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Strigolactones (SLs) and karrikins (KARs) are butenolides that influence multiple aspects of plant growth and development. D14 and KAI2 are members of the α/β-fold hydrolase superfamily and act as receptors of SLs and KARs, as well as of unidentified endogenous KAI2-ligands (KLs). Phylogenetic analyses suggest that plant KAI2 was derived from bacterial RsbQ via horizontal gene transfer (HGT) before the emergence of streptophytes. The D14/KAI2 and RsbQ proteins share conserved tertiary structures and functional features. In this opinion article, we suggest that the acquisition of RsbQ by plant cells was fundamental to the formation of butenolide sensing systems. Recruitment of additional signal transduction components and gene duplication subsequently led to versatile butenolide signaling systems throughout land plants. Strigolactones (SLs) are not only phytohormones that play multiple roles in plant growth and development, but also rhizosphere signals for communication between plants and microbes. Karrikins (KARs) are exogenous compounds generated from burning vegetation which can stimulate seed germination. They contain a butenolide moiety similar to that of SLs. The KAR receptor KAI2 is believed to normally recognize endogenous karrikin-like compounds referred to as KAI2-ligands (KLs). The KAI2 signaling pathway influences various developmental and physiological processes in plants. The duplication and differentiation of KAI2 in seed plants led to the evolution of the SL receptor gene family D14. The perception and signaling of KLs by KAI2 is commonly considered to be a major innovation during the early evolution of land plants, but the origin of KAI2 and SL/KL signaling system is unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is accumulating evidence for the role of foreign genes in plant development and adaptation, many issues remain. A recent study by Wang et al. on a gene of fungal origin in wheatgrass disease resistance highlights the potential application of fungal genes in crop improvement and related areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amperometric enzyme biosensors are some of the simplest and cheapest types of medical devices used in the rapid detection of biomarkers that have been developed in the past fifty years. When the concentrations of biomarkers are at micromoles per liter, such as for sarcosine, which was recently discovered as a biomarker for prostate cancer, the response signal of the interferences is huge, and the biosensor is hard to satisfy the requirements of practical applications. In this manuscript, we describe a strategy for synthesizing a surface electronegative organic-inorganic hybrid mesoporous material, which could reduce the interference signal much better than Nafion and Chitosan. We verify that the surface potential of the carrier nanomaterial plays an important role in excluding anionic interferences. We also prepare a sensitive (16.35 μA mM−1), low LOD (0.13 μM) and wide linear range (1–70 μM) amperometric sarcosine biosensor with excellent anti-interference properties. This mesoporous material provides a bio-composite platform for the development of simple amperometric biosensors for detecting micromoles per liter of analytes in serum or urine. • Synthesizing a platinum-supported organic-inorganic hybrid mesoporous material. • The material could exclude interferent much better than Nafion and Chitosan. • The surface potential plays an important role to exclude anionic interferent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Oxidation promoted the formation of volatile flavor compounds such as heptanal, octanal, nonanal, 2,3-glutaraldehyde, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone. • The content of 3-dehydrocinchoninic acid, tyrosine, etc. decreased gradually with the increase of oxidation time. • Octanal, nonanal and benzaldehyde maybe related to the formation of off-odor or acidification during oxidation of yak meat. • Oxidation-induced fatty acid and amino acid metabolism is the main cause of flavor changes in yak meat. Hydroxyl radical system combined with GC-IMS and metabolomics were used to assess the effect of oxidation on the formation of volatile flavor emitted from yak meat. The formation of volatile compounds, including heptanal, octanal, nonanal, 2,3-glutaraldehyde, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, etc. were promoted by oxidation. Among them, 2,3-pentanedione and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, etc. maybe contributed most to the overall aroma of yak meat, while octanal, nonanal and benzaldehyde maybe related to the formation of off-odor or acidification. Meanwhile, the content of metabolites such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, etc. fatty acids and 3-dehydromangiferic acid, tyrosine were increased or decreased with the time of oxidation. More importantly, the formation of most flavor components in yak meat during the course of oxidation were related to stearidonic acid, acetylleucine, dehydroshikimate, 6-phosphate-glucose etc. differential metabolic components. Moreover, starch and sucrose metabolism (prediction), and amino acid metabolism (enrichment) etc. pathways maybe related with the process of oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of forest landscape model (FLM) predictions is indispensable to establish the credibility of predictions. We present a framework that evaluates short- and long-term FLM predictions at site and landscape scales. Site-scale evaluation is conducted through comparing raster cell-level predictions with inventory plot data whereas landscape-scale evaluation is conducted through comparing predictions stratified by extraneous drivers with aggregated values in inventory plots. Long-term predictions are evaluated using empirical data and knowledge. We demonstrate the applicability of the framework using LANDIS PRO FLM. We showed how inventory data were used to initialize the landscape and calibrate model parameters. Evaluation of the short-term LANDIS PRO predictions based on multiple metrics showed good overall performance at site and landscape scales. The predicted long-term stand development patterns were consistent with the established theories of stand dynamics. The predicted long-term forest composition and successional trajectories conformed well to empirical old-growth studies in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to further improve the functional properties of egg white protein powder (EWP), the effects of ball-milling pretreatment on the functional properties of EWP by glycosylation modification were studied. The results manifested that glycosylation reaction was successful. Compared with CEWP (glycosylated egg white protein powder without ball-milling pretreatment), BCEWP (glycosylated egg white protein powder after ball-milling pretreatment) showed lower free amino acid content and higher solubility. The results indicated that ball-milling pretreatment changed the secondary and tertiary structures of protein then prominently enhanced the degree of glycosylation reaction of EWP. Foaming ability of BCEWP (203.3%) was 1.12 times higher than that of CEWP (182.2%). The water holding capacity (WHC) of BCEWP (104.77%) was significantly larger than that of CEWP (100.28%), besides, BCEWP had greater gel springiness than CEWP. These results confirmed that ball-milling was an effective pretreatment to enhance the foaming and gel properties of EWP by glycosylation modification. [Display omitted] • Ball-milling pretreatment changed the egg white protein (EWP) structure. • The degree of glycosylation reaction of EWP was significantly increased after ball-milling. • Ball-milling is an effective pretreatment of glycosylation modified the foaming properties of EWP. • Ball-milling pretreatment glycosylation prominently improved the gel properties of EWP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]