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MICHAEL HUBER^*, SANDRO CAPELLMANN
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1125-1129, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018513
Abstract Mast cells (MCs), hematopoietic cells of the myeloid lineage, are well-known for their pro-inflammatory nature contributing to the development of various allergic and autoimmune diseases. One of the characteristic receptors on MCs, the high-affinity receptor for IgE (FcεRI), is activated in its IgE-bound state via binding and crosslinking by polyvalent antigen. This results in its phosphorylation by the SRC family kinase LYN, initiating differential signaling pathways, eventually triggering immunological effector functions, such as degranulation and cytokine production. Few publications have reported on FcεRI-dependent but antigen-independent MC activation by antibody-mediated crosslinking of membrane molecules (e.g., transmembrane proteins and glycosphingolipids) that are… More >

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815

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GIUSEPPINA AMODIO¹, VALENTINA PAGLIARA¹, PAOLO REMONDELLI^1,*, ORNELLA MOLTEDO²
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1131-1137, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018638
Abstract The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the site of entry of all proteins that function in the secretory pathway including the extracellular environment. Because it controls the folding of newly synthesized secretory proteins, the ER is indispensable for the maintenance of proteostasis in the secretory pathway. Within the ER and, in part, in post-ER compartments, the quality control of protein folding is under the regulation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) pathways. The UPR strategy is to enhance protein folding, increase the ER degradation pathway of misfolded proteins, and allow the exit from the ER of only correctly folded proteins. The… More >

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909

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RAFIQ AHMED BHAT¹, SYED MANZOOR ALI², YOOSUF ALI ASHRAF MUHAMMAD HUSSENBOCUS³, AKANKSHA RATHI⁴, JAVAID AKHTER BHAT⁵, ABDUL ALEEM KHAN⁶, SYED MAQBOOL², RAJA SAQIB IQBAL⁷, MD MONOWARUL ISLAM⁸, YONGSHENG QU⁹, YOU ZHANG⁹, YUXIAO SUN¹, WENTAO XIAO⁹, ABHISHEK TIBREWAL¹⁰, CHUANYU GAO^1,*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1139-1150, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.016833
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Cellular Biomechanics in Health and Diseases)
Abstract The adverse outcomes of a ventricular heart failure (left, right or biventricular) caused by cardiogenic shock are aggravated by lung oedema and organ mal perfusion. Despite advances in medical sciences, revascularisation and mechanical hemodynamic support have proved ineffective in reducing the mortality rate in such patients. A thorough study of the data available about cardio-vascular diseases reveals that the application of conventional methods of treatment are least helpful to practically restore normal functions of heart when it experiences end-stage systolic ventricular failure. Thus, to overcome the challenges and find alternatives to address this issue, percutaneous ventricular support devices/machines were designed… More >

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1111

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675

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RAFAEL SCAF DE MOLON^1,2, MARTA MARIA ALVES PEREIRA², ERICA DORIGATTI DE AVILA²
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1151-1156, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018026
Abstract It has been recognized that physical and chemical properties of biomaterial surfaces mediate the quality of extracellular matrix (ECM) that may affect cell behaviors. In nature, ECM is a heterogeneous three-dimensional superstructure formed by three major components, glycosaminoglycan, glycoconjugate, and protein, that anchors cellular compartments in tissues and regulates the function and the behavior of cells. Changes in the biointerface alter the quality of ECM and morphology through cell surface receptors, which, in turn, enable it to trigger specific cell signaling and different cellular responses. In fact, a number of strategies have been used to improve the functionality of surfaces… More >

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1096

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648

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YUKI MATSUSHITA, WANIDA ONO, NORIAKI ONO^*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1157-1162, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018960
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Single Cell Analysis: Technology and Application)
Abstract Single-cell sequencing technologies have rapidly progressed in recent years, and been applied to characterize stem cells in a number of organs. Somatic (postnatal) stem cells are generally identified using combinations of cell surface markers and transcription factors. However, it has been challenging to define micro-heterogeneity within “stem cell” populations, each of which stands at a different level of differentiation. As stem cells become defined at a single-cell level, their differentiation path becomes clearly defined. Here, this viewpoint discusses the potential synergy of single-cell sequencing analyses with in vivo lineage-tracing approaches, with an emphasis on practical considerations in stem cell biology. More >

