The banana MaWRKY18, MaWRKY45, MaWRKY60 and MaWRKY70 genes encode functional transcription factors and display differential expression in response to defense phytohormones

SERGIO GARCIA LAYNES VIRGINIA AURORA HERRERA VALENCIA Lilia Guadalupe Tamayo Torres VERONICA LIMONES BRIONES FELIPE ALONSO BARREDO POOL FRAY MARTIN BAAS ESPINOLA Angel Alpuche-Solis CARLOS ALBERTO PUCH HAU SANTY PERAZA ECHEVERRIA (2022, [Artículo])

WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play key roles in plant defense responses through phytohormone signaling pathways. However, their functions in tropical fruit crops, especially in banana, remain largely unknown. Several WRKY genes from the model plants rice (OsWRKY45) and Arabidopsis (AtWRKY18, AtWRKY60, AtWRKY70) have shown to be attractive TFs for engineering disease resistance. In this study, we isolated four banana cDNAs (MaWRKY18, MaWRKY45, MaWRKY60, and MaWRKY70) with homology to these rice and Arabidopsis WRKY genes. The MaWRKY cDNAs were isolated from the wild banana Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis, which is resistant to several diseases of this crop and is a progenitor of most banana cultivars. The deduced amino acid sequences of the four MaWRKY cDNAs revealed the presence of the conserved WRKY domain of ~60 amino acids and a zinc-finger motif at the N-terminus. Based on the number of WRKY repeats and the structure of the zinc-finger motif, MaWRKY18 and MaWRKY60 belong to group II of WRKY TFs, while MaWRKY45 and MaWRKY70 are members of group III. Their corresponding proteins were located in the nuclei of onion epidermal cells and were shown to be functional TFs in yeast cells. Moreover, expression analyses revealed that the majority of these MaWRKY genes were upregulated by salicylic acid (SA) or methyl jasmonate (MeJA) phytohormones, although the expression levels were relatively higher with MeJA treatment. The fact that most of these banana WRKY genes were upregulated by SA or MeJA, which are involved in systemic acquired resistance (SAR) or induced systemic resistance (ISR), respectively, make them interesting candidates for bioengineering broad-spectrum resistance in this crop. © 2022 by the authors.

BANANA TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR WRKY DEFENSE PHYTOHORMONES SALICYLIC ACID METHYL JASMONATE SAR ISR BROAD-SPECTRUM RESISTANCE BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA GENÉTICA GENÉTICA MOLECULAR DE PLANTAS GENÉTICA MOLECULAR DE PLANTAS

The Banana MaWRKY18, MaWRKY45, MaWRKY60 and MaWRKY70 Genes Encode Functional Transcription Factors and Display Differential Expression in Response to Defense Phytohormones

SERGIO GARCIA LAYNES VIRGINIA AURORA HERRERA VALENCIA Lilia Guadalupe Tamayo Torres VERONICA LIMONES BRIONES FELIPE ALONSO BARREDO POOL FRAY MARTIN BAAS ESPINOLA Ángel Gabriel Alpuche Solís CARLOS ALBERTO PUCH HAU SANTY PERAZA ECHEVERRIA (2022, [Artículo])

"WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play key roles in plant defense responses through phytohormone signaling pathways. However, their functions in tropical fruit crops, especially in banana, remain largely unknown. Several WRKY genes from the model plants rice (OsWRKY45) and Arabidopsis (AtWRKY18, AtWRKY60, AtWRKY70) have shown to be attractive TFs for engineering disease resistance. In this study, we isolated four banana cDNAs (MaWRKY18, MaWRKY45, MaWRKY60, and MaWRKY70) with homology to these rice and Arabidopsis WRKY genes. The MaWRKY cDNAs were isolated from the wild banana Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis, which is resistant to several diseases of this crop and is a progenitor of most banana cultivars. The deduced amino acid sequences of the four MaWRKY cDNAs revealed the presence of the conserved WRKY domain of ~60 amino acids and a zinc-finger motif at the N-terminus. Based on the number of WRKY repeats and the structure of the zinc-finger motif, MaWRKY18 and MaWRKY60 belong to group II of WRKY TFs, while MaWRKY45 and MaWRKY70 are members of group III. Their corresponding proteins were located in the nuclei of onion epidermal cells and were shown to be functional TFs in yeast cells. Moreover, expression analyses revealed that the majority of these MaWRKY genes were upregulated by salicylic acid (SA) or methyl jasmonate (MeJA) phytohormones, although the expression levels were relatively higher with MeJA treatment. The fact that most of these banana WRKY genes were upregulated by SA or MeJA, which are involved in systemic acquired resistance (SAR) or induced systemic resistance (ISR), respectively, make them interesting candidates for bioengineering broad-spectrum resistance in this crop."

Banana Transcription factor WRKY Defense phytohormones Salicylic acid Methyl jasmonate SAR ISR Broad-spectrum resistance BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA GENÉTICA GENÉTICA

Adsorption and Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue in Carbon Nanotubes: A Review with Bibliometric Analysis

Hugo Albeiro Saldarriaga Noreña MARIO ALFONSO MURILLO TOVAR JOSEFINA VERGARA SANCHEZ JEANNETE RAMIREZ APARICIO Lorena Magallón Cacho MARIA LUISA GARCIA BETANCOURT (2023, [Artículo])

Wastewater-containing dyes are an environmental problem. The prime source of dye pollutants is the textile industry, such as paper manufacturing, food processing, leather, pigments, etc. Dye removal from wastewater using nanotechnology has received attention in recent decades thanks to efficient nanomaterials improving traditional technologies. In recent years, multiple research reports on carbon nanotubes for dye removal and photocatalytic dye degradation provided substantial insight into the comprehension of nanotechnology and remediation. This work presents a review and bibliometric analysis of carbon nanotubes for dye removal and photocatalytic dye degradation, which have an environmental impact today. The bibliometric study showed that the current research tendency on carbon nanotubes applied in dye removal and photocatalysis is still growing. According to research, this work observed that carbon nanotubes for dye removal exhibit high removal and efficient photocatalysis activity, indicating the functionality of nanotechnology for environmental remediation. The analysis of the parameters involved in the removal studies, such as temperature and pH, showed adsorption behavior. The photodegradation of methylene blue demonstrated the photocatalytic activity of carbon nanotubes attributed to the sp2 lattice of graphitic configuration.

