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Electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), as a promising route to realize negative carbon emissions, is known to be strongly affected by electrolyte cations (i.e. cation effect). In contrast to the widely‐studied alkali cations in liquid electrolytes, the effect of organic cations grafted on alkaline polyelectrolytes (APE) remains unexplored, although APE has already become an essential component of CO2 electrolyzers. Herein, by studying the organic cation effect on CO2RR, we find that benzimidazolium cation (Beim+) significantly outperforms other commonly‐used nitrogenous cations (R4N+) in promoting C2+ (mainly C2H4) production over copper electrode. Cyclic voltammetry and in situ spectroscopy studies reveal that the Beim+ can synergistically boost the CO2 to *CO conversion and reduce the proton supply at the electrocatalytic interface, thus facilitating the *CO dimerization toward C2+ formation. By utilizing the homemade APE ionomer, we further realize efficient C2H4 production at an industrial‐scale current density of 331 mA cm−2 from CO2/pure water co‐electrolysis, thanks to the dual‐role of Beim+ in synergistic catalysis and ionic conduction. This study provides a new avenue to boost CO2RR through the structural design of polyelectrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is one of the most devastating viral pathogens of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr). In total, 22 Chinese SMV strains (SC1–SC22) have been classified based on the responses of 10 soybean cultivars to these pathogens. However, although several SMV‐resistance loci in soybean have been identified, no gene conferring SMV resistance in the resistant soybean cultivar (cv.) Kefeng No.1 has been cloned and verified. Here, using F2‐derived F3 (F2:3) and recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations from a cross between Kefeng No.1 and susceptible soybean cv. Nannong 1138‐2, we localized the gene in Kefeng No.1 that mediated resistance to SMV‐SC3 strain to a 90‐kb interval on chromosome 2. To study the functions of candidate genes in this interval, we performed Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV)‐induced gene silencing (VIGS). We identified a recombinant gene (which we named RSC3K) harboring an internal deletion of a genomic DNA fragment partially flanking the LOC100526921 and LOC100812666 reference genes as the SMV‐SC3 resistance gene. By shuffling genes between infectious SMV DNA clones based on the avirulent isolate SC3 and virulent isolate 1129, we determined that the viral protein P3 is the avirulence determinant mediating SMV‐SC3 resistance on Kefeng No.1. P3 interacts with RNase proteins encoded by RSC3K, LOC100526921, and LOC100812666. The recombinant RSC3K conveys much higher anti‐SMV activity than LOC100526921 and LOC100812666, although those two genes also encode proteins that inhibit SMV accumulation, as revealed by gene silencing in a susceptible cultivar and by overexpression in Nicotiana benthamiana. These findings demonstrate that RSC3K mediates the resistance of Kefeng No.1 to SMV‐SC3 and that SMV resistance of soybean is determined by the antiviral activity of RNase proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal‐based electrocatalysts will undergo surface reconstruction to form active oxyhydroxide‐based hybrids, which are regarded as the "true‐catalysts" for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Much effort has been devoted to understanding the surface reconstruction, but little on identifying the origin of the enhanced performance derived from the substrate effect. Herein, we report the electrochemical synthesis of amorphous CoOOH layers on the surface of various cobalt sulfides (CoSα), and identify that the reduced intermolecular energy gap (Δinter) between the valence band maximum (VBM) of CoOOH and the conduction band minimum (CBM) of CoSα can accelerate the formation of OER‐active high‐valent Co4+ species. The combination of electrochemical and in situ spectroscopic approaches, including cyclic voltammetry (CV), operando electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Raman, reveals that Co species in the CoOOH/Co9S8 are more readily oxidized to CoO2/Co9S8 than in CoOOH and other CoOOH/CoSα. This work provides a new design principle for transition metal‐based OER electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoformulations show great potential for delivering drugs to treat brain tumors. However, how the mechanical properties of nanoformulations affect their ultimate brain destination is still unknown. Here, a library of membrane‐crosslinked polymersomes with different elasticity are synthesized to investigate their ability to effectively target brain tumors. Crosslinked polymersomes with identical particle size, zeta potential and shape are assessed, but their elasticity is varied depending on the rigidity of incorporated crosslinkers. Benzyl and oxyethylene containing crosslinkers demonstrate higher and lower Young's modulus, respectively. Interestingly, stiff polymersomes exert superior brain tumor cell uptake, excellent in vitro blood brain barrier (BBB) and tumor penetration but relatively shorter blood circulation time than their soft counterparts. These results together affect the in vivo performance for which rigid polymersomes exerting higher brain tumor accumulation in an orthotopic glioblastoma (GBM) tumor model. The results demonstrate the crucial role of nanoformulation elasticity for brain‐tumor targeting and will be useful for the design of future brain targeting drug delivery systems for the treatment of brain disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) infections can cause significant reduction in soybean yield and seed quality. Identifying SMV resistance genes in soybean and accordingly breeding resistant soybean varieties is an important approach to control soybean loss caused by SMV. Here, whole genome resequencing was performed on a pair of near‐isogenic line (NIL), one resistant (R) line and one susceptible (S) line to SC3, from Qihuang‐1 (resistant to SC3, RSC3Q) × Nannong 1138‐2 (susceptible to SC3, rSC3Q). Based on the distribution of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and InDels in each chromosome, the RSC3Q was mapped to a region between 27.4 and 29.8 Mbp in chromosome 13. Comparing the sequence and transcriptome data between R line and susceptible lines (S line and Willams82) to SC3, three RSC3Q candidate genes (Glyma13g25950, Glyma13g25970 and Glyma13g26380) were identified. Silencing Glyma13g26380 in Qihuang‐1 increased the accumulation of SMV at 6 and 24 hpi. Subsequently, the SMV concentration in silenced plants decreased to the same level as that of the control. Thus, Glyma13g26380 is involved in the early resistance response of Qihuang No. 1 to SC3. These results provide a basis for elucidating the soybean resistance mechanism against SMV and breeding more resistant soybean varieties against SMV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) can cause serious yield losses in soybean. Soybean cultivar ‘RN‐9’ is resistant to 15 of 21 SMV strains. To well‐characterize this invaluable broad‐spectrum SMV‐resistance, populations (F1, F2 and F2:3) derived from resistant (R) × susceptible (S) and R × R crosses were tested for SMV‐SC18 resistance. Genetic analysis revealed that SC18 resistance in ‘RN‐9’ plus two elite SMV‐resistant genotypes (‘Qihuang No.1’ and ‘Kefeng No.1’) are controlled by independently single dominant genes. Linkage analysis showed that the resistance of ‘RN‐9’ to SMV strains SC10, SC14, SC15 and SC18 is controlled by more than one gene(s). Moreover, Rsc10‐r and Rsc18‐r were both positioned between the two simple sequence repeats markers Satt286 and Satt277, while Rsc14‐r was fine‐mapped in 136.8‐kb genomic region containing sixteen genes, flanked by BARCSOYSSR_06_0786 and BARCSOYSSR_06_0790 at genetic distances of 3.79 and 4.14 cM, respectively. Allelic sequence comparison showed that Cytochrome P450‐encoding genes (Glyma.06g176000 and Glyma.06g176100) likely confer the resistance to SC14 in ‘RN‐9’. Our results would facilitate the breeding of broad‐spectrum and durable SMV resistance in soybeans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]