Shorter Root Length Research Articles

A novel fluorescent probe for MGO detection and its application for monitoring root growth and drought stress in Arabidopsis thaliana

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is a vital signaling molecule that related to a variety of pathologies in both animals and plants. However, high levels of MGO are associated with several diseases. Therefore, developing a sensitive method for monitoring MGO levels in vivo and investigating its molecular mechanism is of great importance. Although most of the reported MGO fluorescence probes are designed for cells and animals, none have been used for study MGO levels in plants. Consequently, we herein report a fluorescent probe named CPDN, which is rational constructed utilizing coumarin derivatives and O-phenylenediamine as the fluorophore and the recognition group, respectively. In our study, CPDN have shown ability to selectively and sensitively detect MGO in solution and has been successfully exploited for imaging endogenous and exogenous MGO levels in living cells, zebrafish and Arabidopsis thaliana. Surprisingly, further investigation of CPDN has found that high MGO levels in Arabidopsis thaliana could inhibit the root growth. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the MGO levels in Arabidopsis thaliana increased when subjected to drought stress, which may be the main cause inhibiting root development and resulting in shorter root length. Therefore, the probe CPDN can be a powerful tool for studying the MGO levels under abiotic stress conditions and exploring its role in plant growth mechanisms. We believe that the application of CPDN in monitoring MGO levels in plants holds great values for deepening the understanding of plant growth mechanisms.

A Study to Estimate the effect of Water Scarcity On the Morphological and Biochemical Parameter of the Plant

The importance of doing research on the effects of water scarcity on plant health and productivity cannot be overstated, particularly in light of the effects of climate change and the rising urgency of water scarcity. Calculating the ways in which water scarcity influences the morphological and biochemical features of plants is the objective of this research. Protein concentrations, antioxidant activity, and chlorophyll content are examples of biochemical parameters, while plant height, leaf area, and root length are examples of morphological criteria. Furthermore, the length of the roots is an example of a root. We were able to see significant changes in the morphological and biochemical properties of the plants by conducting experiments that were carefully controlled and administered with varying degrees of water availability. Water scarcity is a direct factor that affects plant growth, as seen by reduced plant height, reduced leaf area, and shorter root length. In terms of biochemistry, we saw a decrease in the contents of chlorophyll and protein, both of which are essential for the process of photosynthesis and for the overall health of plants. On the other side, antioxidant activity increased, which is indicative of a stress response mechanism that is being used to cope with the lack of water. The findings highlight the critical need of implementing sustainable water management methods in order to achieve the goal of preserving the resilience of plants and the productivity of agricultural production in the face of water scarcity. This research provides valuable insights into the physiological changes that plants go through when they are subjected to water stress. These findings have the potential to open up new routes for the creation of plant varieties that are resistant to drought.

