intra-population statistics: Tajima's D, CLR, iHS, and ROH. In this study, we utilized Bovine 50K chip data and four genome scan techniques to assess the genetic regions of positive selection for high-temperature adaptation. We have also performed a genome-wide investigation of genetic diversity, inbreeding, and effective population size in our target dataset. We identified potential regions for selection that are likely to be caused by adverse climatic conditions. We observed many adaptation genes in several potential selection signature areas. These include genes like HSPB2, HSPB3, HSP20, HSP90AB1, HSF4, HSPA1B, CLPB, GAP43, MITF, and MCHR1 which have been reported in the cattle populations that live in varied climatic regions. The findings demonstrated that genes involved in disease resistance and thermotolerance were subjected to intense selection. The findings have implications for marker-assisted breeding, understanding the genetic landscape of climate-induced adaptation, putting breeding andconservation programs into action.

Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Rice Panicle Blast-Resistant Gene Pb4 Encoding a Wall-Associated Kinase.

Rice blast is one of the most devastating diseases, causing a significant reduction in global rice production. Developing and utilizing resistant varieties has proven to be the most efficient and cost-effective approach to control blasts. However, due to environmental pressure and intense pathogenic selection, resistance has rapidly broken down, and more durable resistance genes are being discovered. In this paper, a novel wall-associated kinase (WAK) gene, Pb4, which confers resistance to rice blast, was identified through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) utilizing 249 rice accessions. Pb4 comprises an N-terminal signal peptide, extracellular GUB domain, EGF domain, EGF-Ca2+ domain, and intracellular Ser/Thr protein kinase domain. The extracellular domain (GUB domain, EGF domain, and EGF-Ca2+ domain) of Pb4 can interact with the extracellular domain of CEBiP. Additionally, its expression is induced by chitin and polygalacturonic acid. Furthermore, transgenic plants overexpressing Pb4 enhance resistance to rice blast. In summary, this study identified a novel rice blast-resistant gene, Pb4, and provides a theoretical basis for understanding the role of WAKs in mediating rice resistance against rice blast disease.

N-myristoyltransferase1 regulates biomass accumulation in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)1

Plant biomass is an important agronomic trait subjected to intense human selection for yield improvement. The underlying mechanism regulating biomass formation is currently gaining increasing attention, but still remains unexplored. In this study, we isolated a cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) minicuke mutant with remarkably reduced biomass. The causative gene CsNMT1, a homologous to the Arabidopsis thaliana N-myristoyltransferase1, was identified. Our clustered regularly interspaced shot palindromic repeat-based genome editing confirmed the key role of CsNMT1 in biomass regulation. Multi-omics analyses integrating with metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed the suppression of a very early step of lignin biosynthesis and the corresponding down-regulation of genes involved in the lignin biosynthesis in the minicikue mutant, suggesting an unexpected pathway to regulate biomass accumulation through lignin sink strength. Our findings demonstrate the function of NMT1 in regulating plant biomass and its potential application value for biomass improvement in cucurbits.

Detection and characterization of copy number variation in three differentially-selected Nellore cattle populations.

Introduction: Nellore cattle (Bos taurus indicus) is the main beef cattle breed raised in Brazil. This breed is well adapted to tropical conditions and, more recently, has experienced intensive genetic selection for multiple performance traits. Over the past 43years, an experimental breeding program has been developed in the Institute of Animal Science (IZ, Sertaozinho, SP, Brazil), which resulted in three differentially-selected lines known as Nellore Control (NeC), Nellore Selection (NeS), and Nellore Traditional (NeT). The primary goal of this selection experiment was to determine the response to selection for yearling weight (YW) and residual feed intake (RFI) on Nellore cattle. The main objectives of this study were to: 1) identify copy number variation (CNVs) in Nellore cattle from three selection lines; 2) identify and characterize CNV regions (CNVR) on these three lines; and 3) perform functional enrichment analyses of the CNVR identified. Results: A total of 14,914 unique CNVs and 1,884 CNVRs were identified when considering all lines as a single population. The CNVRs were non-uniformly distributed across the chromosomes of the three selection lines included in the study. The NeT line had the highest number of CNVRs (n = 1,493), followed by the NeS (n = 823) and NeC (n = 482) lines. The CNVRs covered 23,449,890 bp (0.94%), 40,175,556 bp (1.61%), and 63,212,273 bp (2.54%) of the genome of the NeC, NeS, and NeT lines, respectively. Two CNVRs were commonly identified between the three lines, and six, two, and four exclusive regions were identified for NeC, NeS, and NeT, respectively. All the exclusive regions overlap with important genes, such as SMARCD3, SLC15A1, and MAPK1. Key biological processes associated with the candidate genes were identified, including pathways related to growth and metabolism. Conclusion: This study revealed large variability in CNVs and CNVRs across three Nellore lines differentially selected for YW and RFI. Gene annotation and gene ontology analyses of the exclusive CNVRs to each line revealed specific genes and biological processes involved in the expression of growth and feed efficiency traits. These findings contribute to the understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying the phenotypic differences among the three Nellore selection lines.

