Search Results (1,507)

Plants, as sessile organisms, rely on sophisticated gene regulatory networks (GRNs) to adapt to dynamic environmental conditions. Among the central components of these networks are the interconnected pathways of light signaling and circadian rhythms, which together optimize growth, development, and stress resilience. While light and circadian pathways have been extensively investigated independently, their integrative coordination in mediating climate change adaptation responses remains a critical knowledge gap. Light perception via photoreceptors initiates transcriptional reprogramming, while the circadian clock generates endogenous rhythms that anticipate daily and seasonal changes. This review explores the molecular integration of light and circadian signaling, emphasizing how their crosstalk fine-tunes GRNs to balance resource allocation, photomorphogenesis, and stress adaptation. We highlight recent advances in systems biology tools, e.g., single-cell omics, CRISPR screens that unravel spatiotemporal regulation of shared hubs like phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs), ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5), and CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1 (CCA1). Here, we synthesize mechanistic insights across model and crop species to bridge fundamental molecular crosstalk with actionable strategies for enhancing cropresilience. Moreover, we have tried to discuss agricultural implications in engineering light–clock interactions for the enhancement in crop productivity under climate change scenarios. Through synthesizing mechanistic insights and translational applications, this work will help underscore the potential for manipulating light–circadian networks to promote sustainability in agriculture. Full article

The fruiting stage of soybean (Glycine max L.) is critical for determining both its yield and quality, thereby influencing global production. While some studies have provided partial explanations for the occurrence of Fusarium species on soybean seeds and pods, the fungal diversity affecting soybean pods in Sichuan Province, a major soybean cultivation region in Southwestern China, remains inadequately understood. In this study, 182 infected pods were collected from a maize–soybean relay strip intercropping system. A total of 10 distinct pod-infecting fungal genera (132 isolates) were identified, and their pathogenic potential on soybean seeds and pods was evaluated. Using morphological characteristics and DNA barcode markers, we identified 43 Fusarium isolates belonging to 8 species, including F. verticillioides, F. incarnatum, F. equiseti, F. proliferatum, F. fujikuroi, F. oxysporum, F. chlamydosporum, and F. acutatum through the analysis of the translation elongation factor gene (EF1-α) and RNA polymerases II second largest subunit (RPB2) gene. Multi-locus phylogenetic analysis, incorporating the Internal Transcribed Spacer (rDNA ITS), β-tubulin (β-tubulin), Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH), Chitin Synthase 1 (CHS-1), Actin (ACT), Beta-tubulin II (TUB2), and Calmodulin (CAL) genes distinguished 37 isolates as 6 Colletotrichum species, including C. truncatum, C. karstii, C. cliviicola, C. plurivorum, C. boninense, and C. fructicola. Among these, F. proliferatum and C. fructicola were the most dominant species, representing 20.93% and 21.62% of the isolation frequency, respectively. Pathogenicity assays revealed significant damage from both Fusarium and Colletotrichum isolates on soybean pods and seeds, with varying isolation frequencies. Of these, F. proliferatum, F. acutatum, and F. verticillioides caused the most severe symptoms. Similarly, within Colletotrichum genus, C. fructicola was the most pathogenic, followed by C. truncatum, C. karstii, C. cliviicola, C. plurivorum, and C. boninense. Notably, F. acutatum, C. cliviicola, C. boninense, and C. fructicola were identified for the first time as pathogens of soybean pods under the maize–soybean strip intercropping system in Southwestern China. These findings highlight emerging virulent pathogens responsible for soybean pod decay and provide a valuable foundation for understanding the pathogen population during the later growth stages of soybean. Full article

Agrocybe chaxingu is a commercially important edible mushroom in China, valued for its rich bioactive compounds and distinctive umami flavor. In recent years, frequent disease outbreaks have severely limited production, as many pathogens spread rapidly and are difficult to control, posing a significant threat to the sustainable development of the industry. In this study, a systematic disease survey across major A. chaxingu cultivation areas in Jiangxi Province led to the isolation and identification of 17 potential fungal pathogens and 2 potential myxomycete pathogens using combined morphological characterization and multilocus phylogenetic analyses including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, 28S large subunit ribosomal RNA (LSU), translation elongation factor (tef1), RNA polymerase largest subunit (rpb1), RNA polymerase second largest subunit (rpb2), Histone (H3), Beta tubulin (tub2), and 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA). Among the identified diseases, white slime disease showed the highest incidence (17.3%) and was attributed to the slime mold Fuligo gyrosa, with pathogenicity confirmed according to Koch’s postulates. F. gyrosa proved highly virulent to both fruiting bodies and mycelia, enveloping host mycelium via plasmodial expansion, inhibiting growth, inducing structural rupture, and causing progressive degradation. Infection was accompanied by the deposition of characteristic stress-related pigments in the mycelium. This study provides the first detailed characterization of F. gyrosa infection dynamics in A. chaxingu mycelium. These findings provide new insights into the myxomycete pathogenesis in edible fungi and provide a foundation for the accurate diagnosis, targeted prevention, and sustainable management of diseases in A. chaxingu cultivation. Full article

