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Rhodiola spp. are rare and endangered alpine plants widely used as medicines and food additives by many civilizations since ancient times. Their main effective ingredients (such as salidroside and p-tyrosol) are praised to exhibit pharmacologic effects on high-altitude sickness and possess anti-aging and other adaptogenic capacities based on their antioxidant properties. In this study, 347 endophytic fungi were isolated from R. crenulata, R. angusta, and R. sachalinensis, and the molecular diversity and antioxidant activities of these fungi were investigated for the first time. These fungi were categorized into 180 morphotypes based on cultural characteristics, and their rRNA gene ITS sequences were analyzed by BLAST search in the GenBank database. Except for 12 unidentified fungi (6.67%), all others were affiliated to at least 57 genera in 20 orders of four phyla, namely, Ascomycota (88.89%), Basidiomycota (2.78%), Zygomycota (1.11%), and Glomeromycota (0.56%), which exhibited high abundance and diversity. Antioxidant assay showed that the DPPH radical-scavenging rates of 114 isolates (63.33%) were >50%, and those of five isolates (Rct45, Rct63, Rct64, Rac76, and Rsc57) were >90%. The EC50 values of five antioxidant assays suggested significant potential of these fungi on scavenging DPPH•, O2-•, and OH• radicals, as well as scavenging nitrite and chelating Fe2+, which showed preference and selection between endophytic fungi and their hosts. Further research also provided the first evidence that Rac12 could produce salidrosides and p-tyrosol. Results suggested that versatile endophytic fungi associated with Rhodiola known as antioxidants could be exploited as potential sources of novel antioxidant products.

High performance hydroxyapatite (HA) ceramics with excellent densification and mechanical properties were successfully fabricated by digital light processing (DLP) three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. It was found that the sintering atmosphere of wet CO 2 can dramatically improve the densification process and thus lead to better mechanical properties. HA ceramics with a relative density of 97.12% and a three-point bending strength of 92.4 MPa can be achieved at a sintering temperature of 1300 , which makes a solid foundation for application ℃ in bone engineering. Furthermore, a relatively high compressive strength of 4.09 MPa can be also achieved for a DLP-printed p-cell triply periodic minimum surface (TPMS) structure with a porosity of 74%, which meets the requirement of cancellous bone substitutes. A further cell proliferation test demonstrated that the sintering atmosphere of wet CO 2 led to improve cell vitality after 7 days of cell culture Moreover, with the possible benefit from the bio-inspired structure, the 3D-printed TPMS structure significantly improved the cell vitality, which is crucial for early osteogenesis and osteointegration.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to be implicated in the complex network of cancer including malignant melanoma and play important roles in tumorigenesis and progression. However, their functions and downstream mechanisms are largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate whether BRAF-activated non-coding RNA (BANCR), a novel and potential regulator of melanoma cell, participates in the proliferation of malignant melanoma and elucidate the underlying mechanism in this process. We found that BANCR was abnormally overexpressed in human malignant melanoma cell lines and tissues, and increased with tumor stages by quantitative PCR. BANCR knockdown induced by shRNA transfection significantly inhibited proliferation of tumor cells and inactivated MAPK pathway, especially by silencing the ERK1/2 and JNK component. Moreover, combination treatment of BANCR knockdown and suppression ERK1/2 or JNK (induced by specific inhibitors U0126 or SP600125 respectively) produced synergistic inhibitory effects in vitro. And the inhibitory effects induced by ERK1/2 or JNK could be rescued by BANCR overexpression. By tumorigenicity assay in BALB/c nude mice, we further found that BANCR knockdown inhibited tumor growth in vivo. In addition, patients with high expression of BANCR had a lower survival rate. Taken together, we confirmed the abnormal upregulation of a novel lncRNA, BANCR, in human malignant melanoma. BANCR was involved in melanoma cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. The linkage between BANCR and MAPK pathway may provide a novel interpretation for the mechanism of proliferation regulation in malignant melanoma.

The hair follicle (HF) is an important mini‐organ of the skin, composed of many types of cells. Dermal papilla cells are important signalling components that guide the proliferation, upward migration and differentiation of HF stem cell progenitor cells to form other types of HF cells. Thymosin β4 (Tβ4), a major actin‐sequestering protein, is involved in various cellular responses and has recently been shown to play key roles in HF growth and development. Endogenous Tβ4 can activate the mouse HF cycle transition and affect HF growth and development by promoting the migration and differentiation of HF stem cells and their progeny. In addition, exogenous Tβ4 increases the rate of hair growth in mice and promotes cashmere production by increasing the number of secondary HFs (hair follicles) in cashmere goats. However, the molecular mechanisms through which Tβ4 promotes HF growth and development have rarely been reported. Herein, we review the functions and mechanisms of Tβ4 in HF growth and development and describe the endogenous and exogenous actions of Tβ4 in HFs to provide insights into the roles of Tβ4 in HF growth and development.