Mutations in the GDF8 Gene in Double-Muscled Cattle: Mechanisms of Action and Relevance for Livestock Production

Myostatin (MSTN) has the function of limiting muscle growth, keeping satellite cells quiescent and acting on cell development, proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, migration and apoptosis. The mutation in the GDF8 gene proved to be advantageous as it presents some important attributes for the production of beef cattle, such as: gains in feed conversion and meat quality, making the meat leaner and more tender, resulting in intense selection for use in crossing programs in Brazil and around the world. We carried out a literature review on the mutation in the GDF8 gene in different breeds of Double Muscled cattle. We evaluated the frequency of polymorphisms present in research and observed that Indel c. 818 and MSTN-F94L were the markers most used in research. The MSTN-F94L polymorphism influenced musculature in the Jersey-Limousin backcross population. Furthermore, the polymorphism is strongly associated with the additive effect on birth weight, weaning weight and yearling weight, in addition to increasing the ease of direct birth in pure or mixed breeds. GDF8 gene polymorphisms can be used to improve performance traits in beef cattle. However, the influence of these markers needs to be determined in each herd.

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis lameness in broiler chickens and its implications for welfare, meat safety, and quality: a review.

The exponential increase in global population continues to present an ongoing challenge for livestock producers worldwide to consistently provide a safe, high-quality, and affordable source of protein for consumers. In the last 50years, the poultry industry has spearheaded this effort thanks to focused genetic and genomic selection for feed-efficient, high-yielding broilers. However, such intense selection for productive traits, along with conventional industry farming practices, has also presented the industry with a myriad of serious issues that negatively impacted animal health, welfare, and productivity-such as woody breast and virulent diseases commonly associated with poultry farming. Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) lameness is one such issue, having rapidly become a key issue affecting the poultry industry with serious impacts on broiler welfare, meat quality, production, food safety, and economic losses since its discovery in 1972. This review focuses on hallmark clinical symptoms, diagnosis, etiology, and impact of BCO lameness on key issues facing the poultry industry.

Comparison of Fleckvieh and Montbeliarde Stud Bulls with Turkish Simmental Stud Bulls in Terms of Genetic Structure and Diversity

The original Simmental cattle stood out for their potentials of durability, rapid growth and milk quality. They deliver many kinds of breeding types due to their multi-purpose production. The goals of Simmental cattle breeding has been diverted many times since its domestication. Intensive selection programs applied to increase the frequency of alleles associated with economically important traits in the population may cause the frequencies of some alleles to decrease or even disappear. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the diversity of Simmental cattle subpopulations, which have been subjected to many crossbreeding and selection programs since their existence, by using their sire lines. For this purpose, genetic structure and diversity were evaluated using microsatellite data of 16 Simmental bulls bred in Türkiye and 115 Fleckvieh and 27 Montbeliarde breeding bulls whose semen imported to Türkiye. As a result, it was observed that the genetic structure of Montbeliarde subpopulation had more homogenity than Fleckvieh and Turkish Simmental subpopulations. Besides, the genetic structure of Turkish Simmental subpopulation was similar to Fleckvieh subpopulation.

