Carbon(C), nitrogen(N), and phosphorus(P) are crucial elements in the element cycling in the terrestrial ecosystems. In the past decades, the spatial pattern and driving mechanism of plant and soil ecological stoichiometry have been hot topics in ecological geography. So far, many studies at different spatial and ecological scales have been conducted, but systematic review has not been reported to summarize the research status. In this paper, we tried to fill this gap by reviewing both the spatial variations and driving factors of C, N, P stoichiometric characteristics of plant and soil at regional to large scale. Additionally, we synthesized researches on the relationships between plant and soil C, N and P stoichiometric characteristics. At the global scale, plant C, N, P stoichiometric characteristics exhibited some trends along latitude and temperature gradient. Plant taxonomic classification was the main factor controlling the spatial variations of plant C, N and P stoichiometric characteristics. Climate factor and soil properties showed varying impacts on the spatial variations of plant C, N, P stoichiometric characteristics across different spatial scales. Soil C, N, P stoichiometric characteristics also vary along climate gradient at large scale. Their spatial variations result from the combined effects of climate, topography, soil properties, and vegetation characteristics at regional scale. The spatial pattern of soil C, N, P stoichiometric characteristics and the driving effects from environmental factors could be notably different among different ecosystems and vegetation types. Plant C:N:P is obviously higher than that of soil, and there exists a positive correlation between plant and soil C:N:P. Their trends along longitude and latitude are similar, but this correlation varies significantly among different vegetation types. Finally, based on the issues identified in this paper, we highlighted eight potential research themes for the future studies.

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are plant pest that infect the roots of host plants. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) nematicidal proteins showed toxicity to nematodes. However, the application of nematicidal proteins in plant protection is hampered by the lack of effective delivery system in transgenic plants. In this study, we discovered the accumulation of leucoplasts (root plastids) in galls and RKN-induced giant cells. RKN infection caused the degradation of leucoplasts into small vesicle-like structures, and are responsible for delivering proteins to RKNs, as seen through confocal microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy. We further showed that different sized proteins from leucoplasts could be taken up by female of Meloidogyne incognita by western blot analysis. To further explore the potential applications of leucoplasts, we introduced the Bt crystal protein Cry5Ba2 into tobacco and tomato leucoplasts by fusing it with a transit peptide. The resulting transgenic plants showed significant resistance to RKNs. Intriguingly, RKN females preferentially uptake Cry5Ba2 protein when it was delivered through plastids rather than the cytosol. The decrease in progeny production was positively correlated with the delivery efficiency of the nematicidal protein. In conclusion, this study provides new insights into the feeding behavior of RKNs and their ability to ingest leucoplast proteins. Furthermore, it demonstrates the potential use of leucoplasts as an efficient delivery system for nematicidal proteins, offering a promising approach for controlling nematodes.

Phosphate deficiency and drought are significant environmental constraints that impact both the productivity and quality of wheat. The interaction between phosphorus and water facilitates their mutual absorption processes in plants. Under conditions of both phosphorus deficiency and drought stress, we observed a significant upregulation in the expression of wheat MYB-CC transcription factors through the transcriptome analysis. 52 TaMYB-CC genes in wheat were identified and analyzed their evolutionary relationships, structures, and expression patterns. The TaMYB-CC5 gene exhibited specific expression in roots and demonstrated significant upregulation under phosphorus deficiency and drought stress compared to other TaMYB-CC genes. The overexpression of TaMYB-CC5A in Arabidopsis resulted in a significant increase of root length under stress conditions, thereby enhancing tolerance to phosphate starvation and drought stress. The wheat lines with silenced TaMYB-CC5 genes exhibited reduced root length under stress conditions and increased sensitivity to phosphate deficiency and drought stress. In addition, silencing the TaMYB-CC5 genes resulted in altered phosphorus content in leaves but did not lead to a reduction in phosphorus content in roots. Enrichment analysis the co-expression genes of TaMYB-CC5 transcription factors, we found the zinc-induced facilitator-like (ZIFL) genes were prominent associated with TaMYB-CC5 gene. The TaZIFL1, TaZIFL2, and TaZIFL5 genes were verified specifically expressed in roots and regulated by TaMYB-CC5 transcript factor. Our study reveals the pivotal role of the TaMYB-CC5 gene in regulating TaZIFL genes, which is crucial for maintaining normal root growth under phosphorus deficiency and drought stress, thereby enhanced resistance to these abiotic stresses in wheat.

The bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] is often utilized as a rootstock for watermelon grafting. This practice effectively mitigates the challenges associated with continuous cropping obstacles in watermelon cultivation. The lower ground temperature has a direct impact on the rootstocks\' root development and nutrient absorption, ultimately leading to slower growth and even the onset of yellowing. However, the mechanisms underlying the bottle gourd\'s regulation of root growth in response to low root zone temperature (LRT) remain elusive. Understanding the dynamic response of bottle gourd roots to LRT stress is crucial for advancing research regarding its tolerance to low temperatures. In this study, we compared the physiological traits of bottle gourd roots under control and LRT treatments; root sample transcriptomic profiles were monitored after 0 h, 48 h and 72 h of LRT treatment. LRT stress increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, relative electrolyte permeability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, especially H2O2 and O2-. Concurrently, LRT treatment enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD). RNA-Seq analysis revealed the presence of 2507 and 1326 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after 48 h and 72 h of LRT treatment, respectively. Notably, 174 and 271 transcription factors (TFs) were identified as DEGs compared to the 0 h control. We utilized quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to confirm the expression patterns of DEGs belonging to the WRKY, NAC, bHLH, AP2/ERF and MYB families. Collectively, our study provides a robust foundation for the functional characterization of LRT-responsive TFs in bottle gourd roots. Furthermore, these insights may contribute to the enhancement in cold tolerance in bottle gourd-type rootstocks, thereby advancing molecular breeding efforts.

UNASSIGNED: The plant root system is critical for the absorption of water and nutrients, and have a direct influence on growth and yield. In cucumber, a globally consumed crop, the molecular mechanism of root development remains unclear, and this has implications for developing stress tolerant varieties. This study sought to determine the genetic patterns and related genes of cucumber root weight. A core cucumber germplasms population was used to do the GWAS analysis in three environments.
UNASSIGNED: Here, we investigated four root-weight related traits including root fresh weight (RFW), root dry weight (RDW), ratio of root dry weight to root fresh weight (RDFW) and the comprehensive evaluation index, D-value of root weight (DRW) deduced based on the above three traits for the core germplasm of the cucumber global repository. According to the D-value, we identified 21 and 16 accessions with light and heavy-root, respectively. We also found that the East Asian ecotype accessions had significantly heavier root than other three ecotypes. The genome-wide association study (GWAS) for these four traits reveals that 4 of 10 significant loci (gDRW3.1, gDRW3.2, gDRW4.1 and gDRW5.1) were repeatedly detected for at least two traits. Further haplotype and expression analysis for protein-coding genes positioned within these 4 loci between light and heavy-root accessions predicted five candidate genes (i.e., Csa3G132020 and Csa3G132520 both encoding F-box protein PP2-B1 for gDRW3.1, Csa3G629240 encoding a B-cell receptor-associated protein for gDRW3.2, Csa4G499330 encodes a GTP binding protein for gDRW4.1, and Csa5G286040 encodes a proteinase inhibitor for gDRW5.1).
UNASSIGNED: We conducted a systematic analysis of the root genetic basis and characteristics of cucumber core germplasms population. We detected four novel loci, which regulate the root weight in cucumber. Our study provides valuable candidate genes and haplotypes for the improvement of root system in cucumber breeding.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the root canal morphology is essential for the success of root canal treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate and analyze the root canal configuration of maxillary premolars using Cone Beam Computed Tomography in the Pakistani subpopulation.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized CBCT scans from two distinct centres: Aga Khan University in Karachi and Jinnah MRI and Body Scans in Lahore. The CBCT images were visualized using GALAXIS version 1.9 (SICAT GmbH and Co. KG, Bonn, Germany), integrated within the Sirona Dental System (D-64625 Bensheim, Germany). The scanning parameters were standardized at 85 kV, 7 mA, with a 15-s exposure time and a voxel size of 0.16 mm. A total of 707 CBCT scans were collected, encompassing 2180 maxillary premolars. Root canal configurations were classified based on (Ahmed et al. Int Endod J. 2017;50(8):761-70). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 26, employing the Chi-square test with a significance level set at p < 0.05.
RESULTS: The distribution of root canal morphologies varied significantly with age and gender. Among maxillary premolars, 50% exhibited the typical configuration of 2MPMB1 L1 (two roots, single canal in each buccal and lingual root), while 26% of maxillary right second premolars displayed 1MPM1 (one root, one canal). Overall, 1MPM1 accounted for 27.4% of the total cases in the second premolars. There was no statistically significant relationship between age and root canal distribution in either first premolars (p = 0.338) or second premolars (p = 0.833). Regarding gender, a significant difference was observed in the distribution of right maxillary 1st premolars (p = 0.022*), with a higher prevalence among females.
CONCLUSIONS: This study offers significant insights into the anatomical variations of root canals in maxillary premolars across diverse regional subpopulations in Pakistan. While specific root canal configurations were prevalent, the findings indicate no statistically significant correlation between age and root canal morphology in maxillary premolars. However, a notable gender disparity was observed in the distribution of the right maxillary first premolars.

