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Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polyaniline (PANI) composite and carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT-COOH)/PANI composites are fabricated via in situ chemical oxidative polymerization method. The crystallinity, chemical structure and morphology of the composites are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), respectively. Based on the different morphology, the formation mechanism of the composites is proposed and the influence of the morphology on the electrochemical performance is predicted. The electrochemical properties of the composites are evaluated by galvanostatic charge/discharge (GCD), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The MWCNT-COOH/PANI composite electrode shows higher specific capacitance than that of the MWCNT/PANI composite, as can be ascribed to the interpenetrating network structure of the MWCNT-COOH/PANI composite and the co-doping of DBSA and MWCNT-COOH. The MWCNT-COOH/PANI composite with 15% MWCNT-COOH presents the best electrochemical performance owing to the synergistic and comprehensive effect of the components. Using functionalized MWCNT provides an efficient approach to prepare high-performance composite materials for electrical energy storage fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of polyaniline (PANI) in various fields is greatly limited by its poor solubility in water.Many methods which could elevate PANI water-soluble ability were used by researchers to expand its application range. In this paper, the research progress of the commonly used preparation methods of water-soluble PANI in recent years is reviewed. The main preparation methods of water-soluble PANI are categorized into four types including monomer modification, controlling the polymerization process, introducing water-soluble groups or substances, macromolecular reaction. They are composed of aniline derivative method, copolymerization, emulsion polymerization method, dispersion polymerization method, acid doping method, compound method, ATRP method. The principles of various methods to achieve water-solubility of PANI are introduced, the research on each preparation method reported before are introduced and their advantages and disadvantages are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaniline is a kind of polymer material with excellent electrochemical performance, and it stands out among a number of conductive polymer materials owing to its low cost, easy availability of raw materials, and excellent physical and chemical properties. However, the poor processability of polyaniline impedes its broad application. Preparing nanosized structure and introducing big molecular organic acids as dopant are practical strategies to solve this problem. Here using ammonium persulfate as oxidant, sodium dodecyl sulfate as surfactant, and 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid as doping acid, polyaniline nanotubes were successfully prepared via emulsion polymerization method and characterized by various measurements. The influence of aniline concentration on the morphology and property of the product was explored. The polymerization mechanism of polyaniline nanotubes was discussed in detail based on the analysis of the microscopic morphology. As the concentration of aniline monomer increases, the position of the characteristic absorption peak in the infrared spectrum of the polyaniline main chain remains almost unchanged, but the ratio of benzene to quinone gradually increases. Along with the increasing aniline concentration, the crystallinity of polyaniline gradually decreases from 56.21% to 40.37%. In addition, the optimal conductivity is 2.05×10−2 S/cm when the concentration of aniline monomer is 0.5 mol/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In common nutrient management in peach orchards in China, a large amount of nitrogen fertilizer is used. However, low nitrogen absorption and utilization rate results in nitrogen loss and greenhouse gas emissions, which is not favorable for cleaner production in peach orchards. In this experiment, nitrogen leaching, ammonia volatilization, greenhouse gas emissions under bag-controlled release fertilizer (BCRF) were evaluated. In addition, the impact of BCRF on soil nutrient status in peach orchards, peach root system growth, nitrogen absorption and utilization rate, fruit quality, and the potential for using BCRF in major peach-producing areas in China to reduce the amount of nitrogen fertilizer application were also investigated. Results showed that BCRF maintained a stable supply of nutrients to soil, decreased nitrogen leaching, ammonia volatilization and greenhouse gas emissions while nitrogen loss was significantly reduced from peach orchard soil. Also, BCRF reduced the combined global warming potential at 20-, 100-, and 500-years. A 5-year study revealed that application of BCRF promoted the formation of a dense root system in peach trees by the development of fine roots and a more concentrated root distribution. This extended the lifespan of the root system and improved fruit quality. 15N tracer experiments showed that BCRF significantly increased the absorption and utilization rate of nitrogen by peach trees. BCRF reduced the amount of nitrogen fertilizers applied by 65–82% compared to common fertilizer application methods without decreasing peach yield, so it has huge potential for reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer used as well as fertilizer input costs in peach production. The results showed that BCRF has huge application potential as a new, environmentally friendly, low-cost, and efficient fertilizer for cleaner production in peach orchards. Image 1048 • Bag-controlled release fertilizer can maintain stable supply of nutrients to soil. • HighlightsHighlightBag-controlled release fertilizer decreases nitrogen leaching, ammonia volatilization from peach orchard soil. • Bag-controlled release fertilizer would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the combined global warming potential. • Bag-controlled release fertilizer promotes the formation of a dense root system of peach trees. • Bag-controlled release fertilizer has a huge potential for reducing the nitrogen applied amount in peach production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) is essential for plant growth and development, linking trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) to carbon metabolism. However, little is known about the TPS gene family in peaches and their potential