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Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai) is a non-climacteric fruit. The modern sweet-dessert watermelon is the result of years of cultivation and selection for fruits with desirable qualities. To date, the mechanisms of watermelon fruit ripening, and the role of abscisic acid (ABA) in this process, has not been well understood. We quantified levels of free and conjugated ABA contents in the fruits of cultivated watermelon (97103; C. lanatus subsp. vulgaris), semi-wild germplasm (PI179878; C. lanatus subsp. mucosospermus), and wild germplasm (PI296341-FR; C. lanatus subsp. lanatus). Results showed that ABA content in the fruits of 97103 and PI179878 increased during fruit development and ripening, but maintained a low steady state in the center flesh of PI296341-FR fruits. ABA levels in fruits were highest in 97103 and lowest in PI296341-FR, but no obvious differences in ABA levels were observed in seeds of these lines. Examination of 31 representative watermelon accessions, including different C. lanatus subspecies and ancestral species, showed a correlation between soluble solids content (SSC) and ABA levels in ripening fruits. Furthermore, injection of exogenous ABA or nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) into 97103 fruits promoted or inhibited ripening, respectively. Transcriptomic analyses showed that the expression levels of several genes involved in ABA metabolism and signaling, including Cla009779 (NCED), Cla005404 (NCED), Cla020673 (CYP707A), Cla006655 (UGT) and Cla020180 (SnRK2), varied significantly in cultivated and wild watermelon center flesh. Three SNPs (-738, C/A; -1681, C/T; -1832, G/T) in the promoter region of Cla020673 (CYP707A) and one single SNP (-701, G/A) in the promoter of Cla020180 (SnRK2) exhibited a high level of correlation with SSC variation in the 100 tested accessions. Our results not only demonstrate for the first time that ABA is involved in the regulation of watermelon fruit ripening, but also provide insights into the evolutionary mechanisms of this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rotator cuff tear (RCT) is a common shoulder disorder in the elderly. Muscle atrophy, denervation and fatty infiltration exert secondary injuries on torn rotator cuff muscles. It has been reported that satellite cells (SCs) play roles in pathogenic process and regenerative capacity of human RCT via regulating of target genes. This study aims to complement the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of SCs that regulated between the torn supraspinatus (SSP) samples and intact subscapularis (SSC) samples, identify their functions and molecular pathways. Methods: The gene expression profile GSE93661 was downloaded and bioinformatics analysis was made. Results: Five hundred fifty one DEGs totally were identified. Among them, 272 DEGs were overexpressed, and the remaining 279 DEGs were underexpressed. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis of target genes were performed. We furthermore identified some relevant core genes using gene–gene interaction network analysis such as GNG13, GCG, NOTCH1, BCL2, NMUR2, PMCH, FFAR1, AVPR2, GNA14, and KALRN, that may contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of secondary injuries in RCT. We also discovered that GNG13/calcium signaling pathway is highly correlated with the denervation atrophy pathological process of RCT. Conclusion: These genes and pathways provide a new perspective for revealing the underlying pathological mechanisms and therapy strategy of RCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most common primary bone sarcoma, because of early metastasis and few treatment strategies. It has been reported that the tumorigenicity and self-renewal capacity of side population (SP) cells play roles in human OS via regulating of target genes. This study aims to complement the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that regulated between the SP cells and the non-SP cells from primary human OS and identify their functions and molecular pathways associated with OS. Methods: The gene expression profile GSE63390 was downloaded, and bioinformatics analysis was made. Results: One hundred forty-one DEGs totally were identified. Among them, 72 DEGs (51.06%) were overexpressed, and the remaining 69 DEGs (48.94%) were underexpressed. Gene ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis of target genes were performed. We furthermore identified some relevant core genes using gene–gene interaction network analysis such as EIF4E, FAU, HSPD1, IL-6, and KISS1, which may have a relationship with the development process of OS. We also discovered that EIF4E/mTOR signaling pathway could be a potential research target for therapy and tumorigenesis of OS. Conclusion: This analysis provides a comprehensive understanding of the roles of DEGs coming from SP cells in the development of OS. However, these predictions need further experimental validation in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]