Oilseed crops are used to produce vegetable oil. Sesame (Sesamum indicum), an oilseed crop grown worldwide, has high oil content and a small diploid genome, but the genetic basis of oil production and quality is unclear. Here we sequence 705 diverse sesame varieties to construct a haplotype map of the sesame genome and de novo assemble two representative varieties to identify sequence variations. We investigate 56 agronomic traits in four environments and identify 549 associated loci. Examination of the major loci identifies 46 candidate causative genes, including genes related to oil content, fatty acid biosynthesis and yield. Several of the candidate genes for oil content encode enzymes involved in oil metabolism. Two major genes associated with lignification and black pigmentation in the seed coat are also associated with large variation in oil content. These findings may inform breeding and improvement strategies for a broad range of oilseed crops.

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Our previous study has demonstrated that TF/FVIIa and protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) are closely related to the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cell line SW620. However, the detailed signaling cascades and underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study has investigated whether extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) signaling pathways are involved in the events. The results revealed that PAR2-activating peptide (PAR2-AP) or FVIIa elicited time-dependent upregulation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation in SW620 cells, and the effect of FVIIa was significantly attenuated by anti-TF antibody. PAR2-AP or FVIIa also increased NF-κB (p65/RelA) levels among cell nuclear proteins and simultaneously decreased IκB-α levels in the cytoplasmic proteins. Such effects of FVIIa can be inhibited with anti-PAR2 or anti-TF antibodies. While ERK1/2 inhibitor (U0126) intervened with the regulatory effects of PAR2-AP and FVIIa on IκB-α/NF-κB (p65/Rel) expression in the cells, NF-κB inhibitor (PDTC) partially blocked the enhancing effects of PAR2-AP and FVIIa on the proliferating and migratory ability of SW620 cells. Furthermore, the regulatory effects of PAR2-AP and FVIIa on expressions of certain proteins (IL-8, caspase-7, and TF) were also significantly abolished by PDTC. Collectively, the data in this study suggest that the interaction between FVIIa and TF induces PAR2 activation, thereby triggers the ERK1/2 and IκB-α/NF-κB signal transduction pathway to regulate the gene expression of IL-8, TF, and caspase-7, and ultimately promotes SW620 cell proliferation and migration.

Soluble conjugated polymeric nanoparticles are synthesized by Suzuki-type polycondensation of two monomers (Ax + By, x>2, y≥2) in the channel of ordered mesoporous silica-supported carbon nanomembranes (nanoreactors). These synthesized soluble conjugated microporous polymers (SCMPs) exhibit uniform particle-size distributions and well-controlled particle sizes. The control of particle size stems from the fact that the polycondensations exclusively take place inside the mesochannels of the nanoreactors. Photoluminescence studies show that polymeric nanoparticles with tetraphenylethene and pyrene substructures are highly fluorescent. The combination of both physical stability and processability offered by the soluble polymeric nanoparticles makes them particularly attractive in light emitting and other optoelectronic applications.

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