Root Transcriptome and Metabolome Profiling Reveal Key Phytohormone-Related Genes and Pathways Involved Clubroot Resistance in Brassica rapa L.

Plasmodiophora brassicae, an obligate biotrophic pathogen-causing clubroot disease, can seriously affect Brassica crops worldwide, especially Chinese cabbage. Understanding the transcriptome and metabolome profiling changes during the infection of P. brassicae will provide key insights in understanding the defense mechanism in Brassica crops. In this study, we estimated the phytohormones using targeted metabolome assays and transcriptomic changes using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in the roots of resistant (BrT24) and susceptible (Y510-9) plants at 0, 3, 9, and 20 days after inoculation (DAI) with P. brassicae. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in resistant vs. susceptible lines across different time points were identified. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis of the DEGs revealed six pathways including “Plant–pathogen interaction” and “Plant hormone signal transduction” and 15 hub genes including pathogenic type III effector avirulence factor gene (RIN4) and auxin-responsive protein (IAA16) to be involved in plants immune response. Inhibition of Indoleacetic acid, cytokinin, jasmonate acid, and salicylic acid contents and changes in related gene expression in R-line may play important roles in regulation of clubroot resistance (CR). Based on the combined metabolome profiling and hormone-related transcriptomic responses, we propose a general model of hormone-mediated defense mechanism. This study definitely enhances our current understanding and paves the way for improving CR in Brassica rapa.

Biotechnology methods to produce planting material of the genus Rubus L.

The work is devoted to improving clonal micropropagation methods of the genus Rubus representatives. When cultivating R. arcticus L. cultivars, the optimal concentration of 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BAP) was 0.3 mg L−1. Significant effect of FeEDTA concentration in the nutrient medium on multiplication of R. idaeus L. cultivars was established. The interaction of auxin type and plant genotype was revealed during rooting of blackberry cultivars and raspberry-blackberry hybrids. The nutrient medium supplemented with 0.5 mg L-1 indoleacetic acid contributed to the highest percentage of rhizogenesis in R. arcticus representatives (82%). The optimal growth regulator for conservation of raspberry explants was 6-BAP at a concentration of 0.3 mg L-1. One of the most representative in vitro collections of Rubus cultivars has been created.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the Auxin/Indoleacetic Acid Gene Family and Response to Indole-3-Acetic Acid Stress in Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum)

Auxin/indoleacetic acid (Aux/IAA) family genes respond to the hormone auxin, which have been implicated in the regulation of multiple biological processes. In this study, all 25 Aux/IAA family genes were identified in Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) by a reiterative database search and manual annotation. Our study provided comprehensive information of Aux/IAA family genes in buckwheat, including gene structures, chromosome locations, phylogenetic relationships, and expression patterns. Aux/IAA family genes were nonuniformly distributed in the buckwheat chromosomes and divided into seven groups by phylogenetic analysis. Aux/IAA family genes maintained a certain correlation and a certain species-specificity through evolutionary analysis with Arabidopsis and other grain crops. In addition, all Aux/IAA genes showed a complex response pattern under treatment of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). These results provide valuable reference information for dissecting function and molecular mechanism of Aux/IAA family genes in buckwheat.

Concentration-dependent stimulating and toxic effects of ZrS3 and TiS3 nanoribbons on forest woody plants in tissue culture in vitro

Nanotechnology has a great potential for application in applied biotechnology. Here we demonstrate the effectiveness of synthesized by direct reaction ZrS3 and TiS3 nanoribbons as sterilizing agents, growth stimulators and activators of rhizogenesis of micro-sprouts of tree crops during clonal micropropagation. At the initiation stage at 6 and 15 μg/L ZrS3 and 3, 6 and 15 μg/L TiS3, complete sterility of shoots of brittle willow, red oak and Scots pine was noted. The maximum survival rate and seedling height at this stage was in the groups of 1.5 μg/L ZrS3 and 3 μg/L TiS3. An increase in the concentration of nanomaterials to 15 μg/L significantly reduced the viability of plants. At the proliferation stage the concentration of nanomaterials 1.5 and 3 μg/L increased the survival rate of regenerants, and at 3 μg/L with the phytohormones (benzylaminopurine, indoleacetic acid, gibberelic acid) the number of additional shoots increased. At the rooting stage ZrS3 and TiS3 at doses of 1.5 and 3 μg/L with auxin activated rhizogenesis, significantly increasing the number of seedlings with roots in comparison with the variants where only auxin were used. This effects can be associated both with the direct action of nanoribbons and with the release of hydrogen sulfide as a result of aqueous hydrolysis of nanoribbons, since H2S plays an important role in the regulation of plant physiological processes.