ПРОРОСТАННЯ НАСІННЯ ПШЕНИЦІ ОЗИМОЇ ЗАЛЕЖНО ВІД ПЕРЕДПОСІВНОЇ ОБРОБКИ РЕГУЛЯТОРАМИ РОСТУ

Modern technologies for growing grain crops require the use of environmentally safe measures and methods. The pre-sowing treatment of wheat seeds necessitates the correct choice of drugs with a wide spectrum of influence on the morphological and physiological indicators of seedlings. From 2019 to 2022, the effectiveness of pre-sowing treatment of winter wheat seeds was studied using the growth regulators 1-naphthyl-acetic acid (25 ml/l), succinic acid (0.025 % solution), and the organo-mineral preparation Fulvohumin (1 % solution) both separately and in combination: 1-naphthyl-acetic acid + Fulvohumin, 1-naphthyl-acetic acid + succinic acid, succinic acid + Fulvohumin, and 1-naphthyl-acetic acid + succinic acid + Fulvohumin. The working solution consumption was 10 liters per ton of seeds. Treated winter wheat seeds were germinated for eight days at a temperature of +20°C. Laboratory seed germination, biometric parameters, and dry and wet weight of seedlings were determined and statistically analyzed. It was established that succinic acid significantly increases seed germination by 11 %, but seedlings treated with succinic acid showed slightly smaller seedling length and raw weight than the control. Pre-sowing treatment of winter wheat seeds with Fulvohumin significantly increases laboratory seed germination (up to 95 %), root length, and total seedling length. This treatment resulted in a 34.5 % increase in the dry weight of seedlings compared to the control. The highest content of dry matter was observed after seed treatment with a mixture of 1-naphthyl-acetic acid + Fulvohumin + succinic acid, reaching 17.4 %. The combination treatment with Fulvohumin + succinic acid produced the tallest seedlings (14.12 cm) and the greatest raw weight (131.39 mg). A significant increase in raw and dry mass of 8-day-old seedlings was noted after seed treatment with the mixture of 1-naphthyl-acetic acid + succinic acid. However, pre-sowing treatment of winter wheat seeds with only 1-naphthyl-acetic acid (0.025 % solution) was not effective, as it did not significantly increase germination (only by 1.3 %). Additionally, seedlings treated with 1-naphthyl-acetic acid had the shortest root length (4.99–5.78 cm). Therefore, the use of Fulvohumin enhances the effectiveness of growth regulators such as succinic acid and 1-naphthyl-acetic acid.

Aeolian Sand Sorting and Soil Moisture in Arid Namibian Fairy Circles

We studied fairy circles 20 km west of Sesriem at one of the driest locations of fairy circles in Namibia, at the foot of the popular Sossusvlei dunes. These fairy circles lack the typical hexagonal order of the Namibian fairy circles. After years of drought, their pattern is more similar to that of vegetation rings, due to the sparse vegetation in the area between the circles. Cross-section measurements of the soil water content (SWC) show that the upper layer (12 cm) is very dry (~1%) and much below the wilting point of Stipagrostis ciliata grasses, whereas the deeper soil layer is wetter (4%). The grain size distribution of soil samples taken from inside and outside the fairy circles reveals considerable heterogeneity in the size fractions due to aeolian (wind-driven) sand sorting. The bare soil inside the fairy circles contains coarser grains, and the ground surface is covered by sand megaripples. There is a linear trend between the vertical soil moisture gradient and the median grain diameter. Fine particles trapped on the vegetated edges of the fairy circle result in small nebkhas that increase the soil water retention at the surface. The dry and loose coarser topsoil inside the fairy circles may prevent the recolonization of new seedlings with short root lengths inside the fairy circles. Our results highlight the role of aeolian sand transport and deposition in desert vegetation environments and seem to support the notion that fairy circle formation may be affected by the interplay between sand sorting and soil moisture gradients.

Mutation of BAM2 rescues the sunn hypernodulation phenotype in Medicago truncatula, suggesting that a signaling pathway like CLV1/BAM in Arabidopsis affects nodule number.

The unique evolutionary adaptation of legumes for nitrogen-fixing symbiosis leading to nodulation is tightly regulated by the host plant. The autoregulation of nodulation (AON) pathway negatively regulates the number of nodules formed in response to the carbon/nitrogen metabolic status of the shoot and root by long-distance signaling to and from the shoot and root. Central to AON signaling in the shoots of Medicago truncatula is SUNN, a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase with high sequence similarity with CLAVATA1 (CLV1), part of a class of receptors in Arabidopsis involved in regulating stem cell populations in the root and shoot. This class of receptors in Arabidopsis includes the BARELY ANY MERISTEM family, which, like CLV1, binds to CLE peptides and interacts with CLV1 to regulate meristem development. M. truncatula contains five members of the BAM family, but only MtBAM1 and MtBAM2 are highly expressed in the nodules 48 hours after inoculation. Plants carry mutations in individual MtBAMs, and several double BAM mutant combinations all displayed wild-type nodule number phenotypes. However, Mtbam2 suppressed the sunn-5 hypernodulation phenotype and partially rescued the short root length phenotype of sunn-5 when present in a sunn-5 background. Grafting determined that bam2 suppresses supernodulation from the roots, regardless of the SUNN status of the root. Overexpression of MtBAM2 in wild-type plants increases nodule numbers, while overexpression of MtBAM2 in some sunn mutants rescues the hypernodulation phenotype, but not the hypernodulation phenotypes of AON mutant rdn1-2 or crn. Relative expression measurements of the nodule transcription factor MtWOX5 downstream of the putative bam2 sunn-5 complex revealed disruption of meristem signaling; while both bam2 and bam2 sunn-5 influence MtWOX5 expression, the expression changes are in different directions. We propose a genetic model wherein the specific root interactions of BAM2/SUNN are critical for signaling in nodule meristem cell homeostasis in M. truncatula.

