Potential benefits and risks of solar photovoltaic power plants on arid and semi-arid ecosystems: an assessment of soil microbial and plant communities

Exponential increase in photovoltaic installations arouses concerns regarding the impacts of large-scale solar power plants on dryland ecosystems. While the effects of photovoltaic panels on soil moisture content and plant biomass in arid ecosystems have been recognized, little is known about their influence on soil microbial communities. Here, we employed a combination of quantitative PCR, high-throughput sequencing, and soil property analysis to investigate the responses of soil microbial communities to solar panel installation. We also report on the responses of plant communities within the same solar farm. Our findings showed that soil microbial communities responded differently to the shading and precipitation-alternation effects of the photovoltaic panels in an arid ecosystem. By redirecting rainwater to the lower side, photovoltaic panels stimulated vegetation biomass and soil total organic carbon content in the middle and in front of the panels, positively contributing to carbon storage. The shade provided by the panels promoted the co-occurrence of soil microbes but inhibited the abundance of 16S rRNA gene in the soil. Increase in precipitation reduced 18S rRNA gene abundance, whereas decrease in precipitation led to decline in plant aboveground biomass, soil prokaryotic community alpha diversity, and dehydrogenase activity under the panels. These findings highlight the crucial role of precipitation in maintaining plant and soil microbial diversities in dryland ecosystems and are essential for estimating the potential risks of large-scale solar power plants on local and global climate change in the long term.

Integrative transcriptome and metabolome revealed the molecular mechanism of Bacillus megaterium BT22-mediated growth promotion in Arabidopsis thaliana

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can promote plant growth and protect plants from pathogens, which contributes to sustainable agricultural development. Several studies have reported their beneficial characteristics in facilitating plant growth and development and enhancing plant stress resistance through different mechanisms. However, there is still a challenge to study the molecular mechanism of plant response to PGPR. We integrated the transcriptome and metabolome of Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) to understand its responses to the inoculation with an isolated PGPR strain (BT22) of Bacillus megaterium. Fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight and leaf number of Arabidopsis were increased by BT22 treatment, showing a positive growth-promoting effect. According multi-omics analysis, 878 differentially expressed genes (296 up-regulated, 582 down-regulated) and 139 differentially expressed metabolites (66 up-regulated, 73 down-regulated) response to BT22 inoculation. GO enrichment results indicate that the up-regulated genes mainly enriched in the regulation of growth and auxin response pathways. In contrast, the down-regulated genes mainly enriched in wounding response, jasmonic acid and ethylene pathways. BT22 inoculation regulated plant hormone signal transduction of Arabidopsis, including auxin and cytokinin response genes AUX/IAA, SAUR, and A-ARR related to cell enlargement and cell division. The contents of nine flavonoids and seven phenylpropanoid metabolites were increased, which help to induce systemic resistance in plants. These results suggest that BT22 promoted Arabidopsis growth by regulating plant hormone homeostasis and inducing metabolome reprogramming.

Factors driving the assembly of prokaryotic communities in bulk soil and rhizosphere of Torreya grandis along a 900-year age gradient

Excessive nutrient inputs imperil the stability of forest ecosystems via modifying the interactions among soil properties, microbes, and plants, particularly in forests composed of cash crops that are under intensive disturbances of agricultural activities, such as Torreya grandis. Understanding the potential drivers of soil microbial community helps scientists develop effective strategies for balancing the protection and productivity of the ancient Torreya forest. Here, we assayed the link between plant and soil parameters and prokaryote communities in bulk soil and T. grandis rhizosphere in 900-year-old stands by detecting plant and soil properties in two independent sites in southeastern China. Our results showed no apparent influence of stand age on the compositions of prokaryote communities in bulk soil and T. grandis rhizosphere. In contrast, soil abiotic factors (i.e., soil pH) overwhelm plant characteristics (i.e., height, plant tissue carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content) and contribute most to the shift in prokaryote communities in bulk soil and T. grandis rhizosphere. Soil pH leads to an increase in microbiota alpha diversity in both compartments. With the help of a random forest, we found a critical transition point of pH (pH = 4.9) for the dominance of acidic and near-neutral bacterial groups. Co-occurrence network analysis further revealed a substantially simplified network in plots with a pH of <4.9 versus samples with a pH of ≥4.9, indicating that soil acidification induces biodiversity loss and disrupts potential interactions among soil microbes. Our findings provide empirical evidence that soil abiotic properties nearly completely offset the roles of host plants in the assembly and potential interactions of rhizosphere microorganisms. Hence, reduction in inorganic fertilization and proper liming protocols should be seriously considered by local farmers to protect ancient Torreya forests.

