Article
Genetics & Heredity
Stephen Brooks Parrish, Dev Paudel, Zhanao Deng
Summary: This study investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying the color variation in Lantana camara flowers through transcriptome assembly and gene expression analysis. The results provide insights for future research and breeding of ornamental plants with desired color traits.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stefan A. Lohner, Konni Biegert, Ansgar Hohmann, Roy McCormick, Alwin Kienle
Summary: Apple skin contains different types and concentrations of pigments that change dynamically during fruit maturation. Chlorophylls and carotenoids are primarily involved in photosynthesis, while anthocyanin vacuolar inclusions (AVIs) accumulate for light protection in red-skinned cultivars. The influence of grana and AVIs on light scattering and absorption was theoretically investigated, and experimental measurements confirmed the selective scattering effect.
PHOTOCHEMICAL & PHOTOBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Jose Erik Cruz-Valderrama, Judith Jazmin Bernal-Gallardo, Humberto Herrera-Ubaldo, Stefan de Folter
Summary: Floral patterning is a complex process involving the main components of the cell wall-cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectins. Enzymes related to cell wall components play a crucial role in the formation of floral organs, with the activity of cell wall remodeling proteins being modulated by genetic regulation and internal and external stimuli.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Rashi Vishwakarma, Anushree Malik
Summary: A green extraction process is proposed to reduce energy and petroleum solvent consumption, while maintaining environmental safety and quality. The study focuses on generating a highly permeable cell using crude fungal enzymes, enabling simultaneous cultivation and extraction. A novel pretreatment method combining partial enzymatic digestion and maintaining viability of microalgae cells allows for further product recovery from the same biomass.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xiaochen Qi, Yixiang Hu, Liang Chen, Yukun Chen, Jince Zhang, Xing Zhang, Taiyu Jin, Dawei Fang, Jun Wang
Summary: TiO2 conversion luminescent materials doped with Er3+ and Yb3+ were used as electron transport layer to improve the performance of CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells (MAPbI3 PSC) under scattered solar light irradiation. The up-conversion and down-conversion TiO2 luminescent films can effectively utilize infrared and ultraviolet light, respectively, to enhance the utilization efficiency of sunlight for solar cells. The MAPbI3 PSC with up-conversion TiO2, TiO2, and down-conversion TiO2 electron transport layer (UTD-MAPbI3 PSC) showed an 11.22% increase in power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to the MAPbI3 PSC with un-doped TiO2 as the electron transport layer (TiO2-MAPbI3 PSC).
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shijun Li, Xi Li, Xiaodan Wang, Tao Chang, Zechuan Peng, Chunyun Guan, Mei Guan
Summary: The study on the regulation of petal color genes in rapeseed flowers reveals that BnaA10g23330D (BnF3'H) plays a key role in the synthesis of purple pigments in petals. These findings provide a theoretical and practical basis for flower breeding targeting petal color.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mumei Wang, Xiaopei Zhu, Guoqing Peng, Minglong Liu, Shuqing Zhang, Minghao Chen, Shitang Liao, Xiaoying Wei, Peng Xu, Xiyu Tan, Fangping Li, Zhichuan Li, Li Deng, Ziliang Luo, Liya Zhu, Shuai Zhao, Dagang Jiang, Jing Li, Zhenlan Liu, Xianrong Xie, Shaokui Wang, Aimin Wu, Chuxiong Zhuang, Hai Zhou
Summary: This study reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of diurnal flower-opening time in rice. It shows that rice Diurnal Flower Opening Time 1 (DFOT1) modulates pectin methylesterase (PME) activity, which affects pectin methylesterification levels and lodicule swelling, thus controlling diurnal flower-opening time. This finding is important for reducing the costs of hybrid breeding and improving the heat tolerance of flowering plants.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yiguang Wang, Chao Zhang, Bin Xu, Jianxin Fu, Yanxia Du, Qiu Fang, Bin Dong, Hongbo Zhao
Summary: This study investigated how temperature regulates the floral color and carotenoid accumulation in sweet osmanthus. The results showed that high temperature suppressed floral coloration and carotenoid accumulation, while low temperature enhanced them. These findings help reveal the regulatory mechanism of temperature on carotenoid accumulation in the petals of sweet osmanthus.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Muhammad Ahsan, Adnan Younis, Muhammad Nafees, Aasma Tufail, Qaiser Shakeel, Muhammad Raheel, Fahim Nawaz, Muhammad Jafar Jaskani, Muhammad Amin, Mateen Sajid, Gulzar Akhtar, Ali Bukhsh, Umme Habiba Siddiqua, Muhammad Ammar Raza, Timothy Schwinghamer, Hira Zulfiqar
Summary: The study revealed that different types of wastewater have varying effects on metal accumulation in rose petals, with no impact on composition but quantitative differences in aroma constituents and essential oil chemical composition.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Subrata Ghorai, Braja Gopal Bag
Summary: Uvaol, a pentacyclic triterpenoid isolated from various plants, exhibits self-assembly properties in different organic liquids and binary liquid mixtures, forming intricate nano- to micrometer-scale superstructures. These self-assemblies have been utilized in the synthesis of anticancer drug conjugates and the removal of harmful chemicals.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hongfeng Huang, Xuekai Gao, Xiang Gao, Shiqi Zhang, Ying Zheng, Ning Zhang, Bo Hong, Xin Zhao, Zhaoyu Gu
