This study develops low-fat microwaved peanut snacks (LMPS) using partially defatted peanuts (PDP) with different defatting ratios, catering to people’s pursuit of healthy, low-fat cuisine.  The effects of defatting treatment on the structural characteristics, texture, color, and nutrient composition of LMPS were comprehensively explored.  The structural characteristics of LMPS were characterized using X-ray micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) and scanning electron microscope (SEM).  The results demonstrated that the porosity, pore number, pore volume, brightness, brittleness, protein content, and total sugar content of LMPS all significantly increased (P<0.05) with the increase in the defatting ratio.  At the micro level, porous structure, cell wall rupture, and loss of intracellular material could be observed in LMPS after defatting treatments.  LMPS made from PDP with a defatting ratio of 64.44% had the highest internal pore structural parameters (porosity 59%, pore number 85.3×105, pore volume 68.23 mm³), the brightest color (L* 78.39±0.39), the best brittleness (3.64±0.21) mm^–1), and the best nutrition (high protein content, (34.02±0.38)%; high total sugar content, (17.45±0.59)%; low-fat content, (27.58±0.85)%).  The study provides a theoretical basis for the quality improvement of LMPS.

Chinese cabbage is an important leafy vegetable crop with high water demand and susceptibility to drought stress.  To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the response to drought, we performed a transcriptome analysis of drought-tolerant and -sensitive Chinese cabbage genotypes under drought stress, and uncovered core drought-responsive genes and key signaling pathways.  A co-expression network was constructed by a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and candidate hub genes involved in drought tolerance were identified.  Furthermore, abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and signaling pathways and their drought responses in Chinese cabbage leaves were systemically explored.  We also found that drought treatment increased the antioxidant enzyme activities and glucosinolate contents significantly.  These results substantially enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying drought responses in Chinese cabbage.

Plant-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a promising technology for insect control.  The green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, feeds on over 400 species of host plants.  Brassica napus (rape) is the second most important oilseed crop worldwide.  Myzus persicae is highly reproductive and causes severe damage to the rape plants due to its quite flexible life cycle.  In this study, we tested the RNAi effects of transgenic rape plants on M. persicae.  By in vitro feeding M. persicae with artificial diets containing double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) targeting seven aphid genes, we identified a new gene encoding the partitioning-defective protein 6 (Par6) as the most potent RNAi target.  Tissue- and stage-expression analysis of Par6 suggested this gene is highly expressed in the embryo and adult stage of M. persicae.  We next generated transgenic rape plants expressing dsPar6 by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and obtained nine independent transgenic lines.  Compared to wild-type control plants, transgenic rape lines expressing dsPar6 showed strong resistance to M. persicae.  Feeding assays revealed that feeding transgenic rape plants to M. persicae significantly decreased MpPar6 expression and survival rate and impaired fecundity.  Furthermore, we showed that the resistance levels to M. persicae are positively correlated with dsPar6 expression levels in transgenic rape plants.  Our study demonstrates that transgenic rape plants expressing dsPar6 are efficiently protected from M. persicae.  Interfering with the genes involved in embryo development could be the effective RNAi targets for controlling aphids and potentially other insect pests.

Pathogens secrete multiple enzymes that can degrade the cell wall, thereby weakening the host's cell wall and facilitating the penetration of the pathogen into the plant. In this study, we identified VdGH7a, a glycoside hydrolase family 7 (GH7) cellobiohydrolase from Verticillium dahliae, which exhibited hydrolytic activity against 1,4-β-glucan. Interestingly, we found that VdGH7a induced cell death in Nicotiana benthamiana when signal peptides were present. However, this phenomenon was effectively prevented by the carbohydrate-binding type-1 (CBM1) protein domain. Furthermore, we observed that the knockout of VdGH7a significantly reduced the pathogenicity of V. dahliae to cotton plant, as evidenced by the inability of the knockout mutants to penetrate cellophane membrane. Additionally, these knockout mutants displayed diminished ability to exploit carbon sources, rendering them more susceptible to osmotic and cell wall stresses. Moreover, VdGH7a interacted with an osmotin-like protein (GhOLP1) in cotton through yeast two-hybrid screening, and further confirmed using bi-molecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and luciferase complementation imaging (LCI). Furthermore, virus-induced gene silencing technology was employed to silence GhOLP1, causing cotton's salicylic acid (SA) content and resistance to V. dahliae were both reduced, whereas heterologous overexpression of GhOLP1 in Arabidopsis increased both resistance and the expression of genes involved in the SA signaling pathway. Collectively, these findings demonstrate a virulence strategy whereby the secreted protein VdGH7a from V. dahliae interacts with GhOLP1 to stimulate host immunity and play a significant role in plant resistance against V. dahliae.

