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C2H2-zinc finger (C2H2-ZF) genes are involved in various biological processes in plants including stress response; however, they lack characterization in Brassica napus. We identified 267 C2H2-ZF genes in B. napus and deciphered their physiological properties, subcellular localization, structure, synteny, and phylogeny and investigated the expression of 20 genes in response to different stresses and phytohormone treatments. The 267 genes were distributed on 19 chromosomes; phylogenetic analysis categorized them into five clades. They varied from 0.41 to 9.2 kb in length, had stress-responsive cis-acting elements in promoter regions, and their protein length varied from 9 to 1366 amino acids. About 42% of the genes had one exon, and 88% genes had orthologs in Arabidopsis thaliana. About 97% of the genes were located in nucleus and 3% in cytoplasmic organelles. qRT-PCR analysis showed a different expression pattern of these genes in response to biotic stresses (Plasmodiophora brassicae and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) and abiotic stresses (cold, drought, and salinity) and hormonal treatments. Differential expression of the same gene was observed under multiple stress conditions, and a few genes showed similar expression in response to more than one phytohormones. Our results suggest that the C2H2-ZF genes can be targeted for the improvement of stress tolerance in canola. Key words: C2H2-zinc finger genes, Brassica napus, transcription factors, stress response, gene expression, 1. Introduction The genus Brassica includes 39 economically important vegetable and oilseed crop species (for review, see Warwick et al. 2006). Among them, Brassica napus (2n = 38, AACC), commonly [...]

Clubroot disease, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, affects Brassica oilseed and vegetable production worldwide. This review is focused on various aspects of clubroot disease and its management, including understanding the pathogen and resistance in the host plants. Advances in genetics, molecular biology techniques, and omics research have helped to identify several major loci, QTL, and genes from the Brassica genomes involved in the control of clubroot resistance. Transcriptomic studies have helped to extend our understanding of the mechanism of infection by the pathogen and the molecular basis of resistance/susceptibility in the host plants. A comprehensive understanding of the clubroot disease and host resistance would allow developing a better strategy by integrating the genetic resistance with cultural practices to manage this disease from a long-term perspective. Key words: clubroot, Plasmodiophora brassicae, Brassica, disease management, resistance, transcriptomics, next-generation sequencing. La hernie des cruciferes, causee par le Plasmodiophora brassicae, affecte la production de toutes les cruciferes, tant oleagineuses qu'horticoles, a l'echelle mondiale. Cette synthese porte sur divers aspects de la hernie et de son controle, incluant la connaissance de l'agent pathogene et de la resistance chez les plantes hotes. Des avancees en genetique, en biologie moleculaire et en recherches << omiques >> ont aide a identifier plusieurs locus majeurs, tant des QTL que des genes, issus de genomes appartenant au genre Brassica qui sont impliques dans la resistance a la hernie des cruciferes. Des etudes transcriptomiques ont aide a etendre la comprehension des mecanismes d'infection par l'agent pathogene et les assises moleculaires de la resistance/sensibilite chez les plantes hotes. Une connaissance etendue de la hernie des cruciferes et de la resistance chez l'hote permettra de developper une meilleure strategie de lutte en integrant la resistance genetique avec les pratiques culturales pour controler cette maladie d'une maniere durable. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: hernie des cruciferes, Plasmodiophora brassicae, Brassica, controle des maladies, resistance, transcriptomique, sequencage de nouvelle generation., Introduction Brassica is an economically important genus of the tribe Brassiceae (Al-Shehbaz 2012) and includes 39 species (Warwick et al. 2006). Enormous morphological diversity exists among these species, making them [...]

A genome‐wide association study (GWAS) was carried out by using a Brassica napus population of 175 lines, developed from six B. napus × B. oleracea interspecific crosses, and 5,743 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for agronomic and seed quality traits and to understand the effect of B. oleracea alleles on these traits. Heritability of these traits varied from 52.9 to 84.1%. About 79% of the SNPs were positioned to the nine C genome chromosomes, while only 21% to the 10 A genome chromosomes; this was largely due to little genetic variation in the A genome of this population, as expected. However, the SNPs were distributed throughout the entire length of the chromosomes suggesting their usefulness in GWAS. The C genome SNPs detected nine genomic regions affecting these traits. This included the genomic regions of C2 and C5 affecting days to flowering, C1 affecting the duration of grain‐filling period, C1, C5, and C8 affecting oil content, and C1, C2, and C6 affecting glucosinolate content; among these, some of the loci has not been reported previously. The QTL alleles of B. oleracea which can be beneficial in oilseed B. napus, such as the C5 QTL allele for the earliness of flowering, were also identified. Several putative candidate genes were identified in the QTL regions. Thus, the results provided evidence of the utility of the B. oleracea gene pool for use in unveiling the unidentified QTL in B. napus as well as its use in breeding. Core Ideas: C genome alleles from six vegetable Brassica oleracea accessions were introgressed into oilseed B. napus.Quantitative trait loci for agronomic and seed quality traits were mapped and the effect of Brassica oleracea alleles in B. napus were detected.Beneficial quantitative trait loci allele of Brassica oleracea were identified for use in B. napus breeding.C genome quantitative trait loci that has not been reported previously were disclosed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low temperature is one of the most common environmental stresses that seriously affect the growth and development of plants. However, plants have the plasticity in their defence mechanisms enabling them to tolerate and, sometimes, even survive adverse environmental conditions. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs, approximately 18-24 nucleotides in length, and are being increasingly recognized as regulators of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and have the ability to influence a broad range of biological processes. There is growing evidence in the literature that reprogramming of gene expression mediated through miRNAs is a major defence mechanism in plants enabling them to respond to stresses. To date, numerous studies have established the importance of miRNA-based regulation of gene expression under low temperature stress. Individual miRNAs can modulate the expression of multiple mRNA targets, and, therefore, the manipulation of a single miRNA has the potential to affect multiple biological processes. Numerous functional studies have attempted to identify the miRNA-target interactions and have elaborated the role of several miRNAs in cold-stress regulation. This review summarizes the current understanding of miRNA-mediated modulation of the expression of key genes as well as genetic and regulatory pathways, involved in low temperature stress responses in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee engagement, across the globe became a buzzword for business houses and the concept is also gaining importance as many antecedents of employee engagement are recognized, which are directly and indirectly proportional to company's profitability. Hence, employee engagement has become powerful source of competitive advantage and emerged as a new research interest for academicians and practitioners. Although the subject has been carved well however, little rigorous academic research has been done. This research gap has resulted in a disorganized approach to understand and develop employee engagement strategies within organizations. Thus, this article attempts to report the outcomes of a integrated literature review. The seminal works are identified and reviewed for the (1) defining of engagement construct by different researchers (2) summarize the key antecedents of employee engagement at work and instruments to measure engagement and (3) approaches to employee engagement are explored and interpretations are offered. Implications for theory, organizational practice, and scholarship are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]