Transcription factor MYB8 regulates iron deficiency stress response in Arabidopsis

Iron (Fe) is a crucial microelement for humans, animals, and plants. Insufficient Fe levels in plants impede growth and diminish photosynthesis, thus decreasing crop production. Notably, approximately one-third of the soil worldwide is alkaline and prone to Fe deficiency. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying Fe absorption and transportation in plants can enhance Fe bioavailability in crops. In this study, the role of the transcription factor MYB8 in plant response to Fe deficiency in Arabidopsis was investigated via reverse genetics. Phenotype analysis revealed that the functional deletion mutant of MYB8 gene exhibited sensitivity to Fe deficiency stress, as indicated by shorter root length, lower chlorophyll content, and Fe concentration. Conversely, MYB8 overexpression strain showed a tolerant phenotype. Furthermore, qRT-PCR identified possible downstream MYB8-regulated genes. Moreover, MYB8 regulated the expression of iron-regulated transporter 1 (IRT1) by binding to the MYB binding sites motif (‘AACAAAC’) in its promoter.

Effect of Soaking with Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria on Rice Seed Germination

This study aims to determine the effect of immersing rice seeds in Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) suspension. The study used a completely randomized design (CRD) with seed immersion treatment using PGPR bacterial suspension. The rice varieties used were Ciherang, Inpari 32, and IR64, where the seeds were soaked for 30, 45, 60, and 300 minutes, respectively. There were 12 treatment units plus one control by soaking the seeds in water for 60 minutes. All treatments and controls were repeated three times. The results showed that soaking rice seeds for 60 minutes gave longer root and sprout lengths of the three rice varieties. Soaking rice seeds for 30 and 45 minutes caused slower germination, and shorter root length and sprout length than the control. Soaking rice seedlings longer than 60 minutes did not alter germination speed than soaking for 60 minutes.

Metagenomics-based exploration of key soil microorganisms contributing to continuously planted Casuarina equisetifolia growth inhibition and their interactions with soil nutrient transformation.

Casuarina equisetifolia (C. equisetifolia) is an economically important forest tree species, often cultivated in continuous monoculture as a coastal protection forest. Continuous planting has gradually affected growth and severely restricted the sustainable development of the C. equisetifolia industry. In this study, we analyzed the effects of continuous planting on C. equisetifolia growth and explored the rhizosphere soil microecological mechanism from a metagenomic perspective. The results showed that continuous planting resulted in dwarfing, shorter root length, and reduced C. equisetifolia seedling root system. Metagenomics analysis showed that 10 key characteristic microorganisms, mainly Actinoallomurus, Actinomadura, and Mycobacterium, were responsible for continuously planted C. equisetifolia trees. Quantitative analysis showed that the number of microorganisms in these three genera decreased significantly with the increase of continuous planting. Gene function analysis showed that continuous planting led to the weakening of the environmental information processing-signal transduction ability of soil characteristic microorganisms, and the decrease of C. equisetifolia trees against stress. Reduced capacity for metabolism, genetic information processing-replication and repair resulted in reduced microbial propagation and reduced microbial quantity in the rhizosphere soil of C. equisetifolia trees. Secondly, amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism, lipid metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins were all significantly reduced, resulting in a decrease in the ability of the soil to synthesize and metabolize carbon and nitrogen. These reduced capacities further led to reduced soil microbial quantity, microbial carbon and nitrogen, microbial respiration intensity, reduced soil enzyme nutrient cycling and resistance-related enzyme activities, a significant reduction in available nutrient content of rhizosphere soils, a reduction in the ion exchange capacity, and an impediment to C. equisetifolia growth. This study provides an important basis for the management of continuously planted C. equisetifolia plantations.