roles in regulating carbohydrates in peach fruit. In this study, nine TPS genes were identified in the peach genome and named according to the homologous genes in Arabidopsis. Phylogenetic analysis showed that three subfamilies were identified, including TPSI, TPSII-1, and TPSII-2, which were also consistent with gene structure analysis. Considerable cis-elements were enriched in the promoters, including plant hormone-related elements. Tissue-specific analysis showed that these TPS genes were mainly expressed in leaves, stems, and fruit, showing different expression patterns for each gene. In addition, during fruit development, the content of trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) was positively correlated with the expression of PpTPS7a and negatively with sucrose non-fermenting-1-related kinase 1 (SnRK1) activity. Transient overexpression and silencing of PpTPS7a in peach fruit validated its function in regulating T6P content and SnRK1 activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Waterlogging resistance and evaluation of physiological mechanism of three peach (Prunus persica) rootstocks" published in the journal Protoplasma. The correction addresses the incorrect numbering of Figures 5, 6, and 7 in the published proof. The corrected figures depict the effects of waterlogging on cell death and ROS accumulation in the leaves of peach rootstocks and grafted seedlings. The original article has been corrected. The publisher, Springer Nature, remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignant neoplasms worldwide. Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks may identify potential biomarkers associated with the progression and prognosis of BC. The OCT4-pg5/miR-145-5p/OCT4B ceRNA network was found to be related to the progression and prognosis of BC. OCT4-pg5 expression was significantly higher in BC cell lines than in normal bladder cells, with OCT4-pg5 expression correlating with OCT4B expression and advanced tumor grade. Overexpression of OCT4-pg5 and OCT4B promoted the proliferation and invasion of BC cells, whereas miR-145-5p suppressed these activities. The 3’ untranslated region (3’UTR) of OCT4-pg5 competed for miR-145-5p, thereby increasing OCT4B expression. In addition, OCT4-pg5 promoted epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and upregulating the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 2 and 9 as well as the transcription factors zinc finger E-box binding homeobox (ZEB) 1 and 2. Elevated expression of OCT4-pg5 and OCT4B reduced the sensitivity of BC cells to cisplatin by reducing apoptosis and increasing the proportion of cells in G1. The OCT4-pg5/miR-145-5p/OCT4B axis promotes the progression of BC by inducing EMT via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and enhances cisplatin resistance. This axis may represent a therapeutic target in patients with BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants suffer from a variety of environmental stresses during their growth and development. The evolutionarily conserved sucrose nonfermenting kinase 1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) plays a central role in the regulation of energy homeostasis in response to stresses. In plant cells, autophagy is a degradation process occurring during development or under stress, such as nutrient starvation. In recent years, SnRK1 signaling has been reported to be an upstream activator of autophagy. However, these studies all focused on the regulatory effect of SnRK1 on TOR signaling and the autophagy-related gene 1 (ATG1) complex. In this study, overexpression of the gene encoding the Prunus persica SnRK1 α subunit (PpSnRK1α) in tomato improved the photosynthetic rates and enhanced the resistance to low nutrient stress (LNS). Overexpression of PpSnRK1α increased autophagy activity and upregulated the expression of seven autophagy-related genes (ATGs). The transcriptional levels of SlSnRK2 family genes were altered significantly by PpSnRK1α, signifying that PpSnRK1α may be involved in the ABA signaling pathway. Further analysis showed that PpSnRK1α not only activated autophagy by inhibiting target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling but also enhanced ABA-induced autophagy. This indicates that PpSnRK1α regulates the photosynthetic rate and induces autophagy, and then responds to low nutrient stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sucrose nonfermenting-1-related protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) is a central integrator of plant stress and energy starvation signalling pathways. We found that the FaSnRK1α-overexpression (OE) roots had a higher respiratory rate and tolerance to waterlogging than the FaSnRK1α-RNAi roots, suggesting that FaSnRK1α plays a positive role in the regulation of anaerobic respiration under waterlogging. FaSnRK1α upregulated the activity of anaerobic respiration-related enzymes including hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PK), pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). FaSnRK1α also enhanced the ability to quench reactive oxygen species (ROS) by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities. We sequenced the transcriptomes of the roots of both wild-type (WT) and FaSnRK1α-RNAi plants, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were clearly enriched in the defence response, response to biotic stimuli, and cellular carbohydrate metabolic process. In addition, 42 genes involved in glycolysis and 30 genes involved in pyruvate metabolism were significantly regulated in FaSnRK1α-RNAi roots. We analysed the transcript levels of two anoxia-related genes and three ERFVIIs, and the results showed that FaADH1, FaPDC1, FaHRE2 and FaRAP2.12 were upregulated in response to FaSnRK1α, indicating that FaSnRK1α may be involved in the ethylene signalling pathway to improve waterlogging tolerance. In conclusion, FaSnRK1α increases the expression of ERFVIIs and further activates anoxia response genes, thereby enhancing anaerobic respiration metabolism in response to low-oxygen conditions during waterlogging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN/ASYMMETRIC LEAVES2-LIKEs (LBDs/ASLs) are plant-specific transcription factors that function downstream of auxin-regulated lateral root (LR) formation. Our previous research found that PpLBD16 positively regulates peach (Prunus persica) LR formation. However, the downstream regulatory network and target genes of PpLBD16 are still largely unknown. Here, we constructed a PpLBD16 homologous overexpression line and a PpLBD16 silenced