Summary: The carotenoid biosynthesis pathway in plants has been extensively studied, but little is known about the regulatory mechanisms behind this process, especially in ornamental horticulture plants. This study identified a natural variation of chrysanthemum with orange coloration and compared it with the wild type with pink coloration. The mutant showed higher levels of carotenoid content and components. The CmCCD4a-5 gene was identified in both the pink and mutant chrysanthemum, and it functions as a carotenoid degradation enzyme. The mutant also exhibited lower expression levels of CmCCD4a-5. Additionally, CmGATA4 was found to have an opposite expression trend to CmCCD4a-5 and could directly bind to its promoter. This study demonstrates that CmGATA4 acts as a negative regulator of CmCCD4a-5, resulting in carotenoid accumulation in the mutant.
Article
Plant Sciences
Mia Dujmovic, Sanja Radman, Nevena Opacic, Sanja Fabek Uher, Vida Mikulicin, Sandra Voca, Jana Sic Zlabur
Summary: While fruits, vegetables, and aromatic species are commonly consumed, the importance of edible flowers rich in phytochemicals is often overlooked. Edible flowers are abundant in specialized metabolites (SM) and possess strong antioxidant capacities, making them beneficial for human health.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhen Wang, Xin Li, Minmin Chen, Liuyan Yang, Yongchun Zhang
Summary: Plants exhibit diverse petal colors through biosynthesis and the accumulation of pigments. In this study, the mechanisms regulating spot formation in Lilium leichtlinii var. maximowiczii petals were investigated. Carotenoids and anthocyanins were analyzed, and gene expression dynamics were studied. The results provide insight into pigment accumulation and the regulatory mechanisms underlying spot formation during flower development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Horticulture
Hui Duan
Summary: Agroinfiltration-mediated transient expression was used to validate the functionality of a metabolic engineering construct for betalain biosynthesis genes in petunia flower petals. The effects of transcription factors and a gene regulating cellular pH on petunia petals were also demonstrated through agroinfiltration. Additionally, agroinfiltration in flower petals proved to be a quick approach for testing gene editing components.
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE & BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yan Xia, Weiwei Chen, Weibo Xiang, Dan Wang, Baogui Xue, Xinya Liu, Lehua Xing, Di Wu, Shuming Wang, Qigao Guo, Guolu Liang
Summary: Our study revealed that changes in carotenoids and anthocyanins contents, as well as the expression levels of related genes, are associated with petal color transitions in Lonicera japonica. Furthermore, endogenous hormones play a role in regulating these color transitions.
Article
Plant Sciences
Miranda A. A. Sinnott-Armstrong, Rox Middleton, Yu Ogawa, Gianni Jacucci, Edwige Moyroud, Beverley J. J. Glover, Paula J. J. Rudall, Silvia Vignolini, Michael J. J. Donoghue
Summary: Compared to animals, little is known about the presence of structural color in plants. In fruits, only a few instances have been described, such as the blue color in Viburnum tinus resulting from a disordered multilayered reflector made of lipid droplets. This study explores the evolutionary context of fruit structural color in the Viburnum genus by examining 30 species, using various techniques to identify the presence of photonic structures, understand the color-producing mechanism, and describe the evolution of cell wall architecture. The findings suggest multiple origins of blue fruit color in Viburnum, associated with large photonic structures made of lipid droplets embedded in the cell wall. Examining the full range of color-producing mechanisms in plants will enhance our understanding of fruit color diversity, ecology, and evolution.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Andrea Dodero, Kenza Djeghdi, Viola Bauernfeind, Martino Airoldi, Bodo D. D. Wilts, Christoph Weder, Ullrich Steiner, Ilja Gunkel
Summary: This paper presents a promising approach to create color through photonic morphologies manufactured by molecular self-assembly. It demonstrates the feasibility of achieving full-color tuning in photonic spheres across the visible spectrum. The study establishes important principles for manufacturing photonic colloids through the control of lamellar thickness and selection of swelling additives.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Erik Poloni, Henning Galinski, Florian Bouville, Bodo Wilts, Leonid Braginsky, David Bless, Valery Shklover, Alba Sicher, Andre R. Studart
Summary: The use of distributed microplatelets for light reflection is an effective way to create color and control optical properties in paints, security features, and optical filters. However, the design and manufacturing of these composite materials are limited due to the complex light-matter interactions that determine their optical response. This study experimentally investigates and analytically calculates the optical reflectance of individual reflective microplatelets and polymer-based composites containing these engineered platelets.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Siyi Ming, Xiaotian Zhang, Chun Lam Clement Chan, Zhen Wang, Melanie M. Bay, Richard M. M. Parker, Silvia Vignolini
Summary: Hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) is a widely used cellulose derivative that can form a cholesteric liquid crystal and exhibit structural color at high concentrations. By emulsifying the HPC mesophase and drying it at elevated temperature, solid microparticles reflecting color across the visible spectrum can be produced. This method provides a scalable pathway to fabricate structurally colored, edible pigments, which can replace synthetic additives used in various foods and cosmetics.