The cold-rolled 2024 aluminum alloy sheets were subjected to solution treatments at different temperatures followed by artificial aging. The microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated using Vickers microhardness testing, tensile testing, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that as the solution temperature increases, the coarse particles gradually dissolved into the matrix. At a solution temperature of 500 °C, the grains become nearly equiaxed with an average size of ~16.47 μm, and no significant grain growth is observed compared to the as-rolled condition. The refined microstructure contributes to excellent mechanical properties. In contrast, when the solution temperature increases to 550 °C, the microstructure shows severe grain coarsening (up to ~61.39 μm), which indicates that overburning occurs, resulting in a drastic deterioration in mechanical performance. As the aging time increases, precipitates become more uniformly and densely distributed throughout the matrix, and the hardness initially increases and reaches a peak after approximately 6 h of aging at 180 °C. The optimal mechanical performance, characterized by a favorable combination of strength and ductility, is achieved at an aging time of 6 h. In summary, the optimal heat treatment condition for the cold-rolled 2024 aluminum alloy sheet is solution treatment at 500 °C for 1 h followed by aging at 180 °C for 6 h, resulting in a hardness of 154 HV, a tensile strength of 465 MPa and an elongation of 13%. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of specific LED light spectra on the growth and physiology of Changchuan No. 3 Capsicum annuum L. seedlings. The experimental design involved exposing pepper seedlings to six different spectral light combinations for 7, 14, and 21 days, with the treatments consisting of 2R1B1Y (red/blue/yellow = 2:1:1), 2R1B1FR (red/blue/far-red = 2:1:1), 2R1B1P (red/blue/purple = 2:1:1), 4R2B1G (red/blue/green = 4:2:1), 2R1B1G (red/blue/green = 2:1:1), and 2R1B (red/blue = 2:1). The results demonstrated distinct spectral regulation of seedling development: compared to the white light (CK), the 2R1B1FR (far-red light supplementation) treatment progressively stimulated stem elongation, increasing plant height and stem diameter by 81.6% and 25.9%, respectively, at day 21, but resulted in a more slender stem architecture. The 2R1B1G (balanced green light) treatment consistently promoted balanced growth, culminating in the highest seedling vigor index at the final stage. The 2R1B1P (purple light supplementation) treatment exhibited a strong promotive effect on root development, which became most pronounced at day 21 (126% increase in root dry weight), while concurrently enhancing soluble sugar content and reducing oxidative stress. Conversely, the 2R1B1Y (yellow light supplementation) treatment increased MDA content by 70% and led to a reduction in chlorophyll accumulation, while 2R1B (basic red–blue) resulted in lower biomass accumulation compared to the superior spectral treatments. The 4R2B1G (low green ratio) treatment showed context-dependent outcomes. This study elucidates how targeted spectral compositions, particularly involving far-red and green light, can optimize pepper seedling quality by modulating photomorphogenesis, carbon allocation, and stress physiology. The findings provide a mechanistic basis for designing efficient LED lighting protocols in controlled-environment agriculture to enhance pepper nursery production. Full article

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is a primary cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs), with recurrent cases often linked to its ability to form biofilms. This study investigated the effects of various antibiotics on UPEC biofilm formation and the subsequent interaction of these biofilms/their supernatants with human neutrophils. We determined the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC), and biofilm eradication concentrations (MBEC) for ampicillin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin. Our results showed an increase in MBEC compared to MBC for all tested antibiotics, confirming the enhanced antibiotic resistance of bacteria in biofilm. We found that sub-MICs of ciprofloxacin, which moderately inhibited planktonic growth, actually stimulated an increase in biofilm biomass. This antibiotic-induced biofilm growth was accompanied by changes in bacterial morphology, including the formation of elongated, filamentous cells, an adaptive stress response. Biofilm-embedded bacteria, but not their supernatants, significantly reduced neutrophil viability, primarily by inducing neutrophil necrosis. The presence of ciprofloxacin during biofilm formation did not fundamentally alter interactions with neutrophils. These findings highlight the importance of studying effects of antibiotic pressure on biofilm formation, underscoring the challenges in antibiotic treatment of UTIs. Full article

