Knockout of Auxin Response Factor SlARF4 Improves Tomato Resistance to Water Deficit

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.     

A Novel DUF569 Gene Is a Positive Regulator of the Drought Stress Response in Arabidopsis

In the last two decades, global environmental change has increased abiotic stress on plants and severely affected crops. For example, drought stress is a serious abiotic stress that rapidly and substantially alters the morphological, physiological, and molecular responses of plants. In Arabidopsis, several drought-responsive genes have been identified; however, the underlying molecular mechanism of drought tolerance in plants remains largely unclear. Here, we report that the “domain of unknown function” novel gene DUF569 (AT1G69890) positively regulates drought stress in Arabidopsis. The Arabidopsis loss-of-function mutant atduf569 showed significant sensitivity to drought stress, i.e., severe wilting at the rosette-leaf stage after water was withheld for 3 days. Importantly, the mutant plant did not recover after rewatering, unlike wild-type (WT) plants. In addition, atduf569 plants showed significantly lower abscisic acid accumulation under optimal and drought-stress conditions, as well as significantly higher electrolyte leakage when compared with WT Col-0 plants. Spectrophotometric analyses also indicated a significantly lower accumulation of polyphenols, flavonoids, carotenoids, and chlorophylls in atduf569 mutant plants. Overall, our results suggest that novel DUF569 is a positive regulator of the response to drought in Arabidopsis.     

Genome-Wide Analysis of the Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) and Abscisic Acid-, Stress-, and Ripening-Induced (ASR) Gene Superfamily from Canavalia rosea and Their Roles in Salinity/Alkaline and Drought Tolerance

Canavalia rosea (bay bean), distributing in coastal areas or islands in tropical and subtropical regions, is an extremophile halophyte with good adaptability to seawater and drought. Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins typically accumulate in response to various abiotic stresses, including dehydration, salinity, high temperature, and cold, or during the late stage of seed development. Abscisic acid-, stress-, and ripening-induced (ASR) genes are stress and developmentally regulated plant-specific genes. In this study, we reported the first comprehensive survey of the LEA and ASR gene superfamily in C. rosea. A total of 84 CrLEAs and three CrASRs were identified in C. rosea and classified into nine groups. All CrLEAs and CrASRs harbored the conserved motif for their family proteins. Our results revealed that the CrLEA genes were widely distributed in different chromosomes, and all of the CrLEA/CrASR genes showed wide expression features in different tissues in C. rosea plants. Additionally, we introduced 10 genes from different groups into yeast to assess the functions of the CrLEAs/CrASRs. These results contribute to our understanding of LEA/ASR genes from halophytes and provide robust candidate genes for functional investigations in plant species adapted to extreme environments.     

Accu Roll轧管机的背景、现状及前景

对Accu Roll轧管机的产生背景进行了回顾,对目前国内Accu Roll轧管机的使用现状进行了分析,在肯定其优点的同时,指出了该类轧管机存在的共同问题,提出了完善轧管机性能的可能途径及选择轧管机应注意的问题。     

金属粉末注射成形技术的最新研究动态与发展趋势

简要阐述了粉末注射成形技术的特点与应用 ,并从粉末的制备、粘结剂体系的设计、注射成形过程及其计算机模拟等几个方面阐明了粉末注射成形技术的最新研究动态 ,最后提出了粉末注射成形技术的重要发展趋势     

液压气动缸筒用高精度冷拔钢管生产的回顾与展望

介绍了近年来我国液压气动缸筒用高精度冷拔钢管生产的进展及其现状，分析了影响产品尺寸精度的因素，提出了改进措施，指出了发展方向。     

功能陶瓷现状与发展动向

本文重点论述了功能陶瓷材料，原料粉体、工艺与装备、元器件市场的现状及其发展趋势。指出了功能陶瓷在现代科技领域中具有重要意义及广阔的应用前景。     

过程系统综合的现状与展望

综述了国内外过程系统综合的研究现状与趋势，并对我国发展的方向和重点提出了看法。     

环氧氯丙烷下游产品生产现状及市场前景

论述了环氧氯丙烷的主要下游产品环氧树脂、合成甘油、氯醇橡胶等的生产现状、市场前景等,指出:我国氯碱行业应该重视这些环氧氯丙烷下游精细化工产品的开发,以促进我国环氧氯丙烷的发展。     

我国燃料油市场现状及发展趋势分析

分析了我国燃料油市场消费现状及特点，对未来的燃料油供需情况进行了预测，提出了中国石化燃料油今后的发展方向。