BackgroundDFR (different region) analysis has been developed for typing Yesinia pestis in our previous study, and in this study, we extended this method by using 23 DFRs to investigate 909 Chinese Y. pestis strains for validating DFR-based genotyping method and better understanding adaptive microevolution of Y. pestis.Methodology/Principal FindingsOn the basis of PCR and Bionumerics data analysis, 909 Y. pestis strains were genotyped into 32 genomovars according to their DFR profiles. New terms, Major genomovar and Minor genomovar, were coined for illustrating evolutionary relationship between Y. pestis strains from different plague foci and different hosts. In silico DFR profiling of the completed or draft genomes shed lights on the evolutionary scenario of Y. pestis from Y. pseudotuberculosis. Notably, several sequenced Y. pestis strains share the same DFR profiles with Chinese strains, providing data for revealing the global plague foci expansion.Conclusions/significanceDistribution of Y. pestis genomovars is plague focus-specific. Microevolution of biovar Orientalis was deduced according to DFR profiles. DFR analysis turns to be an efficient and inexpensive method to portrait the genome plasticity of Y. pestis based on horizontal gene transfer (HGT). DFR analysis can also be used as a tool in comparative and evolutionary genomic research for other bacteria with similar genome plasticity.

The growth of licorice in arid areas faces nutritional and environmental stresses. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi have been shown to increase the abilities of plants to develop. However, little is known regarding the role of AM fungi in licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) growth. In the present study, by inoculation with two AM fungi, Glomus mosseae (Nicolson & Gerdemann) Gerd. & Trappe and Glomus veriforme (P. Karst.), the effects on licorice growth in sand were examined by measuring plant height, number of leaves, shoot and root fresh weight, and by analyzing morphological parameters of the root system in sand. The influence of the two microorganisms on the accumulation of mineral nutritions and bioactive components in licorice were also investigated. The results showed that mycorrhyzae were of the Arum-type and their colonization frequency (F %), colonization intensity (M %) and colonization intensity (m %) of AM fungi inoculation were found to be 80.0-84.6%, 49.4-60.0% and 58.4-71.9%, respectively. The inoculation significantly improved plant growth during early and late growth stages in comparison with the control. Moreover, inoculation of G. mosseae and G. versiforme, alone or in combination, improved plant phosphorus acquisition in the leaf over noninoculation plants. In addition, mycorrhiza formation enhanced the glycyrrhizin concentration in roots, but resulted in a considerable reduction of the root oxidase activity. The results indicate that the inoculation with AM fungi could be a useful approach to increase the licorice pharmic quality.

Melatonin is a well‐studied neurohormone oscillating in a 24‐h cycle in vertebrates. Phytomelatonin is widespread in plant kingdom, but it remains elusive whether this newly characterized putative hormone underlies the regulation by daily rhythms. Here, we report phytomelatonin signaling, as reflected by changes in endogenous concentrations of phytomelatonin and expression of genes associated with biosynthesis of phytomelatonin (AtSNAT1, AtCOMT1, and AtASMT) and its receptor (AtPMTR1), shows 24‐h oscillations in Arabidopsis. The variation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and scavenging and expression of ROS‐related genes significantly decrease in pmtr1 and snat and increase in PMTR1‐OE seedlings, indicating the rhythmicity in phytomelatonin signaling is required for maintenance of ROS dynamics. Additionally, the ROS signaling feedback influences the expression of AtSNAT1, AtCOMT1, AtASMT, and AtPMTR1, suggesting the phytomelatonin and ROS signaling are coordinately interrelated. The pmtr1 mutant plants lose diurnal stomatal closure, with stomata remaining open during daytime as well as nighttime and mutants showing more water loss and drought sensitivity when compared with the wild‐type Col‐0 plants. Taken together, our results suggest that PMTR1‐regulated ROS signaling peaks in the afternoon and may transmit the darkness signals to trigger stomatal closure, which might be essential for high water‐use efficiency and drought tolerance.

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