Search Results (3)

Auxin response factors (ARFs) play important roles in various plant physiological processes; however, knowledge of the exact role of ARFs in plant responses to water deficit is limited. In this study, SlARF4, a member of the ARF family, was functionally characterized under water deficit. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and β-glucuronidase (GUS) staining showed that water deficit and abscisic acid (ABA) treatment reduced the expression of SlARF4. SlARF4 was expressed in the vascular bundles and guard cells of tomato stomata. Loss of function of SlARF4 (arf4) by using Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/Cas 9 (CRISPR/Cas 9) technology enhanced plant resistance to water stress and rehydration ability. The arf4 mutant plants exhibited curly leaves and a thick stem. Malondialdehyde content was significantly lower in arf4 mutants than in wildtype plants under water stress; furthermore, arf4 mutants showed higher content of antioxidant substances, superoxide dismutase, actual photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (PSII), and catalase activities. Stomatal and vascular bundle morphology was changed in arf4 mutants. We identified 628 differentially expressed genes specifically expressed under water deficit in arf4 mutants; six of these genes, including ABA signaling pathway-related genes, were differentially expressed between the wildtype and arf4 mutants under water deficit and unlimited water supply. Auxin responsive element (AuxRE) elements were found in these genes’ promoters indicating that SlARF4 participates in ABA signaling pathways by regulating the expression of SlABI5/ABF and SCL3, thereby influencing stomatal morphology and vascular bundle development and ultimately improving plant resistance to water deficit. Full article

Two metal complexes of theophylline were synthesized. Namely, 1 with the formula [Cu(theop)₂(H₂O)₃]·2H₂O and 2, [Zn(theop)₂]∙H₂O (where: theop = theophylline ion). Their properties were thoroughly investigated by the elemental analysis (EA), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) that were augmented by antimicrobial and antioxidant analyses. Their radical scavenging ability (RSA) is notably higher than that of a pure theophylline itself. Similarly to theophylline complexes already studied by us 3, [Mn(theop)₂(H₂O)₄] 4, [Co(theop)₂(H₂O)₄] and 5, [Ni(theop)₂(H₂O)₄] title compounds are inactive against Gram-negative bacteria, but they show moderate or mild activity against Gram-positive rods. The low temperature, single crystal X-ray diffraction technique determines the crystal structure of 1. Its supramolecular crystal topology is affected by the unique, double palindrome water chain that formed by two conserved and a sole coordinated water molecules. Crystal packing arrangements were characterized by fingerprint plots that were derived from the Hirshfeld surfaces (HS), as calculated for all structures in the series 1, 3, 4, 5. Full article

The microbiological quality of treated waste water is always a concern when waste water is disposed to the environment. However, when treated appropriately, such water can serve many purposes to the general population. Therefore, the treatment and removal of contaminants from swine waste water by continuous flow-constructed wetlands involves complex biological, physical, and chemical processes that may produce better quality water with reduced levels of contaminants. Swine waste contains E. coli populations and other bacterial contaminants originating from swine houses through constructed wetlands, but little is known about E. coli population in swine waste water. To assess the impacts of seasonal variations and the effect of the wetland layout/operations on water quality, E. coli isolates were compared for genetic diversity using repetitive extragenic palindromic polymerase chain reaction (REP-PCR). None of the isolates was confirmed as Shiga toxin producing E. coli O157:H7 (STEC); however, other pathotypes, such as enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) were identified. Using a 90% similarity index from REP-PCR, 69 genotypes out of 421 E. coli isolates were found. Our data showed that the E. coli population was significantly (p = 0.036) higher in November than in March and August in most of the wetland cells. Furthermore, there was a significant (p = 0.001) reduction in E. coli populations from wetland influent to the final effluent. Therefore, the use of continuous flow-constructed wetlands may be a good treatment approach for reducing contaminants from different waste water sources. Full article