Effect of Auger Size and Depth of Operation on Bulk Density, Cone Index, Germination, Root Length, Root Weight and Cob Weight for Maize Crop

Minimum tillage methods offer numerous benefits compared to conventional tillage, including reduced farm operations to establish a good seedbed. Spot tillage, in particular, has advantages such as preserving soil structure, preventing erosion, saving time and energy, and reducing input costs. For this study, the effect of different auger size (40, 50 & 70mm) which was operated by 12V DC motor at different depth of operations (80, 120 & 160mm) were determined. The different parameters were measured such as bulk density, cone index, germination percentage, root length, root weight and cob weight for maize crop (GAYMH-3) and same for traditional sowing method. The results showed that auger size (40, 50 & 70mm) and depth of operation (80, 120 & 160mm) significantly influenced bulk density as bulk density of the soil increased with depth and decrease with increase in auger size. The larger auger (70mm) resulting in lower values in bulk density due to more soil removal. However, cone index was not significantly affected by auger size (40, 50 & 70mm) and depth of operation (80, 120 & 160mm). Seed germination for maize was consistently around 90%, with no significant effects of auger size and depth of operation were observed. An auger size (70mm) was associated with shorter root lengths. Increasing depth resulted in greater root development, leading to longer roots was observed in small size augers. Larger auger size and deeper depths generally resulted in higher root weights. Cob weight increased with auger size (70mm) and deeper depths. Auger size and depth significantly impacted cob weight. Overall, results showed that auger having the size of 70mm and depth of operation at 160mm was desirable compared to other auger size in terms of lower bulk density and cone index but increased root weight and cob weight of maize crop.

Maxillary Lateral Incisors: Different Agenesis Patterns

diversified samples of peoples, but the humankind relations of the unlike shapes or uneven figures of lateral incisor variants still vague (5). Microdontia is a state where the teeth are appeared tiny than the ordinary average bulk or size, either involving all teeth or be confined to a monosyllabic tooth or a grist of teeth (6). Microdontia of 7& 10 (universal numbering) of maxillary lateral incisor is termed as “peg lateral” or occasionally called wedged shaped lateral incisors, in which the tooth displays a concur or huddle of crown mesial and distal flatness's brewing an etcher like shape, associated with a shorter root length than normal (7) as seen in Fig. (1) a & b. Evolution missing of one or more teeth is referred to as Hypodontia, Asians& native Americans are considerably shown like this condition in permanent dentition. The second most rife tooth to be congenitally missing is maxillary lateral incisors, if excluding third molars, its forfeit could be on a single side, or both sides of the dental arch (8) as revealed in Fig. (2). Dens invaginatus is a chronological abnormality in which its outcomes manifested as a profound or invagination of the developmental organ of enamel directed towards the dental papilla before the dental tissue’s calcination (9), this condition is frequently affecting permanent maxillary lateral incisors; although cases had been recorded in mandibular region and in the deciduous dentition (10), as revealed in Fig. (3) a & b.

Characteristics of Unilaterally Impacted Maxillary Canines and Effect on Environmental Tissues: A CBCT Study.

The prognosis of orthodontic treatment for a patient with impacted canine teeth can be affected by many factors and understanding some of the characteristics of impacted teeth can increase the effectiveness and reduce the duration of treatment. This study aims to explore the effects of positions and dentoalveolar morphological characteristics of impacted maxillary canines on the prognosis of orthodontic treatment. In this study, forty-six adolescent individuals who applied for treatment of impacted teeth were divided into three groups: CC (no impacted maxillary canine group), BC (unilateral buccally positioned impacted maxillary canine group), and PC (unilateral palatally positioned impacted maxillary canine group). The impacted canine and adjacent teeth were evaluated in terms of position, angulation, inclination, mesiodistal and buccolingual widths, root length, dilaceration angle, and root resorption. The mean values of U3 Ang (angulation of the maxillary impacted canine) and U3/U2 angles (maxillary impacted canine and lateral incisor angle) were statistically significantly higher in the BC and PC groups (p < 0.001). The mean values of U2 RL (lateral incisor root length) and U3 RD (canine root dilaceration angle) were statistically significantly lower in the BC and PC groups. The results of this study suggest that shorter root lengths and increased angulation values may lead to the ectopic eruption of canines. The higher canine angulations in the PC group increase the degree of root resorption.