Roegneria yenchiana sp. nov. (Triticeae) is a new species collected from Shangri‐la of Yunnan Province in China based on morphological, cytological, and molecular data. It is morphologically characterized by one spikelet per node, rectangular glums, awns flanked by two short mucros in lemmas, distinguished from other species of Roegneria. The genomic in situ hybridization results indicate that R. yenchiana is an allotetraploid, and its genomic constitution is StY. Phylogenetic analyses based on multiple loci suggested that R. yenchiana is closely related to Pseudoroegneria and Roegneria, and the Pseudoroegneria served as the maternal donors during its polyploid speciation. Roegneria yenchiana sp. nov. (Triticeae) is described as a new species collected from the Hengduan Mountain Region. Roegneria yenchiana contains the StY genomic constitution. Pseudoroegneria served as the maternal donors during the polyploid speciation of Roegneria yenchiana.

Background The St -genome-sharing taxa are highly complex group of the species with the St nuclear genome and monophyletic origin in maternal lineages within the Triticeae, which contains more than half of polyploid species that distributed in a wide range of ecological habitats. While high level of genetic heterogeneity in plastome DNA due to a reticulate evolutionary event has been considered to link with the richness of the St -genome-sharing taxa, the relationship between the dynamics of diversification and molecular evolution is lack of understanding. Results Here, integrating 106 previously and 12 newly sequenced plastomes representing almost all previously recognized genomic types and genus of the Triticeae, this study applies phylogenetic reconstruction methods in combination with lineage diversification analyses, estimate of sequence evolution, and gene expression to investigate the dynamics of diversification in the tribe. Phylogenomic analysis confirmed previous phylogenetic relationships, with the St / E / V lineages ( Pseudoroegneria / Lophopyrum  +  Thinopyrum / Dasypyrum ) being suffered from a chloroplast capture event prior to polyploidization events. Analyses of diversification rates detected a significant acceleration approximately five million years ago in the St -genome-sharing taxa. Molecular tests of evolution and gene expression further indicated that radiation within the accelerated group has been accompanied by adaptive genetic changes in a few chloroplast-encoded genes directly or indirectly related to photosynthesis. Conclusions Our results support an important role for adaptive evolution in plastomes during accelerated diversification. In combination with plastome data, further investigations using other genomes, such as the nuclear genome, are urgently needed to enhance our understanding of the evolutionary history of the St -genome-sharing taxa, especially to determine whether adaptive changes in the nuclear genome are accelerated as well because plastome represents the maternal inheritation in angiosperms.

Studies have shown that oxidative stress is closely related to the occurrence of depression. Acupuncture has proved to be an effective treatment for depression. In this study, the effect of acupuncture on oxidative stress and Nrf2 signaling pathway in the hippocampus of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) depression model rats were observed to further explore the mechanism of the antidepressant effect of acupuncture. Male SD rats were randomly divided into control group, CUMS group, acupuncture group, and fluoxetine group (n=10/group). Fluoxetine, a commonly used antidepressant, was used as a positive control drug in this research. The acupoints of Shangxing (DU23) and Fengfu (DU16) were selected, once every other day for 14 times in total. Rats in the fluoxetine group were given fluoxetine intragastrically once a day for 28 days. Behavioral experiments, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot (WB), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Nissl’s staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to detect the effect of the intervention and the changes of factors related to oxidative stress, Nrf2 pathway, and neuronal apoptosis. The results showed that acupuncture and fluoxetine could increase the sugar preference rate and decrease immobility time in depression model rats. It also decreased significantly oxidative stress products such as ROS and H2O2, and elevated the protein and mRNA expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1. From Nissl’s staining, the treatment groups were more abundant nerve cells than model groups. Plus, acupuncture down-regulated the expression levels of Bax and caspase-3 and up-regulated the expression of Bcl-2. Our findings suggested that the acupuncture improved depression-like behavior of CUMS rats. And the CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors in rats were related to hippocampus oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis. Therefore, acupuncture showed antidepressant effects via regulating the Nrf2 / HO-1 signaling pathway to reduce oxidative stress products, thus preventing neuronal apoptosis.

