Auxin response factors (ARFs) are recently discovered transcription factors that bind with auxin response elements (AuxRE, TGTCTC) to regulate the expression of early auxin-responsive genes. To our knowledge, the ARF gene family has never been characterized in cotton, the most important fiber crop in the world. In this study, a total of 35 ARF genes, named as GrARFs, were identified in a diploid cotton species Gossypium raimondii. The 35 ARF genes were located in 12 of the 13 cotton chromosomes; the intron/exon distribution of the GrARF genes was similar among sister pairs, whereas the divergence of some GrARF genes suggests the possibility of functional diversification. Our results show that the middle domains of nine GrARF proteins rich in glutamine (Q) are activators, while 26 other GrARF proteins rich in proline (P), serine (S), and threonine (T) are repressors. Our results also show that the expression of GrARF genes is diverse in different tissues. The expression of GrARF1 was significantly higher in leaves, whereas GrARF2a had higher expression level in shoots, which implicates different roles in the tested tissues. The GrARF11 has a higher expression level in buds than that in leaves, while GrARF19.2 shows contrasting expression patterns, having higher expression in leaves than that in buds. This suggests that they play different roles in leaves and buds. During long-term evolution of G. raimondii, some ARF genes were lost and some arose. The identification and characterization of the ARF genes in G. raimondii elucidate its important role in cotton that ARF genes regulate the development of flower buds, sepals, shoots, and leaves.
Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is one of the major food and vegetable crops around the world. Sweet potato produces two types of roots: storage roots and fibrous roots. The tuberous root is a modified lateral root that functions as a storage organ, and is the portion of the plant consumed by humans. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling transformation of lateral roots to storage roots are still unclear. In this study, we systematically investigated the potential role of 16 conserved microRNAs (miRNAs) in floral root development. miRNAs are an extensive class of small regulatory RNAs controlling almost all biological and metabolic process in plants. Our results show that some miRNAs are expressed in an organ-dependent manner. For example, the expression level of miR156 and miR162 was significantly lower in storage roots than in leaves and fibrous roots. This suggests that miRNAs may play a role during storage root initiation and development. The expression of miR167 is higher in stamens than that in other tissues tested, indicating that miR167 is crucial to stamen development. miR398-a stressresponsive miRNA-may be involved in fibrous root and storage root development. Additionally, three miRNAs, miR160, miR164 and miR166, also appear to be important in fibrous root and storage root development.
Constrictive pericarditis represents an uncommon sequela of multiple pathologic processes. It involves the pericardium, a tri-layered sac that encases the heart within the mediastinum. Inflammation of the pericardium can lead to formation of fibrous adhesions between the outer wall of this sac and the surface of the heart. Due to the stiff, inflexible structure of the pericardium, its adherence to the heart negatively impacts normal diastolic filling and hemodynamics. Over time, this can lead to reduced cardiac output and severe heart failure. This condition is typically refractory to medical treatment. The definitive treatment of constrictive pericarditis involves surgical decortication and removal of the pericardium to alleviate the constriction and restore normal diastolic filling capacity. This procedure has evolved since its inception and is now the gold standard in curing constrictive pericarditis. However, despite its necessity in the treatment of constrictive pericarditis, this procedure carries considerable risk of intra- and post-operative complications and poor outcomes. The poor prognosis is often related to the patient’s pre-surgical status, which must be considered when identifying candidates for surgery. When successful, though, pericardiectomy can produce immediate and progressive improvements in hemodynamic parameters.
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