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AP2/ERF transcription factors (TFs) are one of the largest superfamilies in plants, and play vital roles in growth and response to biotic/abiotic stresses. Although the AP2/ERF family has been extensively characterized in many species, very little is known about this family in ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.). In this study, 138 AP2/ERF TFs were identified from the ramie genome and were grouped into five subfamilies, including the AP2 (19), RAV (5), Soloist (1), ERF (77), and DREB (36). Unique motifs were found in the DREB/ERF subfamily members, implying significance to the AP2/ERF TF functions in these evolutionary branches. Segmental duplication events were found to play predominant roles in the BnAP2/ERF TF family expansion. Light-, stress-, and phytohormone-responsive elements were identified in the promoter region of BnAP2/ERF genes, with abscisic acid response elements (ABRE), methyl jasmonate response elements, and the dehydration response element (DRE) being dominant. The integrated transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) revealed 12 key BnAP2/ERF genes positively responding to waterlogging. Five of the genes are also involved in ramet development, with two (BnERF-30 and BnERF-32) further showing multifunctional roles. The protein interaction prediction analysis further verified their crosstalk mechanism in coordinating waterlogging resistance and ramet development. Our study provides new insights into the presence of AP2/ERF TFs in ramie, and provides candidate AP2/ERF TFs for further studies on breeding varieties with coupling between water stress tolerance and high yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, the total content from two Apocynum species leaves (Apocynum venetum and Apocynum hendersonii) collected from the Ili River Valley Region were extracted, and their bioactivities were investigated. The results showed a significant variation in the total flavonoid contents in the leaf samples collected at different periods (June, July, August, and September), with the highest content in August (60.11 ± 0.38 mg RE/g DW for A. venetum and 56.56 ± 0.24 mg RE/g DW for A. hendersonii), and the lowest in June (22.36 ± 0.05 mg RE/g DW for A. venetum and 20.79 ± 0.02 mg RE/g DW for A. hendersonii). The total flavonoid content was comparably higher in A. venetum than in A. hendersonii. Leaves extracts from the two species demonstrated strong bioactivity, which positively correlated with the total flavonoid contents. The anti-oxidative activity of A. venetum was higher than that of A. hendersonii in tandem with its higher flavonoid contents; the antibacterial activity, however, was conversely opposite. Furthermore, a total of 83 flavonoid metabolites were identified in the two species based on UPLC-ESI-MS/MS, out of which 24 metabolites were differentially accumulated. The variability in these metabolites might be the reason for the different bioactivities displayed by the two species. The present study provides insight into the optimal harvest time for Apocynum species planted in the major distribution area of the Ili River Valley and the specific utilization of A. venetum and A. hendersonii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 60 WRKY family genes of ramie were identified in the ramie. The genes were unevenly distributed across 14 chromosomes in the specie and highly concentrated (72%) in the distal telomeric region. Phylogenetic analysis placed these genes into seven distinct subfamilies groups: I, II (a, b, c, d, e), and III, with group IIc containing only the variant of heptapetide sequence (WRKYGKK). Segmental duplication events (41.7%) was found to be the main driver of BnGWRKY evolution. Thirty eight from among the genes showed collinear relationships with WRKY genes from Arabidopsis thaliana , Cannabis sativa, Oryza sativa , and Zea mays. The number and density of stress and hormone responsives cis -acting elements were comparably higher than other elements, with abundant ARE and rare LTR cis -acting elements indicating the long-standing adaptability of ramie to its natural environment. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of the WRKY target genes revealed their involvement in response to stimuli, immune system processes, transporter protein activity and antioxidant activity. Expression analysis show that most WRKYs were activated by the cadmium stress, more especially the BnGWRKY2 , BnGWRKY15 , BnGWRKY20, BnGWRKY50 and BnGWRKY58. Combining transcriptome, orthologous gene relationships and qPCR result, we established the possible involvement of BnGWRKY50 and BnGWRKY58 in crosstalk mechanism between secondary cell wall thickening and Cd2+ stress. This provided information into the role of BnGWRKY proteins in ramie secondary wall development and cadmium stress response to, and could serve as basis for improvement of the ramie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field study was conducted in 2013 and 2014 where cotton was exposed to three N regimes: (1) the control without N application (low N); (2) 260 kg N ha−1 (medium N); (3) 520 kg N ha−1 (high N). Boll size, lint mass per boll, seed mass per boll, fiber length and strength were significantly decreased under N deprivation in the two years. The increased carbohydrate levels of LSCB (leaf subtending the cotton boll) led to decreased carbohydrate levels of fibers in the low N relative to the other N treatments. The low N embryos exhibited lower starch concentrations at 17 and 31 DPA (days post anthesis), and TNC (total nonstructural carbohydrate) concentrations at 17, 31, 45 and 52 DPA compared to medium N embryos. Starch levels in LSCB had negative associations with those in fibers at 17, 31 and 45 DPA, but positive associations with those in embryos at 24 and 45 DPA. Fibers expressed negative associations with embryos in glucose level at 24 and 38 DPA, and in TNC levels at 17 and 45 DPA. The study suggests that carbon assimilate levels in fibers and embryos could explain the difference in boll yield components and fiber quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation level of soluble carbohydrates in fibers during flowering may affect the final fiber length in upland cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.). The objective of this study was to determine the relationship of carbohydrate levels and carbon metabolism enzyme activities in fibers to fiber elongation under water deficit stress. A pot study was conducted in 2013 with treatments consisting of control (well-watered) and water stress using two cotton genotypes differing in drought tolerance, namely S011 (drought sensitive) and T886 (drought tolerant). Water stress treatment was designed as withholding water from the pots until stomatal closure followed by limited water supply for 25 days where water-stressed plants received 40% of optimum quantity of water. The results showed that the glucose, fructose, sucrose and starch concentrations decreased in water-stressed fibers compared to the control. The degree of decline in hexose and total soluble sugar concentrations under water deficit stress was higher in the sensitive genotype (S011) than the tolerant genotype (T886). Similar changes were also observed in vacuolar invertase (VIN) and sucrose synthase (SuSy) activities. The reduction in hexose concentration might be due to decreased sucrose-cleaving enzyme activities especially VIN activity. The study showed that drought stress decreased VIN and SuSy activities, and hence hexose concentration in fiber cells, which resulted in a slower fiber elongation compared to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]