Transcriptome mining provides insights into cell wall metabolism and fiber lignification in Agave tequilana Weber

Luis Fernando Maceda Lopez ELSA BEATRIZ GONGORA CASTILLO Enrique Ibarra-Laclette DALIA C. MORAN VELAZQUEZ AMARANTA GIRON RAMIREZ Matthieu Bourdon José Luis Villalpando Aguilar Gabriela Chavez-Calvillo Toomer John Tang Parastoo Azadi Jorge Manuel Santamaría Fernández Itzel López-Rosas Mercedes G Lopez June Simpson FULGENCIO ALATORRE COBOS (2022, [Artículo])

Resilience of growing in arid and semiarid regions and a high capacity of accumulating sugar-rich biomass with low lignin percentages have placed Agave species as an emerging bioen-ergy crop. Although transcriptome sequencing of fiber-producing agave species has been explored, molecular bases that control wall cell biogenesis and metabolism in agave species are still poorly understood. Here, through RNAseq data mining, we reconstructed the cellulose biosynthesis pathway and the phenylpropanoid route producing lignin monomers in A. tequilana, and evaluated their expression patterns in silico and experimentally. Most of the orthologs retrieved showed differential expression levels when they were analyzed in different tissues with contrasting cellulose and lignin accumulation. Phylogenetic and structural motif analyses of putative CESA and CAD proteins allowed to identify those potentially involved with secondary cell wall formation. RT-qPCR assays revealed enhanced expression levels of AtqCAD5 and AtqCESA7 in parenchyma cells associated with extraxylary fibers, suggesting a mechanism of formation of sclerenchyma fibers in Agave similar to that reported for xylem cells in model eudicots. Overall, our results provide a framework for un-derstanding molecular bases underlying cell wall biogenesis in Agave species studying mechanisms involving in leaf fiber development in monocots. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

AGAVE CELL WALLS LIGNOCELLULOSE CAD PROTEIN CESA PROTEIN SCLERENCHYMA BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA GENÉTICA GENÉTICA MOLECULAR DE PLANTAS GENÉTICA MOLECULAR DE PLANTAS

Standard heterosis estimation for quality protein maize hybrids over best released and commercialized hybrids

Adefris Teklewold (2022, [Artículo])

Grain Yield Quality Protein Maize CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CROSS-BREEDING INBRED LINES HETEROSIS PROTEIN QUALITY HYBRIDS

On-farm storage loss estimates of maize in Kenya using community survey methods

Hugo De Groote Anani Bruce (2023, [Artículo])

Maize is the most important staple in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with highly seasonal production. High storage losses affect food security, but good estimations are lacking. A new method using focus group discussions (FGDs) was tested with 121 communities (1439 farmers, 52% women) in Kenya's six maize-growing zones, to estimate the maize losses to storage pests and analyze farmer practices. As control strategies, half of the farmers used chemical pesticides (49%), while hermetic bags (16%) and botanicals (15%) were also popular. Relative loss from weevils in the long rains was estimated at 23%, in the short rains 18%, and annually 21%. Fewer farmers were affected by the larger grain borer (LGB) than by maize weevils: 42% in the long rainy season and 32% in the short rainy season; losses from LGB were also smaller: 19% in the long season, 17% in the short season, and 18% over the year. Total storage loss, from both species combined, was estimated at 36%, or 671,000 tonnes per year. The greatest losses occur in the humid areas, especially the moist mid-altitudes (56%), and with smaller loss in the drylands (20–23%). Extrapolating the point data and overlaying with the maize production map shows the geographic distribution of the losses, with the most important area found around Lake Victoria. FGDs provide convenient and cheap tools to estimate storage losses in representative communities, but a total loss estimate of 36% is higher than is found in other studies, so its accuracy and framing effects need to be assessed. We conclude that storage pests remain a major problem, especially in western Kenya, and that the use of environmentally friendly technologies such as hermetic storage and botanicals needs more attention, both by the public extension service and private agrodealers.

Larger Grain Borer Maize Weevil CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA MAIZE STORAGE LOSSES PESTS SURVEY METHODS

Distribution of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici races and virulence in wheat growing regions of Kenya from 1970 to 2014

Lesley Boyd sridhar bhavani Cristobal Uauy Annemarie Fejer Justesen Mogens Hovmoller (2022, [Artículo])

Cereals and Grains Pathogen Diversity Puccinia f. sp. tritici Stripe Rust Yellow Rust CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CEREALS FIELD CROPS FUNGI PATHOGENICITY RUSTS TRITICUM AESTIVUM

Multi-omic characterization of the maize GPI synthesis mutant gwt1 with defects in kernel development

Sarah Hearne zhiyuan fu (2023, [Artículo])

Maize Endosperm Development Membrane Proteomics Glycosyl-Phosphatidyl-Inositol Membrane Anchored Proteins CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA MAIZE ENDOSPERM MEMBRANES PROTEOMICS TRANSCRIPTOMICS

Determining factors of durum wheat bread loaf volume and alveograph characteristics under optimal, drought and heat stress conditions

Maryke Labuschagne Carlos Guzman Jose Crossa Angeline van Biljon (2023, [Artículo])

Loaf Volume Durum Wheat Flour Protein Content CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA ALVEOGRAPHS HARD WHEAT HEAT STRESS DROUGHT STRESS

New flavors from old wheats: exploring the aroma profiles and sensory attributes of local Mediterranean wheat landraces

Alon Cna'ani Vered Tzin Maria Itria Ibba Hector Gonzalez-Santoyo (2023, [Artículo])

Wheat Landraces Wholemeal Flour Aroma Compounds Sourdough Bread CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA AMINO ACIDS FLAVOUR COMPOUNDS HARD WHEAT ORGANIC ACIDS WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR

Coronin is a component of the endocytic collar of hyphae of neurospora crassa and is necessary for normal growth and morphogenesis

RAMON OSVALDO ECHAURI ESPINOSA (2012, [Artículo])

Coronin plays a major role in the organization and dynamics of actin in yeast. To investigate the role of coronin in a filamentous fungus (Neurospora crassa), we examined its subcellular localization using fluorescent proteins and the phenotypic consequences of coronin gene (crn-1) deletion in hyphal morphogenesis, Spitzenkörper behavior and endocytosis. Coronin-GFP was localized in patches, forming a subapical collar near the hyphal apex; significantly, it was absent from the apex. The subapical patches of coronin colocalized with fimbrin, Arp2/3 complex, and actin, altogether comprising the endocytic collar. Deletion of crn-1 resulted in reduced hyphal growth rates, distorted hyphal morphology, uneven wall thickness, and delayed establishment of polarity during germination; it also affected growth directionality and increased branching. The Spitzenkörper of Δcrn-1 mutant was unstable; it appeared and disappeared intermittently giving rise to periods of hyphoid-like and isotropic growth respectively. Uptake of FM4-64 in Δcrn-1 mutant indicated a partial disruption in endocytosis. These observations underscore coronin as an important component of F-actin remodeling in N. crassa. Although coronin is not essential in this fungus, its deletion influenced negatively the operation of the actin cytoskeleton involved in the orderly deployment of the apical growth apparatus, thus preventing normal hyphal growth and morphogenesis. © 2012 Echauri-Espinosa et al.

actin related protein 2-3 complex, F actin, fimbrin protein, fluorescent dye, fungal protein, fungal protein coronin, green fluorescent protein, unclassified drug, actin binding protein, coronin proteins, fungal protein, article, cell polarity, contr BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA MICROBIOLOGÍA MICROBIOLOGÍA

Molecular modeling simulation studies reveal new potential inhibitors against HPV E6 protein

Joel Ricci-Lopez (2019, [Artículo])

High-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) have been identified as the etiologic agent of some anogenital tract, head, and neck cancers. Although prophylactic HPV vaccines have been approved; it is still necessary a drug-based treatment against the infection and its oncogenic effects. The E6 oncoprotein is one of the most studied therapeutic targets of HPV, it has been identified as a key factor in cell immortalization and tumor progression in HPV-positive cells. E6 can promote the degradation of p53, a tumor suppressor protein, through the interaction with the cellular ubiquitin ligase E6AP. Therefore, preventing the formation of the E6-E6AP complex is one of the main strategies to inhibit the viability and proliferation of infected cells. Herein, we propose an in silico pipeline to identify small-molecule inhibitors of the E6-E6AP interaction. Virtual screening was carried out by predicting the ADME properties of the molecules and performing ensemble-based docking simulations to E6 protein followed by binding free energy estimation through MM/PB(GB)SA methods. Finally, the top-three compounds were selected, and their stability in the E6 docked complex and their effect in the inhibition of the E6-E6AP interaction was corroborated by molecular dynamics simulation. Therefore, this pipeline and the identified molecules represent a new starting point in the development of anti-HPV drugs. © 2019 Ricci-López et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

ligand, luteolin, protein E6, protein inhibitor, ubiquitin protein ligase, ubiquitin protein ligase E6AP, unclassified drug, antivirus agent, DNA binding protein, E6 protein, Human papillomavirus type 18, oncoprotein, protein binding, protein p53, TP CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA

Functional characterization and cellular dynamics of the CDC-42 - RAC - CDC-24 module in neurospora crassa

CYNTHIA LIZZETH ARAUJO PALOMARES (2011, [Artículo])

Rho-type GTPases are key regulators that control eukaryotic cell polarity, but their role in fungal morphogenesis is only beginning to emerge. In this study, we investigate the role of the CDC-42 - RAC - CDC-24 module in Neurospora crassa. rac and cdc-42 deletion mutants are viable, but generate highly compact colonies with severe morphological defects. Double mutants carrying conditional and loss of function alleles of rac and cdc-42 are lethal, indicating that both GTPases share at least one common essential function. The defects of the GTPase mutants are phenocopied by deletion and conditional alleles of the guanine exchange factor (GEF) cdc-24, and in vitro GDP-GTP exchange assays identify CDC-24 as specific GEF for both CDC-42 and RAC. In vivo confocal microscopy shows that this module is organized as membrane-associated cap that covers the hyphal apex. However, the specific localization patterns of the three proteins are distinct, indicating different functions of RAC and CDC-42 within the hyphal tip. CDC-42 localized as confined apical membrane-associated crescent, while RAC labeled a membrane-associated ring excluding the region labeled by CDC42. The GEF CDC-24 occupied a strategic position, localizing as broad apical membrane-associated crescent and in the apical cytosol excluding the Spitzenkörper. RAC and CDC-42 also display distinct localization patterns during branch initiation and germ tube formation, with CDC-42 accumulating at the plasma membrane before RAC. Together with the distinct cellular defects of rac and cdc-42 mutants, these localizations suggest that CDC-42 is more important for polarity establishment, while the primary function of RAC may be maintaining polarity. In summary, this study identifies CDC-24 as essential regulator for RAC and CDC-42 that have common and distinct functions during polarity establishment and maintenance of cell polarity in N. crassa. © 2011 Araujo-Palomares et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

CDC24 protein, guanine nucleotide exchange factor, protein Cdc42, Rac protein, unclassified drug, cell cycle protein, fungal protein, membrane protein, multiprotein complex, protein Cdc42, Rac protein, allele, apical membrane, article, assay, cell me BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA MICROBIOLOGÍA MICROBIOLOGÍA