Biogenic production of DMSP and its degradation to DMS—their roles in the global sulfur cycle

Dimethyl sulfide(DMS) is the most abundant form of volatile sulfur in Earth's oceans, and is mainly produced by the enzymatic clevage of dimethylsulfoniopropionate(DMSP). DMS and DMSP play important roles in driving the global sulfur cycle and may affect climate. DMSP is proposed to serve as an osmolyte, a grazing deterrent, a signaling molecule, an antioxidant, a cryoprotectant and/or as a sink for excess sulfur. It was long believed that only marine eukaryotes such as phytoplankton produce DMSP. However, we recently discovered that marine heterotrophic bacteria can also produce DMSP, making them a potentially important source of DMSP. At present, one prokaryotic and two eukaryotic DMSP synthesis enzymes have been identified.Marine heterotrophic bacteria are likely the major degraders of DMSP, using two known pathways: demethylation and cleavage.Many phytoplankton and some fungi can also cleave DMSP. So far seven different prokaryotic and one eukaryotic DMSP lyases have been identified. This review describes the global distribution pattern of DMSP and DMS, the known genes for biosynthesis and cleavage of DMSP, and the physiological and ecological functions of these important organosulfur molecules, which will improve understanding of the mechanisms of DMSP and DMS production and their roles in the environment.     

Functional nano-catalyzed pyrolyzates from branch of Cinnamomum camphora

Cinnamomum camphora is an excellent tree species for construction of forest construction of Henan Province, China. The diverse bioactive components of nano-catalyzed pyrolyzates form cold-acclimated C. camphora branch (CCB) in North China were explored. The raw powder of CCB treated with nano-catalyst (Ag, NiO, ¹/₂Ag + ¹/₂NiO) were pyrolyzed at two temperatures (550 °C and 700 °C), respectively. The main pyrolyzates are bioactive components of bioenergy, biomedicines, food additive, spices, cosmetics and chemical, whose total relative contents at 550 °C pyrolyzates are higher than those at 700 °C pyrolyzates. There are abundant components of spices and biomedicine at 550 °C pyrolyzates, while more spices and food additive at 700 °C pyrolyzates. At 550 °C, the content of biomedicine components reaches the highest by ¹/₂Ag + ¹/₂NiO nanocatalysis, while the contents of spices and food additive components reach the highest by NiO nanocatalysis. At 700 °C, the content of bioenergy components reaches the highest by ¹/₂Ag + ¹/₂NiO nanocatalysis, and the content of cosmetics components reaches the highest by Ag nanocatalysis. The findings suggested that the branch of the cold-acclimated C. camphora have the potential to develop into valued-added products of bioenergy, biomedicine, cosmetics, spices and food additive by nanocatalysis.     

Genetic divergence of Platycerus hongwonpyoi (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) in South Korea

We examined the genetic divergence of Platycerus hongwonpyoi Imura & Choe, 1989 in South Korea using the nuclear wingless (Wg) gene, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. We found no variation in Wg or ITS. Based on COI, P. hongwonpyoi was split into four well defined and one weakly supported clades, which were inferred to have diverged 2.11–1.33 Ma. The Platycerus hongwonpyoi population size seems to have decreased during the past several tens of thousands of years. The divergence times of major clades of P. hongwonpyoi were comparable with those involved in the speciation of certain Japanese species. Frequent overlapping of different clades at the same sites suggests the occurrence of secondary gene flow following differentiation in South Korea. In conclusion, the genus Platycerus underwent strikingly different divergence patterns in South Korea compared with Japan according to the disparate topographies of these two geographical areas.     

Transient expression of a TaGRF4-TaGIF1 complex stimulates wheat regeneration and improves genome editing

Science China Life Sciences - Genome editing is an unprecedented technological breakthrough but low plant regeneration frequencies and genotype dependence hinder its implementation for crop...