Rhizogenesis of rocket (Eruca sativa Mill.) and wall-rocket Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC.

Purpose. To test the efficiency of the plant growth regulating substances at different concentrations for stimulating the rhizogenesis of rocket (E. sativa) and wall-rocket (D. tenuifolia). Methods. The experiment was carried out at the Biotechnology Laboratory of the Institute of Bioenergy Crops and Sugar Beet of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences in 2020–2022. Rocket varieties ‘Znahar’, ‘Lybid’, ‘Zlat’, ‘Silvetta’ and wall-rocket variety ‘Liudmyla’ were used in the study. Seeds were examined for their quality indicators, sterilized with a solution of 35% laundry detergent and ethanol and seeded in vitro. Sterile seedlings were transferred to the Murashige-Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with benzylaminopurine (BAP) for propagation. Naphthylacetic acid (NAA), indolyl-3-acetic acid (IAA), indolyl-3-butyric acid (IBA) and gibberellic acid (GA) were added to the nutrient medium according to the MS prescription in different concentrations. Results. The introduction of IBA (0.8 mg/l) and GA into the nutrient medium, regardless of the concentration, resulted in the longest root system in all treatments. The studied modification made it possible to obtain root length on the 9th day of cultivation from 7 to 64 cm and on the 14th day from 10 to 70 cm. On the 14th day of cultivation, in the plants grown under the concentration of GA &gt;1.0 mg/l, the root not only the elongated and browned, but reached 70 cm in length. For the introduction of IBA into the medium previously supplemented with GA, on the 9th day of cultivation, negative effect was noted in all treatments, namely the elongation of internodes and central root. On the 14th day, vitrification of shoots and significant elongation of both central and lateral roots occurred in all treatments. The central root reached 70 cm in length, which is not advisable during the adaptation period. The results of the experiment indicate that on the 21st day, the longest root system (12 cm and 42 cm) was obtained in the rocket variety ‘Zlat’ (0.1 mg/l GA and 1.5 mg/l GA, respectively) and the shortest root length (6 cm and 21 cm) in the wall-rocket variety ‘Liudmyla’ (0.1 mg/l GA and 1.5 mg/l GA, respectively). Importantly, the root length of ‘Zlat’ variety on the 21st day of cultivation, compared to the 14th day, at a concentration of 0.1 mg/l increased by only 3 cm, while in the 'Liudmyla' variety by 2 cm. Considering this, it is impractical to carry out cultivation up to 21 days. The lowest root length was obtained with the use of IBA and GA: rhizogenesis occurred more slowly than in previous treatments, and on the 14th day the root length was in the range from 3 to 20 cm. Conclusions. The longest root system in all studied treatments was obtained in variety ‘Zlat’, while shortest in ‘Liudmyla’. The optimal concentrations of NAA + IBA + GA for the cultivation of the studied rocket and wall-rocket varieties are 0.3 and 0.5 mg/l.

Sea-island cotton (Gossypium barbadense L.) GbTCP5 improves plant adaptation to drought and salt stress by directly activating GbERD7, GbUBC19, and GbGOLS2 expression

