Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Feng Yang.
One hundred diatom species have been selected for genome and transcriptome sequencing. The 100 Diatom Genomes Project aims to provide a scalable framework for understanding diatom biodiversity, ecology and evolution, and for investigating their use in biotechnology.
L-Ascorbic acid (AsA) is a key antioxidant that alleviates oxidative stress in plants. Previous yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) screening identified RrWRKY75 as a transcription factor capable of binding to the promoter of RrGGP2 (GDP-L-galactose pyrophosphatase 2), a key structural gene responsible for massive AsA accumulation in Rosa roxburghii fruit. The function of RrWRKY75 in plant stress responses remains unclear. Here, RrWRKY75 is verified to specifically bind to the RrGGP2 promoter and activate its transcription. This positive regulatory effect on RrGGP2 transcript levels and AsA accumulation is further confirmed through overexpression or silencing of RrWRKY75 in R. roxburghii fruit or callus. Among various abiotic stress conditions, RrWRKY75 expression is significantly induced by salt stress. Upon its overexpression in callus or Arabidopsis thaliana, elevated AsA levels and antioxidant capacity are observed, thereby enhancing salt tolerance. Interestingly, RrWRKY75 also binds to the promoter of RrUNE12, a salt-responsive factor in R. roxburghii, and activates its expression. Moreover, yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays confirm the physical interaction between RrWRKY75 and RrUNE12, which jointly upregulates RrGGP2 expression and AsA production. Collectively, RrWRKY75 boosts AsA biosynthesis and salt tolerance both by directly trans-activating RrGGP2 and by synergizing with RrUNE12 through transcriptional activation and protein complex formation. These findings provide insights into the regulatory role of RrWRKY75 in abiotic stress tolerance and offer valuable genetic resources for R. roxburghii germplasm improvement.
BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer is a highly invasive malignancy that severely impairs normal digestive function and poses a substantial threat to patient survival. The pathogenesis of miRNA-mediated tumors has been widely documented. AIM: Verifying the involvement of miR-335-3p in the pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: The study enrolled 90 ESCC patients, from whom clinical data and pathological tissue samples were acquired. The prognostic potential of dysregulated miR-335-3p in ESCC was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. miR-335-3p and GFPT1 expression in the specimens were measured by RT-qPCR. Cellular biological functions were verified through transfection, CCK-8, Transwell, and kit-based assays. The targeting relationship was ascertained by luciferase activity assays. RESULTS: miR-335-3p was downregulated in ESCC, which is indicative of poorer prognostic outcomes. GFPT1 was up-regulated and was regarded as a target of miR-335-3p. Increased miR-335-3p levels markedly impaired cellular biological functions. Conversely, simultaneous overexpression of GFPT1 alleviated the negative effects induced by miR-335-3p mimic, which was associated with the partial restoration of cell activity and antioxidant capacity. CONCLUSION: miR-335-3p represents a potential independent prognostic marker in ESCC. The anti-tumor activity induced by miR-335-3p overexpression may be associated with its regulation of GFPT1.
Capsaicinoids are a class of unique alkaloids that confer the pungent taste to pepper fruits. However, it remains largely unknown how light regulates the biosynthesis of capsaicinoids. We conducted a metabolic analysis on light- and dark-adapted pepper fruits. The results showed that dark-adapted pepper fruits had lower capsaicinoid contents and correspondingly downregulated transcription of capsaicinoid biosynthetic genes (CBGs), indicating that light plays a crucial role in capsaicinoid biosynthesis. Furthermore, silencing of CaHY5, a pivotal transcription factor gene in the light signaling pathway, decreased the content of capsaicinoid and suppressed the expression of CBGs, whereas transient overexpression of CaHY5 generated exactly opposite results. CaHY5 can bind to the G-box motif in the promoters of CaBBX2 and CaACS8, thereby enhancing their transcriptional levels. The activated CaBBX2 then binds to the T/G-box in the CaACS8 promoter to stimulate its expression. CaBBX2 or CaACS8 silencing led to decreased levels of capsaicinoids, while their transient overexpression produced increased capsaicinoid contents. Collectively, our results indicated that the light-activated CaHY5-CaBBX2-CaACS8 regulatory module plays a pivotal role in capsaicinoid biosynthesis. These findings provide new insights into the influence of light on capsaicinoid biosynthesis and potential targets for activation of this biosynthetic pathway in pepper.
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