The yield of sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] can be easily threatened by drought stress. Typically, early stages like the seedling stage and tuber-root expansion stage are more vulnerable to drought stress. In this study, a highly drought-tolerant sweet potato cultivar \"WanSu 63\" was subjected to drought stress at both the seedling stage (15 days after transplanting, 15 DAT) and the tuber-root expansion stage (45 DAT). Twenty-four cDNA libraries were constructed from leaf segments and root tissues at 15 and 45 DAT for Next-Generation Sequencing. A total of 663, 063, and 218 clean reads were obtained and then aligned to the reference genome with a total mapped ratio greater than 82.73%. A sum of 7119, 8811, 5463, and 930 differentially expressed genes were identified from leaves in 15 days (L15), roots in 15 days (R15), leaves in 45 days (L45), and roots in 45 days (R45), respectively, in drought stress versus control. It was found that genes encoding heat shock proteins, sporamin, LEA protein dehydrin, ABA signaling pathway protein gene NCED1, as well as a group of receptor-like protein kinases genes were enriched in differentially expressed genes. ABA content was significantly higher in drought-treated tissues than in the control. The sweet potato biomass declined sharply to nearly one-quarter after drought stress. In conclusion, this study is the first to identify the differentially expressed drought-responsive genes and signaling pathways in the leaves and roots of sweet potato at the seedling and root expansion stages. The results provide potential resources for drought resistance breeding of sweet potato.

GLABRA2 (GL2), a class IV homeodomain leucine-zipper (HD-Zip IV) transcription factor (TF) from Arabidopsis, is a developmental regulator of specialized cell types in the epidermis. GL2 contains a monopartite nuclear localization sequence (NLS) that is conserved in most HD-Zip IV members across the plants. We demonstrate that NLS mutations affect nuclear transport and result in a loss-of-function phenotypes. NLS fusions to EYFP show that it is sufficient for nuclear localization in roots and trichomes. Despite partial overlap of the NLS with the homeodomain, genetic dissection indicates that nuclear localization and DNA binding are separable functions. Affinity purification of GL2 from plants followed by MS-based proteomics identified Importin α (IMPα) isoforms as potential GL2 interactors. NLS structural prediction and molecular docking studies with IMPα-3 revealed major interacting residues. Cytosolic yeast two-hybrid assays and co-immunoprecipitation experiments with recombinant proteins verified NLS-dependent interactions between GL2 and several IMPα isoforms. IMPα triple mutants (impα-1,2,3) exhibit abnormal trichome formation and defects in GL2 nuclear localization in trichomes, consistent tissue-specific and redundant functions of IMPα isoforms. Taken together, our findings provide mechanistic evidence for IMPα-dependent nuclear localization of GL2 in Arabidopsis, a process that is critical for cell-type differentiation of the epidermis.

Boron dimerizes RG-II in the plant cell wall and is crucial for plant cell elongation. However, studying RG-II dimerization in plants is challenging because of the severe phenotypes or lethality of RG-II mutants. Boron deprivation abrogates both RG-II dimerization and plant growth, but whether or how these phenotypes are functionally linked has remained unclear. Boric acid analogues can serve as experimental tools to interfere with RG-II cross-linking. Here, we investigated RG-II dimerization and developmental phenotypes in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings treated with a boric acid analogue, phenylboronic acid (PBA), to test whether the observed developmental phenotypes are attributable to alteration of RG-II dimerization or to other putative functions of boron in plants. We found that PBA treatment altered root development in seedlings while RG-II dimerization and distribution were not affected. Surprisingly, under low boron conditions, PBA treatment i) had no effect on root size but still prevented lateral root development and ii) restored RG-II dimerization. PBA treatment also disrupted auxin levels, potentially explaining the absence of lateral roots in seedlings treated with this analogue. We conclude that PBA interacts both with RG-II and other cellular targets such as auxin signaling components, and that the phenotypes caused by PBA arise from interference with multiple functions of boron.

UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to quantitatively investigate the accumulation of Streptococcus mutans biofilm on enamel and root surfaces and assess the amount of biofilm removal using (1) experimental toothpaste and (2) water, in a closed system of flow chamber.
UNASSIGNED: Eight sound premolars were embedded in epoxy resin and polished with silicon carbide grinding papers to display enamel and root surfaces. To mimic biofilm, cultures of Streptococcus mutans were prepared and grown on the tooth surfaces over night before they were exposed to either 2 liters of Milli Q water or 2 liters of 40% experimental toothpaste in the flow chamber. The amount of biofilm was measured and quantified in Fluorescence microscopy. Mean fluorescence values were recorded and analysed using Microsoft® Excel® (MS Excel 2016).
UNASSIGNED: The ability to grow biofilm was equally present at both the enamel and root surfaces. The use of water and 40% experimental toothpaste showed a significant reduction of areas covered with biofilm on both enamel and root dentin in comparison to untreated surfaces (p < 0.01). Significantly more biofilm was removed from enamel compared to root surfaces when treated with either water and toothpaste (p < 0.01). Slightly less biofilm was removed by the use of water compared to toothpaste on both enamel and root dentin surfaces, although the differences were not statistically significant.
UNASSIGNED: The results indicate that less biofilm is removed from the root surfaces than enamel by the use of water and 40% experimental toothpaste in flow chamber. Assessing oral biofilm accumulation and monitoring biofilm formation on enamel and root dentin surfaces give oral health professionals important directions that could strenghten the significance of dental caries prevention. Improving older individuals\' oral hygiene practices should therefore be considered an important measure to prevent root caries.