Search Results (4,628)

The gut-brain axis is a complex communication network linking the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system, in which the gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in regulating intestinal homeostasis, immune responses and neuroendocrine functions. This review summarizes current knowledge on the role of the porcine gut microbiota in the functioning of the gut-brain axis and examines nutritional strategies aimed at its modulation. Key production-related stressors, such as weaning, transport and handling, disrupt microbiota composition, increase intestinal permeability and activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to heightened stress responses, impaired immunity and behavioral disturbances. Evidence indicates that supplementation with probiotics, prebiotics, or postbiotics stabilizes the gut microbiota, enhances the production of bioactive metabolites, supports intestinal barrier integrity and alleviates oxidative stress. Such interventions improve adaptation to environmental stress, animal welfare and performance, while potentially reducing the need for antibiotics. Maintaining a balanced gut microbiota is therefore essential for the proper functioning of the neuroendocrine and immune systems in pigs. An integrated approach utilizing omics technologies (metagenomics, metabolomics, proteomics) may further elucidate microbiota-brain interactions and support the development of sustainable and ethical swine production strategies. Full article

Heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) have long been recognized for their essential role in mediating thermotolerance via the activation of heat shock proteins (HSPs). Recent studies, however, have significantly broadened this view, revealing that HSFs function as versatile transcriptional regulators orchestrating plant adaptation to a wide range of abiotic and biotic stresses. This review synthesizes current knowledge of HSF structure, activation, and canonical roles in the heat shock response, while emphasizing emerging insights into their diverse functions beyond heat stress. Evidence from both model and crop species demonstrates that many HSFs confer tolerance to a broad range of stresses, including drought, cold, salinity, oxidative stress, and pathogen attack, through intricate crosstalk with hormonal (e.g., ABA, SA, JA) and redox signaling pathways, as well as MAPK-mediated phosphorylation. We also discuss biotechnological strategies such as CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing, stress-inducible promoter engineering, and synthetic transcriptional circuits that offer promising avenues for fine-tuning HSF expression and enhancing multi-stress resilience in crops. A deeper understanding of HSF multifunctionality not only advances our comprehension of plant stress biology but also provides a foundation for engineering resilient crops in the context of global climate change. Full article

The nuclear kinases mitogen- and stress-activated kinase 1 and 2 (MSK1 and MSK2), through regulating transcriptional processes, are pivotal for various adaptive responses, including inflammation, learning and addiction. Transcriptional alterations in neurons and glia cells within the pain signal-processing (nociceptive) pathway, including the superficial spinal dorsal horn (SSDH), are critical for the development and persistence of inflammatory pain that results from tissue injuries and subsequent inflammatory reactions. While previous reports have indicated that MSK1 contributes to transcriptional changes in inflamed tissues, the impact of MSK1 on nociceptive processing in the SSDH are poorly understood at present. Here, we report MSK1 immunoreactivity (IR) in a group of excitatory and inhibitory neurons as well as in microglia and oligodendrocytes in the SSDH. Injecting Complete Freund’s Adjuvant into the mouse hind paw produced robust non-evoked pain-related behavior, which was significantly attenuated by global depletion of MSK1. In wild-type mice, the inflammatory pain was accompanied by transient MSK1-dependent phosphorylation of the MSK1 downstream effector histone 3 at serine 10 at one hour but not two days after the injection; still, the number of nuclei exhibiting activated MSK1 expression remained highly restricted even at 1 h post-injection. Our data indicate that MSK1 contributes to inflammatory pain via epigenetic and transcriptional alterations; however, once initiated, MSK1’s downstream effects do not require further drive from the persistent activity of the MSK1 signaling pathway in the SSDH. Full article