UCP1 and AOX1a contribute to regulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolism and yield in Arabidopsis under low nitrogen stress

Nitrogen (N) availability is a critical factor for plant development and crop yield, and it closely correlates to carbon (C) metabolism. Uncoupling protein (UCP) and alternative oxidase (AOX) exhibit a strong correlation with N and C metabolism. Here, we investigated the functions of UCP1 and AOX1a using their mutants and complementation lines in Arabidopsis adaptation to low N. Low N markedly increased AOX1a and UCP1 expression, alternative pathway capacity and UCP activity. Eight-day-old aox1a/ucp1 seedlings were more sensitive to low N than Col-0 and single mutants, exhibiting lower primary root length and higher anthocyanin accumulation. The net photosynthetic rate, electron transport rate, PSII actual photochemical efficiency, stomatal conductance and carboxylation efficiency were markedly decreased in ucp1 and aox1a/ucp1 compared to those in Col-0 and aox1a under low N stress; comparatively, chlorophyll content and non-photochemical quenching coefficient were the lowest and highest in aox1a/ucp1, respectively. Nitrate acquisition rate was accelerated in aox1a/ucp1, but its transport activity was decreased, which resulted in low nitrate content and nitrate reductase activity under low N condition. The C/N ratio in seeds, but not in leaves, is higher in aox1a/ucp1 than that in Col-0, aox1a and ucp1 under low N condition. RNA-seq analysis revealed that many genes involved in photosynthesis and C/N metabolism were markedly down-regulated in aox1a/ucp1 under low N stress. These results highlight the key roles of UCP1 and AOX1a in modulating photosynthetic capacity, C/N assimilation and distribution under low N stress.

PIF4-PAP1 interaction affects MYB-bHLH-WD40 complex formation and anthocyanin accumulation in Arabidopsis

Anthocyanin accumulation is a marked phenotype of plants under environmental stresses. PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORs (PIFs) are involved in environment-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis through interacting with the MYB-bHLH-WD40 (MBW) complex. However, the molecular mechanism of this interaction remains unclear. The present study demonstrated that PIF3 and PIF5 can slightly repress anthocyanin accumulation under NaCl, low nitrogen (-N), or 6-BA treatments; in contrast, PIF4 can significantly repress anthocyanin accumulation. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation and yeast two-hybrid assays showed that PIF4 directly interacts with PRODUCTION OF ANTHOCYANIN PIGMENT 1 (PAP1), a MYB transcription factor in the MBW complex. Further analysis revealed that the active phytochrome binding (APB) domain in the N terminus of PIF4 is necessary for the interaction between PIF4 and PAP1. Yeast three-hybrid analysis showed that PIF4 competes with TRANSPARENT TESTA 8 (TT8) to bind PAP1, thereby interfering with the regulation of the MBW protein complex in anthocyanin synthesis. Consistently, the anthocyanin content in pap1-D/35S::PIF4 and 35S::PAP1/35S::PIF4 seedlings was markedly lower than that in pap1-D and 35S::PAP1 under 6-BA, MeJA, -N, and NaCl stresses, implying that overexpression of PIF4 suppresses anthocyanin accumulation in pap1-D and 35S::PAP1. Thus, PIF4 is genetically epistatic to PAP1. Taken together, PIF4 plays a negative role in modulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis under different stress environments, and PIF4 interacts with PAP1 to affect the integrity of the MBW complex.