The Effects of Shading on the Photosynthetic Performance of Endangered Plant Horsfieldia hainanensis Seedlings

Shading is one of the management practices for preventing the damage or injury of plant seedlings during extreme weather and climate events, such as very high temperatures and heat stress. In this study, we investigated the effects of different shading conditions on the photosynthetic characteristics of the endangered plant Horsfieldia hainanensis in Guangxi, China. The H. hainanensis seedlings in this study underwent five shading treatments, including 20% (L1), 40% (L2), 60% (L3), 80% (L4), and 100% (control) of full sunlight. The net growth of their diameter and height, and photosynthetic gas exchange parameters including their photosynthesis rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and water use efficiency (WUE) were measured for the examined seedlings. The OJIP curve and 820 nm light absorption curve, and the osmotic substances and products of membrane lipid peroxidation were employed to assess photosynthetic capacity, identify the factors constraining photosynthetic carbon assimilation, and investigate the mechanisms influencing photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI) in the seedlings under shade stress. The results showed that the seedlings in the L2 treatments had the highest net growth and Pn, the best photosynthetic performance, and the best coordination between PSII and PSI. The net photosynthesis (Pn) levels exhibited a declining trend in the following order: L2 > L3 > L4 > L1. In the L1 treatment, non-stomatal factors emerged as the primary determinant affecting the Pn of the seedlings. The performance index (potential) of PSII, representing the conservation of absorbed photon energy to intersystem electron acceptor reduction (PIABS and ΔI/I0) of the seedlings, decreased in the order of L2 > L3 > L4 > L1. The photosystem performance and the coordination between PSII and PSI (Φ(PSI/PSII)) of the seedlings decreased in the order of L2 > L1 > L3 > L4. Under the low and moderate shading stresses (L1–L3), more serious damages occurred in PSII than in PSI, including on the donor side of PSII and in the electron transfer from QB to the acceptor side of PSI. In contrast, more considerable injury occurred in PSI than in PSII under the stress of the heavy shading treatment (L4). Considering the alterations in their leaf osmotic regulatory substances and membrane lipid peroxidation products, our findings indicate that the L2 treatment was the most conducive to the growth of the H. hainanensis seedlings. In contrast, the L1 treatment subjected H. hainanensis seedlings to the most significant stress, resulting in substantial damage to their growth and photosynthetic mechanisms. Our research provides a scientific insight into and a practical guide for the selection of an appropriate light intensity for the conservation and cultivation of endangered plant species, such as H. hainanensis.

Pedigree diversity and implications for genetic selection of Katahdin sheep.

The Katahdin hair breed gained popularity in the United States as low input and prolific, with a propensity to exhibit parasite resistance. With the introduction of genomically enhanced estimated breeding values (GEBV) to the Katahdin genetic evaluation, defining the diversity present in the breed is pertinent. Utilizing pedigree records (n = 92,030) from 1984 to 2019 from the National Sheep Improvement Program, our objectives were to (i) estimate the completeness and quality of the pedigree, (ii) calculate diversity statistics for the whole pedigree and relevant reference subpopulations and (iii) assess the impact of current diversity on genomic selection. Reference 1 was Katahdins born from 2017 to 2019 (n = 23,494), while reference 2 was a subset with at least three generations of Katahdin ancestry (n = 9327). The completeness of the whole pedigree, and the pedigrees of reference 1 and reference 2, were above 50% through the fourth, fifth and seventh generation of ancestors, respectively. Effective population size (Ne) averaged 111 animals with a range from 42.2 to 451.0. The average generation interval was 2.9 years for the whole pedigree and reference 1, and 2.8 years for reference 2. The mean individual inbreeding and average relatedness coefficients were 1.62% and 0.91%, 1.74% and 0.90% and 2.94% and 1.46% for the whole pedigree, reference 1, and reference 2, respectively. There were over 300 effective founders in the whole pedigree and reference 1, with 169 in reference 2. Effective number of ancestors were over 150 for the whole pedigree and reference 1, while there were 67 for reference 2. Prediction accuracies increased as the reference population grew from 1k to 7.5k and plateaued at 15k animals. Given the large number of founders and ancestors contributing to the base genetic variation in the breed, the Ne is sufficient to maintain diversity while achieving progress with selection. Stable low rates of inbreeding and relatedness suggest that incorporating genetic conservation in breeding decisions is currently not of high priority. Current Ne suggests that with limited genotyping, high levels of accuracy for genomic prediction can be achieved. However, intense selection on GEBV may cause loss of genetic diversity long term.

