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Sea Island cotton ( Gossypium barbadense ) is world-renowned for its superior natural fiber. Although fiber strength is one of the most important fiber quality traits, genes contributing to fiber strength are poorly understood. Production of sea island cotton also is inextricably linked to improving its relatively low yield, thus enhancing the importance of joint improvement of both fiber quality and yield. We used genomic variation to uncover the genetic evidence of trait improvement resulting from pedigree breeding of Sea Island cotton. This pedigree was aimed at improving fiber strength and yielded an elite cultivar, XH35. Using a combination of genome-wide association study (GWAS) and selection screens, we detected 82 putative fiber-strength-related genes. Expression analysis confirmed a calmodulin-like gene, GbCML7 , which enhanced fiber strength in a specific haplotype. This gene is a major-effect gene, which interacts with a minor-effect gene, GbTUA3 , facilitating the enhancement of fiber strength in a synergistic fashion. Moreover, GbCML7 participates in the cooperative improvement of fiber strength, fiber length, and fiber uniformity, though a slight compromise exists between the first two of these traits and the latter. Importantly, GbCML7 is shown to boost yield in some backgrounds by increasing multiple yield components to varying degrees, especially boll number. Our work provides valuable genomic evidence and a key genetic factor for the joint improvement of fiber quality and yield in Sea Island cotton. 

Graphene with a 3D porous structure is directly laser‐induced on lignocellulosic biopaper under ambient conditions and is further explored for multifunctional biomass‐based flexible electronics. The mechanically strong, flexible, and waterproof biopaper is fabricated by surface‐functionalizing cellulose with lignin‐based epoxy acrylate (LBEA). This composite biopaper shows as high as a threefold increase in tensile strength and excellent waterproofing compared with pure cellulose one. Direct laser writing (DLW) rapidly induces porous graphene from the biopaper in a single step. The porous graphene shows an interconnected carbon network, well‐defined graphene domains, and high electrical conductivity (e.g., ≈3 Ω per square), which can be tuned by lignin precursors and loadings as well as lasing conditions. The biopaper in situ embedded with porous graphene is facilely fabricated into flexible electronics for on‐chip and paper‐based applications. The biopaper‐based electronic devices, including the all‐solid‐state planer supercapacitor, electrochemical and strain biosensors, and Joule heater, show great performances. This study demonstrates the facile, versatile, and low‐cost fabrication of multifunctional graphene‐based electronics from lignocellulose‐based biopaper.

 

Mammalian cells are different from plant and microbial cells, having no exterior cell walls for protection. Environmental assaults can easily damage or destroy mammalian cells. Thus, the ability to develop a biomimetic cell wall (BCW) on their plasma membrane as a shield can advance various applications. Here we demonstrate the synthesis of BCW with a framing template and a crosslinked matrix for shielding live mammalian cells. The framing template is a supramolecular DNA structure. The crosslinked matrix is a polyelectrolyte complex made of alginate and polylysine. As the entire procedure of BCW synthesis is strictly operated under physiological conditions, BCW-covered mammalian cells can maintain high bioactivity. More importantly, the data show that BCW can shield live mammalian cells from not only physical assaults but also biological assaults. Thus, this study has successfully demonstrated the synthesis of BCW on live mammalian cells with great potential of shielding them from environmental assaults.

 

Mg²⁺‐deficiency is linked to hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine headaches, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, etc., but its exact role in these pathophysiological conditions remains elusive. Mg²⁺can regulate vascular functions, yet the mechanistic insight remains ill‐defined. Data show that extracellular Mg²⁺enters endothelium mainly through the TRPM7 channel and MagT1 transporter. Mg²⁺can act as an antagonist to reduce Ca²⁺signaling in endothelium. Mg²⁺also reduces the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and inflammation. In addition, Mg²⁺‐signaling increases endothelial survival and growth, adhesion, and migration. Endothelial barrier integrity is significantly enhanced with Mg²⁺‐treatment through S1P1‐Rac1 pathways and barrier‐stabilizing mediators including cAMP, FGF1/2, and eNOS. Mg²⁺also promotes cytoskeletal reorganization and junction proteins to tighten up the barrier. Moreover, Mg²⁺‐deficiency enhances endothelial barrier permeability in mice, and Mg²⁺‐treatment rescues histamine‐induced transient vessel hyper‐permeability in vivo. In summary, Mg²⁺‐deficiency can cause deleterious effects in endothelium integrity, and Mg²⁺‐treatment may be effective in the prevention or treatment of vascular dysfunction.

 

The ability to control the degradation of a material is critical to various applications. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate a concept of controlling degradation by using a double‐locked domain (DLD). DLDs are molecular structures with two functional units that work cooperatively under environmental stimulation. One unit is triggered to transform without cleavage in the presence of the first stimulus, but this transformation enables the activation of the other unit for cleavage in the presence of the second stimulus. A DLD is presented that is activated to transform through intramolecular reconfiguration when exposed to light. After this transformation, the light‐triggered DLD can undergo rapid cleavage under acid treatment. When this DLD is used as the crosslinkers of hydrogels, hydrogels undergo rapid degradation after sequential exposure to light irradiation and acid treatment. Reversing the order of light irradiation and acid treatment or only using individual stimulation does not lead to comparable degradation. Thus, this study has successfully demonstrated the great potential of using DLDs to achieve programmable degradation of materials.

 

The ability to control the degradation of a material is critical to various applications. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate a concept of controlling degradation by using a double‐locked domain (DLD). DLDs are molecular structures with two functional units that work cooperatively under environmental stimulation. One unit is triggered to transform without cleavage in the presence of the first stimulus, but this transformation enables the activation of the other unit for cleavage in the presence of the second stimulus. A DLD is presented that is activated to transform through intramolecular reconfiguration when exposed to light. After this transformation, the light‐triggered DLD can undergo rapid cleavage under acid treatment. When this DLD is used as the crosslinkers of hydrogels, hydrogels undergo rapid degradation after sequential exposure to light irradiation and acid treatment. Reversing the order of light irradiation and acid treatment or only using individual stimulation does not lead to comparable degradation. Thus, this study has successfully demonstrated the great potential of using DLDs to achieve programmable degradation of materials.