Biostimulants based on Bradyrhizobium japonicum are commonly used in soybean production. However, the effect of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in consortia with other plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and their integration with mineral nutrients on soybean seed quality has not been explored. The study aimed to examine the effects of five treatments on seed germination and initial seedling growth of two soybean cultivars (‘NS Apolo’, ‘NS Rubin’): control (untreated seeds); Br. japonicum (BJ), BJ and nutrient complex (NC), BJ, Azotobacter chroococcum (AC), Bacillus subtilis (BS), and NC; BJ, AC, Bacillus megaterium (BM), and NC. Seed treatments significantly enhanced germination energy, seedling vigor index, root length, fresh shoot weight, fresh root weight, dry shoot weight, and dry root weight of both cultivars, as well as final germination, shoot length, and shoot elongation rate of ‘NS Rubin’, as compared to the control. The highest effect on the investigated parameters was achieved by integrated use of PGPR and nutrients (BJ + BM + AC + NC), indicating that integration of PGPR with a targeted NC represents an innovative approach with practical implications for improving early soybean establishment and field performance. Full article

Low energy N⁺ ion beam implantation has been used to create the novel rice mutant “shuangli”, which produces partially fertile spikelets containing double grains. Abnormal ovule development is a major cause of partial fertility and grain diversity in rice mutants. To elucidate the developmental mechanism of ovule diversity in shuangli, ovules undergoing development were stained using eosin Y and H33342 and observed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Different developmental abnormalities were observed in the ovary, embryo sac, and ovule. Abnormal development was observed in 35.18% of the ovary structures, primarily manifesting as “tumor” like cell clusters, “false ovaries”, stamen degeneration, and double ovaries. In the embryo sac, abnormal development occurred in about 17.35% of the megaspore cells, including the formation of three nuclei, two daughter cells of asynchronously divided dyads, multiple megaspore tetrads, and “narrow and elongated” cavities. At the female gametogenesis stage, the abnormal development rate was 27.53%, mainly involving the degeneration of the central polar nucleus, egg apparatus, antipodal cell mass, or female germ unit. In shuangli, abnormal development occurred in 28.06% of the ovule structures, including lateral tissue, nucellar tissue, double ovules and double embryo sacs. Of the observed lateral tissues, 8.27% did not differentiate into sexual reproductive tissue, which affected the fertilization of the embryo sac, leading to atrophy and degeneration. A new abnormal tissue similar to the inner integument was found on both sides of the nucellar tissue, and the two specialized nucellar tissues appeared to have “staggered” growth within a single ovary. Of the examined ovules, 10.79% exhibited different types of double ovules, including heart-shaped, “anatropous”, “conjoined” structures. However, the double ovules typically developed synchronously, explaining the production of different sizes of the two grains in shuangli. In addition, “double” embryo sacs from two “twinborn” nucelli were found in one ovule, and the frequency of “double” embryo sacs was 3.60%. Therefore, ovule development diversity may result in fertilization or gradual degeneration after fertilization, explaining the lower fertility of shuangli at the embryological level. Full article

Cell division is critical for the survival, growth, pathogenesis, and antibiotic susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). However, the regulatory networks governing the transcription of genes involved in cell growth and division in Mtb remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of BlaI overexpression on cell division and growth in Mtb and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Mycobacterium smegmatis mc²155 was used as the model organism. Recombinant strains overexpressing BlaI were constructed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ethidium bromide and Nile red uptake assays, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination, drug resistance analysis, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were employed to assess changes in bacterial morphology, cell wall permeability, antibiotic susceptibility, gene transcription levels, and the interaction between BlaI and its target genes. Overexpression of BlaI disrupted bacterial division in M. smegmatis, leading to growth delay, cell elongation, and formation of multi-septa. It also altered the lipid permeability of the cell wall and enhanced the sensitivity of M. smegmatis to β-lactam antibiotics. BlaI overexpression affected the transcription of cell division-related genes, particularly downregulating ftsQ. Additionally, BlaI negatively regulated the transcription of Rv1303—a gene co-transcribed with ATP synthase-encoding genes—inhibiting ATP synthesis. This impaired the phosphorylation of division complex proteins, ultimately affecting cell division and cell wall synthesis. Overexpression of BlaI in Mtb interferes with bacterial division, slows growth, and alters gene expression. Our findings identify a novel role for BlaI in regulating mycobacterial cell division and β-lactam susceptibility, providing a foundation for future mechanistic studies in M. tuberculosis, with validation required to assess relevance to clinical tuberculosis—though validation in M. tuberculosis and preclinical models is required. Full article