line. We found that overexpressing PpLBD16 promoted peach root initiation, while silencing PpLBD16 inhibited peach root formation. Through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis of roots from PpLBD16 overexpression and silenced lines, we discovered that genes positively regulated by PpLBD16 were closely related to cell wall synthesis and degradation, ion/substance transport, and ion binding and homeostasis. To further detect the binding motifs and potential target genes of PpLBD16, we performed DNA-affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) analysis in vitro. PpLBD16 preferentially bound to CCNGAAANNNNGG (MEME-1), [C/T]TTCT[C/T][T/C] (MEME-2), and GCGGCGG (ABR1) motifs. By combined analysis of RNA-seq and DAP-seq data, we screened candidate target genes for PpLBD16. We demonstrated that PpLBD16 bound and activated the cell wall modification-related genes EXPANSIN-B2 (PpEXPB2) and SUBTILISIN-LIKE PROTEASE 1.7 (PpSBT1.7), the ion transport-related gene CYCLIC NUCLEOTIDE-GATED ION CHANNEL 1 (PpCNGC1) and the polyphenol oxidase (PPO)-encoding gene PpPPO, thereby controlling peach root organogenesis and promoting LR formation. Moreover, our results displayed that PpLBD16 and its target genes are involved in peach LR primordia development. Overall, this work reveals the downstream regulatory network and target genes of PpLBD16, providing insights into the molecular network of LBD16-mediated LR development. A plant-specific transcription factor controls root organogenesis, promotes lateral root formation, and participates in lateral root primordia development in peach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to resolve the bottleneck issue of polyaniline (PANI) electrode including low specific capacitance and poor cyclic stability, three dimensional (3D) and porous network architecture was constructed by polyaniline hollow nanofibers (PANI-HFs) prepared via facile chemical oxidative polymerization. The morphology, specific surface areas, and pore sizes, chemical structure and the crystallinity of the PANI-HFs were thoroughly analyzed by various measurements. The obtained PANI-HFs present 3D porous network structure, highly regular morphology of hollow nanofibers and large specific area, as benefits the electronic transport and ionic transfer. According to the electrochemical measurements, at the current density of 1 A g−1, the PANI-HFs achieved high specific capacitance of 290 F g‐1 and superior cyclic stability with the capacitance retention of 83% even after 1000 charge/discharge cycles. On basis of the charge storage mechanism of the electrode proposed, the advantageous electrochemical performance results from the special architecture constructed by the PANI-HFs and the structure of hollow nanofibers. More importantly, as a breakthrough, the all-solid state symmetrical supercapacitors based on PANI-HFs lighted up the light emitting diode (LED) for the first time, as means significant perspective in the application of energy storage. • Polyaniline hollow nanofibers (PANI-HFs) with 3D porous network structure were prepared via chemical oxidative polymerization. • PANI-HFs exhibited higher specific capacitance and longer cyclic stability than other PANI electrode materials. • As a breakthrough, the PANI-HFs based supercapacitors lighted up the LED for the first time. • The charge storage mechanism of PANI-HFs was thoroughly investigated to explain the excellent electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistance genes (R genes) are a class of genes that are immune to a wide range of diseases and pests. In planta, NLR genes are essential components of the innate immune system. Currently, genes belonging to NLR family have been found in a number of plant species, but little is known in peach. Here, 286 NLR genes were identified on peach genome by using their homologous genes in Arabidopsis thaliana as queries. These 286 NLR genes contained at least one NBS domain and LRR domain. Phylogenetic and N-terminal domain analysis showed that these NLRs could be separated into four subfamilies (I-IV) and their promoters contained many cis-elements in response to defense and phytohormones. In addition, transcriptome analysis showed that 22 NLR genes were up-regulated after infected by Green Peach Aphid (GPA), and showed different expression patterns. This study clarified the NLR gene family and their potential functions in aphid resistance process. The candidate NLR genes might be useful in illustrating the mechanism of aphid resistance in peach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waterlogging occurs due to poor soil drainage or excessive rainfall. It is a serious abiotic stress factor that negatively affects crop growth. Waterlogging often causes plants to shed leaves, fruits, and, ultimately, to die. Peach (Prunus persica) trees are generally intolerant to waterlogging, and the primary peach rootstock used in Chinais "Maotao," which has very poor resistance to sensitivity. Therefore, waterlogging has become a restriction on the development of the peach industry in many regions. In this experiment, we tested the waterlogging resistance of "Maotao (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch)" (MT), "Shannong1 (GF677 × Cadaman)" (SN1), and "Mirabolano 29C (Prunus cerasifera)" (M29C) rootstocks. Using a simulated waterlogging method, the effects of waterlogging on the photosynthetic system, leaf pigments, osmotic adjustment, lipid membrane peroxidation, and antioxidant system of these three peach rootstocks were studied, and the changes of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and fluorescence imaging were observed. The results showed that, with prolonged waterlogging, the photosynthetic pigment content and photosynthesis of the three peach rootstocks decreased rapidly, but the decomposition rate of SN1 and M29C chlorophyll was slower, and it still had high light energy absorption and energy transfer capabilities under waterlogging stress, which reduced the damage caused by waterlogging stress; under the stress of flooding, the osmoregulatory substances of the three rootstocks increased to varying degrees compared with normal conditions. At the same time, the enzyme activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, peroxidase (POD) activity, and catalase (CAT) activity in the leaves of the three rootstocks under flooding stress all increased and then decreased; during this period, malondialdehyde (MDA) continued to increase, and SN1 and M29C were significantly lower than MT; and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, including the maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), actual photochemical efficiency (ΦPSII), photochemical quenching coefficient (qP), non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), and electron transfer rate (ETR) decreased significantly. The tolerance of SN1 and M29C to waterlogging was significantly better than that of MT rootstocks. The rootstock and grafted seedlings of SN1 have good waterlogging tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: We confirmed the roles of auxin, CK, and strigolactones in apical dominance in peach and established a model of plant hormonal control of apical dominance in peach.Abstract: Auxin, cytokinin, and strigolactone play important roles in apical dominance. In this study, we analyzed the effect of auxin and strigolactone on the expression of ATP/ADP isopentenyltransferase (IPT) genes (key cytokinin biosynthesis genes) and the regulation of apical dominance in peach. After decapitation, the expression levels of PpIPT1, PpIPT3, and PpIPT5a in nodal stems sharply increased. This observation is consistent with the changes in tZ-type and iP-type cytokinin levels in nodal stems and axillary buds observed after treatment; these changes are required to promote the outgrowth of axillary buds in peach. These results suggest that ATP/ADP PpIPT genes in nodal stems are key genes for cytokinin biosynthesis, as they promote the outgrowth of axillary buds. We also found that auxin and strigolactone inhibited the outgrowth of axillary buds. After decapitation, IAA treatment inhibited the expression of ATP/ADP PpIPTs in nodal stems to impede the increase in cytokinin levels. By contrast, after GR24 (GR24 strigolactone) treatment, the expression of ATP/ADP IPT genes and cytokinin levels still increased markedly, but the rate of increase in gene expression was markedly lower than that observed after decapitation in the absence of IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) treatment. In addition, GR24 inhibited basipetal auxin transport at the nodes (by limiting the expression of PpPIN1a in nodal stems), thereby inhibiting ATP/ADP PpIPT expression in nodal stems. Therefore, strigolactone inhibits the outgrowth of axillary buds in peach only when terminal buds are present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reasonable main branch opening angle can improve the canopy light environment of a tree, change the direction of nutrient transport, and promote the formation of flower buds. In this experiment, 3-year-old 'Lu Hong 618' was used as the test material to study the effects of different main branch opening angles (three treatments: 45°, 65°, and 85°) on the canopy light distribution, canopy characteristics, fruit quality, and flower bud quality of 'Y'-shaped peach trees. The main findings were as follows: the solar energy utilization in the canopy varied greatly between different main branch opening angles, with the best relative light intensity of the canopy at 85°. In addition, the canopy light distribution on photosynthesis was more reasonable at 85°, and the daily variation range of CO2 concentration in the inner canopy was the greatest, which facilitated ventilation and light penetration in the inner canopy. With the increase in the main branch opening angle, the new growth of peach trees and the growth of the main branch trunk were inhibited. A reasonable branch opening angle results in good branch structure and leaf morphology. Leaf stomatal morphology and the soluble sugar and starch contents at different levels of the canopy are influenced by canopy light, and higher levels of canopy light can significantly increase the stomatal size and improve the leaf photosynthetic capacity, SPAD value, and soluble sugar and starch contents. With the increase in the main branch opening angle, C/N tended to increase. In addition, the distribution pattern of fruit quality in the canopy was similar to that of light distribution. In the same fruiting part, the fruit quality was higher at 85° and 45° than at 65° and slightly higher at 85° than at 45°, but the difference was not significant. The effects of different main branch opening angle treatments on the fruit weight, flesh firmness, soluble solids, and titratable acid were more significant. The 85° pulling angle effectively increased the light intensity of the different canopy layers of the peach trees and promoted the accumulation of nutrients. An 85° pulling angle can be used as a more suitable pulling angle for peach tree shaping cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HD-Zips (Homeodomain-Leucine Zippers) are a class of plant-specific transcription factors that play multiple roles in plant growth and development. Although some functions of HD-Zip transcription factor have been reported in several plants, it has not been comprehensively studied in peach, especially during adventitious root formation of peach cuttings. Results: In this study, 23 HD-Zip genes distributed on 6 chromosomes were identified from the peach (Prunus persica) genome, and named PpHDZ01-23 according to their positions on the chromosomes. These 23 PpHDZ transcription factors all contained a homeomorphism box domain and a leucine zipper domain, were divided into 4 subfamilies(I-IV) according to the evolutionary analysis, and their promoters contained many different cis-acting elements. Spatio-temporal expression pattern showed that these genes were expressed in many tissues with different levels, and they had distinct expression pattern during adventitious root formation and development. Conclusion: Our results showed the roles of PpHDZs on root formation, which is helpful to better understand the classification and function of peach HD-Zip genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaniline nanotubes were fabricated using itaconic acid as dopant and soft template via facile aqueous solution polymerization. On basis of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), the influence of polymerization conditions such as oxidizer/aniline molar ratio and oxidizer concentration on the morphology and chemical structure of PANI was studied. Polyaniline nanotubes with 3D porous network structure were successfully prepared under the optimal conditions. The formation mechanism of PANI nanotubes was thoroughly analyzed by the measurements such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), the diffusion ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) and relaxation time (T 1 H) measurements. Itaconic acid micelles were used as "soft template" to