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Open AccessArticle

The Conserved and Specific Roles of the LUX ARRHYTHMO in Circadian Clock and Nodulation

by Yiming Kong, Yuxue Zhang, Xiu Liu, Zhe Meng, Xiaolin Yu, Chuanen Zhou and Lu Han

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(7), 3473; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23073473 - 23 Mar 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3563

LUX ARRHYTHMO (LUX) plays a key role in circadian rhythms and flowering. Here, we identified the MtLUX gene which is the putative ortholog of LUX in Medicago truncatula. The roles of MtLUX, in both the nodulation belowground and leaf movement aboveground, were investigated by characterizing a loss-of-function mtlux mutant. MtLUX was required for the control of flowering time under both long-day and short-day conditions. Further investigations showed that the early flowering in the mtlux mutant was correlated with the elevated expression level of the MtFTa1 gene but in a CO-like independent manner. MtLUX played a conserved role in the regulatory interactions with MtLHY, MtTOC1, and MtPRR genes, which is similar to those in other species. Meanwhile, the unexpected functions of MtLUX were revealed in nodule formation and nyctinastic leaf movement, probably through the indirect regulation in MtLHY. Its participation in nodulation is of interest in the context of functional conservation and the neo-functionalization of the products of LUX orthologs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Plant Sciences)

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12 pages, 2531 KB

Open AccessArticle

Exposure of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles on the Bioluminescence Process of P_u- and P_m-lux Recombinant P. putida mt-2 Strains

by In Chul Kong, Kyung-Seok Ko, Sohyeon Lee, Dong-Chan Koh and Robert Burlage

Nanomaterials 2021, 11(11), 2822; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano11112822 - 24 Oct 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2402

Abstract

Comparison of the effects of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs; CuO, NiO, ZnO, TiO₂, and Al₂O₃) on different bioluminescence processes was evaluated using two recombinant (P_m-lux and P_u-lux) strains of Pseudomonas putida mt-2 with same inducer exposure. Different sensitivities and responses were observed according to the type of NPs and recombinant strains. EC₅₀ values were determined. The negative effects on the bioluminescence activity of the P_m-lux strain was greater than for the P_u-lux strains for all NPs tested. EC₅₀ values for the P_m-lux strain were 1.7- to 6.2-fold lower (corresponding to high inhibition) than for P_u-lux. ZnO NP caused the greatest inhibition among the tested NPs in both strains, showing approximately 11 times less EC_50s of CuO, which appeared as the least inhibited. Although NPs showed different sensitivities depending on the bioluminescence process, similar orders of EC_50s for both strains were observed as follows: ZnO > NiO, Al₂O₃ > TiO₂ > CuO. More detailed in-depth systematic approaches, including in the field of molecular mechanisms, is needed to evaluate the accurate effect mechanisms involved in both bioluminescence metabolic processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity Assessment in Nanomaterials)

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13 pages, 844 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Dim Light at Night on Urinary 6-Sulphatoxymelatonin Concentrations and Sleep in Healthy Humans

by Katarina Stebelova, Jan Roska and Michal Zeman

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(20), 7736; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207736 - 19 Oct 2020

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5275

Abstract

Artificial light at night can have negative effects on human wellbeing and health. It can disrupt circadian rhythms, interfere with sleep, and participate in the progress of civilisation diseases. The aim of the present study was to explore if dim artificial light during the entire night (ALAN) can affect melatonin production and sleep quality in young volunteers. We performed two experiments in real-life home-based conditions. Young volunteers (n = 33) were exposed to four nights of one lux ALAN or two nights of five lux ALAN. Melatonin production, based on 6-sulphatoxymelatonin/creatinine concentrations in urine, and sleep quality, based on actimetry, were evaluated. Exposure to ALAN one lux during the entire night did not suppress aMT6s/creatinine concentrations but did aggravate sleep quality by increasing sleep fragmentation and one-minute immobility. ALAN up to five lux reduced melatonin biosynthesis significantly and interfered with sleep quality, as evidenced by an increased percentage of one-minute immobility and a tendency of increased fragmentation index. Our results show that people are more sensitive to low illuminance during the entire night, as previously expected. ALAN can interfere with melatonin production and sleep quality in young, healthy individuals, and both processes have different sensitivities to light. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research on Light's Effects on Animals and Humans)

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