This study evaluates the impact of biotic elicitors and hormone regimes on the in vitro establishment, shoot multiplication, and organogenesis of Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Fianna under controlled laboratory conditions. Explants derived from pre-treated tubers were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with vitamins and varying concentrations of growth regulators or elicitors. Aseptic establishment achieved a high success rate (~95%) using a 6% sodium hypochlorite disinfection protocol. Multiplication was significantly enhanced with a combination of 0.2 mg L⁻¹ naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 0.5–1.0 mg L⁻¹ benzylaminopurine (BAP), producing the greatest number and length of shoots and roots. Direct organogenesis was stimulated by bio-elicitors Activane^®, Micobiol^®, and Stemicol^® in (MS) basal medium at mid-level concentrations (0.5 g or mL L⁻¹), improving shoot number, elongation, and root development. Activane^®, Micobiol^®, and Stemicol^® are commercial elicitors that stimulate plant defense pathways and morphogenesis through salicylic acid, microbial, and jasmonic acid signaling mechanisms, respectively. Indirect organogenesis showed significantly higher callus proliferation in Stemicol^® and Micobiol^® treatments compared to the control medium, resulting in the highest fresh weight, diameter, and friability of callus. The results demonstrate the potential of biotic elicitors as alternatives or enhancers to traditional plant growth regulators in potato tissue culture, supporting more efficient and cost-effective micropropagation strategies. Full article

Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the predominant natural auxin, is a plant hormone that regulates growth and development in response to various internal and external signals. Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) indole-3-butyric acid response 5 (AtIBR5, AT2G04550) encodes a dual-specificity phosphatase in Arabidopsis. The atibr5 mutant exhibits reduced sensitivity to indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), a precursor of IAA, but is also less responsive to another plant hormone, abscisic acid (ABA). We report that AtIBR5 contains a rubredoxin-like domain in its N-terminal region, in addition to the previously identified dual-specificity phosphatase domain. The rubredoxin-like domain of AtIBR5, when expressed in Escherichia coli, binds zinc through four cysteine residues in the rubredoxin-like domain and exhibits a characteristic absorption spectrum at 430 nm. The rubredoxin-like domain, more specifically the set of four cysteine residues, is essential for most in planta functions of AtIBR5 related to auxin and ABA. These functions include hypocotyl elongation, leaf serration, and germination phenotypes. However, this domain is dispensable for the inhibition of root elongation by ABA. All orthologs of AtIBR5 in the green plant lineage investigated encode the N-terminal rubredoxin-like domain, which features the specific arrangement of four cysteine residues. Our result provides a clue as to how various plant phenotypes can be subtly modulated by AtIBR5. Full article

This study developed antimicrobial composite coatings from gelatin (GL) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) functionalized with carvacrol (CA) as a natural alternative for the preservation of strawberries. Films incorporated with 0%, 1.5%, and 3% CA were characterized by their physical, mechanical, and structural properties. The addition of CA significantly improved opacity, tensile strength, elongation-at-break, and thickness, while reducing water vapor permeability, moisture content, and solubility (p < 0.05). Spectroscopy and microscopy also confirmed CA’s uniform dispersion within the matrix. During 14 days of storage at 4 °C, strawberries coated with GL/CMCS/CA-3% significantly reduced weight loss (50.91%) and fungal contamination, improved firmness (79.31%), and maintained color and pH. Conversely, uncoated strawberries showed rapid declines in soluble solids, acidity, phenolics, anthocyanins, vitamin C, and antioxidant activity (p < 0.05). Microbial growth was effectively suppressed in coated fruits, while sensory profiles were drastically impaired in uncoated samples at the end of storage (p < 0.05). These results demonstrate that GL/CMCS/CA coatings can effectively preserve strawberry quality and extend shelf life without synthetic preservatives. Full article