Cotton is one of the most important cash crops in the world. Most of its production areas are in arid or semiarid regions, and drought and salinity seriously affect cotton production. Plant teosinte branched1/cycloidea/proliferating cell factor 1 (TCP) transcription factors play a pivotal role in abiotic stress responses. However, the role of TCPs in the abiotic stress response in cotton has not been fully elucidated. Here, the function of the GbTCP5 transcription factor in the responses to drought and salt stresses was identified. The expression of GbTCP5 was induced by drought, salt, and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. The exposure of 35S:GbTCP5 transgenic Arabidopsis to drought stress increased its survival rate and ABA content and decreased its leaf water loss rate and malondialdehyde (MDA) content compared with those of the wild type (WT). In addition, the expression levels of the stress response genes AtCOR15, AtCOR414, AtRD29A, AtLTP4, and AtPUB22 and the ABA biosynthesis-related gene AtNCED3 were significantly higher in 35S:GbTCP5 transgenic lines than in the WT. The exposure of 35S:GbTCP5 transgenic Arabidopsis to salt stress accelerated its germination rate, increased its root length, survival rate and chlorophyll content, and decreased the MDA content compared with those of the WT. Under drought or salt stress, cotton with virus-induced gene silencing of GbTCP5 showed a decreased survival rate, a shorter root length, a smaller root area, a reduced root volume and a higher MDA content compared with pTRV2 cotton. Transcriptome sequencing results confirmed that GbTCP5 was involved in several abiotic stress-related metabolic pathways. The results confirmed that GbTCP5 protein activated the expression of GbGLOS2, GbUBC19, and GbERD7 and then participated in the drought and salt tolerance of cotton by binding to the TCP cis-acting element in the promoter regions of these genes. All the above results prove that GbTCP5 plays a positive role in plant responses to drought and salt stress.

Preparation of germinated brown rice with high γ-aminobutyric acid content and short root by magnetic field treatment

This study aimed to prepare germinated brown rice (GBR) with high γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) content and short root length. Brown rice (BR) was exposed to 10 mT magnetic field at 25 °C for 60 min, followed by incubating in GABA solutions (0–10 mM, 30 °C) for 24 h. After treatment, GABA content in GBR significantly increased from 16.43 to 25.64–50.54 mg/100 g, while root length was shorter than 3.0 mm. Although GABA-aminotransferase activity was reduced by 4.61%–16.14%, the absorption of exogenous GABA caused by higher electrical conductivity, increased cell membrane permeability and more root hairs was the dominant reason for GABA accumulation. The hyperaccumulation of GABA conversely retarded the positive effect of M on α-amylase activity, starch structure, and anti-oxidase activity, thus maintaining the root length at 2.03–2.45 mm. Overall, this study provided an efficient method for preparing GBR with high GABA content and short root.

Genome-Wide Analysis and Expression of MYC Family Genes in Tomato and the Functional Identification of slmyc1 in Response to Salt and Drought Stress

Myelocytomatosis (MYC) transcription factors are crucial mediators of the jasmonate signaling pathway, which mediates the growth and developmental processes of plants. However, the function of MYC genes in tomato, Solanum lycopersicum (SlMYC), remains poorly understood. In this study, we have identified 14 non-redundant SlMYC genes across the genome of tomatoes. Six of the twelve chromosomes included these genes, and four syntenic pairs of SlMYC were identified. According to the results of phylogenetic analysis, 14 SlMYC genes were clustered into classes I, II, III, and IV, and their functional domains were predicted. The SlMYC upstream promoter region contained a variety of light-, stress-, and hormone-response regulatory elements. The expression of the 14 SlMYC genes differed significantly across organs. SlMYCs primarily showed an upregulation trend after methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. In contrast, after treatment with sodium chloride (NaCl), SlMYCs showed a trend of downregulation. However, there were differences in the expression patterns of SlMYCs after mannitol treatment. Using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas 9 (CRISPR/Cas 9) technology, the loss-of-function of SlMYC1 (slmyc1) was obtained. The slmyc1 tomato plants demonstrated reduced resistance to NaCl and mannitol stress compared to wild-type plants due to their shorter root length and higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) content. In brief, this study provides valuable information about the taxonomy of the SlMYC genes in tomato. It establishes a foundation for future research on the mechanism by which SlMYC influences plant development and stress response.