Macrophages are versatile immune cells capable of modifying their functions based on their location and the specific requirements of the immune response. They polarize into the M1 phenotype when stimulated by inflammatory agents. In contrast to resolve inflammation and to facilitate tissue repair, macrophages polarize into the M2 phenotype. Polarization alters the cellular composition of the macrophages, including peroxisomes and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). In macrophages, peroxisomes and PPARs perform at least three key roles: mediating inflammation, reducing oxidative stress, and regulating lipid metabolism. We review the functional role of peroxisomes and PPARs on macrophage biology focusing on adaptive mechanisms during these processes. The insights gained from this analysis are expected to lead to new advancements in treating inflammation and immune-related disorders, including autoimmune disorders, metabolic inflammation, and neurodegenerative conditions. Full article

Postharvest chilling injury (PCI) is a significant limitation in the storage of temperature-sensitive fruits, leading to quality deterioration and reduced marketability. However, low temperatures delay senescence—consistent with the Q10 principle, where metabolic reaction rates change 2–3-fold per 10 °C—and chilling-sensitive fruits experience membrane destabilization, oxidative imbalances, and structural degradation under cold stress. Physiological assessments consistently report elevated electrolyte leakage, increased malondialdehyde accumulation, and reduced membrane fluidity, coupled with disruptions in respiration and cellular energy metabolism. Biochemically, PCI is characterized by enhanced ROS production and a 20–50% decline in key antioxidant enzymes, along with disturbances in calcium signaling and hormone regulation. At the molecular level, chilling-responsive transcription factors such as CBF, CAM, HSF, and WRKY show strong induction, while lipid remodeling and epigenetic modifications further shape cold adaptation responses. Advances in multi-omics, including transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, and volatilomics, have revealed chilling-associated metabolic shifts and regulatory cascades, enabling the identification of potential biomarkers of tolerance. Emerging mitigation strategies, including physical and chemical treatments, as well as CRISPR-based interventions, have shown a 30–60% reduction in PCI in controlled studies. This review synthesizes recent progress in physiology, molecular biochemistry, and postharvest technology to support future research and practical PCI management. Full article

The System of Rice Intensification which promotes agro-ecological practices like alternate wetting and drying (AWD) to enhance root growth and resource efficiency, relies on the genotypic capacity of rice varieties to undergo physiological adaptation. This study elucidates the molecular basis of such adaptation by investigating the transcriptomic profile of four rice varieties to continuous flooding (CF) and AWD at 50 days after transplanting. Our analysis revealed distinct, organ-specific acclimation strategies. Roots underwent extensive transcriptional reprogramming, underscoring their role as the primary site of plasticity. Under CF, a conserved response involving cell wall reinforcement was accompanied by variety-specific strategies, ranging from sustained growth to enhanced anaerobic metabolism. Under AWD, roots shifted toward water stress management, with varieties employing distinct defensive (e.g., diterpenoid biosynthesis) and metabolic programs. Associated transcription factors (TFs) enriched under CF included Dof and MYB, whereas bZIP, HSF, and WRKY factors predominated under AWD. In leaves, acclimation to AWD involved more targeted adjustments, including modulation of nitric oxide signaling and photoprotective pathways, regulated by TFs such as WRKY, NAC, and HSF. Varieties with robust TF responses, such as IR64 and Hitachi hatamochi, showed comprehensive regulatory shifts, while others exhibited more constrained profiles. Overall, this study provides a molecular framework for understanding variety-specific adaptation to SRI-relevant water management practices and identifies key TFs as promising candidates for breeding climate-resilient rice. Full article

Phospholipase D (PLD) genes play key roles in plant abiotic stress responses, but the systematic identification of the maize (Zea mays) PLD family and its cold tolerance mechanism remain unclear. Using 26 maize genomes (pangenome), we identified 21 ZmPLD members via Hidden Markov Model (HMM) search (Pfam domain PF00614), including five private genes—avoiding gene omission from single reference genomes. Phylogenetic analysis showed ZmPLD conservation with Arabidopsis and rice PLDs; Ka/Ks analysis revealed most ZmPLDs under purifying selection, while three genes (including ZmPLD15) had positive selection signals, suggesting roles in maize adaptive domestication. For ZmPLD15, five shared structural variations (SVs) were found in its promoter; some contained ERF/bHLH binding sites, and SVs in Region1/5 significantly regulated ZmPLD15 expression. Protein structure prediction and molecular docking showed conserved ZmPLD15 structure and substrate (1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) binding energy across germplasms. Transgenic maize (B73 background) overexpressing ZmPLD15 was generated. Cold stress (8–10 °C, 6 h) and recovery (24 h) on three-leaf seedlings showed transgenic plants had better leaf cell integrity than wild type (WT). Transgenic plants retained 45.8% net photosynthetic rate (Pn), 47.9% stomatal conductance (Gs), and 55.8% transpiration rate (Tr) versus 7.6%, 21.3%, 13.8% in WT; intercellular CO₂ concentration (Ci) was maintained properly. This confirms ZmPLD15 enhances maize cold tolerance by protecting photosynthetic systems, providing a framework for ZmPLD research and a key gene for cold-tolerant maize breeding. Full article