Integrated Physiological, Transcriptomic, and Metabolomic Analyses Revealed Molecular Mechanism for Salt Resistance in Soybean Roots

Salinity stress is a threat to yield in many crops, including soybean (Glycine max L.). In this study, three soybean cultivars (JD19, LH3, and LD2) with different salt resistance were used to analyze salt tolerance mechanisms using physiology, transcriptomic, metabolomic, and bioinformatic methods. Physiological studies showed that salt-tolerant cultivars JD19 and LH3 had less root growth inhibition, higher antioxidant enzyme activities, lower ROS accumulation, and lower Na+ and Cl- contents than salt-susceptible cultivar LD2 under 100 mM NaCl treatment. Comparative transcriptome analysis showed that compared with LD2, salt stress increased the expression of antioxidant metabolism, stress response metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, auxin response protein, transcription, and translation-related genes in JD19 and LH3. The comparison of metabolite profiles indicated that amino acid metabolism and the TCA cycle were important metabolic pathways of soybean in response to salt stress. In the further validation analysis of the above two pathways, it was found that compared with LD2, JD19, and LH3 had higher nitrogen absorption and assimilation rate, more amino acid accumulation, and faster TCA cycle activity under salt stress, which helped them better adapt to salt stress. Taken together, this study provides valuable information for better understanding the molecular mechanism underlying salt tolerance of soybean and also proposes new ideas and methods for cultivating stress-tolerant soybean.

Maternal Obesity during Pregnancy is Associated with Lower Cortical Thickness in the Neonate Brain

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Recent studies have suggested that maternal obesity during pregnancy is associated with differences in neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationships between maternal obesity during pregnancy and neonatal brain cortical development.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-four healthy women (28 normal-weight, 16 obese) were prospectively recruited at <10 weeks' gestation, and their healthy full-term neonates (23 boys, 21 girls) underwent brain MR imaging. All pregnant women had their body composition (fat mass percentage) measured at ∼12 weeks of pregnancy. All neonates were scanned at ∼2 weeks of age during natural sleep without sedation, and their 3D T1-weighted images were postprocessed by the new iBEAT2.0 software. Brain MR imaging segmentation and cortical surface reconstruction and parcellation were completed using age-appropriate templates. Mean cortical thickness for 34 regions in each brain hemisphere defined by the UNC Neonatal Cortical Surface Atlas was measured, compared between groups, and correlated with maternal body fat mass percentage, controlled for neonate sex and race, postmenstrual age at MR imaging, maternal age at pregnancy, and the maternal intelligence quotient and education.

RESULTS

Neonates born to obese mothers showed significantly lower (P ≤ .05, false discovery rate-corrected) cortical thickness in the left pars opercularis gyrus, left pars triangularis gyrus, and left rostral middle frontal gyrus. Mean cortical thickness in these frontal lobe regions negatively correlated (R = -0.34, P = .04; R = -0.50, P = .001; and R = -0.42, P = .01; respectively) with the maternal body fat mass percentage measured at early pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal obesity during pregnancy is associated with lower neonate brain cortical thickness in several frontal lobe regions important for language and executive functions.

Global analysis of protein succinylation modification of Nostoc flagelliforme in response to dehydration

Nostoc flagelliforme is a type of terrestrial cyanobacteria that is distributed in arid or semi-arid steppes in China. To research the molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptation of N. flagelliforme to drought stress, the succinylated expression profile and changes in N. flagelliforme that resulted as a response to dehydration were analyzed by label-free proteomics. A total of 1149 succinylated sites, 1128 succinylated peptides, and 396 succinylated proteins were identified. Succinylated proteins were differentially involved in photosynthesis and energy metabolism, as well as in reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging. Motif-X analysis of succinylated sites determined a succinylation motif [KxxG]. N. flagelliforme adapts to dehydration by increasing glucose metabolism and pentose phosphate pathway flux, and decreasing photosynthetic rate, which some of the key proteins were succinylated. ROS scavenging was mainly involved in the regulation of the enzyme antioxidant defense system and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense system through succinylation modification, thus eliminating excessive ROS. Protein succinylation of N. flagelliforme may play an important regulatory role in response to dehydration. The results are foundational, as they can inform future research into the mechanisms involved in the succinylation regulation mechanism of N. flagelliforme in response to dehydration. SIGNIFICANCE: The global succinylation network involved in response to dehydration in N. flagelliforme has been established. We found that many succinylated proteins were involved in photosynthesis, glucose metabolism and antioxidation. The global survey of succinylated proteins and the changes of succinylated levels in response to dehydration provided effective information for the drought tolerance mechanism in N. flagelliforme.