The evaluation of lateral incisor adjacent to treated labial inversely impacted maxillary central incisor: A retrospective follow-up study

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the further development of the lateral incisor and its associated periodontium adjacent to the treated labial inversely impacted maxillary central incisor. We enrolled 23 participants (average age, 8.24 ± 1.43 years) undergoing a mean follow-up period of 31.10 ± 13.05 months. Each participant had an unimpacted lateral incisor and a successfully treated unilateral labial inversely impacted maxillary central incisor. The contralateral lateral incisors served as controls. Cone-beam computed tomography data were available for treatment completion and follow-up stages. The variables (including root length, dental age, root canal width, root-crown angulation, and alveolar bone loss and thickness) were evaluated with Dolphin Imaging software (version 11.95; Dolphin Imaging and Management Solutions, Chatsworth, Calif). At the follow-up stage, the lateral incisors in the impacted side had significantly longer root lengths, smaller root canal widths, and thinner labial bone widths at the apex than at the posttreatment stage (P<0.001, P= 0.036, and P= 0.001, respectively). A significant lateral incisor root length reduction was noted when comparing the impacted and contralateral sides, although no variation was observed in root canal width. Similarly, crown-root angulation of the lateral incisor on the impacted side was significantly larger than that of the contralateral lateral incisor. The lateral incisor on the impacted side also had thicker labial and thinner lingual bone widths at the apex than the contralateral lateral incisor. The lateral incisor adjacent to the successfully treated labial inversely impacted maxillary central incisor showed continuous growth during follow-up stages, exhibiting a similar morphology and alveolar bone quality but shorter root length, larger root angulation, and thinner lingual bone width at the apex than those of the contralateral lateral incisors.

Overexpression of a C3HC4-type RING E3 ligase gene, OsRFPHC-13, improves salinity resistance in rice, Oryza sativa, by altering the expression of Na+/K+ transporter genes

Salinity stress is a major restriction to increasing crop production. We characterized the Oryza sativa C3HC4-type RING E3 ligase-13 (OsRFPHC-13), which contributes a positive role in enhancing salinity insensitivity. Expression of OsRFPHC-13 was highly induced by treatment with 100 mM NaCl, 20% PEG, or 100 µM ABA. The OsRFPHC-13-GFP fusion protein was expressed in the chloroplasts and cytosol of the rice protoplasts. An in vitro ubiquitination assay confirmed that OsRFPHC-13 possesses E3 ligase activity; however, the mutation of OsRFPHC-13C232A did not show this activity. OsRFPHC-13-overexpressing plants showed a dwarf phenotype, short primary root length, and small lateral root number compared to WT and osrpfhc-13. In contrast, under salt stress, OsRFPHC-13-overexpressing plants showed enhanced salinity insensitivity by reducing the accumulation of Na+ in shoots and roots, increasing the activity of ROS scavenging, and positively regulating the expression of Na+/K+ transporter genes compared to WT and osrpfhc-13. In addition, OsRFPHC-13-overexpressing plants exhibited increased ABA sensitivity in the germination assay but decreased sensitivity in osrpfhc-13 compared to WT. These results suggest that OsRFPH-13 E3 ligase positively regulates the response to salinity via an ABA-dependent mechanism in rice.

Ontogenetic trait variability and nitrogen stoichiometric homeostasis explained high stability of Artemisia frigida-dominated grassland

The degraded grassland is characterized by changes in dominant species and decreased soil resource supply capacity, limiting community foraging by carbon capturing and/or resource absorption. In this study, we used a manipulative greenhouse experiment to explore the plant trait variations of three species representing three degradation succession stages in the Inner Mongolian grassland of China. We examined variability in key trait values during early, middle and late growing stages and assessed the nitrogen stoichiometric homeostasis (HN) of different plant organs growing on loamy (undegraded) and sandy (degraded) soils. The results showed that plant root length (RL) shifted significantly from the early to middle stage, where Artemisia frigida presented the longest RL, and Setaria viridis had the shortest RL. Leyums chinensis exhibited the largest root-shoot ratio (RSR) with a well-developed rhizome, while A. frigida had smaller but variable RSR which increased 1.57–2.15 times, changing from the resource acquisition to the resource conservation strategy from the early to late stage. The shoot nitrogen content (SNC) and root nitrogen content (RNC) decreased over the growing season. No obvious differences were observed between plant traits of L. chinensis or A. frigida when growing on loamy or sandy soils, despite the fact that the nutrient supply in loamy soil was better. Shoot HN showed higher values for plants growing on loamy soils than on sandy soils. The degradation indicator species A. frigida presented the highest shoot HN under sandy soil and held relatively stable root HN for both soils (6.71 vs 6.00), indicating a higher adaptability to sandy soils. Our results explained the occurrence of the stable degraded grassland dominated by A. frigida and could shed light on methods for its restoration.