Valine-glutamine motif proteins (VQ), plant-specific transcriptional co-regulators harboring the conserved FxxhVQxhTG motif, play pivotal roles in coordinating plant stress adaptation through dynamic interactions with WRKY transcription factors (WRKY), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) cascades, and hormone signaling pathways. Evolutionary analyses reveal the characteristics of their evolutionary protection and ancient origin, with lineage-specific expansion via genome duplication events. Structurally, compact genes lacking introns and the presence of intrinsic disordered regions (IDRs) facilitate rapid stress responses and versatile protein interactions. Functionally, VQ proteins orchestrate abiotic stress tolerance (e.g., drought, salinity, temperature extremes) by modulating reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis, osmotic balance, and abscisic acid/salicylic acid (ABA/SA)-mediated signaling. Concurrently, they enhance biotic stress resistance via pathogen-responsive WRKY-VQ modules that regulate defense gene expression and hormone crosstalk. Despite advances, challenges persist in deciphering post-translational modifications, tissue-specific functions, and cross-stress integration mechanisms. Harnessing CRISPR-based editing and multi-omics approaches will accelerate the exploitation of VQ genes for developing climate-resilient crops. This review synthesizes the molecular architecture, evolutionary dynamics, and multifunctional regulatory networks of VQ proteins, providing a roadmap for their utilization in sustainable agriculture. Full article

Aeschynomene indica L. has become a problematic weed in the upland direct-seeding rice fields of the lower Yangtze River region, China, leading to substantial yield reductions. A comprehensive understanding of its seed germination ecology and response to herbicides is crucial for developing effective control strategies. This study examined the effects of major environmental factors including temperature, light, pH, salt stress, osmotic potential, and burial depth on seed germination of A. indica and assessed the efficacy of 20 commonly used herbicides in rice under controlled conditions. Results revealed that germination was highly sensitive to temperature, with optimum constant and alternating temperatures of 35 °C and 40/30 °C (day/night), respectively, both achieving germination rates above 90%. The seeds were non-photoblastic, maintaining a high germination rate of 83.33% under complete darkness. Germination remained consistently high across a broad pH range from 4 to 9, with rates ranging from 83.33% to 96.67%. Salt and osmotic stresses markedly suppressed germination, with EC₅₀ values of 195.08 mmol·L⁻¹ NaCl and −0.43 MPa, respectively. Seedling emergence decreased significantly with increasing burial depth, with no emergence occurring at depths greater than 7 cm. The EC₅₀ for emergence was 4.21 cm. Among the herbicides screened, saflufenacil and mesotrione were the most effective pre-emergence treatments, with GR₅₀ values of 5.38 and 12.02 g ai ha⁻¹, respectively. Florpyrauxifen-benzyl and fluroxypyr-meptyl exhibited the highest post-emergence activity, with GR₅₀ values of 0.20 and 19.69 g ai ha⁻¹, respectively. These results underscore the high ecological adaptability of A. indica to paddy fields conditions and provide a scientific foundation for integrating chemical control with cultural practices such as deep tillage into sustainable weed management systems for paddy fields. Full article