Soil prokaryotic community shows no response to 2 years of simulated nitrogen deposition in an arid ecosystem in northwestern China

An arid ecosystem might be sensitive to nitrogen (N) deposition, but the associated ecosystem-specific response of soil microbes is not well studied. To assess the N enrichment effects on plant and prokaryotic community diversity, we performed a two-year NH₄ NO₃ treatment in a desert steppe in northwestern China. Results showed that N addition increased plant aboveground biomass and decreased plant Shannon diversity. A C₄ herb (Salsola collina) became dominant, and loss of legume species was observed. The concentrations of soil NH₄ ⁺ -N, NO₃ ^- -N, microbial biomass N, and the plant aboveground biomass N pool increased in contrast to total N, suggesting that the N input into the arid ecosystem might mainly be assimilated by plants and exit the ecosystem. Remarkably, the α-diversity and structure of the soil prokaryotic community did not vary even at the highest N addition rate. Structural equation modelling further found that the plant aboveground N pool counteracted the acidification effect of N deposition and maintained soil pH thus partially stabilizing the composition of prokaryotic communities in a desert steppe. These findings suggested that the plants and N loss might contribute to the lack of responsiveness of soil prokaryotic community to N deposition in a desert steppe.

Plant Stage, Not Drought Stress, Determines the Effect of Cultivars on Bacterial Community Diversity in the Rhizosphere of Broomcorn Millet (Panicum miliaceum L.)

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is one of the oldest domesticated crops and has been grown in arid and semiarid areas in China since 10,000 cal. BP. However, limited information is available about how bacterial communities within the rhizosphere of different broomcorn millet cultivars respond to drought stress. Here, we characterized the changes in the rhizobacterial assemblages of two broomcorn millet cultivars, namely, P. miliaceum cv. HeQu Red (HQR) and P. miliaceum YanLi 10 (YL10), from the jointing stage to the grain filling stage after they were exposed to a short-term drought stress treatment at the seedling stage. Drought significantly inhibited the growth of both cultivars, but the effect on YL10 was higher than that on HQR, indicating that the drought tolerance of HQR was greater than that of YL10. Proteobacteria (33.8%), Actinobacteria (21.0%), Acidobacteria (10.7%), Bacteroidetes (8.2%), Chloroflexi (6.3%), Gemmatimonadetes (5.9%), Firmicutes (3.5%), Verrucomicrobia (2.9%), and Planctomycetes (2.7%) were the core bacterial components of broomcorn millet rhizosphere as suggested by 16S rDNA sequencing results. The diversity and composition of bacterial rhizosphere communities substantially varied at different developmental stages of broomcorn millet. As the plants matured, the richness and evenness of the rhizobacterial community significantly decreased. Principal coordinate analysis showed that the structure of the bacterial rhizosphere community changed notably only at the flowering stage between the two cultivars, suggesting a stage-dependent effect. Although drought stress had no significant effect on the diversity and structure of the bacterial rhizosphere community between the two cultivars, differential responses to drought was found in Actinobacteria and Acinetobacter, Lysobacter, Streptomyces, and Cellvibrio. The relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Lysobacter, Streptomyces, and Cellvibrio in the YL10 rhizosphere was stimulated by the drought treatment compared with that in the HQR rhizosphere, whereas the opposite effect was found in Acinetobacter. Our results suggested that the effects of cultivars on bacterial rhizosphere communities were highly dependent on plant developmental stage, reflecting the genetic variations in the two broomcorn millet cultivars.

Variations of Bacterial Community Diversity Within the Rhizosphere of Three Phylogenetically Related Perennial Shrub Plant Species Across Environmental Gradients