NADC34-like Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), which first appeared in China in 2017, is currently one of the main epidemic strains in China. In this study, we found that a new variant of NADC34-like PRRSV evolved, named the L1A variant. The phylogenetics, epidemic status, and pathogenicity of the LA variants were subsequently comprehensively evaluated. Based on the results of the ORF5 phylogenetic analysis, the L1A variants were classified as NADC34-like PPRSV. All the strains had the same discontinuous 131-aa deletion in the NSP2 region (similar to that in the NADC30). Recombination analysis revealed that the L1A variants were recombinant viruses that contained an NADC30-like PRRSV skeleton, a nonstructural protein-encoding gene region obtained in part from JXA1-like PRRSV and a ORF2-ORF6 gene region partly obtained from NADC34-like PRRSV and that exhibited similar recombination patterns. We successfully isolated the L1A variant TZJ2756 from PAMs and Marc-145 cells. In animal experiments, TZJ2756 exhibited moderate pathogenicity in piglets, causing obvious clinical symptoms, namely, persistent fever, significantly reduced body weight, interstitial edema and severe interstitial pneumonia in the lungs, and prolonged high-load viremia. L1A variants have been detected in at least 12 provinces in China and share many similar epidemiological characteristics with the American L1C variant. This research will enhance our understanding of the prevalence of L1A variants and furnish valuable data for the ongoing monitoring of NADC34-like PRRSV in China.

Chloroplast gene expression relies on nucleus-encoded factors for RNA metabolism processing, but the mechanisms under cold stress remain poorly understood.  In this study, we isolated and characterized a foxtail millet (Setaria italica) mutant, temperature-sensitive chlorophyll-deficient (sitcd1), which exhibited reduced chlorophyll content and abnormal chloroplasts, resulting in an albino phenotype during early leaf development at low temperatures (20°C during the day and 18°C at night).  Map-based cloning revealed that SiTCD1 encoded a P-type PPR protein localized in chloroplasts.  In sitcd1 background, transgenic lines of SiTCD1 overexpression appeared nearly normal green leaves under L20/D18 condition.  SiTCD1 was especially expressed in earlier development of leaves under low temperature.  Additionally, SiTCD1 directly bound to the plastid gene atpF in vitro, which might participate in the splicing of plastid gene atpF under low temperature.  RNA-seq indicated that the expression of genes related to metabolism (such as porphyrin, chlorophyll and glutathione metabolism), which required ATP for energy, was down-regulated in sitcd1, resulting in decreased chlorophyll content, GSH, and its redox couple (GSH/GSSG) at low temperature.  As sitcd1 exhibited more sensitive at the bud bursting stage than germination and seedling stage under cold stress, we identified two haplotypes of SiTCD1 (SiTCD1^Hap1 and SiTCD1^Hap2) in 195 accessions, and found that accessions carrying the SiTCD1^Hap2 allele were more tolerant to cold stress than those with the SiTCD1^Hap1 allele at the bud bursting stage.  In summary, our results suggest that SiTCD1 is essential for early chloroplast development under low temperature in foxtail millet.

Fungal diseases affecting maize not only reduced maize yields but also generate fungal toxins that pose risks to both human and animal health, particularly when the straw is returned to the field. Microbial in-situ control is considered an environmentally friendly method that effectively addresses the limitations of unstable effects. In this study, we isolated Bacillus velezensis zm026 from rhizosphere soil for in-situ restoration, based on the soil community structure, which exhibits high antagonistic activity against Fusarium verticillioides and Exserohilum turcicum. Zm026 effectively colonized the surface of maize roots within five days and activated the plant immune system, significantly increasing the expression of defense genes such as ZmGST, ZmZHD, ZmPR-1, ZmPR-2, and ZmPR-3. The efficient anti-fungal substance of zm026 was identified by HPLC-MS and determined to be bacillomycin D. Further observations using trypan blue staining, along with DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) and PI (Propidium iodide) fluorescent staining, revealed that bacillomycin D could inhibit fungal spore germination, disrupt the integrity of fungal cell membranes, induce apoptosis, and cause spore tips to protrude, swell, or rupture. Ultimately, indoor pot experiments demonstrated that the application of zm026 fermentation broth significantly promoted growth, inhibited the onset of fungal diseases in corn, and effectively reduced the abundance of Fusarium spp. in corn grains. This research provides a beneficial in-situ restoration strain for the high-quality development of corn.