Study on Genetic Variability and Correlation of Yield Traits in the F3 Population Derived from Wild Introgression Lines of Swarna/Oryza nivara

Wild and related species are a source of wide genetic diversity. Back cross inbred line 166-2S derived from Swarna/Oryza nivara was crossed with Swarna to generate F3 population. This F3 population was raised in wet season of 2018 and data was collected for ten yield traits. Among all ten yield traits, single plant yield was highly associated with PH, TN, PTN, BM, TDM, HI, PL, PW and GW. HI was observed with a highly significant negative association with PH and BM. Positive skewness was observed for TN, PTN, SPY, BM, TDM and GW with platykurtic distribution and complementary gene action, suggesting an intense selection for better genetic gain. The panicle weight showed positive skewness with leptokurtic distribution, indicating the genetic regulation by only a few segregating genes. The negatively skewed and platykurtic distribution of PH, PL and HI indicated the governance of large number of dominant genes with duplicate interaction in the inheritance of these traits.

Expression of chemerin and its receptors in extra-embryonic annexes and role of chemerin and its GPR1 receptor in embryo development in layer and broiler hens

Intensive genetic selection of broiler breeders and layer hens resulted in differences in the mechanisms of growth and also in cell metabolism during embryogenesis. Previous research has shown that an adipokine named chemerin and one of these receptors, CMKLR1 were potentially involved in broiler embryo development. Here, our objectives were 1. to compare the expression of chemerin and its receptors CMKLR1, GPR1 and CCRL2 and chemerin concentration in extra-embryonic annexes (allantoic and amniotic membranes and fluids and plasma) in broiler and layer fertile eggs during the development (embryonic day (ED) 7, 14 and 18) by RT-qPCR and specific chicken ELISA and 2. to investigate the role of chemerin and one of its receptors GPR1 in embryo development after in ovo injections of neutralizing antibodies against chicken chemerin and GPR1. We found that chemerin expression in amniotic membranes was higher in layer than broiler eggs at ED7 and ED14 whereas the expression of the three receptors was higher in layer than broiler in the allantoic membranes at ED14 and ED18. Chemerin concentration was more important in layer than broiler at ED14 and ED18 in amniotic liquid and at all the studied stages in blood plasma. We also showed positive correlation between amniotic chemerin concentration and chemerin amniotic membrane expression, chemerin plasma concentration and embryo body weight in both breeds. Finally, in ovo injection of chicken chemerin and GPR1 neutralizing antibodies increased embryo mortality in both layer and broiler eggs. Taken together, even if chemerin concentration and chemerin system expression in embryonic membranes are mainly higher expressed in layer than in broiler, chemerin potentially through GPR1 could promote embryo development in both breeds.

Studies of Skewness, Kurtosis and Transgressive Segregants in F2:3 Populations of Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata L.)

The present investigation was carried out to study gene action and pattern of inheritance of different traits in cowpea. Two different F3 segregating generation of crosses viz., VBN-1 × RC-19 and KBC-9 × PGCP-6 were studied during summer 2021 using augmented random block design at College of Agriculture, Kalaburagi. Data were recorded on 10 different quantitative traits. Transgressive segregants with values exceeding the better parent were observed in both the F2:3 populations for seed yield. In both the populations, negative skewness was observed for days to initiation of flowering, days to physiological maturity and number of pods/plant whereas test weight exhibited positive skewness suggesting a mild and intense selection would be sufficient to gain maximum genetic-gain in negatively and positively skewed traits, respectively. In both the F2:3 populations, positive kurtosis was observed for number of branches / plant, test weight and dry matter content/plant indicating that these traits are governed by fewer numbers of genes.

Trade-offs between forest carbon sinks and multidimensional forest values: from assessment to management strategies

Forests are one of the subjects that can effectively mitigate climate change and are important for achieving carbon sequestration. In order to determine the maximum carbon sequestration of forests and the optimal management mode, this paper selected several indicators related to forest carbon sequestration and determined the main influencing indicators and mechanisms through regression significance analysis, and concluded that the selection of forest age and harvesting intensity have an important influence on the carbon sequestration effect and sustainability of forests. Based on the above analysis, we constructed a model of logging intensity and forest carbon sequestration, and brought in the forest data of each province to arrive at the optimal logging intensity of 23%-30%. Second, in order to determine the optimal comprehensive benefits of forests, this paper extends the model to consider forest values in more dimensions and determine the corresponding indicators, and uses the entropy weight method to determine their contribution rates to construct a comprehensive forest evaluation model. Using this model, this study measures and analyzes the Changbai Mountain forest area and Hainan forest area, and then derives the corresponding forest management strategies to maximize their comprehensive benefits.