Rhizosphere microbial communities are of great importance to mediate global biogeochemical cycles, plant growth, and fitness. Yet, the processes that drive their assembly remain unclear. The perennial shrubs Caragana spp., which is well known for their role in soil and water conservation, provides an ideal system to study the biogeography of rhizosphere microorganism communities within natural ecosystems. In order to detect how bacterial rhizosphere communities vary in terms of community diversity and composition, the rhizosphere bacterial community of three Caragana species, Caragana microphylla Lam., C. liouana Zhao, and C. korshinskii Kom., which distributed in arid and semi-arid region of northern China were investigated. Across species, Proteobacteria (61.1%), Actinobacteria (16.0%), Firmicutes (8.6%), Bacteroidetes (3.0%), Acidobacteria (3.5%), Gemmatimonadetes (1.4%), and Cyanobacteria (1.0%) were the most dominant phyla in the rhizosphere of the three Caragana species. The relative abundance of Cyanobacteria was significantly higher in rhizosphere of C. korshinskii Kom. compared with C. microphylla Lam. and C. liouana Zhao, while the opposite was found for Gemmatimonadetes in rhizosphere of C. microphylla Lam. relative to C. liouana Zhao. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that both diversity and richness of the bacterial rhizosphere communities significantly and positively correlated with soil pH (p < 0.01). Distance-based redundancy analysis indicated that soil properties and non-soil parameters detected there accounted for 47.5% of bacterial phylogenetic structure variation (p < 0.01) all together. Meanwhile, soil total phosphorus accounted for the greatest proportion of community structure variance (9.7%, p < 0.01), followed by electrical conduction (6.5%), altitude (5.8%), soil pH (5.4%), mean annual precipitation (3.6%) and total nitrogen (3.6%, p < 0.05 in all cases). Furthermore, partial Mantel test suggested that bacterial rhizosphere community structure significantly correlated with geographical distance, indicating that the less geographical distant sample sites tend to harbor more similar bacterial rhizosphere community. Our results shed new light on the mechanisms of coevolution and interaction between long-lived plants and their rhizosphere bacterial communities across environmental gradients.

The complete chloroplast genome of Panicum miliaceum

Panicum miliaceum is the most important and ancient domesticated crops in the world. The complete chloroplast genome of P. miliaceum was sequenced using the Illumina Hiseq platform (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA). The chloroplast genome of P. miliaceum was 139,929 bp in length, with 38.60% GC content. It contains a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) (22,723 bp) which were separated by a large single copy (LSC) (81,918 bp) and a small single copy region (SSC) (12,565 bp). A total of 132 genes were annotated, which included 84 protein coding genes, 40 tRNA genes and eight rRNA genes. The neighbour-joining (NJ) phylogenetic analysis with the reported chloroplast genomes showed that P. miliaceum chloroplasts are most closely related to those of the Gramineae family.

Drought responses of three closely related Caragana species: implication for their vicarious distribution

Drought is a major environmental constraint affecting growth and distribution of plants in the desert region of the Inner Mongolia plateau. Caragana microphylla, C. liouana, and C. korshinskii are phylogenetically close but distribute vicariously in Mongolia plateau. To gain a better understanding of the ecological differentiation between these three species, we examined the leaf gas exchange, growth, water use efficiency, biomass accumulation and allocation by subjecting their seedlings to low and high drought treatments in a glasshouse. Increasing drought stress had a significant effect on many aspects of seedling performance in all species, but the physiology and growth varied with species in response to drought. C. korshinskii exhibited lower sensitivity of photosynthetic rate and growth, lower specific leaf area, higher biomass allocation to roots, higher levels of water use efficiency to drought compared with the other two species. Only minor interspecific differences in growth performances were observed between C. liouana and C. microphylla. These results indicated that faster seedling growth rate and more efficient water use of C. korshinskii should confer increased drought tolerance and facilitate its establishment in more severe drought regions relative to C. liouana and C. microphylla.

Drought responses of three closely related Caragana species: implication for their vicarious distribution

Drought is a major environmental constraint affecting growth and distribution of plants in the desert region of the Inner Mongolia plateau. Caragana microphylla, C. liouana, and C. korshinskii are phylogenetically close but distribute vicariously in Mongolia plateau. To gain a better understanding of the ecological differentiation between these three species, we examined the leaf gas exchange, growth, water use efficiency, biomass accumulation and allocation by subjecting their seedlings to low and high drought treatments in a glasshouse. Increasing drought stress had a significant effect on many aspects of seedling performance in all species, but the physiology and growth varied with species in response to drought. C. korshinskii exhibited lower sensitivity of photosynthetic rate and growth, lower specific leaf area, higher biomass allocation to roots, higher levels of water use efficiency to drought compared with the other two species. Only minor interspecific differences in growth performances were observed between C. liouana and C. microphylla. These results indicated that faster seedling growth rate and more efficient water use of C. korshinskii should confer increased drought tolerance and facilitate its establishment in more severe drought regions relative to C. liouana and C. microphylla.

