Dynamic Expression,Differential Regulation and Functional Diversity of the CNGC Family Genes in Cotton

Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (CNGCs) constitute a family of non-selective cation channels that are primarily permeable to Ca²⁺ and activated by the direct binding of cyclic nucleotides (i.e., cAMP and cGMP) to mediate cellular signaling, both in animals and plants. Until now, our understanding of CNGCs in cotton (Gossypium spp.) remains poorly addressed. In the present study, we have identified 40, 41, 20, 20, and 20 CNGC genes in G. hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. herbaceum, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii, respectively, and demonstrated characteristics of the phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, chromosomal localization, gene duplication, and synteny. Further investigation of CNGC genes in G. hirsutum, named GhCNGC1-40, indicated that they are not only extensively expressed in various tissues and at different developmental stages, but also display diverse expression patterns in response to hormones (abscisic acid, salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate, ethylene), abiotic (salt stress) and biotic (Verticillium dahlia infection) stimuli, which conform with a variety of cis-acting regulatory elements residing in the promoter regions; moreover, a set of GhCNGCs are responsive to cAMP signaling during cotton fiber development. Protein–protein interactions supported the functional aspects of GhCNGCs in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Accordingly, the silencing of the homoeologous gene pair GhCNGC1&18 and GhCNGC12&31 impaired plant growth and development; however, GhCNGC1&18-silenced plants enhanced Verticillium wilt resistance and salt tolerance, whereas GhCNGC12&31-silenced plants had opposite effects. Together, these results unveiled the dynamic expression, differential regulation, and functional diversity of the CNGC family genes in cotton. The present work has laid the foundation for further studies and the utilization of CNGCs in cotton genetic improvement.     

Determination of propyl gallate in edible oil by high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection

A novel and convenient method based on high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with chemiluminescence (HPLC) for the determination of propyl gallate in edible oil is reported. The detection was based on the inhibition of chemiluminescence between luminol and hydrogen peroxide in alkaline solution. The analysis was performed using a C₁₈ column with isocratic 60:40 methanol/water. Under the optimum conditions, the concentration of propyl gallate was linear from 9?×?10^?6?mol?L^?1 to 1?×?10^?4?mol?L^?1 with a detection limit of 2?×?10^?7?mol?L^?1. The method is simple, sensitive, and inexpensive and was used for the determination of propyl gallate in edible oil.     

Human and social behavior in computational modeling and analysis of egress

Safe egress is one of the key design issues identified by facility planners, manager and inspectors. Computational tools are now available for the simulation and design of emergency evacuation and egress. However, these tools rely heavily on assumptions about individual human and social behaviors, which have been found to be oversimplified, inconsistent and even incorrect. Furthermore, the behaviors are usually incorporated into the computational model in an ad hoc manner. This paper presents a framework for studying human and social behavior, from the perspectives of human decision-making and social interaction, and for incorporating such behavior systematically in a dynamic computational model suitable for emergency egress analysis.     

Effects of phosphorus-containing additives on soy and cottonseed protein as wood adhesives

Soy and cottonseed proteins appear promising as sustainable and environment-friendly wood adhesives. Because of their higher cost relative to formaldehyde-based adhesives, improvement in the adhesive performance of proteins is needed. In this work, we evaluated the adhesive properties of soy and cottonseed protein formulations that included phosphorus-containing acids and esters. For cottonseed protein isolate, most of these additives improved dry adhesive strength, with methylphosphonic acid, phosphorous acid, and phosphoric acid increasing the dry strength by 47, 44, and 42%, respectively, at their optimal concentrations. For soy protein isolate, these additives did not show significant benefits. The phosphorus-containing additives also improved the hot water resistance of the cottonseed protein formulations but showed either no effect or a negative effect for the of soy protein formulations. Thus, the combination of cottonseed protein with phosphorus additives appears to be attractive as wood adhesives.     

The Respiratory Burst Oxidase Homolog Protein D (GhRbohD) Positively Regulates the Cotton Resistance to Verticillium dahliae