Phylogenetic origin of the Y haplome present in allopolyploid Triticeae species remains unknown. Here, we report the 10.47 Gb chromosome-scale genome of allohexaploid Elymus nutans (StStYYHH). Phylogenomic analyses reveal that the Y haplome is sister to the clade comprising V and Jv haplomes from Dasypyrum and Thinopyum . In addition, H haplome from the Hordeum -like ancestor, St haplome from the Pseudoroegneria -like ancestor and Y haplome are placed in the successively diverged clades. Resequencing data reveal the allopolyploid origins with St, Y, and H haplome combinations in Elymus . Population genomic analyses indicate that E. nutans has expanded from medium to high/low-altitude regions. Phenotype/environmental association analyses identify MAPKKK18 promoter mutations reducing its expression, aiding UV-B adaptation in high-altitude populations. These findings enhance understanding of allopolyploid evolution and aid in breeding forage and cereal crops through intergeneric hybridization within Triticeae. Phylogenetic origin of the Y haplome present in allopolyploid Triticeae species is unclear. Here, the authors report the genome assembly of allohexaploid Elymus nutans , reveal the all likely combinations of St, Y, and H haplomes during the allopolyploid origins, and identify gene responsible for UV-B radiation adaptation.

Background Elymus breviaristatus and Elymus sinosubmuticus are perennial herbs, not only morphologically similar but also sympatric distribution. The genome composition of E. sinosubmuticus has not been reported, and the relationship between E. sinosubmuticus and E. breviaristatus is still controversial. We performed artificial hybridization, genomic in situ hybridization, and phylogenetic analyses to clarify whether the two taxa were the same species. Results The high frequency bivalent (with an average of 20.62 bivalents per cell) at metaphase I of pollen mother cells of the artificial hybrids of E. breviaristatus ( StYH ) ×  E. sinosubmuticus was observed. It illustrated that E. sinosubmuticus was closely related to E. breviaristatus . Based on genomic in situ hybridization results, we confirmed that E. sinosubmuticus was an allohexaploid, and the genomic constitution was StYH . Phylogenetic analysis results also supported that this species contained St , Y , and H genomes. In their F 1 hybrids, pollen activity was 53.90%, and the seed setting rate was 22.46%. Those indicated that the relationship between E. sinosubmuticus and E. breviaristatus is intersubspecific rather than interspecific, and it is reasonable to treated E. sinosubmuticus as the subspecies of E. breviaristatus . Conclusions In all, the genomic constitutions of E. sinosubmuticus and E. breviaristatus were StYH , and they are species in the genus Campeiostachys. Because E. breviaristatus was treated as Campeistachys breviaristata , Elymus sinosubmuticus should be renamed Campeiostachys breviaristata (Keng) Y. H. Zhou, H. Q. Zhang et C. R. Yang subsp. sinosubmuticus (S. L. Chen) Y. H. Zhou, H. Q. Zhang et L. Tan.

To investigate the pattern of chloroplast genome variation in Triticeae, we comprehensively analyzed the indels in protein-coding genes and intergenic sequence, gene loss/pseudonization, intron variation, expansion/contraction in inverted repeat regions, and the relationship between sequence characteristics and chloroplast genome size in 34 monogenomic Triticeae plants. Ancestral genome reconstruction suggests that major length variations occurred in four-stem branches of monogenomic Triticeae followed by independent changes in each genus. It was shown that the chloroplast genome sizes of monogenomic Triticeae were highly variable. The chloroplast genome of Pseudoroegneria , Dasypyrum , Lophopyrum , Thinopyrum , Eremopyrum , Agropyron , Australopyrum , and Henradia in Triticeae had evolved toward size reduction largely because of pseudogenes elimination events and length deletion fragments in intergenic. The Aegilops / Triticum complex, Taeniatherum , Secale , Crithopsis , Herteranthelium , and Hordeum in Triticeae had a larger chloroplast genome size. The large size variation in major lineages and their subclades are most likely consequences of adaptive processes since these variations were significantly correlated with divergence time and historical climatic changes. We also found that several intergenic regions, such as pet N– trn C and psb E– pet L containing unique genetic information, which can be used as important tools to identify the maternal relationship among Triticeae species. Our results contribute to the novel knowledge of plastid genome evolution in Triticeae.