Narciclasine, a potential allelochemical, affects subcellular trafficking of auxin transporter proteins and actin cytoskeleton dynamics in Arabidopsis roots

The present study documented the action of a potential allelochemical, narciclasine, on auxin transport in Arabidopsis by mainly affecting subcellular trafficking of PIN and AUX1 proteins and through interfering actin cytoskeletal organization. Narciclasine (NCS), an Amaryllidaceae alkaloid isolated from Narcissus tazetta bulbs, has potential allelopathic activity and affects auxin transport. However, little is known about the cellular mechanism of this inhibitory effect of NCS on auxin transport. The present study characterizes the effects of NCS at the cellular level using transgenic Arabidopsis plants harboring the promoters of PIN, in combination with PIN-GFP proteins or AUX1-YFP fusions. NCS treatment caused significant reduction in the abundance of PIN and AUX1 proteins at the plasma membrane (PM). Analysis of the subcellular distribution of PIN and AUX1 proteins in roots revealed that NCS induced the intracellular accumulation of auxin transporters, including PIN2, PIN3, PIN4, PIN7 and AUX1. However, other PM proteins, such as PIP2, BRI1, and low temperature inducible protein 6b (LTI6b), were insensitive to NCS treatment. NCS-induced PIN2 compartments were further defined using endocytic tracer FM 4-64 labeled early endosomes and suggested that this compound affects the endocytosis trafficking of PIN proteins. Furthermore, pharmacological analysis indicated that the brefeldin A (BFA)-insensitive pathway is employed in the cellular effects of NCS on PIN2 trafficking. Although NCS did not alter actin dynamics in vitro, it resulted in the depolymerization of the actin cytoskeleton in vivo. This disruption of actin filaments by NCS subsequently influences the actin-based vesicle motility. Hence, the elucidation of the specific role of NCS is useful for further understanding the mechanisms of allelopathy at the phytohormone levels.

Cloning and functional analysis of the flowering gene GmSOC1-like, a putative SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION CO1/AGAMOUS-LIKE 20 (SOC1/AGL20) ortholog in soybean

KEY MESSAGE

The major insight in this manuscript is that we identified a new flowering regulator, GmSOC1-like, which may participate in the initiation and maintenance of flowering in soybean. Flowering is pivotal for the reproductive behavior of plants, and it is regulated by complex and coordinated genetic networks that are fine-tuned by endogenous cues and environmental signals. To better understand the molecular basis of flowering regulation in soybean, we isolated GmSOC1 and GmSOC1-like, two putative soybean orthologs for the Arabidopsis SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO1/AGAMOUS-LIKE 20 (SOC1/AGL20). The expression pattern of GmSOC1-like was analyzed by qRT-PCR in Zigongdongdou, a photoperiod-sensitive soybean cultivar. GmSOC1-like was widely expressed at different levels in most organs of the soybean, with the highest expression in the shoot apex during the early stage of floral transition. In addition, its expression showed a circadian rhythm pattern, with the highest expression at midnight under short-day (SD) condition. Intriguingly, GmSOC1-like was induced 4 days earlier than GmSOC1 during flowering transition in SD, suggesting that GmSOC1 and GmSOC1-like expression might be differentially regulated. However, under long-day (LD) condition, the expression of GmSOC1 and GmSOC1-like decreased gradually in the shoot apex of Zigongdongdou, which is in accordance with the fact that Zigongdongdou maintains vegetative growth in LD. In addition, overexpression of GmSOC1-like stimulated the flowering of Lotus corniculatus cv. supperroot plants. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that GmSOC1-like may act as a flowering inducer in soybean.