form self-assembled polyaniline nanostructures. Meanwhile, in the micelles composed of aniline and itaconic acid, the aniline cations initiated by oxidizer free radicals were polymerized into polyaniline with the structure of nanotubes. Furthermore, the formation of polyaniline nanotubes was guaranteed by the double electric layer structure. • PANI materials were prepared via facile aqueous solution polymerization. • The influence of the oxidizer content on the morphology and chemical structure of PANI was studied. • Polyaniline nanotubes were successfully prepared under the optimal condition. • The formation mechanism of polyaniline nanotubes was thoroughly analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Centrosomal protein 55 (CEP55) is implicated in the tumorigenesis of bladder cancer (BC) but the detailed molecular mechanisms are unknown. We aim to develop a potential competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network related with CEP55 in BC. Methods: We first extracted the expression profiles of RNAs from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and used bioinformatic analysis to establish ceRNAs in BC. Real-time quantity PCR (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemical analysis were performed to measure CEP55 expression in different bladder cell lines and different grades of cancer. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase assays were conducted to predict potential binding sites among miR-497-5p, CEP55, parathyroid hormone like hormone (PTHLH) and high mobility group A2 (HMGA2). Tumor xenograft model was used to show the effect of CEP55 3'-UTR on cisplatin therapy. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase assays, and 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5'RACE) were to explore the function of CEP55 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) on targeting miR-497-5p. Western blot and immunofluorescence assays were to detect the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) induction of CEP55 3'-UTR. Results: CEP55 expression as well as the expression levels of the oncogenic proteins PTHLH and HMGA2 were upregulated in BC cells while miR-497-5p was downregulated. Low miR-497-5p expression and high CEP55 and HMGA2 expression levels were associated with more advanced tumor clinical stage and pathological grade. Overexpression of the CEP55 3'-UTR promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of the EJ cell line in vitro and accelerated EJ-derived tumor growth in nude mice, while inhibition of the CEP55 3'-UTR suppressed all of these oncogenic processes. In addition, CEP55 3'-UTR upregulation reduced the cisplatin sensitivity of BC cell lines and xenograft tumors. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase assays, and 5'RACE suggested that the CEP55 3'-UTR functions as a ceRNA targeting miR-497-5p, leading to miR-497-5p downregulation and disinhibition of PTHLH and HMGA2 expression. Further, CEP55 downregulated miR-497-5p transcription by promoting NF- κ B signaling. In turn, CEP55 3'-UTR ultimately promotes EMT and tumorigenesis by activating P38MAPK and ERK 1/2 pathways. Conclusions: These results suggest that a ceRNA regulatory network involving CEP55 upregulates PTHLH and HMGA2 expression by suppressing endogenous miR-497-5p. We unveiled a novel mechanism of BC metastasis, and could become novel therapeutics targets in BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen is an important nutrient element that limits plant growth and yield formation, but excessive nitrogen has negative effects on plants and the environment. It is important to reveal the molecular mechanism of high NUE (nitrogen use efficiency) for breeding peach rootstock and variety with high NUE. In this study, two peach rootstocks, Shannong–1 (S) and Maotao (M), with different NUE were used as materials and treated with 0.1 mM KNO3 for transcriptome sequencing together with the control group. From the results of comparison between groups, we found that the two rootstocks had different responses to KNO3, and 2151 (KCL_S vs. KCL_M), 327 (KNO3_S vs. KCL_S), 2200 (KNO3_S vs. KNO3_M) and 146 (KNO3_M vs. KCL_M) differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, respectively, which included multiple transcription factor families. These DEGs were enriched in many biological processes and signal transduction pathways, including nitrogen metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction. The function of PpNRT2.1, which showed up-regulated expression under KNO3 treatment, was verified by heterologous expression in Arabidopsis. The plant height, SPAD (soil and plant analyzer development) of leaf and primary root length of the transgenic plants were increased compared with those of WT, indicating the roles of PpNRT2.1 in nitrogen metabolism. The study uncovered for the first time the different molecular regulatory pathways involved in nitrogen metabolism between two peach rootstocks and provided gene reserve for studying the molecular mechanism of nitrogen metabolism and theoretical basis for screening peach rootstock or variety with high NUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drought is one of the main concerns worldwide and restricts the development of agriculture. Silicon improves the drought resistance of plants, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Results: We sequenced the transcriptomes of both control and silicon-treated peach seedlings under drought stress to identify genes or gene networks that could be managed to increase the drought tolerance of peach seedlings. Peach (Prunus persica) seedlings were used to analyse the effects of silicon on plant growth and physiological indexes related to drought resistance under drought stress. The results showed that silicon addition improved the water use efficiency, antioxidant capacity, and net photosynthetic rate, inhibition of stomatal closure, promoted the development of roots, and further regulated the synthesis of hormones, amino acids and sugars in peach seedlings. A comparative transcriptome analysis identified a total of 2275 genes that respond to silicon under drought stress. These genes were mainly involved in ion transport, hormone and signal transduction, biosynthetic and metabolic processes, stress and defence responses and other processes. We analysed the effects of silicon on the modulation of stress-related hormonal crosstalk and amino acid and sugar metabolism. The results showed that silicon promotes zeatin, gibberellin, and auxin biosynthesis, inhibits the synthesis of abscisic