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Climate fluctuations and tectonic reconfigurations associated with environmental changes play large roles in determining patterns of adaptation and diversification, but studies documenting how such drivers have shaped the evolutionary history and diversification dynamics of limnic organisms during the Mesozoic are scarce. Members of the heteropteran infraorder Nepomorpha, or aquatic bugs, are ideal for testing the effects of these determinants on their diversification pulses because most species are confined to aquatic environments during their entire life. The group has a relatively mature taxonomy and is well represented in the fossil record. We investigated the evolution of Nepomorpha based on phylogenetic analyses of morphological and molecular characters sampled from 115 taxa representing all 13 families and approximately 40% of recognized genera. Our results were largely congruent with the phylogenetic relationships inferred from morphology. A divergence dating analysis indicated that Nepomorpha began to diversify in the late Permian (approximately 263 Ma), and diversification analyses suggested that palaeoecological opportunities probably promoted lineage diversification in this group.

RNA editing plays an important role in organellar gene expression in plants, and pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are involved in this function. Because of its large family size, many PPR proteins are not known for their function and roles in plant growth and development. Through genetic and molecular analyses of the empty pericarp18 (emp18) mutant in maize (Zea mays), we cloned the Emp18 gene, revealed its molecular function, and defined its role in the mitochondrial complex assembly and seed development. Emp18 encodes a mitochondrial-localized DYW-PPR protein. Null mutation of Emp18 arrests embryo and endosperm development at an early stage in maize, resulting in embryo lethality. Mutants are deficient in the cytidine (C)-to-uridine (U) editing at atp6-635 and cox2-449, which converts a Leu to Pro in ATP6 and a Met to Thr in Cox2. The atp6 gene encodes the subunit a of F F -ATPase. The Leu to Pro alteration disrupts an α-helix of subunit a, resulting in a dramatic reduction in assembly and activity of F F -ATPase holoenzyme and an accumulation of free F -subcomplex. These results demonstrate that EMP18 functions in the C-to-U editing of atp6 and cox2, and is essential to mitochondrial biogenesis and seed development in maize.

The Tiegelongnan Cu (Au) deposit is the largest copper deposit newly discovered in the Bangong–Nujiang metallogenic belt. The deposit has a clear alteration zoning consisting of, from core to margin, potassic to propylitic, superimposed by phyllic and advanced argillic alteration. The shallow part of the deposit consists of a high sulphidation‐state overprint, mainly comprising disseminated pyrite and Cu–S minerals such as bornite, covellite, digenite, and enargite. At depth porphyry‐type mineralization mainly comprises disseminated chalcopyrite, bornite, pyrite, and a minor vein molybdenite. Mineralization is disseminated and associated with veins contained within the porphyry intrusions and their surrounding rocks. The zircon U–Pb ages of the mineralized diorite porphyry and granodiorite porphyry are 123.1 ± 1.7 Ma (2σ) and 121.5 ± 1.5 Ma (2σ), respectively. The molybdenite Re–Os age is 121.2 ± 1.2 Ma, suggesting that mineralization was closely associated with magmatism. Andesite lava (zircon U–Pb age of 111.7 ± 1.6 Ma, 2σ) overlies the ore‐bodies and is the product of post‐mineralization volcanic activity that played a critical role in preserving the ore‐bodies. Values of −4.6 ‰ to + 0.8 ‰ δ34S for the metal sulfides (mean − 1.55 ‰) suggest that S mainly has a deep magmatic source. The H and O isotopic composition is (δD = −87 ‰ to −64 ‰; δ18OH2O = 5.5 ‰ to 9.0 ‰), indicating that the ore‐forming fluids are mostly magmatic‐hydrothermal, possibly mixed with a small amount of meteoric water. The zircon εHf(t) of the diorite porphyry is 3.7 to 8.3, and the granodiorite porphyry is 1.8 to 7.5. Molybdenite has a high Re from 382.2 × 10−6 to 1600 × 10−6. Re and Hf isotope composition show that Tiegelongnan has some mantle source, maybe the juvenile lower crust from crust–mantle mixed source. Metallogenesis of the Tiegelongnan giant porphyry system was associated with intermediate to acidic magma in the Early Cretaceous (~120 Ma). The magma provenance of the Tiegelongnan deposit has some mantle‐derived composition, possibly mixed with the crust‐derived materials.

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Peptide-N 4-(N-acetyl-β-glucosaminyl) asparagine amidases (PNGases, N-glycanases, EC 3.5.1.52) are indispensable tools in releasing N-glycans from glycoproteins. So far, only a limited number of PNGase candidates are available for the structural analysis of glycoproteins and their glycan moieties. Herein, a panel of 13 novel PNGase H + candidates (the suffix H + refers to the acidic pH optimum of these acidobacterial PNGases) was tested in their recombinant form for their deglycosylation performance. One candidate (originating from the bacterial species Dyella japonica) showed superior properties both in solution-phase and immobilized on amino-, epoxyand nitrilotriacetate resins when compared to currently acidic available PNGases. The high expression yield compared to a previously described PNGase H + , broad substrate specificity, and good storage stability of this novel N-glycanase makes it a valuable tool for the analysis of protein glycosylation.

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