Narciclasine inhibits the responses of Arabidopsis roots to auxin

The plant hormone auxin plays a central role in the regulation of plant growth and development, as well as in responses to environmental stimuli. Narciclasine (NCS, an Amaryllidaceae alkaloid) isolated from Narcissus tazetta bulbs has a broad range of inhibitory effects on plants. In this study, the role of NCS in responses to auxin in Arabidopsis thaliana roots was investigated. We demonstrated the inhibitory effects of NCS on auxin-inducible lateral root formation, root hair formation, primary root growth, and the expression of primary auxin-inducible genes in Arabidopsis roots using DR5::GUS reporter gene, native auxin promoters (IAA12::GUS, IAA13::GUS), and quantitative reverse transcription PCR analysis. Results also showed that NCS did not affect the expression of cytokinin-inducible ARR5::GUS reporter gene. NCS relieved the auxin-enhanced degradation of the Aux/IAA repressor modulated by the SCFTIR1 ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. In addition, NCS did not alter the auxin-stimulated interaction between IAA7/AXR2 (Aux/IAA proteins) and the F-box protein TIR1 activity of the proteasome. Taken together, these results suggest that NCS acts on the auxin signaling pathway upstream of TIR1, which modulates Aux/IAA protein degradation, and thereby affects the auxin-mediated responses in Arabidopsis roots.

Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunctions are early events in narciclasine-induced programmed cell death in tobacco Bright Yellow-2 cells

Narciclasine (NCS) is a plant growth inhibitor isolated from the secreted mucilage of Narcissus tazetta bulbs. It is a commonly used anticancer agent in animal systems. In this study, we provide evidence to show that NCS also acts as an agent in inducing programmed cell death (PCD) in tobacco Bright Yellow-2 (TBY-2) cell cultures. NCS treatment induces typical PCD-associated morphological and biochemical changes, namely cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation and nuclear DNA degradation. To investigate possible signaling events, we analyzed the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the function of mitochondria during PCD induced by NCS. A biphasic behavior burst of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) was detected in TBY-2 cells treated with NCS, and mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) loss occurred after a slight increase. Pre-incubation with antioxidant catalase (CAT) and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) not only significantly decreased the H(2)O(2) production but also effectively retarded the decrease of MTP and reduced the percentage of cells undergoing PCD after NCS treatment. In conclusion, our results suggest that NCS induces PCD in plant cells; the oxidative stress (accumulation of H(2)O(2)) and the MTP loss play important roles during NCS-induced PCD.

Concentration-dependent effects of narciclasine on cell cycle progression in Arabidopsis root tips

BACKGROUND

Narciclasine (NCS) is an Amaryllidaceae alkaloid isolated from Narcissus tazetta bulbs. NCS has inhibitory effects on a broad range of biological activities and thus has various potential practical applications. Here we examine how NCS represses plant root growth.

RESULTS

Results showed that the inhibition of NCS on cell division in Arabidopsis root tips and its effects on cell differentiation are concentration-dependent; at low concentrations (0.5 and 1.0 μM) NCS preferentially targets mitotic cell cycle specific/cyclin complexes, whereas at high concentration (5.0 μM) the NCS-stimulated accumulation of Kip-related proteins (KRP1 and RP2) affects the CDK complexes with a role at both G1/S and G2/M phases.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that NCS modulates the coordination between cell division and differentiation in Arabidopsis root tips and hence affects the postembryonic development of Arabidopsis seedlings.

Narciclasine modulates polar auxin transport in Arabidopsis roots

Plant development displays an exceptional plasticity and adaptability that involves the dynamic, asymmetric distribution of the phytohormone auxin. Polar auxin flow, which requires transport facilitators of the PIN family, largely contributes to the establishment and maintenance of auxin gradients and mediates multiple developmental processes. Here, we report the effects of narciclasine (NCS), an Amaryllidaceae alkaloid isolated from Narcissus tazetta bulbs, on postembryonic development of Arabidopsis roots. Arabidopsis seedlings grown on NCS showed defects in root gravitropism which correlates with a reduction in auxin transport in roots. Expressions of auxin transport genes were affected and the polar localization of PIN2 protein was altered under NCS treatment. Taken together, we propose that NCS modulates auxin transport gene expression and PIN2 localization, and thus affects auxin transport and auxin distribution necessary for postembryonic development of Arabidopsis roots.

Sampling survey on intellectual disability in 0 approximately 6-year-old children in China

OBJECTIVES

To understand the current status of intellectually disabled children and the prevalence of intellectual disability (ID) in children aged 0 approximately 6 years and its risk factors, and to provide scientific evidence to formulate relevant policies for helping intellectually disabled children.