BIOLOGÍA Y QUÍMICA QUÍMICA adsorption; carbon nanotubes; methylene blue; photocatalysis; photodegradation of methylene blue

Aplicación de 1-MCP en diferentes ecotipos de ciruela mexicana (Spondias purpurea L.) de México

MARÍA GORETTI TRANSITO DAMASO (2023, [Tesis de maestría])

La ciruela mexicana es un frutal nativo de México, se distribuye en la vertiente del

Pacífico, centro de Veracruz y Península de Yucatán. El árbol de ciruela mexicana

produce frutos de diferentes tamaños, colores y sabores, existe una gran diversidad

que se aprecia tanto en los meses de marzo a junio, como de septiembre a noviembre.

El principal uso de la fruta es en fresco como fruta de temporada, la vida útil de la

ciruela de estación seca no es mayor a 5 d, por lo cual es un frutal que se considera

importante de manera local. Actualmente poco se han desarrollado y evaluado

tecnologías para incrementar la vida útil de este producto hortícola, por lo que en el

presente trabajo se evaluó la respuesta de cinco ecotipos de ciruela mexicana a la

aplicación de 1-metilciclopropeno (1-MCP), con la finalidad de proponerlo para el

desarrollo del manejo poscosecha adecuado de esta fruta. Durante abril a septiembre

de 2022 se cosecharon frutos de ciruela mexicana procedentes de Guerrero y Morelos.

Los frutos se cosecharon en etapa ½ verde. Los frutos fueron transportados al

Laboratorio de Producción Agrícola de la Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias en la

Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, donde se lavaron y se dejaron secar al

ambiente. Posteriormente se colocaron en cajas de plástico herméticas durante 12 h

y se aplicó 0, 500 y 1000 nL L-1 de 1-MCP, se evaluaron a temperatura ambiente (24.9

± 1 °C; 55.1 ± 6 % HR) y después de 5, 10 y 15 d en almacenamiento a 12 °C. Se

evaluaron los cambios fisicoquímicos y fisiológicos de cada ecotipo. La aplicación de

1-MCP, independiente del tiempo de almacenamiento inhibió y retrasó la velocidad de

respiración y producción de etileno, mantuvo la firmeza y retrasó la pigmentación

característica de cada ecotipo, con poca acción en la concentración de sólidos solubles

totales y acidez titulable, sin efecto claro en compuestos fenólicos, flavonoides y

actividad antioxidante, y sin ningún efecto en la pérdida de masa. El efecto del 1-MCP

permite conservar la fruta a temperatura ambiente hasta 6 u 8 d; la refrigeración a 12

°C potencia la acción del 1-MCP permitiendo conservar hasta 9 a 20 d después de

salir de almacenamiento.

The Mexican plum is a fruit native to Mexico, it is distributed on the Pacific slope, central

Veracruz and Yucatan Peninsula. The Mexican plum tree produces fruits of different

sizes, colors and flavors, there is a great diversity that is appreciated both in the months

of March to June, and from September to November. The main use of the fruit is fresh

as a seasonal fruit, the shelf life of the dry season plum is not more than 5 d, so it is a

fruit tree that is considered important locally. Currently, little technologies have been

developed and evaluated to increase the shelf life of this horticultural product, so in this

work the response of five ecotypes of Mexican plum to the application of 1-

methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) was evaluated, in order to propose it for the development

of adequate postharvest management of this fruit. During April to September 2022,

Mexican plum fruits were harvested from Guerrero and Morelos. The fruits were

harvested in stage 1/2 green. The fruits were transported to the Agricultural Production

Laboratory of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the Autonomous University of the

State of Morelos, where they were washed and left to dry in the environment.

Subsequently, they were placed in airtight plastic boxes for 12 h and 0, 500 and 1000

nL L-1 of 1-MCP were applied, evaluated at room temperature (24.9 ± 1.1 °C; 55.1 ±

6.2 % RH) and after 5, 10 and 15 d in storage at 12 °C. The physicochemical and

physiological changes of each ecotype were evaluated. The application of 1-MCP,

independent of storage time inhibited and delayed the rate of respiration and production

of ethylene, maintained the firmness and delayed the pigmentation characteristic of

each ecotype, with little action on the concentration of total soluble solids and titratable

acidity, with no clear effect on phenolic compounds, flavonoids and antioxidant activity,

and without any effect on mass loss. The effect of 1-MCP allows the fruit to be

preserved at room temperature up to 6 or 8 d; cooling at 12 °C enhances the action of

1-MCP allowing to preserve up to 9 to 20 d after leaving storage

CIENCIAS AGROPECUARIAS Y BIOTECNOLOGÍA CIENCIAS AGRARIAS Ciruela mexicana, 1-metilciclopropeno, almacenamiento, refrigeración, calidad, poscosecha Mexican plum, 1-methylcyclopropene, storage, refrigeration, quality, postharvest.