Noncoding-RNA-Mediated Regulation in Response to Macronutrient Stress in Plants

Macronutrient elements including nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S) are required in relatively large and steady amounts for plant growth and development. Deficient or excessive supply of macronutrients from external environments may trigger a series of plant responses at phenotypic and molecular levels during the entire life cycle. Among the intertwined molecular networks underlying plant responses to macronutrient stress, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), mainly microRNAs (miRNAs) and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), may serve as pivotal regulators for the coordination between nutrient supply and plant demand, while the responsive ncRNA-target module and the interactive mechanism vary among elements and species. Towards a comprehensive identification and functional characterization of nutrient-responsive ncRNAs and their downstream molecules, high-throughput sequencing has produced massive omics data for comparative expression profiling as a first step. In this review, we highlight the recent findings of ncRNA-mediated regulation in response to macronutrient stress, with special emphasis on the large-scale sequencing efforts for screening out candidate nutrient-responsive ncRNAs in plants, and discuss potential improvements in theoretical study to provide better guidance for crop breeding practices.

Epigenetic regulation of miR396 expression by SWR1-C and the effect of miR396 on leaf growth and developmental phase transition in Arabidopsis

The miR396/target module affects juvenile to adult transition and flowering in Arabidopsis. The spatio-temporal distribution of miR396 during leaf development, which helps to control leaf shape and modify phase change, is regulated by SWR1-C.

Improved Alignment Estimation for Autonomous Docking of Mobile Robots

This paper presents the methodology for an improved visual tracking, intended for the autonomous control of mobile robots. We propose the cumulated use of the image processing method and positioning sensors for an improved visual tracking. The method primarily uses detection, tracking, and recognition techniques to locate the targets. The use of such methods will enable the robot to monitor the real-time continuous changes in the orientation and the alignment with respect to the target module. The proposed methodology is implemented on a subsisting genderless coupling mechanism which is integrated into a multi-directional hybrid locomotion module to test the alignment accuracy in an autonomous docking procedure. The long-term objective is to demonstrate the autonomous docking and self-reconfiguration of multiple mobile robots.