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1102

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ARTICLE

YUKA IKEDA, NOZOMI NAGASE, AI TSUJI, KURUMI TANIGUCHI, YASUKO KITAGISHI, SATORU MATSUDA^*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1163-1167, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018177
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Secretome and Biomaterials: Regenerative Medicine Application)
Abstract Stemness of cancer cells contains limitless self-renewal proliferation. For the purpose of proliferation, secretome might exert its effects via the paracrine signaling. Specific microRNAs enclosed in the secretome of cancer stem cells could regulate the expression of anti-proliferative APRO family proteins. The biological functions of APRO family proteins seems to be quite intricate, however, which might be a key modulator of microRNAs, then could regulate the proliferation of cancer cells. In addition to affecting proliferation/differentiation during cellular development, APRO family proteins might also play an imperious role on keeping homeostasis in healthy stem cells under a physiological condition. Therefore, relationship… More >

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650

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DICKSON KOFI WIREDU OCANSEY^1,2,*, XINWEI XU¹, LU ZHANG¹, FEI MAO^1,*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1169-1172, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018470
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Secretome and Biomaterials: Regenerative Medicine Application)
Abstract Stem cell research is a promising area of transplantation and regenerative medicine with tremendous potential for improving the clinical treatment and diagnostic options across a variety of conditions and enhancing understanding of human development. Over the past few decades, mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) studies have exponentially increased with a promising outcome. However, regardless of the huge investment and the research attention given to stem cell research, FDA approval for clinical use is still lacking. Amid the challenges confronting stem cell research as a cell-based product, there appears to be evidence of superior effect and heightened potential success in its expressed… More >

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747

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AMANDA BARACHO TRINDADE HILL^1,2,*, JONATHAN EDWIN BARACHO TRINDADE HILL²
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1173-1176, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018637
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Secretome and Biomaterials: Regenerative Medicine Application)
Abstract Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent an important tool in veterinary regenerative medicine due to their ability to home to injury sites and secrete molecules that regulate niches into regenerative microenvironments. Successful cell therapy depends on many factors, including choice of administration route and application of understanding of cell potency and their therapeutic mechanisms. In this point of view, the authors leverage the tumultuous history of the field to demonstrate the need for clinicians to continually update themselves as new discoveries are made in order to avoid misalignments in the future, especially regarding administration routes and dose frequency, as well as… More >

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789

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JONG HWAN SUNG^*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1177-1180, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.019055
Abstract Organ-on-a-chip technology aims to reproduce the key physiological features of human organs and tissues, even complex actions of multi-organ interaction. While organ-on-a-chips at single-organ level has made notable achievement during the last decade, multi-organ-on-a-chips, which manifests unique advantages, has started gathering attention only recently. In this viewpoint, we discuss the current status of organ-on-a-chip technology, with a specific emphasis on multi-organ-on-a-chip. Key technological advances contributing to the maturation of the field, and challenges that need to be addressed before wider adoption in relevant fields are discussed. We will share our perspectives on how the multi-organ-on-a-chip can improve the drug development… More >

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1028

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YUANNA DU^1,#, WENWEN GONG^2,#, JING LIANG^1,#, RUKUN ZANG¹, JUNJUN MOU¹
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1181-1188, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.016148
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Cellular Biomechanics in Health and Diseases)
Abstract Endometrial cancer remains to be a major type of malignancy in threatening female life. Molecular insights in advancing our understanding of endometrial tumorigenesis are much needed. We here report that a less-studied protein Dihydropyrimidinase like 3 (DPYSL3) is a potent tumor suppressor. DPYSL3 is uniquely regulated by wild type p53 (wtp53), and its expression is at the highest level when cells carry wtp53 and are exposed to hypoxia. We reveal that wtp53 can bind DPYSL3 promoter to enhance DPYSL3 expression and in turn, the elevated DPYSL3 can restrain cancer cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, we… More >

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711

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XIAOFEI LV^1,#, XI YU^2,#, JIE XU³, MINGYI WANG⁴, CHENG PENG^1,*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1189-1196, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018249
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Cellular Biomechanics in Health and Diseases)
Abstract The kinesin family member 18A protein was dysregulated in several human cancers and involved in cancer progression. However, the significance in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) has not been studied. The present study was intended to explore the functions of KIF18A in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) assay was performed to assess the relationships between the KIF18A protein expression level and clinical-pathological features of the patients. The biological functions of KIF18A in OTSCC cells were investigated by the experiments in vitro and in vivo. Based on immunohistochemistry, we found that KIF18A was correlated with the clinical-pathological… More >