acid, then promote lateral root development and inhibit stomatal closure, and regulates the signal transduction of auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin and salicylic acid. Silicon also regulates the metabolism of various amino acids and promotes the accumulation of sucrose and glucose to improve drought resistance of peach seedlings. Conclusions: Silicon enhanced the drought resistance of peach seedlings by regulating stress-related hormone synthesis and signal transduction, and regulating amino acid and sugar metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sucrose nonfermentation 1 (SNF1) related kinase 1 (SnRK1) is a central energy sensor kinase in plants and a key switch regulating carbon and nitrogen metabolism. Fruit quality depends on leaf photosynthetic efficiency and carbohydrate accumulation, but the role of peach (Prunus persica) SnRK1 α subunit (PpSnRK1α) in regulating leaf carbon metabolism and the light signal response remains unclear. We studied the carbon metabolism of tomato leaves overexpressing PpSnRK1α and the responses of PpSnRK1α‐overexpressing tomato leaves to light signals. Transcriptome, metabolome, and real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses revealed that uridine 5′‐diphosphoglucose, glutamate, and glucose‐6‐phosphate accumulated in tomato leaves overexpressing PpSnRK1α. The expression of genes (e.g., GDH2, SuSy) encoding enzymes related to carbon metabolism (e.g., glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH2; EC: 1.4.1.3), sucrose synthase (SS; EC: 2.4.1.13)) and chlorophyllase (CLH) encoding chlorophyllase (EC: 3.1.1.14), which regulates photosynthetic pigments and photosynthesis, was significantly increased in PpSnRK1α‐overexpressing plants. PpSnRK1α overexpression inhibited the growth of hypocotyls and primary roots in response to light. The chlorophyll content of the leaves was increased, the activity of SS and ADPG pyrophosphatase (AGPase; EC: 2.7.7.27) was increased, and photosynthesis was promoted in PpSnRK1α‐overexpressing plants relative to wild‐type plants. Under light stress, the net photosynthetic rate of plants was significantly higher in plants overexpressing PpSnRK1α than in wild‐type plants. This indicates that PpSnRK1α promotes the accumulation of carbohydrates by regulating genes related to carbon metabolism, regulating genes related to chlorophyll synthesis, and then responding to light signals to increase the net photosynthetic rate of leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fruit quality depends largely on the type and amount of sugar accumulated in the fruit. In peach [ Prunus persica (L.) Batsch], sorbitol is the main photosynthetic product and plays a crucial role in sugar metabolism. As a conserved energy sensor, SNF1-related kinase 1 (SnRK1) is involved in the regulation of carbon metabolism. In this study, SnRK1 was able to respond to induction by treatment with exogenous trehalose and sorbitol on 'Ruipan 17' peach fruit. After treatment with 100-mM trehalose for 3 h, the SnRK1 activity decreased by 18% and the activities of sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) and sucrose synthase (SS) also decreased significantly, but sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity increased significantly; whereas sorbitol treatment under the same conditions resulted in a 12.6% increase in SnRK1 activity and the activities of SDH and SS synthase also increased significantly, compared with the control. The contents of glucose, fructose and sucrose in peach fruit increased significantly after 3 h of sorbitol treatment. In addition, the interactions between PpSnRK1α and enzymes PpSDH and PpSPS were confirmed by yeast two-hybrid method and the phosphorylation of PpSnRK1α and PpSDH was detected in vitro. Taken together, these results suggest that SnRK1 promotes sorbitol metabolism by activating SDH and it also regulates the activities of SS and SPS that enhance sucrose accumulation in peach fruit. SnRK1 protein kinase is involved in sugar metabolism and has the potential to be used for improving fruit quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nonreducing disaccharide trehalose is widespread in nature. It plays a very important role in plant growth and development. In plants, trehalose is present in trace amounts. High concentration of trehalose disrupts energy balance and inhibits normal growth and development. Studies have shown that high levels of trehalose and trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), the metabolic precursor of trehalose, inhibit sucrose non-fermenting-1-related protein kinase1 (SnRK1) activity, which affect plant growth and development. However, the role of SnRK1, the energy balance center, in the regulation of trehalose metabolism in plants is unknown. In this study, exogenous trehalose at higher concentrations inhibited the expression of SnRK1 genes, especially PpSnRK1α in peach (Prunus persica) seedlings. This change in gene expression was dependent on trehalose concentration. Furthermore, overexpression of peach PpSnRK1α in Arabidopsis thaliana significantly promoted trehalase activity, reduced T6P content, and suppressed the trehalose synthesis related genes (TPSs , TPPB) expression, promoted the trehalose metabolism of gene expression (TRE1), in addition the transgenic plants alleviated photosynthetic product distribution imbalance (aboveground and underground parts), and enhanced root growth. Yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence assays revealed the interaction between PpSnRK1α and peach basic domain leucine zipper transcription factor 11 (PpbZIP11), a key transcription factor of trehalose metabolism, in the nucleus. To summarize, PpSnRK1α overexpression improved bZIP11 transcriptional activity and regulated trehalose metabolism to protect the plants against trehalose-induced damage. This study preliminarily explained the mechanism of SnRK1 regulating trehalose metabolism balance in plants, which laid a foundation for further understanding of energy metabolism and function of SnRK1 in plants. • PpSnRK1α reduces trehalose sensitivity of plants. • Peach PpSnRK1α Interacts with bZIP11 and Maintains Trehalose Balance in Plants. • Overexpression of PpSnRK1α can regulate the distribution of photosynthate in plants and promote root growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) has been shown to regulate many physiological processes of plants. In this study, we observed that 0.2 mM sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), a donor of H 2 S, can regulate the root