Verticillium wilt, mainly caused by a soil-inhabiting fungus Verticillium dahliae, can seriously reduce the yield and quality of cotton. The complex mechanism underlying cotton resistance to Verticillium wilt remains largely unknown. In plants, reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated by Rbohs is one of the earliest responses of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. In our previous study, we performed a time-course phospho-proteomic analysis of roots of resistant and susceptible cotton varieties in response to V. dahliae, and found early differentially expressed protein burst oxidase homolog protein D (GhRbohD). However, the role of GhRbohD-mediated ROS in cotton defense against V. dahliae needs further investigation. In this study, we analyzed the function of GhRbohD-mediated resistance of cotton against V. dahliae in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis showed that GhRbohD possessed the conservative structural attributes of Rbohs family, 12 members of RbohD out of 57 Rbohs in cotton. The expression of GhRbohD was significantly upregulated after V. dahliae inoculation, peaking at 6 hpi, and the phosphorylation level was also increased. A VIGS test demonstrated that ROS production, NO, H₂O₂ and Ca²⁺ contents of GhRbohD-silenced cotton plants were significantly reduced, and lignin synthesis and callose accumulation were damaged, important reasons for the impairment of GhRbohD-silenced cotton’s defense against V. dahliae. The expression levels of resistance-related genes were downregulated in GhRbohD-silenced cotton by qRT-PCR, mainly involving the lignin metabolism pathway and the jasmonic acid signaling pathway. However, overexpression of GhRbohD enhanced resistance of transgenic Arabidopsis to V. dahliae challenge. Furthermore, Y2H assays were applied to find that GhPBL9 and GhRPL12C may interact with GhRbohD. These results strongly support that GhRbohD activates ROS production to positively regulate the resistance of plants against V. dahliae.     

棉籽油脂肪酸组成分析与评价

以收集于我国棉花主产区的82 份棉籽为实验材料,用全自动索氏浸提装置提取棉籽油,采用气相色谱-质谱联用仪和气相色谱仪对棉籽油脂肪酸组成进行定性和定量分析,探讨不同产地棉籽油脂肪酸组成的差异,并用主成分分析法对棉籽油的特征脂肪酸进行筛选。结果表明,棉籽仁出油率在18.84%～30.28%之间,平均出油率为24.95%。棉籽油中含有13 种脂肪酸,主要以亚油酸（51.99%～60.88%）、棕榈酸（18.30%～25.68%）和油酸（12.28%～18.50%）为主,其中不饱和脂肪酸占73.62%,多不饱和脂肪酸为亚油酸、亚麻酸占57.44%。除十七烷酸外,不同产地的棉籽油脂肪酸含量差异显著,并呈现明显的地域性。豆蔻酸、棕榈酸、棕榈油酸、硬脂酸、油酸、锦葵酸、亚油酸、苹婆酸、二氢苹婆酸和花生酸是棉籽油的特征脂肪酸。     

A Comprehensive Identification and Function Analysis of Serine/Arginine-Rich (SR) Proteins in Cotton (Gossypium spp.)

As one of the most important factors in alternative splicing (AS) events, serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins not only participate in the growth and development of plants but also play pivotal roles in abiotic stresses. However, the research about SR proteins in cotton is still lacking. In this study, we performed an extensive comparative analysis of SR proteins and determined their phylogeny in the plant lineage. A total of 169 SR family members were identified from four Gossypium species, and these genes could be divided into eight distinct subfamilies. The domain, motif distribution and gene structure of cotton SR proteins are conserved within each subfamily. The expansion of SR genes is mainly contributed by WGD and allopolyploidization events in cotton. The selection pressure analysis showed that all the paralogous gene pairs were under purifying selection pressure. Many cis-elements responding to abiotic stress and phytohormones were identified in the upstream sequences of the GhSR genes. Expression profiling suggested that some GhSR genes may involve in the pathways of plant resistance to abiotic stresses. The WGCNA analysis showed that GhSCL-8 co-expressed with many abiotic responding related genes in a salt-responding network. The Y2H assays showed that GhSCL-8 could interact with GhSRs in other subfamilies. The subcellular location analysis showed that GhSCL-8 is expressed in the nucleus. The further VIGS assays showed that the silencing of GhSCL-8 could decrease salt tolerance in cotton. These results expand our knowledge of the evolution of the SR gene family in plants, and they will also contribute to the elucidation of the biological functions of SR genes in the future.     

An Overview of Cotton Gland Development and Its Transcriptional Regulation

Cotton refers to species in the genus Gossypium that bear spinnable seed coat fibers. A total of 50 species in the genus Gossypium have been described to date. Of these, only four species, viz. Gossypium, hirsutum, G. barbadense, G. arboretum, and G. herbaceum are cultivated; the rest are wild. The black dot-like structures on the surfaces of cotton organs or tissues, such as the leaves, stem, calyx, bracts, and boll surface, are called gossypol glands or pigment glands, which store terpenoid aldehydes, including gossypol. The cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) pigment gland is a distinctive structure that stores gossypol and its derivatives. It provides an ideal system for studying cell differentiation and organogenesis. However, only a few genes involved in the process of gland formation have been identified to date, and the molecular mechanisms underlying gland initiation remain unclear. The terpenoid aldehydes in the lysigenous glands of Gossypium species are important secondary phytoalexins (with gossypol being the most important) and one of the main defenses of plants against pests and diseases. Here, we review recent research on the development of gossypol glands in Gossypium species, the regulation of the terpenoid aldehyde biosynthesis pathway, discoveries from genetic engineering studies, and future research directions.