Banana harvesting relies heavily on manual labor, which is labor-intensive and prone to fruit damage due to insufficient control of contact forces. This paper presents a systematic methodology for the design and optimization of adaptive flexible end-effectors for banana bunch harvesting, focusing on contact behavior and mechanical constraints. By integrating response surface methodology (RSM) with multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) optimization, the relationships between finger geometry parameters and key performance metrics—contact area, contact stress, and radial stiffness—were quantified, and Pareto-optimal structural configurations were identified. Experimental and simulation results demonstrate that the optimized flexible fingers effectively improve handling performance: contact area increased by 13–28%, contact stress reduced by 45–56%, and radial stiffness enhanced by 193%, while the maximum shear stress on the fruit stalk decreased by 90%, ensuring harvesting stability during dynamic loading. The optimization effectively distributes contact pressure, minimizes fruit damage, and enhances grasping reliability. The proposed contact-behavior-constrained design framework enables passive adaptation to fruit morphology without complex sensors, offering a generalizable solution for soft robotic handling of fragile and irregular agricultural products. This work bridges the gap between bio-inspired gripper design and practical agricultural application, providing both theoretical insights and engineering guidance for automated, low-damage fruit harvesting systems. Full article

Soil salinization–alkalization is a critical abiotic constraint on global agriculture, threatening agroecosystem sustainability. Leymus chinensis, a high–quality perennial forage with strong stress resilience, is an ideal model for studying saline–alkali tolerance in graminaceous crops. We integrated physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic profiling to dissect its responses under moderate vs. severe carbonate stress, mimicking natural saline–alkali soils rather than single salt stress treatments. Multi–omics analysis revealed drastic reprogramming of energy metabolism, carbohydrate homeostasis, water transport, and secondary metabolism. Our novel finding reveals that L. chinensis uses stress–severity–dependent mechanisms, with flavonoid biosynthesis as a central “regulatory hub”: moderate saline–alkali stress acts as a stimulus for “Adaptive Activation” (energy + antioxidants), promoting growth, while severe stress exceeds tolerance thresholds, causing “systemic imbalance” (oxidative damage + metabolic disruption) and growth retardation. Via WGCNA and metabolome–transcriptome modeling, 22 transcription factors linked to key flavonoid metabolites were identified, functioning as molecular switches for stress tolerance. Our integrated approach provides novel insights into L. chinensis’ tolerance networks, and the flavonoid biosynthesis pathways and regulatory genes offer targets for precision molecular breeding to enhance forage stress resistance and mitigate yield losses from salinization–alkalization. Full article

Chronic hyperglycemia inflicts serious cellular damage by inducing oxidative stress through the excessive production of free radicals. This oxidative milieu may impair the cellular redox capacity and disrupt the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications. This study aimed to investigate plasma levels of components of the IGF system and antioxidant biomarkers in young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) compared to age-matched healthy controls in Brazil. This study included 129 patients with T1DM (76 female, 53 male; mean age 26.97 ± 0.6 years) and 95 healthy controls (61 female, 34 male; mean age 27.35 ± 0.68 years). Young Brazilian adults with T1DM had significantly lower mean IGF-I and higher mean IGFBP-1 levels compared to healthy controls. The T1DM group showed a more atherogenic profile, characterized by a significantly elevated ApoB/ApoA1 ratio and increased oxidized LDL levels. However, a subset of patients with significantly better glycemic control exhibited serum IGF-I and IGFBP-1 levels within the normal range observed in controls, which may indicate the presence of residual functional beta-cell activity or reflect better glycemic control in this subgroup. Antioxidant components and oxidative stress biomarkers were significantly upregulated in the T1DM group compared to the control group, suggesting a compensatory adaptive response. No significant correlation was observed between biomarkers of oxidative stress and the IGF-system. Full article