architecture of peach seedlings, increasing the number of lateral roots by 40.63%. To investigate the specific mechanisms by which H 2 S regulates root growth in peach, we used RNA sequencing and heterologous expression technology. Our results showed that exogenous H 2 S led to a 44.50% increase in the concentration of endogenous auxin. Analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) revealed that 963 and 1113 genes responded to H 2 S on days one and five of treatment, respectively. Among the DEGs, 26 genes were involved in auxin biosynthesis, transport, and signal transduction. Using weighted correlation network analysis, we found that the auxin-related genes in the H 2 S-specific gene module were disproportionately involved in polar transport, which may play an important role in H 2 S-induced root growth. In addition, we observed that the expression of LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN 16 (PpLBD16) was significantly up-regulated by exogenous application of H 2 S in peach. Overexpression of PpLBD16 in an Arabidopsis system yielded a 66.83% increase in the number of lateral roots. Under exposure to exogenous H 2 S, there was also increased expression of genes related to cell proliferation, indicating that H 2 S regulates the growth of peach roots. Our work represents the first comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of the effects of exogenous application of H 2 S on the roots of peach, and provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying H 2 S-induced root growth. • Exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) can regulate root growth. • The mechanism of H 2 S is regulation of auxin pathways. • LBD, MYB, AP2/ERF transcription factors (TFs) respond to exogenous H 2 S. • Exogenous H 2 S affects genes controlling cell division in roots. • The TF, PpLBD16 , is involved in lateral root formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Confirmed the alleviation of exogenous phosphatidylcholine on peach tree under drought stress. • Prove that exogenous phosphatidylcholine reduces root cell damage under drought stress. • Prove the positive effect of phosphatidylcholine on signal transduction under abiotic stress. • The first one used exogenous phosphatidylcholine to study on deciduous fruit trees. Phosphatidylcholine is a primary class of membrane lipids in most eukaryotes. In plants, the primary phosphatidylcholine biosynthetic pathway and its role in plant growth and development remain elusive due to lack of a mutant model with substantially decreased phosphatidylcholine content. In this study, we investigated whether the exogenous application of phosphatidylcholine can improve drought tolerance and reduce drought-induced damage to one-year-old peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.). In this experiment, phosphatidylcholine was applied directly to the soil at concentrations of 200 mg/L, 500 mg/L, and 1000 mg/L to drought-stressed peach trees and at a concentration of 500 mg/L to control trees not subjected to drought stress. After these treatments, we assessed the net photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll content (i.e. SPAD values) of drought-stressed and unstressed trees. We found that trees sprayed with phosphatidylcholine resembled well-watered trees, but drought-stressed trees not supplemented with phosphatidylcholine showed a lower photosynthetic rate. In trees given sufficient water, the length and width of leaf stomata did not significantly differ regardless of whether plants were treated with phosphatidylcholine or not. However, untreated drought-stressed trees showed incompletely filled guard cells and low stomatal density relative to control trees. In addition, we also found that in drought-stressed trees exogenous phosphatidylcholine treatment resulted in significant increases in proline content as well as decreases in electrolyte leakage and the degree of damage to the cell membrane. Moreover, transmission electron microscopic observation of root cells of treated and untreated peach seedlings showed that phosphatidylcholine treatment protected the integrity of root cells in response to drought stress. Taken together, our results suggest that phosphatidylcholine treatment can improve the drought tolerance of young peach trees and can reduce the damage to cell membranes caused by drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In strawberry, sucrose is the major form of carbohydrate translocated from the leaves to the fruits and plays an important role in fruit ripening. As a conserved energy sensor, sucrose nonfermenting-1 (SNF1)-related kinase 1 (SnRK1) plays an important role in plant carbon metabolism. However, evidence that SnRK1 regulates sucrose accumulation in fruits is lacking. In this study, we transiently expressed FaSnRK1α in strawberry fruits and found that overexpression (OE) of the FaSnRK1α gene significantly increased the sucrose content, whereas repression of FaSnRK1α by RNA interference (RNAi) decreased the sucrose content. Further analysis revealed that FaSnRK1α increased the expression of FaSUS1 and FaSUS3 as well as the activity of sucrose synthase (SUS; EC 2.4.1.13) and that FaSPS1 expression and sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS; EC 2.4.1.14) activity were strongly downregulated, which decreased the accumulation of sucrose. However, the expression of FaSPS3 , which is reported to contribute to sucrose accumulation, was induced by FaSnRK1α, and FaNI expression and invertase (INV; EC 3.2.1.26) activity were upregulated by FaSnRK1α. In addition, FaSnRK1α positively upregulated the expression of the sucrose transporter (SUT) genes FaSUT1 and FaSUT5 and interacted with FaSUS1, FaSPS1 and FaSPS3 proteins but not with FaSUS3, FaNI, FaSUT1 or FaSUT5 proteins. Overall, FaSnRK1α systematically regulates the expression of the genes and activities of key enzymes involved in the sucrose metabolic pathway and promotes the long-distance transport of sucrose, thereby increasing sucrose accumulation and ultimately promoting fruit ripening. However, the mechanisms by which sucrose transport and degradation are regulated by SnRK1 warrant additional research. • Our study identified a SnRK1α gene, FaSnRK1α, in strawberry. • The accumulation of sucrose was increased /reduced in the FaSnRK1α-OE/RNAi fruits. • FaSnRK1α regulates the expression of the genes involved in the sucrose metabolic pathway. • FaSnRK1α up-/down regulation promotes or delays strawberry fruit ripening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Glycine:urea (7:3) treatments