METHODS

Multiphase, stratified, unequal proportional and cluster sampling was adopted to investigate 60 124 children aged 0 approximately 6 years. All the children investigated were screened for ID using the Denver Developmental Screening Test, and those with positive screening test would be further diagnosed by varied specialists using the Gesell Developmental Inventory.

RESULTS

In total, 560 of 60 124 children were diagnosed as intellectually disabled with an overall prevalence of 0.93%. Prevalence of ID was highest in children living in medium-developed areas with a prevalence of 1.20%, higher than in those living in developed areas (0.75%) and in underdeveloped areas (0.84%). It was higher in rural areas (1.03%) than in urban areas (0.83%), and higher in boys (1.01%) than in girls (0.84%). Prevalence of ID increased with the age of children and decreased with the educational level of their parents.

CONCLUSIONS

The study suggested that ID is still prevalent in the children of China, and rehabilitation for them is lagging behind current needs. Early prevention of ID in children and pre-school education for them should be strengthened.

The effects and mechanisms of a novel 2-aminosteroid on murine WEHI-3B leukemia cells in vitro and in vivo

To evaluate the effects of a novel 2-aminosteroid, 2-(4'-methyl-1'-piperazinyl)-3alpha-hydroxyl-5alpha-androstane-17-one (KH), on in vitro murine WEHI-3B leukemia cells, semisolid colony culture, MTT assay, morphological examination, NBT reduction, NSAE test and ACP assay were used to determine proliferation and differentiation. It was found that the growth of leukemia cells in colony and liquid cultures was inhibited by KH (10(-8)-10(-4) mol/l) after treatment for 7 days. The percentages of NBT and NSAE positive cells were 71.17 and 79.25%, respectively, after treatment with KH (10(-8)-10(-6) mol/l) for 5 days. The morphology of treated leukemia cells was identified to be macrophage-like and these cells acquired significant ACP activities. It was indicated that the ACP enzyme activities were increased as high as two and three times of the control, respectively, after treatment with 10(-8) or 10(-5) mol/l KH for 6 days. It was also indicated by DNA fragmentation in gel electrophoresis that WEHI-3B cells were induced toward apoptosis by KH (10(-8)-10(-4) mol/l) when checked at day 5. The c-myc mRNA expressions in WEHI-3B cells were decreased by 58.7% after treatment with KH (10(-8) mol/l) for 5 days. Therefore, it is first reported here that KH, a novel 2-aminosteroid, could suppress proliferation and induce differentiation of WEHI-3B leukemia cells. These differentiated cells were mature macrophage-like cells and showed characteristics of functional phagocytes acquired with acid phosphatase activity. The mechanisms underlying the above effects involved the apoptosis of WEHI-3B leukemia cells and the down-regulation of c-myc oncogene expression. It is also shown that the counts of immature granulocytes and monocytes were significantly decreased in both peripheral blood and bone marrow of BALB/c leukemia mice after KH was administrated per os for 7 consecutive days with four doses (5, 10, 15 or 20 mg/kg day), respectively. It is also observed that the enlarged spleens in leukemia mice were decreased when compared with the control.

[Drug susceptibility testing for M. tuberculosis with proportion method]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the feasibility of proportion method in drug susceptibility testing (DST) of M. tuberculosis(MTB).

METHODS

DST was performed to 360 strains of MTB using proportion method and absolute concentration method, 30 of them using both China made and Sigma produced anti-TB drugs. MIC was detected in 19 strains whose results were different from standard ones.

RESULTS

In isoniazid (INH) and ethambutol (EMB), the resistance rate and the accordance rate compared with standard results were significantly higher in proportion method than absolute concentration method (P < 0.01). But in streptomycin (SM) and rifampicin (RFP), they did not show any significant difference. The accordance rates of INH, SM, EMB and RFP between two methods were 81.1%, 92.5%, 83.6% and 98.6%. The DST results using China made and Sigma produced anti-TB drugs had no significant difference.

CONCLUSIONS

The main reason made proportion method differ from absolute concentration method is critical concentration of drugs. China made anti-TB drugs are also qualified for DST purpose.