Serum Metabolic Profiles of Chinese Women With Perimenopausal Obesity Explored by the Untargeted Metabolomics Approach

By far, no study has focused on observing the metabolomic profiles in perimenopause-related obesity. This study attempted to identify the metabolic characteristics of subjects with perimenopause obesity (PO). Thirty-nine perimenopausal Chinese women, 21 with PO and 18 without obesity (PN), were recruited in this study. A conventional ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF/MS) followed by principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) were used as untargeted metabolomics approaches to explore the serum metabolic profiles. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and MetaboAnalyst were used to identify the related metabolic pathways. A total of 46 differential metabolites, along with seven metabolic pathways relevant to PO were identified, which belonged to lipid, amino acids, carbohydrates, and organic acids. As for amino acids, we found a significant increase in l-arginine and d-ornithine in the positive ion (POS) mode and l-leucine, l-valine, l-tyrosine, and N-acetyl-l-tyrosine in the negative ion (NEG) mode and a significant decrease in l-proline in the POS mode of the PO group. We also found phosphatidylcholine (PC) (16:0/16:0), palmitic acid, and myristic acid, which are associated with the significant upregulation of lipid metabolism. Moreover, the serum indole lactic acid and indoleacetic acid were upregulated in the NEG mode. With respect to the metabolic pathways, the d-arginine and d-ornithine metabolisms and the arginine and proline metabolism pathways in POS mode were the most dominant PO-related pathways. The changes of metabolisms of lipid, amino acids, and indoleacetic acid provided a pathophysiological scenario for Chinese women with PO. We believe that the findings of this study are helpful for clinicians to take measures to prevent the women with PO from developing severe incurable obesity-related complications, such as cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Paclobutrazol Modulates Endogenous Level of Phytohormones in Inducing Early Flowering in Camellia tamdaoensis Hakoda et Ninh, a Golden Camellia Species

Golden camellia flowers are treasured for their unique yellow color and bioactive chemical compounds. Because of its high market demand, there is strong interest in inducing early flowering in golden camellias for earlier harvest. Previously, we have successfully induced flowering in Camelia chrysantha (Hu) Tuyama juvenile grafted plants and seedlings with paclobutrazol (PBZ). During this study, we investigated the efficacy of PBZ on C. tamdaoensis juvenile rooted cuttings. C. tamdaoensis is a yellow-flowering camellia species that is native to Vietnam and valued by the local population. It was found that applications of 100 and 200 ppm PBZ generated an average of 13 and 30 flowers per 5-year-old plant, respectively. None of the control plants flowered. The average flower diameter was 17.2 cm for 100-ppm-induced flowers and 26.0 cm for 200-ppm-induced flowers. The dynamics of various phytohormones (indoleacetic acid, abscisic acid, salicylic acid, and jasmonic acid) were altered by PBZ treatment. It is suggested that low indoleacetic acid, high abscisic acid, and jasmonic acid and a gradual increase in salicylic acid benefit floral initiation of golden camellias. The study provided the first insight regarding the action mechanism of PBZ for the initiation of camellia flowering.

In vitro rooting of promising Lonicera caeruleae L. cultivars

The work is devoted to the improvement of the in vitro rooting technique of valuable Lonicera caerulea L. cultivars. The influence of different types of auxins and iron sources was determined at the stage of rhizogenesis. The use of indolylbutyric acid at a concentration of 1.0 mg/l was effective for the rooting of the cultivars Solovey and Yugana: the rooting rate was 60% and 99%, respectively. When using indoleacetic and indolylbutyric acids no significant differences were found in the percentage of rooting rates in the cultivars Gzhelka, Dlinnoplodnaya, Knyaginya and Lenya. It was found that 200 mg/l of iron chelate (Fe(III)-EDDHA) and 0.5 mg/l of indoleacetic acid in the nutrient medium had a positive effect on the dynamics of root formation of most honeysuckle cultivars. It was preferable to use a nutrient medium with the addition of iron chelate Fe(III)-EDTA at a concentration of 73.4 mg / l for the cultivar Yugana (rooting rate was 76%). Keywords: LONICERA CAERULEA, CULTIVARS, IN VITRO, RHIZOGENESIS, AUXINS, SOURCES OF IRON

Bioactivites of Penicillium citrinum isolated from a medicinal plant Swertia chirayita

Endophytes associated with plants have the property to produce active biomolecules with their possible applications in agro-industrial sectors. This study provides a project work on analyzing various activities of fungal endophytes isolated from Swertia chirayita of Sikkim Himalayan region. Among several fungal endophytes screened, isolate UTCRF6 was found most active with the secretion of enzymes protease, cellulase, amylase and chitinase, as well as other metabolites Indoleacetic acid and siderophores. This endophyte was found active in restricting the growth of phyto-pathogens, including strains of Fusarium solani, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Alternaria alternata, Pestalotiopsis theae and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Morphological and molecular studies of this endophytic fungus showed similarity with Penicillium citrinum. Graphic abstract

A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF IN VIVO INJECTION OF AUXIN AND CYTOKININ INTO Rafflesia patma Blume FLOWER BUDS

The controlling mechanisms for the growth and differentiation of Rafflesia from a flower bud into the anthesis stage is currently unknown, particularly if any plant growth regulator (PGR) physiological pathways play some type of roles. In the wild, the number of flower buds available to study are extremely limited. In this study, we grouped six flower buds of Rafflesia patma Blume into three different treatments: two buds injected with auxin (indoleacetic acid, IAA), two buds injected with cytokinin (kinetin), and two buds injected with sterile distilled water as a control. Buds enlarged with both IAA and kinetin treatments compared to the control, but only buds injected with IAA showed a transition stage with the bract revealed (cupule-bract stage from previously cupule stage) within two weeks of five weeks of observation. These results raise further questions whether Rafflesia development is more likely due to auxin exposure when in flower bud as compared to cytokinin. Future studies should include increased sample size for treatments, enhanced PGR administration to allow exposure to the tissue and less tissue damage, injection of other PGRs such as gibberellin (GA) and jasmonic acid (JA), and histological tissue analysis to investigate PGR effects in depth.