significantly promoted root development. • Glycine:urea (7:3) treatments significantly promoted the absorption of NO 3 −. • Denitrification activity was lower at Glycine:urea (7:3) treatments. • Glu and Asp are the main forms of nitrogen transport in peach trees. The mechanism of how glycine combined with urea affects the development of peach trees through nitrogen absorption and metabolism is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the transformation of nitrogen in soil, the nitrogen absorption in roots, and the transformation and transportation of nitrogen in the peach tree at different treatment (no nitrogen fertilizer (CK), urea (T1), glycine (T2), glycine:urea (1:1) (T3), glycine:urea (3:7) (T4), and glycine:urea (7:3) (T5)). Compared with CK, the total dry weight of T5 and T2 was significantly increased by 22.95% and 19.09%, while it was lower at T3. The root activity of T5 was significantly higher than CK by 169.27%. The residual NH 4 + in the soil was consistent with the application ratio of urea, while the conversion of NO 3 − was promoted at T5. Under T5, soil amo A and nif H abundance was higher, while the nir K abundance was higher under T1 and T3. In addition, urease activity was higher at T1, while phosphatase, catalase, and dehydrogenase activities were higher at T5. The NO 3 − content in the root was higher at T5. In roots, the activities of GDH, GOGAT and GS were significantly increased at T5 and T2, while the NR activities of T5 and T1 were significantly increased by 34.60% and 33.64% compared with CK. The aspartic acid and glutamic acid were the main forms of nitrogen transport in wild peaches. PLS-PM analysis showed that nitrogen use efficiency had a very significant direct positive effect on the biomass of peach trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) is abundant in nature, and it has been proved to be beneficial for the healthy growth and development of many plant species, improve plant stress resistance. Gummosis in peach is an invasive disease that causes widespread and serious damage. Mechanical damage and ethylene (ETH) can induce gummosis in peach shoots in the field. In this research, we found that Si as a chemical substance or signal to enhance plant resistance can reduce the synthesis of ETH, thereby inhibiting gummosis in peach. The results showed that Si can decrease the rate of gummosis, reduce the expression level of PpACS1 (1-aminocyclopropane −1-carboxylate synthase gene) and reduce the enzyme activity of polygalacturonase (PG). It was further discovered that Si can regulate the gene expression of PpERF21 and PpERF27. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that PpERF21 and PpERF27, through direct interaction with the promoter of PpPG1 , inhibited the transcriptional activation of PpPG1. Overexpression of PpERF21 and PpERF27 effectively reduced fruit colloid production when bacterial cells harbouring the expression vector were used to instantaneously infect peach fruit. These results show that Si can inhibit the synthesis of ETH and mediate PpERF21 and PpERF27 expression to inhibit the expression of PpPG1 , thereby inhibiting gummosis in peach. • Silicon inhibits peach gummosis by inhibiting ethylene synthesis. • Silicon-mediated ERF genes regulates PpPG expression and inhibits cell wall degradation. • Silicon accumulation in peach trees improves disease resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress is a major adverse abiotic factor seriously affecting fruit tree growth and development. It ultimately lowers fruit quality and reduces yield. Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is an important cell membrane component that is critical for cell structure and membrane stability maintenance. In this study, we found that the addition of external PC sources significantly increased the tolerance of one-year-old peach trees, Prunus persica (L.) Batsch., to salt stress and attenuated their damage. The effect of exogenous application of 200 mg/L PC exerted the most significant positive effect. Its use caused seedling leaf stomatal opening, contributing to normal gas exchange. Moreover, beneficial effects were exerted also to the root system, which grew normally under salt stress. Meanwhile, phospholipase D activity in the cell was promoted. The production of phosphatidic acid (PA) was enhanced by increased decomposition of phospholipids; PA serves as a secondary messenger involved in plant biological process regulation and the reduction in the reactive oxygen species- and peroxide-induced damage caused by salt stress. The possible mechanism of action is via promoted plant osmotic regulation and tolerance to salt stress, reducing salt stress-induced injury to plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Peach had a higher utilization rate of glycine compared with urea. • Glycine:urea (7:3) treatments significantly increased the biomass of peach. • Glycine and glycine:urea (7:3) treatments led to higher rubisco activity in leaves. • High-dose of glycine promoted the accumulation of sucrose in leaves and fruits. The unreasonable use of urea and its low nitrogen use efficiency limit peach fruit yield and quality. In this study, six different fertilization treatments—no nitrogen fertilizer, urea (T1), glycine (T2), glycine:urea (1:1) (T3), glycine:urea (3:7) (T4), and glycine:urea (7:3) (T5)—were used to explore the effects of glycine and urea on the growth, photosynthesis, sucrose metabolism, and fruit development of peach. Peach had a higher utilization rate of glycine compared with urea; combined application of glycine-urea improved the utilization rate of urea compared with T1. T5 significantly increased the biomass of peach. High-dose glycine (T2 and T5) promoted the opening of stomata and the efficiency of photosynthetic electron transfer, which increased the net photosynthetic rate (P n). In addition, the activity of Rubisco was higher in leaves on wild peach treated with T2 and T5, which increased the fixation of CO 2. Under high-dose glycine treatment, the lower cell wall invertase activity in leaves and the higher cell wall invertase activity in fruits promoted the transfer of sucrose from source to sink. In addition, high-dose glycine treatment led to higher sucrose phosphate synthase activity in leaves and fruits, which improved the accumulation of soluble sugar in the fruit. The higher sucrose transport efficiency increased the single fruit weight, soluble solid content and ratio of sugar to acid in peach fruits under high-dose glycine treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]