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1157

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674

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ARTICLE

PANPAN WANG^1,2, GANG LI³, LI GAO^1,2, CHUANJIANG ZHAO^1,2
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1197-1207, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.016607
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Cellular Biomechanics in Health and Diseases)
Abstract Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss, which is also a high-risk factor for other diseases including oral cancer and cardiovascular disease. Periodontitis is one of the most common type of periodontal diseases. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. However, the mechanism how IL-1β is produced during periodontitis is still unclear. In the present study, we found that human β-defensin 2 (hBD2) enhances IL-1β production through an LPS-primed human acute monocytic leukemia (THP-1) macrophage model. Inhibition of P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2X7) reduced hBD2-enhanced IL-1β production. Incubation of LPS-primed THP-1 macrophages with potassium chloride… More >

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1235

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692

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VIEWPOINT

ANGELES C. TECALCO-CRUZ^*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1209-1213, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018136
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Tumor Microenvironment and Cytoskeletal Dynamics)
Abstract Cytoskeletal remodeling affects the shape, adhesion, and motility of cells. Cytoskeletal dynamics are modulated by matrix proteins, integrins, and several cytokines in the tumor microenvironment. In this scenario, signaling is activated by integrins and interferons, which can induce ISG15 gene expression. This gene encodes a ubiquitin-like protein that functions as a protein modifier via the ISGylation system. Furthermore, non-conjugated ISG15 acts as a cytokine-like protein. In this viewpoint, the interplay between free ISG15, protein ISGylation, and cytoskeletal dynamics in the tumor microenvironment is discussed. More >

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687

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ARTICLE

LU YANG^1,#, YUN LIU^1,#, BOKE ZHANG², MENGSI YU³, FEN HUANG¹, YANG WEN¹, JIANGZHENG ZENG¹, YANDA LU¹, CHANGCHENG YANG¹
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1215-1243, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018221
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Tumor Microenvironment and Cytoskeletal Dynamics)
Abstract The aim of this study was to reveal genes associated with breast cancer metastasis, to investigate their intrinsic relationship with immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment, and to screen for prognostic biomarkers. Gene expression data of breast cancer patients and their metastases were downloaded from the GEO, TCGA database. R language package was used to screen for differentially expressed genes, enrichment analysis of genes, PPI network construction, and also to elucidate key genes for diagnostic and prognostic survival. Spearman’s r correlation was used to analyze the correlation between key genes and infiltrating immune cells. We screened 25 hub genes,… More >

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810

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ARTICLE

HAN ZHAO¹, JING GUO¹, QINGJIA CHI², MENG FANG^1,*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1245-1259, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018117
Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a worldwide malignant tumor that caused irreversible consequences. Tanshinone IIA has been shown to play a notable role in HCC treatment. However, the potential targets and associating mechanism of Tanshinone IIA against HCC remain unknown. We first screened out 105 overlapping genes by integrating the predicted targets of Tanshinone IIA from multiple databases and the differentially expressed genes of HCC from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Then, we performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) using the RNA-seq profiles of overlapping genes and HCC-related clinical information. 23 genes related to clinical tumor grade in the… More >

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1185

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685

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RUI XU¹, QIBIAO WU¹, YUHAN GONG², YONGZHE WU¹, QINGJIA CHI^1,*, DA SUN^3,*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1261-1288, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018427
Abstract There is currently no effective solution to the problem of poor prognosis and recurrence of HCC. The technology of immunotherapy and prognosis of genetic material has made continuous progress in recent years. In the study, a 5-gene signature was established for the prognosis of HCC through biological information, and the immune infiltration of HCC patients was studied. After studied HCC patients’ immune infiltration, the paper screened the differential target genes of miR-126-3p in HCC downloaded from TCGA database, and uses WGCNA method to select the modular genes highly relevant to M2 macrophage. Then we use LASSO and COX regression analysis… More >

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700

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1

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ARTICLE

LEI FU¹, JINGWEN JIANG², XUEWU CHEN², FENGTING ZHU², HUI ZHANG²
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1289-1297, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.016726
Abstract The levels of hsa circular RNA_0002198 (hsa_circ_0002198) have been found to be significantly upregulated in keloid dermal fibroblasts. However, the functional role of hsa_circ_0002198 in keloid fibroblasts and the underlying molecular mechanism for its effects have not been reported. In this study, the levels of hsa_circ_0002198 and nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain, leucine rich repeat and pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) expression in keloid scar tissues and adjacent normal skin tissues were determined by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. In vitro models of keloid tissue were created by culturing primary keloid fibroblasts obtained from patients. A series of functional… More >

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579

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HONGQIANG ZHAO^1,2, QI LIU³, HAORUN LIU³, WEIMIN LI^3,*, JIANGYANG LU^1,*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1299-1308, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.017217
Abstract HMGN2 have functions in inflammatory response. However, the role of HMGN2 in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) remains unclear. Here, our study was to discuss the role and regulatory mechanism ofHMGN2 in SAP. In this study, the SAP cell model of AR42J was used to study the function and mechanism of HMGN2 in SAP. The protein expression in cells and serums were examined by western blot and ELISA assay. qPCR was used to test the transcriptional RNA level. Cell viability were examined by MTT assay. Luciferase assay was used to evaluate the interaction between gene and gene. Our results showed that… More >