Seedling Biometry of nud Knockout and win1 Knockout Barley Lines under Ionizing Radiation.

The genes NUD and WIN1 play a regulatory role in cuticle organization in barley. A knockout (KO) of each gene may alter plant mechanisms of adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. A putative pleiotropic effect of NUD or WIN1 gene mutations in barley can be assessed in a series of experiments in the presence or absence of a provoking factor. Ionizing radiation is widely used in research as a provoking factor for quantifying adaptive potential of living organisms. Our aim was to evaluate initial stages of growth and development of barley lines with a KO of NUD or WIN1 under radiation stress. Air-dried barley grains with different KOs and wild-type control (WT) were exposed to γ-radiation at 50, 100, or 200 Gy at a dose rate of 0.74 R/min. Approximately 30 physiological parameters were evaluated, combined into groups: (1) viability, (2) radiosensitivity, and (3) mutability of barley seed progeny. Seed germination, seedling survival, and shoot length were similar among all barley lines. Naked nud KO lines showed lower weights of seeds, roots, and seedlings and shorter root length as compared to win1 KO lines. The shoot-to-root length ratio of nud KO lines’ seedlings exceeded that of win1 KO and WT lines. In terms of the number of seedlings with leaves, all the KO lines were more sensitive to pre-sowing γ-irradiation. Meanwhile, the radioresistance of nud KO lines (50% growth reduction dose [RD50] = 318–356 Gy) and WT plants (RD50 = 414 Gy) judging by seedling weight was higher than that of win1 KO lines (RD50 = 201–300 Gy). Resistance of nud KO lines to radiation was also demonstrated by means of root length (RD50 = 202–254 Gy) and the shoot-to-root length ratio. WT seedlings had the fewest morphological anomalies. In nud KO lines, mainly alterations of root shape were found, whereas in win1 KO lines, changes in the color and shape of leaves were noted. Thus, seedlings of nud KO lines are characterized mainly by changes in the root system (root length, root number, and root anomalies). For win1 KO lines, other parameters are sensitive (shoot length and alterations of leaf shape and color). These data may indicate a pleiotropic effect of genes NUD and WIN1 in barley.

Genome-wide analysis and molecular dissection of the SPL gene family in Fraxinus mandshurica

BackgroundSQUAMOSA promoter binding protein-like (SPL) is a unique family of transcription factors in plants, which is engaged in regulating plant growth and development, physiological and biochemical processes. Fraxinus mandshurica is an excellent timber species with a wide range of uses in northeastern China and enjoys a high reputation in the international market. SPL family analysis has been reported in some plants while SPL family analysis of Fraxinus mandshurica has not been reported.ResultsWe used phylogeny, conserved motifs, gene structure, secondary structure prediction, miR156 binding sites, promoter cis elements and GO annotation to systematically analyze the FmSPLs family. This was followed by expression analysis by subcellular localization, expression patterns at various tissue sites, abiotic stress and hormone induction. Because FmSPL2 is highly expressed in flowers it was selected to describe the SPL gene family of Fraxinus mandshurica by ectopic expression. Among them, 10 FmSPL genes that were highly expressed at different loci were selected for expression analysis under abiotic stress (NaCl and Cold) and hormone induction (IAA and ABA). These 10 FmSPL genes showed corresponding trends in response to both abiotic stress and hormone induction. We showed that overexpression of FmSPL2 in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum L. resulted in taller plants, shorter root length, increased root number, rounded leaves, and earlier flowering time.ConclusionsWe identified 36 SPL genes, which were classified into seven subfamilies based on sequence analysis. FmSPL2 was selected for subsequent heterologous expression by analysis of expression patterns in various tissues and under abiotic stress and hormone induction, and significant phenotypic changes were observed in the transgenic Nicotiana tabacum L. These results provide insight into the evolutionary origin and biological significance of plant SPL. The aim of this study was to lay the foundation for the genetic improvement of Fraxinus mandshurica and the subsequent functional analysis of FmSPL2.