Maize is a globally vital crop for both grain and forage production. Its cultivation and growth are significantly restricted by salt stress. Expansins are non-enzymatic plant cell wall proteins that play pivotal roles in growth, development, and stress responses by mediating cell wall loosening. We identified ZmEXPA6, an α-expansin gene, as exhibiting high expression levels in maize roots under salt stress. In this study, the ZmEXPA6 gene was cloned and functionally characterized. Heterologous overexpression of ZmEXPA6 promoted root elongation and enhanced salt tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana. Under salt stress, the ZmEXPA6 overexpression lines exhibited elevated levels of anthocyanin (61.70%, 59.70%), proline (16.39%, 15.11%), soluble sugars (11.97%, 8.68%), and soluble proteins (14.83%, 13.74%) compared to the WT. Concurrently, the expression of genes associated with anthocyanin and proline biosynthesis was markedly up-regulated in these overexpression lines. The ZmEXPA6 overexpression lines exhibited elevated activities of SOD (23.81%, 23.51%), CAT (13.86%, 10.93%), and POD (4.27%, 1.39%) compared to the WT, along with significantly reduced accumulation of MDA (23.47%, 24.48%), O₂⁻ (21.9%, 19.8%), and H₂O₂ (27.61%, 18.07%). These results indicate that ZmEXPA6 is involved in the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana and improves its salt tolerance through enhanced osmotic adjustment and elevated antioxidant capacity. Full article

Melt-spun PA6/TiO₂ fibers with TiO₂ modified by silane coupling agents KH550 and KH570 at 0, 1.6, and 4 wt% provide a practical testbed to address three fiber-centric gaps: transferable interphase quantification, interphase-resolved indications of compatibility, and a reproducible kinetics–structure–property link. This work proposes, for the first time at fiber scale, a four-phase partition into crystal (c), crystal-adjacent rigid amorphous fraction (RAF-c), interfacial rigid amorphous fraction (RAF-i), and mobile amorphous fraction (MAF), and extracts an interfacial triad consisting of the specific interfacial area (S_v), polymer-only RAF-i fraction expressed per composite volume (Γ_i), and interphase thickness (t_i) from SAXS invariants to establish a quantitative interphase-structure–property framework. A documented SAXS/DSC/WAXS workflow partitions the polymer into the above four components on a polymer-only basis. Upon filling, Γ_i increases while RAF-c decreases, leaving the total RAF approximately conserved. Under identical cooling, DSC shows the crystallization peak temperature is higher by 1.6–4.3 °C and has longer half-times, indicating enhanced heterogeneous nucleation together with growth are increasingly limited by interphase confinement. At 4 wt% loading, KH570-modified fibers versus KH550-modified fibers exhibit higher α-phase orientation (Hermans factor f(α): 0.697 vs. 0.414) but an ~89.4% lower α/γ ratio. At the macroscale, compared to pure (neat) PA6, 4 wt% KH550- and KH570-modified fibers show tenacity enhancements of ~9.5% and ~33.3%, with elongation decreased by ~31–68%. These trends reflect orientation-driven stiffening accompanied by a reduction in the mobile amorphous fraction and stronger interphase constraints on chain mobility. Knitted fabrics achieve a UV protection factor (UPF) of at least 50, whereas pure PA6 fabrics show only ~5.0, corresponding to ≥16-fold improvement. Taken together, the SAXS-derived descriptors (S_v, Γ_i, t_i) provide transferable interphase quantification and, together with WAXS and DSC, yield a reproducible link from interfacial geometry to kinetics, structure, and properties, revealing two limiting regimes—orientation-dominated and phase-fraction-dominated. Full article

Chrysanthemum × morifolium is a commercially important flower worldwide. Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium is the main model plant for the research on Chrysanthemum. Enhancing stress resistance in C. lavandulifolium is highly significant for improving commercial chrysanthemum production. NAC transcription factors are key regulators of plant growth, development, and stress responses. In this study, we cloned ClVND1—a member of the OsNAC7 subfamily within the NAC transcription factor family—from Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium. The gene comprises a 1164 bp coding sequence (CDS) encoding a protein of 387 amino acids. Overexpression of ClVND1 promotes secondary cell wall thickening in the stems of transgenic Arabidopsis, stimulates lateral root growth, and consequently enhances tolerance to salt and low-temperature stress in seedlings. Phenotypic analysis showed that transgenic Arabidopsis exhibited reduced inflorescence elongation and plant height compared to wild-type controls, but an earlier flowering time. These findings suggest that ClVND1 enhances stress resistance by promoting lateral root development, while also suppressing inflorescence growth and accelerating flowering time. Full article