Parasitoid Serpins Evolve Novel Functions to Manipulate Host Homeostasis.

Parasitoids introduce various virulence factors when parasitism occurs, and some taxa generate teratocytes to manipulate the host immune system and metabolic homeostasis for the survival and development of their progeny. Host-parasitoid interactions are extremely diverse and complex, yet the evolutionary dynamics are still poorly understood. A category of serpin genes, named CvT-serpins, was discovered to be specifically expressed and secreted by the teratocytes of Cotesia vestalis, an endoparasitoid of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella. Genomic and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the C. vestalis serpin genes are duplicated and most of them are clustered into 1 monophyletic clade. Intense positive selection was detected at the residues around the P1-P1' cleavage sites of the Cv-serpin reactive center loop domain. Functional analyses revealed that, in addition to the conserved function of melanization inhibition (CvT-serpins 1, 16, 18, and 21), CvT-serpins exhibited novel functions, i.e. bacteriostasis (CvT-serpins 3 and 5) and nutrient metabolism regulation (CvT-serpins 8 and 10). When the host-parasitoid system is challenged with foreign bacteria, CvT-serpins act as an immune regulator to reprogram the host immune system through sustained inhibition of host melanization while simultaneously functioning as immune effectors to compensate for this suppression. In addition, we provided evidence that CvT-serpin8 and 10 participate in the regulation of host trehalose and lipid levels by affecting genes involved in these metabolic pathways. These findings illustrate an exquisite tactic by which parasitoids win out in the parasite-host evolutionary arms race by manipulating host immune and nutrition homeostasis via adaptive gene evolution and neofunctionalization.

Balancing wood production and water use efficiency in the selection of open-pollinated families of Gmelina arborea

Global climate crisis and severe water scarcity worldwide demand alternative genotypes that allow an adequate balance between production and water use while ensuring benefits for foresters. The genetic improvement of water use efficiency (WUE) in forest plantations could reduce water use without compromising yield. Above-ground biomass (AGB), saw-wood volume up to small-end diameter of 15 cm (V15), wood density (WD) and intrinsic WUE (WUEi) from wood carbon isotopic discrimination was evaluated in forty open-pollinated families of G. arborea grown in a tropical dry forest known as a water-limited environment, to select superior genotypes considering a balance in wood production and water use. Heritability of open-pollinated family means were moderate with values of h2f = 0.554 for AGB, h2f = 0.541 for V15, h2f = 0.608 for WD and h2f = 0.495 for WUEi. Significant genetic correlations between both WD and WUEi and production traits (p < 0.05) and a nonsignificant genetic correlation between WD and WUEi were found. Although production traits and WUEi showed moderate narrow-sense and family means heritabilities, considerable responses to selection of up to 13.7% in AGB, 15.5% in V15, 2.5% in WD and 3.0% in WUEi could be achieved from intensive selection of superior families. Our results showed that it may be possible balancing wood production and WUE by selecting open-pollinated families of G. arborea with higher V15 and WUEi. The deployment of these superior families can be used as a forest management strategy to adapt the species to future drought scenarios associated with global climate change.

Genome-wide identification of bZIP gene family and expression analysis of BhbZIP58 under heat stress in wax gourd

BackgroundThe basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor family is one of the most abundant and evolutionarily conserved gene families in plants. It assumes crucial functions in the life cycle of plants, including pathogen defense, secondary metabolism, stress response, seed maturation, and flower development. Although the genome of wax gourd has been published, little is known about the functions, evolutionary background, and gene expression patterns of the bZIP gene family, which limits its utilization.ResultsA total of 61 bZIP genes (BhbZIPs) were identified from wax gourd (Benincasa hispida) genome and divided into 12 subgroups. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) and dispersed duplication (DSD) were the main driving forces of bZIP gene family expansion in wax gourd, and this family may have undergone intense purifying selection pressure during the evolutionary process. We selected BhbZIP58, only one in the member of subgroup B, to study its expression patterns under different stresses, including heat, salt, drought, cold stress, and ABA treatment. Surprisingly, BhbZIP58 had a dramatic response under heat stress. BhbZIP58 showed the highest expression level in the root compared with leaves, stem, stamen, pistil, and ovary. In addition, BhbZIP58 protein was located in the nucleus and had transcriptional activation activity. Overexpression of BhbZIP58 in Arabidopsis enhanced their heat tolerance.ConclusionsIn this study, bZIP gene family is systematically bioinformatically in wax gourd for the first time. Particularly, BhbZIP58 may have an important role in heat stress. It will facilitate further research on the bZIP gene family regarding their evolutionary history and biological functions.