Pancreatic β-cells are metabolically active endocrine cells with a high oxygen demand to sustain glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Hypoxia, arising from vascular disruption, islet isolation, or pathological states such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), is a potent metabolic stressor that impairs β-cell function, survival, and differentiation. At the molecular level, hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF-1α and HIF-2α) orchestrate transcriptional programs that shift β-cell metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis, modulate mitochondrial function, and regulate survival pathways such as autophagy and mitophagy. Crosstalk with nutrient-sensing mechanisms, redox regulation, growth factor signaling, and protein synthesis control further shapes adaptive or maladaptive outcomes. Hypoxia alters glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, while mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammatory signaling contribute to progressive β-cell failure. Therapeutic strategies including incretin hormones, GABAergic signaling, erythropoietin, ChREBP inhibition, and activation of calcineurin–NFAT or oxygen-binding globins—offer potential to preserve β-cell viability under hypoxia. In islet transplantation, oxygen delivery technologies, ischemic preconditioning, mesenchymal stem cell–derived exosomes, and encapsulation systems show promise in mitigating hypoxic injury and improving graft survival. This review synthesizes current knowledge on β-cell responses to hypoxic stress, with emphasis on metabolic reprogramming, molecular signaling, and translational interventions, underscoring that targeted modulation of β-cell metabolism and oxygen handling can enhance resilience to hypoxia and improve outcomes in diabetes therapy and islet transplantation. Full article

Populus euphratica Oliv. serves as a keystone species in desert riparian ecosystems. Owing to its pronounced tolerance to drought and salinity, as well as its robust reproductive capacity, it has become a pioneer species in desert oases. The xyloglucan endotransglucosylase (XET)/hydrolase (XTH) gene family plays a critical role in the remodeling of plant cell walls; however, its potential biological functions in poplar remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified the XTH gene family in P. euphratica and conducted a preliminary functional analysis. A total of 33 PeXTH genes were identified, which were unevenly distributed across the chromosomes, with the highest density observed on chromosome 6. Conserved domain analysis indicated that most members contain the typical GH16 domain associated with xyloglucan endotransglucosylase activity. Phylogenetic analysis classified them into four distinct subgroups, exhibiting evolutionary conservation with the model dicot plant of Arabidopsis thaliana. Notably, the promoter analysis revealed an abundance of ABA-responsive and stress-related cis-elements, suggesting their potential involvement in response to multiple stresses. Under drought stress, PeXTH7 (PeuTF07G00088.1) exhibited a distinct expression pattern, with transcript levels significantly increasing with persistent treatment. RT-qPCR results confirmed that PeXTH7 is highly expressed in both roots and leaves. Furthermore, subcellular localization assays demonstrated that the PeXTH7 protein localizes to the secretory pathway and the cell wall, implying a role in cell wall dynamic remodeling through the regulation of xyloglucan metabolism. The PeXTH7-overexpressing transgenic lines exhibited a significant increase in root length compared to the wild-type controls. As the first systematic analysis of the XTH gene family in P. euphratica, this study fills an important knowledge gap and provides new insights into the adaptive mechanisms of desert tree species. Full article

Abiotic stresses such as drought and heat severely constrain the growth and productivity of Solanaceae crops, including potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), yet the conserved regulatory mechanisms underlying their stress adaptation remain incompletely understood. Here, we performed an integrative meta-analysis of publicly available transcriptomic datasets, complemented by comparative and evolutionary analyses across the Solanum genus. Functional annotation revealed coordinated transcriptional reprogramming characterized by induction of protective processes, including molecular chaperone activity, oxidative stress responses, and immune signaling, accompanied by repression of photosynthetic and primary metabolic pathways, reflecting energy reallocation under stress conditions. Promoter motif and transcription factor enrichment analyses implicated the bZIP, bHLH, DOF, and BBR/BPC families as central regulators of drought- and heat-induced transcriptional programs. Orthogroup inference and $K_a/K_s$ analysis across representative Solanum species demonstrated a predominance of purifying selection, indicating evolutionary conservation of regulatory network architecture. Integration of motif occurrence, co-expression profiles, and protein–protein interaction data enabled reconstruction of regulatory networks and identification of conserved hub transcription factors coordinating stress responses. Comparative analysis revealed distinct but conserved transcriptional signatures for heat and drought shared between potato and tomato, indicative of conserved abiotic stress strategies across Solanaceae. Full article