ADVANCED SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jia Hui Lim, Yun Jing, Sung Park, Yoshiharu Nishiyama, Muriel Veron, Edgar Rauch, Yu Ogawa
Summary: Understanding the defect structure of soft matter at the nanoscale is limited to its external morphology. In this study, we investigated the structural details of kink defects in cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) using experimental and theoretical methods. By correlating the local crystallographic information and nanoscale morphology, we identified two bending modes with distinct disordered structures at kink points. The drying process strongly influenced the external morphology, leading to an underestimation of the kink population in standard dry conditions.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jess M. Clough, Cedric Kilchoer, Bodo D. Wilts, Christoph Weder
Summary: This paper reports a new type of mechanochromic material that overcomes the limitations of traditional mechanochromic polymers by combining photonic structures with covalent mechanophores. These materials can change their reflection spectra upon deformation and provide quantitative detection of the range of changes, with a broad strain detection range.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Johannes S. S. Haataja, Gianni Jacucci, Thomas G. G. Parton, Lukas Schertel, Silvia Vignolini
Summary: Through a systematic investigation of light scattering in correlated disordered structures, we find that the scattering efficiency is mainly determined by topologically invariant features and the surface-averaged mean curvature. Optimal scattering efficiency can be achieved from a broad range of disordered structures, especially when structural anisotropy is considered. These results have far-reaching consequences for the industrial use of low-index materials for optical scattering.
COMMUNICATIONS PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Nives Hribernik, Denisa Vargova, Marlene C. S. Dal Colle, Jia Hui Lim, Giulio Fittolani, Yang Yu, Junki Fujihara, Kai Ludwig, Peter H. Seeberger, Yu Ogawa, Martina Delbianco
Summary: This study demonstrates the designability of oligosaccharides in accessing materials with tunable shapes and properties. Synthetic cellulose-based oligomers were assembled into 2D or 3D rod-like crystallites or elongated aggregates with tunable surfaces, resulting in self-healing supramolecular hydrogels. These synthetic carbohydrate-based materials provide new tools for material scientists and supramolecular chemists.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Alessandro Parisotto, Viola V. Vogler-Neuling, Ullrich Steiner, Matthias Saba, Bodo D. Wilts
Summary: Scientists have discovered that the beetle Euprotaetia inexpectata has a black appearance due to the presence of anisotropic micropillars that enhance absorptivity. This independent evolution of black surfaces in nature provides interesting templates for bio-inspired applications.
MATERIALS TODAY ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Optics
Wenhui Wang, Antonio Gunzler, Bodo D. Wilts, Ullrich Steiner, Matthias Saba
Summary: Non-Maxwellian double-net metamaterials can be used to realize robust and available photonic bound states in the continuum, which are standing wave formations made of electron acoustic waves.
ADVANCED PHOTONICS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Alessandro Parisotto, Vinodkumar Saranathan, Ullrich Steiner, Bodo D. Wilts
Summary: The bright, iridescent scales of green and blue Glenea celestis beetles were investigated, revealing the presence of previously undocumented hexagonal-close-packed colloidal crystals within their scales. Optical and ultrastructural techniques were used to study the origin and properties of these structural colors. Further research is needed to understand the development of structural color in beetles.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Gen Kamita, Silvia Vignolini, Ahu Gumrah Dumanli
Summary: A biocompatible and edible colorimetric timer is created using the cholesteric liquid crystalline mesophases of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) in water suspensions. The timer is encapsulated by shellac membranes, allowing for vibrant coloration and adjustable water evaporation rates, resulting in a visible color change. This system has potential applications in food packaging and smart labelling due to its biocompatibility and visual detection capabilities.
NANOSCALE HORIZONS
(2023)