Outcomes of Allogeneic Transplantation for Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma in Adolescents and Young Adult (AYA) and Young Patients

Introduction Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) provides a durable remission for patients with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL). Reduced-intensity regimens (RIC) have been increasingly used in ATL patients due to their old age and higher non-relapse mortality. However, the role of RIC regimen has not been fully evaluated among ATL patients aged &amp;lt;50 years. We here conducted a nationwide study to evaluate the prognostic impact of conditioning intensity on the post-transplant outcomes in ATL patients aged &amp;lt;50 years. Methods The clinical data of patients aged &amp;lt;50 years who underwent their first allo-HSCT between January 2001 and December 2020 were collected from the Transplant Registry Unified Management Program of the Japan Society for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate variables potentially affecting overall survival (OS), graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)- and relapse-free survival (GRFS), and chronic GVHD-free survival (CRFS). Fine and Gray proportional hazards models were used to evaluate variables potentially affecting cumulative incidences of relapse (CIR) and non-relapse mortality (NRM). CIR and NRM were estimated using cumulative incidence curves to accommodate competing events. A two-sided P-value ≤0.05 was considered to be significant. To examine the effect modification, a threshold for P interaction &amp;lt;0.10 was used to indicate significant differences across prespecified subgroups. Results This study included 73 and 330 patients who were &amp;lt;40 years old (adolescents and young adults [AYA] patients) and 40-49 years old (young patients), respectively. In AYA patients, the median age at HSCT was 36 years (range, 20-39). RIC regimen was used in 16 out of 57 AYA patients (21.9%), and in 74 out of 330 young patients (22.4%) (P=1.000). There was no significant difference of the patient characteristics regarding comorbidity, performance status at HSCT, disease status, clinical subtype, and donor type. The estimated 3-year OS rates were 61.8% and 43.1% in AYA and young patients, respectively (P=0.005); the estimated 3-year CRFS rates were 35.8% and 22.6% in AYA and young patients, respectively (P=0.008); and the estimated 3-year GRFS rates were 26.7% and 15.1% in AYA and young patients, respectively (P=0.006). The estimated 3-year CIR were 36.3% and 39.3% in AYA and young patients, respectively (P=0.407); and the estimated 3-year NRM were 17.0% and 23.4% in AYA and young patients, respectively (P=0.113). In addition, the use of RIC regimen was associated with lower NRM than that of MAC regimen (P=0.015), but there was no significant difference of OS, CRFS, GRFS, and CIR between MAC and RIC regimens. The multivariate analyses revealed that young patients were significantly associated with worse OS (Hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidential interval], 1.62 [1.10-2.39]; P=0.015), CRFS (HR, 1.51 [1.10-2.06]; P=0.010), and GRFS (HR, 1.49 [1.11-1.99]; P=0.008) than AYA patients. The utilization of RIC regimen was significantly associated with lower NRM (HR, 0.46 [0.24-0.86]; P=0.015). To find the optimal selection of conditioning intensity (MAC vs. RIC) by patient's age, we next evaluated the effect modification. In the subgroup analysis, there was significant interaction of conditioning intensity with patient's age (P interaction=0.002) in NRM but not in OS, CRFS, GRFS, and CIR. Among AYA patients, the estimated 1-year NRM were 12.5% and 18.8% in MAC and RIC regimens, respectively (P=0.085). Among young patients, the estimated 1-year NRM were 23.5% and 8.2% in MAC and RIC regimens, respectively (P&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion The present study clarified that AYA patients exhibited better post-transplant outcomes than young patients, indicating the prognostic value of patient's age in ATL patients aged &amp;lt;50 years. Moreover, no significant differences were observed in OS, CRFS, GRFS, and CIR between RIC and MAC regimens, but the utilization of RIC regimen would reduce the risk of non-relapse death among young patients. These facts suggested that RIC regimen could be an alternative option for ATL patients aged 40-49 years.