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604

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YUHUA ZOU^1,#, LEI ZHANG^2,#, XIN ZHONG^3,*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1309-1317, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018167
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Noncoding RNAs & Associated Human Diseases)
Abstract Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has a poor prognosis due to limited diagnosis and treatment. Thus, it is necessary to find novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. The aberrant expression of microRNAs plays an important role in RCC oncogenesis. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3) acts as a downstream target of miR-181b. The aim of this study was to understand the role and molecular mechanism of miR-181b in RCC oncogenesis. The results showed that miR-181b expression was significantly higher in RCC tumour tissues, especially in those with significant invasion or metastasis. miR-181b overexpression promoted proliferation and migration of the RCC cell… More >

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1092

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591

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YANG YANG, LIJUAN FU, CHUNMEI CHEN, MEIWEI HU
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1319-1328, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.015760
Abstract Aberrant expression of miRNAs is significantly correlated with the occurrence of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The immune imbalance of M1/M2 macrophage contributes to the development of ITP. However, the role of miR-148b-3p in macrophage phenotype imbalance remains unknown in ITP. In this study, we aimed to explore whether miR-148b-3p inhibits M2 macrophage polarization in ITP and to investigate the underlying mechanism. Peripheral blood from 22 ITP patients were collected, and real-time PCR confirmed that miR-148b-3p was up-regulated and Western blot analyses detected the expression of SOCS3 was down-regulated. Subsequent dual-luciferase reporter gene assay indicated that miR-148b-3p could bind to SOCS3.… More >

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1124

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532

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YUNLONG ZHANG^1,#, JINGWEI ZHANG^2,#, YU ZHU¹, BIN CAI^1,*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1329-1338, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.015592
Abstract Diabetic patients often exhibit delayed or incomplete progress in the healing of acute wounds, owing to poor blood perfusion. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has attracted much attention as a means to improve wound healing, because it contains high growth factor concentrations. However, the burst-like release of PRP growth factors results in a short half-life of these therapeutic proteins, thus greatly limiting the therapeutic effect. In this study, we prepared PRP from human umbilical cord blood and developed an in situ photocrosslinkable PRP hydrogel glue (HNPRP) by adding a photoresponsive hyaluronic acid (HA-NB) into PRP. The HNPRP hydrogel allowed for controlled release… More >

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947

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709

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FENGJUN DAI¹, ZIYI RONG¹, QIANGSHENG WU¹, ELSAYED FATHI ABD_ALLAH³, CHUNYAN LIU^1,2,*, SHENGRUI LIU^2,*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1339-1346, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018909
（This article belongs to this Special Issue: Mycorrhizal Fungal Roles in Stress Tolerance of Plants)
Abstract Tea plants are sensitive to soil moisture deficit, with the level of soil water being a critical factor affecting their growth and quality. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can improve water and nutrient absorption, but it is not clear whether AMF can improve the photosynthetic characteristics of tea plants. A potted study was conducted to determine the effects of Claroideoglomus etunicatum on plant growth, leaf water status, pigment content, gas exchange, and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters in Camellia sinensis cv. Fuding Dabaicha under well-watered (WW) and drought stress (DS) conditions. Root mycorrhizal colonization and soil hyphal length were significantly reduced by the… More >

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1058

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QUANWEI LU^1,2,#, YUZHEN SHI^2,#, RUILI CHEN^1,2, XIANGHUI XIAO^2,3, PENGTAO LI^1,2, JUWU GONG^2,3, RENHAI PENG¹, YOULU YUAN^2,*
BIOCELL, Vol.46, No.5, pp. 1347-1356, 2022, DOI:10.32604/biocell.2022.018254
Abstract Aluminum-activated malate transporters (ALMT) are widely involved in plant growth and metabolic processes, including adaptation to acid soils, guard cell regulation, anion homeostasis, and seed development. Although ALMT genes have been identified in Arabidopsis, wheat, barley, and Lotus japonicus, little is known about its presence in Gossypium hirsutum L. In this study, ALMT gene recognition in diploid and tetraploid cotton were done using bioinformatics analysis that examined correlation between homology and evolution. Differentially regulated ALMT genetic profile in G. hirsutum was examined, using RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR, during six fiber developmental time-points, namely 5 d, 7 d, 10 d, 15… More >

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694